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The Ascend Trials #1
If the Walls Fall
A romance obsessed teen. A fantasy world demanding she save it. Can Grace prove she’s not their prophesied hero without losing her life or her heart?
If you live life like you're in a romance novel, ending up in a fantasy saga would surprise anyone. For serial romantic and reader Grace, she's less surprised and more disbelieving. When she arrives in the Kingdom of Dalner, she assumes it's all a dream. After all, Dalner is a world full of magic and attentive love interests, something no rational seventeen year old could believe is real.
Even more improbable are the hints that Grace was brought to save the Kingdom from their northern enemies, magical immortals like the mysterious Woman, who seek to tear down the walls caging them in. But as a non-magical human with no special powers (unless turning every situation into a romantic plot counts), Grace can barely keep herself alive, much less harness the skills needed to save the world.
While Grace struggles to prove she’s not the girl they’re looking for, outside forces drag her towards a deadly conclusion, one that may cost more than just her new friendships. To escape the evils threatening to destroy the Kingdom and protect her first love, she must confront her own definition of heroism and discover her inner power before it's too late.
This book includes some scenes of violence, age appropriate sexual content, an attempted but unsuccessful assault, diversity representation, a fae-like race, a HEA, and no cliffhangers.
For fans of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas, Uprooted by Naomi Novik, and the Folk of the Air series by Holly Black.
If you live life like you're in a romance novel, ending up in a fantasy saga would surprise anyone. For serial romantic and reader Grace, she's less surprised and more disbelieving. When she arrives in the Kingdom of Dalner, she assumes it's all a dream. After all, Dalner is a world full of magic and attentive love interests, something no rational seventeen year old could believe is real.
Even more improbable are the hints that Grace was brought to save the Kingdom from their northern enemies, magical immortals like the mysterious Woman, who seek to tear down the walls caging them in. But as a non-magical human with no special powers (unless turning every situation into a romantic plot counts), Grace can barely keep herself alive, much less harness the skills needed to save the world.
While Grace struggles to prove she’s not the girl they’re looking for, outside forces drag her towards a deadly conclusion, one that may cost more than just her new friendships. To escape the evils threatening to destroy the Kingdom and protect her first love, she must confront her own definition of heroism and discover her inner power before it's too late.
This book includes some scenes of violence, age appropriate sexual content, an attempted but unsuccessful assault, diversity representation, a fae-like race, a HEA, and no cliffhangers.
For fans of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas, Uprooted by Naomi Novik, and the Folk of the Air series by Holly Black.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 16, 2022
3 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 30, 2024
Read for SPFBO, this is only my personal opinion, group verdict might differ widely!
If the Walls Fall by K. Malady is not my personal cup of tea.
I'd put it on the YA shelf, due to its prose and story, but the spice level in some bits is more New Adult. The MC is a young woman who definitely wants to satisfy her hormones, and there's plenty of talk about condoms and her favourite spicy scenes from books all the way through the book.
This was the main problem for me, the whole story felt too easy and predictable. The voice and tone was fine enough for me to finish the book, but the big reveals and fight scenes just fell really flat. Either I saw it coming from miles away, or it felt like a hyped up moment was just handled within two paragraphs.
I did not enjoy the typical girl who is not special, but has to decide between two boys trope. The romance in itself felt a bit half baked even to me, and I'm not even a romance reader. It just didn't really feel organic to me.
I did like how the main character didn't turn into a perfect fighter within two minutes, but actually stayed herself throughout the book.
All in all an entertaining book, I don't regret reading, but with too many flaws and inconsistencies.
If the Walls Fall by K. Malady is not my personal cup of tea.
I'd put it on the YA shelf, due to its prose and story, but the spice level in some bits is more New Adult. The MC is a young woman who definitely wants to satisfy her hormones, and there's plenty of talk about condoms and her favourite spicy scenes from books all the way through the book.
This was the main problem for me, the whole story felt too easy and predictable. The voice and tone was fine enough for me to finish the book, but the big reveals and fight scenes just fell really flat. Either I saw it coming from miles away, or it felt like a hyped up moment was just handled within two paragraphs.
I did not enjoy the typical girl who is not special, but has to decide between two boys trope. The romance in itself felt a bit half baked even to me, and I'm not even a romance reader. It just didn't really feel organic to me.
I did like how the main character didn't turn into a perfect fighter within two minutes, but actually stayed herself throughout the book.
All in all an entertaining book, I don't regret reading, but with too many flaws and inconsistencies.
Want to read
June 3, 2024This is not a full review. I read through the beginning of all 300 SPFBOX contest entries. This was a book I wanted to read more of.
