Authors I believe have incredible power in their hands, especially those that write fantasy, to create a magical world so dazzling that for a time, one loses sense of the reality existing outside the book is such an amazing gift. Lucy Holden’s fantasy story set in Astria is brimming with intense electricity, the kind that is stunning in impact.

Woven In Darkness starts off with Zaria losing her brother Doron to the Dark Rip and her other brother Levin blaming the whole fiasco on her. The first chapter of the story itself packs a punch, a stranger helping her, snippets about Zaria’s and her siblings' past, silverscye, Pathfinder, Darkwine, DarkRip, Zumi, a whole avalanche of words that make absolutely no sense to the reader and it feels like chaos. But then the story like the desert rose mentioned in it grows slowly as the fantasy world and the varying plots threaded thru with the minutest details begin to take shape.

The world created by author Lucy Holden is rich and described in extensive detail and honestly breathtaking in its scale, which makes it a tad confusing initially. Once Zaria is claimed by Harken, the woven lord, and given a chance to compete in the Maverick’s race, the reader is made aware of each square piece woven into the quilt. The politics, the intrigue, the different races of people, the magic and the danger that threatens them, the mystery of the past, the history of war and the reasons for it, and the game of chess being played around, Zaria did have her task cut out in that high flying Indigold world. The arcs of the characters is another highlight of the story. There are quite a lot of them to keep track of, but even without going into too much depth, the decisions and reasoning become clear.

Zaria is the protagonist that everyone can root for, protecting her siblings and being free, her only driving force and hence, all her thoughts are predominantly explained but Harken is more or less like an enigma. The flashbacks surely give the reader an idea about him though his actions in the present are kept mysterious but in spite of his morally greyish character, one can’t help but fall for him. The romance I felt was kind of running in the background, it is a slow burn and for readers looking for spice, this definitely is not it.

Woven in Darkness is book #1 in the Woven series and it offers such an exciting start as the past about Zaria and her ability to hold a needle for magic work and her connection to animals, the storm dragon that befriends her, Anahita the evil queen plotting in the background is waiting to be explored.

Let the party begin!

Many thanks to Net Galley, Fehu Press, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

This review is published on my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Book Bub, Medium.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

An immersive fantasy story that will keep you hooked!

Plot- 3.5/5🔆
Romance-.5/5💗

I really enjoyed Woven in Darkness. The story line of this book felt so fresh and I would definitely read more books in this series if they were to come out. I enjoyed the world building and the different characters I met along the way!

You will find in this book:

🔘Sloooooow burn
🔘 Interesting FMC
🔘 Enjoyable supporting characters
🔘 Storyline that will keep you guessing
🔘Intense plot-Detailed!
🔘Competition focused


Zaria was interesting to follow through the story and I found myself rooting for her from the beginning. Harken was an interesting MMC. I am not sure why, but while reading this story I was getting "Howl's Moving Castle" vibes from Harken. I loved Everett and Brooks! It seemed like there were a lot of good natured characters in this book and I enjoyed that a lot.

There were some things that kind of pulled me out of the story at times. First, this plot is very detailed, and at times I felt like there was info dumping happening. Those parts of the book were hard to get through. Also the flashbacks to Harken's memories were mostly skimmed by me. I do not usually enjoy flashbacks like that, and feel like it sometimes takes away from the main story rather than helping build on it. It seemed like a lot of the character building for Harken was done through those past memories, rather than in the present plot, and that made Harken's character feel a little disconnected for me. Maybe it was because of this disconnect that I was not invested in the small romance storyline. The book was described as "a gleaming, spicy, new adult fantasy romance" and I say with 100% certainty that this book was not spicy at all. The romance was on the backburner of the story in my opinion. But the plot was so good that it did not matter than the romance was lacking.

I definitely recommend this book to fantasy lovers. Just keep in mind that if it is spicy romance you are looking for, you will be disappointed.

Thank you to net galley and the publisher for a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher!

This was such a fun read! The world-building was intricate, the characters complex, and the romance was a delicious slow burn that never overwhelmed the main plot of the story. I definitely recommend!

This book gripped me right from the start. It reminded me of all the high fantasy books I've read in the past, which meant it was easy for me to get into and enjoy. While it does feel like it starts off slow, I found it picked up fairly quickly and I was flying through it.

All the characters are complex, interesting, and work really well for the plot. I felt they really fed the story and helped me enjoy the actual plot of the story in its entirety. There was a ton of action, lore, and fantasy to keep track of as you read, and I did find there were parts of the book that I had to reread a few times before understanding what was actually happening in the story.

Overall, this was a great book & definitely one I'd read again!

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

It took me a bit to get into this book because it was hard to grasp what was going on in this world. But I hung on because I loved Zaria and Harken. Eventually most of the world was revealed with some patience. It’s a dark and unique idea of a universe that I loved exploring. I do wish there was a little more steamy love with the main characters, but I’m happy how things turned out all the same. It was a lovely little ending, so I will be curious to see what can happen next. And I found out there’s already a whole universe of other books in this woven world to explore!

