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Heartmender #1
Heartmender: Heartmaker Trilogy Book 1
In the land of Barracks, the economy thrives on the barter of their citizens' most precious commodity—a human heart. Each year, the Heart Reign festival is thrown for those who have become of age to trade their hearts for their deepest desires.
And this year is Adelaide Tye's year to trade.
After despising Heart Reign for years, Addie endures her Extraction and discovers that her heart isn’t gray and dying, like all other hearts in Barracks, but bright red, alive, and teeming with power.
With a warning from the extractor of hearts, Addie rushes through Heart Reign to make her choice—trade her heart to Schism, the monster who took her brother years before, or go in search of the Mender—a mythical man said to purify hearts and save her own heart. Either decision will rip her away from the one man who has always been by her side.
Knowing there is only one real choice to make, Addie jumps through Schism’s red door and is thrust into a dark and dangerous realm where she is faced with making a trade she may not survive.
For fans of Stephanie Garber's Caraval and ABC's Once Upon a Time.
And this year is Adelaide Tye's year to trade.
After despising Heart Reign for years, Addie endures her Extraction and discovers that her heart isn’t gray and dying, like all other hearts in Barracks, but bright red, alive, and teeming with power.
With a warning from the extractor of hearts, Addie rushes through Heart Reign to make her choice—trade her heart to Schism, the monster who took her brother years before, or go in search of the Mender—a mythical man said to purify hearts and save her own heart. Either decision will rip her away from the one man who has always been by her side.
Knowing there is only one real choice to make, Addie jumps through Schism’s red door and is thrust into a dark and dangerous realm where she is faced with making a trade she may not survive.
For fans of Stephanie Garber's Caraval and ABC's Once Upon a Time.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2019
12 people are currently reading
469 people want to read
About the author
V. Romas Burton
11 books160 followersV. Romas Burton grew up bouncing up and down the East Coast where she wrote her first story about magical ponies at age seven. Years later, after studying government and earning an M.A. in Theological Studies, V. Romas Burton realized something even bigger was calling out to her--stories that contained great adventures and encouraging messages. When she's not writing, she's taking care of her three rambunctious sons. You can find future updates and news on her website: www.vromasburton.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
July 19, 2020
VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/_Rjb77nku1w
I don't read Christian fiction much anymore, but when I do, I'm always reminded why it was exclusively all I read ten plus years ago (and why I love it).
This book may not be considered "Christian fiction." However, the allegory woven through Heartmender is one that inspires and encourages as the Christian novels I use to read.
So many different things I could say, but I'll focus on one.
We are never alone.
Regardless of what kind of choice we make (or don't make), as a Christian, I know without a shadow of doubt, Jesus is with me. Though Addie's story is only fictional, her journey testifies to that there are forces of light and darkness around us. That we can choose to be "mended" by someone greater than us and who loves and cares for us.
The choice we make to serve either one will reflect our inner hearts, actions, and thoughts.
Her beginning journey might have been full of uncertainty, fear, and doubt, but she becomes a character that I aspire to be in real life.
Brave, loyal, and trusting in faith.
I'm so excited for this story to be out in the hands of readers because I believe that regardless of a reader's view or perspective of faith, I think this story can be appreciated as a worthy fantasy and encourage any reader. (I know I'm already itching to get my hands on book two!) It's one of my favorite reads this year and will be recommending to everyone I know.
*(I received an ARC from the publisher. All thoughts expressed are my own and was not required to write a review.)*
I don't read Christian fiction much anymore, but when I do, I'm always reminded why it was exclusively all I read ten plus years ago (and why I love it).
This book may not be considered "Christian fiction." However, the allegory woven through Heartmender is one that inspires and encourages as the Christian novels I use to read.
So many different things I could say, but I'll focus on one.
We are never alone.
Regardless of what kind of choice we make (or don't make), as a Christian, I know without a shadow of doubt, Jesus is with me. Though Addie's story is only fictional, her journey testifies to that there are forces of light and darkness around us. That we can choose to be "mended" by someone greater than us and who loves and cares for us.
The choice we make to serve either one will reflect our inner hearts, actions, and thoughts.
Her beginning journey might have been full of uncertainty, fear, and doubt, but she becomes a character that I aspire to be in real life.
Brave, loyal, and trusting in faith.
I'm so excited for this story to be out in the hands of readers because I believe that regardless of a reader's view or perspective of faith, I think this story can be appreciated as a worthy fantasy and encourage any reader. (I know I'm already itching to get my hands on book two!) It's one of my favorite reads this year and will be recommending to everyone I know.
*(I received an ARC from the publisher. All thoughts expressed are my own and was not required to write a review.)*
February 25, 2020
STORY
This is one of the best allegories I've ever read. Allegories aren't often my thing, either. So I was kind of surprised at how excited I was to read this, because wow, did it sound incredible.
And it was!
Well paced, intriguing, this story is nothing short of fantastic. It reminded me of Lord of the Rings, Narnia, or Pilgrim's Progress. The allegory was absolutely astounding, moving, and well-written. The mysteries and questions kept you guessing, though I did guess a few of them (yay!). I really enjoyed the Biblical topics, the Seven Deadly Sins in the flesh (heh), and the plot of the realms and such were so cool.
THEMES
Since it is an allegory, it was bursting with themes, but it was never preachy or boring. Ever. I loved the themes handled in this novel, y'all.
-- The Seven Deadly Sins were incredibly fascinating to watch be brought to life. That was great. Or twisted. Not great. Anyway.
-- The dilemma of all of us selling our hearts for something our flesh desires. This novel really tackled how people tend to sell their hearts for things that don't matter. We do it in today's society. We do it often. It is heartbreaking, it is wrong, but it is done. This novel showed that it is possible to believe the Truth and resist temptation with the help of God... because without our heart, without our soul that God has given us, without turning to the light... all is lost. All is without purpose. This theme was incredible. It really made me look at myself and think twice--which is what I want a novel to do! I want to be thought provoked. I want to better my relationship with God.
-- The fight against darkness and light was so well done. I'm pretty tired of morally gray fantasy novels. This novel didn't pull any punches and showed just how real the dark and the light are. I loved it!
-- Loyalty. Addie faces the struggle of being unwanted and ignored, etc, but she still chose love. She still chose to care about others. What a powerful theme! So many "strong female characters" choose to be only fighters, to be numb, etc... And I know from personal experience, we need more lovers. We need more people willing to fight AND love, no matter the pain this causes. Absolute kudos to this novel for showing what love truly looks like. (Hint: it hurts!)
All in all, I loved the themes and the allegorical elements. I could keep going on, but you'll have to read it for yourself. (Note: the author's note was really great, too!)
CHARACTERS
The cast was well-rounded and motivated. I enjoyed Claire and Addie's friendship. There are hints of budding relationships that I expect will be grown in Heartbreaker.
The villains were all super well done. The Mender and everything at the end not only tied up loose ends but started new threads, like a good series ought to!
I loved the cast, Addie was super relatable, and I cannot wait for the next installment.
CONTENT
PG-13. Brief sensual content. No swearing. Mild to vague descriptions of violence, blood, battles, cannibalism, and nasty monsters.
OVERALL
I am a sucker for the vibes this series has. C'mon. It's better than Alice in Wonderland vibes, with crazy people, colored doors, madness, and just AH I LOVE IT. A great book, overall!
This is one of the best allegories I've ever read. Allegories aren't often my thing, either. So I was kind of surprised at how excited I was to read this, because wow, did it sound incredible.
And it was!
Well paced, intriguing, this story is nothing short of fantastic. It reminded me of Lord of the Rings, Narnia, or Pilgrim's Progress. The allegory was absolutely astounding, moving, and well-written. The mysteries and questions kept you guessing, though I did guess a few of them (yay!). I really enjoyed the Biblical topics, the Seven Deadly Sins in the flesh (heh), and the plot of the realms and such were so cool.
THEMES
Since it is an allegory, it was bursting with themes, but it was never preachy or boring. Ever. I loved the themes handled in this novel, y'all.
-- The Seven Deadly Sins were incredibly fascinating to watch be brought to life. That was great. Or twisted. Not great. Anyway.
