DNF 33%

I tried, I really did. I’ve been forcing myself to read this book for over a week and a half…that should tell you all you need to know right there. I’m usually a two to three day read max kind of girl. I just couldn’t make myself do it any longer!

The story had promise, an academy for reapers and necromancers? I’m all in for that (hello Crave series!) But unfortunately this read like a first rough draft of someone quite young.

There were SO many characters introduced without any type of fleshing out I couldn’t keep track of anyone outside of the two mains and some had names so similar it was so easy to be confused.

The world building was chaotic and unorganized and again so much was introduced but not explained enough that I didn’t care about it and was made to appear unimportant. And I usually LOVE world building!

All the characters had a pre-teen to teenage type of dialogue even the characters that were supposed to be adults and even ancient beings. It was a bit annoying there was no discernible difference between the different age groups. This is why I think this was written by someone very young.

Over all I wish I could’ve liked this enough to finish it but there’s just too many better books out there for me to continue to force myself to read this. Reading is supposed to be enjoyable and this just wasn’t.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad books for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book spoke to the emo, goth, hot topic wannabe I was in my early teen years. The battle between necromancers and reapers, the angsty romance, the badass heroine all kept me reading. Some of the descriptions almost felt like Nightmare Before Christmas fanfic. As much as I had fun reading this book there is a lot that keeps me from really being able to recommend it. There are so many characters introduced and very little time given to properly fleshing them out. It was hard to really care about individuals that had no real discerning personality traits. There was also A LOT going on, so many plot points were being introduced along with these characters that it became hard to truly follow the story. I think McIver has some really interesting ideas, but she struggled to edit herself and to show patience with building her world and characters. There is enough content shoved into this book to create at one full trilogy, but much of it rushed or glossed over in favor of getting to the next scene. I understand that this was written when she was very young and that is obvious when reading it, but with a strong editor and some revision, McIver has the potential to create a unique dark fantasy series. As it stands now, I can see young teens devouring this, but not necessarily something older teens and adults would appreciate as much.

SUCH creative world building! I had such a great time with this creative and action-packed fantasy! I love the dynamic between the necromancers and the reapers and the story and me tightly in it's clutches the whole way through. It felt like the best sort of modern day story, with an old fairy-tale vibe.

Relic and Ruin by Wendii McIver, tells a tale that started a long time ago. It's a story of 2 families and an endless feud. The one brother was Neco and his descendants became Necromancers, bringing bodies physically back from death. The other brother was Grim and his family became Reapers, they restored the balance by hunting the dead brought back. Nyx Lahey belongs to a family that switched sides. They are necromancers working as reapers. On a job one night, Nyx meets a boy named Erebus that sets things in motion that will change everything. Erebus is dead and has no memory. He lives in another realm with others that have passed. He and his group do work similar to reapers. Unknown to Nyx and Erebus, they are being watched by two factions. On one side is Nico's son that desires to wake his father. On the other side is an array of creatures that seek to keep balance. As the council from Castle Monstrum sees Neco moving in, they take Nyx and Erebus to a place called the Hollow, where they learn who and what they are.

I loved this book. It had an intricate and amazingly creative plot that weaves myths, fairy tales, and characters from all over the world into it. The creative ways McIver has found to incorporate well-known characters and creatures into the story are amazing. The world-building is elaborate with multiple realms and various distinct areas in the Hollow. Types and forms of magic systems are so varied that it seems almost anything is possible in this world. McIver’s descriptions are detailed and I often found images popping off the page. For those that love new worlds and magic, this book will take you there. The plot, though not super complicated, definitely takes some unexpected twists and turns along the way.

My only complaint is with so many characters it can be confusing at times. She lives with her siblings and cousins and I honestly could not keep them straight or recall who had what magic. Then add in the council and Erebus' friends and various other supporting characters and it becomes quite a feat to keep people straight. However, there is enough material including the main characters that they definitely stick out and can be easily remembered.

I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars. The uniqueness of the story
and characters made for a great start. The world-building and magic were the whipped cream and cherry on top. The combination made for a book that I devoured!

