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The Guardians of Altana #1
Unleashed Shadows
Death has come calling, and darkness wants her soul.
As the elven queen lay suffering on her deathbed, princess Ara Zypherus prayed her mother’s passing would be swift. What she should have prayed for was the fate of her kingdom.
For on that faithless night, demons attack and Ara must decide if she will stand and fight or if she’ll accept the king’s orders to flee. The choice is stolen from her as Raethin Corvus, her father’s handsome but equally irritating commander, forces her from the palace and into the labyrinthine of the Therilean Forest, barely escaping the scourge that hunts them.
But as with most decisions, choice is not without consequence, and even the forest cannot be trusted. When the Kaevari discover them, it is not Raethin and his men who intervene, it’s the legendary Rakevan druids and their guardian that come to Ara’s aid.
As they journey to seek asylum in the mountainous kingdom of Waetherea, Ara and Raethin discover there is more to Ara than meets the eye. As truths are revealed, and the battle against the Void King mounts, can Ara and her companions stop the god of chaos, or will they be too late?
As the elven queen lay suffering on her deathbed, princess Ara Zypherus prayed her mother’s passing would be swift. What she should have prayed for was the fate of her kingdom.
For on that faithless night, demons attack and Ara must decide if she will stand and fight or if she’ll accept the king’s orders to flee. The choice is stolen from her as Raethin Corvus, her father’s handsome but equally irritating commander, forces her from the palace and into the labyrinthine of the Therilean Forest, barely escaping the scourge that hunts them.
But as with most decisions, choice is not without consequence, and even the forest cannot be trusted. When the Kaevari discover them, it is not Raethin and his men who intervene, it’s the legendary Rakevan druids and their guardian that come to Ara’s aid.
As they journey to seek asylum in the mountainous kingdom of Waetherea, Ara and Raethin discover there is more to Ara than meets the eye. As truths are revealed, and the battle against the Void King mounts, can Ara and her companions stop the god of chaos, or will they be too late?
Kindle Edition
First published June 29, 2020
52 people are currently reading
1189 people want to read
About the author
Savanah James
9 books12 followersSavanah James is a storytelling weaver of tremendous worlds, tragic romances, and terrifying beings. Aside from being a coffee addict and an avid cat lover, Savanah loves watching Asian dramas, playing The Sims, and studying philosophy and mythology in her free time. She lives in Midwest USA with her husband and three furbabies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
August 18, 2020
Fantasy typically isnt a genre that I gravitate towards, that being said I am really pleased that I gave this book a shot. The shadows curse is long but extremely fast paced and its packed with exciting characters ranging from elves to demons. I think of one the reasons that I enjoyed this book so much aside from the strong female protagnist was also the inclusion of a mystery inside a fantasy story. As someone who often reads mysteries and thrillers, I think that a book like this is the perfect bridge between those genres.
I recieved a digital copy of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review.
I recieved a digital copy of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review.
April 7, 2022
I so enjoyed this when it was first released as The Shadow Curse..
After having reread it again as Unleashed Shadows, I enjoyed it even more.
The author has done a fantastic job of elaborating on things she knew were lacking, as well as fixing what others had perceived as problems with her writing as a breakout author.
***
Unleashed Shadows has everything you'd want in a Fantasy novel: druids, demons, curses, magick, action, and the spark of romance. And that ending. Ugh!
The story moves at a decent pace to keep the reader intrigued and begging for more.
The characters and dialog are strong and realistic. The range of emotion presented is astounding, and the interactions between characters is surprisingly lifelike.
Ara is a.. complicated character. She is the flawed character that everyone loves to hate and hates to love, because she's very similar to the reader themselves.
While she starts off being somewhat petulant (and dare I say annoying), she does show bravery and a willingness to accept her commanders orders from time to time. Yes, she has difficulty with this through-out the whole book, she often thinks she knows best.. she makes choices, more often than not, with her heart - we all know she was a sheltered princess with no formal training in the arcane arts or being a fighter, her future was to be a bride to a formidable warrior in a neighboring kingdom.
