When Sole awakens from the darkness, a terrifying plague that killed her family, she is left with the one thing she never wanted, Magick. She soon discovers that this rare power, thought to be long lost, has the ability to save her world. The tyrant King of Sundom summons her to serve his own purpose, setting her on an incredibly perilous journey. Sole soon finds herself navigating a dark web of politics, alluring power, desire, and great evil.
Rivian Alacor had his life all planned out. As the high-born second prince of Sundom, he could never be heir to the throne. Instead, he would lead the Sundom Guards, and when his brother became King, he would be part of his high council. Rivian would secure alliances by being mated to Selah Grado, the fairest and fiercest woman in Sundom. But, when his cruel father becomes infected with the Darkness, Rivian is sent on a journey to retrieve the first mage in generations. Meeting Sole changed everything.
Will they be the future of Transea, or will they burn it all down?
I kept seeing this book on tik tok and was so excited when I finally started reading it. It had all the elements of a 5 star read but fell a little flat in some areas for me.
Pros •the setting was enticing •storyline was intriguing •characters were interesting
Cons •characters’ motivations and interactions didn’t always make sense •romance aspect felt underdeveloped and then rushed •grammatical errors took me out of the story
Overall, this had excellent potential but I was not pleased with the execution. However! I love fantasy and the plot twists definitely kept me on my toes so I’m looking forward to the second book in April as I’m sure it can only get better!
Just finished Ligia N. Cushman fantasy novel "Rise of a dark throne" and this book is not only a beautiful cover design but also a solid and reliable writing work.
The story of Sole (the lead female character) and Rivian (the Prince who is scorting Sole in her journey) is quite interesting and well developed, from ignorance and disrespect between them to... well I will not spoil the party, it's better to read it!. The world building is soft in development but with many mentions of what is possible to come in future books, to me it seemed a simple introduction for the incoming books of the series.
This is an overall great indie fantasy book and to give it a go and enjoy it from the beginning to the very end is really worth it.
This is a promising first book in a fantasy series. Sole is a princess that survives a tragedy in her land called the Darkness which kills her parents and new husband. Her two sisters are nowhere to be found and Sole finds herself the Queen of Mosa. As she works tirelessly to pull her country out of the tragedy, she is summoned to heal the King of Sundom, the land her people fled to avoid being killed by the evil King.
Sole leaves on a ship to Sundom, escorted by Prince Rivian, the second son of the King. Initially the two have a testy relationship, with Rivian dismissming Sole, and Sole ignoring Rivian and refusing to allow him to disrespect her. I really liked this part of Sole. Despite her youth, she knew how she should be treated and insisted people show her respect. Eventually, the tension between the couple eases as they share their love of reading and searching historical books. They are both startled by their attraction to each other, and eventually start a relationship that they keep hidden from everyone. When they eventually reach Sundom, they discover that things are not as they were led to believe, and both Rivian and Sole have hard decisions to make about their future, and that of their countries.
I liked both Sole and Rivian, however I had a hard time with some of their banter. I have no issue with cursing, but here the cursing took me out of the story. It felt forced and wasn't used in a natural way. I also got tired of the constant miscommunications between the couple. Of course, that could just be my issue because I really don't like that romantic trope.
The world building was spotty and not as thorough as I would like. There were mentions of magic, but no explanation was given as to where it came from, how many types of magic there was, who could have magic and why, etc. I hope that is explored more in the next books. The book also felt uneven, with some storylines dragging on, and others rushed. Hopefully the pacing of the next book will be better.
There were a few twists in the book that surprised me and I enjoyed them. Others were not executed as well. However, I really like the cliffhangers at the end and where they may lead the characters in the next book.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Katie and Brey PA and the author. All opinions are my own.
This was good. I was going along like yeah, okay, yeah, and all of a sudden BAM! We get a bit of a twist! Something I did not see coming and it was good. The romance parts were okay, the political parts and the world in general were what held my attention. I am looking forward to the next book. Happy reading!
I really loved the idea of this. I saw it on TikTok and JUMPED to buy it! Unfortunately, there was just far too much Telling us what was happening instead of letting the characters show us the way. There were bizarre time skips that took you right out of the story, and the reactions to events did not make sense. I felt very disconnected from the story the entire time, and Sole's motivations/fears seemed more like afterthoughts than honest convictions. This particular style just wasn't for me. But I think the author's imagination is a sight to behold.
