Lianna and the Hombit by Valinora Troy

On January 19, 2026January 19, 2026 By @f33lthesunIn Upper KS2+Leave a comment

Blurb

A grieving girl in need of a friend. A magical creature with a secret task. Can they end the ancient curse threatening their new home?

When 13-year old Lianna, devastated by the loss of her father, is sent to the distant land of Nivram, she finds her new home and guardian every bit as horrible as she expected. When she meets a magical birdlike creature called a hombit, they strike an alliance: Lianna will help it complete its secret mission if it helps her get home.

But her plan goes awry and she accidentally awakens a creature that threatens both her and her new home. Lianna must uncover family secrets to avoid a terrible fate…

A heart-warming story of the healing power of friendship when all seems lost.

Review

I was pulled into the world of Lianna immediately and as her story unfolds, the world she knows expands and she encounters a variety of new people and experiences, as well as a hombit, a magical creature with a mission so secret even it doesn’t know what it is.

The story is precise and well told, the characters have depth and the world building is wonderful, especially towards the end of the story.

Lianna’s naivety and innocence lands her in trouble immediately, and her frustration grows as she tries to unravel her family history, to find out why her father ran away, under a cloud, from his family. What happened all those years ago and what does it have to do with the threat the rocks in the sea bring the town today?

As well as trying to solve the mystery of her father and the jewels he allegedly stole from the family, Lianna must also help the hombit work out what its mission is and explain humans and the world she lives in to the hombit. How does a mysterious woman with a flute and a ring Lianna’s dad kept hidden fit into it all?

When the hombit believes the mission is complete, it will report back to The Guardians then disappear. This worries Lianna more than anything as she fears being alone and friendless in her new home most of all.

So what is the hombit’s mission and how will Lianna solve the mystery of her father’s history? I recommend you read the book to find out.

About the Book

Genre: Middle Grade/Fantasy

Available formats: Paperback, Hardcover, Ebook, Audio book

Publication date: 29th January 2026 by The Silver Key

No. of pages: 255

Available for pre-order on line and through local bookstores

GoodReads: Lianna and the Hombit by Valinora Troy | Goodreads

Amazon UK: Lianna and the Hombit: A heart-warming story of the healing power of friendship when all seems lost. eBook : Troy, Valinora: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Amazon.com: Lianna and the Hombit: A heart-warming story of the healing power of friendship when all seems lost. – Kindle edition by Troy, Valinora. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Thanks to the author and @The_WriteReads for a physical copy of the book to read and review for this blog tour, as well as my own hombit.

The Tortured Kingdom by Bryan Asher

On September 11, 2025September 10, 2025 By @f33lthesunIn AdultLeave a comment

Blurb

After a comet strikes the continent of Yohme, it’s left in shambles. Nations lay in rubble, magic has been corrupted, and a plague has turned most of the inhabitants into flesh-eating, undead, ghouls.

Traveling this apocalyptic landscape is Evan, a bounty hunter taking missions to survive. However, his latest quest to capture a thief leads to more than he bargained for. After uncovering an ancient map, he forms a party to hunt the sacred treasure inside the most formidable dungeon.

Once inside, they’ll have to overcome the trials of a god to reach it, and they’re not the only ones searching.

Review

I was intrigued by the blurb. Who doesn’t love a dungeon quest involving broken magic, undead ghouls and a group of characters forced to bond in pursuit of a sacred relic?

The world building and characterisation is superb, the fast pace sustained throughout. The author has successfully brought together a mixture of dungeons and dragons, mythical gods and creatures, magical artefacts, a dangerous quest and brought them to life on the page.

As the group make their way through the dangerous trials in the dungeon, strong themes of friendship, trust, working together as one, knowing yourself and those around you, making choices for self or group, as well as making the best of each individual’s strengths, the quest culminates in a big decision for Evan, the unlikely leader of the group. No spoilers here though.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will look out for more of the author’s work.

Thanks to @The_WriteReads for a physical copy of the book to read and review for this blog tour. Please look out for other reviews over the coming days.

