This book was an interesting read. There were aspects to the magic system that I feel were really original, although I feel like "recovrancy" wasn't a good name for it. The story was paced well and the character development was good. I really preferred the supporting characters (mostly the Cyphers) to the main characters, but I don't know who wouldn't. And I need to read book 2 when it becomes available because I don't like cliffhangers! This is why I read series after they're completed.

This is the first in a series and I loved it. The magic system is interesting and unique, and the world building is great. This book has everything I love in a great fantasy read. I look forward to the next book.

I LOVED this book. I was literally hooked from the first page (starts with a bang) and couldn’t put the book down after that. I loved the characters and the magic system as well.

Reign Returned by Katie Keridan is a novel that was kindly sent to me in exchange for an honest review, and I’m extremely happy to say that I completely loved it!
It’s been a while since I read a fantasy novel done this well. The setting, the magical system, and the love story. I found all of it built and developed in a majestic way. I can’t really wait to read more about these characters and what will happen next to them and their realm!!

Their love brought people together. When they were under attack, it ripped the world apart, and the people were separated too. But not before she made a binding spell, to make sure they will end up together again.

I loved reading the book, it's like reading a fairytale. The writing is good, I could myself immersed in the story from start to finish. I love world-building, but my favourite was romance.

Kyra is a skilled Astral healer in the gold blooded realm of Aeles. When her father is unexpectedly killed in an earthquake, Kyra discovers that she is also a Recovrancer- one who can enter the realm of the dead and save those who have died before their time. She meets Sebastian who is a Daeval assassin living in the silver blooded Nocens realm.
Whilst opposites in character and blood, they are required to work together and in doing so, sometimes during perilous circumstances, they slowly garner trust and work together as a team, before learning how they are fated to other over time.
It has great world building, with a vivid backdrop. The characters are highly entertaining and their development is really enjoyable. It is particularly well paced , told for each of the two protagonists, which you are willing to come together, foibles en’all. It did remind me slightly of the Red Queen, coupled with an air of Phil Pullman– due to their Cyphers; animal derived guides that can communicate telepathically as well as orally across realms.
Wonderful YA given the youthful coming of age. With the delight of a further 2 books to indulge in, this was a mix of wonder, intrigue, tension and delight as you escape into a enthralling dimension.

Catching up on galleys-

A sweet introduction to a new fantasy series! I can’t wait to see what the next one brings! Kyra and Sebastian are the reincarnated king & queen of a land that has been split in two due to the animosity between the two races. This first book is mostly scene setting for the rest of the series- they meet and discover their shared past, etc. it set things up super well and was very interesting!

I was so excited to be able to read an ARC of this title. Life did get in the way and I finished way later than I anticipated but it was excellent.

As a lover of YA fantasy novels, a story has to completely captivate me. This story did at all angles. You kind of already knew part of the end result to an extent but the way the story was written with all the pieces slowly coming into place at just the right time was Uber important.

I already can’t wait to read the second novel and see where the story progresses and the evil that returns and why Nocens keep going missing.

Unfortunately I was never able to get really into this book. It is well written and fluid and it is obvious the author knows how to write though. I never connected with Kyra or Sebastian. Kyra was too timid for my liking and I never felt their chemistry got there. The story isn't choppy and it reads well but the characters were a miss for me.

Kyra and Sebastian have a power that can help the other.
Through the journey they go on together, the find more about their kingdoms and their pasts while learning more about each other.
The world building in this novel was easy to follow and I did enjoy Kyra’s banter.

Told in first person, dual points of view from Kyra and Sebastian, I enjoyed the concept of this story that takes place in a world with divided realms who have erased their history of being united. Kyra is a healer and Astral, defined by golden blood, from Aeles. She discovers that she is a Recovrancer, able to travel to the realm of the dead and recover those who’ve died before their time, which is illegal in Aeles. At times, she’s a little naïve about human nature and easily misled by others. Sebastian is a pyromancer and Daevel, defined by silver blood, from Nocen and is obsessed with find the legendary sword Rhannu believed to be lost in the realm of the dead. His job as an assassin and his abusive childhood easily define him as Kyra’s opposite.