-- The dilemma of all of us selling our hearts for something our flesh desires. This novel really tackled how people tend to sell their hearts for things that don't matter. We do it in today's society. We do it often. It is heartbreaking, it is wrong, but it is done. This novel showed that it is possible to believe the Truth and resist temptation with the help of God... because without our heart, without our soul that God has given us, without turning to the light... all is lost. All is without purpose. This theme was incredible. It really made me look at myself and think twice--which is what I want a novel to do! I want to be thought provoked. I want to better my relationship with God.
-- The fight against darkness and light was so well done. I'm pretty tired of morally gray fantasy novels. This novel didn't pull any punches and showed just how real the dark and the light are. I loved it!
-- Loyalty. Addie faces the struggle of being unwanted and ignored, etc, but she still chose love. She still chose to care about others. What a powerful theme! So many "strong female characters" choose to be only fighters, to be numb, etc... And I know from personal experience, we need more lovers. We need more people willing to fight AND love, no matter the pain this causes. Absolute kudos to this novel for showing what love truly looks like. (Hint: it hurts!)
All in all, I loved the themes and the allegorical elements. I could keep going on, but you'll have to read it for yourself. (Note: the author's note was really great, too!)
CHARACTERS
The cast was well-rounded and motivated. I enjoyed Claire and Addie's friendship. There are hints of budding relationships that I expect will be grown in Heartbreaker.
The villains were all super well done. The Mender and everything at the end not only tied up loose ends but started new threads, like a good series ought to!
I loved the cast, Addie was super relatable, and I cannot wait for the next installment.
CONTENT
PG-13. Brief sensual content. No swearing. Mild to vague descriptions of violence, blood, battles, cannibalism, and nasty monsters.
OVERALL
I am a sucker for the vibes this series has. C'mon. It's better than Alice in Wonderland vibes, with crazy people, colored doors, madness, and just AH I LOVE IT. A great book, overall!
Read
September 19, 2020Scroll to bottom for TL;DR for who I think this book might appeal to! :)
I am not going to give this a star rating, because I can’t decide, and I think it would be unfair--it would be like me giving a star rating to a pineapple upside down cake recipe. I don’t like the taste of pineapples or maraschino cherries, so it could be the world’s most spectacular, delicious pineapple upside down cake recipe, and I wouldn’t like the cake.
I debated about reading Heartmender for a while. It sounded interesting, but the concept confused me--how does one remove and trade their heart?--and I heard it had strong symbolism/was allegorical. I’m not a big fan of allegory, and am very picky about symbolism. But I also heard a lot of praise for it, so I decided to try it.
First, the prose is strong, the characters and story solid, the world interesting. There’s bits of mystery and building to the next book that were intriguing. But...it was just kind of pineapple upside down cake. I simply am not the right reader for this book. But, you might be!
Note that until the TL;DR, this is going to be me mostly saying why, completely subjectively based on my tastes, I just didn't jive with this book. It might sound harsh--I don't mean it to. And I'm definitely NOT dissing anyone for enjoying these elements--I'm glad there is a world of desserts and books for all kinds of different tastes! :)
It’s super allegorical. Like Pilgrim’s Progress allegorical. There’s nothing wrong with allegory, just like there’s nothing wrong with pineapple. Some people love it. I do not, and it made it difficult for me to engage with the story. Partly because I find extended allegory tends to become predictable, tends to break down (for example, I felt Heartmender’s allegory broke down when it came to the siti and malum, who appear irredeemable and thus thoughtlessly expendable), or I find places where I disagree with the theological ramifications of how the allegory has been made to fit the story, and it just distracts me.
I have this weird hang-up about place names needing to be either totally made-up words or make sense, and “Barracks” annoyed me as a place name.
I don’t like the chosen one trope. It’s a maraschino cherry, and I don’t really want it, even though there’s nothing wrong with it. Similarly, the “force of pure evil” villain isn’t my favorite.
I still don’t understand the entire concept of the story. I like fantasy to make some kind of logical sense and have an explanation (part of my issue with allegory, sometimes it just doesn’t). I’m very logical and often literal. I guess it didn’t bother anyone else, though, but it made no sense. It seems it is the literal, physical heart being removed, not a magical imprint or the soul or something, but...how do they live? How does their body move and oxidize blood? Why are their hearts turning gray and small, anyway? (This is sort of addressed, I guess? But it was unsatisfactory to me.) How does that work, that their heart is physically sucked out of their chest--ya know, past bone, muscle, nerves, parts of the lungs, tissue, skin--but just leaves a round scar and everything intact?? And what exactly do the people who take the traded hearts do with them? There’s some references to the hearts’ “power” but no explanation of how it is harnessed or what that power is used for--other than Ophidian’s uses, but that doesn’t seem to be how the people taking the hearts at Heart Reign use them. Even if there was some mention of the magic that sustains them after the extraction, or how their hearts could power some kind of magic, or something...but not. Addie even remarks near the end that she had never encountered magic other than Schism’s door before entering Ophidian’s realm. The world had a lot of details and imagination, I just personally felt it was lacking logic, and it distracted me the entire time.
I had other quibbles, but it feels silly for me to critique the amount of salt in a pineapple upside down cake.
I will say Addie’s struggles with anxiety and depression were interesting and well done in the beginning, although I am unsure how I feel about how they carried through (greatly diminished) in Ophidian’s Realm and how they resolved. But I did love that Addie had anxiety and depression and still had a pure heart.
TL;DR: If you love allegory (particularly Christian, and don’t need it to be perfectly allegorical), like darker fantasy elements with creepy realms and monsters, the horror-like tension of people being in situations where they aren’t fully aware of what’s going on and you want to root for them to see what’s really happening and make the right choice to escape, enjoy the chosen one trope, and like a fantasy world that is imaginative, vivid, and a bit different (but also don’t need to have logical full explanations for everything), you might really enjoy this. And I definitely encourage you to read other reviews if you're interested in this book. :) <3
I am not going to give this a star rating, because I can’t decide, and I think it would be unfair--it would be like me giving a star rating to a pineapple upside down cake recipe. I don’t like the taste of pineapples or maraschino cherries, so it could be the world’s most spectacular, delicious pineapple upside down cake recipe, and I wouldn’t like the cake.
I debated about reading Heartmender for a while. It sounded interesting, but the concept confused me--how does one remove and trade their heart?--and I heard it had strong symbolism/was allegorical. I’m not a big fan of allegory, and am very picky about symbolism. But I also heard a lot of praise for it, so I decided to try it.
First, the prose is strong, the characters and story solid, the world interesting. There’s bits of mystery and building to the next book that were intriguing. But...it was just kind of pineapple upside down cake. I simply am not the right reader for this book. But, you might be!
Note that until the TL;DR, this is going to be me mostly saying why, completely subjectively based on my tastes, I just didn't jive with this book. It might sound harsh--I don't mean it to. And I'm definitely NOT dissing anyone for enjoying these elements--I'm glad there is a world of desserts and books for all kinds of different tastes! :)
It’s super allegorical. Like Pilgrim’s Progress allegorical. There’s nothing wrong with allegory, just like there’s nothing wrong with pineapple. Some people love it. I do not, and it made it difficult for me to engage with the story. Partly because I find extended allegory tends to become predictable, tends to break down (for example, I felt Heartmender’s allegory broke down when it came to the siti and malum, who appear irredeemable and thus thoughtlessly expendable), or I find places where I disagree with the theological ramifications of how the allegory has been made to fit the story, and it just distracts me.
I have this weird hang-up about place names needing to be either totally made-up words or make sense, and “Barracks” annoyed me as a place name.
I don’t like the chosen one trope. It’s a maraschino cherry, and I don’t really want it, even though there’s nothing wrong with it. Similarly, the “force of pure evil” villain isn’t my favorite.