About the book

Genre: Fantasy

Age Category: Adult

Illustrators: Batsky Starman and Arief Rachmad

Number of Pages: 276 Pages

Publication Date: January 31, 2025

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/224887878-the-tortured-kingdom

Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/4f4f8d6b-a6ee-4966-b5e7-c97c7aa08c17

Amazon: https://a.co/d/6u8sRgO (Canada) https://a.co/d/2yVjYj2 (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/iIViVDS (UK)

Trial of the Alchemist by Trevor Melanson

On August 4, 2025August 4, 2025 By @f33lthesunIn Young AdultLeave a comment

Blurb

Aurora’s greatest entrepreneur has been murdered, and only the truth will save Alchemist Ortez from the gallows.

Facing a heated courtroom of strangers, he must now recall the events that brought him here as a fellow alchemist probes his memory. Such is the job of alchemists: administering elixirs in order to see into the minds of men. Their dreams. Their nightmares. Their secrets.

But while everyone believes him guilty, Alchemist Ortez knows what they do not.

He was hired by the victim for a job unlike any they could imagine. Nor would they ever guess what other mysteries lie buried beneath the mountain metropolis of Aurora, a cave-enclosed city where countless gas lamps illuminate the endless night.

Trial of the Alchemist is a gaslamp mystery rife with twists, adventure, and romance.

Review

Having read and been lured in by the first few chapters in earlier rounds of the BBNYA, I just had to read the whole story.

Alchemist Ortez, a psych-alchemist, is accused of murdering the town’s “leader”, owner of the main industry, the majority of the housing and businesses and without whom the town would cease to function.

In court, a legal alchemist uses elixirs to enter Ortez’s mind, to ensure he is telling the judge the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. This was the part that reeled me in.

As his story unfolds, we see the grip Everett Day has on the town. We also hear about events that the town was not aware of. Is Ortez slowly changing the minds of the baying crowd, who are eager to hang him as soon as possible?

As Ortez’s story goes on, his previous work as a research alchemist, using his skill to communicate with animals is called upon to help work out a problem, which ends up uncovering unforeseen problems caused by the Day Corporations by products of machine manufacturing .

Will anyone find the courage to stand up and come to the defence of Ortez, or provide proof of his truth?

During his story, his own (legal) use of elixirs to explore the memories of his clients is explained but that only ends up creating more questions. Whilst Alchemist Freya, the legal alchemist, is adamant Ortez is telling the truth, is he a reliable narrator? Does he know everything he knows?

I really enjoyed this story and am left with many questions I am going to enjoy thinking about for a while yet. Just as you should be by stories.

Trial of the Alchemist is a thoroughly deserved 3rd place finalist.

Thank you to BBNYA and The Write Reads for allowing me to be on the judging panel and providing me with a copy of the book to review.

About BBNYA

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 16 finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

About the Book

Length: 453 Pages

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery

Age Category: Adult

Date Published: April 4, 2023

Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/aNNHuoH (Canada) https://a.co/d/anR8L4D (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/g8MdUIG (UK)

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199237239-trial-of-the-alchemist

The Story Graph Link: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/f42303a9-6076-4478-97c8-b0f5cd9a05e3

Madame Eldridge’s Wayward Home for Unruly Boys by Benjamin Ryan

On July 7, 2025July 7, 2025 By @f33lthesunIn Young Adult1 Comment

Blurb

Deep in the heart of Virginia’s dense backwoods, the Wayward Home for Unruly Boys hides more than just troubled youth. Under Madame Eldridge’s watchful eye, three strict rules govern their behavior

1. What happens here stays here.

2. You must complete all eight steps—no exceptions allowed.

3. Forget your name; you’ll be known only by your problem.

But, there’s one unspoken rule that sends shivers down the boys’ never enter the forbidden third-floor bedroom of the boy who vanished, leaving nothing behind but whispers.

When Vandalize and Stealer defy this warning, they uncover a treasure trove of bewitched artifacts, each with a strange and powerful ability. Using these relics, the boys tackle Madame Eldridge’s whimsical—and often bizarre—challenges, only to learn magic always demands its price.

Amidst the chaos, Fibbsy stumbles upon a peculiar object that sends him hurtling back in time, revealing an unfathomable truth about Madame Eldridge, the eerie town, and the missing boy’s fate. But who will trust the words of a liar?