Raethin is amazing. He is loyal to a fault, despite his rough start, and would never let something so insignificant as death keep him from his oath of protecting Ara. He was his King’s most trusted warrior and he will continue to do his job, even if that means he dies once or twice.
He is almost always straight to the point and does not sugar coat things if he can help it, sometimes to the chagrin of his fellow warriors. Despite all his perceived short comings, he is a favorite character and someone I'd want watching my back.
Aesdrius is still one of my favorites. I love the brief glimpses of humanity that the author brings forward, that he isn't this flat villainous character.
While it isn't necessary to read the prequel, Ravaged Wings, you most definitely should. Iziran is another favorite character (who am I kidding, I love most of them) from the original writings. In Unleashed Shadows he plays a bigger role, given more clarity from his own novella.
***
I cannot wait to see what the future holds for the rest of the series.
After having reread it again as Unleashed Shadows, I enjoyed it even more.
The author has done a fantastic job of elaborating on things she knew were lacking, as well as fixing what others had perceived as problems with her writing as a breakout author.
***
Unleashed Shadows has everything you'd want in a Fantasy novel: druids, demons, curses, magick, action, and the spark of romance. And that ending. Ugh!
The story moves at a decent pace to keep the reader intrigued and begging for more.
The characters and dialog are strong and realistic. The range of emotion presented is astounding, and the interactions between characters is surprisingly lifelike.
Ara is a.. complicated character. She is the flawed character that everyone loves to hate and hates to love, because she's very similar to the reader themselves.
While she starts off being somewhat petulant (and dare I say annoying), she does show bravery and a willingness to accept her commanders orders from time to time. Yes, she has difficulty with this through-out the whole book, she often thinks she knows best.. she makes choices, more often than not, with her heart - we all know she was a sheltered princess with no formal training in the arcane arts or being a fighter, her future was to be a bride to a formidable warrior in a neighboring kingdom.
Raethin is amazing. He is loyal to a fault, despite his rough start, and would never let something so insignificant as death keep him from his oath of protecting Ara. He was his King’s most trusted warrior and he will continue to do his job, even if that means he dies once or twice.
He is almost always straight to the point and does not sugar coat things if he can help it, sometimes to the chagrin of his fellow warriors. Despite all his perceived short comings, he is a favorite character and someone I'd want watching my back.
Aesdrius is still one of my favorites. I love the brief glimpses of humanity that the author brings forward, that he isn't this flat villainous character.
While it isn't necessary to read the prequel, Ravaged Wings, you most definitely should. Iziran is another favorite character (who am I kidding, I love most of them) from the original writings. In Unleashed Shadows he plays a bigger role, given more clarity from his own novella.
***
I cannot wait to see what the future holds for the rest of the series.
August 30, 2020
There are some things this book did well, and some things it didn’t. In the beginning, the sentences were all roughly the same length, which made the flow choppy instead of smooth. As the book went on, the writing got better.
I enjoyed watching Ara and Raethin’s relationship grow. Ara was a strong character, I felt, despite her more feminine characteristics. It was good to have a protagonist who wasn’t already a strong warrior, and Ara is still a bad A. She risks her life for her kingdom and those she loves, and she has the courage to face the demons that hunt her. As far as her magic goes, I appreciated that it wasn’t an easy process. Instead, it was a gradual build that we still have yet to see come to fruition.
The entire book needs an edit, and that would make the reading go smoother. The book jumped into action, and I was never bored. In fact, we dove in so suddenly it was a little disorienting without an idea of the structure of the world, or even a little knowledge about the characters.
There were some really good lines in the book. Among them are: “She knew it was not friendship; rather, an acquaintanceship dressed up in its frills. No, true friendship was the type of familial bonds that extended away from blood,” and, “Fate spoke of tragedy for those who fought against its doom, and Nyphelia and Arlow rebelled loudly,” and, “She was the queen of a kingdom overrun by blood, shadow, and dust. A queen of a band of soldiers hand-picked by her father. A queen of nothing.”
