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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The timeline jumping threw me just a bit at the beginning, but after I got to know the characters, I ended up loving how this pieced together the main plot of the book. Loved the characters, terrific story, and fantastic audio narration. This was my first read by this author, but it definitely won't be my last!
adventurous
hopeful
informative
mysterious
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:
No
This was such a refreshing read! Chinese mythology, a unique magic system, and fantasy with a mystery element?! This story was incredible as was the author’s writing. It sets up book two perfectly and I can’t wait for it but I am so happy with book one. What an amazing read!!
Adding in, I did the last 20ish % in audio format and Natalie Naudus knocked this out of the park. This book would be phenomenal in either format!
Adding in, I did the last 20ish % in audio format and Natalie Naudus knocked this out of the park. This book would be phenomenal in either format!
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Magic-less in a family of shapeshifters, Davis is desperate for approval and power. Enter Iris, a girl with dreams as big as her mysterious illness is debilitating. Their paths cross in Yuras, a sleepy California town with a not-so-sleepy secret: a cave full of magic transferring stones. Jackpot, right? Not so fast. With locals snooping around and Davis’s skeletons threatening to burst out of the closet, their quest turns into a rollercoaster of secrets, magic, and a whole lot of drama.
This is a multi POV, timeline hopping adventure, shifting between the perspectives of the main characters across different points in time. It’s a perfect blend of shapeshifters inspired by Chinese mythology, strong female leads, and villains you’ll love to hate. The political intrigue surrounding magical folks blending in with the normies adds a juicy layer to the already rich plot. Think magical realism with a side of suspenseful drama.
I listened to the audiobook, which was pretty solid overall, though I did find myself wondering “Wait, which timeline are we in now?” a couple of times. But hey, the smooth narration made it easy to dive back in after those minor hiccups.
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Folks might be aware of my fondness of myths from around the world. "Of Mountains and Seas" by Emily Renk Hawthorne really scratched that part of my brain.
There are Shifters hiding from the non-magic folks in the world. Some have a couple of abilities and can turn into various creatures that is the inspiration for many legends. Davis has no such powers and is rather poorly treated by his father about it. But there are stones that allow someone to take another's powers, but they degrade. When Davis obtains one of these and gains power, his twisted desires to prove himself will create a decades spanning plot. Families are ruined, lives cut short, and some catharsis is going to occur.
Narrated by Natalie Naudus, the way those final lines were delivered so normally, like it was perfectly ordinary, was just real ominous.
Reasons to read:
-Creatures based of the contents of Classic of Mountains and Seas
-Generation and time spanning story and diverged and intersects beautifully
-The ideas we hold from our youth can really mess us up
-Just some messed up use of powers
Cons:
-Alive for that long and was so close to the period when therapy became socially acceptable
There are Shifters hiding from the non-magic folks in the world. Some have a couple of abilities and can turn into various creatures that is the inspiration for many legends. Davis has no such powers and is rather poorly treated by his father about it. But there are stones that allow someone to take another's powers, but they degrade. When Davis obtains one of these and gains power, his twisted desires to prove himself will create a decades spanning plot. Families are ruined, lives cut short, and some catharsis is going to occur.
Narrated by Natalie Naudus, the way those final lines were delivered so normally, like it was perfectly ordinary, was just real ominous.
Reasons to read:
-Creatures based of the contents of Classic of Mountains and Seas
-Generation and time spanning story and diverged and intersects beautifully
-The ideas we hold from our youth can really mess us up
-Just some messed up use of powers
Cons:
-Alive for that long and was so close to the period when therapy became socially acceptable
*No REAL spoilers… just a hint at the end that *may* spoil it for some*
Ok… Honestly? 4.5⭐️. It was so close to a five star read, but I’m not sure what it is that’s keeping me from making it one.
This is a beautiful story. Definitely one I could see on film. I think maybe the thing keeping me from making it a 5⭐️ read is that there’s a lot of characters to keep track of, and a lot of bouncing around through time from the 1930’s, to the year 2000. I think it made it hard for me to remember which characters were which when I had to keep changing their clothing in my mind to fit the era.
But in the end, I was surprised to see who the actual bad-guy was. The description of the book certainly did not prepare me for that one.
All in all, a good read. Definitely recommend.
Ok… Honestly? 4.5⭐️. It was so close to a five star read, but I’m not sure what it is that’s keeping me from making it one.
This is a beautiful story. Definitely one I could see on film. I think maybe the thing keeping me from making it a 5⭐️ read is that there’s a lot of characters to keep track of, and a lot of bouncing around through time from the 1930’s, to the year 2000. I think it made it hard for me to remember which characters were which when I had to keep changing their clothing in my mind to fit the era.
But in the end, I was surprised to see who the actual bad-guy was. The description of the book certainly did not prepare me for that one.
All in all, a good read. Definitely recommend.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
I’m a sucker for stories rooted in Chinese mythology, so this was a must-read for me! And it did not disappoint!
I usually manage to predict where a story is going, but this one kept me guessing till the very end! We alternate between several different timelines and characters. While the nonlinear format might not be for everyone, I loved trying to guess how all the converging storylines would connect!
This stunning fantasy adventure was filled with my fave things: magic, political intrigue, and a healthy doze of mystery. And if you’re a dragon lover like me, you won’t be disappointed!
I usually manage to predict where a story is going, but this one kept me guessing till the very end! We alternate between several different timelines and characters. While the nonlinear format might not be for everyone, I loved trying to guess how all the converging storylines would connect!
This stunning fantasy adventure was filled with my fave things: magic, political intrigue, and a healthy doze of mystery. And if you’re a dragon lover like me, you won’t be disappointed!
I usually don’t go for shifter fantasy books, but I am so glad I went for this one!
It has so much going on. Non-linear timelines with so many amazing characters, but you’re still able to easily keep up. There’s a lot of political intrigue in this book and how important family can be. Also there’s a mystery/twist that gave me a thriller vibe?! I didn’t even get things right!
I also listened to the audiobook and the narrator was amazing. Def going in my Top 5!
Thank you so much Emily Renk Hawthorne for letting me be an advanced listener! I can’t wait for Book 2!
It has so much going on. Non-linear timelines with so many amazing characters, but you’re still able to easily keep up. There’s a lot of political intrigue in this book and how important family can be. Also there’s a mystery/twist that gave me a thriller vibe?! I didn’t even get things right!
I also listened to the audiobook and the narrator was amazing. Def going in my Top 5!
Thank you so much Emily Renk Hawthorne for letting me be an advanced listener! I can’t wait for Book 2!