Bound by the house’s darkest mysteries, Fibbsy, Defiance, Slob, and Secret form an unlikely friendship as they race to unveil the shrouded secrets surrounding the Wayward Home. Together, they confront their deepest fears, uncovering that the real magic lies in facing their own personal demons—and each other.

Review

I really enjoyed this book. It had hidden depths that do not appear until later on. I loved the concept of the positive behaviour promoting programme and how names and consequences were linked to each boy’s problem…Bully, Cheater, Defiance, Fibbsy etc. Fibbsy realising that no one believes him when he tells them he was in danger is very much Boy Who Cried Wolf.

I was already invested when the deeper secrets of the home are revealed. The descriptive passages about the dark presence are spine chilling. The discovery of magical objects and secret meetings just added to the overall deep unease of the place.

As the boys grapple with their own issues, having to work on group tasks means also dealing with the issues of each other and pushing back against their natural, self preservation instincts.

Overall, the characterisation and world building is well crafted. There is a deep sense of foreboding throughout, mixed with just the right amount of dark humour.

A thoroughly deserved 5th place in the BBNYA 2024 awards.

Thank you to BBNYA and The Write Reads for allowing me to be on the judging panel and also the author for providing me with a copy of the book to review.

Please look out for all the other blogs on this tour.

Book Details

Length: 290 Pages

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery

Age Category: Young Adult

Date Published: August 1, 2023

Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/2xhAZT8 (Canada) https://a.co/d/gy4ZbEk (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/6gb1kDI (UK)

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/221648688-madame-eldridge-s-wayward-home-for-unruly-boys

The Story Graph Link: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/dae36be6-672b-4648-9308-594850a53715

About BBNYA

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists (16 in 2024) and one overall winner.

The Thief of Farrowfell by Ravena Guron

On May 6, 2025May 6, 2025 By @f33lthesunIn Upper KS2+Leave a comment

Blurb

Welcome to a fantasy world where edible magic is the hottest commodity, traded between those who can pay or – in the case of Jude Ripon, the youngest thief in Farrowfell – those who can steal it!

Twelve-year-old Jude Ripon has never been taken seriously by her family of magic-stealing masterminds. To them, she’s just the youngest, only good for keeping watch while they carry out daring heists.

Desperate to prove her worth, Jude decides to steal valuable magic from the fanciest house in town . . .

But Jude’s stolen prize was protected by a curse which threatens to wreak havoc on the family business.

While attempting to untangle the mess she’s made (and wondering why anyone would want to curse an honest thief trying to earn a living), Jude discovers just how far her family will go to stay at the top of the criminal world.

Suddenly, her quest to become a true Ripon isn’t straightforward any more . . .

Review

What a magical, adventurous start to the Farrowfell trilogy.

Jude is fed up being ignored and is out to prove herself to her very demanding family, who run their own criminal enterprise, acquiring and selling illegal magic. She is very much a “go big or go home” girl, so she steals a piece of rare magic from a mansion heavily fortified by spells. She realises too late that the magic is cursed and she needs to lift the curse before bragging to her family.

So begins a sequence of events that very quickly get out of control.

Having overheard snippets of family meetings, Jude is convinced her family have no faith in her and see here as a mere inconvenience. But are they hiding something? Something big?

Just shows great determination to prove herself. However, she makes a lot of assumptions about those around her and their motives for their actions.

As the story unfolds, we discover information about the family and their criminal enterprise in bits, as Jude does. We also see Jude believing something to be true with no evidence except her emotions. She is being told things by people she trusts, not knowing the whole story so fitting what she knows and discovers into her experience and world view, believing she is responsible for some things because she is sure she did something wrong and feels guilty … but she does not know everything, so gets more wrong. She is only human!

A strong sense of selflessness versus selfishness permeates the whole story and that ultimately is what counts.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. The best bit is they are already out, so no waiting. Well, Book 3 is out on May 8th so time to read one and two!

Thanks to The Write Reads and Faber & Faber for a copy of the book to read and review for this blog tour. Please look out for the other blogs in the tour (see banner below).

