HEART OF MIST by Helen Scheuerer
5 Stars
Verdict: One of the best fantasy book I've read this year!
Bleak wants a cure for her illegal magic, if possible, but mostly, she wants wine every day. A summons from the king is a death sentence to her.
Henri is the queen of Valia, a race of strong female fighters, but she isn't the queen of the realm. A choice she makes could send her people to war with the true king.
Dash is a stable boy, but he's also best friends with the blind princess. He dreams of being a knight, or even just meeting one.
They live in a land which is threatened by a growing mist, one only those with magic can survive.
I loved this right from the start. Beautiful descriptions, dark humour, and a pace that doesn't let up. This is my ideal story.
It had a good balance of action, character, and pace, the three entwined as the plot moved ever forwards, each detailed, but not too heavy to handle. I thought there could perhaps be more world building, as the mist isn't very 'present' until towards the end, but perhaps this was a necessary sacrifice at the beginning of the book to get things going, as it picks up towards the middle. Instead it focuses on Valia, ruled by women warriors, and Adelen, a standard fantasy book fishing town.
I liked all of the main characters, and how their stories were very different but beginning to entwine.
This is very much part one of a bigger story. I found every chapter intriguing, but there are no big fireworks or gut-wrenching twists. The story is smart and building to something much bigger than book one, and if book two was around, I'd keep going.
Source: Amazon Kindle Unlimited.
5 Stars
Verdict: One of the best fantasy book I've read this year!
Bleak wants a cure for her illegal magic, if possible, but mostly, she wants wine every day. A summons from the king is a death sentence to her.
Henri is the queen of Valia, a race of strong female fighters, but she isn't the queen of the realm. A choice she makes could send her people to war with the true king.
Dash is a stable boy, but he's also best friends with the blind princess. He dreams of being a knight, or even just meeting one.
They live in a land which is threatened by a growing mist, one only those with magic can survive.
I loved this right from the start. Beautiful descriptions, dark humour, and a pace that doesn't let up. This is my ideal story.
It had a good balance of action, character, and pace, the three entwined as the plot moved ever forwards, each detailed, but not too heavy to handle. I thought there could perhaps be more world building, as the mist isn't very 'present' until towards the end, but perhaps this was a necessary sacrifice at the beginning of the book to get things going, as it picks up towards the middle. Instead it focuses on Valia, ruled by women warriors, and Adelen, a standard fantasy book fishing town.
I liked all of the main characters, and how their stories were very different but beginning to entwine.
This is very much part one of a bigger story. I found every chapter intriguing, but there are no big fireworks or gut-wrenching twists. The story is smart and building to something much bigger than book one, and if book two was around, I'd keep going.
Source: Amazon Kindle Unlimited.
Wonderful review. This sounds like one that I should check out.
ReplyDeleteGreat review, I'm really glad you fully enjoyed reading this book. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome post.
ReplyDeleteI struggle and grow annoyed with an unfinished story - I need closure
ReplyDeleteI prefer book one of a series to be a standalone novel too, so that would be my only criticism.
DeleteGreat review
ReplyDeleteGreat review!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book.
ReplyDeleteGreat review. I like the sound of the book. I love that minimalist cover too.
ReplyDeleteI know! It's so beautiful and fits the book well.
DeleteNice review - sounds like a cool book.
ReplyDeleteGreat review. The cover looks beautiful!
ReplyDelete