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ashleynestlermsw's review against another edition
5.0
Quick Take
Odriel's Heirs by Hayley Reese Chow is a captivating fantasy adventure filled with a storm of female power and breath-taking world-building.
Tell Me More
Odriel's Heirs is one of those rare novels that you read once maybe every ten years or so and can't get it out of your head. Hayley Reese Chow's writing provided me with an emotional catharsis for experiencing and releasing passion, rage, and excitement, and I am changed after reading her astonishing novel.
Our story begins with Kaia - the Dragon Heir and our protagonist - who has inherited the power of the flame to protect her people from the necromancer's undead army. Unfortunately, the necromancer is now a thing of legend, and Kaia is outcast because others fear her power. Kaia is forced to manage her gifts on her own while living remotely until the undead begins to terrorize her people once again, and her powers are needed so she joins the battle.
There is some ambiguity when it comes to interpreting Kaia's circumstance, but I found it interesting how she was feared because of her power and outcast; however, as soon as her powers were needed, she was "useful" for once. Kaia's situation echoes some of the dilemmas facing modern women (such as others being intimidated by a woman's talents and successes) and I found the ideology of feminism to be present throughout the novel. I am a sucker for kick-ass female protagonists, and Kaia is the epitome of a world-rocking female. Rather than taking on fighting the undead herself, Kaia teams up with the Shadow Heir - her rival - to embrace her power and bring justice back to their land and protect the people she loves. Kaia is powerful while keeping her sights on protecting others and using her powers for the good of all. She is a wildly complex character, and I simply fell in love with her.
But there is a reason behind why Kaia's story is so powerful, and that is Chow's writing style. Her writing blew me away. I found her world-building technique to be flawless and without wordiness that can often be present in high fantasy novels. I floated away on her charming words and I was fully absorbed by the third page of the novel - a record for me. Odriel's Heirs filled all of my fantasy dreams, and I look forward to reading more of Chow's work.
If you are a fan of high fantasy and strong female protagonists, then you are going to adore Odriel's Heirs! It is a book that will stick with me for a very long time, and I am so grateful to the author for allowing me the chance to enter her awe-inspiring, richly imagined world. I didn't want to give away too much of the story, so go pick up a copy and find out for yourself what happens! You will be glad you did.
Odriel's Heirs by Hayley Reese Chow is a captivating fantasy adventure filled with a storm of female power and breath-taking world-building.
Tell Me More
Odriel's Heirs is one of those rare novels that you read once maybe every ten years or so and can't get it out of your head. Hayley Reese Chow's writing provided me with an emotional catharsis for experiencing and releasing passion, rage, and excitement, and I am changed after reading her astonishing novel.
Our story begins with Kaia - the Dragon Heir and our protagonist - who has inherited the power of the flame to protect her people from the necromancer's undead army. Unfortunately, the necromancer is now a thing of legend, and Kaia is outcast because others fear her power. Kaia is forced to manage her gifts on her own while living remotely until the undead begins to terrorize her people once again, and her powers are needed so she joins the battle.
There is some ambiguity when it comes to interpreting Kaia's circumstance, but I found it interesting how she was feared because of her power and outcast; however, as soon as her powers were needed, she was "useful" for once. Kaia's situation echoes some of the dilemmas facing modern women (such as others being intimidated by a woman's talents and successes) and I found the ideology of feminism to be present throughout the novel. I am a sucker for kick-ass female protagonists, and Kaia is the epitome of a world-rocking female. Rather than taking on fighting the undead herself, Kaia teams up with the Shadow Heir - her rival - to embrace her power and bring justice back to their land and protect the people she loves. Kaia is powerful while keeping her sights on protecting others and using her powers for the good of all. She is a wildly complex character, and I simply fell in love with her.
But there is a reason behind why Kaia's story is so powerful, and that is Chow's writing style. Her writing blew me away. I found her world-building technique to be flawless and without wordiness that can often be present in high fantasy novels. I floated away on her charming words and I was fully absorbed by the third page of the novel - a record for me. Odriel's Heirs filled all of my fantasy dreams, and I look forward to reading more of Chow's work.
If you are a fan of high fantasy and strong female protagonists, then you are going to adore Odriel's Heirs! It is a book that will stick with me for a very long time, and I am so grateful to the author for allowing me the chance to enter her awe-inspiring, richly imagined world. I didn't want to give away too much of the story, so go pick up a copy and find out for yourself what happens! You will be glad you did.
bamjam's review against another edition
3.0
TW: violence, blood, mild gore, death of a child (not depicted), body horror, suicide, use of torture (not depicted), blood
Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy of this book from the author. Thank you to Hayley Reese Chow for the opportunity to provide an honest review.
