boozybook's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you Victory editing and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review this amazing book!
Tethered Spirits, a book to be published in the 14th of December was an interesting and enticing read! The story was so beautifully told out that I was left screaming, banging my head, ripping my hair out after I had read the last chapter.
I felt that the author had really focused on the characters, especially Amar. All the characters in the novel had developed, and it was so exciting to see them change and discover new views of their lives. I was especially interested in Kesari who was a girl who had gone from fearing her own magic to realizing who she truly was and taking everything of her into account.
I have to say, the characters stole my heart, and they will always have a special part now that I have read about them.
I hope everyone else who reads this book enjoys it as much as I did! It’s my absolute favorite fantasy book and a great way to almost end the year!
Tethered Spirits, a book to be published in the 14th of December was an interesting and enticing read! The story was so beautifully told out that I was left screaming, banging my head, ripping my hair out after I had read the last chapter.
I felt that the author had really focused on the characters, especially Amar. All the characters in the novel had developed, and it was so exciting to see them change and discover new views of their lives. I was especially interested in Kesari who was a girl who had gone from fearing her own magic to realizing who she truly was and taking everything of her into account.
I have to say, the characters stole my heart, and they will always have a special part now that I have read about them.
I hope everyone else who reads this book enjoys it as much as I did! It’s my absolute favorite fantasy book and a great way to almost end the year!
lillist's review against another edition
4.0
4 Stars - Original YA Fantasy with lots of potential!
Tethered Spirits by T. A. Hernandez tells its story from three perspectives: first of all there is Amar, who is travelling with his two friends to find out why it is that he cannot die (permanently) and also loses his memory whenever he dies (meaning that he has no idea how old he is or who he is). Their paths cross with Kesari, a young girl on a mission of her own. On their heels is Aleida, who is after Amar's immortality and who comes with her own complex backstory.
The original twist to the magic system of this series, which also has lots of potential for further plotlines, is that in this world there are two ways to wield magic. You can be born with a talent for it and be a magician OR you can bond yourself to a magician's soul who has died too young, receiving their magic power and giving the life force of your body in return. Anyone who forms a bond with such a spirit will live only half the years they usually would in return for the power they receive so there is a high price to pay.
Both Kesari and Aleida are bonded to a spirit (Aleida to a particularly powerful one) and their backstories form a significant part of the plot. I thought this was a very interesting concept that can be used to great effect for new twists and turns in future books.
I don't want to give away too much of the plot, so I'll just say that I thought it to be very well paced, with interesting turns at every corner, while it still managed to feel very much character driven. The characters were different and distinct and I could relate to their thoughts, doubts and struggles. I also liked them and came to care for them.
I particularly enjoyed the fact that they (and we as a reader) often did not know whatsoever if the course of action they chose would turn out to be the correct one, which is kind of how life is and how a character driven plot should advance. People make decisions and do what feels right - and hope things turn out well in the end.
I would also like to point out that Hernandez stayed away from awkwardly construced love triangles, instead this story centers on the other types relationships there are: friendships, family bonds, but also temporary partnerships of convenience and, most importantly perhaps, one's relationship with oneself.
This first part in the series does end in a sort of conclusion that brings many loose ends together but at the same time there is a reveal that makes it clear that there is still a lot of story to be told.
The only caveat for me personally that prevented me from giving 5 stars is the prose that was a bit too straightforward for my taste. There is nothing bad to be said about it per se: it's competent, it gets the job done well. I just do like a bit of a poetic melody in my books to give a bit more nuance, complexity, richness.
Other than that I will keep an eye out for the continuation of the series and am rather curious how events are going to unfold. If you are looking for YA Fantasy that stays away from the usual well-trodden tropes and offers a quick and easy read, you will enjoy this one for sure!
I have received an advance review copy via NetGalley and voluntarily provide my honest opinion. Thank you very much!
