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brittanica_bold's review
4.0
Big thank you to Hayley Reese Chow for reaching out to me and providing me with a copy of this book! The opinions expressed below are voluntary and my own.
Before we hop to my review for this first novella in the series, here’s a link to my review of book 1: Odriel’s Heirs.
What I liked about the book:
1. I loved how easily this picked up from book 1. The story takes place one year after the events in book 1 and picks up with Kaia and Klaus still off doing their heir thing fighting bad guys and staying on the move. I also liked how this story continued Kaia’s and Klaus’s dynamic of equally saving each other. Hayley Reese Chow does a great job not succumbing Kaia to the damsel in distress role in these books and really showing it’s an equal partnership between the heirs.
2. I loved how confident Kaia is in this one! You can totally see her growth and confidence that she worked so hard to find in book 1 have definitely flourished! She is more sure of herself and her abilities, as well as her ability to ultimately make the right decision, even if it means some tough choices with consequences.
Klaus was just as fun and flirty as always, which was great to revisit. I liked seeing him get a bit territorial with her when they ran into his childhood frenemy Madoc and seeing how their relationship had developed as well. It made him that much more YA dreamy!
I also liked Madoc with his rogue charm and his history with Klaus. It was a fun to hear more about Klaus from Madoc’s point of view and I wish we had even more background into their years together.
3. I like how this set the stage for the ongoing books, showing there is another necromancer out there that others will have to deal with. I won’t ruin any details here, but just know that the storyline continues and the plot has thickened!
4. This was the perfect amount of action, new plot development, and page count for a novella. I could not put it down and was able to finish it in about an hour or two.
What could have been better:
1. I know this is the last book really dedicated to Kaia and Klaus, so I’m sad to see that we didn’t get a whole lot more into Klaus’s backstory. We did get to know some, but it wasn’t earthshattering stuff, it was more fun anecdotes. Alas, I will never truly know Klaus.
Final Thoughts: Such a fun addition to the series!
Final Rating: 4.25 stars
Before we hop to my review for this first novella in the series, here’s a link to my review of book 1: Odriel’s Heirs.
What I liked about the book:
1. I loved how easily this picked up from book 1. The story takes place one year after the events in book 1 and picks up with Kaia and Klaus still off doing their heir thing fighting bad guys and staying on the move. I also liked how this story continued Kaia’s and Klaus’s dynamic of equally saving each other. Hayley Reese Chow does a great job not succumbing Kaia to the damsel in distress role in these books and really showing it’s an equal partnership between the heirs.
2. I loved how confident Kaia is in this one! You can totally see her growth and confidence that she worked so hard to find in book 1 have definitely flourished! She is more sure of herself and her abilities, as well as her ability to ultimately make the right decision, even if it means some tough choices with consequences.
Klaus was just as fun and flirty as always, which was great to revisit. I liked seeing him get a bit territorial with her when they ran into his childhood frenemy Madoc and seeing how their relationship had developed as well. It made him that much more YA dreamy!
I also liked Madoc with his rogue charm and his history with Klaus. It was a fun to hear more about Klaus from Madoc’s point of view and I wish we had even more background into their years together.
3. I like how this set the stage for the ongoing books, showing there is another necromancer out there that others will have to deal with. I won’t ruin any details here, but just know that the storyline continues and the plot has thickened!
4. This was the perfect amount of action, new plot development, and page count for a novella. I could not put it down and was able to finish it in about an hour or two.
What could have been better:
1. I know this is the last book really dedicated to Kaia and Klaus, so I’m sad to see that we didn’t get a whole lot more into Klaus’s backstory. We did get to know some, but it wasn’t earthshattering stuff, it was more fun anecdotes. Alas, I will never truly know Klaus.
Final Thoughts: Such a fun addition to the series!
Final Rating: 4.25 stars
wasauthor's review
5.0
I received an advance reader copy of Burning Shadows for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
By virtue of their length, novellas can't pack in as much story as a full novel, and they are far too long for a short story. All too often, authors try to cram too much into one, or use the format to pad out a short story’s worth of content. Burning Shadows avoids all these issues.
Burning Shadows fills an interesting place in the Odriel's Heirs series. Rather than a prequel, or spin-off looking at another place in the world, it continues the characters' story from the last book, but doesn’t act as a full sequel. It’s a subsequent adventure about Dragon Heir, Kaia and Shadow Heir, Klaus. For anyone who enjoyed the original book, coming back to these characters is wonderful.
Although it is set during the aftermath of that first book, reading this first will explain how the first book ended—partly thanks to a wonderful refresher included at the beginning of the book—but it serves as a great introduction to the world for anyone wanting to test the waters with a short read before fully diving in.
The author has used the space to tell a rollicking adventure. The story moves along at a swift pace, packing in plenty of twists and turns, as well as a number of action set pieces.