Ms. Chow reached out to me with a copy of her novel, and because the premise promises a fun fantasy adventure, I jumped at the chance to give it a try.
What I Liked
-This book gives me such Sabriel vibes in the way the story structured and especially with the animal companions. It's a good ol' fashioned fantasy story, with a plot contained between the pages, with awesome battle scenes, but also with the promise of further evil on the horizon. I like to take breaks from serial fantasy series every once and awhile.
-Kaia may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but she doesn't let anyone take her agency from her and she's brash enough to keep trying to prove herself, even when those around her are losing hope. She isn't infallible, and her well-founded fears could certainly take over her thoughts and actions, but she's a hero you can easily root for! I hope she'll have the space to deal with the trauma she's faced; it sucked to watch her try to pretend she was fine in front of her allies.
-I definitely was hardcore shipping Kaia and Klaus! He was so tender with her and their rivalry admits chaos was light-hearted considering everything that was happened. They're a predictable couple but their romance didn't detract from the actual plot thankfully. I just wish their first kiss wasn’t literally before a battle because I hate the “first kiss intended to be the last kiss” trope. Just kiss when you're both safe and alive!
-The secondary characters were sweet but not really interesting. Dorinas was my favourite, though, 'cause I'm just a sucker for grumpy characters.
What I Didn't Like
-I often found myself a little confused by the world-building and by the different creatures that share the land with humans. A lot was thrown at you throughout the novel and I was just playing catch up.
-There were also pieces of the plot (ex., Odriel's Tooth) that felt like they were dropped in to overcome an obstacle. I would have preferred the characters to look at what they had and come up with a clever solution.
-The pacing could be off at times, where some parts moved a little too fast and some parts slowed down considerably.
-I was surprised by the early death of one of the smaller villains. I thought he'd be around longer. The pay off didn't really fit the build up of his character.
Conclusion
This book delivered on the promise of a fun fantasy that balanced the dark with the light. I'm glad I was given a chance to get an early glimpse!
My Rating: 3.5/5
Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy of this book from the author. Thank you to Hayley Reese Chow for the opportunity to provide an honest review.
Ms. Chow reached out to me with a copy of her novel, and because the premise promises a fun fantasy adventure, I jumped at the chance to give it a try.
What I Liked
-This book gives me such Sabriel vibes in the way the story structured and especially with the animal companions. It's a good ol' fashioned fantasy story, with a plot contained between the pages, with awesome battle scenes, but also with the promise of further evil on the horizon. I like to take breaks from serial fantasy series every once and awhile.
-Kaia may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but she doesn't let anyone take her agency from her and she's brash enough to keep trying to prove herself, even when those around her are losing hope. She isn't infallible, and her well-founded fears could certainly take over her thoughts and actions, but she's a hero you can easily root for! I hope she'll have the space to deal with the trauma she's faced; it sucked to watch her try to pretend she was fine in front of her allies.
-I definitely was hardcore shipping Kaia and Klaus! He was so tender with her and their rivalry admits chaos was light-hearted considering everything that was happened. They're a predictable couple but their romance didn't detract from the actual plot thankfully. I just wish their first kiss wasn’t literally before a battle because I hate the “first kiss intended to be the last kiss” trope. Just kiss when you're both safe and alive!
-The secondary characters were sweet but not really interesting. Dorinas was my favourite, though, 'cause I'm just a sucker for grumpy characters.
What I Didn't Like
-I often found myself a little confused by the world-building and by the different creatures that share the land with humans. A lot was thrown at you throughout the novel and I was just playing catch up.
-There were also pieces of the plot (ex., Odriel's Tooth) that felt like they were dropped in to overcome an obstacle. I would have preferred the characters to look at what they had and come up with a clever solution.
-The pacing could be off at times, where some parts moved a little too fast and some parts slowed down considerably.
-I was surprised by the early death of one of the smaller villains. I thought he'd be around longer. The pay off didn't really fit the build up of his character.
Conclusion
This book delivered on the promise of a fun fantasy that balanced the dark with the light. I'm glad I was given a chance to get an early glimpse!