Tethered Spirits by T. A. Hernandez tells its story from three perspectives: first of all there is Amar, who is travelling with his two friends to find out why it is that he cannot die (permanently) and also loses his memory whenever he dies (meaning that he has no idea how old he is or who he is). Their paths cross with Kesari, a young girl on a mission of her own. On their heels is Aleida, who is after Amar's immortality and who comes with her own complex backstory.
The original twist to the magic system of this series, which also has lots of potential for further plotlines, is that in this world there are two ways to wield magic. You can be born with a talent for it and be a magician OR you can bond yourself to a magician's soul who has died too young, receiving their magic power and giving the life force of your body in return. Anyone who forms a bond with such a spirit will live only half the years they usually would in return for the power they receive so there is a high price to pay.
Both Kesari and Aleida are bonded to a spirit (Aleida to a particularly powerful one) and their backstories form a significant part of the plot. I thought this was a very interesting concept that can be used to great effect for new twists and turns in future books.
I don't want to give away too much of the plot, so I'll just say that I thought it to be very well paced, with interesting turns at every corner, while it still managed to feel very much character driven. The characters were different and distinct and I could relate to their thoughts, doubts and struggles. I also liked them and came to care for them.
I particularly enjoyed the fact that they (and we as a reader) often did not know whatsoever if the course of action they chose would turn out to be the correct one, which is kind of how life is and how a character driven plot should advance. People make decisions and do what feels right - and hope things turn out well in the end.
I would also like to point out that Hernandez stayed away from awkwardly construced love triangles, instead this story centers on the other types relationships there are: friendships, family bonds, but also temporary partnerships of convenience and, most importantly perhaps, one's relationship with oneself.
This first part in the series does end in a sort of conclusion that brings many loose ends together but at the same time there is a reveal that makes it clear that there is still a lot of story to be told.
The only caveat for me personally that prevented me from giving 5 stars is the prose that was a bit too straightforward for my taste. There is nothing bad to be said about it per se: it's competent, it gets the job done well. I just do like a bit of a poetic melody in my books to give a bit more nuance, complexity, richness.
Other than that I will keep an eye out for the continuation of the series and am rather curious how events are going to unfold. If you are looking for YA Fantasy that stays away from the usual well-trodden tropes and offers a quick and easy read, you will enjoy this one for sure!
I have received an advance review copy via NetGalley and voluntarily provide my honest opinion. Thank you very much!
justgeekingby's review against another edition
5.0
Originally posted on Just Geeking by.
Content warnings:
Violence
Depictions of death
References to self-harm and suicidal ideation
Explorations of trauma and mental illness
Discrimination
Torture and imprisonment
Terminal illness
I want to add my own thoughts as a reader, especially as one who identifies as disabled and has depression, anxiety, PTSD and multiple chronic health conditions.
As mentioned in my introduction, healing from trauma is a storyline for one character, but their PTSD has not been used as a plot device. I say that as a reader with PTSD. Their trauma is specifically related to an incident involving fire, which may be triggering for some people.
There is a character who has a fictional illness causing chronic pain and fatigue; this is not the magical disease listed under disability representation. While it is fictional, it is a very real illness in the world Hernandez has created, with symptoms that reminded me of ME/CFS and fibromyalgia, although terminal in natural like cancer. Again, this has been written with care and respect, but may be triggering for people.
There are also flashbacks and references to raids and enslavement, and an act of genocide through magic.
Tethered Spirits is a novel filled with rich world building and fascinating characters who end up thrown together as their paths end up entwined around one man; Amar. For one reason or another, they are on a quest to help him find out what has happened to him, to unravel the mystery of why he can’t remember who he is or where he’s from. There’s much more to the story and as that’s a huge spoiler, all I’m going to say is that the details of his curse is not as simple as amnesia. It’s world-changing if it can be duplicated, and there are people who want to do so for good, and there are people who want to get hold of Amar for their own selfish reasons.
