I actually enjoyed this book more than I thought I would as historical fiction is hard for me to get into. However, his book hit me right in the feels as the MMC was an autistic boy who found the stone woman and revived her. I love seeing the representation of disabled individuals in a book. I also love that the FMC is a plus-size beauty that is not described using negative connotations that come when an author describes it as plus-size beauty. I am actually going to re-read this story and see if there is anything I missed because I will miss the story.

What I liked
-Autism rep in fantasy
-Plus Size character as a protagonist
-excellent world building

What didn't Work as well for me

pacing throughout the book but particularly with development of the side characters felt really unbalanced. Notably I have recently been reading in a different genre and this may have colored my perception.

Who I would recommend this title for

Prayer for Vengeance by Leanne Schwartz will be an excellent read for fans of historical fantasy that has a similar air to Circe with a more human centered focus.

A Prayer for Vengeance by Leanne Schwartz is a story about a girl turned to stone, and an autistic boy who accidently revives her. I couldn’t wait to read this one, as autism rep in a fantasy story is quite rare. But this book is so much more than just autism, there are so many good things! The main character Gia is fat, and she has her issues with that but also learns to love herself. She is also a fierce warrior, and really badass if a bit rash. She was turned to stone by Ennio, who she adored, but Ennio betrayed her and her sister who ruled at the time, and turned them and their companions into stone. Fast forward a while, and Gia gets out of the stone because of Milo, and she sees that the world has changed entirely and the truth has been buried underneath religious lies – lies that Milo has learned all his life and believes with a passion. You can see the parallels with today’s society, and I loved that!

But now, about the autism rep since that is why I requested this book: I loved it. This is how autism rep should be done! It just exists inside this fantasy story, but not as the main focus. You can really see the ‘tism in Milo’s thinking, and how he responds, and it’s amazing how you can look inside his head. I could really identify with him, and he is very likeable, a cinnamon roll that learns how to be brave and make his own decisions. Sometimes I wished the autism was a little more visible in the form of maybe stimming or a meltdown/shutdown (as quite distressing things are happening), but to have it just exist in the story is enough for me.

The relationships are the strongest thing in this book for me. Sisterly love, queer love on the side, and lots of friendship. I love how Gia en Milo’s relationship grows. And their characters have quite a bit of growth too, I love how Gia grows to see the bigger picture.

Plotwise, I have to say it took me a while to get into this book. The beginning felt really slow, while the end for me was a little too fast. This book seems to be fast paced and action packed, yet it feels slow to read? I don’t know how to explain it exactly. I did love the story quite a lot and kept reading, so it isn’t that big of a deal, but I have to say something felt off. The story was amazing, very layered and lots of action. Love the villain! The world was very much centered around religion, and not so much explored, but I’m ok with that. The ending was amazing… I love how there’s accountability for everyone’s actions including the good guys.

I give this book 4 stars as I really enjoyed it. The autism rep and the relationships were the strongest part for me, and I loved the characters.

I received a free e-arc through Netgalley but it hasn’t influenced my opinions.

I felt a kinship with Gia – we’re both plus-size, I’ve also been known to make rash decisions when I’m upset, her unwavering loyalty, and her near tunnel vision to atone for her guilt. Milo was a little harder to enjoy reading about in the beginning but it definitely got better with time. Val helped build up his character while Gia didn’t really have a good supporting character until later on in the book. I do really enjoy reading neurodiverse characters and Milo was no different. Putting the term autism in the book didn’t fit with the time period and it threw me a little bit. The queer rep was also well done & sweet – not prominent in the story mainly because it wasn’t between the two MC’s.

The world-building was done really well and filled my head with settings reminiscent of Ancient Greece. My only wish for world-building would be a better grasp of the other Orabellian city-states – where they were located in reference to Tresttato and their gods/goddesses. I believe this book is a stand-alone so I don’t believe that wish will be resolved. I found the pacing to be a little slow in this book – if it were a little bit faster I would have devoured this book in less time.

I would like to thank TBR & Beyond Tours, Leanne Schwartz & Pagestreet YA for the opportunity to read A Prayer for Vengeance. I enjoyed my time with Gia, Milo & crew – especially Acci. All opinions are my own.

