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Silent Kingdom #1
Silent Kingdom
Chosen by truth. Marked for death. Halia must choose to save her kingdom, or let it fall.
Misroth's king has died, and the entire kingdom is in mourning-or so it seems. After her father is crowned regent in his brother's stead, Princess Halia discovers a terrible truth that could end her life. But when she flees to live in hiding, she discovers that the Royal Guard are not all she has to fear. Dark creatures stalk her, reports of oppression and war reach her ears, and her burden to protect her kingdom-at any cost-will not be silenced.
Misroth's king has died, and the entire kingdom is in mourning-or so it seems. After her father is crowned regent in his brother's stead, Princess Halia discovers a terrible truth that could end her life. But when she flees to live in hiding, she discovers that the Royal Guard are not all she has to fear. Dark creatures stalk her, reports of oppression and war reach her ears, and her burden to protect her kingdom-at any cost-will not be silenced.
280 pages, Paperback
Published September 23, 2022
196 people are currently reading
2482 people want to read
About the author
Rachel L. Schade
15 books508 followersRachel L. Schade was born on the first day of summer in a small town in Michigan, only to end up in another small town in Ohio. She attended The Ohio State University to learn how to write obnoxiously long papers, cite people who use big words, and discuss her passion: books. She has a great love for the color blue, sunshine, chocolate, and not folding her laundry. Currently she lives with her husband and surrounds herself with coffee and books on a regular basis.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
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October 30, 202320% j’attends de le recevoir en papier
October 22, 2017
I was lucky enough to be a BETA reader for Silent Kingdom.
It was such a lovely story, definitely a new favorite. Halia was a strong female lead who felt so grounded and genuine. Yes, she had flaws, as we all do. She was scared. She was unsure of where to go or what to do when her life was so suddenly changed.
She was human.
We all have struggles, and I enjoyed following Halia's journey of discovering how to deal with and overcome the struggles life dealt her.
I really loved the religious aspects of the book. I thought it was well done and not preachy at all.
The characters and relationships were lovely, and the setting and word building were intriguing. It left me satisfied with my knowledge of the world but still anticipating learning more in the following book(s).
I cannot wait for this book to be released so I can get my hands on a finished copy!
It was such a lovely story, definitely a new favorite. Halia was a strong female lead who felt so grounded and genuine. Yes, she had flaws, as we all do. She was scared. She was unsure of where to go or what to do when her life was so suddenly changed.
She was human.
We all have struggles, and I enjoyed following Halia's journey of discovering how to deal with and overcome the struggles life dealt her.
I really loved the religious aspects of the book. I thought it was well done and not preachy at all.
The characters and relationships were lovely, and the setting and word building were intriguing. It left me satisfied with my knowledge of the world but still anticipating learning more in the following book(s).
I cannot wait for this book to be released so I can get my hands on a finished copy!
Read
May 25, 2016Silent Kingdom is an exciting high fantasy read from debut author, Rachel Schade. This book has an awesome hook that is directly related to the title of the book, something I find really cool. Also, Schade brings the emotion in this story, and you find yourself pulling for the protagonist and hating the villain. There is romance, but it isn't the focus of the story, something I can really appreciate. Although I prefer a little more world building in a high fantasy, I foresee a lot more in the coming sequels! Great start to an exciting series!
December 10, 2022
I read the beta version of this book and I am so exited to finally get my hands on the finished product! Can't wait to see all the changes that Schade has implemented and definitely can't wait for the cover reveal!
I will post a more detailed review upon reading the final version.
EDIT
So I read the final edition and Schade made so many amazing changes. The book is full of deep meaningful ideas and powerful friendships and loss. I can't wait for book two and Toryn!
I will post a more detailed review upon reading the final version.
EDIT
So I read the final edition and Schade made so many amazing changes. The book is full of deep meaningful ideas and powerful friendships and loss. I can't wait for book two and Toryn!
October 26, 2016
First off, Zarev gets the worst father of the year award! Of the books I've read this year, possibly ever, I don't think I've come across a guy quite like him. I'm curious to see how he got that way. I mean, yes, there's ambition and greed but he takes it to a whole 'nother level!
