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A review by _ckarys
Descend by L.R. Friedman
4.0
If you love fantasy with lovable characters, dual POV, multiple worlds, ad portal magic, then DESCEND is a book I highly recommend you check out! Though it does have a darker vein to it at times, the writing and dialogues make it the perfect light read, ideal to enjoy a quick binge or to slip out of a reading slump.
I adore fantasy stories that dabble with multiple worlds, but I particularly enjoyed how the author wove in a dash of secret societies as well. It added a touch of academic mystery, and also created a seamless link between our world and the fantasy realm of Celaria. The world building in the magic realm was also very well done. We still haven’t gotten a full scope of the magic (for plot reasons), but I was so excited about the little tidbits we did get! Lighting magic, fire magic, ice magic, shapeshifting, dragons, wicked enchanting beings in the woods… I was fangirling the entire time when something new was introduced as everything was so well done.
The author did an incredible job with her characters as well, especially the leading ladies, Aislin and Kyleigh. These two couldn’t be more different. One is a bit of an extrovert assassin from a fantasy world who yearns for nothing more than freedom and revenge for her dead family, the other is a sweet girl from our world who just wants to go to college and understand why her mom abandoned her. And yet I loved the grace with which both of them carried their burdens and the optimism they have in common. I found it extremely easy to cheer for these women and want them to succeed. They both grow and achieve so much during the span of a single novel, and I cannot wait to see where the author takes their journey next.
The only issue I found—which is subjective to my personal tastes—was in the pacing, both of the story and Kyleigh’s romantic arc. While the beginning was quick and engaging, I found that the middle of the book dragged a little. I think this was done to give the characters time to bond and also set the foundations for a relationship that I think will be important in the sequel, but I found I wasn’t as engaged. The ending, however, more than made up for it! There are so many plot twists and reveals within the last 50 pages, I couldn’t stop reading! As far as the romance goes, I felt like we didn’t get to see enough “bonding” between Kyleigh and Dru, so I’m not really feeling their attraction or romance yet. But Dru is the sweetest, so I know he’ll win me over given the time.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. All opinions are my own.
I adore fantasy stories that dabble with multiple worlds, but I particularly enjoyed how the author wove in a dash of secret societies as well. It added a touch of academic mystery, and also created a seamless link between our world and the fantasy realm of Celaria. The world building in the magic realm was also very well done. We still haven’t gotten a full scope of the magic (for plot reasons), but I was so excited about the little tidbits we did get! Lighting magic, fire magic, ice magic, shapeshifting, dragons, wicked enchanting beings in the woods… I was fangirling the entire time when something new was introduced as everything was so well done.
The author did an incredible job with her characters as well, especially the leading ladies, Aislin and Kyleigh. These two couldn’t be more different. One is a bit of an extrovert assassin from a fantasy world who yearns for nothing more than freedom and revenge for her dead family, the other is a sweet girl from our world who just wants to go to college and understand why her mom abandoned her. And yet I loved the grace with which both of them carried their burdens and the optimism they have in common. I found it extremely easy to cheer for these women and want them to succeed. They both grow and achieve so much during the span of a single novel, and I cannot wait to see where the author takes their journey next.
The only issue I found—which is subjective to my personal tastes—was in the pacing, both of the story and Kyleigh’s romantic arc. While the beginning was quick and engaging, I found that the middle of the book dragged a little. I think this was done to give the characters time to bond and also set the foundations for a relationship that I think will be important in the sequel, but I found I wasn’t as engaged. The ending, however, more than made up for it! There are so many plot twists and reveals within the last 50 pages, I couldn’t stop reading! As far as the romance goes, I felt like we didn’t get to see enough “bonding” between Kyleigh and Dru, so I’m not really feeling their attraction or romance yet. But Dru is the sweetest, so I know he’ll win me over given the time.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. All opinions are my own.