I still don’t understand the entire concept of the story. I like fantasy to make some kind of logical sense and have an explanation (part of my issue with allegory, sometimes it just doesn’t). I’m very logical and often literal. I guess it didn’t bother anyone else, though, but it made no sense. It seems it is the literal, physical heart being removed, not a magical imprint or the soul or something, but...how do they live? How does their body move and oxidize blood? Why are their hearts turning gray and small, anyway? (This is sort of addressed, I guess? But it was unsatisfactory to me.) How does that work, that their heart is physically sucked out of their chest--ya know, past bone, muscle, nerves, parts of the lungs, tissue, skin--but just leaves a round scar and everything intact?? And what exactly do the people who take the traded hearts do with them? There’s some references to the hearts’ “power” but no explanation of how it is harnessed or what that power is used for--other than Ophidian’s uses, but that doesn’t seem to be how the people taking the hearts at Heart Reign use them. Even if there was some mention of the magic that sustains them after the extraction, or how their hearts could power some kind of magic, or something...but not. Addie even remarks near the end that she had never encountered magic other than Schism’s door before entering Ophidian’s realm. The world had a lot of details and imagination, I just personally felt it was lacking logic, and it distracted me the entire time.
I had other quibbles, but it feels silly for me to critique the amount of salt in a pineapple upside down cake.
I will say Addie’s struggles with anxiety and depression were interesting and well done in the beginning, although I am unsure how I feel about how they carried through (greatly diminished) in Ophidian’s Realm and how they resolved. But I did love that Addie had anxiety and depression and still had a pure heart.
TL;DR: If you love allegory (particularly Christian, and don’t need it to be perfectly allegorical), like darker fantasy elements with creepy realms and monsters, the horror-like tension of people being in situations where they aren’t fully aware of what’s going on and you want to root for them to see what’s really happening and make the right choice to escape, enjoy the chosen one trope, and like a fantasy world that is imaginative, vivid, and a bit different (but also don’t need to have logical full explanations for everything), you might really enjoy this. And I definitely encourage you to read other reviews if you're interested in this book. :) <3
March 24, 2020
Narnia meets Dante’s Inferno in this Christian-inspired YA fantasy
Meet Adelaide Tye, an outcast girl who will do anything to save her brother, even when it seems hopeless. Addie has a strong heart, but she struggles with anxiety. Enter Silas, the strong/silent type who takes care of her (and her grandmother, because he’s that sweet), despite the social stigma.
Addie is quickly thrown into another world entirely, full of terrifying creatures that may once have been human. Here we meet the mysterious Claire, who reluctantly becomes Addie’s guide through a series of tests mirrored after the seven deadly sins. You might think you know what’s coming next, but there are several plot twists that lead up to a strong climax with high stakes.
Heartmender explores real issues like anxiety and feeling alone. There are also messages of the power of familial love and the importance of relying on God’s strength when you are weak.
I gave 4 stars instead of 5 because I think it needed another pass-through of editing to tighten and strengthen the language. With that, I think it would really wow. (I’m optimistic for book 2. The excerpt at the end of book 1 already shows improvement in this area.)
Overall, this story is fast-paced with vivid descriptions, relatable characters, and a strong message of hope. I quite enjoyed it and would recommend it for those interested in Christian-inspired YA fantasy.
Meet Adelaide Tye, an outcast girl who will do anything to save her brother, even when it seems hopeless. Addie has a strong heart, but she struggles with anxiety. Enter Silas, the strong/silent type who takes care of her (and her grandmother, because he’s that sweet), despite the social stigma.
Addie is quickly thrown into another world entirely, full of terrifying creatures that may once have been human. Here we meet the mysterious Claire, who reluctantly becomes Addie’s guide through a series of tests mirrored after the seven deadly sins. You might think you know what’s coming next, but there are several plot twists that lead up to a strong climax with high stakes.
Heartmender explores real issues like anxiety and feeling alone. There are also messages of the power of familial love and the importance of relying on God’s strength when you are weak.
I gave 4 stars instead of 5 because I think it needed another pass-through of editing to tighten and strengthen the language. With that, I think it would really wow. (I’m optimistic for book 2. The excerpt at the end of book 1 already shows improvement in this area.)
Overall, this story is fast-paced with vivid descriptions, relatable characters, and a strong message of hope. I quite enjoyed it and would recommend it for those interested in Christian-inspired YA fantasy.
December 14, 2020
Heartmender is a book that I saw making it's Instagram rounds when the sequel came out this fall, from the same publisher as Dragon Blood! I am all about clean reading books with wholesome messages, so it seemed like an obvious pick
The story: Heartmender is about a world where people literally trade their hearts for just about anything. Wealth, beauty, love, clothes -they sell their souls for their greatest desire. One year, a monster comes to the town and offers a new trade: your heart, for an unknown choice. Addie's brother jumps at this choice, for unknown reasons, and her life drastically changes.
The world: I think this is a really well built world. Weather, history, geography, myths and legends, food, social structure: it's all there. Heart reign is well explained and I really, really absolutely love how the monster's realm is described and crafted.
It pained me to dock any part of a star but I eventually had to, for something I call "world plausibility." At first I joked that no one can live without a heart, and Burton laughed and said "all the heart surgery goes under 'magic'." I can deal with that, but it still has to be world plausible - like maybe the citizens have a second pacemaker or another organ that keeps them alive. Star Trek was really famously good at making bizarre medical stuff world plausible.
Characters: I liked Addie and her anxiety, and watching her becoming more confident as her choices were affirmed throughout the novel. Brave, selfless, loving, conflicted, loyal - all words to describe Addie. Claire and Silas seemed good characters too, and there were so many little mysteries to solve about them all that advanced as the story went on.
Christ/Life allegories: First off, the book is not preachy at all, although the Christ/Life allegories are hard to miss. As Addie travels through Schism's realm, she has to overcome seven doors full of temptations and obstacles, that are clearly the seven deadly sins. Those who succumb to the temptations (gluttony, lust, etc) turn into terrible monsters. There are also multiple usages of darkness and light, the lantern/guide on Addie's path, and asking for help when it's needed. In the afterward, Burton makes note that sometimes the light may only show you a few steps at a time, but it never fully goes away.
The book's main theme seems to be about choice, and it resonates. There is always a choice and one must consciously make the choice to continue moving forward. Regarding more doors and choices and Addie's fears, my favorite quote of the novel is:
"Not all doors lead to darkness" - The Heartmender
My personal takeaway: I struggle a lot with the outcomes of my life choices and sometimes find anxiety a barrier to making further choices, and I needed that message in my life. Addie has similar struggles with anxiety and moving forwards at times. Sometimes one's choices DO lead to light and positive outcomes, and it's better to keep fighting than to succumb to whatever temptation is keeping one stagnant or afraid.
Anyway - I digress - overall, this is definitely a great fantasy read with a largely wholesome message. I really can't wait to read on to book 2 and get into the more questy, uniting the realm part of the storyline!
The story: Heartmender is about a world where people literally trade their hearts for just about anything. Wealth, beauty, love, clothes -they sell their souls for their greatest desire. One year, a monster comes to the town and offers a new trade: your heart, for an unknown choice. Addie's brother jumps at this choice, for unknown reasons, and her life drastically changes.
The world: I think this is a really well built world. Weather, history, geography, myths and legends, food, social structure: it's all there. Heart reign is well explained and I really, really absolutely love how the monster's realm is described and crafted.
It pained me to dock any part of a star but I eventually had to, for something I call "world plausibility." At first I joked that no one can live without a heart, and Burton laughed and said "all the heart surgery goes under 'magic'." I can deal with that, but it still has to be world plausible - like maybe the citizens have a second pacemaker or another organ that keeps them alive. Star Trek was really famously good at making bizarre medical stuff world plausible.
Characters: I liked Addie and her anxiety, and watching her becoming more confident as her choices were affirmed throughout the novel. Brave, selfless, loving, conflicted, loyal - all words to describe Addie. Claire and Silas seemed good characters too, and there were so many little mysteries to solve about them all that advanced as the story went on.
Christ/Life allegories: First off, the book is not preachy at all, although the Christ/Life allegories are hard to miss. As Addie travels through Schism's realm, she has to overcome seven doors full of temptations and obstacles, that are clearly the seven deadly sins. Those who succumb to the temptations (gluttony, lust, etc) turn into terrible monsters. There are also multiple usages of darkness and light, the lantern/guide on Addie's path, and asking for help when it's needed. In the afterward, Burton makes note that sometimes the light may only show you a few steps at a time, but it never fully goes away.