Other than that, there was a lot I enjoyed about this book. Halia never intends to be a heroine, but she gets put into this role and it was really neat to watch her grow and develop. We meet her when she all of the sudden has this gift of visions and knowing the truth. She ends up in grave danger, and it was interesting watching her learn about this gift and what she needs to do with it. I did have one moment where I was a little frustrated with Halia because after four years of living in Evren I just wanted to shake her and tell her that she was holding herself back! I don't think that's a spoiler, I apologize if it is.
I really liked Evren and really hope that we get to see more of it! Lyanna and Rev are such warm characters! And Avrik! Boy, I was sort of disappointed with him in the end, but I can understand why he did what he did.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to the sequel!
Other than that, there was a lot I enjoyed about this book. Halia never intends to be a heroine, but she gets put into this role and it was really neat to watch her grow and develop. We meet her when she all of the sudden has this gift of visions and knowing the truth. She ends up in grave danger, and it was interesting watching her learn about this gift and what she needs to do with it. I did have one moment where I was a little frustrated with Halia because after four years of living in Evren I just wanted to shake her and tell her that she was holding herself back! I don't think that's a spoiler, I apologize if it is.
I really liked Evren and really hope that we get to see more of it! Lyanna and Rev are such warm characters! And Avrik! Boy, I was sort of disappointed with him in the end, but I can understand why he did what he did.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to the sequel!
December 2, 2016
I got a beta version of this recently and I loved it ! Im excited to see any changes and have that beautiful cover in my hands !!
January 30, 2019
There is no doubt in my mind that the author poured every ounce of her heart into this book. Very interesting book with great character development. I am excited to read more.
January 28, 2021
SLOW START, GOOD END.
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Another Kindle Unlimited find!
I liked where things were initially going (because wow what a intense intro) but it stalled a bit with her younger age + not much going on.
Once Halia was older things started to pick up. I liked the idea of an exiled princess finding her way back home to right the wrongs so grievously done. What I struggled with was her visions. I have a hard time with any character having visions in a book. It takes me out of the story and makes it hard to get back in. Halia had multiple almost every chapter which really through off the pacing.
I adored her cute little soon to be friends to lovers moment. I would have loved even more because I thought Halia and Avrik’s friendship was precious and sweet.
Halia never intended to be a heroine, and I thought her character growth was well accomplished. It’d be curious to see how the rest of the series continues with the pawns at play. I liked the last quarter of the book the most because things really started HAPPENING. It was an incredible slow build to get there.
Overall audience notes:
- Young adult fantasy
- Language: none
- Romance: none
- Violence: murder, poison, swords, physical, creature attacks, executions; not overly bloody/gory
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
Another Kindle Unlimited find!
I liked where things were initially going (because wow what a intense intro) but it stalled a bit with her younger age + not much going on.
Once Halia was older things started to pick up. I liked the idea of an exiled princess finding her way back home to right the wrongs so grievously done. What I struggled with was her visions. I have a hard time with any character having visions in a book. It takes me out of the story and makes it hard to get back in. Halia had multiple almost every chapter which really through off the pacing.
I adored her cute little soon to be friends to lovers moment. I would have loved even more because I thought Halia and Avrik’s friendship was precious and sweet.
Halia never intended to be a heroine, and I thought her character growth was well accomplished. It’d be curious to see how the rest of the series continues with the pawns at play. I liked the last quarter of the book the most because things really started HAPPENING. It was an incredible slow build to get there.
Overall audience notes:
- Young adult fantasy
- Language: none
- Romance: none
- Violence: murder, poison, swords, physical, creature attacks, executions; not overly bloody/gory
August 24, 2020
This book starts with a shocking bang; one I would venture to say is the best attention grabber I've ever read. The rest of the story had to fight hard to compare to the first chapters, but it managed to keep me intrigued as to what would happen with the main character. I appreciate the themes of analyzing the value of truth, voice, and honesty, as well as the unique style choice of making the main character mute (sorry if that's a spoiler, but it's pretty much the whole concept haha). The author did a really good job of giving her character a voice and opinions even without "normal" dialog. If you're looking to read a book that's a refreshing concept from standard YA books, I would recommend this read to you!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2016
Brilliant book!! this was one of those with very strong beginnings and will keep the reader captivated right to the end!!