The premise and story was definitely interesting and I enjoyed it a lot, but the writing style just didn’t work for me. Descriptive in some places, stilted in others, and it definitely dragged in a few places for me when I felt like it should have been moving faster.
The characters also ranged from interesting and deep in one moment to shallow and behaving oddly in the next—to me, anyway. But I think that’s likely due to the way this was written. I felt that so much of the dialogue and general writing felt overly formal and stiff that I had a really hard time feeling any sort of emotional connection to what was happening—everyone felt like robots.
But I did enjoy the overall story, the setting, and the plot! I’ll probably give the next book a go to see if I continue enjoying the story enough that the stylistic choices bother me less.
I loved the world building in this book! I thought the way that Ligia described this world was so well written and beautiful! Her writing style and world building is just amazing. She had me wanting to be a Mosian warrior and want to live in Mosa! The prologue broke my heart but then she put it back together describing such a beautiful wedding just for her to break it again! You can't help but feel for what Sole goes through in the beginning of this book. You definitely get some enemies to lover's vibes as well within this book. The banter between all of the characters was fun and I loved every single minute of it. There might not have been too much spiciness in the book, but the little Ligia gives us was good. Then the unexpected bomb that she brings in halfway to 3/4 of the book, like OMG!! Ligia, how are you just going to end the book like that? How are you going to leave us with a cliffhanger like that? I so can't wait for the second book to come out.
Disappointed. The world building is okay. There are some good characters, but there were so many misspellings, changes in writing tone, and problems with the plot that I couldn't enjoy the story. The basic premise is good, but this reads like an early draft. There are double crosses and plot twists that are never fully explained. But most of all, the switch from Sole's grief over her mate to almost completely infatuated with the new love interest doesn't fit. One minute it seems like a slow burn as the two MCs grow closer then all of the sudden they hook up and change their motivations on the way to get the dagger? And another point: why would a princess of an island nation not know how to swim. Her parents train her and her sisters equally in all things, but she never learned to swim? That's pretty unbelievable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Can I just start with the ending! I am looking forward to reading book 2, the plot twist at the end completely blindsided me I didn’t see that coming which I love in the book because there is nothing worse when you know where the storyline is going and figuring it out.
Mōsa, is an island nation of breathtaking beauty where the King and Queen rule the land differently that the other nations around have done so for many years. There is no hierarchy within the family, and all three daughters are treated as equals and convention is abandoned. You follow Sole on a journey that, after waking up one morning her beloved family are gone, she also discovers that she awoke to find magic within her which had been lost to generations before her. Being able to bring back some people to life with her magic, the ones she truly wanted to save she couldn’t and you see that this has impacted all of Sole’s future decision. Trying to rebuild the life with the people who survived. Sole is now Queen, of Mōsa, who is not only having to deal with her own loss but now having to rule the land and rebuild island life for her people
One day she is suddenly summoned Sundom to help heal the King of who will die without her help. Knowing that this will bring help with trade to Mosa, Sole is weary due to the past tensions between Mosa and Sundom ,but agrees to go on this journey with Rivian the King’s second son, who has been tasked in bringing Sole back to Sundom. From the start you can tell that there is no love lost between them both and the tension gets more intense between them. Queen Sole does have an spunky attitude, and distrust of everyone from Sundom and doesn’t make life easy for Rivian along the journey, however becoming embroiled in a plot that sees a balance of power thrown into turmoil and a web of lies being told, both of the children of Kings are thrown into something that neither can comprehend. Without giving anything away, nothing runs smoothly for these two and they both have an ulterior motive on this trip that neither can foresee the events that will occur. Tropes: Enemies to Lovers Spice level: 3/5
Things I loved about this book: The plot line, the world building and description of the characters left you being able to picture this world so very clearly Really good side characters and would love to learn more about these.