The book's main theme seems to be about choice, and it resonates. There is always a choice and one must consciously make the choice to continue moving forward. Regarding more doors and choices and Addie's fears, my favorite quote of the novel is:
"Not all doors lead to darkness" - The Heartmender
My personal takeaway: I struggle a lot with the outcomes of my life choices and sometimes find anxiety a barrier to making further choices, and I needed that message in my life. Addie has similar struggles with anxiety and moving forwards at times. Sometimes one's choices DO lead to light and positive outcomes, and it's better to keep fighting than to succumb to whatever temptation is keeping one stagnant or afraid.
Anyway - I digress - overall, this is definitely a great fantasy read with a largely wholesome message. I really can't wait to read on to book 2 and get into the more questy, uniting the realm part of the storyline!
August 5, 2022
“If the Mender could mend hearts, why didn’t he prevent the trading of hearts? Why had he never come to save Nana? Or my parents? Or Lyle? It was all a lie, and these people believed it. Why chase something that didn’t exist?”
•
Wow. Where do I even begin? This book grabbed me from page one and wouldn’t let me go.
•
Symbolism - I loved the allegory/parallel to the Christian faith in this story. If you’re not a believer, it would seem like simply another intense fantasy novel, but immediately I could see that it was so much more. The idea of trading your heart for something you think will satisfy is so like how we try to fill our emptiness by giving our time and energy to anything and everything to try and fill the void. All it does is leave you as a ravaging monster, bent on snuffing the life out of those who still hold their own heart.
•
The characters -
Silas - I want so much more Silas! He wasn’t in this book a whole lot (shhhh spoilers! 🤫) but the teaser at the end was 🤯
Addie - the main character of this book, I found myself at times getting mad at her as she went through the Seven Choices. She kept giving in to the temptation to stay in the choice, and I almost always think “don’t you see what it’s doing to you?” But how am I any different then her when faced with temptation?
Claire and Lyle - I really can’t say much about these two without spoilers so let me just say this: Lyle is a cinnamon roll I want to love all the pain out of and Claire is a strong, amazing, loyal character that I also want to love all the hurt out of.
The Mender - gosh I love him. Again, not much I can say without spoiling something. But ... yeah he’s cool 😂
•
All this to say, GO BUY THIS BOOK! Ask your local library to acquire it, order it off of Amazon or another place that has it, just go support this amazing author!
•
Wow. Where do I even begin? This book grabbed me from page one and wouldn’t let me go.
•
Symbolism - I loved the allegory/parallel to the Christian faith in this story. If you’re not a believer, it would seem like simply another intense fantasy novel, but immediately I could see that it was so much more. The idea of trading your heart for something you think will satisfy is so like how we try to fill our emptiness by giving our time and energy to anything and everything to try and fill the void. All it does is leave you as a ravaging monster, bent on snuffing the life out of those who still hold their own heart.
•
The characters -
Silas - I want so much more Silas! He wasn’t in this book a whole lot (shhhh spoilers! 🤫) but the teaser at the end was 🤯
Addie - the main character of this book, I found myself at times getting mad at her as she went through the Seven Choices. She kept giving in to the temptation to stay in the choice, and I almost always think “don’t you see what it’s doing to you?” But how am I any different then her when faced with temptation?
Claire and Lyle - I really can’t say much about these two without spoilers so let me just say this: Lyle is a cinnamon roll I want to love all the pain out of and Claire is a strong, amazing, loyal character that I also want to love all the hurt out of.
The Mender - gosh I love him. Again, not much I can say without spoiling something. But ... yeah he’s cool 😂
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All this to say, GO BUY THIS BOOK! Ask your local library to acquire it, order it off of Amazon or another place that has it, just go support this amazing author!
August 31, 2019
Heartmender is a touching story with twists that I did not see coming.
I wasn't fully sure what to expect with reading Heartmender. In the book Addie is desperate to save her brother Lyle after he disappeared years ago during the Heart Reign, when people can trade their hearts for what they most desire. She is old enough to participate, and she has a daring plan that will take her to places beyond what she could imagine.
The story is beautifully written, and the senses are fully utilized as we follow Addie on her journey. We feel, taste, smell all the different challenges faced with great description. Addie must pass through several obstacles to get close to her goal, but the temptation and danger grows with each step.
The book has the feel of a fairy tale, with an allegorical twist. There's so much to like in the story, from Addie's tenacity, the build-up of suspense, and the heart (pun intended) of the story's themes. It's definitely one I'll recommend.
*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review-there you go, lawyers*
I wasn't fully sure what to expect with reading Heartmender. In the book Addie is desperate to save her brother Lyle after he disappeared years ago during the Heart Reign, when people can trade their hearts for what they most desire. She is old enough to participate, and she has a daring plan that will take her to places beyond what she could imagine.
The story is beautifully written, and the senses are fully utilized as we follow Addie on her journey. We feel, taste, smell all the different challenges faced with great description. Addie must pass through several obstacles to get close to her goal, but the temptation and danger grows with each step.
The book has the feel of a fairy tale, with an allegorical twist. There's so much to like in the story, from Addie's tenacity, the build-up of suspense, and the heart (pun intended) of the story's themes. It's definitely one I'll recommend.
*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review-there you go, lawyers*
August 5, 2022
I loved this book. The worldbuilding was so creative and detailed. The characters were well fleshed out. It was heart wrenching and heartbreaking but with enough hope and bits of banter to make it such a joy to read. I am excitedly anticipating book two.
August 13, 2021
Fantasy. Allegory. So many nuggets of gold.
I love literally everything about this book. I can totally see myself rereading it in the near future! The allegory and symbolism were amazing and I loved how Burton included an author’s note to talk about those elements.
The characters are so lovable too - Claire is so snarky, Silas is a protective cinnamon roll, Eman is just amazing in all the ways, and Addie was a masterfully crafted protagonist!
The imagery and lessons in Heartmender will stick with me for a while. Especially the scenes with the heart-trading and Choices. Love allegory and good stories that have it😍
Can’t wait to read the rest of the trilogy to see their stories continue!😃
Content: Parts of this book are pretty heavy, violent, and slightly scandalous - due to the nature of Addie’s journey through the seven Choices (which represent the seven deadly sins). There isn’t any language and very little romance (what’s there doesn’t go past kissing). Older teens and up will be best able to understand and handle this clean allegorical fantasy.
I love literally everything about this book. I can totally see myself rereading it in the near future! The allegory and symbolism were amazing and I loved how Burton included an author’s note to talk about those elements.
The characters are so lovable too - Claire is so snarky, Silas is a protective cinnamon roll, Eman is just amazing in all the ways, and Addie was a masterfully crafted protagonist!
The imagery and lessons in Heartmender will stick with me for a while. Especially the scenes with the heart-trading and Choices. Love allegory and good stories that have it😍
Can’t wait to read the rest of the trilogy to see their stories continue!😃
Content: Parts of this book are pretty heavy, violent, and slightly scandalous - due to the nature of Addie’s journey through the seven Choices (which represent the seven deadly sins). There isn’t any language and very little romance (what’s there doesn’t go past kissing). Older teens and up will be best able to understand and handle this clean allegorical fantasy.
August 5, 2022
I absolutely loved this book! Everything about it worked together: the characters, the plot, and the setting. This is a perfect combination of fairy-tale and Christian fantasy that I absolutely adore. If you like either of those two genres, you will enjoy this book. There's so much to talk about for this book, but I'll try to stick to the highlights.
Let's start with the characters. Addie, the main character, is absolutely awesome. Her love for her brother and her journey to overcome her anxiety was an absolute delight to read. I could understand everything she went through, and every temptation she faced. Her battle to overcome evil and preserve her heart was just absolutely beautiful. I rooted for her every step of the way.
There are several other characters of note: Addie's grandmother, best friend, and companion in her quest to free her brother. Each of these has a unique voice and personality. I absolutely loved how the author makes their relationships with Addie so poignant and wonderful. I also can't wait to see how the romance develops in book two!