It would have been nice to know a little more about how elves’ lives worked. We see that Ara has already lived decades, despite acting like a late teen or in her early twenties. Also, the Druids refer to the elves as mortals, when they seem anything but, with long lifespans.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this. Who doesn’t love elves, Druids, interfering deities, and a strong villain?
I enjoyed watching Ara and Raethin’s relationship grow. Ara was a strong character, I felt, despite her more feminine characteristics. It was good to have a protagonist who wasn’t already a strong warrior, and Ara is still a bad A. She risks her life for her kingdom and those she loves, and she has the courage to face the demons that hunt her. As far as her magic goes, I appreciated that it wasn’t an easy process. Instead, it was a gradual build that we still have yet to see come to fruition.
The entire book needs an edit, and that would make the reading go smoother. The book jumped into action, and I was never bored. In fact, we dove in so suddenly it was a little disorienting without an idea of the structure of the world, or even a little knowledge about the characters.
There were some really good lines in the book. Among them are: “She knew it was not friendship; rather, an acquaintanceship dressed up in its frills. No, true friendship was the type of familial bonds that extended away from blood,” and, “Fate spoke of tragedy for those who fought against its doom, and Nyphelia and Arlow rebelled loudly,” and, “She was the queen of a kingdom overrun by blood, shadow, and dust. A queen of a band of soldiers hand-picked by her father. A queen of nothing.”
It would have been nice to know a little more about how elves’ lives worked. We see that Ara has already lived decades, despite acting like a late teen or in her early twenties. Also, the Druids refer to the elves as mortals, when they seem anything but, with long lifespans.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this. Who doesn’t love elves, Druids, interfering deities, and a strong villain?
July 23, 2020
I loved how fast paced this book is! It made the story hard to put down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I really liked the characters (although I didn’t like Raethin at the beginning). I do wish that we got to see more of the side characters, like Arlow and Max, and I wish we got to see more into Ara and Nyphelia’s friendship. I did enjoy reading about Raethin and Ara’s relationship and I cant wait to see how it progresses.
I enjoyed reading about all the different creatures and the magic in this book. I’ve never really read a book with Druids before so that was interesting. Another thing I can’t wait for is to see more of Ara’s development. I like that we can see how much stronger she gets throughout this book and she has the potential to just get so much better at her magic and at handling her broken kingdom.
This was a great book and I can’t wait for the sequel!
I enjoyed reading about all the different creatures and the magic in this book. I’ve never really read a book with Druids before so that was interesting. Another thing I can’t wait for is to see more of Ara’s development. I like that we can see how much stronger she gets throughout this book and she has the potential to just get so much better at her magic and at handling her broken kingdom.
This was a great book and I can’t wait for the sequel!
July 23, 2020
With a strong female protagonist in Ara, The Shadows Curse takes readers on a fast pace adventure and some mystery in a fantasy filled story. With demons, elves and druids, it has everything a fantasy lover wants. It hints at romance and sets the stakes for the next book. The relationships that is also formed and hinted at makes The Shadows Curse hard to put down,
I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
June 26, 2020
I love a book with a strong female protagonist, and The Shadow Curse does not disappoint. The mystery and adventure made this book impossible to put down. I am looking forward to reading what happens next in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 31, 2022
This is a fantastic fantasy read filled with Elves, druids, demons. The world building is incredible and well detailed, the characters especially the fmc is strong and fascinating. A Fast paced and intriguing, this is one hell of a journey and I look forward to reading more.
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May 23, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/22/2021)! 🎁
February 7, 2023
I received a free ARC copy of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
There’s a lot of promise in this book. A lot of it is realized but not quite as much as I’d hoped for. It was still a fun read.
I’m not quite sure the feel the author is going for with the world. In some ways, it feels ancient and mystical but in others modern and stale. It seems to jump back and forth which feels disorienting.
The prose was not my favorite. While it follows all the rules and reads well enough, it feels clunky, especially the dialogue, and disjointed.
But I do like our characters. They’re fun to follow and I enjoyed the way the author established their relationships and their reaction to the craziness thrown their way.
All in all, if you like a good story with some fun elements, check it out.
There’s a lot of promise in this book. A lot of it is realized but not quite as much as I’d hoped for. It was still a fun read.
I’m not quite sure the feel the author is going for with the world. In some ways, it feels ancient and mystical but in others modern and stale. It seems to jump back and forth which feels disorienting.
The prose was not my favorite. While it follows all the rules and reads well enough, it feels clunky, especially the dialogue, and disjointed.
But I do like our characters. They’re fun to follow and I enjoyed the way the author established their relationships and their reaction to the craziness thrown their way.
All in all, if you like a good story with some fun elements, check it out.
May 15, 2022
Omg
This book is so good. I received it in giveaway that was on goodread. I just loved the adventure and I can't to see what happens series.
This book is so good. I received it in giveaway that was on goodread. I just loved the adventure and I can't to see what happens series.
August 1, 2020
This is an amazing fast paced story with a female protagonist Ara, who is the heir of the Thraesian throne, is now trying to survive against the Kaevari with the help of Raethin and other soldiers who escaped with Ara. I absolutely loved how Ara grew throughout the story and the change to her relationship with Raethin especially how they start to react to each other. Aeskrius is a great antagonist and I can’t wait to read more about him. You are definitely transported to a new world and I loved reading about the different creatures and magic. I’m really looking forward to the second book!
April 22, 2022
Unleashes shadows:
I received and ARC copy for an honest review.
My honest review is based on my own personal opinion.
Woah! What a ride! Not what I was expecting but in a great way! I love the character building in this darkened fantasy realm.
Elves, druids, demons what else can you ask for?
At first Ara was a character that originally got on my nerves. I felt like she just cried too much. I also questioned why she didn’t use the little magik that she learned towards the end. After some thought, I realized that I actually really do like her. She seems honest with her self and has the ability to admit when she’s wrong and apologize for her mistakes. Her character is being built up to something powerful.
Cirith… I’m interested to read more about his life and the secrets that he holds close to him.
Aesdrius… the Void Kings champion. I sort of feel like I know who he is with the little details that have been observed by other characters and from what we know about other characters in the book. ;-) I’m excited to find out.
Rae- oh man! This guy!!! Loyal, fierce and his devotion to Ara and her father you just have to respect it. I’m excited to read more about his character development.
Fantastic writing! I’m excited for the next book.
I received and ARC copy for an honest review.
My honest review is based on my own personal opinion.
Woah! What a ride! Not what I was expecting but in a great way! I love the character building in this darkened fantasy realm.
Elves, druids, demons what else can you ask for?
At first Ara was a character that originally got on my nerves. I felt like she just cried too much. I also questioned why she didn’t use the little magik that she learned towards the end. After some thought, I realized that I actually really do like her. She seems honest with her self and has the ability to admit when she’s wrong and apologize for her mistakes. Her character is being built up to something powerful.
Cirith… I’m interested to read more about his life and the secrets that he holds close to him.
Aesdrius… the Void Kings champion. I sort of feel like I know who he is with the little details that have been observed by other characters and from what we know about other characters in the book. ;-) I’m excited to find out.
Rae- oh man! This guy!!! Loyal, fierce and his devotion to Ara and her father you just have to respect it. I’m excited to read more about his character development.
Fantastic writing! I’m excited for the next book.
April 25, 2022
Elven princess Ara Zypherus has to flee as her kingdom is overtaken by demons and her parents are killed. Leading their escape is young commander, Raethin, who Ara has a tense relationship with. The plot is really interesting and the development of the Ara and Raethin as characters is also well done. However, the world is a bit confusing despite an index of terms at the start, and I found the various demons, gods and druids a bit hard to understand. This is still a good start to this series. 4/5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 25, 2022
This was an enthralling YA adventure with strong characters and an interesting plot. The story starts off with princess Ara losing both her parents as a consequence of the Shadow Demon attacks. She then travels across the realm with a few trusted companions as instructed by her father. The story moves at a good pace and the scenes are described really well. I received a free copy of the book and this is my voluntary and honest review.