It is always a breath of fresh air for reader when they can actually see themselves or parts of their lives when they are reading a book especially when the book is YA. I chose to apply to go on this tour for the reasons that the rep of plus sized does not come in many books let alone having another main character who is on the Autism Spectrum but Leanne does not stop there as Sisterly Love and Sapphic vibes can be seen throughout the book.

I liked each chapter being either in Milo or Gia's perspective entwined with the excerpts from the Book of Invocations was genius I even liked that there were monsters and magic too running throughout.

For me it's only downfall was it's pacing which at times did make me want to put down the book and that was due to the different chapter lengths.

For all the above reasons I am giving A Prayer for Vengeance 3 stars

“What did you pray for?”…

“Bravery. The strength to stand forth and do the right thing.”

Courage is a hard virtue to have especially when fear is present in our daily lives. Fear of retaliation, fear of the fall out, fear of never having enough time, fear of death.

While this story highlights Gia and her vengeance, I feel this story is more about Milo, our autistic cinnamon roll, who learns to be brave in the face of adversity.

A strong novel representing diversity and inclusion. This is a must read for all readers who want inspiration to go past your comfort zones in order to do the right thing. You don’t want to live life regretting what you didn’t do because you weren’t brave enough to take that stand.

“How many times had the truth been churned under? With the blood and bones of those trying to bring it to blossom feeding the soil?”

Thank you so much to @tbrbeyondtours and @pagestreetya for having me in this tour! Follow along at www.tbrandbeyondtours.com for more reviews on this epic adventure!

This book brought me in right at the getgo. I really loved the way the world was building and the different religion being introduced. The Greek inspiration was very apparent, but still being unique in its own way. One of the aspects I really enjoyed about this book was the guessing of who are right and who was wrong. But what does that even mean? It really makes more sense through Milo's point of view. And I feel like that's where this book really was its strongest. Once it reached halfway, I didn't feel as drawn in, especially when Gia's point of view took over. I think the struggle of Milo and his faith and how he was going to do what he believed was right by the people was the soul of this book.

That being said, I think it's clear that Milo was my favorite character. I really enjoyed his points of view and the struggles he overcame to realize what he thought to be true. It can't be easy taking everything you thought you knew and realizing it was all built on a lie. But following ones own instinct is sometimes the best course of action. I really did like Gia's character as well. While they both had to do some self discovery, I felt like Gia's wasn't as impactful as Milo. However, I really did enjoy her character arc and the way she developed as well.

Overall, A Prayer for Vengeance by Leanne Schwartz was not what I was expecting. Straight from the beginning I was drawn into this world. Nothing is what it seemed like and honestly, in the beginning I had a hard time choosing who was right. This quest of discovery and good and evil I felt like were at the core of this book. However, I truly believe Milo was the best character and truly discovering himself. If you enjoy magic, mythology and a book that doesn't hold back - be sure to pick this one up.

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Page Street YA for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3 stars

TL;DR: A Prayer for Vengeance was a historical fantasy that had an interesting premise that delivered on some of it and fell short on some of it. The world was interesting and the characters had great moments that had me rooting for their success in overthrowing this "first saint" megalomaniac. I also really appreciated the representation of Gia's and Milo's characters! Ultimately, while I liked enough of it to want to keep reading, I also wished that the writing had been stronger and we had more character development.

The world-building was interesting and it's easy to see the influences from ancient times although I will say that aside from the very surface-level societal aspects of dress to food, the author doesn't delve into much depth. This mainly focused on the religious/political aspect of society and the role of the three goddesses of this ancient world, one in particular, played a significant role in the plot. This story throws us headfirst into the conflict and I'm glad that we do get to see what happened at the very beginning—from the moment that started this "war" and what drove our MC's desire for vengeance—but I have to be honest and say that I wanted more time to digest the situation and particularly the role each goddess plays and their influence in society. Although technically the religious aspect wasn't very complex, it did feel a little confusing at times because of how we're introduced to the religious aspect and how quickly the story jumps from point to point.