Character isn't the only awesome thing about this book, the plot is as well. The plot centers around a quest that reminded me of Dante's Inferno, where the character has to go through a type of hell. In this version, Addie faces the seven deadly sins in order to reach her brother. Her companion helps her face each one, but the true victor is the Mender, the person who is a Christ-like character in the story. Even though this book doesn't mention the Bible explicitly, the symbolism that is interwoven in this plot is too powerful to ignore. Christian elements are beautifully incorporated into the story.
Speaking of Dante's Inferno, the setting of the book is the Barracks and the realm Schism sends her to. Schism's realm is like Purgatory, but it is never implied as a way to reach heaven or hell. It just reminds me of Purgatory because it seems like either an in-between place or hell itself. Either way, the scenery is well-described so that I could picture what was happening as I read. The descriptions were neither too long nor too short, they were the Goldilocks of story descriptions.
If you love fairy tales or Christian fantasy with great characters, plot, and setting, you'll love this book!
Forgot to mention content: This is definitely PG-13. There is no explicit sex or language, but there is a bit of gore and sexual implications.
Let's start with the characters. Addie, the main character, is absolutely awesome. Her love for her brother and her journey to overcome her anxiety was an absolute delight to read. I could understand everything she went through, and every temptation she faced. Her battle to overcome evil and preserve her heart was just absolutely beautiful. I rooted for her every step of the way.
There are several other characters of note: Addie's grandmother, best friend, and companion in her quest to free her brother. Each of these has a unique voice and personality. I absolutely loved how the author makes their relationships with Addie so poignant and wonderful. I also can't wait to see how the romance develops in book two!
Character isn't the only awesome thing about this book, the plot is as well. The plot centers around a quest that reminded me of Dante's Inferno, where the character has to go through a type of hell. In this version, Addie faces the seven deadly sins in order to reach her brother. Her companion helps her face each one, but the true victor is the Mender, the person who is a Christ-like character in the story. Even though this book doesn't mention the Bible explicitly, the symbolism that is interwoven in this plot is too powerful to ignore. Christian elements are beautifully incorporated into the story.
Speaking of Dante's Inferno, the setting of the book is the Barracks and the realm Schism sends her to. Schism's realm is like Purgatory, but it is never implied as a way to reach heaven or hell. It just reminds me of Purgatory because it seems like either an in-between place or hell itself. Either way, the scenery is well-described so that I could picture what was happening as I read. The descriptions were neither too long nor too short, they were the Goldilocks of story descriptions.
If you love fairy tales or Christian fantasy with great characters, plot, and setting, you'll love this book!
Forgot to mention content: This is definitely PG-13. There is no explicit sex or language, but there is a bit of gore and sexual implications.
August 12, 2019
I started and finished this book today. Once I opened it on my kindle app, I couldn't put it down, so it became my afternoon. The world is imaginative, haunting, and really makes one think about the weight of choices - not just our own but the choices others make too. The beautiful symbolism throughout captured me. Addie is a flawed yet dynamic character I couldn't help but root for, and I'm so intrigued by the others (Silas especially, as well as Claire, Lyle, the Rexus, the Mender, Ophidian, Sana, Nana, James...) that I can barely stand it! Where is book two? Ugh! I need it!
January 24, 2021
Rating: 4.5/5
Okay. This book IS a 5/5, but because of my own personal enjoyment, it's lower. THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. The worldbuilding and the symbolism? It's all brilliant, and gorgeously written.
I LOVED it.
I wished it was longer....
My favorite character was Silas (despite his brief appearance), and Addie (despite feeling very generic at times) was an enjoyable, courageous protagonist. And GAH I LOVED CLAIRE.
This book was a HUGE step out of my comfort zone.
The themes were intense, the setting was dark and hopeless, and there was constant destruction and pain seared throughout the entire novel, which was hard to read, but Burton was able to sew a line of hope, and even some humor throughout that kept you going.
I knew the Choices were modeled after the seven deadly sins, but I totally forgot about Lust...so when that part came around, I was totally thrown off my guard. There's nothing graphic, but it's more sensual that anything I'm used to reading. I think that was the intention to show the sin in it, because man, I wanted Addie to get out of there as fast as possible. Maybe i was just so jared from this scene because I did NOT see it coming.
The rest of the challenges were all brilliant, and oh so CREEPY. It was perfection.
The fight scenes were clever and fun to read, and the plot was quite simple and easy to follow.
I'm excited to dive into Book Two right after writing this review!
Okay. This book IS a 5/5, but because of my own personal enjoyment, it's lower. THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. The worldbuilding and the symbolism? It's all brilliant, and gorgeously written.
I LOVED it.
I wished it was longer....
My favorite character was Silas (despite his brief appearance), and Addie (despite feeling very generic at times) was an enjoyable, courageous protagonist. And GAH I LOVED CLAIRE.
This book was a HUGE step out of my comfort zone.
The themes were intense, the setting was dark and hopeless, and there was constant destruction and pain seared throughout the entire novel, which was hard to read, but Burton was able to sew a line of hope, and even some humor throughout that kept you going.
I knew the Choices were modeled after the seven deadly sins, but I totally forgot about Lust...so when that part came around, I was totally thrown off my guard. There's nothing graphic, but it's more sensual that anything I'm used to reading. I think that was the intention to show the sin in it, because man, I wanted Addie to get out of there as fast as possible. Maybe i was just so jared from this scene because I did NOT see it coming.
The rest of the challenges were all brilliant, and oh so CREEPY. It was perfection.
The fight scenes were clever and fun to read, and the plot was quite simple and easy to follow.
I'm excited to dive into Book Two right after writing this review!
August 14, 2015
Fast paced, filled with rich imagery and biblical symbolism, it was a very nice read and an interesting spin on the ideas of fleeing from temptation, and resisting corruption. Overall, a wonderful start for Ms. Romas' first endeavor into the wonderful world of fantasy. Can't wait to see what she'll write next.
August 22, 2019
I saw the premise in a tweet and I fell in love. This is an incredible story with so many layers of beauty and darkness. Nothing happened how I thought it would and the entire story kept me guessing. And I'm still thinking about it, months later. Fantastic debut!
August 20, 2025
Ok, I absolutely am intrigued by this story and its concept. Taking us through the seven sins with Addie in the hopes that she’ll find her brother again after he traded his heart for the unknown.
Addie, our MC, was likeable and I didn’t mind spending the entire book in her POV. Silas- will you be in book 2? I think so! Lyle, I want to know you more. Claire, my favorite character.. how old are you with your white hair?
If the world building was more complete, that would have helped a lot. There was quite a few times when I needed to fill in some blanks for myself or just let certain things go. Even a bit more character development would have helped me imagine what we’re suppose to be seeing and who these characters really are.
Read the authors note at the end- she does explain a few things and gives insight to her symbolism for certain parts of the book.
Overall, I liked this book very much. I have so many questions but, I’m going to overlook those for now and continue on in this series!
Some quotes I highlighted:
“The beast can try to take my heart, but he’ll never take my hope.”
“Life is all about choices. Our choices define our lives and who we are. If we do not choose, we do not live.”
“Every one of the Choices were temptations trying to lure me away from the path I was destined for.”
“Love’s not a trade, Lyle. It’s a gift.”
Content: as this is written for YA, I’d recommend older YA- 15+. The MC is taken through the seven sins and is tempted in each. When we get to lust- there are passionate kisses and an attempted assault. Gore and violence. Demonic type villains and the main villain being referred to as the Beast.
Addie, our MC, was likeable and I didn’t mind spending the entire book in her POV. Silas- will you be in book 2? I think so! Lyle, I want to know you more. Claire, my favorite character.. how old are you with your white hair?
If the world building was more complete, that would have helped a lot. There was quite a few times when I needed to fill in some blanks for myself or just let certain things go. Even a bit more character development would have helped me imagine what we’re suppose to be seeing and who these characters really are.
Read the authors note at the end- she does explain a few things and gives insight to her symbolism for certain parts of the book.
Overall, I liked this book very much. I have so many questions but, I’m going to overlook those for now and continue on in this series!
Some quotes I highlighted:
“The beast can try to take my heart, but he’ll never take my hope.”
“Life is all about choices. Our choices define our lives and who we are. If we do not choose, we do not live.”
“Every one of the Choices were temptations trying to lure me away from the path I was destined for.”
“Love’s not a trade, Lyle. It’s a gift.”
