Member Reviews

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

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Cate thinks moving from Oregon to go to school in England will be a breeze. She is a great student and has no trouble making friends in the past. However, when she learns of a prophecy that says she will win in battle against a ruthless foe in the new land, she becomes more wary. With a target on her back, Cate has to make her way through new classes, new friends (are they really?), and dangers such as a stalker and mysterious portals.

This story was a great read but I felt that it was the common storyline for this fantasy trope. Girl moves to magical land, girl has something that makes the other girls act catty, one solid friend, and a love triangle with 2 hot guys that usually hate each other after being friends in the past. If that is what you like then it will make for a cozy read. I just feel like I have read it in other books before.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publishers for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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This book was an interesting romantsy read with hidden identities, lands and creatures. It definitely is not exactly what I thought it would be though not in a bad way. There is a love triangle in it and honestly, I dunno who I want to root for with it either.

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It did seems nice at start and then it went down, some parts were good but others, it felt like it could be better,, Maybe the problem is me and didn't stand out, sadly I don't have much to say, even if I wanted to but if I speak about it I will spoiler

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In this YA romantasy, Cate travels to England to attend university, where she meets two young men who reveal that she is the princess of a magical land, destined to defeat a ruthless evil. Stepping through a portal to embrace her destiny, Cate doesn't plan on falling in love. Yet, the rival kingdom's prince complicates her plans!

This book was such a fun read and perfect for fans of enjoyable romances. The writing made it an easy and delightful experience. I particularly appreciated the sweeter side of the romance, especially with the forbidden love trope, though it might not appeal to everyone. Daniel's character stood out to me because he wasn't the stereotypical dark-haired, brooding hero with a hidden agenda; instead, he was open and honest with Cate. I am, however, bracing myself for drama in future books!

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Cate’s journey is nothing short of exhilarating. She navigates through portals, encounters rival kingdoms, and faces imminent war—all while trying to figure out who she can trust. The stakes are high, and the action never stops. Plus, the romance is swoon-worthy, adding a delightful twist to the adventure.

Horton masterfully blends court intrigue, backstabbing villains, and heart-pounding battles, making it impossible to put the book down. If you’re a fan of magical worlds, strong female leads, and epic love stories, The Concealed is a must-read. It's perfect if you love Powerless by Lauren Roberts.

Dive into this fantastical adventure and get ready to be captivated from start to finish! 📚✨

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Cate is just your average American girl heading off to college in England at her dream college - Cambridge. Sounds easy, but it is the opposite. Cate soon finds herself in the middle of a world-altering prophecy.

The pacing of this novel is fast, and since it is YA it is pretty simple. The author blends everything together well, making it flow well. Unfortunately, it was a little too simple for my tastes and found my attention drifting from it often.

Care is a Mary-Sue for sure, as she is not like other girls and no one notices her until now. Despite her being a Mary-Sue she is still relatable through her struggles and reactions to the events around her.

The romance was very insta-love, and full of cliches, but not in a terribly cheesy way. I do think middle-grade kids would eat it up, the way I did with Twilight when I was 12.

I found the portal aspect really interesting and I love a good hidden world. The worldbuilding was well done.

I personally feel the biggest issue with the book was that it was marketed towards people who like Powerless and Throne of Glass, but honestly I think it gave the wrong impression of this book. This book was not really for me, as I like more advanced YA novels, however, I do think that it would have suited me when I was a lot younger. Unfortunately, I had already downloaded the ARC before I found out I wasn’t the target audience.

Overall, I think it had a lot of potential. It would suit middle-aged teens who enjoy easy fantasy romance in a unique world with dragons, magic, portals, and love triangles. 3/5 stars

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TLDR: I have to dnf this at 30%. Not for me.

Wake up babe it’s the chosen one trope! I tried really hard to finish this book but I can’t. It’s not for me. It’s giving wattpad. The writing style is clunky and jumpy and confusing in some areas. The main character is immediately trying to be killed for no reason. She is in love with the MMC after a week of knowing eachother. Idk it just was all too much and too little.

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All Cate wanted was to start new at school in England... then her world turned upside down! She meets her birth family, and learns more about who she actually is. This a fun read, but the writing did not seem like it was geared toward adults.

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The Concealed is the first book in the Heir of Earth and Sky series by Horton. Cate has been concealed in our Earth realm since she was young. Knowing she was adopted from an early age she didn't know if she would ever find out about her birth parents. Cate is an anxious character and takes a leap from Oregon in the US to go to college in England when here world is turned upside down. Cate ends up meeting two guys that are there to protect her and take her back to her birth realm a portal away. She take the leap and learns more about herself, her birth family and the prophecy that she is entwined in. This was a fun read and I enjoyed the characters and the new magical world and I am looking forward to the next book.

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I did not finish this book. The writing felt very juvenile and I was unable to connect with the characters. I do not think it is fair to the authors or future readers to rate books I did not finish as anything below 3 stars, as they might hit their target audience beautifully.

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The story starts in the real world and the main character, Cate, is starting at a new school and meeting new friends. She quickly finds out she is from another world. As she is being chased, she has little choice but to go to the other world with her new friends, who have been sent from the other world to find her. As they travel, she continues to find out things about herself and her past.

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When Cate travels from Oregon to university in England, she expects her gravest dilemma to be finding coffee instead of tea, but she’s got bigger problems—much bigger. At Staton University, nothing is quite what it seems.

This was very fun! I loved the world-building, the characters, and the overall atmosphere. Well done!

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I liked the world building and was quite entertaining but I hate love-triangle with fierce passion so I can say it's not my cup of tea.
The Chosen-tropes is as ancient as fantasy but i appreciated how the author dealt with it.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

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Thank you for this ARC!
Unfortunately I had to DNF around 25% due to lack of interest. I did find the genre to be more geared towards middle schoolers and I had a hard time getting through it.

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3.5/5 stars

“The Concealed” is an action-packed YA romantasy book. It tells the story of Cate, a young woman whose journey from Oregon to study at Staton University sets her on a path to discover her magical lineage—& work towards a prophesy claiming she is destined to defeat a ruthless enemy in a magical land.

🌟 The great parts 🌟

- Daniel & Lucas were lovable MMCs
- Cate’s journey to discovering her confidence & inner strength was relatable & authentic
- Anxiety representation
- The world-building was engaging & not too overwhelming
- Some hilarious scenes & dialogue (did someone say ‘giant worm’? 😂)

☠️ The not-so-good parts ☠️

- The 1st chapter had more jokes than was probably necessary (almost DNF’d)
- Felt like I still knew basically nothing about Lucas & Daniel at the end of the book
- Some characters had near-identical personalities
- Tame & predictable plot (more chaos please)!

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"The Concealed" is the action-packed first installment of a compelling fantasy series by S.K. Horton, featuring star-crossed romance, elemental warfare, and dragons soaring through the skies above.

At its heart, the plot takes the heroine on a perilous adventure fraught with treachery, love, war, and boundless magic. Packed with unpredictable twists, this book is a page-turner, keeping the reader hooked until the end.

Central to the story are a diverse array of characters with unique skills, ambitions, and allegiances. Cate emerges as a relatable protagonist navigating numerous setbacks, allowing potential for growth in subsequent installments.

The writing style is contemporary and notably fast-paced, ensuring an accessible, engaging read. The author neatly integrates world-building, lore of the land, and a magical system into the narrative, ensuring a natural flow.

Overall, "The Concealed" is a promising foundation for an enjoyable series, with ample room for further development and exploration as the story unfolds. Those who enjoy young adult fantasy romance are sure to find this an immersive, exciting debut novel.

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First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Aethon Books for the opportunity to read this galley!

This book snuck up on me and quickly became one of the most outstanding fantasy books I have read this year. As an Oregonian myself, I was easily able to put myself in Cate's shoes. Plus, who doesn't wish to be sucked into a world out of fairytales! I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the second book.

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A normal college girl's life gone astray by multiple kidnapping attempts while studying abroad in England! You'd think this was the premise of the book, but it's only the tip of the (magical) iceberg. This book had the potential to be great, but got quashed by the rapid pacing of the book. Because of the pacing issues, relationships fell flat, characters weren't fully developed, and many world building elements sounded half baked. I still had fun reading this, but it felt like watching a movie in 1.5x speed.

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The story is a bit too young adult for my liking and the writing a little bit repetitive. DNF @30% I do think readers looking for fantasy YA will enjoy this much more than me.

Thank you to NetGalley and SK Horton for the complementary digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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