I enjoyed the characters in this story especially the Cyphers or animal companions, lynx Aurelius and fruit bat Batty plus Caz, Laycus, a figure similar to Charon and the dragon, Nerudian. If this were billed as a romance, I would have loved it since the majority of the book was the couple interspersed with their Cyphers. However, since it was a fantasy, I wish there had been more interaction between the rest of the cast of characters. Kyra’s family just sort of disappeared on a trip leaving behind her BFF to a little hand-wringing when she would suddenly show up at home at crucial moments then Nerudian conveniently disappeared on a family trip too. I also didn’t care for the fact that a major part of the story is given away in the prologue. I think I would have enjoyed figuring that out along the way or when it was revealed to Kyra and Sebastian. When the reveal happened, it was anticlimactic since the reader and half the characters already knew about it. I don’t think I will continue with the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sparkpress for a copy provided for an honest review.

REIGN RETURNED by Katie Keridan

★★★★★

At first, I was a bit sceptical - no, not because of the cover, not at all - but because of the animal companions - and the prologue. The animals reminded me of the daemons from The Golden Compass, and while the sensation lingered, I love animal companions. I. Love. Them.
The story itself is a riddle, or mostly, you want the main characters to finally wake up and discover what the reader already knows, which can be both exciting and a deterrent, depending on your mood.
There were a few passages that weren’t as clear as I thought they should’ve been, though probably we’ll get to know more about what happened in the past in the sequel. For now, some things just have the same taste as plot holes or not-thought-through stuff. Again, I believe we’ll get more answers as the journey continues.
I didn’t particularly struggle in liking Kyra, despite her clear pietism and too-soft heart, as well as her prejudices; her fierceness and that same soft heart had me warm up to her, whereas it was mostly Sebastian’s cockiness and his brooding due to his unhappy past that made me like him.
In truth, I quite liked them both because of how different they were, like two halves of a whole, representing the good and the evil just as they think they are, with one realm thinking the worst of the other and viceversa. Each realm is very different from the other, like night and day, and it’s very clear in certain passages. I don’t think that was necessary - if not, possibly, to develop a particular couple in the future - but heavens take me if I were to suggest another author how to write their book.
The entire cast of characters is fantastic and many, if not almost all, interactions are exquisitely funny, especially when it comes to Batty. There are very good dialogues as well, a bit commonplace, too, though I did like them.
I now want an Aurelius for myself, as well as the next book, thank you very much!

“𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐰𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲; 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬, 𝐰𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐞. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲𝐬. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞—𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞. 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐊𝐲𝐫𝐚.”

“𝐌𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐦, 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 . . . 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫. 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞—” 𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 “—𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 . . . 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐞 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥, 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.”

“𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐛𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲,” 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝. “𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐛𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫.”

________________________

The book’s prologue opens on a King and Queen preparing to flee for their lives from a coup threatening to overthrow them and every bit of unity they have worked toward during their reign. As the traitors from both sides begin to set their plan in motion to split the kingdom back into two separate realms, one of the Daevals and the other of the Astrals, the royals (fearing for each other and ultimately their lives) make one last effort to bind their souls, or “shades”, together before losing each other entirely all the while hoping that someday, somehow they may find each other again and right the wrongs being carried out.

As the story begins, we meet Kyra who is an Astral healer getting ready to follow in her father’s footsteps as the leading healer for their realm. But after a twist of fate intervenes and claims her father’s life in a terrible accident, she finds herself face to face with the Shade Transporter on the River in the realm of the dead, confirming her lineage as that of a Recovrancer: a rare bloodline long exterminated by the Astral realm, who can bring back Shades of the dead who have passed before their time. After meeting a Daeval assassin named Sebastian as he attempted to locate the materials needed to enter the realm of the dead in search of a centuries old hidden sword, they are pushed together by fate and decide to work together to recover the sword for Sebastian all the while giving Kyra the ability to learn more about her gift and identity as a Recovrancer. What ensues is an absolutely excellent unfolding of the reincarnation trope in a beautiful world setting with lovable characters and a timeless love that supersedes all else…as it will need to continue to do, since this book sets up what is sure to be an intense journey onward.

