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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
This story starts out introducing us to the rebels known as the Whispers. They are hated for their magic and forced to live in secret. They fight back against a kingdom intent on destroying and controlling them. Renata was kidnapped first by the Crown/palace and then by the Whispers and her magic makes her dangerous to them both. Renata’s rare magic makes her feared by friend and foe alike.
This fantasy world is inspired by Inquisition-era Spain which I find fascinating. I really enjoy the world building and the magic system is great. There are some twists in the plot, many of which are hinted along the way, but it was fun to watch how it played out and how long certain characters took to realize what was going on.
Renata as a character grew on me. I had a hard time with her in the beginning, but I think part of that was as I was having a hard day the first day I started the book.
Overall, this was a really interesting read and I’m very much looking forward to the sequel!
I have to thank Owlcrate for including it and giving it such a nice cover, as it wasn’t on my radar before. I also really like the Owlcrate cover more than the original.
This fantasy world is inspired by Inquisition-era Spain which I find fascinating. I really enjoy the world building and the magic system is great. There are some twists in the plot, many of which are hinted along the way, but it was fun to watch how it played out and how long certain characters took to realize what was going on.
Renata as a character grew on me. I had a hard time with her in the beginning, but I think part of that was as I was having a hard day the first day I started the book.
Overall, this was a really interesting read and I’m very much looking forward to the sequel!
I have to thank Owlcrate for including it and giving it such a nice cover, as it wasn’t on my radar before. I also really like the Owlcrate cover more than the original.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, War
Minor: Sexual content
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
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:
Yes
I didn't get really invested in this until about three quarters of the way in but once it got me, it really got me!
TW/CW: violence, death, murder, torture, grooming, kidnapping, discrimination, mental abuse
2.5 ⭐️
I’ll be honest, this wasn’t my favorite, either I’m really tired and my brain just wasn’t ready for a fantasy book, or this was really messy and confusing. I think the powers depicted, the magic system in this world was incredibly interesting and I really liked getting to discover it. There were quite a few plot-twists that were easy to see coming. I think that while reading I felt like we were missing details, like we were supposed to know things that we didn't know.
And while I quite enjoyed our main character, I really didn't like a lot of the secondary characters, and their decisions sometimes made absolutely no sense or were betrayals that I just didn't want to happen.
Overall I had fun reading this book, but it left no lasting impression. But I am not leaving series unfinished in 2023 so I went straight into book two and can happily say I enjoyed that one a lot more than I did this book!
2.5 ⭐️
I’ll be honest, this wasn’t my favorite, either I’m really tired and my brain just wasn’t ready for a fantasy book, or this was really messy and confusing. I think the powers depicted, the magic system in this world was incredibly interesting and I really liked getting to discover it. There were quite a few plot-twists that were easy to see coming. I think that while reading I felt like we were missing details, like we were supposed to know things that we didn't know.
And while I quite enjoyed our main character, I really didn't like a lot of the secondary characters, and their decisions sometimes made absolutely no sense or were betrayals that I just didn't want to happen.
Overall I had fun reading this book, but it left no lasting impression. But I am not leaving series unfinished in 2023 so I went straight into book two and can happily say I enjoyed that one a lot more than I did this book!
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The pacing felt really off for this book. The first half was very slow and some major plot points were predictable. The writing was very beautiful but it seemed at times that we were getting more poetry than plot, especially with how often we saw the memories of random side characters.
I wanted to like this book more than I actually did because of the Latine elements and it was very nice to see the diversity of dark-skinned characters, non-verbal characters who sign, and gay characters; but they weren't enough to save the story. The Spanish sprinkled in the story was also nice.
The second half of the book almost made up for the slow first half. There were some twists & mysteries at the end but there was definitely a huge cliffhanger.
Overall interesting enough to make me read the second book.
I wanted to like this book more than I actually did because of the Latine elements and it was very nice to see the diversity of dark-skinned characters, non-verbal characters who sign, and gay characters; but they weren't enough to save the story. The Spanish sprinkled in the story was also nice.
The second half of the book almost made up for the slow first half. There were some twists & mysteries at the end but there was definitely a huge cliffhanger.
Overall interesting enough to make me read the second book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, Blood
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual content
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Initially, I was tempted to DNF Incendiary more than once because I didn’t think it was worthwhile to continue during the middle section of the book. However, after reading the end, I REALLY WANT TO CONTINUE READING! Illusionary (Hollow Crown #2), here I come!
There are certainly some plot twists, but I did manage to see some of them from a mile away. :)
What separates this series from other YA fantasy is that the story of the MC's love interest precedes the book, the love interest is absent for most of the book, and that most of the book is not focused on romance.
Favorite Quotes:
There are certainly some plot twists, but I did manage to see some of them from a mile away. :)
What separates this series from other YA fantasy is that the story of the MC's love interest precedes the book, the love interest is absent for most of the book, and that most of the book is not focused on romance.
Favorite Quotes:
It is difficult to protect anything when all you can do is hide. ⭐️
You are not a girl. You are vengeance in the night.
I submerge myself beneath the surface of the water again and hold my breath, knowing no matter where I am or what I do, I will never escape the heat of flames and the taste of ash. But I no longer want to escape. I want to wield that fire and watch this place burn.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War
Minor: Sexual content, Death of parent
Verbal abuse (graphic)
“There’s so much wrong in the world. Sometimes, I feel the only thing I can give is a bit of kindness, even when I can’t give hope.”
Do you ever read a story and think, how are these people even still alive? That’s what I was thinking about the poor rebel group in this story - they didn’t seem to make very good strategic decisions.
The Moria are a magically gifted people being hunted down and persecuted by the King of Andalucía. Renata Convida, our protagonist, is a Robari - able to steal memories - who was used as a child to gain knowledge of the Moria rebellion known as the Whispers. Even though she is rescued from the palace by the Whispers, they don’t trust her. But when the boy she loves is captured by the Crown Prince on a mission, her disastrous rescue attempt ends with her having to return to the palace under cover to complete the mission.
While this book had a slow start, Córdova’s writing style kept me engaged and drew me into the story. I’ve actually had a really hard time writing this review because I was so engrossed in the story while reading, but afterward there were some plot points that didn’t make a lot of sense or really add up. So, strong points for a gripping writing style, but the story from a logical standpoint was a little weak. I am definitely reading the sequel, though, so I do recommend trying this book!
Do you ever read a story and think, how are these people even still alive? That’s what I was thinking about the poor rebel group in this story - they didn’t seem to make very good strategic decisions.
The Moria are a magically gifted people being hunted down and persecuted by the King of Andalucía. Renata Convida, our protagonist, is a Robari - able to steal memories - who was used as a child to gain knowledge of the Moria rebellion known as the Whispers. Even though she is rescued from the palace by the Whispers, they don’t trust her. But when the boy she loves is captured by the Crown Prince on a mission, her disastrous rescue attempt ends with her having to return to the palace under cover to complete the mission.
While this book had a slow start, Córdova’s writing style kept me engaged and drew me into the story. I’ve actually had a really hard time writing this review because I was so engrossed in the story while reading, but afterward there were some plot points that didn’t make a lot of sense or really add up. So, strong points for a gripping writing style, but the story from a logical standpoint was a little weak. I am definitely reading the sequel, though, so I do recommend trying this book!