This was a miss for me. From the very start the writing style really through me off and I felt like it needed some serious editing. Probably in large part due to the writing I found myself not caring about the characters or what was going to happen next. The premise had promise and would probably be a great read for the right person but that person is not me.

Eda Scott you have delivered the perfect blend of happily ever after and darkness along the journey.
So many quotable moments! Delightful journey of a young girl with a pure heart. Her life is full of hardship and unfair trials but staying true to herself love wins!
I loved the intersprinkling of both Egyptian and Norse gods. Totally unique and I can hardly wait for her next book. We'll done!!!

This was definitely a different and interesting read for me. It had some very intriguing mythological references and inspirations; however it really wasn’t for me. The author’s overall writing style just didn’t keep me engaged. I can see the appeal of this story, and appreciate the strong female protagonist. Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book & give my unbiased opinion!

For Journey's Arcane I can not give a full review as I could not finish it. I read about 15 percent of the book but I just could not get into it. It does give a lot of detail about what is going on and I was curious to find out what was up with Leon, the beginning of the book just was a little long for me. I'm sure if you like great detail and don't mind a slow beginning you will probably like this book.

Journey’s Arcane follows the main character, Nora, as she stops in a small town in Canada to accomplish a goal with the intention of leaving soon after. Her plans change as she quickly begins to fall for the local bartender, Leon, who is hiding a mysterious past. Based on the book description and the book cover, I thought this would be a fantasy romance with gothic vibes but I was wrong. This book felt like it couldn’t decide on what it wanted to be and threw a lot of things together that didn’t really fit, giving it a very chaotic feel. Nora’s motivations and actions read more like a YA novel in their level of immaturity. Conversely, several scenes that warrant trigger warnings for SA, DV, suicidal ideation, and more litter this book but no trigger warnings were given. I feel strongly that this book should have a sensitivity read through and the addition of trigger warnings. The bones of the overarching plot were interesting but all in all this book was not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atmosphere Press for the eARC of this book.

I will be posting this review to Goodreads and Amazon after the publishing date.

This book was such a captivating read with twists and turns around every corner! What a great debut novel for Eda Scott! Thank you Eda and Atmosphere Press!

TROPES/THEMES:
Touch her & die
Found family
Egyptian & Norse mythology
Mysticism
Second Act Breakup
Unexpected love
Multiple men fighting over FMC

Synopsis: Nora, a lighthearted goofy girl from Puth, sets out to leave behind her old life and make a new name for herself. First Nora seeks to stop her narcissistic family from ruining a historical castle that she grew up loving its history and its story of holding out for true love. This story has vibes of historical fiction meets paranormal romance and elements of mysticism and mythology. Along the way, Nora quickly finds unexpected love through a mysterious bartender, but it is not met without huge obstacles including overcoming the impossible, visions of King Leon’s past, threats to her mental wellbeing and life. Throughout the journey, Nora finds the family she always deserved. How far is Nora willing to go to fight for love and preserve the secrets of the castle and Journey?

Likes: Nora, Leon, the Hughes, found family, Journey’s small town community, the mysticism, the mythology

Journey’s Arcane was an epic adventure with paranormal aspects and a sprinkle of mythology. Each twist and turn of the plot keeps the reader turning the page to find out what happens next! This story follows Nora as she decides to separate herself from her well to do family with less than desirable morals. She has one final task to complete to right another potential wrong that her family is planning. Once this task is complete she plans to find somewhere to start her life over. Her plans all change when she meets a mysterious bartender that captures her attention and her heart. This was an exciting tale full of dysfunctional family systems, gaslighting, mythology and a small town banding together to save everything.