My Rating: 3.5/5
brhillmann's review against another edition
5.0
Sometimes I give five stars because I can’t find any reason not to, but this time I did because I cannot give more.
Chow’s world building is exquisite, with influences deftly woven into a tapestry all her own. The prose is often poetic, striking that perfect balance of just enough description to keep the setting vivid but also not painting every detail for me.
Some of the fight scenes stalled for me, but I think it’s a personal preference, and no condition of Chow’s skill.
What a story she’s set into motion, and I’m eager to see where she takes it next.
Chow’s world building is exquisite, with influences deftly woven into a tapestry all her own. The prose is often poetic, striking that perfect balance of just enough description to keep the setting vivid but also not painting every detail for me.
Some of the fight scenes stalled for me, but I think it’s a personal preference, and no condition of Chow’s skill.
What a story she’s set into motion, and I’m eager to see where she takes it next.
bridgets_books's review against another edition
5.0
While I am reviewing Odriel’s Heirs as part of the 2021 BBNYA Finalist Tour, the book has been on my radar for quite a while. I adored The Gatekeeper of Pericael by Hayley Reese Chow, which I reviewed earlier. So I was prepared to enjoy this book as well.
Wrong! I was blown away by Odriel’s Heirs! The story captured my heart from the opening pages. The Dragon Heir is so very relatable with her fears and doubts. Not every magical being settles into their life as a protector with ease. Kaia’s struggles to overcome all obstacles in her path enveloped me. I longed to ease her way.
Gus, Kaia’s ragehound, stole my heart. I adore a faithful dog companion and Gus more than filled the role. I’ve had dogs in the past that spoke to me in my heart the way Gus does with Kaia. He’s an amazingly well-written character.
Klaus took me a bit longer to warm up to. I spent the first half of the book entirely unsure of how I felt about him. But in true epic fantasy fashion, he redeemed himself in my eyes.
While these were my favorite characters in the book, everyone involved in this tale played their role to perfection. Evil and good, each character is fully-defined and well-written. Whether it’s Shad the talking cat, Everard the magus, Dorinar the reluctant, Fiola the healer, or Mogens the monster, each character adds so many dimensions to the story.
The author built a fantastic world for her story to take place. I lived every scene as if I were right there watching from the sidelines. There are layers that need to be peeled away like an onion to reveal the ultimate goal of this adventurous tale.
If you are looking for an epic adventure story set in a wondrous fantasy world, Odriel’s Heirs is perfect for you. It’s easy to see how it earned a place in the final round of the competition.
As a quick final note, Idriel’s Children, book two of the series, is already published and awaiting you to continue the adventures.
I received a copy of the book for the BBNYA competition.. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
Wrong! I was blown away by Odriel’s Heirs! The story captured my heart from the opening pages. The Dragon Heir is so very relatable with her fears and doubts. Not every magical being settles into their life as a protector with ease. Kaia’s struggles to overcome all obstacles in her path enveloped me. I longed to ease her way.
Gus, Kaia’s ragehound, stole my heart. I adore a faithful dog companion and Gus more than filled the role. I’ve had dogs in the past that spoke to me in my heart the way Gus does with Kaia. He’s an amazingly well-written character.
Klaus took me a bit longer to warm up to. I spent the first half of the book entirely unsure of how I felt about him. But in true epic fantasy fashion, he redeemed himself in my eyes.
While these were my favorite characters in the book, everyone involved in this tale played their role to perfection. Evil and good, each character is fully-defined and well-written. Whether it’s Shad the talking cat, Everard the magus, Dorinar the reluctant, Fiola the healer, or Mogens the monster, each character adds so many dimensions to the story.
The author built a fantastic world for her story to take place. I lived every scene as if I were right there watching from the sidelines. There are layers that need to be peeled away like an onion to reveal the ultimate goal of this adventurous tale.
If you are looking for an epic adventure story set in a wondrous fantasy world, Odriel’s Heirs is perfect for you. It’s easy to see how it earned a place in the final round of the competition.
As a quick final note, Idriel’s Children, book two of the series, is already published and awaiting you to continue the adventures.
I received a copy of the book for the BBNYA competition.. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
paperbacktohardback's review against another edition
4.0
Despite having read this book last when it comes to this series and having an idea of what happens already, I loved every second of Kaia and Klaus's journey, I loved Kaia's development through the story, turning from a seventeen year old girl into the fabled Dragon Heir.
msbookworld's review against another edition
4.0
I found this to be a good coming of age story. I could sympathize with Kaia's insecurities and enjoyed reading about how she came into her own power. I'm also a sucker for love interests named Klaus and liked watching their relationship develop from bickering rivalry to true romance. There are definitely a lot of sweet moments between these two towards the end of the book.