I would recommend this book to fantasy lovers. Anyone that enjoys anything supernatural or magical will thoroughly enjoy this book. I will warn you that if death is a trigger, this book is not a good choice, as this is a major topic in the book. Not to spoil things, but some characters are killed in the book. There is a little romantic connection but nothing detailed.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
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I finished this one about a week ago and I really enjoyed it! The first chapter was so captivating, so different to anything I’ve ever read before and after that I really sped through this one! The magic system in this book was super unique, the world building was great and the whole concept around a character named Erebus and his circumstance was so intriguing! I loved it!
Nyx was a kickass MC and I really enjoyed the whole idea that Nyx and her family were “reformed” Necromancers and instead trained and lived as Reapers.
Overall, I highly recommend you guys check this book out! 🔥🖤
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Thank you so much @netgalley and @wattpadbooks for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Relic and Ruin had so many elements that I love in a good YA book! The concept behind the story was really good and I liked the characters. The one critique I have is that there could have been a bit more depth and details. The romance was obvious but that's okay because it was to be expected.

Reapers.

Necromancers.

Magic.

Amare.

This book incorporates everything you could want in a debut fantasy novel.

@wendiimac gives us stunning world building and really brings these characters to life.

Thank you @netgalley and @wattpadbooks for sending me this ARC

I will be unable to finish this.

I had requested so many books when I started my account. I didn’t think I would get approved for so many, and now several of my books are already archived, and I have too many to read.

This is not the fault of the author. I’m a student as well as a mom and business owner, so I’ve been slacking in the reading department.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 30%

It took me forever to write this (five days) because I spent those five days trying to read this book; forcing myself to in fact. Then I just gave up, because it wasn't worth it.

I really wanted to like this book, however I just couldn't get into it! The concept looked amazing, but the writing and the characters weren't working for me. I also was getting bored, I just wasn't into it. This definitely was a me thing, I believe, and I think people who enjoyed the Shadowhunters series might like this one as well.

I think the world building had a lot of promise, and I wonder if it was fleshed out more later in the book, but I don't know because I couldn't get through it.

Overall, it just ended up not being to my tastes.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

Dark and delightful. That is the best way I can describe this book.

I thought that this was really entertaining, but I do wish that it was a bit slower paced. A rare desire from me--I'm usually wishing a book was faster paced and more concise, but in this case I feel like we almost missed out on some of the detail that would have really enriched the story. Overall, though, I thought this was great! I loved the world and the characters, and the plot was really enticing. I definitely recommend!

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you Wattpad Books). The opinions mentioned here are my own.

This is definitely a decent read. It reminded me of many fantasy books and series - a bit of supernatural (TV series) + Wynonna Earp (TV Series) + Vampire academy (books) + several savior fantasy books

First, what worked -
- Great world-building. A fantasy series that goes into detail to set up the lore and background. The whole necromancer & Reaper backstory was good. (However, a little more details would have helped)
- There are a ton of supporting characters, most of them surprisingly add value to the story
- The most interesting part is definitely the plot. It flows through several worlds, involving several twists making it a fun read

Now, what did not work -
- If the author added some more depth to the thoughts and feelings of the characters it would have been more interesting. For intense, there is a line - “Erebus’s eyes widened at his surroundings” - widened in shock? Amusement? Intrigue? This lack of details makes it hard to grasp what the characters were feeling
- The Romance was a little bit of a letdown. It's clear that the protagonists were love interests, but the development of their story was pretty bland.

It is a decent read, could have been a good one but falls short.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In a timeless war of necromancers and reapers, two people from opposite sides must come together to prevent the awakening of an ancient evil. For Nyx, a necromancer raised as a reaper, death has followed her in more ways than one. When she is called upon by a magical bond will she not only heed it, but embrace the power within? For Erebus, a reaper who has forgotten his past, finding himself has taken a bit of a back seat. But when his memories hold the key to a mystery long morphed into myth, will he be able to wade through the fog to find the answers?

This was such a fun read! Nyx and Erebus made for astounding main characters in a world rich in detail. The history laid out for us in this realm is second to none, and the prologue sucks away all doubts that what you're about to enjoy is something one of a kind. The magic system is well thought out and beautifully woven throughout the story, rather than a dump 20% in where you're meant to remember how it all works. The side characters are just as likeable and relatable as the mains, while not overshadowing them. My biggest complaint would have to be a feeling of some things being repetitive. It felt like some things were mulled over multiple times rather than getting to the point of the matter. The pacing of the story was well done, but some things were over explained in my opinion. This could be helpful for some readers though, it just jarred me out of the story at times.

Four stars and a hope for a sequel from this reviewer. These realms are ones I hope to get lost in for many novels to come. Recommended for anyone who likes The Arc of a Scythe, anything to do with reapers, or even necromancy. Age range is 10+ as there aren't any topics that would be inappropriate for younger readers.

