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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Hell yes. This book is filled with beautiful imagery, intense scenes, a fascinating and dark world, and some fun characters.
Fia Riftborne, an outcast, spends her time trying to hide her powers so she isn't killed in a world that brand her people outcasts after a rebellion. When her powers are discovered by a General, he works with her to build her powers and bring her into his unit wielders. I loved watching Fia go through her journey. She is spunky, rough around the edges, but also watching her grow was fascinating. I love a good raw and real FMC to root for.
This fun, twisty tale handles some dark themes really well. Parker and Bree did a wonderful job of crafting this world without overloading the reader. It was nice to have the worldbuilding treated as an onion with layers to be peeled back over time.
The plot moves along -- draw characters to the ongoing battles that happen around the country, but the cliffhanger really makes you question everything you thought about the plot Bree and Parker present through the whole book!
I am (im)patiently waiting for more in this series!
Fia Riftborne, an outcast, spends her time trying to hide her powers so she isn't killed in a world that brand her people outcasts after a rebellion. When her powers are discovered by a General, he works with her to build her powers and bring her into his unit wielders. I loved watching Fia go through her journey. She is spunky, rough around the edges, but also watching her grow was fascinating. I love a good raw and real FMC to root for.
This fun, twisty tale handles some dark themes really well. Parker and Bree did a wonderful job of crafting this world without overloading the reader. It was nice to have the worldbuilding treated as an onion with layers to be peeled back over time.
The plot moves along -- draw characters to the ongoing battles that happen around the country, but the cliffhanger really makes you question everything you thought about the plot Bree and Parker present through the whole book!
I am (im)patiently waiting for more in this series!
This book was a fine debut for these authors. It has an interesting enough concept and a lot of potential, but I found myself putting it down a lot and in no real rush to pick it back up.
The world building was simple and easy to follow. The side characters were likable, but I wanted more development there and without that, I struggled to really connect or care about any of them. The story felt very YA and juvenile, especially the romance. I was not a big fan of Laryk so I’d be interested to see any potential changes or new developments on this front in Book 2.
That said, that ending… I’ll be honest, I had no plans to read the next book and now I’m fully intrigued and cannot wait to get answers to the questions the end of this one left me with. I also did enjoy seeing Fia’s abilities develop throughout the story and am eager to see more of that in Book 2 as well.
Thank you NetGalley and ONYX Publishing for the ARC.
The world building was simple and easy to follow. The side characters were likable, but I wanted more development there and without that, I struggled to really connect or care about any of them. The story felt very YA and juvenile, especially the romance. I was not a big fan of Laryk so I’d be interested to see any potential changes or new developments on this front in Book 2.
That said, that ending… I’ll be honest, I had no plans to read the next book and now I’m fully intrigued and cannot wait to get answers to the questions the end of this one left me with. I also did enjoy seeing Fia’s abilities develop throughout the story and am eager to see more of that in Book 2 as well.
Thank you NetGalley and ONYX Publishing for the ARC.
3.5 rounded up. Interesting story overall. Writing was super clunky and jumped around a lot. There was weird summarization throughout to skip ahead? Insta lust was annoying. That said I will be reading book two when it releases, I was entertained.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall rating: 4/5
Spice: 3/5
Perception: 4.25/5
Execution: 3.75/5
Summary: Twenty years after a rebellion branded her an outcast (literally), Fia Riftborne is caught using deadly powers by Laryk Ashford, a general amassing a small group of highly powerful wielders. Laryk gives Fia the choice between joining his unit and training her power to fight the growing threat of wraiths to their nation, or face execution.
Review: This was an intriguing debut. The strongest point of this novel were the female relationships - I loved the dynamic between Fia, Ma, and Osta showed the depth of the characters and their growth over these major life changes.
The world building was definitely interesting, and would love to hear more about power sources and development in the next installment.
The downside - there was no chemistry between Laryk and Fia. As a character, all Laryk did was smirk, then bully/disappear, and then come back to smirk even when what he was saying was not flirtatious or a double entendre or anything. The characterization worked as the mysterious general clearly holding secrets between the king and his guard, making us question his true motives and morals, but it did not work as a love interest. My bet is that he is not the real relationship for Fia in the next few books, but I won't complain when she gets a new man ;)
Brutal cliffhanger - I had guessed an adjacent twist between Fia and the wraiths, so this was a good plot twist! Definitely reading the second book when it comes out in March 2025, and looking forward to what else these authors come up with.
Tropes:
- mentor/mentee slash trainer/trainee relationship
- military/war academy
- hidden powers
- morally grey MMC
- strong female friendships
Spice: 3/5
Perception: 4.25/5
Execution: 3.75/5
Summary: Twenty years after a rebellion branded her an outcast (literally), Fia Riftborne is caught using deadly powers by Laryk Ashford, a general amassing a small group of highly powerful wielders. Laryk gives Fia the choice between joining his unit and training her power to fight the growing threat of wraiths to their nation, or face execution.
Review: This was an intriguing debut. The strongest point of this novel were the female relationships - I loved the dynamic between Fia, Ma, and Osta showed the depth of the characters and their growth over these major life changes.
The world building was definitely interesting, and would love to hear more about power sources and development in the next installment.
