Personally I found this book to be a bit lacking.

I am not a fan of insta-romance and this in no exception, but even more than that, it felt so unjustified, especially since the two characters spend almost no time together where she is her real self. I like the fact that he had a change of heart towards the end of the book. So the romance was a really weak aspect in this book for me. Another issue I had with this book was that I found the story to be a bit boring at times.

However, I found the characters to be quite interesting, the Divhs to be complex monsters and a great addition to the story and the combat scenes were written in a great way, which made them really vivid for me.

All in all, I found the book to be okay, not at all bad, just not my cup of tea.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Oliver Heber Books for this ARC of Court of Talons
by Jennifer Chance in exchange for an honest review!

This was a really enjoyable read! I will say the beginning was slow and maybe some people might struggle to stick with the book. That I find to be a common situation in fantasy books. And as is the case with many others, Court of Talons absolutely picks up after the first few chapters.

The story was very engaging. The book has a Mulan-esque plot but with magic and beasts that I found to be really well-done. An intriguing set up turned into a thrilling plot.

The absolute best part of Court of Talons was the world building. If you would like to read a masterclass on fantasy world building, then this has got to be your next read.

The characters were pretty great too! All around I thought they were well-written. And I think Talia felt real. I understand her motivations which made her enjoyable. And the side characters definitely added to how much I liked this book.

There is a romance and a little bit of spice, but the romance is completely a subplot. And to be honest at this point I found the romance to be a tad bit subpar. I love the MMC, but did I think the chemistry for the main relationship was the best? Not so much. I hope for more development in this area in the future because there was definitely potential.

Like I said the beginning was slow, but this book definitely stuck the landing for the ending. I am excited for the next book!

If you’re looking for a really unique fantasy with a mystery full of suspenseful twists and turns, I definitely recommend Court of Talons!

Publishing date: 08.10.2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Oliver Heber Books for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

Features:
Woman pretends to be man for the plot
Misogyny in the worldbuilding
Undercooked romance
First-Person POV
"Headstrong Female lead"
Monster / Human Bond (not the romance, sorry)

I like a little romantasy in my books, it is such a fun type of book to read. However, I think this should have been marketed more as "a cup of overloaded worldbuilding with a half teaspoon of undercooked romance". Let's start with the bad and end on a high note.

The romance was not it. There was no proper chemistry, it felt insta-lovey (this can work, but not in this one), not enough time spent between characters before we "got into it". If it is marketed as a romantasy, it needs more time to actually develop the romance. You can't serve me a raw steak and say it is medium rare. The spice also didn't do much for me, and I am usually not picky with it.

Worldbuilding based on misogyny has become such an ick for me. I think the fact that our own real world has this exact set-up just makes me tired when I see it in fantasy. There are attempts in the book to show that it is reversible, or at least possible to make it better for the women. But it shouldn't have been there at all. It is such blatant "women should know their place" vibes. The book could work perfectly fine without it, or at least done it more subtly and elegantly.

I will put the writing and my problems with the main character in the same paragraph because they are related. Some main characters can work as annoying brats, our main character here doesn not work as a brat. I didn't want her to succeed, or get her way. I was tired of listening to her inner monologues where all she can do is try to prove others wrong or prove herself right. The writing didn't do her credit either, as it felt very juvenile. This reads like middle grade in writing, and adult in content.

Over to the good ...

Fight scenes and anything with the Divhs is fun. Monsters are always fun, monsters bonded to people is especially fun. It all felt so dynamic. Combat can be so hard to properly write, but the author really nailed it for me. If the whole book was focused on the Divhs and the fighting I would give it a higher score.

Final ranking and star rating?
2 stars, D tier. I think my biggest problem is that I have read stories like this before, and may be burned out. Even so, the romance is lacking, and for plenty of people the misogyny might come off as unnecessary and off-handed. It has the bones for a good story, one I might like. But today, and as it stands, it is not it for me.

Thank you, NetGalley and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange of my honest review.

This book was simply wonderful. The story grips you and you just want to keep reading.
The world was very well written, and the magic system with the Divhs was so unique and amazing. I loved Talia! She's fierce, strong, courageous but also loving and caring. Fortiss was just *chef's kiss". Their story was beautiful, and I want to see everything that still is going to happen between them.
Loved the Divhs, loved them! I sobbed reading the final fight scene...
Wonderful book!!

*with thanks to Netgalley & the author for writing this - i gained access to the ARC copy prior to release and am leaving this review voluntarily*

I liked the premise of the plot, it was centrally focused on the Tournament of Gold; the narrative was good & although its pacing was a little laggy at times, it did keep going & I liked the characters of Nazar, Talia, Caleb & Fortiss & it had a good ending.