Things I didn’t like was there were times that things seemed rushed and wrapped up too quickly especially with it being a pinnacle moment in Soles life. I was also sometimes confused and didn’t think they made sense but this was only a couple of times and would not detract me for wanting to pick up book. However to say this is the authors first book, I enjoyed it and I will be reading the next book in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
So I don’t think I would classify this as dark or horror. I mean I can see some parts being creepy but overall it just felt like regular fantasy to me. But you have to remember that Amazon miscategorizes stuff all the time. So this was a really intriguing read and I think the series has a lot of promise. I loved the feisty, snarkiness of Sole and Nisa. There is a health amount of betrayal and complicated relationships in this story that makes it attention getting. I just didn’t like how fast some parts jumped around. It sort of felt like chucks got taken out of some scenes that left out details that could help me connect more to what was going on. For me with the amount of grief, friendship, betrayal, bonds, all the elements that make up this story I should feel a deeper connection to several characters. It partially there but way less than I expected and wanted. This is a series but it didn’t feel like a cliffhanger more of a to be continued. And I will definitely be waiting for the next one. Black Girl Magick Rocks!
"If there is one thing the darkness has taught me, it's that the world turns and we with it."
"Why do men feel it necessary to tell women what to do when all they ever seem to do is muck sh*t up?"
Blurb: When Sole awakens from the darkness, a terrifying plague that killed her family, she is left with the one thing she never wanted, Magick. She soon discovers that this rare power, thought to be long lost, has the ability to save her world. The tyrant King of Sundom summons her to serve his own purpose, setting her on an incredibly perilous journey. Sole soon finds herself navigating a dark web of politics, alluring power, desire, and great evil. Rivian Alacor had his life all planned out. As the high-born second prince of Sundom, he could never be heir to the throne. Instead, he would lead the Sundom Guards, and when his brother became King, he would be part of his high council. Rivian would secure alliances by being mated to Selah Grado, the fairest and fiercest woman in Sundom. But, when his cruel father becomes infected with the Darkness, Rivian is sent on a journey to retrieve the first mage in generations. Meeting Sole changed everything.
My thoughts: This is probably the only fantasy book I've read that the world building didn't confuse me, It was fantastic! I really enjoyed the characters, they seemed awkward and forced at times within the dialog but it didn't take away from the story. I enjoyed the spice and though I'm not the biggest fan of the "mates" lingo I enjoyed the multiple plot twists this book offered. Be warned friends, this book has a cliff hanger that will make you want to pull your hair out.
Ok so my main advice is stick with it. The writing is a bit rough in parts and there is a lot of “telling” at the start but by half way I was hooked and by 3/4ths I knew I was continuing the series. If I hadn’t already decided the end would have pushed me over the edge. I need to know what’s next!
Found this book through a tik tok recommendation. It is a very good series starter with enough surprise twist that I'm looking forward to the next installment. The romance is the story feels a little forced, is rushed and sometimes throws the pacing of the story off. There are a few steamy scenes that tbh are a little superfluous and reads like a cheesy romance novel. That being said I absolutely love the development of the fmc and look forward to reading more about her growth and transition from a 2nd princess to a Queen.
The Spice Traders reviewed this book on 7/25 and have given it the following ratings: Spice Level: 1/5 Writing Style: 2/5 Story Telling: 2/5 Would we recommend it? 2 of the 3 of us said yes!
Wanna know the juicy details on what we thought about this one? Make sure to check out the podcast for more details! You can find us on almost all podcast platforms.
This is written very poorly. The author repeats herself over and over again and it was extremely tiring to even read this. It was pretty predictable and just lacked a lot of excitement for me. Parts of the book just don’t make any sense.
I wanna start this review by saying I am happy that I finished this book, because the first half of the book was nothing like the second half of the book. It actually felt like these were two completely separate books glued together.
During the first half of the book, there were a lot of conversations that didn’t make sense logistically. At the very beginning, the king was having some bad vibes about the evening. Then the narrator states that the queen has always been able to feel how the king is feeling. Which is odd because the king literally said out loud how he was feeling so there wasn’t any intuition needed. Also, after he very clearly communicated how he was feeling the queen chalked it up to being an overprotective father on his daughter’s wedding night. You just said she was able to decipher his feelings!! And then she dismisses them?