This is a book where not everything is as it seems and even when I’d begun to work out the twisted plots that Hernandez weaves, I didn’t see that huge twist at the end. She has magnificently set it up for book two, but I am getting way ahead of myself; there is plenty to unpack in book one without thinking ahead!
The magic system in Tethered Spirits is so interesting and unique. People can become mages (Tarjas) by tying themselves to the spirit of a deceased Tarja. That sounds extremely necromantic and dodgy as hell, however, it’s quite the opposite. It’s a symbiotic relationship. In exchange for getting to live on in the form of a spirit, the deceased Tarja can bond with a person and share their abilities with them. The spirit Tarja only has a short period of time to bond with a person after death, and if they fail to do so, their spirit has to move on. The bond they form is a close one, and the spirit’s form depends on how powerful they were in life.
This offers a whole new dynamic to the concept of magic and familiars, and in Tethered Spirits we see two very different Tarja’s and two equally unique spirits. The juxtaposition between the two also highlights the comparison between the two young women who are bound to the spirits, and this is where Hernandez’s writing really shines. Every character shines bright, yet not glaringly so. This is very much a novel of found family as Hernandez promised, and they slot together like a jigsaw. Tethered Spirits is all about stories and journeys, some of them happening right in front of us and some of them from long ago. Everything is connected, and sometimes all it takes for healing to begin is for a connection with the right people to be made, to find the right path for oneself. It’s not an easy journey, healing trauma, and Hernandez steers well clear of miraculous cures or other tropes.
This book deals with some heavy themes and there are dark moments, but I want to emphasise that Tethered Spirits isn’t all about doom and gloom. There are some fabulous moments of dialogue where humour and camaraderie bring light-heartedness to the darkness. The characters are well-rounded in that sense, able to laugh at themselves and each other, teasing each other in a friendly manner even when they’re dodging death. It’s a fun novel, packed with adventure, mystery, magic and friends who have made their own family. If you love fantasy novels, then this needs to go on your TBR pronto.
For more of my reviews please visit my blog!
Content warnings:
Spoiler
This novel deals with a lot of serious topics which means there are quite a few dark and possibly triggering moments in this novel, however, they have been handled respectfully by the author. Hernandez has a contents warnings list on her website for all her books, and here is her list for Tethered Spirits:Violence
Depictions of death
References to self-harm and suicidal ideation
Explorations of trauma and mental illness
Discrimination
Torture and imprisonment
Terminal illness
I want to add my own thoughts as a reader, especially as one who identifies as disabled and has depression, anxiety, PTSD and multiple chronic health conditions.
As mentioned in my introduction, healing from trauma is a storyline for one character, but their PTSD has not been used as a plot device. I say that as a reader with PTSD. Their trauma is specifically related to an incident involving fire, which may be triggering for some people.
There is a character who has a fictional illness causing chronic pain and fatigue; this is not the magical disease listed under disability representation. While it is fictional, it is a very real illness in the world Hernandez has created, with symptoms that reminded me of ME/CFS and fibromyalgia, although terminal in natural like cancer. Again, this has been written with care and respect, but may be triggering for people.
There are also flashbacks and references to raids and enslavement, and an act of genocide through magic.
Tethered Spirits is a novel filled with rich world building and fascinating characters who end up thrown together as their paths end up entwined around one man; Amar. For one reason or another, they are on a quest to help him find out what has happened to him, to unravel the mystery of why he can’t remember who he is or where he’s from. There’s much more to the story and as that’s a huge spoiler, all I’m going to say is that the details of his curse is not as simple as amnesia. It’s world-changing if it can be duplicated, and there are people who want to do so for good, and there are people who want to get hold of Amar for their own selfish reasons.
This is a book where not everything is as it seems and even when I’d begun to work out the twisted plots that Hernandez weaves, I didn’t see that huge twist at the end. She has magnificently set it up for book two, but I am getting way ahead of myself; there is plenty to unpack in book one without thinking ahead!
