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A review by chroniclesofabookreader
The Beckoning Shadow by Katharyn Blair
5.0
**4.5 Stars**
The Beckoning Shadow was an intriguing fantasy that sucked me in from the first page. With its character-focused storyline, Blair crafted a hero's journey with a paranormal flair that, when paired with the entire cast of characters and their elements, held me under its spell until I finished. And somehow, through all of that, it held its structure and pace and kept me coming back for more.
Though the worldbuilding wasn't the greatest, what made up for it in spades was Vesper's individual transformation within the story. I loved her tenacity and how she felt down-to-earth in a world that held pieces that weren't natural. She kept her personality among her trials and she was all too easy to root for; the self-sacrificing with the wounded soul who still managed to maintain her drive. But of course she was flawed, too, and I could forgive the worldbuilding simply because of how well she was crafted. And the subtle sweetness to hers and Sam's connection was wonderfully done—a true feat to pair it so well where it never negated her own journey. Sam's presence was essential and I adored everything he brought to the table.
I cannot wait to continue in this world and see where else Blair plans to take these characters—both main and secondary. The storytelling was impressive and, as such, I know there's so much more goodness to come. I cannot wait to read more.
**Received an early copy via Edelweiss; this had no bearing on my opinions**
The Beckoning Shadow was an intriguing fantasy that sucked me in from the first page. With its character-focused storyline, Blair crafted a hero's journey with a paranormal flair that, when paired with the entire cast of characters and their elements, held me under its spell until I finished. And somehow, through all of that, it held its structure and pace and kept me coming back for more.
Though the worldbuilding wasn't the greatest, what made up for it in spades was Vesper's individual transformation within the story. I loved her tenacity and how she felt down-to-earth in a world that held pieces that weren't natural. She kept her personality among her trials and she was all too easy to root for; the self-sacrificing with the wounded soul who still managed to maintain her drive. But of course she was flawed, too, and I could forgive the worldbuilding simply because of how well she was crafted. And the subtle sweetness to hers and Sam's connection was wonderfully done—a true feat to pair it so well where it never negated her own journey. Sam's presence was essential and I adored everything he brought to the table.
I cannot wait to continue in this world and see where else Blair plans to take these characters—both main and secondary. The storytelling was impressive and, as such, I know there's so much more goodness to come. I cannot wait to read more.
**Received an early copy via Edelweiss; this had no bearing on my opinions**