This story had me absolutely hooked from page one!! It gave me vibes of a more fantasy based version of The Giver, but also Aladdin if Aladdin were an assassin and his romance with Jasmine were a STRONG enemies to lovers paired up with forced proximity. The set up, knowing who our characters truly were, combined with the drive to know what happened in between the prologue and chapter one made for an entirely bingeable read that I couldn’t put down. Wrap all of that up with a bow of memorable and entertaining characters and you have yourself a solid and engaging fantasy novel!!

Kyra and Sebastian could not have been more opposite and I absolutely loved them for it. Watching them process through and overcome their differences genuinely and on their own outside of the inexplicable force tying them together was so well executed. They were fated, but still independent and it was a fantastic balance that kept their relationship from feeling too boring or predictable. My hat is off to the author for steering clear of the insta-love that seems to haunt the fated mates trope in most fantasy books!

The love story between the Felserpent King and Queen, woven into the main plot, was absolutely beautiful and sweet despite being so tragic. It only served to further enhance an already engrossing plot. The side characters Caz, Demitri, LeBehr, and ESPECIALLY each character’s cyphers and the dragon Nerudian, were fantastic and I loved every single interaction with them!!

All in all I CANNOT WAIT for this series to continue!! It was absolutely excellent for anyone who is a lover of classic fantasy woven with Greek mythology and sprinkled with influences of a dystopian society. I highly recommend it!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, SparkPress, and the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

When tragedy strikes, Kyra discovers she possesses a life-changing gift: she's a Recovrancer, able to enter the realm of the dead and recover those who've died before their time. Unfortunately, recovrancy is outlawed in her realm. Desperate for answers, Kyra will do anything to get them . . . even partner with a dangerous enemy. Sebastian Sayre is the most sought-after Daeval assassin in all Nocens. A silver blooded Pyromancer, he wields fire and dreams of finding Rhannu, a legendary sword that makes its holder invincible. Since the sword was long ago stolen from Nocens and hidden where no Daeval can retrieve it, however, such a dream seems impossible . . . until he encounters the one Astral who might be both able and willing to help him.
Out today. I liked this one. The animal familiars made the book different and interesting. The book was not very steamy, with only kissing. I would consider this fantasy book to be a young adult read. For the most part this book stayed on plot. This one ends with a cliffhanger which gives me hope for another book. Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this great book.

Assassin, necromancy, unicorns, and dragons with all the cozy vibes.
Keridan has a mastery of perfect pacing. And a great balance between a character and plot driven story.
Highly recommend, I can't wait for the next book!!

To reunite with my one true love no matter how much time has passed would be absolutely wonderful. Even through the struggles that Schatten and Kareth encounter - fate of the world hanging in the balance, their people at odds with each other based on the color of their blood, and having to find each other again in another life.

I really enjoyed Reign Returned and highly recommend this author!

"Ultimately, in this tale of discovery, destiny, and a love strong enough to outlast time, remembering the past just may prove to be the only way to change the future."

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC. My reviews and opinions are my own.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (4.5)
Steam Level: 🔥 (kissing only)
Trigger Warning: death of a parent, brief mentions of torture and murder

Kyra is a skilled Astral healer in the realm of Aeles. When her father is unexpectedly killed in an earthquake, Kyra discovers that she is also a Recovrancer- one who can enter the realm of the dead and save those who have died before their time. Sebastian is a Daeval assassin who dreams of recovering the stolen sword Rhannu. To do so he needs a Recovrancer's help. While trying to enter Aeles as part of his quest to get Rhannu, Sebastian happens to meet Kyra and convinces her to help him with his mission. Soon they uncover strange memories that prove vital to their mission and reveal incredible secrets about who they really are. It seems their lives may be intertwined in more ways than they could have imagined.

I'm so glad I took a chance on this after seeing it on Netgalley! Kyra and Sebastian's story was really intriguing and spanned centuries! I loved the flashbacks/dreams sprinkled throughout the book that revealed who Kyra and Sebastian are and how they're connected. It was also interesting to figure out the clues about some of the side characters and the roles they played in the past and present. There was a lot of information in this book, but I never felt overwhelmed or confused by any of it. Everything was revealed at the right time and explained really well. While this first book in the series is about the quest to get Rhannu, it's also a story of love that has been lost and then found again. The second half of the book was where the romance came into play more, and I know there's a lot more of it to come based on how things ended. I can't wait to see what happens with Kyra and Sebastian in book 2!

