A very exciting debut set in a rich and evocative world. It felt like a breath of fresh air and I cannot wait to see what Lacruz has up her sleeve next!

dnfed at 52%
the premise was intriguing but this was very slow and dragged out and i was forcing myself to get through it. the characters felt inconsistent in their motivations and actions, as well as distant from the reader. i just don't have much interesting in finding out what happens next, especially as it's a series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Daphne Press for the advance reader copy.

I was very intrigued by the concept of this book especially with it being inspired by the history and folklore of South America, throw in some warring gods and I was very ready to read this.

I found that it took me a while to get into the book and want to continue. I had thought to DNF and then was too intrigued by what would happen later on in the story.
I think that this book is probably meant to aimed a a YA story, but there’s a lot of trigger warnings which I feel make it more adult. The only problem is the writing is very YA, and entry to adult fantasy fiction; so I felt there was a disconnect with the main characters but also that there were some heavy triggers involved.
The ending felt rushed, and there was a slight cliffhanger in terms of what will happen to the leads.

Overall glad I was able to finish the story.

This book has one of the most intriguing opening chapters, filled with beautiful Venezuelan culture, ferocious monsters ripping chunks off of half-human creatures with tails and horns and seemingly strong pacing. Yes. A thousand times, yes. If I could verbalise quite what I want from a story, I'd like to think it would include all of those things!

Sadly, I also need to have a couple of other essentials ticked off the list: 1) a magic system (yes, there's magic too!) which makes sense, 2) less info-dumping, but if you insist then that also could do with making sense early on in the book so the rest of the book is set up nicely, 3) less naivety from BOTH protagonists, who seem intent upon walking around their lives with their eyes closed because the level of manipulation is so intense it surely should be smacking them right in the face screaming, "they're lying to you!". I don't know, that was just a pretty disappointing combination for such a chunk of a book, and a promising one to boot.

The book has some really interesting moments, and lots of incredible ideas; I was so excited to get stuck in and actually the first 50 pages were some of the best I've read in a long time. But it just trickled off, death-by-pacing combined with what I think was probably too much of a good thing - lots of awesome ideas squashed together and poorly executed. It's sad, it feels like it could have been a 10 star book but was destroyed by a lazy edit.

I'll definitely keep my eye on the author though; there was crazy talented potential in here.

ARC provided from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

TW: alcohol, assault, blood, child death, childbirth, death, gore, infertility, kidnapping, pregnancy, racism, sexual scenes, slavery, violence

Positives: I am absolutely in love with the world, the setting and the magical system. I love the Venezuelan influence, the South American folk and legends worked in the story. This high fantasy was so freaking unique! I can't even remember if I ever read anything like this!
The new races (nozariel, volco) are absolutely beautiful and I love their differences. Truly great Sapphic fantasy stand-alone! Love how the author worked messages in the story: what does freedom means? How racism influences society? When are you worthy?' Just beautiful book!

Negatives: the plot was dragging sometimes and almost 600 pages book had points in the middle where I wasn't invested much. If the plot was more condensed and faster paced it would be 5 star. The language was heavily influenced by Spanish and had also some unique words this made reading for me personally harder and took me long to get through this book.

<i>*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.* </i>

<u> I feel very conflicted about this book… On the one hand I think the premise and mythologies were original and compelling, but on the other hand the execution of the story felt dragged and terribly slow-paced. </u>

Regarding <b> the plot</b>, there were elements I really liked: for example the first arc in Reina’s story up to the point where she leaves Sadul Fuerte was great, very dark and mysterious. I also enjoyed some parts in Eva’s story, especially when she starts learning magic and embracing her true self. However, at the beginning of the book both narrators seemed too similar, and that made me lose focus at times: the novel starts with two main characters, both of which are outcasts in the societies where they live because of their race and both of which have lost their parents and have to live with their authoritative grandmothers. I feel like perhaps these similarities where made on purpose but I personally didn’t like them.

The <b> main characters</b>, Reina and Eva, are morally grey characters full of contradictions, and I understand what the author was trying to achieve with this but I found Reina really unlikeable and while I liked Eva slightly more, especially in the end, I couldn’t relate to her when it came to her romantic relationship (I won’t say more to avoid spoilers).

Some <b>secondary characters</b> were nuanced and well-developed, like Javier and Maior, but some others lacked a proper motivation to explain their actions, like I feel is Celeste’s case.

The <b> mythologies and worldbuilding</b> are probably my favourite elements in this novel. They were refreshing and intricate and the author creates a very attractive and immersive setting.

In my opinion, <b> this book had a lot of potential but it loses strength with the execution and unrelatable characters</b>. I really wanted to connect with this novel and the protagonists but while I won’t say it is a bad novel, it definitely wasn’t for me. And although I think 2.5/5 is a fair score, I won’t continue reading this series.