I love the main character and the author did a fantastic job of bringing the book to life!
I'm so lucky to have read the beta edition and I honestly can't wait for the 2nd part!!
I love the main character and the author did a fantastic job of bringing the book to life!
I'm so lucky to have read the beta edition and I honestly can't wait for the 2nd part!!
February 20, 2023
Amazing! Great writing style too!
October 22, 2024
3.5
TW: Attempted murder, persecution, violence
The book opens with Halia’s uncle’s funeral. He was the king of Misroth but then he got ill. Her father is crowned King Regent until her cousin is of age to ascend the throne. Later that night Halia finds out a secret that involves the death of her uncle. Fleeing for her life, she finds her self mute and in the cozy village of Evren. Here she learns of a life different from the royal palace. Here people are free and talk to the Giver of Life. In the royal palace only priests are allowed to talk to the Giver of Life.
We follow Halia as she flees. At the beginning of the book she is thirteen and by the end of the book she is seventeen. I will say this is a slow start to the series. I was interested but did get a little bored almost to halfway through. But once you hit the halfway mark the story starts to pick up. It does end on a cliff hanger.
I will continue on with the series. I’m not going to jump into the next book yet.
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I'm softly DNF right now. I will pick up in the future when I am in the mood.
TW: Attempted murder, persecution, violence
The book opens with Halia’s uncle’s funeral. He was the king of Misroth but then he got ill. Her father is crowned King Regent until her cousin is of age to ascend the throne. Later that night Halia finds out a secret that involves the death of her uncle. Fleeing for her life, she finds her self mute and in the cozy village of Evren. Here she learns of a life different from the royal palace. Here people are free and talk to the Giver of Life. In the royal palace only priests are allowed to talk to the Giver of Life.
We follow Halia as she flees. At the beginning of the book she is thirteen and by the end of the book she is seventeen. I will say this is a slow start to the series. I was interested but did get a little bored almost to halfway through. But once you hit the halfway mark the story starts to pick up. It does end on a cliff hanger.
I will continue on with the series. I’m not going to jump into the next book yet.
------
I'm softly DNF right now. I will pick up in the future when I am in the mood.
August 10, 2020
Note: This author gifted me a physical copy of her book but this does not affect my personal opinion on the book. Read below for my honest review.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Okay, where do I start. This was an emotional roller coaster from the beginning till the end. It was such a lovely story with an amazing and strong female main character which I absolutely loved! We’re introduced to her and her special powers (knowing the truth and having a gift of visions) in the beginning of the story. She has a tragic fate because of what her father, The King, does to her but with that her character develops even more and instead of having a small little girl, we’re introduced to a badass heroine.
I absolutely loved the setting of the world, author’s writing style and the whole plot of the book. I still need to read the next book in the series which I’m pretty sure I’ll enjoy as much as I enjoyed this one. Overall, this was a very fun, fast-paced and intriguing to read. I highly recommend this to everyone who loves reading about special powers, strong badass female character and kingdoms.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Okay, where do I start. This was an emotional roller coaster from the beginning till the end. It was such a lovely story with an amazing and strong female main character which I absolutely loved! We’re introduced to her and her special powers (knowing the truth and having a gift of visions) in the beginning of the story. She has a tragic fate because of what her father, The King, does to her but with that her character develops even more and instead of having a small little girl, we’re introduced to a badass heroine.
I absolutely loved the setting of the world, author’s writing style and the whole plot of the book. I still need to read the next book in the series which I’m pretty sure I’ll enjoy as much as I enjoyed this one. Overall, this was a very fun, fast-paced and intriguing to read. I highly recommend this to everyone who loves reading about special powers, strong badass female character and kingdoms.
