Wow. just wow. This was such a unique and full world that Dartt built. The intricate storyline and worldbuilding helped to draw the reader in. This was a story that I couldn't put down. I'm really hopeful that there will be much more to come.

⭐⭐ It wasn't my cup of tea but it may be yours
🌶️ Intimate scenes but mild language - just a step past closed door

Shadow Rider is a fantasy adventure that excels in world-building, offering a rich and immersive setting. The premise of a courier from the Shadow Land joining forces with various Elementals to thwart a sinister plot is both creative and intriguing. The author clearly put a lot of effort into crafting a detailed and vivid world, which was one of my favorite aspects of the book.

However, despite the strong foundation, I found it difficult to connect with the main characters. Their relationships felt somewhat shallow, and I struggled to feel the depth of their connections. Unfortunately, the dialogue often felt flat, which made it challenging for me to fully engage with their journey.

That being said, there were side characters who resonated more with me, and I truly appreciated the author’s imaginative storytelling. I believe that readers who enjoy intricate world-building and a unique fantasy adventure might find Shadow Rider worth exploring, even if it didn’t fully capture my interest.

I’m confident that many readers will enjoy this book, especially those who love diving into a well-crafted fantasy world. I look forward to seeing more from this author, as their creativity and passion for storytelling shines through.

This author really cares about horses and their descriptions!
It was a bit hard to get into this universe because a lot of the environment is delivered to the reader through dialogue, instead of text descriptions of the world. The system that the author set up was very cool, but because there’s a lot of information to deliver at first, it took a while to get my head around how the world works!
It’s a fun read.

Two women's. Ives unexpectedly become intertwined when one saves the other from attacking wraiths. The story is about how these two, Shay and Keagan, become involved. Two women who would normally have any interaction with each other. I found this an engrossing read and hope that there will be a sequel.

I decided to start this book knowing it was going to be the first chapter of a series, which was risky in itself, because if I liked it I'd want to know the continuation as soon as possible, and if not, I'd feel really bad because this author was one of the first I ever read and I loved her book "Unexpected Ties" almost 20 years ago! To be honest, it was a departure from her earlier books, but that didn't make it a letdown. What I'm saying is, it was a pretty fun and interesting read.

Maybe it was hard at first, to wrap your head around the world she's created, its hidden connections, where one territory begins and another ends, and how they're all related. The correlations between the protagonists' gifts and the basic elements is simple, except for the Shadow Rider, Shay, the main character of this chapter, along with Keagan, who's put a bit of a spin on the usual for those with her gift. Kegan is gifted with the power of water, while Shay rides the shadow paths. Joining them in this and upcoming chapters are Ashley, the haughty wielder of fire, Cassius, the eldest and gifted of earth, and Lyria, the youngest and most novice, gifted with air.

So this is the start of an adventure. Every imaginary world has its ups and downs. But creativity is priceless, it should always be celebrated. And if it's entertaining and features strong, brave women who aren't afraid to feel, even better.