The next thing that pissed me off, was this entire interaction between the male main character and the female main character and all their people. I can see how this was starting to lean towards enemies to lovers. But this was not an enemies to lovers book. This was a bullying romance. Who the hell wants to read a book about someone getting Stockholm syndrome over their bully?
Multiple times the mmc and his friends were getting drunk and giggling about how the fmc was a princess of a doomed kingdom with a dead prince of a husband. How are we supposed to find any redeeming qualities in a man who allows his friends to talk shit about the people they’re supposed to escort? They all really sucked and it was really annoying. Also, at one point, the prince was sulking about not being able to tease the queen. In what back assword universe would a prince tease and joke around with a queen? A queen that is a complete stranger?
There are a lot of things where I was like. Does this factually make sense? Not a real world sense but does it make sense with the information that we were previously given? A lot of times the answer was no this contradicts what we just learned.
The second half of the book was much better because there was no longer in any need for the unnecessary bullying. A lot of people are taking their jobs more seriously. But then we were getting a I can take care of myself and don’t need a man to save me moment. And then two pages later a man save her?!?! Huh?!?!
Le sigh. because the first half was so painful I probably won’t be finishing this series. I remember a point where I was highlighting things every few pages and writing“WTF?“. I think the enemies trope could’ve been communicated without the bullying (or not at all since the “enemies” stakes were so low) .
Honestly, I feel like the prince could’ve been introduced in an entirely different way. Homeboy could’ve just washed up on the shore with mild amnesia and that would’ve been better.
He was like let me introduce you to my second family. And I remember screaming “no thank you they all suck!”
In the right hands this world could be spawning a blockbuster movie someday, maybe the beginning of an epic fantasy series.
Rise of a Dark Throne is a Fantasy Romance filled with intrigue, magic and friendship along with a healthy dose of betrayal, loss and, of course, the obligatory prophesy.
The protagonist, Sole, is the queen of Mōsa, an island nation with breathtaking beauty (beauty of the nation as well as its people). When a dark magical plague leaves her alone to grieve the loss of her family and to strive to rebuild her nation which has a huge chunk of its population wiped out, the strength of her character and the curse of being able to wield magic help her survive.
When summoned by an enemy king, Sole embarks on a voyage to the kingdom of Sundom to heal the ailing king with her magic. Escorting her is the privileged and borderline arrogant prince Rivian.
With a quest built on lies on both sides, and an intricate web of shifting loyalties, love and betrothal, betrayal and heartbreak and uncharted magic, the story progresses to reveal a dark enemy which takes everyone by surprise. More surprising was the twist at the end when it seemed a happy ending was in sight and the hero was with the heroine!
There is a significant parallel between this world and the world of Wakanda from the MCU - especially with the Dora Milaje type elite Queensguard sqad in this story, and an abundance of purple glow in everything. But that does not take anything away from the story.
Attractions and flirtations abound in this whole story. The sex, when it happens, feels natural and tasteful, warm and passionate, not too graphic but carnal at the same time.
This is a carefully crafted and wonderfully narrated world of fantasy which had me finish the book in three days (I have a full-time job)! The scenes unfold in exquisite details with colours, flavours, fragrances and sentiments so nicely and aptly narrated that it takes this work of art to a whole new level.
Really the wordplay is absolutely and incomparably good in this one.
Which is why it irritated me to no ends to find so many typos. I mean, I would be in the palace, or the cave or the ship, completely engrossed, and all of a sudden, a typo would hit me like piece of eggshell in an amazing cheese omelette.
Give me more of The Mōsa Chronicles RIGHT NOW...
…just get someone to proofread before publishing.
Thanks Ligia N. Cushman and Katie and Brey PA for this book, however I was glad that it was already out on Kindle Unlimited, so I borrowed it on my Kindle.
This is an absolutely must read for all who love fantasy and / or romance. And the cover is great. I wish a paperback was available!
Rise of A Dark Throne has everything I want in a dark fantasy: great story, strong MC, spice, a love interest who could very well be my new book boyfriend, magic, action, twists, and world building so perfectly fleshed out it doesn't read like info dumping. Instead, you're subtly transported into the debut novel of a writer who delved into her imagination and created a world of gorgeous, formidable warriors and magic.