October 7, 2023
This book was truly amazing! I was hooked from the first chapter itself. With every page I read, I kept wondering what was coming next.
The characters were well written, especially the female protagonist, Halia. Her emotions throughout the book were very realistic and I could relate to her because of it. At times I was so engrossed in the book that I would believe I was her, experiencing every little thing that she felt. The supporting characters were also great and did well in helping the story move forward.
The world-building was good and not overly complex. The author had done a marvellous job in describing the places and other elements that were important to the plot.
The story itself was interesting and just when I would think it couldn't get any better than this, the author surprised me with a twist. One of the best parts of the story was the message that you don't need to be related by blood to be family.
I did feel that the second half of the book was moving a bit fast, but it did not hurt the story that much. I still enjoyed every bit of it.
The end was suspenseful and I'm eager to know what happens next. I have a lot of questions when it comes to certain characters' motives and I'm not sure whom I can trust at this point. I'm also waiting for certain reunions. I would recommend it everyone who enjoys the fantasy genre.
The characters were well written, especially the female protagonist, Halia. Her emotions throughout the book were very realistic and I could relate to her because of it. At times I was so engrossed in the book that I would believe I was her, experiencing every little thing that she felt. The supporting characters were also great and did well in helping the story move forward.
The world-building was good and not overly complex. The author had done a marvellous job in describing the places and other elements that were important to the plot.
The story itself was interesting and just when I would think it couldn't get any better than this, the author surprised me with a twist. One of the best parts of the story was the message that you don't need to be related by blood to be family.
I did feel that the second half of the book was moving a bit fast, but it did not hurt the story that much. I still enjoyed every bit of it.
The end was suspenseful and I'm eager to know what happens next. I have a lot of questions when it comes to certain characters' motives and I'm not sure whom I can trust at this point. I'm also waiting for certain reunions. I would recommend it everyone who enjoys the fantasy genre.
September 28, 2016
I was seriously impressed with this book, and I'm not just saying that because Rachel is a friend of mine :P Right from the get-go, I was hooked! The way she writes and describes settings and appearances of characters paints such a vivid picture, and carried me far away to Misroth and Evren in an instant. I honestly couldn't put the book down! I know that sounds cliche, but it seriously bothered me to set the book down for even a second! The suspense over the fate of Halia and the kingdom kept me reading until it was nearly 2 in the morning. Despite my eyes telling me it was time for bed, I read on anyway, eagerly and anxiously on the edge of my seat, awaiting the fates of these characters :P I cannot wait for her follow-up to this book next year! I'm already dying to know what happens next!
March 4, 2020
One of my bookstagram friends championed this series as a failsafe cure for reading slumps. Her recommendation was spot on.
This novel was more in the vein of epic fantasy than most of the books that currently dominate the market. I love a strong heroine, and in this book, she retains her strength. Her inner character development and growth are not forfeit to a love interest or a princely rescue.
Halia is privy to a secret that could undermine her father's authority - and her knowledge earns her immediate termination. But Halia survives the murder attempt, and makes her way to the far edge of the kingdom. She finds a family and builds a life. She is happy until the kingdom's secrets rend the fabric of her world once again.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
This novel was more in the vein of epic fantasy than most of the books that currently dominate the market. I love a strong heroine, and in this book, she retains her strength. Her inner character development and growth are not forfeit to a love interest or a princely rescue.
Halia is privy to a secret that could undermine her father's authority - and her knowledge earns her immediate termination. But Halia survives the murder attempt, and makes her way to the far edge of the kingdom. She finds a family and builds a life. She is happy until the kingdom's secrets rend the fabric of her world once again.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
September 22, 2017
Incredibly refreshing and beautifully written
It is an amazing thing when an author can pull you so completely into a world and keep you guessing at each turn -- Rachel Schade has done both! The book's well-written descriptions bring the vibrant world to life and plays in your mind as it unfolds; you can see the world and truly feel the characters' emotions. The storyline is compelling, and just when you think you can guess what comes next you are left stunned and amazed by a plot twist. Expertly written, incredibly refreshing, not to mention flat-out inspiring at times - I cannot recommend this book enough, or wait for the next one!
