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A token's Worth is the first book in the Spawn of Darkness series by author SA Parker. The spawn of darkness series is a four book dark adult fantasy romance series. I really enjoyed this first book and I think I am going to like the next three books even more, but I have to warn everyone right off the bat that this book deals with some very dark themes, and I don't think it will be for everyone.
The main character, Dell, is basically a slave before she encounters the four gods of the sun cycle and they whisk her away. She suffers a ton of abuse, both physical and mental/emotional and there is very little positive going on in her life. That obviously shapes who she is as a character, and it is going to likely take the whole span of the series for her heal. She physically heals in this book, but she a long way to go mentally and emotionally. So be prepared for that.
What I liked the most about A Token's worth is the set up of the sun gods. There are four them, Day, Dawn, Dusk, and Night, and together they are responsible for the changing cycle of the times of the day. I loved this concept, because I have not seen fae gods too often divided into courts this way. There is only one other book series that sets out the courts in times of the day v. seasons of the year.
The four gods of the sun cycle are all very interesting, though at the moment I am the most drawn to Dusk because we got to know him the best in this book. I can't wait to learn more about them in the next book and of course to see the romance aspect of the story expand. There was not too much romance in this novel. There was more world building and trying to allow the readers to get to know Dell and the horrors that she has been through. She is not looking to jump into a romance with anyone- which is quite understandable.
I really enjoyed A Token's Worth and I can't wait to read the second book. It is out now and the third book releases next month I think. So, if dark themes do not bother you, I think this is a great dark fantasy series to check out.
The main character, Dell, is basically a slave before she encounters the four gods of the sun cycle and they whisk her away. She suffers a ton of abuse, both physical and mental/emotional and there is very little positive going on in her life. That obviously shapes who she is as a character, and it is going to likely take the whole span of the series for her heal. She physically heals in this book, but she a long way to go mentally and emotionally. So be prepared for that.
What I liked the most about A Token's worth is the set up of the sun gods. There are four them, Day, Dawn, Dusk, and Night, and together they are responsible for the changing cycle of the times of the day. I loved this concept, because I have not seen fae gods too often divided into courts this way. There is only one other book series that sets out the courts in times of the day v. seasons of the year.
The four gods of the sun cycle are all very interesting, though at the moment I am the most drawn to Dusk because we got to know him the best in this book. I can't wait to learn more about them in the next book and of course to see the romance aspect of the story expand. There was not too much romance in this novel. There was more world building and trying to allow the readers to get to know Dell and the horrors that she has been through. She is not looking to jump into a romance with anyone- which is quite understandable.
I really enjoyed A Token's Worth and I can't wait to read the second book. It is out now and the third book releases next month I think. So, if dark themes do not bother you, I think this is a great dark fantasy series to check out.
I love this series so much! I am so sad that there is only one book left in the trilogy. I don't want it to be done.
Wicked Saints is the first book in the dark fantasy series, called the Something Dark and Holy series by author Emily A. Duncan. I am all about dark fantasy, so I was super excited to dive into a new world. And even better if it is the first book to a new series. Wicked Saints has a lot of things that I really enjoy in a book. I really liked that the magic system was intertwined with politics and religion. I loved the russian inspired setting. That is a setting that I don’t read about too much in the young adult fantasy realm, but it is a fascinating landscape. I had a few pacing issues with the story, but I am still interested to see where this series will go from here.
Wicked Saints is the story of a holy war between Kalyazin and Tranavia that has been going on for centuries. At the root of this holy war is magic. More specifically, the ability to talk to the gods and have your body be a conduit for their power. Traditionally, someone who can communicate with a single god is revered and known as a cleric. Nadya, our main character, is special because not only is she a cleric, but she is the only known cleric who can communicate with all of the gods. Really cool setup, right? I thought so too.
Our story starts with a sudden Tranavian attack on the Kalyazin monastery where Nadya lives. This attack sends Nadya running from the Tranavian Prince. This journey leads Nadya to discover more about her powers. Pretty quickly, I started to feel the slow pace of the story, which was strange to me because the characters were on the run from a very active attack, in the middle of a Holy War. It wasn’t a slow pace string of events, but still each of the passages and pages felt…slow. As I continued to read, I did feel myself get more immersed in the story, and I was enjoying it, but I wanted more from the story. I liked the magic, I liked the characters, and I liked the overall plot, but the pacing made it hard for me to read a lot of this novel in each sitting. I found myself putting the book down frequently or switching between novels while I was reading, whenever I got to a slow bit. I did love how secrets and plots were revealed throughout the book, and I hope there are more secrets, twists and turns waiting for us in the next installment.
Overall, the setup for Wicked Saints is a very interesting one, and the characters are well developed, but the progress of the story seemed very slow to me. I felt myself wanting to skip whole sections in the middle of the book because I wanted to jump ahead…to something. I liked it and I think I would be interested in the next book, but this one fell a bit flat. I am hoping the sequel in the Something Dark and Holy series will pick up the pace and the excitement. I will be interested to find out if it does.