I think the areas where I struggled the most were with the plot/writing and the characters. This plot should have been fast-paced (and in a way it was) and it was also action-packed with many tense and high-stakes scenes, but unfortunately, it didn't translate for me. I didn't feel the emotional connection and that made it difficult to really care for what was happening. I think this was driven in part because it felt like a slog to get through the story but also because while I think the characters had their moments, I didn't feel a great sense of connection to any of them either. There were also many moments where the plot felt forced and character decisions came about so suddenly that it gave me whiplash wondering how a character so quickly decided to ditch everything they'd been raised to believe for a person who they seemingly don't even like all that much and who hasn't treated them that well. I wanted to see the characters really process the new information and revelations, especially since there was so much of it!

When it came to the characters I absolutely loved their representation. Gia is a plus-sized bad-ass fighter who is hell-bent on getting revenge on the person who took advantage of her by preying on her fear and rage. She was immature and bratty at times but I loved her thirst for vengeance and how she was initially pretty ruthless in achieving this goal— there were great moments that made me empathise with her situation but also root for her. Sadly, as the story progresses I found her lack of growth frustrating and she became more one-dimensional, being solely defined by her rage, fear and guilt, and it was disappointing because I wanted more from her! In slight contrast was Milo, who did experience more growth than Gia. He's an orphan who was raised by the temple and a bit of a bookworm who was passionate about telling stories. He's desperate to find his place in this temple and to finally feel like he belongs since he has always been so different. II appreciated the neurodiverse representation and translated his experience of having to mask his autism throughout his life—it felt realistic and handled well. Milo was very easy to empathise with and root for and I loved seeing him find confidence in himself and his actions the more he spent time around Gia and their friendship grew.

Unsurprisingly, there is a romance but surprisingly, I wished that things had been kept platonic because the romance not only felt rushed but slightly forced. I think I was more invested in the potential romance between two of the main side characters compared to their romance! I just felt like they were at the friends stage more so than the romance stage when their relationship transformed. That said, although their romantic feelings end up driving their motivations in the end, it didn't become annoyingly "instalove" that it was unbearable.

Overall, this was an interesting read that I'm glad that I picked up. I did expect to feel a lot more connected to it than I did so that was a bit disappointing but I'm glad I gave it a try!

Thanks to Netgalley/Page Street Publishing for the eARC!

Oh, boy. This was recommended to me by a librarian colleague so I thought I would give it a chance. This book, for me, did most things "okay"--nothing standout, but nothing that made me put it down, either--and one thing terribly. The worldbuilding. Grecian/Roman culture used to prop up the world without any real thought to it (as a Greek... I am tired...) Religion that's flimsy and poorly explained. Random fantasy terms are thrown at us with little context. You get the picture.

My Rating: 3/5 Stars

My Review:

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange for an honest review and place on this blog tour – thanks!

I have been super excited to read this book and it was one that definitely met my expectations of it. Gia and Milo were both filled with so much heart and passion, it was easy to fall into their points of view (even if they were frustrating at times). Schwartz delivers a very fun and fast paced fantasy that I am sure will become a favourite for many others.

This book is by no means perfect. Some of the plot points felt a bit too convenient for me and the romance felt inevitable, even if it came out of left field. I loved the friendship that developed between Gia and Milo, and I wish they had gotten some more time to develop that before jumping into the romance, but I digress.

This novel, as I mentioned, was very fast paced, focusing more on the furthering of the characters’ through the plot than building up the world itself. A Prayer for Vengeance introduces readers to a very unique world, which had that feeling of Ancient Greece/Rome, without relying too heavily on the historic aspect. I would have loved to learn more about this world through the story, regardless I found it very easy to picture the world as Milo and Gia moved through it. I wanted to be in the Archives with Milo, as he described them in such a comforting way.

I believe that many fans of YA fantasy will enjoy this book. I certainly appreciated the fierceness of Gia, as a fat main character. She gave me Nina Zenik energy at like 20x scale. She was fierce, and unwavering in her goals (once she was able to sort out her thoughts). Her relationship with her sister was handled in a very brief way, but I enjoyed the bit of peace that they got to make with one another.

All in all, this was a very fun fantasy read. While I, personally, would’ve loved to see more world building and a slower pace, in no ways is it necessary for the enjoyment of the story. I look forward to seeing what Schwartz writes next.

A Prayer for Vengeance releases September 19th, 2023

Thank you so much to Page Street YA and TBR and Beyond Tours for an arc or this one!


Centuries after Gia makes the biggest mistake of her life, she is granted a chance at vengeance when Milo wakes her from stone with his prayer. And she comes back swinging.

This was so good! It took me a few chapters to really get into the characters and story but once I did I was HOOKED so hard.

Gia and Milo are amazing. I loved them both so much. Milo is such a cinnamon roll and I just want to tuck him in. The lore of the world is also so interesting and I feel like it could be a whole series and I would follow all of it.

I was crying SO HARD in the last few chapters so be warned lol!

CW: death, kidnapping, torture, ableism

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 4.25 stars
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC of this book via TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange for an honest review!

A Prayer for Vengeance follows Gia and Milo. Gia, born a thousand years earlier and cast in stone, and Milo, a ward who accidentally wakens her.

"Don’t try to remake what you might have been. Become something new.”

I have to be honest; my eyes were really drawn in by the gorgeous cover this book has! It immediately reminded me of mythology, something I very much love to read! After reading the synopsis, I was sold!

The story starts of really interesting with the opening chapter! I immediately made a connection with one of the main characters, Gia, and emphasised with her from that moment on. After that, we get to know Milo as well, who really comes across as a sweet bun who has yet to learn about the world.

The pacing is quite slow at the start and only really starts picking up the moment Milo and Gia meet; around 35% in. I had expected the pacing to be more balanced throughout, and it did take a bit more time to really get into this story because the pacing was a bit slow.

I really liked the world created! Heavenly inspired my mythology, it was interesting to see how a whole new world, religion and powers were created. I did want a bit more about these powers. I felt like that part could’ve been fleshed out a bit better and I’m still not completely sure what the difference between the three sisters and their powers is exactly.

I really liked the characters! Gia is very determined and strongminded, with a heavy sense of justice. Feeling like it is all her fault, she doesn’t mind becoming a monster to right her wrongs. It is admirable how far she is willing to go to “fix” her mistakes. It shows how fiercely she cares and fights for what she believes in. Milo is just a sweet bun who I want to wrap in blankets and keep save! I just want to give him the whole world!

I loved the dynamics between Milo and Gia and the shifts in them. Milo admired Gia as a sanct and statue for a long time, before getting to know her more and more. I also loved how Gia was the fierce, protective one and Milo the softspoken and thinker of the two. Often times that is reversed haha. The romance really bloomed beautifully and gradually in a way to add to the story, but not overpower it. The sister bond between Gia and Lena is also an important one that drives Gia’s actions a lot throughout the story. I did feel like I wanted a bit more interaction between the sisters, without other spectators.

The ending was quite good. I especially liked the epilogue and how it tied off the whole story and its characters. Before the ending, a lot of fighting is happening. I did feel like that could’ve been written a bit differently. I had a hard time navigating all that was happening throughout the many fighting scenes. It would’ve been nice if that had felt a bit more balanced.

Overall, A Prayer for Vengeance is a lovely story about how far you’re willing to go for those you love and what you believe in. I enjoyed the time spend in Tresttato and with these characters!

If you love cinnamon roll boys and girls who are ready to strike first and ask questions later then this is the book for you! Gia and Milo's is an exciting and emotional adventure in a roman-inspired world that features some amazing representation. I also loved the family and sibling dynamics throughout the book which focused on how you can change your relationships with your blood family and that sometimes your family is who you choose. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for new YA to read!

What an apt title. Gia wanted to find her out way out from her older sister Lena’s shadow, but older Ennio betrays her.

Really, Ennio sees a mark- a vulnerable teen who’s mistreated because of her size, and he manipulates her into helping overthrow her sister, a beloved ruler.

Of course, Mia catches on but it’s too late- she and her sister are turned to stone.

That is, until Milo accidentally sets her free. Mia discovers so much corruption that Ennio, still alive 1000 years later, has warped his citizens’ beliefs for the sake of power.