I wanted to love this novel. I wanted to immediately finish reading my ARC and pre-order this, because who wouldn't love this cover on their shelves. But, I can honestly say, this was probably one of the worst books I've read this year. Not because the story line didn't have potential, it did. This entire world that Wendii McIver creates is really intriguing and so dynamic; but because this reads like a very, very rough first draft.

1. Romance: non-existent
2. Plot, jumbled and all over the place
3. The world: makes almost no sense once we start layering in the different dimensions
4. Rules do not apply to anyone, and yet apply to everyone...
5. Not really sure what the point of the story was -- why did Bellum (our baddie) want to resurrect his father?
6. So confused.
7. What does it mean to be dead and yet not dead? Nothing apparently, the dead can still wander the real world - except for murdered Kings & Queens, they apparently stay dead.
8. Resurrecting the dead .... only need the number of days they were "alive" before they were dead, not the total number of years they've been alive-dead.
9. Timeline: RUSHED
10. Characters all have the same voice - they all sound like a teenager from this century and not ancient beings that have lived thousands of years.
11. .... so much more.

Every few paragraphs this story jumps to another character without warning, and I found myself having to go back and re-reading entire chapters because I had NO IDEA what was going on because we kept flipping from character to character to character.

The first few chapters felt solid. While I think there was still room for development, I trusted the author knew her world. However, as the story progressed and we start shifting between different dimensions - it lost me. The author lost my trust as a reader, because as the story progresses, you can tell the author has no idea how their world works. You can see this in the blase statements made by the characters when they say, "it's never happened before", "we don't know", "that's just how it is". (Hence why this feels like a first draft.) There were plot points that didn't make sense because the world itself didn't have specific rules, i.e. death, apparently only means you go to a different world, but only sometimes and you can visit your family, but only sometimes, but not really at all....and while one character dies and their power is transferred into another because, you know, their dead, it doesn't necessarily mean that the rules applies to all the characters. Which, I can understand right, because that's what indicates a character being a bit more special than other characters; but we never get a reason - the author literally tells us because it must be your genetics, but it can't be because relics are not based on genetics... but they are. My head was spinning and not in a good way.

The Lahey's are part of the only family to essentially deviate from their "species" of necromancers and align themselves with Reapers, but we don't ever really meet any other family's in the real world of Necromancers so that was hard to believe, and seemed like an irrelevant plot point.

Conveniently, there were seers and witches that were able to direct the entire story and provide all the information both good and bad sides needed. Why do you need to work hard, train, or go on a quest if there is a seer willing to stay neutral and just tell you what you need to know? Convenience was a big part of this novel.

The romance was also non-existent because we just get told characters are in love. There isn't really any relationship building; it is a lot of telling rather than actual story creation. There were so many missed opportunities here and the book could have benefitted from a developmental edit. I say this, especially because this book could have been fleshed out and made into a duology at the least, a trilogy at best.

I was going to give this review 2-star review because this story I think was written back when they were a teenager on WattPad, but this REALLY needed an edit. While this story did well on WattPad, WattPad stories do not always translate well into novels without a thorough developmental edit. Because of that, I dropped the rating to one-star. It did have great potential, and I think with practice, editing, and more honest feedback, this author has a lot of promise to do something great. Unfortunately, this one wasn't it.

I read the entire book because I felt obligated to. I received a free e-book copy from NetGalley and felt I owed it to the author to see if it got better. I do not recommend you do the same. A book that normally would have taken me a day and a half, took me a week. I rarely 1-star books, and I rarely tell people not to waste their time; but on this one -- I'd pick up anything else.

I received a copy through NetGalley for review.

Oh man folks, this one was good. And I'm now like - THERE BETTER BE A SEQUEL!

So in this world, it has layers, it also has two primary mythos that for the most part either save or disrupt the world. The Reapers who protect and the Necromancers who strive for power. A curse between them has been set in motion by the originals Grim and Neco- long asleep, because they're immortal- but because of the acts against each other two brothers have altered the world. Every few thousand years the Relics are born into a new body. These Relics have to power to undo the curse and animosity between the Reapers and the Necromancers but they historically either love or hate each other on a base level. A prophecy says they save or destroy the world or each other. But most don't survive to make it into their full powers. Thus the curse live on.

we have a boy living in a sort of version of limbo or the underworld who has no memory of his previous life. Only his name- Erebus. And a locket around his neck. He's been around for thousands of years. Surrounded by a new family he's made for himself, but still lacking the knowledge of who he really was.

