Character growth is at the forefront of this engrossing tale of discovery.
A young woman in hiding is thrust into adventure in Storms’ YA fantasy novel.
Marit is the product of an “Unsanctioned” marriage in the fantasy realm of Aktaria. Her parents keep her hidden during the day, and she works on their farm at night; it’s their way of protecting her from being seized by the Aktarian Guard as an Unsanctioned person. This danger doesn’t stop Marit from slipping out during the day with her best friend, Torin. She pays for this bit of fun when she opens the door only to find the AG there to arrest her. Sold as chattel, Marit is fortunate to be bought by Naomi, who needs a maid for her new household. Naomi will be paired with Greyson Kencharo and feels she must part ways with her current maid (and lover) Mylene. But things don’t work out for the new couple: A bomb is thrown into the back room to which they’d been sent during their joining ceremony. Naomi is badly injured and sends Greyson, Mylene, Marit, and Torin on the run. They join up with Emily, who is Mysticborn, part of a group from whom Marit and Greyson seek to learn more about how their nascent magical powers work. (“Notgifted. Mysticborn. It’s the Aktarians who insist on making what’s natural seem like it’s not,” sniffs Emily.) Storms forces her characters to mature quickly. Marit is the ultimate outsider as a homebound fugitive; her fog-farmer friend Torin isn’t any more tied into what’s happening in the Heart of Aktaria. Mylene’s world begins and ends with Naomi. Naomi and Greyson aren’t party to governmental machinations either, despite being members of the upper class—all will have to learn on the fly if they’re to stay alive. Having the point of view alternate among Marit, Torin, Greyson, and Mylene is an effective storytelling technique as they all offer very distinct perspectives. Storms’ well-paced narrative feels considerably shorter than the 325 pages it fills. Winning characters and a well-constructed backdrop make for a riveting journey to a satisfying resolution.
Character growth is at the forefront of this engrossing tale of discovery.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-7328492-8-0
Page Count: 332
Publisher: Rainestorms Press
Review Posted Online: July 5, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A strong start to an exciting new fantasy series.
A young woman embarks on a treacherous quest to save her town from a cursed forest in Peckham and Valenti’s fantasy novel.
Ferris Creed knows her hometown of Arringfall is running out of time. For decades, the cursed forest of Taking Trees, which surrounds Arringfall and other nearby towns, has spread and devoured everything in its path. The only way to break the curse: find and retrieve the amulets belonging to the 13 spirits of the forest. The one who collects the most amulets and returns them to the Great Elm will receive a boon for breaking the curse and restoring harmony. Every 50 years, a group of well-trained Champions search for the amulets in a dangerous quest called the Great Hunt. On the eve of the 13th hunt, Ferris secretly joins the group of 25 Champions. She is not the only one determined to claim the boon at all costs; deep within the woods, she meets Hendrix Draven, a 652-year-old prince with a very personal motive to win the prize. As the hunt intensifies, Ferris and Hendrix find themselves drawn to each other; however, a shocking discovery threatens Ferris’s life and what remains of Arringfall. This first installment of Peckham and Valenti’s Crown of Hearts and Chaos series is a twisty and sprawling dark romantasy replete with appealing characters in a lush and descriptive narrative. The authors’ prose is haunting and poetic: “The spirits were calling to us from within the cursed forest and I could almost believe there was something more than death awaiting us at the sound of that cry.” Ferris Creed is a well-developed protagonist whose journey anchors the novel as she grows from a young woman determined to save her sister from the woods into someone whose connection to the forest may be deeper than she realizes. Her compelling relationship with the mysterious Hendrix starts slowly but builds in intensity as their attraction deepens. In addition to a map at the beginning of the novel, the text includes detailed drawings between the chapters.
A strong start to an exciting new fantasy series.Pub Date: Nov. 25, 2025
ISBN: 9781916926585
Page Count: 560
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Oct. 29, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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