Lastly, the animal companions really held my heart here. Shad the snarky cat had some of the best lines in the book. And Gus was such a sweet animal guardian for Kaia, really living up to being man's best friend.
I did feel that there was something missing in terms of world building here. Significant backstory regarding this world's history is nowhere to be found. I felt like a prequel of some kind would have been helpful to me as the reader to understand how some characters were connected and what was happening in this world at large.
Overall, I felt like this is a good coming of age story that fans of YA fantasy would enjoy.
Lastly, the animal companions really held my heart here. Shad the snarky cat had some of the best lines in the book. And Gus was such a sweet animal guardian for Kaia, really living up to being man's best friend.
I did feel that there was something missing in terms of world building here. Significant backstory regarding this world's history is nowhere to be found. I felt like a prequel of some kind would have been helpful to me as the reader to understand how some characters were connected and what was happening in this world at large.
Overall, I felt like this is a good coming of age story that fans of YA fantasy would enjoy.
kerrimcbooknerd's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
4.0
This was a quick and engaging read that had me wrapped up in the world! I loved the world building, though I could have done with a touch more lore. I do love lore, though. I also loved the characters, especially Kaia! She was nuanced and compelling and it was very easy to feel empathy for her. She’s just so relatable!
stephbookshine's review against another edition
4.0
*I received a free copy of this book, with thanks to the author. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Odriel’s Heirs is a solid fantasy adventure, for young adults upwards, full of battles, magic and romance.
17-year-old Kaia is the underappreciated Dragon Heir, who must stand with the Time Heir (kind, gentle Jago) and the Shadow Heir (difficult, prickly Klaus) and use their combined powers to hold back the undead forces of the Lost (basically, zombies). Roles that were once lauded are now despised, and Kaia must try to learn how to handle her powers and fight her battles, while facing the distrust and dislike of the very people she has sworn to protect.
Combining a coming-of-age journey for the main heroine, with some romance and some action, and some very endearing animal companions (talking cat/spy Shad and rage-hound Gus), this is a well-written exploration of the juxtapositions between fire and shadows, death and life, good and evil, light and dark. Kaia and Klaus must conquer their inner demons of fear, doubt, guilt, anger and grief, and the external demons conjured by the evil necromancer.
I took a little time to warm to both Kaia and Klaus, as they are very authentic teenagers, with all the inherent difficulties in attitude, stubbornness and argumentativeness. However, they do grow and develop as the events of the story test them, and they both won me over before too long. Other characters had my heart from the beginning – twice I cried real tears over that dog!
This is an engaging and exciting fantasy read, with a bit of everything, well-written and nicely-paced. I’m looking forward to the next book to find out what happens next for the Heirs.
'An inhuman screech pierced through the air, followed by another, and another. As one, the family pivoted toward the cries. The sound froze Kaia’s already scattered thoughts and a spike of panicked adrenaline shot through her limbs. For a brief, tense moment, the clamor of the festival fell silent.
“It can’t be,” Kaia’s mother whispered. “Not this far north already.”
And in that moment, Kaia knew the Lost had arrived in Arimoke.'
– Hayley Reese Chow, Odriel’s Heirs
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2021/02/08/odriels-heirs-hayley-reese-chow/
Odriel’s Heirs is a solid fantasy adventure, for young adults upwards, full of battles, magic and romance.
17-year-old Kaia is the underappreciated Dragon Heir, who must stand with the Time Heir (kind, gentle Jago) and the Shadow Heir (difficult, prickly Klaus) and use their combined powers to hold back the undead forces of the Lost (basically, zombies). Roles that were once lauded are now despised, and Kaia must try to learn how to handle her powers and fight her battles, while facing the distrust and dislike of the very people she has sworn to protect.
Combining a coming-of-age journey for the main heroine, with some romance and some action, and some very endearing animal companions (talking cat/spy Shad and rage-hound Gus), this is a well-written exploration of the juxtapositions between fire and shadows, death and life, good and evil, light and dark. Kaia and Klaus must conquer their inner demons of fear, doubt, guilt, anger and grief, and the external demons conjured by the evil necromancer.