I have both a signed hard copy and the audio versions of ROADT. The hard copy is fitted with a matte sleeve that gives its exquisite cover texture. And Ruthie's narration in the audio version is exemplary. She effortlessly brings each character to life, making it easy to get lost in the story of Sole and Rivian, as if you’re watching them on the big screen.
Ligia skillfully marries awe-inspiring fantasy with great intrigue. I was immediately drawn into the cultural uniqueness and richness of life on Mōsa, as well as the compelling story of Sole, second daughter to King Axel. Her's is a great lesson in the cruelty of fate. After marrying the love of her life, she wakes to most of her kingdom killed by a prophesied Darkness. There is always a balance, for what the Darkness takes from Mōsa, its King and nearly all whom Sole loved, it gives back, a Queen gifted with magic.
When word that magic has returned reaches the rival nation of Sundom, Rivian, its second-born Prince, seeks the aid of Queen Sole to heal his estranged father infected with the Darkness. Sole agrees for reasons known only to her. Together they go on a voyage to retrieve a life-restoring dagger only she can wield. On their voyage they get more than what they bargain for when they fall for one another. This creates a new kind of voyage.
Will their differences and hidden truths bring them closer together, or tear apart the alliance they need to heal their kingdoms and their hearts?
I highly recommend this book for those wanting a great dark fantasy featuring beautiful diversity and a cliff hanger that made me eager for book two Magick Rising!
Review: Rise of a Dark Throne pulls readers into a richly crafted world where power, loyalty, and betrayal shape the fate of kingdoms. Guzmán-Cushman delivers a story that’s as dark as it is captivating, filled with complex characters and high-stakes political intrigue. The narrative deftly balances moments of introspection with heart-pounding action, making it impossible to put down.
Star Rating: 4/5
Plot: A gripping tale of kingdoms on the brink of war, where alliances crumble, and dark forces threaten to engulf the realm. The protagonist must navigate treacherous political landscapes while confronting an ancient evil rising to claim the throne.
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Tropes: Political Intrigue, Found Family, Corrupt Rulers, Slow-Burn Power Struggle, Chosen One
Pacing: Steady, with moments of fast-paced action punctuated by intense character development and plot twists.
Spice: Mild - romance is present but secondary to the main storyline.
Diversity: A broad spectrum of characters representing different cultures and backgrounds, enhancing the depth and richness of the world-building.
Character Types: Strong-willed protagonists, morally gray leaders, cunning strategists, and formidable enemies. Each character’s motivations are nuanced, adding layers to the conflict.
Character Development: The characters evolve as they grapple with the weight of responsibility and their roles in a crumbling society. Protagonists are forced to confront their darkest fears and desires.
World-Building or Setting: Guzmán-Cushman masterfully creates an expansive, immersive world with vivid descriptions of ancient kingdoms, mysterious magic, and foreboding landscapes that feel as real as the characters themselves.
Trigger/Content Warnings: Violence, betrayal, death, manipulation, and power struggles.
I have started and stopped this book a dozen times, each time restarting without remembering why I stopped. I always made it to chapter 8 or 9 before stopping, only then remembering why.
The narration isn’t the best and very distracting going on monotone and very bland. Then the constant switching of characters constantly was even more distracting, especially with one voice Andy as a narrator. I kept losing tract of where I was but it really didn’t matter because it’s so slow I barely missed anything. Maybe a conversation on a side character.
Rivian (and all the male characters really) seemed like your typical 18-24 year old raging with hormones and the FMC (Nova? Nara? I can’t remember but really again all the female characters are ALL THE SAME) is the uptight Queen that lost her virginity to her first “love” only being married 1 night. Rivians inner monologue was “her breasts her skin what is she wearing curvy” while the FMC only thought about her lost 1 night husband. It was repetitive and boring.
Combine it with the monotone narration with 1 voice for her female characters and 1 voice for male characters, I will finally review and hope to come across it again in a few weeks so it’ll remind me that this book wasn’t for me.
My reviews on Audible keep getting removed as it seems only paid for reviews are allowed it seems, so hopefully I’ll check here before I go back to this book in a month or two.
