Okay, I’m gonna try using GIFs in this review so let’s see how it goes.
Oh dear. I was so excited for this book and I’ve just been so let down. I received this book through Kate Tilton’s Author Services through Instagram and this was an immediate request. And I do feel lucky to have been granted a copy but I just didn’t enjoy this book.
I’ll start off with a positive comment though and that is that there is some beautiful description. Kudos to Farah Oomerbhoy for her world building as it’s just excellent. The first few chapters in our world were kind of dull. But I could have had that issue due to things like the reference to grades though she’s at a British school. But the moment she was in Avalonia everything was so colourful and clearly imagined. Some of the descriptions of places were so pretty and I appreciate that.
On the other side of the world building front…there’s some strong Harry Potter similarities here. And during the school portion, I had flashbacks to Trudi Canavan’s Black Magician trilogy. Now, I’m usually the last person to care about similarities as I know there’s only so many stories out there so of course, it’ll be similar to others. But though it made the book work in parts, in other places it was like really?
This book reads like a cross between YA and middle grade which makes it suitable for younger teens I feel. It also kinda feels like this one thick book should be several shorter books with more detail thrown in. As we get a lot of pointless exposition and redundant language which could have been replaced and expanded on.
The last thing I want to say is that I just wasn’t fond of Aurora or Rafe. I did like Kalen, Erien and Vivienne though so I will point out there are some good characters. But for the heroine and love interest to make me go
That’s just not good. She kept saying she should stay away from him and then isn’t even sure she wants to be friends with him. I was just so done with them both by the end.
This book just wasn’t for me but if you’re looking for a new book about someone having adventures in another world then you can give this one a go.
2/5 STARS
Lace and Dagger Books 