<b>Overall</b>, I think this author has a lot of talent but her debut wasn’t the strongest. It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and I’m quite disappointed with the result. At first, I was enjoying the book, but then (about 40% in) I became bored and wanted to finish it as soon as possible. I will admit that there were a couple of rewarding surprises toward the end, but unfortunately they still didn’t change my general opinion of the story.

2.5/5
Rep: (L)GBT

This was brutal. If you skipped the content warnings, go back and read them because it was a lot. But I didn't hate it. There were bits that I certainly wish I hadn't read, but I enjoyed the rest. I liked the characters, I liked the plot and the magic system was really interesting.

I did feel like part of the plot was introduced too late. For one thing, I was led to hate Javier and then in the second half, I was meant to feel sympathy for him? Like his plotline was interesting, but there was a pretty big thing that didn't even seem to be hinted at, it was just dumped in the middle of the book and I was expected to go with it. Maybe there was foreshadowing I missed but it put me off.

I also started to really hate Reina by the end of it. She was the character I was most interested in at the start, but she made some really, really bad choices and treated Celeste terribly so I went off her. Celeste wasn't that great to her either, but that doesn't excuse it.

I probably won't read on with this series.

What a fantastic, fresh fantasy novel! I really enjoyed The Sun and the Void a lot.

The setting is very South American in feel, which really makes it stand out from the Western European and Far Eastern settings so often seen in fantasy. It's a post-colonial world, that has recently fought for and established its independence from an overseas power, and while it's easy to see some of the influences at work, it's imaginative and innovative and not a direct parallel. The cultural influences are embedded throughout though, in food, music, language and beliefs.

Although the political circumstances can be felt throughout the novel, it's not a book about political manoeuvring. There are hints and suggestions about what happened and how things stand at the statecraft levels, a few explanations of the war and its key figures, and several of the characters are major political players, but that's not the focus of the novel. Rather it focuses on the smaller players, those not seen as great movers and shakers, or figures of destiny, but who can have a very important and surprising role to play.

One of the core themes of The Sun and the Void is the price of power. This plays out in each of the different character arcs in different ways, and really pulls together the narratives and the characters. What are we prepared to do to get what we want, and what is it we actually want? There's a real complexity to it reflected here. No one wants power just for the sake of it. They want to belong. They want to be loved. They want to be healthy again. They want lost loves returned to them. They want to be respected. The motivations for each character were very skilfully presented, as was the price to be paid. It would be easy to see this as a book with very few good characters, but the truth is more complex than that. People are seduced into doing very dark deeds through various means, and the road into darkness is one that can be very hard to see when you're on it. The slow descent into some very dark places is really captivating. At times it was easy to see what they could not, and at times the reader was also kept guessing, as the novel slowly and steadily moves each piece into position for an exciting climax.

I loved the magical system and its links with theology too. One particular favourite was the different views people can have of their own religion, best seen in the way Maior's understanding of her religion is so vastly different to that Eva experienced in her home town. As a practicing Catholic with very progressive views myself I really appreciated her take on it over the "Burn the witch!" philosophy of the archbishop.

I also loved the romantic elements, which were also complex and understated. There are a lot of feelings packed into this novel, and the characters themselves seem to struggle to fully understand them for quite a lot of it, which makes for a fascinating spectacle.

There's a feeling of fate or destiny as people are slowly brought together and what unfolds is thrilling, dynamic and powerful, with a satisfying conclusion to the novel and a few tantalising hints at what might yet unfold.

A bold and visionary new fantasy novel I highly recommend!

THE SUN AND THE VOID is a story of increasing pace in a world full of magic and characters desperate to achieve their desires without knowing what they truly want.

The world is so richly imagined, with all these magical humanoid creatures inhabiting it and folklore stuffed into every part of life. There's also distinctions in culture between regions, in the references and dialects different characters use, betraying their heritage and upbringing. It's things like this that make worlds believable, the perfect sandboxes for adventures to happen within.

Eva and Reina are two different half-magical creatures, two races treated differently by society and their families. It allowed the book to explore the consequences of history and religious institutions on how we treat people.

It's not just Reina and Eva who are out chasing desires they don't know if they truly want. The book is a journey of discovering what the thing you think you want entails and whether it is possible to desire the things you've been denying you want - or deserve. I really liked that this was reflected in so many different ways across the cast, shining a light on the different ways this can come across in people.

The ending is certainly action packed, the pace really picking up after a slower start in to a fraught race against time as the two POVs come together - but no one in their group can trust the others. The uncertainty was great because it made me so unsure of what was going to happen - and what I wanted to happen because the various characters' wants were in opposition.