November 21, 2020
I sincerely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy fiction. There are a couple of typographical errors, but probably less than 10 for the whole book. So despite these few errors I give this book a resounding 5 stars for the excellent plotline, exceptional characters, realistic dialog, and steady, believable action.
The strength of this story is the characters, and within that, the dialog. The dialog certainly shows surprise and frustration, as well as learning, and camaraderie. The language is engaging for adults but also appropriate for YA. While we read from the point of view of two main characters, it is only through the dialog and interactions that we come to understand the other characters. The dialog is key to this as we come to know those characters, but never is the dialog clunky or overdone. Always, it is believable.
Most of the characters seem to know each other well. It makes it a little confusing as we try to discover how they know each other and their relationships, but this is realistic to life when we join a new group. I enjoyed reading the nuances to “get to know” the characters. The dialog and interactions are believable which makes this a fun process. There is a romantic relationship, but while it is referred to, and while we see the characters holding each other, (and a level of disapproval from one of the main characters,) it is not over the top.
I stayed up far too late to finish reading this book because I just had to know what was going to happen next. As a good reader, I had some theories, but the author nicely throws some twists in with the expected. I cannot wait to read the sequel!
The strength of this story is the characters, and within that, the dialog. The dialog certainly shows surprise and frustration, as well as learning, and camaraderie. The language is engaging for adults but also appropriate for YA. While we read from the point of view of two main characters, it is only through the dialog and interactions that we come to understand the other characters. The dialog is key to this as we come to know those characters, but never is the dialog clunky or overdone. Always, it is believable.
Most of the characters seem to know each other well. It makes it a little confusing as we try to discover how they know each other and their relationships, but this is realistic to life when we join a new group. I enjoyed reading the nuances to “get to know” the characters. The dialog and interactions are believable which makes this a fun process. There is a romantic relationship, but while it is referred to, and while we see the characters holding each other, (and a level of disapproval from one of the main characters,) it is not over the top.
I stayed up far too late to finish reading this book because I just had to know what was going to happen next. As a good reader, I had some theories, but the author nicely throws some twists in with the expected. I cannot wait to read the sequel!
August 9, 2020
Rating-4.5 rounded up to 5
💛
I really enjoyed this book! It was a great ya fantasy novel with a few added twists! I liked the majority of the characters, but Solas was awful and I will stand by that.
💛
THE PLOT
It was a good plot! I will say that the first 70 or so pages dragged on a bit for me, but once they arrived at a destination it got infinitely more interesting. In fact, the more the book went on, the better it was!
💛
THE CHARACTERS
Ok, I adored this cast of characters. Ara was literally the best because she was so relatable! She didn’t immediately take to the hero stuff, and sometimes she just cried. Fantasy novels have a habit of making female heroines these untouchable incredible force, but someone who is just realistically trying her best was awesome! Arlow and Nyphelia were so cute together, and I am loving the beginning of the relationship between Ara and someone! Also, we need to protect Misandreas! She is the best!
💛
This was overall great! The only things were sometimes it was difficult to understand how old the characters were, and the first 70 pages were slow. But once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down! And the cliffhanger! I will definitely be picking up the next book!
💛
I really enjoyed this book! It was a great ya fantasy novel with a few added twists! I liked the majority of the characters, but Solas was awful and I will stand by that.
💛
THE PLOT
It was a good plot! I will say that the first 70 or so pages dragged on a bit for me, but once they arrived at a destination it got infinitely more interesting. In fact, the more the book went on, the better it was!
