Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: February 8th, 2023
Pages: 282
Publisher: Independent
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Publisher’s Synopsis:
“Speak of pain, and I’ll tell you of the Time who stole it away…
Besieged by war, ravaged by monsters, and crawling with the undead, the land of Okarria is dying. Seventeen-year-old Emara survives by using her modest healing gift to save as many as she can while eluding the invaders who thirst for her enchanted blood.
So when a cursed cat saves her life and reveals Emara is the legendary Time Heir the necromancer king’s been searching for, she agrees to act as bait in a plot to destroy him. But when the plan goes horrifically awry, Emara must discover how deep her powers go, what she can change…
And what she cannot.
Unfortunately, Time Heirs have a history of getting killed, and with Okarria’s future on the line, Emara may have no choice but to follow in her ancestors’ footsteps.”
My Review:
*NOTE: Each book in this series can be read as a standalone. They take place within the same world but they center around different characters and in different time-periods. I read this book first and had no problems jumping in and understanding everything.
I love that we get right into the action straightaway. I’m not someone who really likes a super slow-building plot, I like being plunged head first into the story and have it immediately grasp my attention and sweep me away. Only a few chapters in and the epic quest begins!
We enter into a world plagued by horrors and at the brink. The story world is immaculately crafted, with lore and myths and an intriguing magic system. I loved the intricacies and unique applications for healing magic. Everything about the people, society, and creatures of Okarria was so good. I was completely absorbed.
Emara’s character is well-developed. We learn a lot about her simply through her actions and interactions with other characters. I was rooting for her to step into her fierceness and shine. And I’m obsessed with Shadmundar! Definitely my favorite character in the story. The romance was nuanced and so sweet.
You’d never guess this is an indie book with how well written it is. I could absolutely see this picked up by a publisher for mass market. Hayley, don’t ever stop writing, you were clearly destined to be a writer.
I love the map at the front of the book, always an enjoyable edition to any fantasy story and really helps ground into the world. I also love that it has chapter titles. I don’t know why I love chapter titles so much; I think it’s just another fun layer to the story, giving you a sneak peak into what is about to happen, and then after reading the chapter you get to think back to how the title applied and what was the most important thing that happened.
This was a fun, fast read. I enjoyed this escapist adventure and it was just such a great experience. I finished it in two days because I just couldn’t stop; I was hooked. I was dutifully taking notes to reference when I wrote my review until about halfway through when I just stopped because I was way too invested in the story to stop reading.
The ending is also perfect. I can’t believe the series is over though. Excuse me while I immediately go read the previous books in this series. And I can’t wait to see what this author writes next. Highly recommend this book to all fantasy readers!
Disclaimers:
Huge thank you to Hayley (the author) who reached out to me, sent me an advanced copy, and asked if I was willing to review her book! So glad that I did! I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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