Unfortunately this book is no longer available for purchase or to read on any platform I can find. Not on Kindle, Kobo, paperback, hardcover, or audio. Therefore I am not able to provide a concise review and will not be sharing a review with my followers. I expect books to be available in order to allow my followers to find them to read. Thank you.

This is a combined review for The Dandelion Tree (Prequel/Book #1 of the Dandelion Chronicles) and A Land of Fire and Ash (Book #2 of the Dandelion Chronicles)

The Dandelion Chronicles is a new fantasy series by new Indie author A.S.R. Gelpi. I don't read a lot of hard-core fantasy but the synopsis of these books sounded interesting so I decided to give them a try. I got them as arcs from NetGalley and surprisingly I finished reading both these books in  a week back in April. Since a few months have passed and I don't remember the details, I can only share a few thoughts.

Overall, I liked these books. There were parts that I felt dragged the story but then there were also moments and scenes that, when I visualised them in my mind while reading, were powerful and stunning. Two such moments that I can still recall are the prologue and the final chapters of the second book. I don't know where the author's overall inspiration came from while creating the world/magic/spiritual system in the books but I could sense a few influences of Indian mythology.

According to what I saw on Goodreads, there are more books coming up in the series so the story is far from over.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Silver River Publishing and the author for the e-Arcs of the books.

My overall combined rating for both the books: ⭐⭐⭐✨💫

I really wanted to love this book because it was a fantasy set in India. However, I did not understand what was going on. I think it would have been better if it had a more coherent plot.

I really liked the story and how the characters and world were created, but I had trouble understanding what was happening because of the way it was written.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of this book. I tried hard to read it, but it wound up in the dnr pile. The writing was such poor quality, I was unable to follow the plot. There was no flow from moment to moment, the start and stop points were random, and the actions of the characters were described with juvenile skill.

I really enjoyed the book and found the writing style to be interesting. As I got further in the book, I really liked the characters and loved that there was no purely evil or good person in the book, the development of their story was excellent, as well as the world building. The pacing was perfect and the storyline well thought-out. I'm glad this is a start to a new fantasy series and can't wait to see where the story goes.

Why did I not read this sooner?? As a fantasy reader, magic and intrigue is always a priority themes that I have to see and experience while reading. This one did not disappoint.

I read the first book of the Dandelion Chronicles and the plot now made more sense with the inclusion of this book. It's rare that we see prequels doing justice to the entire story but this seemed to be an exemption.

The prequel wasn't only a great backstory but the word building was also noticeably better!

I loved the unique writing style, it took me a little bit to get used to but I think it really added to the story. I'm really curious to read more about these charact3rs and will be devouring the next 3 books!

🌟🌟
📚 - Adult Fantasy
📖 - 381 pages

Thank you to the publisher, Silver River Publishing, and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm not really sure where to start with this one. I think the biggest reason that it's a 2-star read for me is that the writing is... inconsistent. The author uses multiple POVs, but there is so much head-switching inside of each POV that it really pulls you out of the reading. I felt like the world was interesting, although it took me half of the book to realize that it wasn't taking place in an alternate real-world scenario? Yeah, confusing. The main characters were likable. The magic was also very inconsistent and it felt like a lot of the plot was out of convenience. Idk. I tried really hard to like this book. It was looking like a 3.5-star read until the last 20%, to be honest. I felt like we didn't get the important moments that we needed with Kharis and information was just dumped in weird ways. And then the end was. No. No thank you.

I was privileged to read this book via NetGalley. I really enjoyed the book and found the writing style to be interesting. I liked the feeling that we were catching glimpses of the lives of the main characters without having all the detailed descriptions. As I got further in the book I really liked the characters and loved that there was no purely evil or good person in the book.

There are some deep concepts in the book and I enjoyed them play out. I am really curious to find out what happens to the characters.

I actually read these books out of order, so going back and learning about Kharis' life pre-Leogham was a great adventure. The rich world-building and excellent character development make this book a great story. I read it in a weekend and am now on to the third book in this amazing series.

I think this book is a great introduction to this fantasy The Dandelion Chronicles series, it has everything a fantasy reader wants, magic, intrigue, magical creatures and a strong sisterhood bond.. But will that bond last until the end?

Kharis and Saya are sisters, they share a strong bond but they also share a curse, will they manage to break the curse and live free? And if the curse is finally broken, the strong bond they have will be preserved?