Rise Of A Dark Throne: The Mosa Chronicles series book #1 is an engaging, highstakes, shocking, unique, magical, captivating, and thrilling book! This book is dark and spicy so swipe to see the content warning picture before ordering it!! Shocking is the best word to describe this book. This is not my typical read, but I loved it! The content warning admittedly scared me a bit, but I am so glad I gave this book a chance. This book contains the most shocking, unexpected, jaw dropping plot twists EVER! Fantasy lovers may be used to fated mates, magick, forbidden romance, and complex fictional worlds but I am not. This book made me want to read more fantasy. The story drew me instantly. Confusion, secrets, heartbreak, grief, stereotypes, romance, strong friendships, and lots of mystery made me unable to put this book down. I love the two main characters! At first I was unsure how they would become love interests, but by the end I was completely convinced that they were made for each other. One thing that surprised me was how incredible the side characters are. They had me loving them all while wondering if I could trust them. This book has you waiting for a betrayal, heartbreak, death, or another awful surprise. I was constantly wondering and guessing what might happen. Not once was I correct. If you love surprises and well thought-out intricate plots pick up this book!
[I did listen to the audiobook] Rise of a Dark Throne gives its listeners a rich, detailed and entertaining experience. With a fantasy world full of magic and unique lore for the people of Sundom and Masa.
The narrator’s ability to give the listeners different cadences for each character I felt really brought the story together. And even though the story is in 3person perspective, I found I could really connect with the characters on a deeper level. Likewise, the narrator’s pacing and the emotion invoked into the book will have listeners wondering what to expect next.
The listeners will really feel for our main character, Sole, as we see her world shift completely upside down over night and she’s thrust into a position of power during the rise of the darkness plague.
With that being said, I think Rose of a Dark Throne is more plot driven than character driven;so at times I felt I questioned character motives.
Even thought the characters are in their early twenties, it still reads as a YA for most of the book. I’ve stopped reading YA books but I do hope to see more of Sole and get some answers regarding secrets about her family 😃.
As always a huge thank you to Katie and Brey PA and Ligia N Cushman for the opportunity to read and review this book!!
Rise of a Dark Throne finds Sole, a princess who has survived a great tragedy, on a journey to another land to save the dying king and her escort is Rivian, a half-elf prince. They must overcome their differences and work together to restore magic to the realms
Overall, I liked where this story has the potential to go in book two. There were some good banter scenes but I feel like the romance aspect was a little rushed for me and I would have like to have seen more of a development between Sole and Rivian. Writing wise, I personally struggled a little bit with the third person POV at a few points and sometimes found myself a little lost. Some of the grammar choices took me out of the story too unfortunately - when describing a beautiful woman, using the word “bodacious” just makes me think of a 90’s Pauly Shore movie - but that’s a “me issue” and not a book issue
Overall this was a three star read for me. If you like books with prophecies, found family vibes and underlying themes of privilege, grief and loss with some romance splashed in - then this one is for you! There were a few spicy scenes in here, so overall two flames for spice
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
My brain is reeling. That plot twist... My god. I really did not see that coming. I love Sole. I love that even though she is shy, she still stands up for herself and put those that disrespect her in their place. I absolutely loved the prose of this book. It just flowed seamlessly and my god the descriptions. It's like you can picture it perfectly. Nisa is the perfect best friend and if you don't have one like her you better go get one. The love she and Sole shares is just so heartfelt and sweet.
Riv. Sigh this boy and his crew. They're horrible at first but they'll grow on you when you realize they are just trying to protect each other. That dark wilds scene tho 🥵🥵. Absolutely enjoyed every bit of this book. And I cannot wait for book 2 in April.
Favourite quotes " Love does not betray, lie or imprison you...... Love sets you free. "
" For me to forgive you would mean that you matter to me, and frankly, you do not"
It took me a while to get into this story. Mostly because the storytelling is quite different than most books, the way Ligia switches characters POV’s kept throwing me of a bit. Once I got passed that however, I got sucked in completely, unable to put it down. It’s full of terrible betrayals, politics, heartbreaks, banter, love, found family,strong friendships and razor sharp plot twists that will have your head spinning. The world building is absolutely fabulous, Mosa seems like a wonderful place filled with strong, brave, bold and beautiful people. I loved how the Mosians see the world and how fierce they protect their kingdom and those in it. The characters are written very well, you just can’t help but feel for them, mostly Sole. She has had way too much heartbreak to deal with, I was crying myself. I’m confident this will only make her so much stronger in the end though. If you like dark fantasy romance with a good story and great world building I definately recommend this book. Be aware though, it ends with a huge cliffhanger. Honestly I’m still reeling from the ending of the story, and I can’t wait for the second book in the series “Magick Rising”.