The magic system in Tethered Spirits is so interesting and unique. People can become mages (Tarjas) by tying themselves to the spirit of a deceased Tarja. That sounds extremely necromantic and dodgy as hell, however, it’s quite the opposite. It’s a symbiotic relationship. In exchange for getting to live on in the form of a spirit, the deceased Tarja can bond with a person and share their abilities with them. The spirit Tarja only has a short period of time to bond with a person after death, and if they fail to do so, their spirit has to move on. The bond they form is a close one, and the spirit’s form depends on how powerful they were in life.
This offers a whole new dynamic to the concept of magic and familiars, and in Tethered Spirits we see two very different Tarja’s and two equally unique spirits. The juxtaposition between the two also highlights the comparison between the two young women who are bound to the spirits, and this is where Hernandez’s writing really shines. Every character shines bright, yet not glaringly so. This is very much a novel of found family as Hernandez promised, and they slot together like a jigsaw. Tethered Spirits is all about stories and journeys, some of them happening right in front of us and some of them from long ago. Everything is connected, and sometimes all it takes for healing to begin is for a connection with the right people to be made, to find the right path for oneself. It’s not an easy journey, healing trauma, and Hernandez steers well clear of miraculous cures or other tropes.
This book deals with some heavy themes and there are dark moments, but I want to emphasise that Tethered Spirits isn’t all about doom and gloom. There are some fabulous moments of dialogue where humour and camaraderie bring light-heartedness to the darkness. The characters are well-rounded in that sense, able to laugh at themselves and each other, teasing each other in a friendly manner even when they’re dodging death. It’s a fun novel, packed with adventure, mystery, magic and friends who have made their own family. If you love fantasy novels, then this needs to go on your TBR pronto.
For more of my reviews please visit my blog!
booknchaoswithmarz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
stxrlight's review against another edition
5.0
An exciting, thrilling story and a must read for all YA fantasy lovers. This book has complex characters, depth, magical elements, bonded spirits and so much more! The twists are lovely, and the storyline is absolutely amazing.
I can't wait to read the second book!
I can't wait to read the second book!
dayday_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this story. I was hooked from the very first page and this book had a choke hold on me for the two days it took for me to zip through it.
What I liked:
1. The characters! All of them. There was so much growth for all of the major players and my heart just broke for Amar and Keisara.
2. The magic system. I found the idea altma quite interesting as there is more than one way to access the magic. Also, the idea of a Spirit Tarja is very cool.
3. The world building. It was beautiful and lush and felt so real!
4. Found family. Oh my heart! What these characters went through and still remained loyal to one another. It was a beautiful thing.
What I didn't like:
Nothing. This was so well done and a brilliant start to a serious I can't wait to dive further in to.
What I liked:
1. The characters! All of them. There was so much growth for all of the major players and my heart just broke for Amar and Keisara.
2. The magic system. I found the idea altma quite interesting as there is more than one way to access the magic. Also, the idea of a Spirit Tarja is very cool.
3. The world building. It was beautiful and lush and felt so real!
4. Found family. Oh my heart! What these characters went through and still remained loyal to one another. It was a beautiful thing.
What I didn't like:
Nothing. This was so well done and a brilliant start to a serious I can't wait to dive further in to.
gotathingforthings's review
3.0
I think this had many exciting concepts and I want to see where the series goes. I liked the characters enough, but I felt not a loooot happened!
I read this for SPFBO (Cassidy's version). Watch my reading vlog with more thoughts here:
https://youtu.be/xFK7zjfW6AQ
I read this for SPFBO (Cassidy's version). Watch my reading vlog with more thoughts here:
https://youtu.be/xFK7zjfW6AQ
grimdarkurchin's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ari_reading_'s review
3.0
“I received an advance review copy, and this review represents my honest opinion”
I really enjoyed this book, I found myself intrigued and questioning at the start, especially with the question in chapter one. The cover is amazing, the plot is intriguing. I did get annoyed with one of the characters at the start who seemed a little bit selfish.