The downside - there was no chemistry between Laryk and Fia. As a character, all Laryk did was smirk, then bully/disappear, and then come back to smirk even when what he was saying was not flirtatious or a double entendre or anything. The characterization worked as the mysterious general clearly holding secrets between the king and his guard, making us question his true motives and morals, but it did not work as a love interest. My bet is that he is not the real relationship for Fia in the next few books, but I won't complain when she gets a new man ;)
Brutal cliffhanger - I had guessed an adjacent twist between Fia and the wraiths, so this was a good plot twist! Definitely reading the second book when it comes out in March 2025, and looking forward to what else these authors come up with.
Tropes:
- mentor/mentee slash trainer/trainee relationship
- military/war academy
- hidden powers
- morally grey MMC
- strong female friendships
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was really excited to dive into this story, as the synopsis promised a story that sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, it ended up not being quite what I’d hoped for.
The writing style didn’t resonate with me, and I struggled to fully immerse myself in the story. The worldbuilding, a critical element in fantasy for me, left a lot of unanswered questions. For instance, I couldn’t quite grasp the distinctions between the Sidhe and the Riftborne, or the reasons behind their war. The story lacked any in-depth exploration of the politics that might have led to it or the ripple effects afterward. The aftermath of the war was only shallowly described, almost as though it were an afterthought, which made it harder to engage with the stakes and conflicts of the story.
Additionally, certain plot choices felt difficult to believe. For example, the protagonist joining the army responsible for the death of her family and the destruction of her homeland, didn’t feel convincing to me. Similarly, certain events seemed to happen simply to advance the plot rather than arising naturally or serving a meaningful purpose within the context of the world or characters.
Adding to this, the MMC came across as having zero depth or personality, making it difficult to root for him or even tolerate his role in the narrative.
And although the FMC is described as being 23 years old, her inner monologue often read more like a teenager’s. Similarly, the romantic progression, marketed as enemies to lovers and slow burn felt rushed and abrupt.
The characters as a whole came across as shallow and underdeveloped, which made it difficult for me to care about them. On top of that, the timeline occasionally felt unclear—sometimes I’d read a paragraph only to realize that events weren’t unfolding over a single day but a longer, unspecified period.
That being said, there were a few positives. The book was a quick and easy read, and the central idea of the story had a lot of potential. The cliffhanger at the end hints at intriguing possibilities for the second book in the series, even if I can already speculate on some of the developments.
Overall, while the concept behind Riftborne was compelling, I found the execution lacking in depth and cohesion, which prevented me from fully enjoying the experience. That said, it might still appeal to readers who prioritize fast-paced plots over intricate worldbuilding or character depth.
I was really excited to dive into this story, as the synopsis promised a story that sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, it ended up not being quite what I’d hoped for.
The writing style didn’t resonate with me, and I struggled to fully immerse myself in the story. The worldbuilding, a critical element in fantasy for me, left a lot of unanswered questions. For instance, I couldn’t quite grasp the distinctions between the Sidhe and the Riftborne, or the reasons behind their war. The story lacked any in-depth exploration of the politics that might have led to it or the ripple effects afterward. The aftermath of the war was only shallowly described, almost as though it were an afterthought, which made it harder to engage with the stakes and conflicts of the story.
Additionally, certain plot choices felt difficult to believe. For example, the protagonist joining the army responsible for the death of her family and the destruction of her homeland, didn’t feel convincing to me. Similarly, certain events seemed to happen simply to advance the plot rather than arising naturally or serving a meaningful purpose within the context of the world or characters.
Adding to this, the MMC came across as having zero depth or personality, making it difficult to root for him or even tolerate his role in the narrative.
And although the FMC is described as being 23 years old, her inner monologue often read more like a teenager’s. Similarly, the romantic progression, marketed as enemies to lovers and slow burn felt rushed and abrupt.
The characters as a whole came across as shallow and underdeveloped, which made it difficult for me to care about them. On top of that, the timeline occasionally felt unclear—sometimes I’d read a paragraph only to realize that events weren’t unfolding over a single day but a longer, unspecified period.
That being said, there were a few positives. The book was a quick and easy read, and the central idea of the story had a lot of potential. The cliffhanger at the end hints at intriguing possibilities for the second book in the series, even if I can already speculate on some of the developments.
Overall, while the concept behind Riftborne was compelling, I found the execution lacking in depth and cohesion, which prevented me from fully enjoying the experience. That said, it might still appeal to readers who prioritize fast-paced plots over intricate worldbuilding or character depth.
dark
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Riftborne checks ALL the boxes of a great fantasy novel while still delivering excitement and freshness to the genre. I love the thought that went into this magic system and focuses of each character. It gives Fourth Wing meets Throne of Glass vibes and I. Am. Here. For. It.
It has enemies to lovers. It has forced proximity. It has friendships old and new. There's a tragic backstory. There's tension and slow burn. And it's a book that pulls you in FAST and world builds as the plot develops making it so easy to follow and to stay locked into the world and the story.
My only complaint is that I have to wait for book 2 to be released because I'm dying to know what happens next - to Fia, to Osta, to Laryk, to Rain, and even Ma...I'm invested and cannot wait to follow this series to whatever end!
It has enemies to lovers. It has forced proximity. It has friendships old and new. There's a tragic backstory. There's tension and slow burn. And it's a book that pulls you in FAST and world builds as the plot develops making it so easy to follow and to stay locked into the world and the story.
My only complaint is that I have to wait for book 2 to be released because I'm dying to know what happens next - to Fia, to Osta, to Laryk, to Rain, and even Ma...I'm invested and cannot wait to follow this series to whatever end!
i really enjoyed the beginning and end of this. that ending!! i didn’t see that coming and i was left so intrigued as to what is in store for Fia as she matures. i will definitely be reading book two!