This is the start of a trilogy, and the book's end seems to be promising more opposition between the characters in coming books.

I really liked how this was set in South America, it was very different from other settings I have read before. I really enjoyed the main characters and their interactions/ developments.

I found the pacing a bit slow for my liking and the writing style was not for me

A fine fantasy debut from a to-watch author.

This book's strengths definitely lies within its main characters, Eva and Reina, and within the South American inspired setting that is built up very immersively through the opening chapters. As I said, I loved the character work and getting to switch between Eva and Reina's POVs kept the story fresh, and allowed you to learn about this unique world and what influenced them to make the decisions they did.

This book makes a lot of salient points about coloniolism, imperialism, and revolution; three topics I wish we saw more of in trad fantasy, as coloniolism especially is at the heart of most fantasy stories. I applaud this book for carving a space for itself in an otherwise Western, white-dominated genre and I will always have time for those kinds of books. It would also be remiss of me to not mention the sapphic slowburn romance at the centre of the novel, which I loved.

Unfortunately there were some things that didn't work for me, namely the length of this book and the pacing. I found the first half/two thirds to be pretty slow and at times struggled to keep my interest. It definitely picked up in the latter section of the book, but by that point I was mostly reading to finish as I had invested a lot of time in this. I do think it could have done with some editing down, maybe removing some of the exposition in the first half.

I will however continue to check out other books from this author, as I think fantasy as a genre could really use some more diverse voices and stories.

Sometimes I can take all the blood and gore and violence and sometimes, I just can't. This is the second case.
I had to put this book aside because the story was not grabbing me and then I gave it another try and it is just not for me.

I think the South American setting it interesting, the mythology/supernatural beings are interesting and the plot did pick up, yet it is really dark and violent and at this point I don't see what's the purpose of all the suffering and pain.

YMMV and there might be lighter, more positive things happening in the story ahead but right now I don't have the desire to continue reading in order to find out.

CW: violence, gore, death, kidnapping, dark magic

I loved how this book is inspired by South America, from the spectacular landscapes and mouthwatering food to the mythology and history of Venezuela. It’s a setting I haven’t often come across in fantasy so it really helped this book feel fresh and unique.

The story starts off slow and some initial persistence is required as you learn about the geography and history of the world. There are also lots of names and family connections to learn but by the second half I found myself completely transported and invested in the story. The complexity and depth of the world building is reward enough for the persistence required.

The books two main protagonists are Eva and Reina, both have non-human heritage and face similar struggles yet their influences and aims differ greatly throughout most of the book. Neither of them have a good level of knowledge about their heritage and the reader learns a lot of information through their eyes, the metal based magic system is particularly interesting and I hope this continues to be expanded on in future books. All the characters in this book are flawed, and yet you can’t help but root for many of them - even when they’re on opposing sides! The relationships also felt well developed and mature, including the sapphic romance.

This book has plenty of fantasy and magic but there’s also a strong thread of reality. The themes of religion, colonialism and identity feature heavily. In more ways that one, the battle between the light and the dark of the world is a constant presence, nothing is straightforward and there are plenty of unexpected twists.

This is a vivid and ambitious story, a very impressive debut. I can’t wait to see where the story goes and read more from this author!

Thank you so much Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Well written, interesting, with a rich magic system and engaging characters… but not quite for me.

I objectively liked a lot of its elements, but subjectively, it is not the sort of book I enjoy and I will probably not revisit this world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

Reina Duvianos is half-human, half-nozariel. She looks similar to a human, but she has pointed ears and a tail. Her late father, Juan Vincente, broke away from his family and when Reina was born, he didn’t have her tail amputated.

When Reina receives a letter from Doña Ursulina, her estranged grandmother, whom she’s never met, she’s excited, but anxious. Doña Ursulina invites her to Sadul Fuerte to stay with her and continue her legacy. All Reina ever wanted was to have a family and to belong.

On her way to the Águilas manor, where her Grandmother works and lives, Reina is attacked by monstrous creatures called tinieblas, but miraculously she survives. She is deeply hurt and Doña Ursulina promises to heal her.

Later she finds out that no one usually survives their attack and that she’s suffering from the tinieblas rot, which is usually lethal. Doña Ursulina performs a risky surgery, which works…

Eva Kesaré de Galeno is three quarters human and one quarter valco. Valcos are magical creatures with antlers, and Eva has small antler stumps with she hides with her hair. Brought up by her religious grandmother, she was always told that magic was forbidden and not good for anyone. However, Eva is feeling the magic within her and it’s ready to burst.