Highly recommend. I did like how there were multiple POVS.
I feel like I had to focus on the plot so as not to get confused and that we were smack bang in the world which was good but I feel like, a little prologue would have been nice.
Good luck to the Author.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really enjoyed this book, I found myself intrigued and questioning at the start, especially with the question in chapter one. The cover is amazing, the plot is intriguing. I did get annoyed with one of the characters at the start who seemed a little bit selfish.
Highly recommend. I did like how there were multiple POVS.
I feel like I had to focus on the plot so as not to get confused and that we were smack bang in the world which was good but I feel like, a little prologue would have been nice.
Good luck to the Author.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
readingthestars's review
5.0
I love love loved this book! I knew before I even started that it was going to be right up my alley, and it was. The premise and world are simple enough, but so engaging and interesting to read about.
Tethered Spirits follows three main characters, the first of which Amar, cursed with immortality. Every time he dies, he comes back to life...without his memories, and he's searching for answers. Kesari is a Tarja and has magical abilities with her Bonded spirit, Lucian. She's keeping a secret, and has her own reasons for helping Amar with his journey. Aleida is a young girl and Tarja hunting Amar, hoping that his curse will help save her ill brother.
I found the characters to be the best part of this book. It was fun seeing them all interact, and each had qualities that made them endearing or frustrating. But none of them were outright right or wrong, and they each had their own motivations that justified their actions. The story itself unfolded itself in a perfect pace, and a couple times I had to sit back after reading a sentence and ask myself, "Did I really just read that?" Like I said before, the plot is simple but so effective, especially because it unravels itself slowly until towards the end, where it just hits you.
I also liked how easy it was to get into this world. Sometimes fantasy worlds take a while to get used to (one book took me 100 pages once), which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'm typically a fan of quick reads. This book is undoubtably fantasy, but it uses both fictional terms alongside terms that we use in everyday life, allowing for a quicker understanding of the world and its customs without completing removing the fantastical element of it all.
The only issue I saw was some errors/typos throughout the book. Some punctuation was missing, but not enough for it to be a real problem. This is something that can be fixed with some more editing.
All in all, I'm very excited to see what happens in the next book because what! Was! That! Ending!!!
*I received an advanced review copy and this review represents my honest opinion.
Tethered Spirits follows three main characters, the first of which Amar, cursed with immortality. Every time he dies, he comes back to life...without his memories, and he's searching for answers. Kesari is a Tarja and has magical abilities with her Bonded spirit, Lucian. She's keeping a secret, and has her own reasons for helping Amar with his journey. Aleida is a young girl and Tarja hunting Amar, hoping that his curse will help save her ill brother.
I found the characters to be the best part of this book. It was fun seeing them all interact, and each had qualities that made them endearing or frustrating. But none of them were outright right or wrong, and they each had their own motivations that justified their actions. The story itself unfolded itself in a perfect pace, and a couple times I had to sit back after reading a sentence and ask myself, "Did I really just read that?" Like I said before, the plot is simple but so effective, especially because it unravels itself slowly until towards the end, where it just hits you.
I also liked how easy it was to get into this world. Sometimes fantasy worlds take a while to get used to (one book took me 100 pages once), which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'm typically a fan of quick reads. This book is undoubtably fantasy, but it uses both fictional terms alongside terms that we use in everyday life, allowing for a quicker understanding of the world and its customs without completing removing the fantastical element of it all.
The only issue I saw was some errors/typos throughout the book. Some punctuation was missing, but not enough for it to be a real problem. This is something that can be fixed with some more editing.
All in all, I'm very excited to see what happens in the next book because what! Was! That! Ending!!!
*I received an advanced review copy and this review represents my honest opinion.