A college freshman with a head full of romance plots wakes up in a strange, medieval world after her advances on an older boy are gently rejected.
The prose in this next piece has been a highlight. The narrative voice of our 1st person MC is clear and competent, making this entry into the blog off highly readable. The dialogue feels natural enough, but it’s the narration that’s moving things along.
It gives us a good sense of our painfully inexperienced MC who is trying to seem like something more. She’s dressed as “the girl who would get a date” she tells us. Sadly, she doesn’t.
While our MC is fairly well described, the other character we initially meet is little more than a name. This is too bad, because it’s Halloween, months into the college term, and this lack of detail makes her infatuation with him seem shallow.
Of course, that may be the point! But it felt like a loss to me. His sideways confession that he is gay is also handled fairly perfunctorily. Our narration doesn’t comment on it. He leaves, our MC has a sudden, weird vision for some reason, and then she wakes up outside.
This transportation and subsequent realization that our MC is not in her dorm felt rushed to me, but the story keeps moving, and that’s always better than having nothing happen. (You'll probably see my say that a lot in this thread.)
There are some good, and subtle character details being introduced here. Family strife. The loss of a family member. Some sense of conflict between conservative sexuality and a more progressive promiscuity.
These things fill out the beginning more than any sense of place or time, and, despite the suddenness of the isekai, they help get me invested enough in the character to keep reading.
I'm guessing this is a fantasy romance. It’s moving right along. I’m as lost as I could be as to how our MC ended up in medieval times (if that’s where she is). Will this be like the romances our MC reads? I’d like to know that much, so I’m in.
A college freshman with a head full of romance plots wakes up in a strange, medieval world after her advances on an older boy are gently rejected.
The prose in this next piece has been a highlight. The narrative voice of our 1st person MC is clear and competent, making this entry into the blog off highly readable. The dialogue feels natural enough, but it’s the narration that’s moving things along.
It gives us a good sense of our painfully inexperienced MC who is trying to seem like something more. She’s dressed as “the girl who would get a date” she tells us. Sadly, she doesn’t.
While our MC is fairly well described, the other character we initially meet is little more than a name. This is too bad, because it’s Halloween, months into the college term, and this lack of detail makes her infatuation with him seem shallow.
Of course, that may be the point! But it felt like a loss to me. His sideways confession that he is gay is also handled fairly perfunctorily. Our narration doesn’t comment on it. He leaves, our MC has a sudden, weird vision for some reason, and then she wakes up outside.
This transportation and subsequent realization that our MC is not in her dorm felt rushed to me, but the story keeps moving, and that’s always better than having nothing happen. (You'll probably see my say that a lot in this thread.)
There are some good, and subtle character details being introduced here. Family strife. The loss of a family member. Some sense of conflict between conservative sexuality and a more progressive promiscuity.
These things fill out the beginning more than any sense of place or time, and, despite the suddenness of the isekai, they help get me invested enough in the character to keep reading.
I'm guessing this is a fantasy romance. It’s moving right along. I’m as lost as I could be as to how our MC ended up in medieval times (if that’s where she is). Will this be like the romances our MC reads? I’d like to know that much, so I’m in.
July 11, 2022
I received this book for free from Author, MTMC Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. You can also find this review + an out-of-context character interview at The Reader and the Chef.
Reading If the Walls Fall felt like stepping into a medieval adventure and my fantasy loving heart is thrilled about it! And may I mention that you also get to travel with four very handsome companions that will automatically become your best friends?! Because it’s all true, the first installment of The Ascend Trials was adventurous and diverting, I almost finished it in one sitting!! 📚♥️
The main character of If the Walls Fall is the type of character that falls into the reluctant chosen one trope. She’s a romance book lover and would willingly step inside her favorite romance novels, but NOT into a fantasy world (I volunteer for it tho!!) 😍.
Grace struggles to accept that the Kingdom of Dalner is real and not a figment of her imagination. She’s suddenly expected to be a hero and do this and that, which her only logical solution is that she’s dreaming. After a lot of convincing, she slowly comes to terms that this is not a dream and quite an epic adventure as she travels said kingdom. I had a lot of fun exploring this magical land along with Grace and her four companions: Fíl, Tans, Sáv and Kórol. They were super sweet, aided Grace when she desperately needed it plus they surprisingly turn out to be romance novels fans (although Kórol tried to unsuccessfully hide it 😂).