Her family want her to marry a man twice her age, but Eva is adamant that it won’t be her fate. She is destined for something far greater…

How are Eva and Reina connected? Will their paths ever cross?

You’ll have to read this book for yourselves to find out. Be prepared for deception, treachery, lots of magic and legends regarding two warring gods: Ches and Rahmagut.

This book also explores the issues of seeking acceptance, belonging in the world, and unlikely friendships, which might lead to something more.

There are also some few shocking revelations along the way.

I loved this story despite fantasy not being my usual genre, but I am so happy that I’ve picked up this book.

Thank you to Daphne Press for my NetGalley widget.

This book started off great and pulled me in straight away. Unfortunately, that did not carry on as much in the second half
This book´s strength is in its characters, primarily the girls. All of them felt fleshed out and different, and despite being basically “not like other girls”, none of them truly felt like that annoying girl trope, and actually carried humanity in them
The worldbuilding was interesting and unique for the most part, only the stand in for Christianity felt a bit… on the nose. The magic here is on the harder side, well explained and easy to understand, yet always offering new possibilities. The only con is that my ARC did not include the map, which made me a bit lost in the geography
Themes of this book could be summarized as search for identity and self worth, colonization and racism. Which are quite heavy topics. And while at first felt nuanced, later on became hammered in a little too thickly
In summary, this was a very enjoyable read, with only some little bits that need more polishing

I really enjoyed reading this book! It's a dark, twisted fantasy novel that immerses you into the depths of South America where faith and hope become something that you'd never expect...

The characters of this novel were excellent - where the POVs changed, I felt like we got a really good insight into their deepest parts of their souls, and learned what truly made them who they were. This then meant that each choice the character made felt so accurate to their personalities and I couldn't stop rooting for each of them at different points!

The folklore of the novel is what truly makes it special - the world-building is so expansive and detailed that I could genuinely picture every single setting. Some of the foods had me practically drooling as I read this, and the use of family categories at the start really helped me understand where each character was from and what their role was.

Ultimately, this is a really detailed, beautifully written book and I am excited to see where it goes next. It took me a while to truly get into it as I was so certain that I wanted to absorb every detail, so now that we'll get future books in the same world, hopefully I'll fly through those!

Thanks to Daphne Press and NetGalley for early access to this book!

A good debut.

I really enjoyed the originality of the world building, the politics, the history to colonialism and the relation between gods and humans. It was interesting to learn about the relationship between nozariels, valcos and humans, geomancia and about the Gods of the Sun and el Vacío. It was a lot for the first part of the book, and it was hard to keep up and understand how everything worked. It helped that the book includes not only a map but also a glossary of terms and an explanation of the magic system.

It’s a slow-paced story. It took a while for the rhythm to pick up, but the characters got me interested and kept me turning the pages. The story itself follows Reina and Eva, two women on their own individual journeys and working on discovering how to fit in their world. While they have different characters and qualities/flaws, their naiveté and choices annoyed me at times. Sometimes, their decisions just didn’t make much sense, it felt unrealistic for the situation.

A negative point for me was the length of the book. Some parts are just too long and have way too much detail, with a lot of time between interesting occurrences. At times, sentences and the language used just cut the flow of the conversations and the descriptions, which is a shame. It definitely could have had a stronger and more aggressive editing.

A great fantasy debut with room for improvement.

3 stars

A solid debut book with a rich magic system, a wide expanse of characters and wonderfully rich world.

The folkloric inspirations was a highlight of the book because they were from folklore I was unfamiliar with and it's great to see more than just greek/roman.

It was interesting to read about the different characters and seeing how Reina and Eva went from two completely separate storylines based at two different areas of the setting to the same area and their wildly different experiences in the world was so compelling to read.

From the blurb, I assumed that Eva and Reina would be the Sapphic relationship and I was surprised to learn that wasn't the case. The Sapphic yearning was top tier and watching it develop over the course of the book was warming.

I would have loved some more development of the magic system featured in the book, but what we got was pretty thorough. The fact the magic system is based on metals was fascinating to read and I can't wait to see how it develops in future books.

I honestly cannot wait to see how the stories of Eva, Reina, Maior, Celeste, Javier continue in the next installment.

DNF at 52%

Honestly, I really tried with this book! I loved the South American influences and the world Gabriella is trying to build is a really interesting one.

But it was so slow, I am the first to admit that I don’t like a slow paced book, but usually I can push through a slow plot because I am heavily invested in the characters, but that regretfully wasn’t the case here. The main characters personalities, I felt, had very little to distinguish them and I struggled to care about either of them, 50% the most interesting character to me was one a side one we were supposed hate.

I am told the last 10-15% makes up for the slowness of the first section though?

Thank you to Daphne Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.