It is an amazing thing when an author can pull you so completely into a world and keep you guessing at each turn -- Rachel Schade has done both! The book's well-written descriptions bring the vibrant world to life and plays in your mind as it unfolds; you can see the world and truly feel the characters' emotions. The storyline is compelling, and just when you think you can guess what comes next you are left stunned and amazed by a plot twist. Expertly written, incredibly refreshing, not to mention flat-out inspiring at times - I cannot recommend this book enough, or wait for the next one!
October 15, 2017
I LOVED this book! Sure it wasn’t perfect, but the imagery, the characters, the plot, were all beautifully written. I was truly sucked in from the very beginning. There wasn’t a moment where I wasn’t wondering as to what would happen next.
There were a few moments where I was ripped away from the story after reading something that just didn’t seem to fit with the characters I had been shown. Thankfully though, the story was always brought back on track.
I cannot wait to read the sequel. So many questions! So many hopes!
There were a few moments where I was ripped away from the story after reading something that just didn’t seem to fit with the characters I had been shown. Thankfully though, the story was always brought back on track.
I cannot wait to read the sequel. So many questions! So many hopes!
December 31, 2019
Wow!! What a ride!! I could put this book down. Action, adventure, slow romance, fierce strong female, Amazing friendships.
This book has it all. The story captured me from the beginning! Absolutely loved it! Can’t wait to continue the series with Forsaken Kingdom.
This book has it all. The story captured me from the beginning! Absolutely loved it! Can’t wait to continue the series with Forsaken Kingdom.
May 15, 2020
Wow. This book took my words away. The main character pulled through so much. I mean talk about family issues. Every sub character had a perfect place and the development of the story was spot on. I am already on book two and can’t wait to finish the story and see what is coming next.
September 24, 2016
Started off well enough. By the end it got rather confusing and Joan of Arcish.
February 16, 2019
Solid story telling. Interesting characters, strong visuals, lots to think about. And did not see that ending coming.
March 13, 2020
Love it !
The book was great, very interesting. Left me on the edge of my seat multiple times. I can’t wait to read the send part.
The book was great, very interesting. Left me on the edge of my seat multiple times. I can’t wait to read the send part.
July 22, 2021
{Spoilers as I am reflecting on the trilogy as a whole rather than each individual book after just reading all three within a short period of time.}
All of the Silent Kingdom books are highly detailed and action packed. One can easily feel the emotions of the characters as they fight for their freedom and Halia's angst as she goes through one life altering event after another in her journey to save the kingdom. The journey is the most important part of this adventure, as well as the characters finding themselves as they grow up and realizing that they are in fact stronger than they think. This is portrayed well in each of the battles that they go through- not only against the creatures that Rachel has made up and brought to life in her descriptions that seem to come out of the pages and get stuck in the reader's mind, but also their personal battles against not feeling adequate in their life roles or the grief that they have gone through. The reader can feel the grief the authoress has gone through in her own life through the darknesses that she portrays in her stories.
If you enjoy reading about humans in a battle against demons and other mythical creatures, this trilogy has plenty of them. I am not big on this type of genre, but I wanted to read them due to personally knowing the authoress and wanting to support her. I personally would have liked less fighting and more romance between Halia and Avrik (and sooner), but these are not those kinds of books. Rachel always asks for an honest review, so I do have to add a couple things I thought about as I was reading:
- Some of the journeys that Halia took seemed to drag on a bit. For example, the time that they spent underground in Toryn in Forsaken Kingdom. Or the Journey they took through the forest to get to Toryn in the first place. Of course a journey by foot would have taken forever, especially with all of the interactions they had with Sedwa and Ichgor along the way, and I understand the dramatics needed. However, to me some of it started to become redundant and teetered on the edge of being too much in terms of time and blood shed- and the amount of times Avrik and the others were threatened (or actually "killed") but always came back in the end.
- The other redundancy was with Halia and her always looking back at her parents and how they made her feel, or the "condemned" drune that kept coming back to haunt her. It also happened with Avrik with his thoughts on his father or the connection between Gillen and others. While these are all completely appropriate in respects to the story line and needing to portray how they felt, sometimes it could have been left out as these thoughts had already been shown to the reader multiple times and there was already that connection established between the reader and the characters.
To summarize, if Rachel needed to cut out some of the story and make it shorter like I know some editors are inclined to ask of their writers, there are some portions that could have been taken out without hinderance to the dramatics of the story as a whole. In all it was a very well written trilogy full of thoroughly described images that pulls the reader into the fear and struggles that the characters face. And has the reader emotionally invested in how everything will turn out in the end.
All of the Silent Kingdom books are highly detailed and action packed. One can easily feel the emotions of the characters as they fight for their freedom and Halia's angst as she goes through one life altering event after another in her journey to save the kingdom. The journey is the most important part of this adventure, as well as the characters finding themselves as they grow up and realizing that they are in fact stronger than they think. This is portrayed well in each of the battles that they go through- not only against the creatures that Rachel has made up and brought to life in her descriptions that seem to come out of the pages and get stuck in the reader's mind, but also their personal battles against not feeling adequate in their life roles or the grief that they have gone through. The reader can feel the grief the authoress has gone through in her own life through the darknesses that she portrays in her stories.
If you enjoy reading about humans in a battle against demons and other mythical creatures, this trilogy has plenty of them. I am not big on this type of genre, but I wanted to read them due to personally knowing the authoress and wanting to support her. I personally would have liked less fighting and more romance between Halia and Avrik (and sooner), but these are not those kinds of books. Rachel always asks for an honest review, so I do have to add a couple things I thought about as I was reading:
- Some of the journeys that Halia took seemed to drag on a bit. For example, the time that they spent underground in Toryn in Forsaken Kingdom. Or the Journey they took through the forest to get to Toryn in the first place. Of course a journey by foot would have taken forever, especially with all of the interactions they had with Sedwa and Ichgor along the way, and I understand the dramatics needed. However, to me some of it started to become redundant and teetered on the edge of being too much in terms of time and blood shed- and the amount of times Avrik and the others were threatened (or actually "killed") but always came back in the end.
- The other redundancy was with Halia and her always looking back at her parents and how they made her feel, or the "condemned" drune that kept coming back to haunt her. It also happened with Avrik with his thoughts on his father or the connection between Gillen and others. While these are all completely appropriate in respects to the story line and needing to portray how they felt, sometimes it could have been left out as these thoughts had already been shown to the reader multiple times and there was already that connection established between the reader and the characters.
To summarize, if Rachel needed to cut out some of the story and make it shorter like I know some editors are inclined to ask of their writers, there are some portions that could have been taken out without hinderance to the dramatics of the story as a whole. In all it was a very well written trilogy full of thoroughly described images that pulls the reader into the fear and struggles that the characters face. And has the reader emotionally invested in how everything will turn out in the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2020
The story of a young girl who sees a murder and ends up silent with her kingdom's secrets. She lives years away from her home and finds her voice to start a coup and save her people and kingdom.
February 1, 2023
Had a really hard time deciding between a 3-4 stars for this book. I rounded up. Probably closer to a 3.5. There are things I really liked. The story was unique and surprising in some ways. But many things were left unexplained and I hope the main characters start to have a bit more depth in the next books in the series. Over all it was a good read and I’m curious to see what happens next.
December 9, 2021
What a great introduction to a brand new world! Halia goes on such a journey through the course of this book. I loved the unique characters, and the villain is so dastardly and easy to hate, but not a caricature or cartoonish bad guy. This felt like a lot of world-building and setting up for the larger battles to come in the subsequent books, but in a good way; the stakes feel real in this book and everyone has strong motivations.