The truth is just dust on the wind, and isn’t that absolutely terrifying? Because who would know better?

Gia does. Now she has to team up with an unsure Milo to try and save her sister and fix the mess that Ennio made— righting so many wrongs that it’s hard to keep count.

Holy cow, does this author write well. This was *prose* and not only did it make a mythical world vividly accessible, it was stunningly gorgeous to read.

And the characters. Gia never really meant harm, with her hair-trigger temper and stab-them-now-apologize-later mentality. Well, until she means vengeance, and then it’s deserved.

I loved seeing her strength and moral core, and watching her soften toward Milo even when she could have been overcome by rage.

Milo is gentle and kind, saving even those who may not deserve it. He balances Mia so well, showing his own bravery and strength at every turn.

I adored his faith and the unlikely love that blossomed between him and Mia.

The autism representation with Milo was excellent. I’m neurodivergent, and I related so much with him and his relationships. I need to see more characters written like Milo!

Which means I’ll happily be reading more of this author’s books. All of my stars!!

This is what you’ll want to read for an epic new YA fantasy romance that will make you want to pick up a sword.

I really enjoyed this book for what it was! I found it simple to read, the pacing was a little quick from time to time, but really enjoyable otherwise. The plot was fun and cute, nothing that gripped me too intensely, but I still found myself enjoying the book and sitting on the edge of my seat as I read right to the end.

This book is a YA fantasy, and reads as such. That being said, I really liked it and found myself enjoying the characters and plot. It was simple, easy, and overall so enjoyable!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.

Gia is tired of always being in her sister’s shadow. She’s just as worthy and Ennio sees her potential, she can trust him. Until the day of the ceremony where Lena and Ennio were to meet and discuss their ideas for how the city should be run and Ennio betrays them all encasing them in stone.

Milo just wants to write the perfect poem to satisfy the gods and his favorite sanct. She’s stunningly beautiful and he wants to know her story so badly. When he accidentally breaks the hundreds of years enchantment on her and she becomes more than a statue the true adventure of revenge and redemption begins.

This was such a interesting story! The weaving of myths similar to one’s we’ve heard here to new ones for this world and the fierceness of Gia was brilliant. She’s hard while he’s soft and they work so well together and I love the relationships between the characters and how’s that’s fleshed out!

I have been eagerly awaiting this book since the moment I saw the deal announcement, and was not disappointed! Leanne writes beautifully, and her worldbuilding is absolutely exquisite. There was so much heart poured into this book, and the representation (plus-sized heroine? Autistic MC and love interest??) was phenomenal! Milo's quest to prove himself worthy, and Gia's incredible fury as she seeks vengeance on those who destroyed her sister and her city kept me turning pages late into the night. I absolutely loved every moment.

I started reading "A Prayer for Vengeance" by Leanne Schwartz, and I have to admit that I didn't finish it; I only made it to about 35% of the book. The premise of the story was intriguing, and the plot had potential. However, I found the prose to be exceptionally slow, which is a major turn-off for me as I'm not a fan of slow-burn fiction.

Despite my struggle with the pacing, I couldn't help but remain interested in the outcome of the story. The characters were well-developed, and there were hints of intriguing mysteries unfolding. I just wished the narrative had picked up the pace a bit.

If you're someone who enjoys a slow-burn and patient storytelling style, this book might be a perfect fit for you. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite my cup of tea. I genuinely hope that someone who finishes it will be kind enough to share how it all ends because I do want to know the outcome of the promising plot. In hindsight, I wish I had access to a CliffsNotes version to get a quicker glimpse of the story's resolution.

I would like to come back to this one day but I am currently DNFing it at around 40%. I am really struggling with the writing style and I feel like the plot is a little underdeveloped for my taste. I do however, think this book will be a huge hit with many readers. I knew it was outside of my comfort zone but was excited to try it anyway, unfortunately at this moment in time we are not meshing, but maybe we will in the future.

I really loved A Prayer for Vengeance!
I t was such a hood and unique read full of great characters!

I loved that the heroine was plus size as you don't see that very often.
I also loved to see the autism represention and thought it was done really well.

I highly recommend this book!
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.