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abby_ace_of_books 's review for:
Unlock the Dark
by Sasa Hawk
I came for the plot, but I stayed for some of the worldbuilding concepts because, wow, were they fun.
Unlock the Dark reminded me a lot of Margaret Rogerson's Sorcery of Thorns and Amie Kaufman's The Isles of the Gods, and I absolutely loved the vibes. I wasn't expecting to love the magic system as much as I did, but there were a lot of concepts that I thought were super unique or just fun in general (a memory plague, "lore" magic, witches that just kind of exist, and casual magic in general). If the author chooses to write more in this world, I will read all of it because I think it has such high potential.
The plot itself was a little disappointing at times for me, but I still would've read it in one sitting if I had the time. The beginning starts off strong: Elia's brother is basically taken by the god of death and forced to become one of his servants, so she agrees to assist a prince on a heist in exchange for saving her family. I honestly wish this book was longer because I felt like a lot of the cooler ideas and action scenes could have been fleshed out much more. Emphasis seemed to be put on the wrong parts of the storyline while important or interesting scenes were rushed, and the romance itself felt a bit instalove-y. One of the plot points mentioned in the blurb for the book doesn't happen until over the halfway point. That being said, I really enjoyed the story, and while it wasn't anything completely novel, I just loved the vibes. As I said, I'd love a sequel series or some sort of spinoff in this world.
I think the characters also just drew me into the story. Elia's family is so sweet, and I wanted them all to be okay. Saya is sassy but loving, Isak is stoic and loyal, Orin is so sensitive but so strong, and Myron just deserves all the hugs in the world. I really liked Elia as a protagonist. Her magic was unique, and I thought her personality and care for her siblings really worked well in making her story compelling. Again, the romance did feel a bit forced at times, but I didn't mind it too much. Trys reminded me a lot of Lysander from The Isles of the Gods, and I've said it before, but I'll say it again: snarky princes hiding their sadness with humor are my favorites. The cast dynamics are just perfect.
If you're looking for a quick and unique fantasy read that has some cozy vibes mixed with a dash of adventure, Unlock the Dark is the book for you.
4.25/5
Unlock the Dark reminded me a lot of Margaret Rogerson's Sorcery of Thorns and Amie Kaufman's The Isles of the Gods, and I absolutely loved the vibes. I wasn't expecting to love the magic system as much as I did, but there were a lot of concepts that I thought were super unique or just fun in general (a memory plague, "lore" magic, witches that just kind of exist, and casual magic in general). If the author chooses to write more in this world, I will read all of it because I think it has such high potential.
The plot itself was a little disappointing at times for me, but I still would've read it in one sitting if I had the time. The beginning starts off strong: Elia's brother is basically taken by the god of death and forced to become one of his servants, so she agrees to assist a prince on a heist in exchange for saving her family. I honestly wish this book was longer because I felt like a lot of the cooler ideas and action scenes could have been fleshed out much more. Emphasis seemed to be put on the wrong parts of the storyline while important or interesting scenes were rushed, and the romance itself felt a bit instalove-y. One of the plot points mentioned in the blurb for the book doesn't happen until over the halfway point. That being said, I really enjoyed the story, and while it wasn't anything completely novel, I just loved the vibes. As I said, I'd love a sequel series or some sort of spinoff in this world.
I think the characters also just drew me into the story. Elia's family is so sweet, and I wanted them all to be okay. Saya is sassy but loving, Isak is stoic and loyal, Orin is so sensitive but so strong, and Myron just deserves all the hugs in the world. I really liked Elia as a protagonist. Her magic was unique, and I thought her personality and care for her siblings really worked well in making her story compelling. Again, the romance did feel a bit forced at times, but I didn't mind it too much. Trys reminded me a lot of Lysander from The Isles of the Gods, and I've said it before, but I'll say it again: snarky princes hiding their sadness with humor are my favorites. The cast dynamics are just perfect.
If you're looking for a quick and unique fantasy read that has some cozy vibes mixed with a dash of adventure, Unlock the Dark is the book for you.
4.25/5