Content: as this is written for YA, I’d recommend older YA- 15+. The MC is taken through the seven sins and is tempted in each. When we get to lust- there are passionate kisses and an attempted assault. Gore and violence. Demonic type villains and the main villain being referred to as the Beast.
August 31, 2019
Heartmender is a refreshing take on Christian fantasy. V. Romas Burton builds a deliciously dark world sprinkled with Hope. As an avid fantasy reader, I am always on the quest for unique fantasy worlds, magical constructs, creatures/races, and character development. Heartmender definitely delivered -- and remained completely Young Adult appropriate!
The story line is fast paced and its many twists and turns kept me on my toes! V. Romas Burton does a wonderful job introducing new mysteries while revealing answers to existing ones.
My favorite aspect of Heartmender is the strong symbolism sprinkled throughout the story. In every chapter I was reminded of God's unending love and patience with His flawed, sinful children. I love the emphasis on choices and that God sees the whole picture even when we are blinded by our immediate circumstances. I definitely will be saving a copy for my children to read when they're older!
The story line is fast paced and its many twists and turns kept me on my toes! V. Romas Burton does a wonderful job introducing new mysteries while revealing answers to existing ones.
My favorite aspect of Heartmender is the strong symbolism sprinkled throughout the story. In every chapter I was reminded of God's unending love and patience with His flawed, sinful children. I love the emphasis on choices and that God sees the whole picture even when we are blinded by our immediate circumstances. I definitely will be saving a copy for my children to read when they're older!
February 4, 2020
Can't wait for the next one!
I love allegory and this one holds so much meaning and depth while also being an exciting story in and of itself. It ends on a cliffhanger, be prepared! Which is why I look forward to the next one!
I love allegory and this one holds so much meaning and depth while also being an exciting story in and of itself. It ends on a cliffhanger, be prepared! Which is why I look forward to the next one!
July 13, 2021
Heartmender has been sitting on my shelf for over a year. I was drawn to this book because of the cover. It’s beautiful and I needed it on my shelf. So there it sat looking all pretty and decorative but really had no other purpose. Then book 2 came out with an equally stunning cover. I had to own the series. My collection could not be incomplete, so I ordered the second book and placed it on my shelf. Prior to the third and final book releasing, a friend recommended I read the series. Easily swayed by this friend’s excellent taste in fiction, I dived into book 1, Heartmender.
Y’all… why didn’t more people tell me how great this book was? I was hooked from page 1. The characters were so detailed and alive. The story was well paced and intriguing. I loved how Ophidian’s challenges followed the seven deadly sins. Great tie in! If he offered me a lazy room filled with books and a comfy bed, Ophidian would have had me. The MC, Adelaide, was selfless, loving, caring, and smart. I couldn’t help but cheer her on through the seven doors.
I loved the way the author took religion and weaved it into a fantasy novel. The story was beautifully written. I can’t wait to continue the series.
Y’all… why didn’t more people tell me how great this book was? I was hooked from page 1. The characters were so detailed and alive. The story was well paced and intriguing. I loved how Ophidian’s challenges followed the seven deadly sins. Great tie in! If he offered me a lazy room filled with books and a comfy bed, Ophidian would have had me. The MC, Adelaide, was selfless, loving, caring, and smart. I couldn’t help but cheer her on through the seven doors.
I loved the way the author took religion and weaved it into a fantasy novel. The story was beautifully written. I can’t wait to continue the series.
October 17, 2020
“If the Mender could mend hearts, why didn’t he prevent the trading of hearts? Why had he never come to save Nana? Or my parents? Or Lyle? It was all a lie, and these people believed it. Why chase something that didn’t exist?”
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Okay, so no blurb because there’s so much I want to say about this AMAZING novel! But idk where to even start.
•
Symbolism - I loved the allegory/parallel to the Christian faith in this story. If you’re not a believer, it would seem like simply another intense fantasy novel, but immediately I could see that it was so much more. The idea of trading your heart for something you think will satisfy is so like how we try to fill our emptiness by giving our time and energy to try and fill it. All it does is leave you as a ravaging monster, bent on snuffing the life out of this who still hold their own heart.
•
The characters - Okay, so I ordered my copy of Heartmender from the author and she included some character art! (Second slide). Top left - Silas - I want so much more Silas! He wasn’t in this book a whole lot (shhhh spoilers! 🤫) but the teaser at the end was 🤯 and I now need money to but it! Top right - Addie - the main character of this book, I found myself at times getting mad at her as she went through the Seven Choices. She kept giving in to the temptation to stay in the choice, and I almost always think “don’t you see what it’s doing to you?” But how am I any different then her when faced with temptation? Bottom left and right - Claire and Lyle - I really can’t say much about these two without spoilers so let me just say this: Lyle is a cinnamon roll I want to love all the pain out of and Claire is a strong, amazing, loyal character that I also want to love all the hurt out of.
Not pictured - The Mender - gosh I love him. Again, not much I can say without spoiling something. But ... yeah he’s cool 😂
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All this to say, GO BUY THIS BOOK! Ask your local library to acquire it, order it off of Amazon or another place that has it, just go support this amazing author!
•
Okay, so no blurb because there’s so much I want to say about this AMAZING novel! But idk where to even start.
•
Symbolism - I loved the allegory/parallel to the Christian faith in this story. If you’re not a believer, it would seem like simply another intense fantasy novel, but immediately I could see that it was so much more. The idea of trading your heart for something you think will satisfy is so like how we try to fill our emptiness by giving our time and energy to try and fill it. All it does is leave you as a ravaging monster, bent on snuffing the life out of this who still hold their own heart.
•
The characters - Okay, so I ordered my copy of Heartmender from the author and she included some character art! (Second slide). Top left - Silas - I want so much more Silas! He wasn’t in this book a whole lot (shhhh spoilers! 🤫) but the teaser at the end was 🤯 and I now need money to but it! Top right - Addie - the main character of this book, I found myself at times getting mad at her as she went through the Seven Choices. She kept giving in to the temptation to stay in the choice, and I almost always think “don’t you see what it’s doing to you?” But how am I any different then her when faced with temptation? Bottom left and right - Claire and Lyle - I really can’t say much about these two without spoilers so let me just say this: Lyle is a cinnamon roll I want to love all the pain out of and Claire is a strong, amazing, loyal character that I also want to love all the hurt out of.
Not pictured - The Mender - gosh I love him. Again, not much I can say without spoiling something. But ... yeah he’s cool 😂
•
All this to say, GO BUY THIS BOOK! Ask your local library to acquire it, order it off of Amazon or another place that has it, just go support this amazing author!
August 26, 2020
This book was an adventure and romance wrapped up in a Dante's Inferno-esque story. It was so much fun and bit a lot of good points. I really enjoyed it.
Addie was a solid character - she had so many fears and doubts, but began to push herself in so many different ways, and I loved seeing her growth. She begins her quest to save her brother despite battle crippling fears and anxieties and then discovers so much more about herself and the world as she goes. And I'm a sucker for sibling stories, so I loved her overall mission to find her brother. <3
Her journey through the reals beyond Schism's door is where the Inferno bit comes in. She must navigate through different doors to progress towards the end goal, and behind each battles some form of the seven deadly sins. Each one leaves a mark on her as some are much more difficult than others for her, and that made her so much more relatable, seeing her struggling with these things that are so human.
The writing style was great and was very easy to engage with. All the supporting characters (SILAS!) were great, and a couple of great twists through - one that I kind of saw coming, but still really enjoyed because I think it's going to carry over so well into the next book! Lots to look forward to in the next book. The ending didn't necessarily end on a cliffhanger, but still is set up so well for book 2!
Highly recommended for those who love light romance, action/adventure, sibling stories, christian allegory that's done in a very relatable, not overbearing/heavy handed way.
I received an ARC from Monster Ivy Publishing. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.
Addie was a solid character - she had so many fears and doubts, but began to push herself in so many different ways, and I loved seeing her growth. She begins her quest to save her brother despite battle crippling fears and anxieties and then discovers so much more about herself and the world as she goes. And I'm a sucker for sibling stories, so I loved her overall mission to find her brother. <3
Her journey through the reals beyond Schism's door is where the Inferno bit comes in. She must navigate through different doors to progress towards the end goal, and behind each battles some form of the seven deadly sins. Each one leaves a mark on her as some are much more difficult than others for her, and that made her so much more relatable, seeing her struggling with these things that are so human.