💛
THE CHARACTERS
Ok, I adored this cast of characters. Ara was literally the best because she was so relatable! She didn’t immediately take to the hero stuff, and sometimes she just cried. Fantasy novels have a habit of making female heroines these untouchable incredible force, but someone who is just realistically trying her best was awesome! Arlow and Nyphelia were so cute together, and I am loving the beginning of the relationship between Ara and someone! Also, we need to protect Misandreas! She is the best!
💛
This was overall great! The only things were sometimes it was difficult to understand how old the characters were, and the first 70 pages were slow. But once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down! And the cliffhanger! I will definitely be picking up the next book!
July 28, 2020
There are some aspects I really liked about the book. For once, I find it very interesting that the author went for the concept of ‘magick’ to describe the spiritual gifts of the characters rather than ‘magic’ to distinguish the concept used in the book from ‘stage magic’, “wand waving or silly incantations”. I also like that the book is very straight forward and so are the actions and reactions of the characters. I did have trouble identifying with the characters though - I couldn’t really figure out the age of the characters – they all seem to be fairly old but then, R seems to be way older than A which gave me the impression that A is still in her late teens which makes no sense with all the information given about her past. I also couldn’t really get into her head – she seems like a strong woman that still needs to find her voice but I am looking forward to her character development. Overall, I’d give 2.5 stars because immersion is such an important aspect for me and I did not fully experience that but I would definitely read the second book.
February 7, 2021
First off, thank you to the author for sending me an ebook 🥰
Okay, it’s been a long time coming since I have to wrap my head around this one. I enjoyed this immensely and I’d have a proper review up in a while 😊
EDIT v1.0
This has been a great read for sure! It kept me on my toes because I was torn between speeding through it or just reading slower than I was user to because I don’t want the experience to end 😅 First things first, I love how the author pictured the setting of the book. It was able to start off intensely without losing sight of the world building aspect of the story.
Second, it has all the mix of creatures in one book that I didn’t know I needed outside the Shadowhunter books! We got demons and elves and druids and so much more 🤩 We get characters that were one thing in the beginning, then morphed into individuals who you love rooting for, and the best part is... you know they have so much more potential to grow ❤️
I love the shroud of mystery over what I’m reading. It kept me on my toes and really had the wheels in my head turning. Overall, I’m really excited on how the sequel will go. I mean, a lot of things can still happen but I’m really chomping at the bit to find out which direction the author can take us on this journey 💕
Okay, it’s been a long time coming since I have to wrap my head around this one. I enjoyed this immensely and I’d have a proper review up in a while 😊
EDIT v1.0
This has been a great read for sure! It kept me on my toes because I was torn between speeding through it or just reading slower than I was user to because I don’t want the experience to end 😅 First things first, I love how the author pictured the setting of the book. It was able to start off intensely without losing sight of the world building aspect of the story.
Second, it has all the mix of creatures in one book that I didn’t know I needed outside the Shadowhunter books! We got demons and elves and druids and so much more 🤩 We get characters that were one thing in the beginning, then morphed into individuals who you love rooting for, and the best part is... you know they have so much more potential to grow ❤️
I love the shroud of mystery over what I’m reading. It kept me on my toes and really had the wheels in my head turning. Overall, I’m really excited on how the sequel will go. I mean, a lot of things can still happen but I’m really chomping at the bit to find out which direction the author can take us on this journey 💕
April 7, 2021
I am usually more of a fan of female characters that are strong and mouthy, so I was worried I'd find Ara a little annoying. However, Merseal did an excellent job of showing Ara to be overly protected and naive as opposed to weak-willed. Even from just this first book it's easy to see that Ara is driven to grow into her own skin. I'm eager to see how her experiences force her to adapt!
Raethin never really struck me as one-dimensional as Ara seemed to view him at first, so I'm curious to see how his views of Ara change. I'm curious, too, as to what the demons want of Ara and how that may impact Raethin's convictions to protect Ara as the last living symbol of her kingdom!
