The Char and the Shen have been at war for generations, but a new plot has given the Shen a terrible advantage. When her brothers are drawn into the battle, Luna binds her emotions with a wooden heart, to strengthen her in battle, and finds that strength comes with a terrible cost. Together with Lye Li, former slave of the Shen emperor, she must find a way to save her brothers and her people. For Little Luna, the war is just beginning…

The magical premise of this book is a fascinating one. On one side, the tried and tested elemental magic of the Shen is given a new twist; on the other, there is the creative and original Char magic. This is, really, the highlight of this book. As part of their coming-of-age ceremony, the Char people choose a body part to replace with magically infused wood. Necks, arms, eyes… each has its own strengths and costs, and they’re displayed rather well in this book, though there’s definitely room for further exploration.

Although I tried, however, I really struggled to connect with some of the characters in this book. I think this is mostly a pacing issue; sometimes, I found myself wanting to linger on a section that was skipped through, or being forced to linger for the sake of repetition. I also struggled with the narrative style, though I’m aware that other people might find it engaging and immersive.

The second half of the book really settles into itself: character development is more consistent, the pacing hits its stride, and there’s a steady sense of building tension. It’s probably worthy of, at least, a three-star rating. But, unfortunately, I spent much of the first half of this book counting pages; it took me a very long time to settle in to this book.

Rating: ★ ★ 1/2

Genre: Fantasy

Trigger Warnings: Fantasy violence, sexism, attempted suicide

Would I recommend this? No, although I do think the magic system is one worth watching.

Would I read a sequel? No

This book really is a blending of genres, there's a little action/fantasy/mystery element to it and it makes for a really immersive read. It's totally unique in its premise and the world building is really rich and vivid. You totally get transported to another world. The characters are wonderfully human and flawed and I can definitely say this is a must-read.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️
I loved the story and diverse set of characters that make up this world. The char magic system was really interesting and I especially enjoyed learning about char traditions. However, I just could not get truly immersed within this story. There were no moments where I would think ‘I need to know what happens next’. I pushed myself to finish this story and although there were good moments, overall it just was not as entertaining to me plot wise.

The Girl with the Hickory Heart is a solid read. I like plot, characters and writing style. Nice for young adults and older teens. Story about life choices, feelings and war.

Thank you to the IBPA for this eARC of "The Girl with the Hickory Heart" by Lauren Nicolle Taylor. Although I got this for free, my opinion will purely be my own.

I loved this read, it was spectacular. It was around 800 pages which is a hefty read (which is why it took me so long to finish) however it didn't seem like such a feat due to how amazing Taylor's writing is. I absolutely loved the characters and the story in general. I'm very excited to own a proper copy when it debuts on the 24th August.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

4.5 star
TW: self-harm, attempted suicide

I loved this book. The pacing was great. There weren’t any times where I was trudging through, which is a great relief. I loved both POVs. I especially liked Lye’s growth. While it can be triggering for some, I liked how she struggled. You don’t always see that in books, especially fantasy. I also loved Luna’s struggle. She made a hard choice and had to deal with it. Her conflicting thoughts and emotions were so raw and true. The ending was kind of predictable, but I enjoyed it. I really hope there’s a second. I need to know what happens.

Actual Rating = 2.5

Based on the other reviews for this novel I'm in the minority, but this just didn't work for me.

Don't get me wrong, this absolutely has strengths. For example, the Char magic system - which is basically based around replacing body parts with raw materials like bronze and wood - was relatively unique. The prose itself was also lyrical and descriptive, even calling it "beautiful" would not be a stretch.

Unfortunately, I felt no sense of urgency while reading this. The writing was lovely but when I'd finished a chapter I didn't feel like I had to know what happened next. I was still debating whether I was even going to continue around Chapter 5, which isn't ideal. Maybe it's because I've seen Avatar the Last Airbender too many times, or read too many novels that revolve around elemental magic, but this just felt like a story I've encountered before. I also didn't feel strong connections to really any of the characters. I'd actually go so far as to say this book probably has too large of a cast for the story it's trying to tell.

If you're pretty new to elemental magic systems, or lyrical writing is your main priority with novels then this will very likely work for you. But I wouldn't recommend this to a friend who really cared about the plot or strong characters.

A fantastic book from Lauren Nicolle Taylor, this book will transport you into a whole other world, You can almost smell the salt water and feel the adrenaline as two warring tribes clash. Though not my favourite genre, I thoroughly enjoyed this read :).