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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
tense
If Six of Crows and The Atlas Six had a baby, this would be it! We have dark (Moon) and light (Sun) Incarnates. Gabriel, The Son of the Moon's magic activates at night and Zoe, the Daughter of the Sun's magic activates during the day. Within the first few chapters, we are met with a plot twist when a supposed dead heir turns up at the new Incarnates' ascension, threatening their rule.
There is magic, weapons and a fight for the throne - enough to have you turning the pages.
With LGBTQ+ rep and magic bound to the Sun and Moon, Christianson delivers a story that will have the reader devour the multiple POVs. Not only can you judge this book by its cover, but its contents deliver.
Set in a Victorian-inspired world, I would time travel to this world within the blink of an eye and join Zoe and Gabriel. Niklas is one of those characters I have a love/hate relationship with, perhaps more love than hate. I am crossing my fingers for a sequel because even though the story didn't end on a cliffhanger, I'm still wondering what new adventures lay ahead for the characters.
The character art in this book is absolutely amazing and was my favourite part of the book, the entire layout and design are aesthetically pleasing.
- The world of Verchiél
- Power struggle
- Magic bound to the Sun and Moon
- Multiple POVs
- New Adult Dark Fantasy
- Morally grey characters
- Winter solstice
I feel this book deserves more hype and that many readers would appreciate the magic system. If you enjoy fantasy this book needs to be on your TBR.
There is magic, weapons and a fight for the throne - enough to have you turning the pages.
With LGBTQ+ rep and magic bound to the Sun and Moon, Christianson delivers a story that will have the reader devour the multiple POVs. Not only can you judge this book by its cover, but its contents deliver.
Set in a Victorian-inspired world, I would time travel to this world within the blink of an eye and join Zoe and Gabriel. Niklas is one of those characters I have a love/hate relationship with, perhaps more love than hate. I am crossing my fingers for a sequel because even though the story didn't end on a cliffhanger, I'm still wondering what new adventures lay ahead for the characters.
The character art in this book is absolutely amazing and was my favourite part of the book, the entire layout and design are aesthetically pleasing.
- The world of Verchiél
- Power struggle
- Magic bound to the Sun and Moon
- Multiple POVs
- New Adult Dark Fantasy
- Morally grey characters
- Winter solstice
I feel this book deserves more hype and that many readers would appreciate the magic system. If you enjoy fantasy this book needs to be on your TBR.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Thank you so much to S.A. Christianson for reaching out to me and providing me with a physical arc copy. All opinions remain my own.
When I first read the synopsis of this tale, it came to mind something familiar of Garth Nix's Angel Mage, which, being an author I very much enjoy, I was looking forward to seeing how this story compared.
It definitely had all the buzz words/themes I loved from Angel Mage (4 characters, opposing desires, godly powers), but it was definitely its own world and I absolutely loved being able to explore it.
Part one set the scene incredibly. We got to meet all four of our main players, got to see what stakes were up for grabs and ventured into the beginning of the drama and chaos and the set up as we knew it. It was great.
Although we mainly saw the perspective of Gabriel and Zoe, I think we saw a decent amount of everyone's personalities to give an idea of how complex their character development would be going forward.
At this point, I think Gabe was my favourite. He was very saucy, with his flirtatious ways, simmering danger, and carelessly throwing caution and responsibility to the wind. I was looking forward to getting better acquainted with Zoe.
Part two introduced more depth to characters, introduction to new characters and some amazing exploration and world building. The plot thickened incredibly, became irrevocably entangled and delightful mysterious. I didn't know who to trust.
It was our chance to learn more about Niklas and Silje, and by the gods, I loathed Silje. I was really hoping we'd get some sort of redemption arc from her but... well, you'll just have to read it to see!
Part three really ramped up in pace and action. There were battles at every corner, heart-to-hearts and betrayals galore, leading to an incredible climax, and dear I say... a tinge of a cheeky cliffhanger?
