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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
What a beautiful story!
I want to begin by acknowledging the beautiful map at the book's beginning - it's a thoughtful touch that I really enjoyed.I was genuinely intrigued by the book's premise. It's all about taking control of your destiny, a theme that resonates with me.
Amira, our strong female lead, faces a challenging upbringing in the King's camp due to her father's status. Their strained relationship is evident; he's more interested in his political games than in her. She spends her time doing his bidding and training with her friend Opal.
The male lead is somewhat enigmatic, with hints about his character throughout the book, but his true nature is revealed later on, leaving room for readers to form their own opinions.
In terms of writing style, I must admit this book is right up my alley. There's the why choose romantic subplot, which I very much enjoyed. I have to mention that there were moments where I felt a bit lost and had to reread to grasp the plot but this can be common for me.
I enjoy that the beginning of the book, the author took the time to give details about the scene and world building since that is very important to me. The story really starts to take off about 1/3 through the book and you're in for a ride after that. Amira's journey gains momentum as she navigates an entirely new game she wasn't prepared for.
All in all, the cover of this book is beautiful, it encompasses many of my favorite things I enjoy in books and I am very excited for the next book in the series!
I want to begin by acknowledging the beautiful map at the book's beginning - it's a thoughtful touch that I really enjoyed.I was genuinely intrigued by the book's premise. It's all about taking control of your destiny, a theme that resonates with me.
Amira, our strong female lead, faces a challenging upbringing in the King's camp due to her father's status. Their strained relationship is evident; he's more interested in his political games than in her. She spends her time doing his bidding and training with her friend Opal.
The male lead is somewhat enigmatic, with hints about his character throughout the book, but his true nature is revealed later on, leaving room for readers to form their own opinions.
In terms of writing style, I must admit this book is right up my alley. There's the why choose romantic subplot, which I very much enjoyed. I have to mention that there were moments where I felt a bit lost and had to reread to grasp the plot but this can be common for me.
I enjoy that the beginning of the book, the author took the time to give details about the scene and world building since that is very important to me. The story really starts to take off about 1/3 through the book and you're in for a ride after that. Amira's journey gains momentum as she navigates an entirely new game she wasn't prepared for.
All in all, the cover of this book is beautiful, it encompasses many of my favorite things I enjoy in books and I am very excited for the next book in the series!
when your friend writes a book… you read it. for a debut novel this DID NOT disappoint even if i'm slightly biased.
the beginning is a lot of world building, it’s a lot of descriptive paragraphs, introducing a world, a set of people, relationships/lack thereof, gaining insight on personalities, setting up environments... really trying to help you envision the world in which Amira lives in etc etc
kara takes you on a path, to some may seem slow but i genuinely appreciated, that shows you who Amira is and why she is the way she is. theres a lot of breadcrumbs that are slipped in quietly that have you wondering how she got to where she is, why she's really there, what's up with her mom, what is her dad hiding, flashbacks that have foreshadowing that leave you just like what?? and then the last like 40% of the book is watching the plot crack open before you even have time to catch up and really realize what's happening.
the ending THREW ME OFF MY CHAIR screaming texting her because i didn't see a single thing coming. i am SO EXCITED for book 2 and am so ready to dive back into this world.
the beginning is a lot of world building, it’s a lot of descriptive paragraphs, introducing a world, a set of people, relationships/lack thereof, gaining insight on personalities, setting up environments... really trying to help you envision the world in which Amira lives in etc etc
kara takes you on a path, to some may seem slow but i genuinely appreciated, that shows you who Amira is and why she is the way she is. theres a lot of breadcrumbs that are slipped in quietly that have you wondering how she got to where she is, why she's really there, what's up with her mom, what is her dad hiding, flashbacks that have foreshadowing that leave you just like what?? and then the last like 40% of the book is watching the plot crack open before you even have time to catch up and really realize what's happening.
the ending THREW ME OFF MY CHAIR screaming texting her because i didn't see a single thing coming. i am SO EXCITED for book 2 and am so ready to dive back into this world.
Thank you to Kara Douglas for this ARC of Lunaria and giving me the chance to read this wonderful story before publish date.
“Love is a trap covered in leaves. You don’t notice until it has you in its clutches and you’ve fallen into a hole too deep to get out of. “Amira and Opal have been friends forever and their friendship is definitely relatable. But I honestly LOVED Avery, just her advice and how she handles everything was great to read. “Only you can decide your future, you just have to be strong enough to take control of it.” Probably my favorite quote EVER. This story had me HOOKED from chapter one.. literally setting the bar for everything else so high! THE ENDING?! Definitely buckle up.
I received this ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily, all thoughts/opinions above are my own.