Kaia and Klaus are exactly as readers remember them. Kaia is now nineteen, two years older than she was through the majority of the original book. While Burning Shadows lacks the character growth of the original book, seeing her at the top of her game, full of the confidence she earned during it, is a joy. Klaus is as enjoyable as ever and works as a wonderful partner to the story’s hero. The interplay between them is wonderful, and Klaus’ childhood frenemy Madoc adds further entertainment.
The characters’ experience and comfort with one another has resulted in more of a freewheeling attitude with each other. A result of this is the dialogue popping more than it does in the original novel. While the characters have always sounded unique, they sound more distinct from one another this time.
Dialogue isn’t the only area where the words feel different to the original Odriel’s Heirs; the prose also feels different. The words in that book conveyed a true sense of beauty, full of metaphors, written in a poetic style. While there is no mistaking Burning Shadows’ prose is written by the same author, it is less laden with metaphorical imagery, and instead feels simpler. While I didn’t find myself as lost in its, it's still beautifully inviting. The prose feels like more of a storybook, presenting a timeless feel that captures its own sense of beauty. As a YA book, I think this prose will work better for its younger readers.
The author presents a vivid look at Okarria and those who inhabit it. The world isn’t presented with as much complexity as in the original novel which is to be expected given its reduced format and smaller scale story.
A smaller book than the original Odriel’s Heirs in size and scope, Burning Shadows uses the format to its advantage. Reintroducing readers to the major players and a wonderful world, it fires on all cylinders. Readers already acquainted with Okarria will love what the book adds, and new readers will love this introduction.
My full review will be available on my website from 10 February 2023. To read it, my reviews for the other books in the Odriel's Heirs series, and a host of other reviews, click here.
By virtue of their length, novellas can't pack in as much story as a full novel, and they are far too long for a short story. All too often, authors try to cram too much into one, or use the format to pad out a short story’s worth of content. Burning Shadows avoids all these issues.
Burning Shadows fills an interesting place in the Odriel's Heirs series. Rather than a prequel, or spin-off looking at another place in the world, it continues the characters' story from the last book, but doesn’t act as a full sequel. It’s a subsequent adventure about Dragon Heir, Kaia and Shadow Heir, Klaus. For anyone who enjoyed the original book, coming back to these characters is wonderful.
Although it is set during the aftermath of that first book, reading this first will explain how the first book ended—partly thanks to a wonderful refresher included at the beginning of the book—but it serves as a great introduction to the world for anyone wanting to test the waters with a short read before fully diving in.
The author has used the space to tell a rollicking adventure. The story moves along at a swift pace, packing in plenty of twists and turns, as well as a number of action set pieces.
Kaia and Klaus are exactly as readers remember them. Kaia is now nineteen, two years older than she was through the majority of the original book. While Burning Shadows lacks the character growth of the original book, seeing her at the top of her game, full of the confidence she earned during it, is a joy. Klaus is as enjoyable as ever and works as a wonderful partner to the story’s hero. The interplay between them is wonderful, and Klaus’ childhood frenemy Madoc adds further entertainment.
The characters’ experience and comfort with one another has resulted in more of a freewheeling attitude with each other. A result of this is the dialogue popping more than it does in the original novel. While the characters have always sounded unique, they sound more distinct from one another this time.
Dialogue isn’t the only area where the words feel different to the original Odriel’s Heirs; the prose also feels different. The words in that book conveyed a true sense of beauty, full of metaphors, written in a poetic style. While there is no mistaking Burning Shadows’ prose is written by the same author, it is less laden with metaphorical imagery, and instead feels simpler. While I didn’t find myself as lost in its, it's still beautifully inviting. The prose feels like more of a storybook, presenting a timeless feel that captures its own sense of beauty. As a YA book, I think this prose will work better for its younger readers.
The author presents a vivid look at Okarria and those who inhabit it. The world isn’t presented with as much complexity as in the original novel which is to be expected given its reduced format and smaller scale story.
A smaller book than the original Odriel’s Heirs in size and scope, Burning Shadows uses the format to its advantage. Reintroducing readers to the major players and a wonderful world, it fires on all cylinders. Readers already acquainted with Okarria will love what the book adds, and new readers will love this introduction.
My full review will be available on my website from 10 February 2023. To read it, my reviews for the other books in the Odriel's Heirs series, and a host of other reviews, click here.
rae_shutupandbookup's review
5.0
First and foremost, this novella is in between books one and two of the series! The books go in order and so potential spoilers ahead!
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"It could've been the tranquility of peace, if the taste of ash didn't thicken the morning breeze." - Kaia
After the great battle that has left The Lost scattered, Kaia and Klaus have been tracking them down. Both Heirs wanting to ensure the realm is safe and free from the undead! Their journey leading them to the West where they find evidence of things, they weren't prepared for. . .
The Lost aren't the only beings that can be dangerous and deadly. Kaia will have to face hard decisions and grow up a little more. Realizing that things aren't always black and white, she will have to make choices that may toe the line of morally correct.