The spice needs worked on for Book 2; another one i've read recently referring to lady parts as "my s*x"? - one of my major book icks 🤢

Narrowly avoids book jail as the storyline more than makes up for it!

I loved reading this. I was so immersed in this storyline. I cannot wait for more from Jennifer Chance!

An absolute gem! Why did I read this as an ARC when I desperately need the next book?! It is perfect and though it had a bit of a dystopian feel to begin with, it was fantastic fantasy all the way through.

Thank you so much to Oliver Heber Books, NetGalley, and Jennifer Chance for the opportunity to indulge myself in this thoroughly enjoyable book and share my honest thoughts and opinions with others.

This book was not at all what I expected, there was a lot of fighting but in a decent amount, a beautiful bond with a terraying creature, friendships and loyalty and a small romance. I had a lot of fun reading this book and am looking forward to the continuation of the series. The book does not really end in a cliffhanger, so Im even more interested to know where the story goes next. Recommend to readers who want more fantasy than romance, but with struggles of a woman in a male dominated and ruled world

Qick content list:
1st person single POV
woman poses as man
small romance subplot
oppressed women
bond between warrior and creature/animal

What I liked:
- the bond between the warrior and the creature was just beautiful. The Divhs happiness and how it cared for its (sorry his) human was nicely done and I didnt see myself caring so much for them when they were first introduced but it was extremely nicely done
- the FMC is nice, not sassy, but fierce and wants to fight for what is right. She is smart and figures out how to handle herself in this hostile world
- the companions of our FMC are nice additions, accept her and support her and I love them both
- most (though not all) fighting scenes were written in such an engaging way I almost mist my bus stop.. I couldnt put it down when the Divsh fought each other and had a blast. I usually dont particularly enjoy fight scenes so thats a huge plus

What I didnt like:
- the reveal that shes posining as a woman to the "authorities" was kind of anticlimatic? I dont exactly know what I was expecting but it was not just some talking and then some doom that from the looks of it would have happened either way?
- the romance was so odd, I totally see how the idea of a romance makes the whole book better. How the MMC felt betrayed at finding out her identity and all that comes with it. But there was not really a build up, they just met a few times and that was it? And he recognized her by touch? Sorry but the dude has so many women on his lab I doubt he can tell from one hand...
- some of the lore was either lost on me or just not explained well enough, though this is something that might just get more detailed in the next book when we get explanations for what happened at the end
- there is a point in the book where it says that at a certain "task" women used to be better and far suprerior to men... I dont like this kind of stuff. I get it, this world is mysogynistic and we want to reverse it somehow and have women have their place but I just dont feel like thats the solution. Might be more of a personal issue tho

Thanks to netgalley and Oliver Hebb Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

GIVE ME MORE NOW! This book was amazing and so well written with the characters well rounded, yet lovable and still having floors. I love the world building and the suspence in the story line. I just couldn't put it down and I want more

As a beginner in reviewing ARCs, it might sound too nice. But in this case, it is not! The book is really good, the spice is maybe at a 1-2 🌶️, the world building is just enough so that you can get immersed into the book, and the characters are very well written.
I do not want to give you a summary of the book, because you have to read it to find out :D However, even though I was a very big fan of the our FMC, Talia, in the beginning of the book, she takes on quite a lot of shit. Of course this is all for character development, to build her up to be the badass FMC we will know towards the end of the book.
Trials and found family, among the top 5 favourite tropes of mine, are very well done in the book.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for providing me with an ARC for this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

I LOVE the Mulan boy-dressed-as-girl trope, and I love enemies-to-lovers, so the premise of this book was immensely intriguing from the outset.

Our main character, Talia, is a young woman determined to do right by a family that has never done right by her. I admired her loyalty and her convictions, and I particularly loved that she grew to be more bold, confident, and to take risks as the story progressed. The writing was strong, the world-building was decent (though it could have used a bit more fleshing out, and it perhaps will be in future books), and the romance was a delightful subplot that crackled with chemistry.

I strongly recommend this book for lovers of fantasy, particularly YA fantasy. I will be purchasing a copy for my classroom library.

In a world where Talia is considered a minor bargaining chip, a horrific betrayal leads her down a path of adventure and power that could change her life forever, as long as no one ever finds out. When Talia's brother is murdered on the way to the Tournament of Gold, the magic of his armband that connects him to his divh Gent moves to her own flesh and Talia finds herself custodian to a magical creature whom she is not even meant to see. In desperation to honour her family, Talia dons Merrick's persona and continues to the tournament, hoping to hire some soldier's to protect her home. When she instead enters the tournament, she uncovers a deception that could ruin the realm. Can she stay safe long enough to foil a plot?

