Fantasy novels always take me FOREVER to grasp, and that’s true here too. It took time to learn the different siblings, why they disliked who or were disconnected from so-and-so. And I ended up listening to this as an audiobook so I was missing any sort of map or reference information (though I didn’t see that included in the ARC and don’t know if it was a thing in a finished copy).

But once I got the siblings downpat, I was in for such an enjoyable ride. I loved this story, the way it unfolded, the magic, how folks worked together. And I was shocked by betrayals and deceit. I immediately wanted to reach the second novel, but it wasn’t available for me to do so anywhere.

I feel like so many fantasy stories are whitewashed and set in regions that aren’t historically white, so the lack of BIPOC characters is unrealistic. I love that this isn’t a white fantasy. The characters are South Asian, with traditions that seem to align with Tamil culture. It was so refreshing and fun to read such a story.

I’d definitely recommend this fantastic and diverse fantasy novel!

I will not be reading this one unfortunately as I have unhauled the physical copy! Apologies, catching up on old ARCs to clear off my list.

Cover request initially! I enjoyed this and the characters/ multiple POVs and I'm going to have to get my hands on book two!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an eArc for review.

The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman is a perfect fit for readers who crave epic fantasy adventures with a strong focus on family dynamics, sibling rivalry, and the quest for power, as well as those who enjoy Indian-inspired settings and LGBTQIA+ representation, making it a must-read for fans of There Will Come a Darkness, The Gilded Wolves, and We Hunt the Flame.

Epic. So enjoyable. Akshaya is an incredible writer and I can’t wait for the next novel she puts out!

I think the thing I really found the most interesting thing about this book was the relationship between all the siblings.
This isn't your typical everyone loves an dhelps each other kinda story. And I found it very unique.

The relationship these siblings have is tremulous at best. And it made for a very dynamic story where you weren't always sure of motives or choices that would be made.

The world Raman created was also so beautiful. Her ability to write such a vivid and creative world impressed me so much.
And rhe world building didn't pull me from the story like other fantasy books have done.

I would definitely recommend this one to anyone wanting a good new YA fantasy

What a gem! The Ivory Key follows four estranged royal siblings as they attempt to band together to save their country. Tensions are high but the call to duty is higher as Vira, Kaleb, Riya, and Ronak fight against a fatal magic shortage, outside forces, and most of all: each other.

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

Oh this was a blast. I didn’t expect the betrayal!! The dynamics between the siblings was very original and the plot was very creative. Will definitely be reading the sequel! I received an advance review copy for free via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Beautiful world building, unique magic system, family drama, high stakes quest... The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman reminded me of the epic adventure tales I enjoyed as a child, and had me questioning why I ever fell out of love with them.
The book starts off on the slower side, but I find that to be common in duologies. Once the quest starts, the pacing picks up and carries us swiftly to the end. I am expecting the sequel to hit the ground running right out of the gate, and I cannot wait to continue this adventure!

This was one was a little slow to start and hard to really get into. I wish the beginning had caught my attention more because I ended up not even finishing this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

DNF @ 51% - 2.5 stars rounded up.

This story started with a bang - a murdered fiancé, a kidnapped Queen, and a reunion with sisters on different sides of a political conflict? We’re introduced to a world where being queer is normalized and accepted, and I loved that. As were introduced to the other two siblings, I thought this was going to be exactly my kind of story.

However, the plot quickly began to drag. Although the four siblings were in very different situations, their characterization lacked a depth to really differentiate them. I am usually very motivated to read because of the depth of character’s feelings for each other, so these estranged siblings felt very siloed.

I read some other reviews, and it sounds like the book will pick up around 60%, when they embark on a quest.

It will be interesting to see how the sequel is received, maybe it can draw me back!

Ok full disclosure I've had this set as currently reading since Dec. OF 2021.
In my defense I've moved and had my books packed away for awhile, not a year but ok, I have no defense haha 😅
This was actually one of the only physical books I've read I'm awhile as I tend to stick to ebooks lately because kids are so very messy I'm scared. So I've been slowly reading this when I have time to pick it up aka when the kids are busy or sleeping. So yes it's taken awhile buuuut I did really enjoy it.

The world, the magic, the family dynamics and the small hints of romance were so good! I wasn't the biggest fan of the political parts or the ending because cliffhanger! However, I loved the puzzle, hidden chambers, secret society vibes. I'm looking forward to the sequel!

Absolutely adored this book. I love south Asian fantasy and this had all the vibes I was looking for but the ending was such an intense cliffhanger!

The Ivory Key was and exciting read that I hadn't experienced in a while. I loved the Indian inspiration and would suggest this to any YA reader. The sibling dynamic was excellent and thought the author did a great job balancing all of them throughout the novel. Even the rivalry between them. I absolutely loved the quest part of this novel--maps, hidden artifacts, enemies around every corner.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Ivory Key is an Indian inspired fantasy story. In a land where magic is a prized commodity, but is becoming scarce, four estranged siblings, each with their own agendas, band together to find a new source of magic to save the land from war.

I liked this book well enough. It was written well and had a good flow. It was well paced and interesting enough to keep me reading. However, I found that I wasn't invested in the characters, especially Vira and Ronak. Will I read the sequel? Probably.

An overall entertaining book that had a great storyline, but I found that lack of detail kept me from being all-in. It was slow to start, which is fine when a fantasy has to world-build, but I feel like more world-building needed to happen. I especially wish the politics of the country was more fleshed out so we could understand Vira's struggle with keeping her Council happy. I also wish magic was explained better, but I do realize that is the main mystery of the story since it turns out that they themselves don't seem to know what magic really is. I still feel like it the characters' understanding of how it works and functions could have been explained a little better.

The Ivory Key hits every note I wanted it to hit -- family drama and siblings who know each other too well and not well enough, complicated romantic entanglements, fun puzzles, exciting adventure. It took a moment for me to get into it (I wanted the siblings together a little quicker), but once I was in, I was all in. I am very excited to pick up the next book and see where it takes me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clarion Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.