Clearly, the author did her job well since I'm so eager to see what happens next in the series!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Raethin never really struck me as one-dimensional as Ara seemed to view him at first, so I'm curious to see how his views of Ara change. I'm curious, too, as to what the demons want of Ara and how that may impact Raethin's convictions to protect Ara as the last living symbol of her kingdom!
Clearly, the author did her job well since I'm so eager to see what happens next in the series!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 27, 2022
Epic high fantasy is not my fave yet in April I seem to pick epics to read. An elven kingdom. A death. High fantasy names. An old curse that takes lives much like COVID19. A princess on a journey accompanied by trusted friends, meeting other species. Luring of the MC to the dark side. Castles. Discussions. Training to unlock the princess’ gift. I might be epic-ed out, but I wasn’t loving it. The intro was slow-building and I love actioney; the names were difficult, but there was a hints&tips section up front on how to pronounce them; there was balanced dialogue and decription and nice world-building, but it was neither character nor plot driven for me, hence the 3.5 stars. While it didn’t strike my fancy, epic fantasy lovers might find this book interesting, but I strongly suggest reading the sample on Amz first - either you’ll be intrigued or you’ll know if it’s not your cuppa.
April 30, 2021
Okay, I dislike snotty, pouty, privileged people. I feel in love with the main male characters. Okay, all the main characters beside Ara were instant connections. I wanted to kill Ara but thankfully she grows and thankfully is becoming much more likable for me. But Rae by far is my all time favorite from the beginning and til the end of this book. It is a great read with constant movement. It doesn’t settle much throughout the page. I highly suggest this book if you like fantasy and of course some romance and magic. It is a great read with great characters. I hope we get to see more into the rest of them characters. This book will stay with me until I see what happens in the next book!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 2, 2022
This is the first book in the Guardians of Altana series and the first book I e read by this author. Character development and world building were great. This book will draw you in so fast and have you turning this pages in a rush to find out what’s going to happen next. And imloved how there was a hints and tips page at the beginning with pronunciation, this helped so much.
After an attack on her kingdom, Ara is in the run with her dads most trusted warriors. And Raethin is right there to protect her. Traveling through the Therilean Forest they come across druids and their guardian who help them. Will Ara be able to win against the Void King and the dark demons surrounding her? And what role does she play without the training she lacks? I want to know more about Aesdrius and Cirith!
Such a good read. Demons, druids, mystery, magic, elves, action, suspense, love and so much more. Can’t wait for book 2!
I received this arc and am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
After an attack on her kingdom, Ara is in the run with her dads most trusted warriors. And Raethin is right there to protect her. Traveling through the Therilean Forest they come across druids and their guardian who help them. Will Ara be able to win against the Void King and the dark demons surrounding her? And what role does she play without the training she lacks? I want to know more about Aesdrius and Cirith!
Such a good read. Demons, druids, mystery, magic, elves, action, suspense, love and so much more. Can’t wait for book 2!
I received this arc and am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
May 8, 2023
I really enjoyed the detailed, epic fantasy journey of this story. The character growth and development was awesome; each character had arcs and even if their journeys were similar, their responses were unique. I've never read anything lately so unique, in the story line as well as the world building. Gods and goddesses interacting in a way with the mortals that was unique and complex. You find yourself rooting for all the characters; main and supporting. The villian was full on creepy, like, cringe and goosebumps sometimes creepy to me.
It was long, but it didn't read that way to me. I found myself constantly thinking, "one more chapter" until I had read 5 more.
If you're looking for an epic journey fantasy tale with unique story and world building I would highly suggest this read.
It was long, but it didn't read that way to me. I found myself constantly thinking, "one more chapter" until I had read 5 more.
If you're looking for an epic journey fantasy tale with unique story and world building I would highly suggest this read.
May 31, 2022
I loved this tale of druids,demons, shifters and magicks!
Ara is a princess on the run after demons kill her father and destroy her kingdom! Raethin swore an oath to her father to protect her. Neither liked the other to begin with but over the course of the story that changes.
There were so many twists and turns and the battle scene was epic! It ended on such a cliffhanger that I will not be ok until I read the next book to find out what happens next!