About the Book

Genre: Fantasy

Age Category: Middle Grade

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Number of Pages: 320 Pages

Publication Date: May 2, 2023

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62018486-the-thief-of-farrowfell

Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/05b998c4-6ac9-41a8-a423-f92f6ad48be6

Amazon: https://a.co/d/akN8Evl (Canada) https://a.co/d/cBViD8E (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/eyqvgyQ (UK)

Or my preferred option – buy from your local independent bookshop.

The Thief of Farrowfell is Book 1 in the Thief of Farrowfell series.

Book 2, The Beast of Farrowfell, and Book 3, The Battle of Farrowfell, are also available.

Star Quest Academy: Above and Beyond by Adrian Lynch

On April 21, 2025April 20, 2025 By @f33lthesunIn Upper KS2+Leave a comment

Blurb

For centuries, trillions of life forms throughout space have allowed humanity to believe we’re alone in the Universe. Any alien who dared to befriend us has met an unfortunate end: eaten, squashed, sent to a zoo, or even planted in a garden pot. But our advances in space exploration now threaten every civilisation across the Cosmos.

Amelia, a savvy, street-smart orphan, is one of four exceptional children selected from around the globe to represent humanity in the Human Inclusion Programme at the intergalactic Star Quest Academy. Here, they’ll unravel the Universe’s wonders, explore strange new worlds, and encounter magical creatures. Earth’s safety from invasion hinges on their success as cadets, but if any of them fail, Earth will be invaded by ruthless warlords.

When a series of sinister incidents jeopardise their mission, it becomes clear that someone – or something – wants them to fail. To save their world, the cadets must overcome their differences and combine their unique skills.

Review

I am always happy to see more sci-fi for 9+ being written and published and Star Quest Academy doesn’t disappoint.

It is a fast paced adventure that starts off on Earth and ends up in space, with Earth being threatened with alien invasion because to all other species, humans are seen destructive. This is a #NotAllHumans moment.

Although the tempo and adventure are fast moving, we still get to know Amelia and her fellow human candidates well and their strengths, when pooled together, enable the team to meet their foes head on.

The themes of solitude, lost family, friendship, human behaviours and interconnectedness are handled well. There are also some gross moments (looking at you, vomit bubbles) that manage to temporarily take your mind off the tension that builds throughout the story.

The ending hints that this is the first of a series and I hope the next one is just as exciting.

About the Book

Genre: Science Fiction

Age Category: Middle-Grade

Number of Pages: 280 Pages

Publication Date: February 13, 2025

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223726420-star-quest-academy

Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/79fe4e6c-7911-4343-b8ed-c0290ed1cf8d

Amazon: https://a.co/d/6jjdGea (Canada) https://a.co/d/fZhLPiZ (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/fQelUs8 (UK)

Or purchase from your local independent bookshop.

The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton

On March 31, 2025April 1, 2025 By @f33lthesunIn #YALeave a comment

Blurb

A glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.

At sixteen, Honora “Nora” Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money–and all the magic–in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for grabs, and Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the one family heir.

But there’s a surprise contestant this time: Lotte, the illegitimate daughter of Nora’s aunt. When Lotte’s absent mother retrieves her from the rural convent she’d abandoned her to, Lotte goes from being an orphan to surrounded by family. Unfortunately, most of them want her dead.

And soon, Nora discovers that her mother’s death wasn’t random–it was murder. And the only person she can trust to uncover the truth of what happened is a rakish young reporter who despises everything Nora and her family stand for.

With everyone against her, Lotte’s last hope is hunting for the identity of her father. But the dangerous competition–and her feelings for Theo, one of the Holtzfalls’ sworn protectors–turns her world upside down.

Review

I do love a fairy tale inspired story and The Notorious Virtues does not disappoint. As it turns out, this is the first in a series, and whilst ending on somewhat of a cliffhanger, it felt an appropriate place to do so. I need the next book…NOW!

Told from multiple viewpoints, which works well to keep the reader on top of what is happening, this story at is heart is about family. The family in question being the powerful Holtzfall’s, who own and hold all the power in Walstad. The matriarch leader, Mercy, uses her power and magic to control the family and keep the traditions alive…but as the younger generation prepare and endure the trials to decide the next heir to the fortune, they start to uncover deep secrets and infighting. Whilst searching for answers and trying to outmanoeuvre each other, the girls must also be prepared for trials to win a chance to be heiress. These trials are undisclosed (but linked to the virtues) until they happen and can be anything from troll attacks, helping others or not being tempered in stressful situations.

