Review by kamrynkoble - Soulgazer

kamrynkoble 's review for:

Soulgazer by Maggie Rapier

4.25

adventurous emotional reflective 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

What a lovely debut. I was immediately drawn in by the cover, and I’m so glad it prompted me to pick up this book.

Soulgazer is peak romantasy, with equal attention to character and atmosphere as plot. If you have a weak spot for pirates, you’ll especially like this one. I’m a sucker for marriages of convenience, but I appreciated that it was still a slow burn. I kept wanting to push them together, but of course, the payoff is worth it in the end.

I truly appreciate that Saoirse is a soft heroine—not a skilled physical fighter, and more sad than angry. It’s a refreshing change from other stories I’ve read. Her not having the typical slender, muscled body type was also welcome. All in all, I loved Rapier’s writing style, which is balanced and beautiful.

It’s rare I find a book where I can rate the sexual content as “moderate” rather than graphic or minor. The characters’ physical relationship was important to their story, and we weren’t completely shut out of it. But the scenes aren’t vulgar or extremely descriptive. I’d let a high schooler read it.

There were a few scenes I felt like I was missing some context, and I’d have to go back and reread to see what I’d missed, but then was still confused so I just plundered on. This was mainly during the quests—I found myself not exactly knowing what they were seeking and why. I’m sure I’d understand more on a reread.

I was so glad to see that the author plans to continue this as a series. It’s a fascinating world and lovable, interesting characters who deserve more page time. I will definitely continue reading.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

Content Warnings