Thank you to Lucy Holden and NetGalley for the advance copy. The book is now available!

Ok this book could have been great! The only problem was there was just too much going on. I think this book should have focused on one or two problems at a time instead of all at once. It can be a little confusing to the reader. I did not finish it. I was getting confused in all the twists and turns and it led to me not being very invested.

Thank you NetGalley! This book was really interesting. I will say the first part of the book had me really confused and not really sure what was going on. However, it really picked up and I couldn't put it down!

An amazing and well built fantasy world that will keep readers guessing and woven into the story until the end.

I will give a warning the world building in this book is a little complex. The author does a great job detailing the story but sometimes I got lost in all the details. I think that was more of a me problem though 😆.

Zaria is a well-rounded and well-written character. Harken borderline got on my nerves 😂😂. Again, it was a me problem. I was just rooting for him and sometimes he made me mad 🤣🤣. His favorite color is morally gray, I know it.

I really wished there was a map to understand this world. I think it would clear up some things in the book for me.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and so glad I got to read it on NetGalley 😊

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc!

This book is magical, intense and confusing in one package. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, but found it difficult to let the book guide me through as the magic system, the politics and overall world building was so heavy and intricate it was hard to digest and understand.

There were so many characters that I often felt lost and ended up having to take notes to keep track of who was who. And how they fit in the world.

Additionally, I felt the heavy use of terminology specific to the world was used to early and not explained well enough so I spent 40% of the book confused and unable to understand what was happening.

In saying that, the actual story was beautiful, I loved it! Once I got the hang of the world, I extremely enjoyed myself. And the love interest 🤤. So overall would recommend this book if you’re into high fantasy worlds!

Keep the nightlight burning for this one! Epic adventure in a highly developed mystical reality - slaves, court intrigue, mystery, secrets within secrets, loyalty and betrayal and intense adventure. Gripping from beginning to end. And yes, there's a dragon to save the day, and a bit of true love along the way.

A very promising start to a new exciting book series!

This was such a fun read!!! Lucy Holden creates an elaborate world filled with magic, feisty MCs and well written characters!!

This book gave everything I wanted and more! The writing was so easy to digest, and the plot along with the characters kept me engaged the entire time I was reading!

The magical creatures in this book were also an amazing touch! I'll always be a fan of books with dragons 😂

Ultimately the chemistry of the characters was the cherry on top, which led to me giving this such a high rating. I adored this book and I can't wait to read the next in the series!

The description of the book intrigued me to listen/read this book. I recommend for fans of Sarah Maas.

I like the option of having both formats so when I'm commuting I can listen to stories. The narrator took some getting used too and personally I felt a different narrator, one that can distinguish characters would have been more beneficial. I found that I ended up reading the book than listening to it for this reason. This is especially as the story is very complex in the first 50% of the book due to the complex world, characters and the plot. I did find myself re-reading a few paragraphs to understand the context. Personally, noy an easy read and does require concentration. So not a beach read or lazy Sunday read! However, the plot and characters are intriguing and I would recommend reading the book.

It has vibes like The Shadow and bone and Hunger games. Author has created such a perilous and painful world where Zaria’s brother has been taken away by dark rip, her sisters have been claimed by Indigold lords and Levin has to take Doron’s place in braid race. While Zaria’s fight for freedom for herself and her siblings is still going on. Tangled in the woven net of secrets of dark rip, truth, mystery, bargain and intricate feelings, will she be able to make a right choice? Deception, conspiracy, magic, secrets, shadow bargain and intricate mysteries are interwoven in the plot.

While Harken has a dark past and Zaria is bound to slave braid. She is seeking truth and freedom while he is trying to unveil the mystery of dark rip. Only they both can help each other but will they be able to prevent the danger that is lumbering upon them? While in the midst of all that, they both develops an unbreakable bond.

Well the secrets of each character are way too deep and backstory of characters is so profound and interconnected with the mystery of dark rip. The book will keep you guessing till the end and I loved the character development and ending. I think the next book will take us deep into shadow bargain and dark rip. If it’s a stand-alone, then I definitely want more of it.

Thank you Netgalley and Author

<b>Thank you to Lucy Holden/Fehu Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book and audiobook to Review. </b>

Woven in Darkness is the beginning of a multi-part Romantacy (Woven Saga). This book focuses on the freeing of Zaria a woman who was enslaved as a child. Zaria tries to be a fierce protector of her "siblings", other orphaned children who mysteriously appeared with her one night. At the beginning of this book, Zaria encounters Harken who helps her in her quest to win freedom and riches enough to free her "siblings".

