I am woefully behind on book reviews, so look forward to this mini book review post! It features book reviews of Servant of Earth, The Nightward, and The Starlight Heir. If you’ve been looking for an adult fantasy novel to sink your teeth into, then continue reading!
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Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley
Kenna Heron is best known in her village for being a little wild—some say “half feral”—but she’ll need every ounce of that ferocity to survive captivity in the cruel Fae court.
Trapped as a servant in the faeries’ underground kingdom of Mistei, Kenna must help her new mistress undertake six deadly trials, one for each branch of magic: Fire, Earth, Light, Void, Illusion, and Blood. If she succeeds, her mistress will gain immortality and become the heir to Earth House. If she doesn’t, the punishment is death—for both mistress and servant.
With no ally but a sentient dagger of mysterious origins, Kenna must face monsters, magic, and grueling physical tests. But worse dangers wait underground, and soon Kenna gets caught up in a secret rebellion against the inventively sadistic faerie king. When her feelings for the rebellion’s leader turn passionate, Kenna must decide if she’s willing to risk her life for a better world and a chance at happiness.
Surviving the trials and overthrowing a tyrant king will take cunning, courage, and an iron will… but even that may not be enough.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Servant of Earth has deadly trials and being held hostage in the Fae realm. What could go wrong? From the get go, I was intrigued. In Servant of Earth, Kenna’s supposed to feel chosen, to be honored, but in reality she’s unsure of what the next day holds. But quickly things started going wrong. Without going into details, early on there were some pieces of the story which felt incredibly convenient and gratuitous. Not only that, but the sense of danger or stakes in the trials didn’t feel high enough? Which was weird because they were?
I guess it boils down to that I was missing either a strong connection to Kenna – in order to feel her fear – or more introspection and reflection of the high stakes. I’m a big character introspection reader and some of the trials went by so quickly that I was missing that hook. I always love a good underdog – and Kenna delivers – but for some reason I wasn’t absorbed as I wanted to be. That being said, if you like high action deadly trials – with plenty of uncertainty – this still might be for you. I just needed a bit more space with the characters or the action to sink in.
Find Servant of Earth on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.
The Nightward by R.S.A. Garcia
For 500 years Gaiea’s Hand has stood as a ward against the Dark. The Age of Chaos is a faded memory. The Goddess has left Gailand and given her Blessing to the Queens to rule in her stead.
Princess Viella of the court of Hamber is the Spirit of Gaiea, presumptive heir to the throne and budding wielder of magic. And yet she’s still a child—not yet ten years old—and a day spent evading her teachers and her dutiful bodyguard, Luka, is much more satisfying than learning about telepathy, illusions, and other spells, or obeying even her mother, the Queen.
There is time enough…until there isn’t.
For the night the Queen hosts the Ceremony to confirm Viella as the next Hand of Gaiea, everything changes for her—in the most horrific way the assassination of Viella’s mother.
Now Viella is Queen.
Luka, despite resenting his position as royal babysitter, does not hesitate. He rushes his charge from the Court and vows to keep her safe. Yet he is unsure how to help a burgeoning Hand of Gaiea, let alone contend with his place as a man in a matriarchal world and the secret that is burning inside him.
Together, they are on the run from darkness in a world where the lines between magic and technology are blurring and it’s up to a child and her protector to bring clarity and light back to the Queendom.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
The Nightward is one of those unique magical world. It blends science fiction and fantasy to produce this speculative fiction world of Carribean mythology meets the Witcher. If you’re wondering about The Witcher comp, it’s because there’s this mentor relationship at the core of The Nightward. You know I’m a sucker for those relationships. (We also love a good giant cat!) A spoiled princess who will soon be their only hope. Viella quickly realizes she’s out of her depth as she struggles to get a handle of her powers in time.
The Nightward features a lot of moving parts as we are ripped from the world we knew to a new world. To a world with new allies, enemies, and danger afoot. That was a bit confusing at the beginning, but you just need to go with the flow. The Nightward immediately gives us this impression of an epic world building and war of fronts and betrayals. Find The Nightward on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.
The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard
When the gold-dusted court invitation arrives at Suraya Saab’s forge, she believes it’s a joke. Nobles might seek her skills as a bladesmith—one of few who can imbue her work with precious jadu, the last source of magic in the realm—but she has no qualifications as a potential bride for the crown prince. Still, the invitation is the chance at adventure, and the means to finally visit the capital city her late mother loved.
But what awaits her in Kaldari is nothing she could have imagined—and fraught with danger. It’s not the crown prince, but his impossibly handsome, illegitimate half-brother, Roshan, who captures her interest…and her ire. The invitation isn’t a quest to find a suitable bride, but a veiled hunt for the Starkeeper—a girl rumored to hold the magic of the stars in her blood. And across the city, unrest is brewing between the noble houses and the rebel militia.
When the rebels attack, Suraya and Roshan find themselves on the run, trying to deny their simmering attraction and the knowledge that Suraya herself might be the Starkeeper. But Roshan is guarding secrets of his own. And with no control over the power stirring within her, Suraya has drawn the attention of a dark god, an immortal whose interest might be the biggest threat of all.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
My favorite element in The Starlight Heir has to be the banter. Whether that’s between Suraya and her best friend or some electric tension filled banter, it’s my favorite. If you’re a fan of matchmaking competitions, then you have to pick up this one. It’s also great if you like reading books where someone doesn’t know yet their hidden power, how important they are. It’s a journey of self-discovery. My second favorite element was the rebellion and these forces who want freedom, but whose cause is the best? The most right?
The spice is truly spicing in The Starlight Heir and while I enjoyed this one, I was a bit thrown off by the pacing in some areas. Some things happened earlier on than I thought and others took more time. While this wasn’t a deal breaker for me, I just had some start and stops while reading. Find The Starlight Heir on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.