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A review by megthedragon
Smoke and Scar by Gretchen Powell Fox
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
This book surprised me in the best way. It honestly reminded me of times long past - when adventure trumped storylines lost in romance. The balance was great, and as a lover of dungeons and dragons, this surpassed expectations.
Smoke and Scar is sharp, emotionally grounded fantasy that doesn’t try too hard—and that’s its magic. The world of Arcanis feels lived in, layered with tension between fae and humans, past wars, and a crumbling political system. But the true strength here is character.
Elyria Lightbreaker is one of my favorite protagonists in recent memory. She’s flawed, sarcastic, grieving, and furious. Watching her peel back her armor—literally and emotionally—is powerful. And the slow burn between her and Cedric? Delicately done. Never forced.
Gael deserves a spotlight of her own. A chaos fireball with zero tolerance for BS and max loyalty. My main bae to be honest xD
The Crucible trials are tense, twisty, and full of clever emotional traps. The book doesn’t pull punches. It respects its characters—and its readers.
Highly recommended for fans of gritty fantasy with heart, feral heroines, and soft boys trying to keep up. <3
Smoke and Scar is sharp, emotionally grounded fantasy that doesn’t try too hard—and that’s its magic. The world of Arcanis feels lived in, layered with tension between fae and humans, past wars, and a crumbling political system. But the true strength here is character.
Elyria Lightbreaker is one of my favorite protagonists in recent memory. She’s flawed, sarcastic, grieving, and furious. Watching her peel back her armor—literally and emotionally—is powerful. And the slow burn between her and Cedric? Delicately done. Never forced.
Gael deserves a spotlight of her own. A chaos fireball with zero tolerance for BS and max loyalty. My main bae to be honest xD
The Crucible trials are tense, twisty, and full of clever emotional traps. The book doesn’t pull punches. It respects its characters—and its readers.
Highly recommended for fans of gritty fantasy with heart, feral heroines, and soft boys trying to keep up. <3