The history of the family and the traditions they keep, including that of their sworn knight protectors, the Rydders, is told in chunks interspersed throughout the main storyline and is their own origins fairy tale, linked to an immortal being in the woods and an honest, hardworking woodcutter who asks no more than to be able to cut wood to help his family survive the winter. How the family has changed these ideals and their use of magic over the generations enables themes of capitalism, dictatorship, family secrets, resistance, betrayal and rebellion. As one of the characters whose point of view is shared with us is a journalist, we also see the power of the press being used to manipulate how individuals and situations are perceived by the general population.

All this sounds heavy, but believe me, this story is anything but. It is fast paced, builds intrigue, suspense and unforeseen twists, whilst also maintaining a fairy tale-esque style.

Thank you to @TheWriteReads, the author and Faber for a copy of this to read and review.

About the book

Genre: Fantasy

Age Category: Young Adult

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Number of Pages: 368 Pages

Publication Date: March 27, 2025

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38347283-the-notorious-virtues

Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/3e6e7d9c-5b37-413b-9773-4550a1b42233

Amazon: https://a.co/d/8vVbAG9 (Canada) https://a.co/d/hLVzjdb (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/i8QYXs5 (UK)

Or my preferred method, buy at a local independent bookshop.

Look out for the other blogs on this tour.

Undine’s Blessing by Tessa Hastjarjanto

On March 31, 2025March 31, 2025 By @f33lthesunIn #YA1 Comment

Blurb

A dutiful daughter, a mystical archipelago, and a hidden power waiting to command the tides…

Marella spends her days caring for her sick mother and selling her father’s fish. Bound by duty and love, she dreams little of adventure. But when her mother must travel to the city for treatment, her father takes her out to sea, despite her fear of water.

A storm steers them to Emberrain, home to a tribe of magical nymphs and a place of secrets, where Marella discovers a startling truth: her father is a frequent visitor to these mysterious islands. Soon she learns that Emberrain isn’t the only secret he had kept from her.

Marella has the power to control water and communicate with aquatic animals.

Overwhelmed by the magical but dangerous islands, and the secrets of her father, Marella must learn to harness her powers to save herself and her new aquatic friend before they are separated from their parents forever.

Undine’s Blessing is a journey of wonder, where fears are faced and mysteries unravel, and a young girl learns that true adventure begins when you dare to embrace who you truly are.

Review

Undine’s Blessing is a fairy tale like story that mixes human and magical worlds through Marella and her father.

Marella’s childhood is spent looking after her poorly mother and doing chores to help them earn enough money to get by whilst her father takes his boat out for long periods, fishing and bringing back intriguing fruits they have never seen before. Where do they come from? Her father is evasive on that.

Marella is caught between her over protective mother and her adventurous father. She questions why her mother does not want yer hear the water but her wish to obey her mother clashes with her joy of swimming and her father’s wish to see her enjoy life more and not be bound to the home by chores.

When he takes Marella on one of his boat trips, she discovers where the fruit comes from…a magical land of nymphs. But what dark secrets lie beneath the surface? How can this place be linked to Marella’s apparent affinity with water and water based creatures?

You will have to read this to find out. Join Marella in this wonderfully crafted world as she discovers her talent for water magic and takes on the village elders to help nature recover from their actions.

About the Book

Length: 298 Pages

Genre: Fantasy

Age Category: Young Adult

Date Published: January 27, 2024

Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/3A6CTUC (Canada) https://a.co/d/cFNzg3k (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/iR6Injk (UK)

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199001923-undine-s-blessing

The Story Graph Link: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/acdc824e-225e-40be-9778-03566593b1cb

About BBNYA

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists (16 in 2024) and one overall winner.

Curse of Souls by Niranjan

On February 17, 2025February 15, 2025 By @f33lthesunIn AdultLeave a comment

Blurb

The fates of two nations hang on the balance on a man’s choice between love and an arcane bond.