This really is a must read for any fantasy lovers!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Ara is a princess on the run after demons kill her father and destroy her kingdom! Raethin swore an oath to her father to protect her. Neither liked the other to begin with but over the course of the story that changes.
There were so many twists and turns and the battle scene was epic! It ended on such a cliffhanger that I will not be ok until I read the next book to find out what happens next!
This really is a must read for any fantasy lovers!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 11, 2020
A fast-paced tale of an heiress to the Thraesian throne left running for her life. Ara is a strong female (even if it is only inwardly to most) is surrounded by her father’s warriors commanded by the strong, straight to the point Raethin. For me it was definitely a will they won’t they vibe. This tale is crammed to the brim by means of conflict, druids, elves, magic and demons. There were times I found myself a tad bit lost wrapped up in the characters, but I am putting that off to reading too fast. The want to know what happens next if you will. I truly enjoyed the story of Ara.
Bravo Kala.
Bravo Kala.
April 6, 2021
This is definitely going to be a re-read for me! It was very fast paced and I instantly liked the connection that Rhaethin and Ara had. (Plus there were elves!!! ) Despite some of the dialogue being awkward, which could easily be solved with some editing, Rhaethin was probably my favourite character. As mentioned by previous reviewers, there wasn't a lot of romance in the first book, but there were hints of the possibility of it developing into something more. Fans of the Witcher, SJM and high fantasy would enjoy The Shadow Curse.
***I received a free ARC for a honesty review.***
***I received a free ARC for a honesty review.***
September 30, 2020
I’m only half way through, but I wanted to leave a mid-way review and I’ll be back with a full one after:
I LOVE Ara!! She’s the strong yet somewhat naive (which is refreshing) FMC that I’m enjoying watching grow as a character and I’m intrigued to see what she’s truly capable of. “The Shadow Curse” starts off slow, but the action and uncertainty that follows makes it worth it! I can’t wait to finish reading the last half of this book!
I LOVE Ara!! She’s the strong yet somewhat naive (which is refreshing) FMC that I’m enjoying watching grow as a character and I’m intrigued to see what she’s truly capable of. “The Shadow Curse” starts off slow, but the action and uncertainty that follows makes it worth it! I can’t wait to finish reading the last half of this book!
July 13, 2022
The Pronunciation Key and Map at the beginning were helpful.
I read the prequel (Ethereal Moonlight), so was excited to read this.
It is a fast-paced fantasy adventure with a strong female protagonist (eventually). The author calls out explicitly that Ara’s parents raised her literally as a pampered princess. There was absolutely no way that this gal would be prepared to be on the run, in the wilderness no less, from a pack of flying demons. The story’s intro sets the foundation for her internal journey as she has to find the strength to carry on.
Now on to 'Ignited Souls'!
I read the prequel (Ethereal Moonlight), so was excited to read this.
It is a fast-paced fantasy adventure with a strong female protagonist (eventually). The author calls out explicitly that Ara’s parents raised her literally as a pampered princess. There was absolutely no way that this gal would be prepared to be on the run, in the wilderness no less, from a pack of flying demons. The story’s intro sets the foundation for her internal journey as she has to find the strength to carry on.
Now on to 'Ignited Souls'!
November 24, 2024
Oh boy, expect a very slow development to a very shy friendship that MAY or may NOT become a romance. However, this first volume is mainly about taking the princess to safety, healing her guard and possible romantic interest for future books, and a whole lot of meditation and a plot that was easy to spot but the middle was hard to process. There's movement (POV) from both Ara and Rae, but also the human amongst the druid, and a few other promises.
November 30, 2020
I'm all about fantasy so this book easily became something I highly enjoyed. I really loved how fast-paced it was considering that it was one of the longer books. It's because of that, that the story was so addicting, making me not want to put it down. The Shadow Curse brings in demons, magic, and of course Elves, all nicely wrapped into beautiful writing and storytelling!
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