The character development was astronomical and this far in the story, I thought I knew where my loyalties lie. Thought indeed...
All the queerness was just *chefs kiss*, to die for! So much lgbtqia+ representation and I was living for it. There were a few saucy romances and flings that I found myself lusting after too.
The one thing that I couldn't help pondering on from time to time is that I can't say I found it to scream Victorian-era. I personally felt like it could have been set in any historical context, as there was a lack of specific Victorian context to really set that time and place. However, I don't know an awful lot of that era, so perhaps there were subtleties in the paraphernalia of the time that just went over my head. I can't be sure.
I really hope there's more to come from this author because S.A. Christianson's debut really blew everything out of the water.
I'd highly recommend this to fantasy lovers, and even those just dipping their toes into the genre!
When I first read the synopsis of this tale, it came to mind something familiar of Garth Nix's Angel Mage, which, being an author I very much enjoy, I was looking forward to seeing how this story compared.
It definitely had all the buzz words/themes I loved from Angel Mage (4 characters, opposing desires, godly powers), but it was definitely its own world and I absolutely loved being able to explore it.
Part one set the scene incredibly. We got to meet all four of our main players, got to see what stakes were up for grabs and ventured into the beginning of the drama and chaos and the set up as we knew it. It was great.
Although we mainly saw the perspective of Gabriel and Zoe, I think we saw a decent amount of everyone's personalities to give an idea of how complex their character development would be going forward.
At this point, I think Gabe was my favourite. He was very saucy, with his flirtatious ways, simmering danger, and carelessly throwing caution and responsibility to the wind. I was looking forward to getting better acquainted with Zoe.
Part two introduced more depth to characters, introduction to new characters and some amazing exploration and world building. The plot thickened incredibly, became irrevocably entangled and delightful mysterious. I didn't know who to trust.
It was our chance to learn more about Niklas and Silje, and by the gods, I loathed Silje. I was really hoping we'd get some sort of redemption arc from her but... well, you'll just have to read it to see!
Part three really ramped up in pace and action. There were battles at every corner, heart-to-hearts and betrayals galore, leading to an incredible climax, and dear I say... a tinge of a cheeky cliffhanger?
The character development was astronomical and this far in the story, I thought I knew where my loyalties lie. Thought indeed...
All the queerness was just *chefs kiss*, to die for! So much lgbtqia+ representation and I was living for it. There were a few saucy romances and flings that I found myself lusting after too.
The one thing that I couldn't help pondering on from time to time is that I can't say I found it to scream Victorian-era. I personally felt like it could have been set in any historical context, as there was a lack of specific Victorian context to really set that time and place. However, I don't know an awful lot of that era, so perhaps there were subtleties in the paraphernalia of the time that just went over my head. I can't be sure.
I really hope there's more to come from this author because S.A. Christianson's debut really blew everything out of the water.
I'd highly recommend this to fantasy lovers, and even those just dipping their toes into the genre!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia, Violence, Xenophobia
Thank you @bookinfluencerscom and @sa_christianson for a copy of this book! ♥️
First of all, let's talk about how freaking gorgeous this cover is! The intricate design all over the book and even the art work inside of it is breathtaking
First of all, let's talk about how freaking gorgeous this cover is! The intricate design all over the book and even the art work inside of it is breathtaking
I got sent a copy of this book in return for an honest review
first the negative stuff: mostly that's just that one of the 4 pov characters didn't really feel necessary as a pov character because they were's as connected to the central themes and plots of the other 3
in terms of "neutral" things: This book I think is for a very specific audience. The plot and worldbuilding are both very straight forward without being boring, which makes this ideal for beginner fantasy readers, but might get a bit too well known in terms of structure for more senior fantasy fans.
in terms of what i liked most it was definitely characters and worldbuilding.
Worldbuilding: the magic system was rather soft but with the oversaturation of "science type" magic systems i have come to realise that softer systems really make me enjoy the whimsy of fantasy more sometimes. I also really loved the casual diversity of the worldbuilding.