The writing style was great and was very easy to engage with. All the supporting characters (SILAS!) were great, and a couple of great twists through - one that I kind of saw coming, but still really enjoyed because I think it's going to carry over so well into the next book! Lots to look forward to in the next book. The ending didn't necessarily end on a cliffhanger, but still is set up so well for book 2!
Highly recommended for those who love light romance, action/adventure, sibling stories, christian allegory that's done in a very relatable, not overbearing/heavy handed way.
I received an ARC from Monster Ivy Publishing. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.
July 21, 2020
Allegories can be hit or miss for me, but Heartmender was definitely a win! I had a little trouble warming up to Addie at first, especially the way she treated Silas, but once her adventure began I was totally drawn in! I appreciated how much Addie grew during the course of the book, and her journey was told in a raw, engaging way that kept me turning pages. I loved the way new surprises kept cropping up just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, and I kept seeing reflections of myself in thought-provoking ways (did anyone else get teary-eyed when she was in front of the mirror??). Claire was such a fantastic, snarky side-kick, and I'm hoping we get to see a lot more of Silas in future books :) I'm a bit nervous--but also very excited!--to see how the story will continue in Heartbreaker!
August 31, 2019
Heartmender is the tale of Addie, a teenage girl who lives in a world where hearts are extracted before they can become hard and dead and are then traded for the bearer’s greatest wish. However, Addie’s heart is neither hard nor dead, and her greatest wish is not to be granted at the fair. In order to obtain her wish, Addie must protect her extracted heart from those who seek to possess it and must overcome a series of trials that very few survive.
I was drawn to Heartmender because of its eerie, surreal tone and the realistic but kind depiction of crippling anxiety. The more I read, the more I enjoyed this story, especially for the way it resonates with the cinematic otherworldly feel of Mirrormask and Pan’s Labyrinth. The artistry is hauntingly surreal yet truthful for its depiction of a young woman who must overcome the trials of life that blindside so many of us. An enchanting allegory, Heartmender is a story that will be greatly enjoyed by readers of clean YA fantasy.
I was drawn to Heartmender because of its eerie, surreal tone and the realistic but kind depiction of crippling anxiety. The more I read, the more I enjoyed this story, especially for the way it resonates with the cinematic otherworldly feel of Mirrormask and Pan’s Labyrinth. The artistry is hauntingly surreal yet truthful for its depiction of a young woman who must overcome the trials of life that blindside so many of us. An enchanting allegory, Heartmender is a story that will be greatly enjoyed by readers of clean YA fantasy.
August 9, 2019
Few books have stolen my heart like this one. I LOVED so many aspects of this book--the creepy, opening prologue, the larger-than-life nature of Heart Reign, the doors that symbolize the seven deadly sins, the siti, and Eman's inspiring words at the end. I kept highlighting quotes, because I felt there were so many valuable teaching moments. I feel like the world would be a better place if more people read and internalized this book! Oh. And I loved Ophidian's throne room at the end.
September 3, 2019
Make sure you have cleared your schedule before starting Heartmender. Once you’ve picked it up, you won’t want to put it down until you’ve finished. Heatmender plunges readers into its imaginative, mysterious world where people choose their fate in exchange for their extracted heart—and that’s only the beginning. What makes Heartmender great is its intricate plot, fast-paced writing, and characters that will break your heart in the best way possible.
I cannot wait to read more!
I cannot wait to read more!
January 15, 2024
This insightful, thought-provoking allegory reminds me WHY I love allegory so much! The Seven Deadly Sins are creatively and viscerally visited, reminding us why the choices we make matter (you matter!), and all this tied up in imagery of hearts! Cannot wait for book two!
November 16, 2020
My rating: 4 stars out of 5
I have read my fair share of Christian allegorical fiction over the years. However, it has been a while since I read an allegorical Christian fantasy like "Heartmenders,".
This book was good! I loved the characters, the setting, the magic, and the allegorical elements.
The best thing about this book has got to be the pacing. This book kept me on my toes the whole time!!! Characters are constantly fighting and fleeing and you can never guess what they will experience next. I especially did not anticipate the ending (which ends on a rather dramatic not, btw).
I will admit, however, that things did get confusing sometimes. There were some action scenes that happened so fast that it was hard to keep track of what going on with what characters.
I also admit that not all of the allegorical elements made sense to me. Thankfully, there is a great foreword at the end (which I HIGHLY recommend you read) that explains the allegorical elements in the book.
Another aspect of this book I enjoyed was the way the author developed the chosen one trope. The chosen one trope can easily become trite, but thankfully in this case it didn't happen. I will admit that at first Addie did seem like the stereotypical "I'm different from other girls," protagonist, but that quickly changes. Addie is different from those around her, but for truly good, not arbitrary, reasons. She does not use her skills to help herself but instead uses them to selflessly help those around her.
Though Addie is definitely my favorite character, I did like the side characters as well, especially Claire. She is that spunky and sarcastic character who helps to lighten the mood in what can be a rather dark story.
Another interesting character is Silas. I'm looking forward to finding out more about him and seeing his relationship with Addie grow in the next book!
Overall I found this to be a though provoking and interesting read. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel in the (hopefully) near future!
I have read my fair share of Christian allegorical fiction over the years. However, it has been a while since I read an allegorical Christian fantasy like "Heartmenders,".
This book was good! I loved the characters, the setting, the magic, and the allegorical elements.
The best thing about this book has got to be the pacing. This book kept me on my toes the whole time!!! Characters are constantly fighting and fleeing and you can never guess what they will experience next. I especially did not anticipate the ending (which ends on a rather dramatic not, btw).
I will admit, however, that things did get confusing sometimes. There were some action scenes that happened so fast that it was hard to keep track of what going on with what characters.
I also admit that not all of the allegorical elements made sense to me. Thankfully, there is a great foreword at the end (which I HIGHLY recommend you read) that explains the allegorical elements in the book.
Another aspect of this book I enjoyed was the way the author developed the chosen one trope. The chosen one trope can easily become trite, but thankfully in this case it didn't happen. I will admit that at first Addie did seem like the stereotypical "I'm different from other girls," protagonist, but that quickly changes. Addie is different from those around her, but for truly good, not arbitrary, reasons. She does not use her skills to help herself but instead uses them to selflessly help those around her.
Though Addie is definitely my favorite character, I did like the side characters as well, especially Claire. She is that spunky and sarcastic character who helps to lighten the mood in what can be a rather dark story.
Another interesting character is Silas. I'm looking forward to finding out more about him and seeing his relationship with Addie grow in the next book!
Overall I found this to be a though provoking and interesting read. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel in the (hopefully) near future!
July 20, 2020
What can I say about V. Romas Burton's debut book Heartmender?
Umm. It's amazing!
It's been a long time since I've read a good allegory. The choices that Addie go through were great representations of the choices we can face daily. Burton has done a great job with the character growth of the main character. She's not a Mary Sue, she has flaws and experiences failures, which make her wins that much better.
Heartmender does deal with the tough issue of anxiety, but I shared this book with a friend and she said it helped her.
This book kept me up at night, it was definitely an I can't put this down, I must read the next chapter type of book. I really enjoyed the world Burton built. Each realm Addie walks into when she goes through a door was very vivid and well described, I could picture it in my head and it felt like I was with her.
As I write this, Burton is preparing to prelease book 2, Heartbreaker and I'm so excited. I can't wait to explore more of the world of Decim and see where things go with Addie and Silas (you'll understand what I mean if you read the book :P)
To break it down why I like this book:
- Main character is relatable
- Great world building
- attention grabbing story
- allegorical and related to my own life
- a hint of romance, I'm expecting more in the second book ;)
I 100% recommend Heartmender. Go get it now!
Umm. It's amazing!
It's been a long time since I've read a good allegory. The choices that Addie go through were great representations of the choices we can face daily. Burton has done a great job with the character growth of the main character. She's not a Mary Sue, she has flaws and experiences failures, which make her wins that much better.
