The Nightward is a rich, immersive, and beautiful world that I can't wait to dive back into. I love the way that the characters flow with their settings, the dialogue keeps you on your toes and the storyline pulls you in deeper and deeper. This was a fantastic read!

Night wars is an exciting and emotional fantasy story about Princess Viella, a young girl destined to rule but thrust into responsibility much sooner than expected after her mother’s assassination. Set in a world where magic and technology collide, the novel follows Viella and her bodyguard, Luka, as they escape danger and try to restore peace to their kingdom.

**Strengths:**

1. **Rich World-Building:** The blend of magic and technology creates a unique world with plenty of intrigue. The idea of the Goddess giving her Blessing to the Queens adds depth to the story.

2. **Strong Characters:** Viella, though young, is a compelling character as she faces the burden of leadership. Luka is a well-developed protector with his own personal struggles, and the relationship between the two is heartwarming and full of tension.

3. **Emotional Depth:** The assassination of Viella’s mother brings a lot of emotional weight to the story. Themes of responsibility, loss, and personal growth make the journey feel impactful.

4. **Fast-Paced Action:** The book balances character development with exciting action as Viella and Luka flee danger. The suspense keeps you turning the pages.

**Weaknesses:**

1. **Predictability:** Some parts of the plot feel familiar and easy to guess, especially around Viella’s rise to power. More surprises could have made the story even more thrilling.

2. **Underdeveloped Secondary Characters:** While Viella and Luka are well-crafted, other characters, particularly from the Court, could use more depth to strengthen the plot and the conflicts they face.

**Suggestions for Improvement:**

1. **More Depth for Secondary Characters:** Expanding on other key figures in the story could make the world feel richer and the conflicts more complex.

2. **More Unexpected Twists:** Adding more surprises to the plot would keep the tension high and make the story even more engaging.

The night ward is a captivating fantasy with a strong heroine, emotional depth, and an intriguing world. While some aspects of the plot are predictable and the secondary characters could use more development, the overall story is exciting and heartfelt. It’s perfect for fans of magical adventures and tales of personal growth.

Nightward is mixture of sci-fi. fantasy and mythology, all three are genre I usually pick up, however very rarely do I find them mingled into one so well. We follow the story in a word where warrior women rule with their magic.

During a coming of age type ceremony the young princess was to be confirmed as the next heir to the throne, her mother is murdered. This leaves the young princess to now be a young queen. To escape a coup and a possible attempt on her life they flea the queendom

The character development between the princess and her bodyguard is amazing. They are both young , conflicted and unsure of the world and they find comfort and trust in each other. Page by page you see them grow together and closer.

The world building is vibrant and beautiful the mixture of the mythology and fantasy aspects really come alive then you add on the advanced technology and it becomes alive.

The ending thought *clenches heart* my goodness , it was so touching.

The story keeps a great pace through the book, there were very few short lulls in the over all main plot. The sub plots keep evolving as well. I can tell that the next book is going to pick up and keep building on this very well laid out foundation. I love the fact this is a duology, where i would love more of this world maybe in a spin off or just placed in this world knowing that we are going to get answers and resolve the main plot in the next book makes it even more enticing to grab the new one as soon as I can.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager for the Digital ARC

DNF @ 31%

I started this the first time and got to 18%. I realized I had zero idea what was happening, and started it again. At 31% on my second try, I still can’t plug in. Probably a me problem, but the characters and story just aren’t for me.

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.

The Nightward is one of those unique magical world. It blends science fiction and fantasy to produce this speculative fiction world of Carribean mythology meets the Witcher. If you're wondering about The Witcher comp, it's because there's this mentor relationship at the core of The Nightward. You know I'm a sucker for those relationships. (We also love a good giant cat!) A spoiled princess who will soon be their only hope. Viella quickly realizes she's out of her depth as she struggles to get a handle of her powers in time.

This book was good! I liked it but didn’t love it. I definitely see potential in it and look forward to seeing what else the author does.

The Nightward by R.S.A. Garcia is a captivating fusion of science fiction and fantasy that draws you into a rich, immersive world. The world-building is incredibly imaginative, and I loved the complexity of the characters and their interactions. The unique premise and cultural depth of the story kept me hooked.

