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nanothread's review
3.25
This is the sort of book where I could tell it was technically good as I was reading it—the plot threads were interwoven expertly—but it just wasn’t super entertaining for me. Probably won’t read the next one.
lqvekanej's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I genuinely wish I could put in words why I didn’t really love this book. The only characters I really cared about were Anwei and Lia, and Anwei having the same argument with Knox for 3/4 of the book was incredibly annoying. Anwei and Mateo are… siblings? Sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child death, and Medical content
ashton_reads_'s review against another edition
4.0
4.5/5 stars
Wow, this book is INCREDIBLE! It’s long as heck but totally worth it. How am I supposed to wait for the sequel?!
She Who Rides the Storm follows four individuals, who have more in common than they could know. Anwei and Knox are partners, thieves in the night with the goal to finally save enough money to leave the country. Knox is a runaway Devoted, yet he still has the power of the goddess Calsta flowing within him. Ever since his sister was murdered, her ghost has haunted his mind, waiting to strike. Anwei has a forbidden kind of magic that comes from the nameless god, and for seven years she has hunted the man who killed her brother. As a Devoted, Knox was tasked with hunting those with Anwei’s kind of magic – the Basists – but Anwei makes him question if Basists are truly bound to evil as the Warlord says.
Lia is a Devoted until she is forced to run away as well, losing Calsta’s power in the process. As she seeks out Knox for help, she encounters Mateo, an aukincer’s son, whose father arranges an ultimatum: Lia will marry Mateo in exchange for her safety. All comes back to the shapeshifter tomb recently discovered in the area, and the ancient sword said to lay at the bottom. As an excavation and a heist ensue, secrets are uncovered, the fabric of their truths unravel, and these four lives weave together in ways they could never have imagined.
I’m going to be entirely honest: I’m not sure that summary made any sense at all, or if it truly captured the essence of this book. This story is so intricately told, all the threads subtly weaving together until they’re suddenly a complex and detailed tapestry of backstories, secrets revealed, and questions answered. As I said before, this book is incredibly long – about six hundred pages – so I’ll admit, it would have been a near-impossible feat for this book to not drag a little. However, it is such a fascinating read even when it’s slow, and the world-building (while confusing at first) quickly becomes easy to understand.
The characters contribute to the complexity of this story, as well. They all have so much depth, and their conflicts (external and internal) are fleshed-out and heart-breaking; I just fell in love with all of them; even the side characters were interesting and had their own storylines influencing the novel’s entirety. There’s an extra element of the goddess Calsta interfering with human affairs, and it’s interesting how she is presented and how your perspective of her changes throughout the book.
Last but certainly not least, there’s a little romance! You know I love that
“‘I expect even gods die when you stab them in the heart.’”
Wow, this book is INCREDIBLE! It’s long as heck but totally worth it. How am I supposed to wait for the sequel?!
She Who Rides the Storm follows four individuals, who have more in common than they could know. Anwei and Knox are partners, thieves in the night with the goal to finally save enough money to leave the country. Knox is a runaway Devoted, yet he still has the power of the goddess Calsta flowing within him. Ever since his sister was murdered, her ghost has haunted his mind, waiting to strike. Anwei has a forbidden kind of magic that comes from the nameless god, and for seven years she has hunted the man who killed her brother. As a Devoted, Knox was tasked with hunting those with Anwei’s kind of magic – the Basists – but Anwei makes him question if Basists are truly bound to evil as the Warlord says.
Lia is a Devoted until she is forced to run away as well, losing Calsta’s power in the process. As she seeks out Knox for help, she encounters Mateo, an aukincer’s son, whose father arranges an ultimatum: Lia will marry Mateo in exchange for her safety. All comes back to the shapeshifter tomb recently discovered in the area, and the ancient sword said to lay at the bottom. As an excavation and a heist ensue, secrets are uncovered, the fabric of their truths unravel, and these four lives weave together in ways they could never have imagined.
I’m going to be entirely honest: I’m not sure that summary made any sense at all, or if it truly captured the essence of this book. This story is so intricately told, all the threads subtly weaving together until they’re suddenly a complex and detailed tapestry of backstories, secrets revealed, and questions answered. As I said before, this book is incredibly long – about six hundred pages – so I’ll admit, it would have been a near-impossible feat for this book to not drag a little. However, it is such a fascinating read even when it’s slow, and the world-building (while confusing at first) quickly becomes easy to understand.
The characters contribute to the complexity of this story, as well. They all have so much depth, and their conflicts (external and internal) are fleshed-out and heart-breaking; I just fell in love with all of them; even the side characters were interesting and had their own storylines influencing the novel’s entirety. There’s an extra element of the goddess Calsta interfering with human affairs, and it’s interesting how she is presented and how your perspective of her changes throughout the book.
“‘To save my sister, I have to keep my oath to love only Calsta. And every day I’m with you, I break it.’”
Last but certainly not least, there’s a little romance! You know I love that
olivia_meret's review against another edition
3.0
It starts off so good but it’s a bit too long that I lost interest somewhere along the way.
alyvia_rw's review
2.0
2.5 stars
Based on the synopsis, I thought this would be an action-packed fantasy/horror adventure through some crazy tombs, featuring an ensemble cast with a fun dynamic. What I got was…well, I don’t really know what they did for 600 pages. I spent most of it vaguely confused, and by the time things started getting interesting, it was too late for me to care.
Based on the synopsis, I thought this would be an action-packed fantasy/horror adventure through some crazy tombs, featuring an ensemble cast with a fun dynamic. What I got was…well, I don’t really know what they did for 600 pages. I spent most of it vaguely confused, and by the time things started getting interesting, it was too late for me to care.
juliejanisbooks's review
4.0
This was a high 4 star for me. An incredible, true epic fantasy that took turns I wasn't expecting! Loved the characters, the world was unique, the romance was just enough (and I look forward for more in the sequel) and the magic reminded me of a Brandon Sanderson magic system. It's also written very well. Highly recommend!
rache2_star's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
prophetofthepage's review
3.0
This is not a standalone and I was under the impression that it was, so fool me once, I guess.
Took me ages to read because I was tired and spending all my time at a friend's house. I almost DNFed a few times, but I am glad I finished it. As for reading the sequel... not sure yet. It is much too long.
For fans of There Will Come a Darkness.
Took me ages to read because I was tired and spending all my time at a friend's house. I almost DNFed a few times, but I am glad I finished it. As for reading the sequel... not sure yet. It is much too long.
For fans of There Will Come a Darkness.