Heartmender does deal with the tough issue of anxiety, but I shared this book with a friend and she said it helped her.
This book kept me up at night, it was definitely an I can't put this down, I must read the next chapter type of book. I really enjoyed the world Burton built. Each realm Addie walks into when she goes through a door was very vivid and well described, I could picture it in my head and it felt like I was with her.
As I write this, Burton is preparing to prelease book 2, Heartbreaker and I'm so excited. I can't wait to explore more of the world of Decim and see where things go with Addie and Silas (you'll understand what I mean if you read the book :P)
To break it down why I like this book:
- Main character is relatable
- Great world building
- attention grabbing story
- allegorical and related to my own life
- a hint of romance, I'm expecting more in the second book ;)
I 100% recommend Heartmender. Go get it now!
April 30, 2020
This deliciously thrilling fantasy novel expertly straddles the line between classic and dark fantasy: its mystical setting juxtaposed with visceral and intense action set-pieces. It is a gradual read, allowing the story to breathe between each climax. Do you love hero’s journey narratives? Chosen ones? Satisfying action scenes? Themes like fleeing temptation, facing your fears, and healing from past mistakes? Then this is the book for you!
*Content Disclosure:
The content is clean, but intense (the core of the story is resisting the seven deadly sins) and contains the following:
Violence: This is an action-packed story, with plenty of fights and blood/painful injuries. Also, there are some intense images involving disembodied hearts and humans warping into frightening monsters. Humanoid monsters are slain on screen.
Sexual/Relationship Content: The temptation of lust, while steamy, shows no sex. Harems are also present in Addie’s hometown, but are portrayed as an undesirable future.
Thematic Content: Substance abuse is implied and alcohol consumption is present for the temptations. Their are themes of abuse and neglect are as well as how temptation warps a person over time.
If it sounds like an exciting novel to you, give it a read!
*(Note, this disclosure is based off of my background and bias from a Christian worldview. As this is just my personal opinion, it is not intended in any way to negatively reflect on the author, publisher, or anyone else who worked on this book. This is simply to provide transparency about content and let you, the reader, decide if you are comfortable with reading the book or not.)
*Content Disclosure:
The content is clean, but intense (the core of the story is resisting the seven deadly sins) and contains the following:
Violence: This is an action-packed story, with plenty of fights and blood/painful injuries. Also, there are some intense images involving disembodied hearts and humans warping into frightening monsters. Humanoid monsters are slain on screen.
Sexual/Relationship Content: The temptation of lust, while steamy, shows no sex. Harems are also present in Addie’s hometown, but are portrayed as an undesirable future.
Thematic Content: Substance abuse is implied and alcohol consumption is present for the temptations. Their are themes of abuse and neglect are as well as how temptation warps a person over time.
If it sounds like an exciting novel to you, give it a read!
*(Note, this disclosure is based off of my background and bias from a Christian worldview. As this is just my personal opinion, it is not intended in any way to negatively reflect on the author, publisher, or anyone else who worked on this book. This is simply to provide transparency about content and let you, the reader, decide if you are comfortable with reading the book or not.)
October 30, 2020
This is my second time around and I enjoyed picking up the details that I missed the first time! I especially like that this is part allegory, part fantasy world. The dark elements are still dark, yet make the victories that much sweeter. Addie is very relatable and I can't wait to continue her journey in Heartbreaker!
January 29, 2020
Heartmender is a feast of fantasy - and not in a 5th Choice glutinous kind of way! 😜
Anyone who enjoys the genre will find something they love in this book. For me, it was the symbolism, the plot, the monsters, and the characters.
The symbolism of Heart Reign - trading your physical heart for one of your heart's deepest desires - was inspired. It was thoroughly original and gave me food for thought. Are there areas in my life where I'm trading my heart away for things that are unworthy? What is my heart truly worth and who is truly worth giving it to? Again and again, Heartmender points back to my Jesus, and I loved that. The beautiful symbolism of this book raises many reflective questions, and if that doesn't make a good book I don't know what does!
The plot, though sometimes hard for me to follow (I blame this on my attention span - half the reason I'm an MG author is because YA rarely keeps me engaged, so the fact that Heartmender kept my attention is a compliment in itself!), was intriguing. I especially liked Addie's Choices. As she faced each door and the deadly sin behind it, I fell into a comfortable rhythm of expecting what was coming and at the same time not knowing what to expect! I admire how committed Addie is to finding her brother no matter what. Her love for him is deep and unconditional, and I'm a huge fan of sibling story arcs! I really hope they get to reconnect more in Book 2...
Give me monsters, and I'm a happy reader. Seriously. That's how I work. And the creepier the better. I want to be scared to get in bed after reading. It helps me sleep for some reason. 😆 The siti, the malum, the phagos - they were all terrifically terrible. Ugh, that scene with the phagos in the 5th Choice...I was so grossed out I was giggling! (Yes, I have strange reactions to horror. I'm aware.)
Now about characters:
"Claire could be falling off the edge of a cliff and still have enough strength to complain about how the cliff wasn't high enough to kill her." ~ pg. 275
This quote sums up my absolute favorite character, Claire Magnum. I loved her from her first scene, her first word, her first quip, and it only got better from there. She really makes the story sparkle with humor, genuine compassion, and sparks of sarcasm. Did I mention I love her to bits? But I shouldn't neglect to mention our dear heroine Addie who braves all of her trials with incredible fortitude and vulnerability. I also liked Silas, and I'm excited to get to know him better in Book 2!
Heartmender was a fantastic read, one I would describe as ABC's Once Upon a Time meets Lindsay A. Franklin's The Story Peddler. If you're a fan of fantasy worlds, beautiful and reflective symbolism, awesome-sauce monsters, and endearing characters, give this one a chance. This book may challenge you not to trade your heart away, but it's sure to win it over!
Anyone who enjoys the genre will find something they love in this book. For me, it was the symbolism, the plot, the monsters, and the characters.
The symbolism of Heart Reign - trading your physical heart for one of your heart's deepest desires - was inspired. It was thoroughly original and gave me food for thought. Are there areas in my life where I'm trading my heart away for things that are unworthy? What is my heart truly worth and who is truly worth giving it to? Again and again, Heartmender points back to my Jesus, and I loved that. The beautiful symbolism of this book raises many reflective questions, and if that doesn't make a good book I don't know what does!
The plot, though sometimes hard for me to follow (I blame this on my attention span - half the reason I'm an MG author is because YA rarely keeps me engaged, so the fact that Heartmender kept my attention is a compliment in itself!), was intriguing. I especially liked Addie's Choices. As she faced each door and the deadly sin behind it, I fell into a comfortable rhythm of expecting what was coming and at the same time not knowing what to expect! I admire how committed Addie is to finding her brother no matter what. Her love for him is deep and unconditional, and I'm a huge fan of sibling story arcs! I really hope they get to reconnect more in Book 2...
Give me monsters, and I'm a happy reader. Seriously. That's how I work. And the creepier the better. I want to be scared to get in bed after reading. It helps me sleep for some reason. 😆 The siti, the malum, the phagos - they were all terrifically terrible. Ugh, that scene with the phagos in the 5th Choice...I was so grossed out I was giggling! (Yes, I have strange reactions to horror. I'm aware.)
Now about characters:
"Claire could be falling off the edge of a cliff and still have enough strength to complain about how the cliff wasn't high enough to kill her." ~ pg. 275
This quote sums up my absolute favorite character, Claire Magnum. I loved her from her first scene, her first word, her first quip, and it only got better from there. She really makes the story sparkle with humor, genuine compassion, and sparks of sarcasm. Did I mention I love her to bits? But I shouldn't neglect to mention our dear heroine Addie who braves all of her trials with incredible fortitude and vulnerability. I also liked Silas, and I'm excited to get to know him better in Book 2!
Heartmender was a fantastic read, one I would describe as ABC's Once Upon a Time meets Lindsay A. Franklin's The Story Peddler. If you're a fan of fantasy worlds, beautiful and reflective symbolism, awesome-sauce monsters, and endearing characters, give this one a chance. This book may challenge you not to trade your heart away, but it's sure to win it over!
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