Wicked Saints is the story of a holy war between Kalyazin and Tranavia that has been going on for centuries. At the root of this holy war is magic. More specifically, the ability to talk to the gods and have your body be a conduit for their power. Traditionally, someone who can communicate with a single god is revered and known as a cleric. Nadya, our main character, is special because not only is she a cleric, but she is the only known cleric who can communicate with all of the gods. Really cool setup, right? I thought so too.
Our story starts with a sudden Tranavian attack on the Kalyazin monastery where Nadya lives. This attack sends Nadya running from the Tranavian Prince. This journey leads Nadya to discover more about her powers. Pretty quickly, I started to feel the slow pace of the story, which was strange to me because the characters were on the run from a very active attack, in the middle of a Holy War. It wasn’t a slow pace string of events, but still each of the passages and pages felt…slow. As I continued to read, I did feel myself get more immersed in the story, and I was enjoying it, but I wanted more from the story. I liked the magic, I liked the characters, and I liked the overall plot, but the pacing made it hard for me to read a lot of this novel in each sitting. I found myself putting the book down frequently or switching between novels while I was reading, whenever I got to a slow bit. I did love how secrets and plots were revealed throughout the book, and I hope there are more secrets, twists and turns waiting for us in the next installment.
Overall, the setup for Wicked Saints is a very interesting one, and the characters are well developed, but the progress of the story seemed very slow to me. I felt myself wanting to skip whole sections in the middle of the book because I wanted to jump ahead…to something. I liked it and I think I would be interested in the next book, but this one fell a bit flat. I am hoping the sequel in the Something Dark and Holy series will pick up the pace and the excitement. I will be interested to find out if it does.
I really am loving this series. This is the type of bully romance that I like. All of the relationships between the characters feel natural, none of them feel forced or rushed, or sluggish for that matter. I was a little worried at the start of this book that the plot was dragging and that the series was going to hit a lull, but around the 30% mark the book really started to pick up and from that point on I was riveted.
Heck, I even started to like Malcolm in this book. Jude and Connar are still my favorites though, but I am super excited to see where the series is going to go next. I can't wait for book 4, which releases at the end of this month!
Heck, I even started to like Malcolm in this book. Jude and Connar are still my favorites though, but I am super excited to see where the series is going to go next. I can't wait for book 4, which releases at the end of this month!
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**Gather the Fortunes is the second book in the fantasy Crescent City series by author Bryan Camp. Though you do not need to read the first book, in order to understand and enjoy the second novel, I would advise it. I went into the second book without having read the first book, and I think that detracted from my overall enjoyment of the story. I found myself wanting to know more about the world. Though, to my knowledge the second book follows a different character than the first book- The City of Lost Fortunes does, so I think in that regard you should be fine.
Gather the Fortunes was a great read. There are so many aspects of the story that I really love. First, I love the New Orleans setting, and Bryan Camp's New Orleans is even cooler because we get to experience both the normal New Orleans as well as the underworld New Orleans filled with Gods and Magic. Which leads me to the next thing that I loved- Gods. I adore any book that features gods of any sort of mythology, and Gather the Fortunes had that in spades. This was a really fun and magical adventure.
The main character in Gather the Fortunes, Renaissance Raines or Renai, is a psychopomp, which is someone who lead the souls of the dead through the Seven Gates of the Underworld. Renai is a great main character. I loved that she had a good moral compass and I also loved how spunky she was. Dealing with gods of the underworld is no easy feat. I was really intrigued about the mission she was tasked with. Along with her mission we got to learn more about the gates of the underworld and the gods and magic found within. I really loved that aspect of the story.
I think fans of The City of Lost Fortunes will really enjoy Gather the Fortunes, and I am proof that a reader can also start on this second book and really love the story. If I had a do over, I would have chosen to first read The City of Lost Fortunes before I dove into Gather the Fortunes. So if you have the choice, I would grab both books and read them back to back. If you are a fan of fantasy books set in New Orleans and the Underworld, the Crescent City series is one for you to check out.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Gather the Fortunes was a great read. There are so many aspects of the story that I really love. First, I love the New Orleans setting, and Bryan Camp's New Orleans is even cooler because we get to experience both the normal New Orleans as well as the underworld New Orleans filled with Gods and Magic. Which leads me to the next thing that I loved- Gods. I adore any book that features gods of any sort of mythology, and Gather the Fortunes had that in spades. This was a really fun and magical adventure.
The main character in Gather the Fortunes, Renaissance Raines or Renai, is a psychopomp, which is someone who lead the souls of the dead through the Seven Gates of the Underworld. Renai is a great main character. I loved that she had a good moral compass and I also loved how spunky she was. Dealing with gods of the underworld is no easy feat. I was really intrigued about the mission she was tasked with. Along with her mission we got to learn more about the gates of the underworld and the gods and magic found within. I really loved that aspect of the story.
I think fans of The City of Lost Fortunes will really enjoy Gather the Fortunes, and I am proof that a reader can also start on this second book and really love the story. If I had a do over, I would have chosen to first read The City of Lost Fortunes before I dove into Gather the Fortunes. So if you have the choice, I would grab both books and read them back to back. If you are a fan of fantasy books set in New Orleans and the Underworld, the Crescent City series is one for you to check out.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