Philip has been spearheading a rebellion in his country, with Casey, his lover and partner, at his side. The rebellion has snowballed into a civil war and casualties on both sides are mounting. In a desperate attempt for peace, Philip decides to approach Raylan, the second in command of the other side. He has learned that Raylan is not as stubborn as his mentor and that he may be open to negotiations.

The last thing Philip expects is for a soul mate bond to spring to life between him and Raylan, activating an ancient curse that will kill them both if the bond isn’t consummated. Philip has never loved anyone but Casey, and Raylan is a total stranger who he has no feelings for. Yet, the delicate negotiations between the two nations will fail without him and Raylan. Philip’s life is not his own, after all; it belongs to the people he has pledged his service to.

With more than his life at stake, will Philip be able to let go of the love of his life to bring peace to his people?

Review

This is a fantasy romance novella about a couple, Philip and Casey, together for 15 years, who are emotionally wounded when an ancient magic soulmate bond awakens in Philip, giving him a short time in which to find his soulmate and consummate the relationship or they will both die.

Time is no issue however, as they discover almost immediately that Philip’s bond soulmate is the person who they have been negotiating with to end the war and bring peace to the country, making this an issue they had not expected.

The author deals with the emotions of the three main characters well, their separate reactions to the bond curse and working through the issues (both in their own minds and together) being a very strong theme of the story.

The story being told from the different viewpoints of the three main characters is useful to us, the readers, as it means there are no unreliable narrators leading us on about how others are thinking because of the perceptions of the other characters.

Where I wanted more was the back stories…to the characters (not just Philip, Casey and Raylan), to the world they inhabit and the magic. I wanted to be more emotionally connected to the story of Raylan and his four friends since childhood, to then be really invested when we find out one of them may be a traitor.

About the Book

Length: 158 Pages

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Age Category: Adult

Date Published: January 19, 2024

Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/fML4oX2 (Canada) https://a.co/d/iMVvXJM (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/8MzvDYy (UK)

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/193384554-curse-of-souls

The Story Graph Link: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/6c7e346e-d40f-4fb2-863d-9cc2e837d9cd

Fallen Knight by Ceril N Domace

On January 20, 2025January 20, 2025 By @f33lthesunIn AdultLeave a comment

Blurb

Leon Quinn has two goals in life: stay out of the reach of the Templesbane and drink himself unconscious whenever he can afford it.

The first is because the Templesbane wiped out his home and family among the Knights Vigilant when he was a child, destroying everything he knew and loved in one night. The second is to help him sleep when the memories of the first overwhelm him.

But he can’t avoid his past forever. His mercenary work has brought him back to Mezeldwelf, the city he fled to after the downfall of the Knights Vigilant, and to his estranged father just in time to get embroiled in a scheme that threatens the very foundation of the city. A scheme that could see Mezeldwelf, its people, and its gods handed over to the Templesbane.

To protect the city and man that adopted him, Leon will need to confront the ruins of the life he left behind and the horrors that threaten the life he’s cobbled together since then.

Review

It took me a couple of chapters to get my head round who was who and who stood for what, but once I did, what a story! The world building is superb, the characters are deep, idiosyncratic, and Leon is a fabulous main character.

There are several themes running through the book including found family, war, revenge, loss, the weight of expectation and, mainly for Leon, perception not only of himself but how others see him.

Leon grew up knowing certain facts about his early life and thinking he knew other things, which continue to influence the decisions he makes and what he keeps secret from others. He is tortured about what has happened in the past and also what he thinks others want of him. This is not helped by the group of ghost Knights Vigilant who appear to him uninvited, telling him what he should do. Because of this he distances himself, both physically and emotionally, in what he sees as his only way of protecting the people he loves.

Despite perceiving thoughts about him by others mostly incorrectly, he does have some self awareness and when he finds himself responsible for the safety of a teenage girl, he changes his approach to things in order not to scare her.

I love the wide ranging characters that surround Leon, looking out for him despite his best efforts to distance himself, and really look forward to the next book in the series to meet them again, especially Jackie…like Leon, we just never know where she is going to turn up next!

Thank you to the author , Ceril N. Domace, and @The_WriteReads for a copy of the book including order to take part in this blog tour.