To me, this book held a lot of plot holes. Similar to what others were saying, the storyline is definitely interesting, but there were still a lot of flaws.
Pros - enticing storyline - great romance between Rivian and Sole - interesting plot twists
Cons/Plot holes - would love to understand more about the magick. For example, Sole can defend herself with only healers magic. This is a lot different from other fantasy books I have read. - Kia mentioned Selah wanted her to mess up Rivian and Sole's relationship. I wasn't even sure what she was referring to - The first attack from Nasir, they went from playing games to attacking. I was a little confused by this - Similar to what someone else said, the cursing did seem little forced at times. - The Misa warriors were all mentioned as amazing warriors but the two times that Sole was attacked, we did not get to really see any fighting action from them
I do plan to read her second installment of the series and I hope that a few of these plot holes can be explained there.
The cover is gorgeous and the descriptions of Mōsa and its people are equally as bold and beautiful!
I was able to be a wedding guest at one of the most beautiful ceremonies I’ve ever read about, but I knew it was only the calm before the squawl. The Darkness was coming and no amount of bioluminescence could prevent the turmoil that it brought.
The author succeeded at making me feel so many emotions. In the end I was left feeling sad, angry, yet hopeful, and proud of Sole (FMC) and her strength. Revelations of deceit just kept coming but she prevailed and I admire her for her perseverance as Queen.
Overall, Cushman’s descriptions of Transea and the Island of Mōsa, the Dark Wilds, The Radiant and Sundom all flowed well. The pacing was perfect and I was left questioning “who is Sole to trust?!” I just loved it.
I’m eagerly awaiting the release of Book 2, I’m “Here before, here now, and here after,” so that I may see how Sole surprises me next.
Happiness Boost: The darkness & ensuing magic was a riveting plot device, particularly with how everything fell onto Sole's shoulders to fix. I also really enjoyed how the ending gave the reader something completely different; I certainly didn't pick what happened!
Downside: At times Sole's story felt rushed, as if she needed to get from point A to point B with no chance of taking a breath. And the byplay between Sole and Rivian was also repetitive in misunderstandings & miscommunication, which doesn't really work for me. Maybe I'm old?
Overall: I desperately wanted to love this dark fantasy, because the plot was so intriguing! Every single character had a strength and weakness to utilise or exploit, and I'm grateful I had the chance to read this tale. While I won't be reading more of the series, I'm sure there are plenty of readers who will fall in love with it.
Rise of the Dark Throne is a story of two parts for me. The first part takes place on the ship as Sole travels from Mosa to heal the ailing King. I think this was my favourite part of the novel, with Sole and Rivian’s relationship becoming deeper and more layered.
The second part of the novel, when they arrived at Sundom, was so fast paced and full of plot twists that it was a little difficult to follow sometimes. Just as you thought you knew what was happening there was another twist, it was a little tricky to get to know the new characters in this second part of the novel.
But I still really enjoyed this fantasy novel and I am completely intrigued by Sole and what will happen next to her. I am really looking forward to where the story takes us next.
I received an ARC of this novel. This review is my honest opinion and is written voluntarily.
I loved the beautiful world building in this book. The writing style was great! I was pulled into the story right away. This book took me on an emotional roller coaster. I felt all sorts of emotions in such a short time. I couldn’t put the book down. I had to know what was going to happen next
It was a good slow burn romance. They were hot and cold to one another. The spice was good. The banter between Sole and Rivian was great.
This book was full of twists and turns. Blew my mind a few times. I wouldn’t have guess the outcomes!
I would have said it was a 5 star but I felt towards the end it felt a little rushed. So I give it a 4.5 Star.
I’m dying for the next book! Why did it have to end that way!?? I hope the next book will be out soon! I need to know what’s going to happen next! There is so much more to learn!