this was a really good! I liked the characters, and they were super well-developed. the plot was super cool and fun to read, and the writing was also smooth and easy to understand
highly recommend

Wow I really enjoyed this one! Thank you NetGalley for proving me with a copy.

4.25⭐️Only reason this wasn’t 5 stars is because I wish the characters were developed more and that the magic system was explained a bit more but I think this was a way to set up for the next book which I am very excited to read!

I would love to have a physical copy so I can annotate and take notes of the parallels and any foreshadowing. I liked the writing style and the characters. Some are complex and we learn about them through their own POV and the MC’s. However, I was hoping to have a couple of more chapters so I could fully be invested in each characters. They are all interesting and strong in their own ways and they all have a semi dark past so it would’ve been nice to have a bit more.

One thing I really did like was how well the scenes with “intense emotions” were written. It was one of those moments where I forgot I was reading because I was so immersed in the story. I felt like it was fast paced but a bit rushed as everything happened within a 2 week span.

I’m always a fan of found family and a new and intriguing magic system so this book was perfect for that.

Very promising and intriguing storyline, a compelling magic system and a diversity of characters.

Right from the very first page, I was drawn in by the story. It is somewhat mysterious at the beginning, but that only makes you thirst for more. Everything also sounds very promising, from the storyline to the magic system and all the new characters being introduced. I absolutely adore how the real world is being combined with a magical one. Although in the beginning, it can all be a little confusing due to a lot of new names and characters being introduced in a very short time. Nevertheless you’ll soon get used to them and fall in love with the whole lot before you even realise it. The chapter headings are also beautifully designed. The writing style is also highly enjoyable and reads very smoothly. I combined reading the e-book and listening to the audiobook. The narrator also succeeds greatly in bringing the story to life.

However, the story could have used some more depth and details in both the magic system and the character relations. The thirst you develop at the beginning is not completely satiated throughout the story. I think this is also because the pacing is a bit unnatural/rushed. This results in some things staying really vague and other things happening completely out of the blue (all in about 2 weeks’ time), not making that much sense. Hence the 3,5/5 instead of 4/5 ⭐. I’d really hoped to learn more about the dreams and the magic in this book. On the other hand, this book is the author’s debut, so I’m absolutely confident that the next books will become even better and we’ll get to know everything we want to know in the next books of this series.

I think this is a really promising debut, with lots of positive aspects. I am very excited to find out what will happen next. I’d definitely recommend this book if you like an original magic system with roots in ancient stories, amazing characters, found family, a search for a lost land, villains lurking around the corner, self-discovery, budding romance, and so much more.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book. Nevertheless this is an honest, non-influenced review, my opinion is and remains 100% my own.

Really enjoyed the book, got me hooked from chapter 1 . Great story and development . Interesting magical world and political system, this is definitely one to look out for .

Thank you to NetGalley, Ellie Evaris, and the publisher for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'm mad. I'm so mad at the ending of this book. I spent the entire time HOPING and LOVING Lochlen and Aris together. Their chemistry and relationship was the saving grace for me for this book. They are so cute and they have a special place in my heart and... I just NEED to know more about them.

Regarding the story itself, I really didn't love it. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. The relationship the FMC has with Alek feels forced and lacked chemistry. That could honestly be my bias though. Lochlen and Aris are end goals for me.

Another downfall for me was that it felt like a lot of the writing was "fluffy". Everything felt overly explained, like it just kept dragging on. We got a lot of inner monologuing from the characters, which is completely fair, it just felt incredibly long and dry.

This does end on a cliffhanger and I'm somewhat intrigued where the story will go from here. In all honestly, I'll probably read the next one just to see what happens between Lochlen and Aris.

If I had to sum this book up in one word, it would be vague. Everything was so, so vague.

The writing was promising. I find with a lot of first time authors, the writing and the dialogue can often times be clunky and awkward, but I did appreciate the writing in this story. Everything flowed well, the descriptions made sense and weren't bogged down or over-descriptive.

However, the story was incredibly hard to digest. It said so much for saying nothing at all. At the 20% mark, I had no idea why anything was happening. I had no hint at what the goal of the book was. I felt like I'd started the second book in a series without ever even glancing at the first book. It was a very frustrating process reading this book. I felt as though I had to keep going back to make sure I hadn't missed a part or accidentally skimmed over something at parts, because it felt like things kept cropping up out of nowhere without any foundation or even the subtlest of hints earlier in the book.

The magic system in this book is not explored or explained. A big thing is that Aris - the female main character - can't remember most of what she dreams. This is important, but we don't know why. We're never told, and to not be told something that is supposed to mean so much to the story was completely non-sensical.

The characters were done with too little depth for me, and I feel that has a lot to do with the number of characters. There wasn't enough time to flesh them out, and yes, this can be done in later books, which there definitely will be for this series since it ended on a cliffhanger, but not enough was given in book one to really get me invested in any of them.

I can kind of see what Evaris was going for with this, but the execution just fell short.

If you want a mysterious teen urban fantasy that doesn't deliver much in the way of information and you don't mind waiting until book two or even book three for that coveted information, then you'll probably enjoy this. It reminded me a little of the Crave series. It gave the same vibes.

4.75 🌟

thank u netgalley and hidden grove books for an e-arc for a honest review

the prophet's gambit was is a gripping and well crafted fantasy novel. the story is set in a world of magic and mystery, where powerful forces are at work behind the scenes. the story follows aris and along the way she meets a enigmatic boy named alek and the two of them embark on a passionate romance that adds an exciting layer to the story

the plots moves at a brisk place with plenty of twists and turns in unexpected ways. the characters were all so well-drawn and unique, and it's easy to become invested in their fates. the world building was so appreciative, with vivid descriptions of the setting and a well-developed political system that adds depth to the story

what i loved most about this book was the way that ellie crafted her characters. aris is a strong and capable heroine who is easy to root for, and alek is a mysterious and intriguing love interest who keeps you guessing until the very end

overall, another book to be excited for the release of

I tried. I mean I really tried to get into this book. The description sounded like it was right up my alley, but the writing style wasn’t great and way too many characters were introduced too early on to keep them straight. I will give any book 20% to grab my attention. I have this one 25% the. Came to the conclusion that my time is better spent reading something else. Thank you, though, to Net Galley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy/