i really enjoyed reading this book, it was a great take on a fantasy novel with interesting characters. I look forward to more from the author.

Wow! This was an intense read. Be prepared for an epic journey. There is a small amount of curse words in the writing and implied sexual relationships, otherwise, this is a clean read.

I struggled with some of the names even though a pronunciation key was provided. I eventually gave up trying to read it the correct way and just went with my own pronunciations.

There is a lot of mystery but the author keeps up a good pace so that you don’t get mired down. I was disappointed that the author did not reveal the answer to some of the mysteries but it definitely makes me want to read the sequel.

If you enjoy coming of age, adventure stories and don’t mind homicidal family members or gory fight scenes, this might be your next favorite book.

New to me author J.W. Webb managed to pleasantly surprise me with this well-crafted fantasy novel. The blurb caught my attention immediately and I couldn't pass the opportunity to read this book.

The worldbuilding and magic system are quite unique. Gods, fairies, mages, Norse mythology, mystery, political plots and a bit of romance, we're all wonderfully woven into the story. There was never a dull moment. The story is intricate and told from multiple POV, which most of the time I don't like because it can be confusing, but it works perfectly in this situation, All characters are well developed and have substance. Jaran, Savarna and Finvar make quite a team. Together they set out to defeat the sorceress Sheega, who wants Jaran dead. But there are also other enemies lurking in the shadow, making their journey that more difficult.

The action was fairly paced, it dulled down halfway throughout the book and picked up at the end. But the plot was intriguing enough to keep my interest until the last page. It was an entertaining read and I recommend it!

I haven't read any of the other books that are set in this world, but after finishing this one, I sure wouldn't mind checking them out some day. There was so much going on and so many characters that it never got boring. I'll admit that because of just how many characters there were (and their weird names), that in the beginning it sometimes took me a second to remember who we had just switched POV to. A big part of that is how absolutely terrible I am with names though too. This book has pretty much everything going for it: fighting, fantasy, dry humor, and a subtle romance...and it all worked. Really, the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because I didn't immediately want to read it again.

Like I said, there was a lot going on here. So much so that I don't even know where to start with my review. But here we go. Jaran is a Northman. Tall, muscular, and built for fighting there is prophecy about his destiny that he doesn't even know about. Raised in a cave by his mother who won't tell him anything of his past or why they have hidden all these years, he sets out one day after a fight to join the armies. While there is when he meets Finvar. Finvar is a criminal with his old gang out for his head. But he is smart and knows many old stories. He's also...different. Finvar can turn into a bird, though he can't control it. And when he hears the stories of Jaran he thinks he might have found a kindred soul. But bad choices have them forced to flee the city.

Savarna is a noble whose lands were attacked and the women taken as slaves. Too bad for her captors, Savarna has a lot of fight in her. She is also like Finvar in that she can shift. Into a tiger. Savarna's actions bring her to the attention of the empress and while she was on her way there her caravan of guards is attacked. She manages to befriend the leader of this group of outlaws and he brings her with them to town. It's here that she meets up with Jaran and Finvar when the town is attacked by enemies of the empire and they flee together. Forever entwining their future.

There's a lot of bad guys here. But the biggest one is a witch that has incredible power and needs Jaran dead before he can kill her and reclaim his birthright. She's fearful enough, but when she gains a faerie lover from the seas, the danger just escalates as he's powerful in his own right. To defeat her, Jaran, Savarna, and Finvar must follow a shaman's instructions on what needs to be done and work together. For only together can they win. Wherever they go, death follows, but they are determined to see it to the end.

I loved the relationship between Savarna and her twin brother Vian. Honestly, he was my favorite character...until he did something stupid like sleep with his target. I still like him, just not as much.

By the end of this, while the three of them have made some headway, they also suffer a terrible blow when one of them is captured by the witch. An obvious trap, but one they're going to willingly walk into.

I really hope that I remember to keep an eye out for the next one because I'd love to find out what happens next.

The multiply point of view expands the world of this book nicely. It allows readers the ability to see the effect of our hero's actions. Every action the heroes made had real effects that we saw from another point of view. For example, we got to see what happen with Gurtei after Vian's sister left.

My only main problem with this book is how slow the story is to get moving. It starts with jumping you into the action but then it slows down. The change in pace was a bit jarring.

Overall the story itself was very good. Putting together this fantasy land with people of different abilities and whatnot is very creative. I enjoyed the plot; however, the book started out very rough almost overly descriptive I barely made it through to the actual storyline. Along with multiple incorrect uses of words, spelling and grammatical errors which had me needing to back track and reread sentences multiple times to make sure I wasn't mistaken. The author uses seers to drive the story forward instead of proper story development. Feels a bit like here let me fill in all the blanks and tell you what you're supposed to do real fast. Characters are a bit archetype. Main plot has so much potential, with some development and better organization and editing I think it could be a great story. Oh, I also feel like the cliff hanger was a bit off. I would also considering cutting off a little bit earlier.

This book was very interesting. It was a book that had so many things going on! Romance, twists, secrets, magic, curses and much more. I loved the cover and that is why I picked that book besides the fact that the book contains paranormal theme. New author for me. It was a good read.