I took a little time to warm to both Kaia and Klaus, as they are very authentic teenagers, with all the inherent difficulties in attitude, stubbornness and argumentativeness. However, they do grow and develop as the events of the story test them, and they both won me over before too long. Other characters had my heart from the beginning – twice I cried real tears over that dog!
This is an engaging and exciting fantasy read, with a bit of everything, well-written and nicely-paced. I’m looking forward to the next book to find out what happens next for the Heirs.
'An inhuman screech pierced through the air, followed by another, and another. As one, the family pivoted toward the cries. The sound froze Kaia’s already scattered thoughts and a spike of panicked adrenaline shot through her limbs. For a brief, tense moment, the clamor of the festival fell silent.
“It can’t be,” Kaia’s mother whispered. “Not this far north already.”
And in that moment, Kaia knew the Lost had arrived in Arimoke.'
– Hayley Reese Chow, Odriel’s Heirs
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2021/02/08/odriels-heirs-hayley-reese-chow/
jferrell526's review against another edition
5.0
Intriguing tale.
A young girl and boy have to save a land in this adventure tale. It's a take that is as intriguing as it is unexpected. And with all the drama you never know what is going to happen next.
A young girl and boy have to save a land in this adventure tale. It's a take that is as intriguing as it is unexpected. And with all the drama you never know what is going to happen next.
infinitysbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Odriel’s Heirs is the type of book that absorbs the tropes that have permeated fantasy literature, but is completely it’s own thing. I really enjoyed how the world was set up and the characters within it. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and this does not affect my rating in any way.
Set in a world where a evil necromancer has been vanquished, the Heirs who vanquished him have been banished from the kingdom and their god-given powers are called witchcraft. Now with the return of the undead army, The Dragon Heir, Kaia, rushed to join the battle with everything to lose, supported by her childhood rival.
I really love elemental powers and this is what brought me to the book. The cover really highlighted the powers, with her hands on fire and the shadow coming off the male character. The powers in this book were really interesting and I liked the portrayal of the costs of magic. I also really enjoyed the battle scenes throughout the book.
The characters were not as great, but I really enjoyed the realtionship between the two main characters. The side characters were also interesting, but the majority were a little underutilized. The wizard characters were very interesting, as centuries-old people tend to be. The only character that I wish was reworked was the brother character, because he continued to be pretty horrible throughout the book.
The plot was what really lost me. It was absolutely breakneck. In the first 25% so many things happened that I almost lost track. It also the type of events that seem only vaguely connected, like they have no idea what to do next half the time. I think this would have done better if it was longer and had enough time to fully realize the scope of the plot. This also impeded the romance, as there were only a few examples of banter, before they were all the sudden in love.
The ending was really great and tried everything up nicely with just enough intrigue for the sequel. There was one scene that really tugged at my heatstrings, (relating to Gus, you’ll know it if you read it) and the final pages just make me love the couple even more. I am actually very interested in the sequel, as in completely desperate, so overall this was a very positive reading experience.
4 stars
Set in a world where a evil necromancer has been vanquished, the Heirs who vanquished him have been banished from the kingdom and their god-given powers are called witchcraft. Now with the return of the undead army, The Dragon Heir, Kaia, rushed to join the battle with everything to lose, supported by her childhood rival.
I really love elemental powers and this is what brought me to the book. The cover really highlighted the powers, with her hands on fire and the shadow coming off the male character. The powers in this book were really interesting and I liked the portrayal of the costs of magic. I also really enjoyed the battle scenes throughout the book.
The characters were not as great, but I really enjoyed the realtionship between the two main characters. The side characters were also interesting, but the majority were a little underutilized. The wizard characters were very interesting, as centuries-old people tend to be. The only character that I wish was reworked was the brother character, because he continued to be pretty horrible throughout the book.
The plot was what really lost me. It was absolutely breakneck. In the first 25% so many things happened that I almost lost track. It also the type of events that seem only vaguely connected, like they have no idea what to do next half the time. I think this would have done better if it was longer and had enough time to fully realize the scope of the plot. This also impeded the romance, as there were only a few examples of banter, before they were all the sudden in love.
The ending was really great and tried everything up nicely with just enough intrigue for the sequel. There was one scene that really tugged at my heatstrings, (relating to Gus, you’ll know it if you read it) and the final pages just make me love the couple even more. I am actually very interested in the sequel, as in completely desperate, so overall this was a very positive reading experience.
4 stars