sgt_books's review against another edition
3.0
I absolutely flew through my copy of An Incarnation of Shadow and Light! I’m not kidding, I read it in one sitting! The world building is rich and the magic is complex, but everything is easily consumed and engaging! The characters are a great mix of lovable and hate-able, which I personally love in a fantasy book! I would totally recommend picking this one up
veroverovero000's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 ⭐️ Very nice novel, catchy, nice world building, interesting how the magic of works, and incredible relationships.
amari_patel's review against another edition
3.0
3⭐️
This book is good in the sense that the plot and world building are easy to understand, so it is not difficult to get into. However, the characters felt a little flat. There was a lot of potential to fully develop complex personalities for each of the four main characters, but it just wasn’t executed properly. The dynamics and relationships between the characters at times felt awkward and abrupt. There is a lot of LGBTQ+ representation in the book, which is nice. The plot seemed a little rushed at certain points, which prohibited me from really making an emotional connection with the story and the characters. Nothing truly excited me or kept me on my toes, but it would still be a great book for those trying to get into fantasy though because of its simplicity.
Favorite Quote:
“I know it’s selfish wanting you to stay, but I don’t quite know what I’d do without you. You’re kind of my best friend.”
Special thanks to Hazel Book Tours and the author for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is good in the sense that the plot and world building are easy to understand, so it is not difficult to get into. However, the characters felt a little flat. There was a lot of potential to fully develop complex personalities for each of the four main characters, but it just wasn’t executed properly. The dynamics and relationships between the characters at times felt awkward and abrupt. There is a lot of LGBTQ+ representation in the book, which is nice. The plot seemed a little rushed at certain points, which prohibited me from really making an emotional connection with the story and the characters. Nothing truly excited me or kept me on my toes, but it would still be a great book for those trying to get into fantasy though because of its simplicity.
Favorite Quote:
“I know it’s selfish wanting you to stay, but I don’t quite know what I’d do without you. You’re kind of my best friend.”
Special thanks to Hazel Book Tours and the author for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
promisevideo's review against another edition
This looks like everything that I'm looking for in a book, I can't wait to read it!
the_savannahhumphrey's review
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bexsbookshelves1's review against another edition
4.0
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I love it when I read the first line of a book, and it has me hooked. This one was no exception.
This book is fabulous, my only downside, and the reason it didn't get 5 stars is because of the many points of view throughout this book. I would get into a character only to read a character that I wasn't 100% clicking with, which is fine because they were vital but sometimes wanted to be stuck with another character.
The magic system wasn't overly complicated, which is a good thing as sometimes I can get lost, whereas this one I understood completely what was happening with the magic.
People should give this book a go if they want an uncomplicated magic system, morally grey characters, and brilliant storytelling.
Thank you to the author for gifting me this book. All reviews are my own.
I love it when I read the first line of a book, and it has me hooked. This one was no exception.
This book is fabulous, my only downside, and the reason it didn't get 5 stars is because of the many points of view throughout this book. I would get into a character only to read a character that I wasn't 100% clicking with, which is fine because they were vital but sometimes wanted to be stuck with another character.
The magic system wasn't overly complicated, which is a good thing as sometimes I can get lost, whereas this one I understood completely what was happening with the magic.
People should give this book a go if they want an uncomplicated magic system, morally grey characters, and brilliant storytelling.
Thank you to the author for gifting me this book. All reviews are my own.
bookpaperraven's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you pridebooktours and the author for providing me a copy of this book.
Overall this was a good book.
What I loved:
Queer normative world for the win!
The different magic of each Incarnate.
The contrasting countries and their views on magic.
The villain- when I properly hate a villain I know they've been done well .
The cover (you all know I'm a sucker for a pretty book)
What wasn't my favourite:
The writing needed a little bit of work, it could be wordy and sometimes the sentence structure was confusing but, it is the author's first book so, I think it will only improve from here.
There was a lack of depth with the main characters, the many POVs likely contributed to this but I didn't feel like I got to know any of the characters very well.
The plot moved too quickly, something was happening, then it was over then we were onto something else right away.
Overall this was a good book.
What I loved:
Queer normative world for the win!
The different magic of each Incarnate.
The contrasting countries and their views on magic.
The villain- when I properly hate a villain I know they've been done well .
The cover (you all know I'm a sucker for a pretty book)
What wasn't my favourite:
The writing needed a little bit of work, it could be wordy and sometimes the sentence structure was confusing but, it is the author's first book so, I think it will only improve from here.
There was a lack of depth with the main characters, the many POVs likely contributed to this but I didn't feel like I got to know any of the characters very well.
The plot moved too quickly, something was happening, then it was over then we were onto something else right away.
chars_reads225's review against another edition
4.0
While I usually love romance in my fantasy books this book gave me a much needed break! This was a super fast paced book that had me staying up way to last at night (as usual) to finish it. I absolutely loved the world building and the magic system and really enjoyed the sun and moon powers and how they balanced each other out. Magic was truly the center of the plot and it made for a really cool read! The political intrigue was also super interesting and all of the fighting and manipulation made me hooked.
The characters in this book were also all super interesting Gabriel seemed like the typical comedic relief but as the book went on I understand more about him and his motivations. Zoe was one of my favorite characters I really loved her reactions to things and she felt very realistic I felt like I could really see myself in her. Niklas although I hated him at first I understood him more by the end of the book and actually enjoyed his scenes a lot. Lastly Silje, she was a character who was extremely morally grey but what I really loved about her characters and the other characters as well is how I knew exactly why she did and thought the things she did. I completely understood her and her actions and although I hated her at times I felt sympathetic to her struggles.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and if you’re looking for a non-romantic fantasy book with lots of LGBTQ rep (bi, lesbian, and non-binary characters!!) I highly recommend picking this one up!
The characters in this book were also all super interesting Gabriel seemed like the typical comedic relief but as the book went on I understand more about him and his motivations. Zoe was one of my favorite characters I really loved her reactions to things and she felt very realistic I felt like I could really see myself in her. Niklas although I hated him at first I understood him more by the end of the book and actually enjoyed his scenes a lot. Lastly Silje, she was a character who was extremely morally grey but what I really loved about her characters and the other characters as well is how I knew exactly why she did and thought the things she did. I completely understood her and her actions and although I hated her at times I felt sympathetic to her struggles.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and if you’re looking for a non-romantic fantasy book with lots of LGBTQ rep (bi, lesbian, and non-binary characters!!) I highly recommend picking this one up!