<b>Stars: 3/5
Spice: 2/5 </b>

Things I liked about this book:
- the main character and most of the prominent side characters are described as distinctly not-white
- fun and fascinating world that has been built
- really enjoyed Zaria and Harken's personalities and reasonings for doing things.
- author has interesting ways to describe darker human concepts.
- the romance between Zaria <spoiler>and Harken </spoiler> isn't the central part of the story even though their emotions are a driving force in the book.


Things I didn't love about this book:
- the world created has a lot of its own language (which is cool but confusing), and makes it harder to get into the book and story. The world is completely unique to this author and not rooted in reality or well-established lore (say Harry Potter, Harry Dresden, Alpha and Omega, Emily Wildes's Encyclopedia of Faeries etc) I really wish that there was a glossary to help explain certain concepts or objects (ie the needles) better and maybe a map.

Specific Notes on the Audiobook: Narrated by Heather Takano
- In some places, the words narrated and the text on paper do not line up 100%. It does not change or detract from the experience/story but there are discrepancies (usually inconsequential words are missing).
- The narrator speaks very clearly but the intonation is a little flat. Heightened emotions and dramatic actions are often read in a similar manner as more mundane descriptions. I personally prefer a more dramatic reading that really pulls me along. But this narration was still very pleasant to listen to.

I'll definitely be looking for book two in 2024 to see how things unfold.

Woven in Darkness by Lucy Holden is a good read into a genre that I'm not a reader of, but am absolutely willing to dive into.

Zaria just wants to protect her siblings and is used by King Harken as bait, but in true romance fashion, they are attracted to each other and this is their story.

My favorite parts were the interactions with the dragons. I love Huxley!

I really enjoyed this book! This book is the first in a series but you could possibly read it as a stand-alone. I personally cannot wait to see what happens with (view spoiler)
I had the privilege of being able to listen to the audiobook and read the ebook, and I switched back and forth between audio/reading as I was running errands because I couldn't put the book down!

Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Worldbuilding: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audiobook Narration: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice(subjective as always): .5🌶️ / 5

To start... the world-building for me was slightly confusing in the first few chapters and it lost me at times, but I was able to pick up on all the concepts and it made sense once I read a little more.
This book is so unique and I loved the fantasy concepts in it! Tropes include mystical court, forced proximity, who did this to you, slow burn, and more!!!!

I actually laughed out loud in some scenes of this book, especially with scenes of Gemory lol. This series has so much potential due to the world-building and magical aspects of it, and I can't wait to learn more!

On to a slight spoiler summary
[Zaria and her siblings are slaves, and she enters a race to be rid of her slave braid (slave collar vibes) and to help her siblings become free as well. through events that happen in the beginning, she ends up not being crowned winner of the race but is claimed by the Savage King instead. Surprise surprise, the savage king and Zaria have a bargain that will end in her freedom, but they end up falling for each other. Through betrayal (no cheating), Zaria and the savage king are split right before she enters a second race that will give her land and coin if she wins. The races so far have been rigged and Zaria almost dies in the second Mavericks Race due to a force named Anahita, but is saved through the savage king!! (i died when he explains to her how he felt her last breath). The ending ends in Zaria being able to free her siblings from their slave braid, but it also sets up the stage for the next series where the evil Anahita will likely come back. (hide spoiler)]

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing a copy of this audiobook and e-book for me to review! All opinions are my own <3

My main problem with this book was that the author just does not know how to world-build. The characters were interesting but from page one I was confused and lost to what exactly was happening because the pace was extremely quick but the descriptions of what was going on were too short and vague. I couldn’t even try to fill in the gaps of what was the setting cause I simply had no idea what was going on.

I absolutely loved this book and the characters. The world-building was detailed and smooth.
The strong female lead that was Zaria was stunning. She kept pushing and fighting for herself, her siblings, and even the street urchins, even when it seemed everything was out to get her. You can't help but love her. I cried, screamed in frustration, and hoped against all odds for her.
Our morally grey male Harken is everything you want that you didn't know you wanted; even when I didn't want to like him, I loved him. Harken made me feel everything at once more than once throughout this story.
The flashbacks were everything we needed to understand Harken and his hard exterior and were woven into the plot smoothly.
This slow burn kept me intrigued but not slow enough to make me feel like all was lost.
With all that said, Lupa and poor Huxley were my favorite characters of all. Lupa doesn't give up on her friends, and Huxley's loyalty made me smile through tears.
I will absolutely read more from this author!
Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this fantastic story!

It was ok. Most of the book is wrapped around the main character gaining her freedom or wining some race. It gets kind of tedious and the main plot of the darkness and harken falls behind and you have to really focus to find bits and pieces of plot among not so useful montages. The main character is fairly self centered even when talking about her siblings it’s all how can I get free to then free them less how do I get them free. The whole race is to Get them free but it doesn’t affect her that much and you can tell she knows that by how much she talks about the braid(the method of owning slaves) it was a decent read it just didn’t seem to follow the plot as much as I was hoping.


Thank you to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for a honest review.