"We're all monsters on the battlefield." - Madoc
I really loved the refresher at the beginning of the book! Listing characters and brief descriptions of what they went through in book one. We also get spoiled with a map at the start of the novella as well as a list of words specific to this world!
Kaia's still trying to get used to her new status, no one looking at her like she's a monster. Instead, seeing her as someone to respect and stand beside when situations get tough. She's also getting used to Klaus again and being a couple with him! But she's struggling with determining what's the right course of action when it comes to her Dragon's Fire.
She has rules and morals surrounding her abilities but when faced with deadlier foes what's the correct choice? I love that we are still experiencing her coming of age arc and I really want to see who she will become by the end of the series!
Klaus is still his carefree slightly cocky self and runs into an old "friend" who has no problem telling Kaia all the fine details of their history together. Klaus trying his best to not let the stories come to light! Klaus as we know isn't the smartest when it comes to his actions and it's even more prominent when he was younger. . .
I loved the dynamic between the two leads and how they are playful with one another. The humor in this short read was fantastic! My favorite character introduced in this book would have to be Madoc! I was chuckling so much and enjoying his personality. I also appreciated the challenges he presented to the Heirs and little drops of wisdom he gifted.
The enemy of the book is an interesting and extremely brutal/bloodthirsty one. They do believe in cannibalism and our FMC sees an example of it. The scene is very brief, and nothing detailed out, but some may be a little squeamish about the idea of it all. There are fight scenes, bloodshed, and violence in the book along with some slight gore. The main FMC uses fire magic and so there are some depictions of her power and the aftermath.
This is a YA series and the most that happens between the love interests is passionate kissing! The only POV we have is Kaia's and it is in third person, so we get to see a larger scope of things surrounding her. I also didn't pick up on any language and if there is then it's mild! The book does leave off on a little bit of a cliffhanger so as to entice you to continue reading the series!
I cannot wait to read more and see what comes about in book two! Do enjoy the YA fantasy with romance and coming of age arcs. Don't forget to give the author some stars!
shutupandbookup.com
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"It could've been the tranquility of peace, if the taste of ash didn't thicken the morning breeze." - Kaia
After the great battle that has left The Lost scattered, Kaia and Klaus have been tracking them down. Both Heirs wanting to ensure the realm is safe and free from the undead! Their journey leading them to the West where they find evidence of things, they weren't prepared for. . .
The Lost aren't the only beings that can be dangerous and deadly. Kaia will have to face hard decisions and grow up a little more. Realizing that things aren't always black and white, she will have to make choices that may toe the line of morally correct.
"We're all monsters on the battlefield." - Madoc
I really loved the refresher at the beginning of the book! Listing characters and brief descriptions of what they went through in book one. We also get spoiled with a map at the start of the novella as well as a list of words specific to this world!
Kaia's still trying to get used to her new status, no one looking at her like she's a monster. Instead, seeing her as someone to respect and stand beside when situations get tough. She's also getting used to Klaus again and being a couple with him! But she's struggling with determining what's the right course of action when it comes to her Dragon's Fire.
She has rules and morals surrounding her abilities but when faced with deadlier foes what's the correct choice? I love that we are still experiencing her coming of age arc and I really want to see who she will become by the end of the series!
Klaus is still his carefree slightly cocky self and runs into an old "friend" who has no problem telling Kaia all the fine details of their history together. Klaus trying his best to not let the stories come to light! Klaus as we know isn't the smartest when it comes to his actions and it's even more prominent when he was younger. . .
I loved the dynamic between the two leads and how they are playful with one another. The humor in this short read was fantastic! My favorite character introduced in this book would have to be Madoc! I was chuckling so much and enjoying his personality. I also appreciated the challenges he presented to the Heirs and little drops of wisdom he gifted.
The enemy of the book is an interesting and extremely brutal/bloodthirsty one. They do believe in cannibalism and our FMC sees an example of it. The scene is very brief, and nothing detailed out, but some may be a little squeamish about the idea of it all. There are fight scenes, bloodshed, and violence in the book along with some slight gore. The main FMC uses fire magic and so there are some depictions of her power and the aftermath.
This is a YA series and the most that happens between the love interests is passionate kissing! The only POV we have is Kaia's and it is in third person, so we get to see a larger scope of things surrounding her. I also didn't pick up on any language and if there is then it's mild! The book does leave off on a little bit of a cliffhanger so as to entice you to continue reading the series!
I cannot wait to read more and see what comes about in book two! Do enjoy the YA fantasy with romance and coming of age arcs. Don't forget to give the author some stars!
shutupandbookup.com
facebehindabook's review against another edition
5.0
This book was a great way to fill the gaps of knowledge between Odriels heirs and Idriels children. It was also a nice way to round off the story of the parents before learning about the children, it shows how even after their great battle there is still someone out there who the next generation have to deal with after the peace they so hard worked for crumbles and why they are still training in the next books
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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