Thank you Netgalley and SparkPress for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I. Am. In. Love.

This book was absolutely fantastic, well-paced with loveable characters and representation. The magic system was super unique and easy to understand. I loved the flashback memories and every single interaction between characters. Each character felt so distinct in my mind while reading this, it was insane.

Thank you to NetGalley and SparkPress for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review. (Publish Date: September 13, 2022)

Summary: “Reign Returned” by Katie Keridan is Book One of The Felserpent Chronicles. The story primarily follows Kyra Valorian (a gifted Astral healer from the golden-blooded realm of Aeles) and Sebastian Sayre (a skilled Daeval assassin in the silver-blooded realm of Nocens). When tragedy strikes, 18-year-old Kyra discovers she possesses a life-changing gift: she’s a Recovrancer – able to enter the realm of the dead and recover those who’ve died before their time. Unfortunately, recovrancy is outlawed in her realm. Desperate for answers, Kyra will do anything to get them…even partner with a dangerous enemy.

As Kyra and Sebastian work together to uncover the secrets of their realms, they also uncover secrets within their own pasts – pasts that are far more intertwined than they ever imagined. Ultimately, in this tale of discovery, destiny, and a love strong enough to outlast time, remembering the past just may prove to be the only way to change the future.

I can’t say enough good things about this book! From the very beginning of the story, I was completely mesmerized and have already added it to my short list of the best books of 2022. The author’s skillful writing style, captivating storytelling, and believable world-building made the book absolutely riveting. I literally had to tear myself away from devouring this book in one go, because I always wanted to know what would happen next!

I loved how this book’s chapters jumped between the POVs of Kyra and Sebastian. The chapters flowed seamless together while offering a treasure trove of clues and foreshadowing. I was fascinated by the blood alarm along with the differences between the gold-blooded Astrals and the silver-blooded Daevals. I loved the animal cyphers and appreciated how unique and interesting all the characters were throughout the book.

I only had two small issues: the shifter cloak and the slow revelations. As seen on the cover of this book, Kyra is given a beautiful, magical cloak that she wears occasionally but never actually uses. I’m guessing she may test out its shifting abilities in the next book, but I wasn’t sure why Kyra even received the cloak in this book if it wasn’t going to be used to help her.

The reader finds out key elements from the past at the beginning of the story – which is a good and a bad thing, because while it was exciting it was also painfully slow at times for the characters to realize what appeared to be obvious to the reader. Just when you thought a character was about to figure out something important, there was always a well-timed interruption to stop it dead in its tracks.

Overall, I would wholeheartedly recommend this enchanting book to any teen, young adult, and adult reader who loves a great fantasy story that’s well written, believable, unexpected and action-packed with a great back story and a thrilling adventure ahead in the future books in this series. I will definitely be purchasing this book and will be waiting on pins and needles for Book Two to be released!

Reign Returned is the first novel in the The Felserpent Chronicles by Katie Keridan. It is a YA fantasy novel following Kyra and Sebastian, an Astral and Daeval (essentially citizens of two opposing realms). Kyra is a skilled healer, while Sebastian is an assassin with pyromancer abilities. Kyra discovers she has recovrancer abilities, meaning she can enter the world of the dead and recover those who have died before their time. This novel follows Kyra and Sebastian as they work to discover more about Kyra's powers as a recovrancer and partner to recover the lost Daeval sword, Rhannu. But what else will they discover along the way?

I enjoyed reading this arc. Keridan uses one of my favorite techniques in fantasy novels, switching between point of views. I love being able to read from both Kyra's and Sebastian's point of views. We get to read so much more of their growth and it enables us to read about their apart as well. Keridan has unique animals called Cypher's, creatures who can talk, are bonded to a specific Astral or Daeval, and provide guidance to their person. The relationship Kyra and Sebastian have with their Cypher's was one that I enjoyed reading. They also provided levity to the novel with their funny quips and conversations. While I enjoyed the novel, I do hope that subsequent novels will have more "plot" happening. There were certain sections where I found myself slightly bored wishing for more action.

All in all, I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this novel.