HOW IT ENDS:
Halia was saved by the Giver of Life after she was stabbed at the aborted execution. The captain of the kings guard (Narek) kills King Zarev when he realizes Princess Halia is telling the truth that Zarev poisoned his brother, the former king. Halia does not trust any of the royal guards and locks all of them in the dungeon until she and the rebels can decide what to do. She interrogates Narek and finds out cousin Gillen was sent on a fake diplomatic mission to Toryn, bc the supposed war was never really happening. Halia plans to make Narek go off with her to find and rescue Gillen. Avrik (Halia's friend from the town where she hid for four years) says he's done with her, but I'm skeptical.
HOW IT ENDS:
Halia was saved by the Giver of Life after she was stabbed at the aborted execution. The captain of the kings guard (Narek) kills King Zarev when he realizes Princess Halia is telling the truth that Zarev poisoned his brother, the former king. Halia does not trust any of the royal guards and locks all of them in the dungeon until she and the rebels can decide what to do. She interrogates Narek and finds out cousin Gillen was sent on a fake diplomatic mission to Toryn, bc the supposed war was never really happening. Halia plans to make Narek go off with her to find and rescue Gillen. Avrik (Halia's friend from the town where she hid for four years) says he's done with her, but I'm skeptical.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2023
Silent Kingdom is such an interesting tale of dealing with trauma and rising from the ashes. In just the earliest chapters, we have an unknown power, an attempted murder by drowning, an attack by a mythical creature, and our main character gone mute because of everything she’s experienced.
The opening of the book got me excited for what was to come, but then it slowed down drastically. And that’s not necessarily for the worse! It was cute seeing the found family develop and getting a taste of the commoner life in this world. And Avrik is a national treasure who needs to be protected at all costs. This part was a little slow for my liking, and I would have liked to see a little more development towards the later part of the plot, but I do understand why the choices were made, here!
When the shift to rebellion begins, the story pick up dramatically and we’re suddenly flung into a VERY different world. It’s a bit shocking, but well handled! Once the action started, I didn’t want to put it down. And it definitely left me wanting to read more!
Overall, I’m so glad I picked this book up! It mostly strikes a nice balance between cozy and action packed, and is a great start to a series! Can’t wait to eventually dig into the rest of this series!
The opening of the book got me excited for what was to come, but then it slowed down drastically. And that’s not necessarily for the worse! It was cute seeing the found family develop and getting a taste of the commoner life in this world. And Avrik is a national treasure who needs to be protected at all costs. This part was a little slow for my liking, and I would have liked to see a little more development towards the later part of the plot, but I do understand why the choices were made, here!
When the shift to rebellion begins, the story pick up dramatically and we’re suddenly flung into a VERY different world. It’s a bit shocking, but well handled! Once the action started, I didn’t want to put it down. And it definitely left me wanting to read more!
Overall, I’m so glad I picked this book up! It mostly strikes a nice balance between cozy and action packed, and is a great start to a series! Can’t wait to eventually dig into the rest of this series!
January 21, 2024
A beautiful, rich, faith-filled story
This was the first book I’ve read by this author, and it definitely won’t be my last.
Suddenly blessed (or if you ask Halia, “cursed”) with the gift of prophecy, Halia is rendered mute when she rejects her gift.
The story was beautifully written, with realistic, three dimensional characters, full of development and growth. Some people might think the beginning is slow, but personally, I loved every moment of it. I loved learning of her beginning, reading about her early years, and eventually seeing the strong young woman she becomes. That’s not to say she has everything figured out. She definitely doesn’t. But as is in life, her development is an ongoing process.
Silent Kingdom is more than a coming of age story—it’s a coming of faith story.
Throughout the story, we can see Halia’s self-doubt. “I am weak; I’m afraid; I’m alone; I am powerless; It doesn’t have to be *me*; Do I hear Him, or is that myself that I’m hearing?” To be completely honest, there have been times that I’ve found myself having some of these thoughts—especially during difficult seasons in my life—and so seeing her struggle with this was very relatable.