A girl, Nyx- a Necromancer fighting for the Reapers. Her family had historically turned against her own kind generations before- shunning her Necromantic powers- and living as a Reaper. Although Reapers still see her family as not belonging. Her family is also a bit different than regular Necromancers- all the children seem to have a secondary power. Seeing the future, controlling fire, Artifex- the ability to create life, objects from anything including characters form books.

And they're about to be on a crash course collision with each other.
The plot is fantastic, so are the characters. The pace is great. I really love this and I'm praying for a sequel because I NEED MORE INFO. I absolutely loved this.

This was amazing, necromancers, reapers, gods, a war. Everything you want in a book. Slight romance but it is not the most important part of the book which i love. So many complex characters this was absolutely brilliant. The way this was written in third person but deep into perspectives of the characters made it feel kind of like an old story in the best way!

I would like to thank NetGalley, Wattpad Books and Wendii McIver for providing me with an ARC of ‘Relic and Ruin’ in exchange for an honest review.

From the first page of prologue the author begins to build a wonderfully dark world filled with Necromancers and Reapers. Within the world of ‘Relic and Ruin’, Necromancer and Reapers exist in constant tension with the other following an ancient battle begun by two brothers.

Nyx Lahey, and her family, are Necromancers, born with the ability to raise people from the dead, but have neglected their nature and have become Reapers - keeping the balance between the worlds and cutting down those who have been raised. Whilst chasing a zombie with an interest in murdering young girls, Nyx bumps into Erebus - another hunter with a secret.

Unbeknown to Nyx and Erebus, they are Relics, known as the Banshee and the Wraith - the two most powerful beings in the world capable of taking down the greatest, and even the most ancient, of evils. However, will Nyx & Erebus be able to control their powers to save the world, or will they be the cause of its destruction.

When I first saw this book I was completely intrigued by the fantastic premise and beautifully designed cover. The world building was beautiful and the characters were well-written. I definitely would be interested in reading the next book in the series, and would love to see how Nyx and Erebus’s story ends.

An interesting read for anyone interested in dark fantasy young adult books.

the book art is beautiful i love a good skull image. I enjoy the lore of this book, even the prologue was interesting to read to find out what originally happened with the 2 brothers that fell in love with the same woman. the necromancer and grim reaper concept actually reminds me of an old show that i watched a while back it might be called reaper but I am not sure. Nyx's family are necromancers but they are converted or more modern and they act like reapers. through out the book there are various tales/lores that are also incorporated into the book. i would love to see this book turn into a tv show. i read this arc and this is my voluntary review.

Unfortunately, I cannot say much about this book because if I do, I will not stop! If you like witch craft, necromancers, beautifully written story, characters that you can relate to and a plot to leave you on the edge of your seat? Please just read it.

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad for the digital ARC of Relic and Ruin by Wendii Mclver for an honest review!

Relic and Ruin begins with two brothers having a falling out over the same woman thus creating the first immortal Banshee (AKA Necromancer) and Wraith (AKA Reaper). Their ancient feud continues through the ages and family members, leading to the main Hero, Erebus, and Heroine, Nyx, of the story. Not always will the Banshee and Wraith incarnate at the same time, but in this setting, they do, making them rare and highly desired by the evil war lord, Bellum. Erebus and Nyx are destined to either be mortal enemies or impassioned lovers. Through different circumstances, they learn to work together while also learning how to control their powers. Living up to his name, Bellum makes war and Erebus and Nyx work together to fight in a devastating battle. But do they defeat Bellum or does he get away to fight another day?

In the beginning, I was super excited to read Relic and Ruin. The concept interested me and I always love a kick butt, strong female. But as the story progressed, I found myself distancing from the excitement and experienced lack luster writing. McIver used characters from other classical novels, which normally I wouldn’t have a problem with, but there really needed to be development of them and their personalities so they could come alive within this story and not constantly referencing back to their origins. There was also a considerable pacing issues throughout the book. The beginning was smooth with good tempo, the middle dragged on and not much happened, the end was rushed and underdeveloped. Another issue I had was the love interest progress; repeatedly thinking it was a slow burn and an apex was just around the corner, only to discovery it was a cliff and fell out from under my feet. As a reader I could see the potential in this plot and story line which added to the frustration because of experiencing how it actually played out.

In the end, I will recommend this title to Teens and Young Adults who are on the younger and more innocent side of life. There is enough magic, family dynamic and chaos for the occasional reader and/or slower reader to keep engaged and finding enjoyment. I would also recommend this book to anyone who is into FanFic of Reaper and/or Necromancer characters.