I received this ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily, all thoughts/opinions above are my own.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
I need book 2 immediately!
It took a bit for me to get into this book but as soon as Graylen was introduced I was a goner. If you are a fan of rival kingdoms, fake dating, enemies to lovers, and hidden royalty, I highly suggest picking this one up.
Thank you to The NerdFam and Kara Douglas for the e-arc. This is my honest review.
It took a bit for me to get into this book but as soon as Graylen was introduced I was a goner. If you are a fan of rival kingdoms, fake dating, enemies to lovers, and hidden royalty, I highly suggest picking this one up.
Thank you to The NerdFam and Kara Douglas for the e-arc. This is my honest review.
**ARC review and voluntarily leaving my review**
Plot: 4 ⭐️
Spice: 1⭐️ slow burn buildup
Banter: 4⭐️
Overall: 3.75-4⭐️
The first 20%-30% of the book was slow in my opinion. Could’ve been cut in half but I get having to build up the background.
By the time we got to chapter 11 is when things started picking up and getting interesting!! And when I say it went from 0 to 100 real quick…….hold on okayyyyy lol.
I mean things were spinning
Plot: 4 ⭐️
Spice: 1⭐️ slow burn buildup
Banter: 4⭐️
Overall: 3.75-4⭐️
The first 20%-30% of the book was slow in my opinion. Could’ve been cut in half but I get having to build up the background.
By the time we got to chapter 11 is when things started picking up and getting interesting!! And when I say it went from 0 to 100 real quick…….hold on okayyyyy lol.
I mean things were spinning
I absolutely loved Lunaria and the message it sends. I had the privilege of reading this ARC for my honest review, so thank you to Kara Douglas and NerdFam. What a brilliant debut novel!!!
Amira is 22 years old, who was raised by her father the Kings Merchant. She grew up at Kings Camp surrounded by men. She is very independent and doesn’t feel the need to get married like other girls her age. Opal is the only girl she grew up with so they have a close bond. Linnick is a street vendor who she grows close to and looks up to like a father. Linnick is one of my favorite characters.
Aiden is a homeless boy she meets on one of her weekly trips to the market. Aiden has a few secrets of his own. Gaylen, is very protective of Amira. He let’s Amira be herself without judgement. I love Gaylen!!
I could not put this book down it was so good. Amira is determined to get out from under her dads thumb and live her life. Amira was raised to feel less than or not good enough by her father, but she does not let it discourage her. She sees the men train and wants to train like them. Since she is a girl she’s not able to so she trains herself and what she can’t learn on her own she coerces a few of the guards to teach her. Whatever negative thing is thrown at her she doesn’t let it discourage her nor does she give up. She ends up being a better fighter then the men in the camp and never shy’s away from a fight. Amira is the perfect character to have young girls look up to.
That ending got me and I did not expect it. I cannot wait for the second book in the series to come because that ending left me wanting more. I highly recommend this book!! It comes out today and you should go read it!!!
Amira is 22 years old, who was raised by her father the Kings Merchant. She grew up at Kings Camp surrounded by men. She is very independent and doesn’t feel the need to get married like other girls her age. Opal is the only girl she grew up with so they have a close bond. Linnick is a street vendor who she grows close to and looks up to like a father. Linnick is one of my favorite characters.
Aiden is a homeless boy she meets on one of her weekly trips to the market. Aiden has a few secrets of his own. Gaylen, is very protective of Amira. He let’s Amira be herself without judgement. I love Gaylen!!
I could not put this book down it was so good. Amira is determined to get out from under her dads thumb and live her life. Amira was raised to feel less than or not good enough by her father, but she does not let it discourage her. She sees the men train and wants to train like them. Since she is a girl she’s not able to so she trains herself and what she can’t learn on her own she coerces a few of the guards to teach her. Whatever negative thing is thrown at her she doesn’t let it discourage her nor does she give up. She ends up being a better fighter then the men in the camp and never shy’s away from a fight. Amira is the perfect character to have young girls look up to.
That ending got me and I did not expect it. I cannot wait for the second book in the series to come because that ending left me wanting more. I highly recommend this book!! It comes out today and you should go read it!!!
Lunaria by Kara Douglas is book one in The Unraveled Fate Series. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it’s the author’s debut. When I read the description I knew I had to add this into my reading and I’m so glad I did. This was such an amazing read, I couldn’t put my kindle down nor did I want to! The worldbuilding was great and I found myself addicted to the story within the first few chapters. The plot of the book had it all… fantasy, romance, intrigue, suspense plus some really well done twists and turns. Not to mention it also has one of my favorite tropes which is fake dating. I really loved Amira in the way she not only stands up for herself but those around her as well. Her determination was amazing to read. Not to mention all the other characters are just as well done but FMC just had that spark that drew me into the story. The cliffhanger at the end! All I can say is I need book two! This author and series is definitely on my looking forward list. Great read.. fantastic.
Final review:
5 out of 5 stars
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Lunaria by Kara Douglas follows Amira Ramsey, daughter of the Royal Merchant, who has been stuck at the Royal Training Camp for as long as she can remember. Her world is desolate in many ways: due to the lack of food due to the overgrowth of weeds and lack of social support; she only has three friends: a childhood friend and the only other girl at camp, a nameless dog, and an old man who works at the market. Her Father keeps a short leash on her and is cruel. Through a series of events, Amira finds herself immersed in a world that she has no desire to be a part of at the Royal Palace. But this gives her a potential opportunity to get out of the life she has been so desperate to escape. Amira quickly learns that things are not as they seem and she uncovers many secrets that her father has been keeping hidden.
I really enjoyed this book! I received an advance copy in return for an honest review and I regret not reading it sooner! It’s a really interesting story with a unique premise. It has some magical and mysterious elements. While there is some romance, this book was clean and had no graphic scenes. Due to trying to not spoil any of the plot, I won’t share about my favorite characters in the story but I definitely had a few that I kept wanting to read about and see more of in the storyline. Lunaria just came out on 08/20/23 and is on Kindle Unlimited.
I really enjoyed this book! I received an advance copy in return for an honest review and I regret not reading it sooner! It’s a really interesting story with a unique premise. It has some magical and mysterious elements. While there is some romance, this book was clean and had no graphic scenes. Due to trying to not spoil any of the plot, I won’t share about my favorite characters in the story but I definitely had a few that I kept wanting to read about and see more of in the storyline. Lunaria just came out on 08/20/23 and is on Kindle Unlimited.
Tropes
Fake dating
Touch her and die
He falls first
Friends to lovers
Slow burn romance
Secret / hidden identity
Forced proximity
Themes: Royalty / Friendship / Loss / Self discovery / Romance
This new YA fantasy book depicts the story of AMIRA, daughter of the Royal Merchant in the Kingdom of CREA. She lives at the Royal Training Camp among soldiers defending the kingdom from PENYTH’s attacks, the kingdom’s enemy.
Her monotonous daily life resumes of groceries shopping at the market and the same everyday’s tiring tasks at the camp. No soldiers talk to her as they are all afraid of her dad, which results to a lonely life most of the time. Except for the rare interactions during her morning run with the camp’s dog, her training session with her childhood friend Opal who also lives at the camp (as the two only women there) and when she meets an old farmer at the market every week.
One day during her usual market round, she meets a young man called Adrian. From there, starts a tender friendship between the two of them. When Adrian finds out where Amira lives and her conditions of living, he promises her he will find a way to get her out of there as soon as possible.
Prisoner of her own life, trapped in her father’s devious plan, Amira ends up taking part to The Royal Sanctioned matching at the castle where high borns are to meet and find a partner to strengthen alliances inside the kingdom of Crea.
As Amira’s has always been a bystander of her own life, will she be able to escape from her father’s clutch at the court ? Will she be able to navigate through the pretense and secrets that plays at the castle ? And finds out what secrets have been kept from her ?
Fake dating
Touch her and die
He falls first
Friends to lovers
Slow burn romance
Secret / hidden identity
Forced proximity
Themes: Royalty / Friendship / Loss / Self discovery / Romance
This new YA fantasy book depicts the story of AMIRA, daughter of the Royal Merchant in the Kingdom of CREA. She lives at the Royal Training Camp among soldiers defending the kingdom from PENYTH’s attacks, the kingdom’s enemy.
Her monotonous daily life resumes of groceries shopping at the market and the same everyday’s tiring tasks at the camp. No soldiers talk to her as they are all afraid of her dad, which results to a lonely life most of the time. Except for the rare interactions during her morning run with the camp’s dog, her training session with her childhood friend Opal who also lives at the camp (as the two only women there) and when she meets an old farmer at the market every week.
One day during her usual market round, she meets a young man called Adrian. From there, starts a tender friendship between the two of them. When Adrian finds out where Amira lives and her conditions of living, he promises her he will find a way to get her out of there as soon as possible.
Prisoner of her own life, trapped in her father’s devious plan, Amira ends up taking part to The Royal Sanctioned matching at the castle where high borns are to meet and find a partner to strengthen alliances inside the kingdom of Crea.
As Amira’s has always been a bystander of her own life, will she be able to escape from her father’s clutch at the court ? Will she be able to navigate through the pretense and secrets that plays at the castle ? And finds out what secrets have been kept from her ?