Also there are DRAGONS!!! They are not dangerous unless provoked so nothing to worry. But there is a prophecy that might involve Grace, dragons and her being a savior, which places our heroine into a difficult situation since she’s unsure what to do. Good thing she has amazing friends (and maybe a love interest) that will help her along the way!! 🙌 All in all, I really enjoyed reading If the Walls Fall and I’m excited to see what comes next in Grace’s journey!❤️
Reading If the Walls Fall felt like stepping into a medieval adventure and my fantasy loving heart is thrilled about it! And may I mention that you also get to travel with four very handsome companions that will automatically become your best friends?! Because it’s all true, the first installment of The Ascend Trials was adventurous and diverting, I almost finished it in one sitting!! 📚♥️
The main character of If the Walls Fall is the type of character that falls into the reluctant chosen one trope. She’s a romance book lover and would willingly step inside her favorite romance novels, but NOT into a fantasy world (I volunteer for it tho!!) 😍.
Grace struggles to accept that the Kingdom of Dalner is real and not a figment of her imagination. She’s suddenly expected to be a hero and do this and that, which her only logical solution is that she’s dreaming. After a lot of convincing, she slowly comes to terms that this is not a dream and quite an epic adventure as she travels said kingdom. I had a lot of fun exploring this magical land along with Grace and her four companions: Fíl, Tans, Sáv and Kórol. They were super sweet, aided Grace when she desperately needed it plus they surprisingly turn out to be romance novels fans (although Kórol tried to unsuccessfully hide it 😂).
Also there are DRAGONS!!! They are not dangerous unless provoked so nothing to worry. But there is a prophecy that might involve Grace, dragons and her being a savior, which places our heroine into a difficult situation since she’s unsure what to do. Good thing she has amazing friends (and maybe a love interest) that will help her along the way!! 🙌 All in all, I really enjoyed reading If the Walls Fall and I’m excited to see what comes next in Grace’s journey!❤️
dnf
October 3, 2024Read as a judge in Fantasy Faction for #SPFBOX - this is my opinion only and I don't speak foe whole team in reviews and rankings.
This was a DNF at approx 20% - I know all the Male characters were described but they all seemed to meld into 1 character with different facets. The MC’s idea that she was in a dream went on for what seemed a ludicrous amount of time. I wasn't invested in any way to carry on.
This was a DNF at approx 20% - I know all the Male characters were described but they all seemed to meld into 1 character with different facets. The MC’s idea that she was in a dream went on for what seemed a ludicrous amount of time. I wasn't invested in any way to carry on.
July 27, 2022
thoroughly enjoyable
Malady’s If the Walls Fall was an enjoyable read. I had never read anything quite like it and the world was an amazing one. I felt compelled to keep reading and just had to know what happened.
Malady’s If the Walls Fall was an enjoyable read. I had never read anything quite like it and the world was an amazing one. I felt compelled to keep reading and just had to know what happened.
May 15, 2023
A unique plot - what's real? The story Grace finds herself in? Is it a dream? How about the "real" world she's always lived in?
Somehow, the answers to those questions don't really matter. Grace discovers life is really about taking each moment.
But who's the real villain here? Time?
Somehow, the answers to those questions don't really matter. Grace discovers life is really about taking each moment.
But who's the real villain here? Time?
September 3, 2024
This was an excellent take of an isekai.
I recommend it if you like a narrator who relies on romance novels. This is told in first person and the pacing is exactly where it needs to be. There's the right amount of humor wihtout being over the top.
I recommend it if you like a narrator who relies on romance novels. This is told in first person and the pacing is exactly where it needs to be. There's the right amount of humor wihtout being over the top.
April 5, 2025
A nice, cutesty story! There are proofreading errors all over, but the book is a nice easy read with sweet characters.
August 30, 2025
I didn’t actually read this book I’m using it as a placeholder for a book that isn’t on Goodreads 😅
July 18, 2022
This book is what a lot of fantasy readers are waiting for to happen to them- somehow end up in a fantasy world with mystery and attractive men who insist you are important to the kingdom.
I really enjoyed this story. Grace was hilariously in denial and her companions were enjoying it. The group that Grace finds herself with, turns out to be more important in this world than she realized but she preservers to find a way back to her realm.
There is a bit of mystery and intrigue, an evil woman, a wall that must be protected, a compromised king and a man named Tan who just loves Grace.
I really enjoyed this story. Grace was hilariously in denial and her companions were enjoying it. The group that Grace finds herself with, turns out to be more important in this world than she realized but she preservers to find a way back to her realm.
There is a bit of mystery and intrigue, an evil woman, a wall that must be protected, a compromised king and a man named Tan who just loves Grace.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews