Very good read. It was a slow start for me, but then it got me hooked! I did enjoy the slow burn style of romance. It has a good world building and the magic system is well written. The cliffhanger will leave you with a book hangover!

I have mixed emotions about this book. For one, I thought it was very well written. The prose was lovely to read, and it went down very smooth. However, I did not find myself compelled to keep coming back to it. I didn’t find any part of this to be incredibly original, nor did I find any of the characters very interesting. Fia was fine, which is honestly all I need a MC to be, but I definitely think she could benefit from some character workshopping. She had no personality at all, though I do think the reveal at the end may help. Still, a character needs to be intriguing without their powers. I thought Laryk was boring as hell, and thought they had absolutely no chemistry whatsoever. Their coupling at the end felt contrived, and I’m hoping it was supposed to feel that way. If not, yikes. Until the last chapter, I had no interest in continuing the series, but perhaps it’ll be like acomaf and get wayyy better after the first book. I definitely think it has the potential. Thanks for the ARC!

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.

I loved Riftborne, I thought the character interactions were fun, the worldbuilding never felt like a slog at any point, and I believed the characters relationship. I actually ended up ordering this for my store to hand sell as an easy fantasy rec, and own a hardback copy!

This captivating fantasy novel pulls you into a world brimming with magic, danger, and intrigue. The characters are complex and their development is beautifully woven into the fast-paced narrative. From the first page, I was hooked by the tension between the protagonists and the rich world-building that makes this story truly immersive. The dynamic between the main characters adds depth and emotional weight, making their journey not only thrilling but also heartwarming. With vivid descriptions and unexpected twists, this book keeps you turning pages, leaving you eager for the next installment. Highly recommend for fans of epic fantasy!

✨ Publication date: September 3, 2024✨

Riftborne is the first book of the Esprithean Trilogy by debut authors Parker Lenox and Bree Grenwich. Riftborne is an adventure fantasy book with a touch of romance.

Fia is a Riftborne. Branded and orphaned as a child after nearly her entire population was destroyed in war. Fia keeps her head down, works in a modest apothecary and does her best to stay off the Guards radar.

Fia is tasked with delivering elixirs to a Royal celebration and as she’s leaving Fia loses control of her focus. She’s terrified when she sees the Guard’s highest ranked commander was there to witness it.

Under the threat of being turned in, Fia is forced to join the Guard as a recruit. The commander is fascinated by Fia and wants to better understand her focus and how they can use it on their enemies.

Commander Ashford begins training Fia and as they spend more time together, neither can deny the sexual tension surrounding them.

As their enemies draw closer, Fia is forced into combat before training is completed. She doesn’t fully understand her focus or how to use it. What happens when the shadows you’re trying to escape might actually be part of who you are?

I really enjoyed this book. The world building and magic system was easy to follow and the characters intrigued me. The story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger but I’m definitely looking forward to reading the rest of the series. This is a 4 star read for me.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #parkerlennox #breegrenwich #riftborne

I LOVED this book!! Bree Grenwich and Parker Lennox do such a great job weaving an intriguing story that readers will fall in love with like I did!! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy books!!

This was such a wildly frustrating read. The bones of a good story was there but the execution was really lacking. No real character development or relationship development, more just throwing the reader from one situation to another with no real depth. I wanted to dnf from about the 45% mark but i really hoped it would get better because the concept was so interesting.

And it’s a small thing but expecting the audience to care about a romance when there has been little to no interaction or building of emotion between the two characters is wild. There was nothing there. There could have been. But it was void of any emotion.

I was really excited to dive into this story, as the synopsis promised a story that sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, it ended up not being quite what I’d hoped for.

The writing style didn’t resonate with me, and I struggled to fully immerse myself in the story. The worldbuilding, a critical element in fantasy for me, left a lot of unanswered questions. For instance, I couldn’t quite grasp the distinctions between the Sidhe and the Riftborne, or the reasons behind their war. The story lacked any in-depth exploration of the politics that might have led to it or the ripple effects afterward. The aftermath of the war was only shallowly described, almost as though it were an afterthought, which made it harder to engage with the stakes and conflicts of the story.
Additionally, certain plot choices felt difficult to believe. For example, the protagonist joining the army responsible for the death of her family and the destruction of her homeland, didn’t feel convincing to me. Similarly, certain events seemed to happen simply to advance the plot rather than arising naturally or serving a meaningful purpose within the context of the world or characters.

Adding to this, the MMC came across as having zero depth or personality, making it difficult to root for him or even tolerate his role in the narrative.
And although the FMC is described as being 23 years old, her inner monologue often read more like a teenager’s. Similarly, the romantic progression, marketed as enemies to lovers and slow burn felt rushed and abrupt.
The characters as a whole came across as shallow and underdeveloped, which made it difficult for me to care about them. On top of that, the timeline occasionally felt unclear—sometimes I’d read a paragraph only to realize that events weren’t unfolding over a single day but a longer, unspecified period.

That being said, there were a few positives. The book was a quick and easy read, and the central idea of the story had a lot of potential. The cliffhanger at the end hints at intriguing possibilities for the second book in the series, even if I can already speculate on some of the developments.

Overall, while the concept behind Riftborne was compelling, I found the execution lacking in depth and cohesion, which prevented me from fully enjoying the experience. That said, it might still appeal to readers who prioritize fast-paced plots over intricate worldbuilding or character depth.

Thank you for this ARC.
This was neither good, nor bad, neither a total dissappointment, nor did it impress me. It was a mix of OK and NOT SO BAD. Idk, there were cliches, and things.. just happened, bc they could.

Unfortunately I had to dnf this book around 20%. I can see it being for other people, but I was just not for me. I couldn’t find myself connecting to any of the characters and I wasn’t sure of their motives or reasonings for anything. The pacing was too slow for me to continue waiting to see if I liked the characters eventually, but there is potential for others to love it (hence the 2 stars)

Thank you to NetGalley and Onyx publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review! I had such a good time with this. Fia is a headstrong Riftborne just trying to survive in the world that conquered her own without facing discovery of her uncontrollable magic. When that plan is a bust, she’s forced to join the Guard by the handsome General of the army himself. As Fia learns to control her power and how to become a braver and person, there’s a shadowy force descending on their world. The army needs to figure out how to combat the shadowy and seemingly indestructible wraiths before everything is destroyed.

This is seeped with magic, intrigue, secrets, slow burn romance, and one spice scene. I liked Fia and her character growth, but some of the other characters I didn’t. First off is the General. We start with knowing he’s hot and capable, and all the girlies drool for him. This doesn’t include Fia at first, and he’s pretty rude and straight up mean at some points. It doesn’t seem like he likes her at all really. At some point we’re told this has changed, but aside from being sexually charged I didn’t see much of a connection. Also… why are we told a hundred times that he has copper hair? We get it! They have like ten conversations total, half of which are rude and he never apologizes for, and the rest is just random sexual tension. But the ending had a nice little twist and hints that he’s not end game and I’m HERE for that. The other person I didn’t care for was Osta. She’s supposed to be a bubbly ray of sunshine who everyone loves, but she just comes off as vapid and self-centered to me. She basically tells Fia to get over herself and her lifelong fears of being MURDERED because of her powers because she wants them to go out to bars.

Going forward I hope there’s more spice and that this new turn takes the romance to a better place. I would recommend for anyone who likes Fourth Wing, ACOTAR, Avalon Tower, or Of Blood & Ash

Excellent book, loved it! Looking forward to more from this author! Apologies for the lateness of my review

I cannot even start to explain how much I loved reading this book. This world and magic system were a breath of fresh air simply due to the overall uniqueness and captivating world building. Everything was written so beautifully and the tropes played well with one another. It’s not explicitly said but I honestly get chosen-one vibes which one of my top tropes so that was a nice bonus for me. I am super excited to watch it progress through the rest of the trilogy.
This is the poster child for slow burn, and I loved every second of it. The stolen glances, the hot and cold emotions and the eventual spice was all swoon worthy and I desperately wish I could relive it over and over for the first time. The characters had so much depth and so much soul I felt them come alive off the pages. Even platonic interactions between the mains and secondary’s was outstandingly genuine and brought even more depth as the chapters passed.
There was a captivating realness to not only the characters but the class structure and tension that was a direct result. It spoke volumes that even a fantasy world could experience such inner turmoil as the real world. The plot kept this significant for the reader but not overbearing.

I didn't think I would enjoy this as much as I did because this book felt slow to start (it took around 90 pages for me to become fully invested) but I think it's because I was trying to get a grasp on this world. But after those first ~90ish pages I was hooked. Riftborne kind of reminds me of Fourth Wing? But without dragons. Which doesn't make any sense, but the chemistry and slow burn angst, training to be part of the Guard, the Wraiths- it all gave off a very similar vibe. And for as slow of a start that this book had, the last 15 pages were a whirlwind that I didn't see coming. The ending has me spiraling. A CLIFFHANGER TO END ALL CLIFFHANGERS. WHYYYYYY?! I am unwell and need book 2 ASAP. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

Absolutely LOVED this fantasy novel. What a fantastic world and magic system that these authors built. I loved the characters, story, and world building. Also a true enemies to lovers? Amazing! Would 100% recommend this book to romantasy fans!

Riftborne has everything you look for in a romantasy - a mysterious power that is hard to control, a training school for those with the most dangerous of abilities, a friendship that feels more like a sisterhood between two orphans, and a very uneasy tension filled relationship with a General in the army that destroyed Fia’s homeland.

If you’re looking for a new fun romantasy series highly recommend this one.

A story about friendship and unconditional love, loyalty and heavy prejudice. A little puerile and veeery slow burn? An understatement at the beginning but then it gets much better.

What I didn’t like:
So, Fia is blackmailed into working with a special unit, which is described as a secret weapon. But she receives a manual with everything carefully explained. Not very credible…
The first time she channels her power, which she couldn’t even reach, she immediately controls it to a stop…
It seems every character’s hair falls weightlessly around their shoulders.
Oh, and no way a guy would refer to his Scooby-Doo as “his length”.

What I liked:
Fia’s growth as a person. She really discovers her potential and develops her abilities throughout the story.
I loved having Laryk’s POV during that very hot dream. Just like that, completely out of the blue. We realise later on why it happens. With or without meaning, it was hot. Loved it.

Even though there were a few clues here and there, they weren’t obvious and didn’t prepare me for that ending. I didn’t see that coming.

With those aspects I pointed out improved this can be a great story. So please, lady-authors, let’s get to work and pay a little more attention to that kind of detail. Also a few typos here and there… For this my rating cannot go any further.

I am going to read Book II of the series.

I received a free e-ARC from NetGalley and these thoughts are my own.

Loved this! The world building was great, but not too dense that was boring to read! I liked the fmc and mmc and the magic system that was involved. The ending took me by surprise and can't wait for more romance in the next book!

I’m utterly SPEECHLESS. I ignored my entire family and stayed up all night to finish this and I NEED more. The slow burn was delicious, and once we finally got to the spice I was out of this world. This was done with absolute perfection.