Silent Kingdom has resonated with me very deeply, and has been confirmation and encouragement for me (personally) that I need to guard my words. There is a time for silence (actually, I’ve learned that spending some time not talking can be quite peaceful LOL), and there’s a time to speak. But when I do speak, those words must be spoken for good and not for evil (it’s hard to tame the tongue! And it can be hard to speak the truth—especially if you’re non-confrontational, like me).
All that to say that I highly recommend Silent Kingdom—I wouldn’t change anything about it—and I’m SO glad that the series is complete, because it would be torturous to have to wait to begin to read book 2!
This was the first book I’ve read by this author, and it definitely won’t be my last.
Suddenly blessed (or if you ask Halia, “cursed”) with the gift of prophecy, Halia is rendered mute when she rejects her gift.
The story was beautifully written, with realistic, three dimensional characters, full of development and growth. Some people might think the beginning is slow, but personally, I loved every moment of it. I loved learning of her beginning, reading about her early years, and eventually seeing the strong young woman she becomes. That’s not to say she has everything figured out. She definitely doesn’t. But as is in life, her development is an ongoing process.
Silent Kingdom is more than a coming of age story—it’s a coming of faith story.
Throughout the story, we can see Halia’s self-doubt. “I am weak; I’m afraid; I’m alone; I am powerless; It doesn’t have to be *me*; Do I hear Him, or is that myself that I’m hearing?” To be completely honest, there have been times that I’ve found myself having some of these thoughts—especially during difficult seasons in my life—and so seeing her struggle with this was very relatable.
Silent Kingdom has resonated with me very deeply, and has been confirmation and encouragement for me (personally) that I need to guard my words. There is a time for silence (actually, I’ve learned that spending some time not talking can be quite peaceful LOL), and there’s a time to speak. But when I do speak, those words must be spoken for good and not for evil (it’s hard to tame the tongue! And it can be hard to speak the truth—especially if you’re non-confrontational, like me).
All that to say that I highly recommend Silent Kingdom—I wouldn’t change anything about it—and I’m SO glad that the series is complete, because it would be torturous to have to wait to begin to read book 2!
January 10, 2020
"In the long hours that passed, I prayed and feared. I walked in circles; I paced; I huddled in a corner. I let anger consume me, followed closely by anger's shadowy cousin: despair."
Wow! I absolutely loved reading this book and I am really looking forward to seeing where the future of Misroth is headed. Schade's writing is so familiar to my own inner voice that it was easy to fall into her reading without much difficulty. There is an ease and comfort that makes me want to live in this book forever. I never felt like the words became too dense or turn into a boring lull. I was literally hanging onto every word on the page.
Without spoilers, this book was great! It made me smile and laugh but also had me crying and fuming. The best part is that Schade actually surprised me. Recently I have been feeling like a lot of YA fantasy books have been almost predictable with books following a standard pattern; the foreshadowing too obvious and apparent and the character arcs to similar that it no longer seems realistic. Schade thew multiple surprises at me. As soon as I started getting comfortable and thinking I knew where the story was headed, I was spun around and left dizzy trying to figure out how I possibly could have missed that this would happen.
I am so glad that I decided to dive into this world. Thank you, Rachel, for bringing hope to words.
Wow! I absolutely loved reading this book and I am really looking forward to seeing where the future of Misroth is headed. Schade's writing is so familiar to my own inner voice that it was easy to fall into her reading without much difficulty. There is an ease and comfort that makes me want to live in this book forever. I never felt like the words became too dense or turn into a boring lull. I was literally hanging onto every word on the page.
Without spoilers, this book was great! It made me smile and laugh but also had me crying and fuming. The best part is that Schade actually surprised me. Recently I have been feeling like a lot of YA fantasy books have been almost predictable with books following a standard pattern; the foreshadowing too obvious and apparent and the character arcs to similar that it no longer seems realistic. Schade thew multiple surprises at me. As soon as I started getting comfortable and thinking I knew where the story was headed, I was spun around and left dizzy trying to figure out how I possibly could have missed that this would happen.
I am so glad that I decided to dive into this world. Thank you, Rachel, for bringing hope to words.
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