I really loved this story, the world building and the character building were excellent! I feel The Dandelion Chronicles is my next favorite fantasy book series. I highly recommend it!!

Thank you NetGalley and Silver River Publishing for providing this e-book copy!

This book has a great premise is definitely helpful background information for the next series. However, the writing style really detracted from my understanding and appreciation for what was going on with the characters.

ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for a review

DNF at 8%

I was looking forward to reading this, but the writing style just didn't work for me (lots of "telling"), and the story felt strangely rushed, with each scene being retold in short bursts from multiple POVs. I did appreciate the hints of Kharis and Saya's bond, but it wasn't enough for me to keep reading.

5/5 stars! This prequel to 'A Land of Fire and Ash' was phenomenal. I felt like I got to know so much more about Kharis and Saya. This reminds me of "Daughter of No Worlds" with epic characters, magical powers, and more. This book was wonderfully done and set the stage for its sequel. I'm so excited to read "A Land of Fire and Ash" and get to spend more time in this world.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

An ok, but poorly executed concept. Khakis and Saya are bound to one another. Sisters by adoption and circumstance, determined to provide protection for one another. One has a demon sealed in her. One is tasked with keeping the demon sealed, or if needed, destroying the one it is sealed in. Love and loyalty bind them but at a cost.

As I stated, the concept isn’t terrible. What the author truly failed at was the execution and the pace of this novel. Not only that, the sudden changes that seemed to come out of left field and made no sense and had no follow through.

Kharis felt like a great protagonist in the story. It was a bit of a slow burn but if you are a fan of or enjoyed the Throne of Glass series, then this book would be for you

After reading the second part of the series, I was curious about Kharis's background and upbringing and this book did not disappoint. I enjoyed watching the sisters relationship with each other and seeing into Saya's life, romance, conflict and strong attachment to her sister. The inciting incident came in quite quickly forcing the characters to begin to challenge the status quo. The character development is a solid 100/100. Kharis grew gradually into a more mature version of her impulsive, childish self.
This book and the entire series deserves to be a bestseller. It has everything from an exciting plot, magic, carefully crafted world, and unique characters that feel very real, to surprising plot twists and an ending that almost brought me to tears. I can't wait to see the next book in the series and the next work from ASR Gelpi.

Absolutely loved it! It makes wonderful introduction into new series that I will be sure to follow . Everything you need in a book and the world-building is amazing! Love the authors unique writing style! Congratulations on another great read!

I started reading this book after finishing Elizabeth Lim’s Six Crimson Cranes. The idea of sisters, after reading Lim’s book, caught my attention, and I decided to give this one a try. This book hit all the right spots for me. The relationship between the sisters resonated with me. The author captured their ethos well.

As the book description states, Kharis is cursed. This curse impacts her sister, Saya. Both are bound by this mysterious yoke—magic like none other. And both want freedom. They love each other, but deep down, they often wonder if wishing for freedom is like breaking apart their relationship. The truth is they are forced by destiny to be together—keeper and protector. Therefore, they question whether the relationship they have is true or shaped by this curse. This is one theme I found to be powerful.

A lot happens in this book that I won’t discuss for fear of spoiling things for other readers. Despite their internal fears, both will work to find the truth about this curse, be rid of it, and hopefully live happily after, but… as the book description also states, Kharis is playing with fire.

Character development was excellent. A+ for me. The pacing was perfect. The narrative was consistent, never contrived, and the storyline was well thought-out. There are surprises and plot twists. There’s magic, magical creatures, fights, villains, mystery, secrets, romance, and the book’s concept of love, loyalty, and kindness shines through. The world-building is impressive. The book also tiptoes on what appears to be a religious system. Personally, it was done well and aligns with the genre. The book is labeled as adult fantasy, but young adults could easily read it, too.

The book is labeled as an origin story, and it appears to be part of a series. The book doesn’t end with a massive cliffhanger, like other series I’ve read. It can end here, but I am curious as to whether Kharis and Saya will find their freedom and the price they must pay for it. I may give the next book in the series a try.

The book was published by what appears to be an independent publishing house. If this author had the machinery of a power publisher like Bloomsbury, this book would hit the NY Times list. Yet, gems such as this one are missed as a result of the publishing world.