This is well written, and I will definitely be looking for more from this author in the future. There's a lot of interesting things happening in the world-building, and sometimes in the plot, but in the end this just wasn't the right book for me. I felt that there were a lot of very predictable beats in the story, which could have been fine, or even great, as a familiar structure to make the creativity in the world-building and the more unexpected moments in the story stand out. But I felt the world was not explored fully enough to take advantage of this, which in turn made it hard to appreciate when the plot went in a new direction.

I think I would have preferred if the story had leaned much harder into the epic fantasy side of things, taking more time to flesh out the world and the large cast of supporting characters. The science fiction elements in the story may work better for other readers, but as a matter of personal preference I tend to enjoy science fiction-feeling worlds with elements of fantasy blended in, rather than the reverse.

I don't plan to continue this series, but the author is on my radar, and I hope to find work from her that is more my speed in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ebook.

The Nightward by R.S.A. Garcia is a high-stakes fantasy that follows the story of Viella, a young princess forced to become queen much too early. The book starts with a dramatic and fast-paced opening—Viella’s mother is betrayed and killed by those closest to her. Viella, only 10 years old, is powerful, but still not fully trained in her magical abilities. After narrowly escaping her own death, she flees with her bodyguard, Luka.

The novel is filled with tension, magic, and dark creatures. The setting feels almost medieval—castles, horseback rides, and warcats for transportation, alongside diary entries from previous monarchs and religious texts from society. However, there are intriguing flashes of something more modern and unsettling—mentions of portals and coding hint that this world may have gone awry, or is the result of some experimental force. These little hints keep you on edge and make me excited to see how the author will continue to develop this world in the next book.

I'm really looking forward to Book 2! Viella is a captivating young queen, and I love the large cast of characters and the potential for where the story could go. The absence of romance is also refreshing—while I enjoy a good romantic subplot, here the focus is purely on the chaos, adventure, and magical intrigue.

The only "complaint" I have is the wait for the next book! (I can't wait!)

Well done, R.S.A. Garcia! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

e-ARC from NetGalley.

The Nightward is an interesting sort of thought experiment blending fantasy with the minutely growing hints of science fiction, but it does so in a world nearly as wide as George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. Both to its credit and its detriment.

This is the kind of story that, really, would be better represented on the screen. There are so many creatures and characters and places and political machinations constantly in play that it was hard to keep them all straight. For a time, I felt that the number of perspectives was excessive, but now I realize that it was necessary for the story. I still can't keep the characters straight, but it's clear that all the puzzle pieces needed to be placed just so, and the web needed to be woven with the exact right threads for this book to work.

And, for the most part, this book did work. There were certainly parts that felt unclear - 19-year-old Luka's relationship with who I pictured as a middle-aged woman, what constituted a Neutral vs. an Unbound vs. an Elemental vs. an Auger vs. whatever additional classifications existed, etc - but they didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story. The only thing that did was how Viella's story was handled - both with that trope of "I'll tell them this important information I've known all along way after they needed to know it" and with the decision her protectors make at the end.

Ultimately, I think fans of the treachery, violence, and politics of Game of Thrones will be in for a treat. And, as someone who has been a voracious reader since I learned how in kindergarten, I can tell you one thing for sure: I have no idea where this story is going next.

This was one of those books that sticks in my head as good, but maybe didn't reach it's full potential. The setting of the story and the lore of the world being created is really interesting and it's a fun twist on the typical male focused fantasy worlds. I loved the primary character dynamics of the very young character being protected by an older (but still inexperienced and young) warrior. I think that the back and forth between Viella and Luka was dynamic and realistic. There was some good political intrigue and a rich world being developed in the background. Ultimately I think there was just too many cooks in the kitchen. There were A LOT of characters and storylines to keep track of at once including the main trio escaping, the villains plotting, the grandmother plotting against the villains, a river goddess trying to complete a mission, and a number of warrior groups also trying to complete missions. It was just all a bit too much to be contained succinctly in the amount of space given which made the story drag at times.

There was one particular aspect of this story that will 100% bring me back for more. I am a real sucker for the sort of fantasy science fiction mixture setting going on in the background of this story. The tiny hints of a previously advanced civilization that are tossed through the beginning of the story and then the gradual development of the realization that not everything is as it once appears really drew me in. I am desperate to find out more about the true history of this world and what happened in the past to create magic and leave us the world that we are currently exploring.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the complimentary ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Nightward was a slow build, but I really ended up loving it by the end. Anything comp'd to The Witcher was going to grab my attention. I loved following Viella and Luka, and the blend of fantasy and sci-fi technologies was honestly a breath of fresh air. Add to that the Caribbean mythology inspiration, and I was hooked. I will say that I think the characters (Viella and Luka) could have been a little bit more developed, but I really loved reading about them regardless. The story also does end on a cliffhanger, so I'm very curious to see where the next book will go.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I truly wanted to enjoy this book. The concept sounded phenomenal, but the execution and world building was really lacking.

Viella as the young princess was done pretty well and she was mostly compassionate and understood that she needed to be strong and helpful, but on the other hand as the next queen she was completely useless. She was essentially kept in the dark about everything her role entails and she knows absolutely nothing of use, seemed like a lazy way to not flesh out a character. Also, her twin brother seems to play a huge roll in what goes down yet his character itself it flimsy as toilet paper and hardly seems to exist.

I was interested by the society of warrior women and their magic, but the magic was pretty much not explained at all, to the point that I was mostly just bored and confused because I hardly understood what was happening. The complete superiority complex of these women towards men also left a bad taste in my mouth. It wasn't just that women ruled and men were there to help and support, the women truly seemed to believe men were lesser than and inferior.

Giving 3 stars because I liked the concept, but I don't think I'll be bothering with the next one.

It's really good. The world is interesting and the magic seems well developed. Plus, there was a big warrior cat, which is also a win. I'm always down for reading non-western fantasy and this is a pretty good one to get into. It's not my favorite though and I think that's largely due to the characters. I cannot think of a single one that I found memorable or interesting. I wasn't connected to anyone nor did I care about what happened to them. I'd like to see what happens in the second book, though.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the eARC!

This book was fine, just fine. The elements for a gripping story were there, but some details took away from my overall enjoyment. I think there were too many POVs, and they jumped around too frequently. The inner monologuing felt like a slightly lazy form of describing/showing the characters’ emotions. There wasn’t a lot of suspense or surprise, because the constant POV jumps revealed everything too quickly for any true intrigue. Also, the romance was a little too insta-love for me.

Now, the politics and the magic systems were both very interesting. I wish they were presented in a more engaging way, but regardless, they were cool. The characters were fairly realistically written, especially Viella. Frances was probably my fav character, and Mordach was a very compelling character. The action sequences were the saving grace of this book, very vividly written!

I probably won’t continue this series, but I did enjoy reading it well enough!

The Nightward
by R.S.A. Garcia
The Waters of Lethe #1
Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Oct 15, 2024
Avon/Harper Voyager
Ages: 14+

Princess Viella isn't quite yet ten, but everyone is sure she will become the next queen and the Hand of Gaiea, Gaiea the Goddess who saved them from The Age of Chaos. But on the night of the Ceremony to confirm the girl's destiny, they are attacked, her mother killed, and her father and twin brother taken prisoner.

Viella escapes with her body guard, nineteen-year-old Luka, a warrior gifted with the ability to bond with a warcat. But he is hiding a secret that, as a man in a matriarchal world, could see him killed.


The blurb left a lot to the imagination, and my imagination was a lot more creative than the plot of this story. The idea for the story was great, but the execution was lacking. More info about The Age of Darkness would have helped the chapter openings excerpts of the 'diaries'. The magic system also needs some more building, but the world was good, though by halfway I started to have that sick feeling of what happened in The Age of Darkness, and by the end of the book, I'm pretty sure I know where it's going. I had some Dr. W vibes towards the end. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, but...

I did like the characters, Viella's character fits perfectly with the idea of a nine-year-old, but being thought of as the next queen, I felt she was more naive than she should have been. Luka's struggles with his role as a 'babysitter' was understandable, though his secret could have been revealed a little better within the magic system, but wasn't. And her brother should have had more character building, as an important character he was treated as filler.

As to the action, there wasn't much. What there was, wasn't that interesting and sadly I found myself skimming it, (along with other sections) and when I made myself read, I was still finding myself skimming.

Hopefully, the building of this world and its magic system, (which would really help with how the characters fit into the world) will continue in the next book, but I'm not too excited about reading it, because I'm pretty sure I know where it's going, but I will read it if I can get it on the cheap.

Just missed reaching the next star...

2 Stars

eARC/Book Review: The Nightward by R. A. Garcia 🐯

This was a fantastic start to a new fantasy duology with a smidge of science fiction elements towards the end. I found the world incredibly well defined, the characters fleshed out well, and the magic system intriguing. The book was pitched as a Caribbean mythology inspired world that feels like a mix of The Witcher and Game of Thrones, and if I had to go off those vibes alone (because I still haven’t really watched either series in depth), I would say it emulated those two very well. ⚔️

The book is plot based and so different POVs at times, but the two main ones are the ten year old, Princess Viella, and her nineteen year old bodyguard, Luka. I honestly love the dynamic between these two. As much as Luka gripes about his position, he truly cares for this charge and literally goes to hell and back for her. It was rather refreshing to see a man like this who has a wonderful sibling love for a girl who isn’t related to him by blood. I also really liked that there wasn’t an underlying romantic vibe between the two as that seems to be a trend. 😬

The world itself was diverse wonderfully reflecting the multicultural Caribbean as well as characters who identify openly as queer. I also really loved concept of what a matriarchal world is like, but still letting the reader know that even that kind of world is flawed. The other element that I really enjoyed was the openness to show that religion can be both comforting as well as destructive depending on how one interprets it. 📜

The only thing that I feel like I couldn’t get a good grasp on is the magic system itself, but that doesn’t detract at all from the overall great time that I had while reading this. ❤️

I would definitely recommend this to people who are looking for a Witcher like story that has a diverse cast and world while still having a wonderful talk about gender and what is expected from each. 🏳️‍🌈

Huge thank you goes to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review, and to Garcia for creating an incredible world that just got weirder and weirder in the best possible way. 🗡️

Publication date: October 15, so get it now!!

Overall: 5/5 ⭐️

Viella, the heir presumptive to the high Queen of Gailand, is forced to go on the run with her bodyguard Luka after a violent coup results in the overthrow of her mother's court. She is forced to contend with the agents of Chaos while awaiting the awakening of her own magic called 'the Boon'. And her bodyguard may have some secrets of his own....

It took me a while to get into the story but, by the end I did really enjoy 'The Nightward'. Garcia's writing reminds me of Dune in the best ways possible (and that is high praise!). There is a nice blending of epic fantasy and science fiction that makes you wonder about the mechanics of the world. I enjoyed the cast of characters and teasing out their various motivations. I will say at times some of the characters felt more like archetypes rather than actual people. However, I think that is fitting for how Garcia is constructing this story. The ending was excellent with a cliffhanger that definitely has me intrigued to see what happens next. Oh and the trans rep was A+!

My only complaints are that the pacing of the plot was rather slow and repetitive at times. I feel certain parts could have been cut without sacrificing anything from the overall story. I still highly recommend this book, and I am grateful we only have to wait a year for the sequel.

Reviews will be posted on Goodreads, storygraph and Fable on 10/17 and on Tiktok on 10/18

*I received an ARC from HarperCollinsCA & NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*
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Moribito has forever cemented my adoration for a fantasy novel that includes a bodyguard reluctantly caring for a child, so I was chomping at the bit for Nightward. Our grumpy bodyguard is Luka and our hunted child Queen is Viella, who remains a bit of a brat, which we love to see. We also have a secondary, even more grumpy bodyguard with Eleanor and I loved her to bits, I wanted her to have all the screen time.
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The world building is fascinating and the sci-fi elements are slowly introduced in the background. I think I would have preferred to see a bit more build up before all the action, just to get a better anchor into the world and the characters, cause they’re all so fascinating. But we jump into the action quickly here and are thrown into a world where we are learning all is not what it seems alongside the characters themselves. The names of various characters seem to drop hints that something very sci-fi is going on, but there remains a lot to be explained and I’m already ready for book 2 👀
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Hisses & Kisses 🐍