Characters: I thought all characters had really strong personalities and motivations although I have to say it was really the villain i enjoyed the most!
first the negative stuff: mostly that's just that one of the 4 pov characters didn't really feel necessary as a pov character because they were's as connected to the central themes and plots of the other 3
in terms of "neutral" things: This book I think is for a very specific audience. The plot and worldbuilding are both very straight forward without being boring, which makes this ideal for beginner fantasy readers, but might get a bit too well known in terms of structure for more senior fantasy fans.
in terms of what i liked most it was definitely characters and worldbuilding.
Worldbuilding: the magic system was rather soft but with the oversaturation of "science type" magic systems i have come to realise that softer systems really make me enjoy the whimsy of fantasy more sometimes. I also really loved the casual diversity of the worldbuilding.
Characters: I thought all characters had really strong personalities and motivations although I have to say it was really the villain i enjoyed the most!
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
This was such a gripping start to a new adult fantasy. The worldbuilding and unique magic system were amazing, and I greatly appreciated the diverse and intriguing cast of characters with their grey morality. Along with a range of other representations throughout the book, these characters were well-written and endearing.
This is a strong political and queer fantasy that has a range of different magical aspects. The representation of the LBGT community is not only of sexual orientation but also of gender identity, and I found it well written
This is a strong political and queer fantasy that has a range of different magical aspects. The representation of the LBGT community is not only of sexual orientation but also of gender identity, and I found it well written
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Thank you Book Influencers and the author for a gifted copy of An Incarnation of Shadow and Light! All opinions in this review are my own.
I devoured this book in three days. I was instantly pulled into this struggle for power from the opening chapters so that the more I learned about the characters, the more I had to find out who would win. I love how expertly the first two characters were introduced so by the time you had met all of the main characters, you had no idea who you should root for and who to believe.
Typically, fantasy books take me longer to read, especially if they are introducing a completely new world, but I'm surprised how quickly I was able to read Incarnation. I attribute that to how evenly the world building takes place. There is no major info dump in the beginning of the book making it difficult to get into in the beginning. I liked learning more about the magic system with the more I read instead of having to constantly flip back to the beginning where the explanation typically is.
While An Incarnation of Shadow and Light finishes with a satisfying ending, there is definitely room for more stories in this world. I can't wait to read them!
I devoured this book in three days. I was instantly pulled into this struggle for power from the opening chapters so that the more I learned about the characters, the more I had to find out who would win. I love how expertly the first two characters were introduced so by the time you had met all of the main characters, you had no idea who you should root for and who to believe.
Typically, fantasy books take me longer to read, especially if they are introducing a completely new world, but I'm surprised how quickly I was able to read Incarnation. I attribute that to how evenly the world building takes place. There is no major info dump in the beginning of the book making it difficult to get into in the beginning. I liked learning more about the magic system with the more I read instead of having to constantly flip back to the beginning where the explanation typically is.
While An Incarnation of Shadow and Light finishes with a satisfying ending, there is definitely room for more stories in this world. I can't wait to read them!
An Incarnation of Shadow and Light pulled me in from the first page, and I was so invested in the story that I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. The story is very fast paced and has multiple POVs, which added to me not being able to put the book down! This book has a unique magic system and great world building that I really enjoyed. The story reminded me a lot of A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab, which is one of my favorite books.
I do wish there had been a little more character growth in the story for some characters, especially Gabriel. I also felt like the ending was a little rushed, but it still wrapped the story up nicely.
Overall, I really liked this story and think it's a fantastic debut novel. The ending of the story seemed like the author left it open for a possible sequel and I would love to read a second book in this series!
Thank you to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I do wish there had been a little more character growth in the story for some characters, especially Gabriel. I also felt like the ending was a little rushed, but it still wrapped the story up nicely.
Overall, I really liked this story and think it's a fantastic debut novel. The ending of the story seemed like the author left it open for a possible sequel and I would love to read a second book in this series!
Thank you to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
fast-paced