I really enjoyed this book. It is an epic fantasy adventure with a small romantic subplot. Talia balances on the edge of discovery as she grows to see value and worth in herself. I can't wait to dive into the sequel. I would love to see a special edition of this text with illustrations of all the dihvs.

“the way of warrior is death”

This book has given me Mulan vibes. I had a great time reading this book. I will admit it took a while to get into it. The beginning it’s a bit boring but it started to pick up quite quickly which I really liked about this book. The whole concept of this story is quite unique and entertaining to read about. I do wish that there was a bit more on the tournament.



: ̗̀➛Talia
She’s such a strong protagonist. I was rooting for her since she got branded with a Divh. I loved the way this book has represented Talia power, it was really great to see the fmc fighting and showing her full power.

: ̗̀➛Gent
This lovely gentlemen honestly warmed my heart. The way her protected Talia honestly warmed my heart.

: ̗̀➛Caleb
He was such a lovely side character to read about. He showed that no matter what has happened in life, you don’t need it to slow down your life. I loved how he stuck by Talia and didn’t abandon her.

: ̗̀➛Fortiss
I’m hoping that we’ll get more of him in the next book since he somehow found his way to warm my heart.

: ̗̀➛Nazar
He is definitely a wise character with a lot of secrets. I really loved the way he supported the fmc but as well as that he also didn’t give her straight answers.


I’m really excited to see how the second book will go!





➺ “Power is a blade that cuts both ways, and in this court, you either wield it or bleed.”

➺ “You are in danger, Talia. Everything about you is danger. So beautiful, so fierce.”

➺ “You are Talia of the Tenth House, first blooded and firstborn. As such, you will fight with power and with honour, and with the strength your blood has give you.”

➺ “Great warriors fight with their minds. With their spirit and their hearts, yes, but mostly with their minds.”




Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Court of Talons - Jennifer Chance
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Talia of The Tenth House is travelling with her brother to the annual competition where first-born warriors and their bonded beasts battle when he is murdered. His beast bonds with Talia, which is unheard of, women are banned from bonding and from battling so Talia must assume her brothers identity and fight for her house.

I really enjoyed this book. There were some Mulan vibes, and some great characters. Talias Divh (beast) was one of my favourite parts of the book but there were a lot of likeable characters, especially Caleb.

Looking forward to seeing where it all goes next.

Just when I thought I knew what a five star book looked like, here comes A Court of Talons with a “hold my bookmark” attitude and I’m so glad this was one of those books.

I couldn’t stop raving about it from the first day I picked it up. The plot? Thrilling. The world? Artfully built. The characters and story? Masterfully created.

This reminded me of A Knight’s Tale meets Ever After and Mulan with magical elements expertly intertwined into a whole new tale.

While there was one spicy scene in the book, I kind of wish there wasn’t. Not only because it makes it hard for me to recommend it to students, but also because I don’t think the story needed it and it felt more like the author was selling out a bit to keep up with all the other books now hosting extra spice. It kind of cheapened the story for me.

Regardless of that, I simply cannot recommend this book enough.

I adore the way this book represents women and their power it was so refreshing to see the fmc fighting and using her powers!!
The world building was pretty unique in my option and I grew more and more invested as I read on.
The side characters were well written and fleshed out so I found myself picking favourites (cough cough Caleb) I can’t wait for the second book!!

Loved it! I cannot wait for the next book - I need to know what happens next for Talia and Fortiss! Fantasy with a little Twelfth Night vibe. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but if you’re a fantasy girlie, read it!
Thanks to NetGalley for the E-Arc!

The concept was fun, giving Mulan meets magical realms/divs. The character development was a little slow but nice once it reached the max, and the world-building was fantastic. At times it was fast-paced and enjoyable, but at other times I felt like it was dragging and I'd never get to the next page.

I feel like the chemistry between the FMC and MMC lacked for most of the book, but when it "sparked" it kind of came out of left field. Maybe I'm missing something and read over a key romantic moment.

I did enjoy the banter between sister and brother, at the beginning, and I did enjoy some of the side characters.

This was my first book by Jennifer and it was outstanding. Very well written and the characters and storyline are really good. Looking forward to the next book.

At the beginning of the book, we are introduced to Talia of the Tenth house, and her younger brother Merritt. In a world where the first born child should be a son, Talia agrees to get married, to do something for her house and make them proud. On the way to a tournament, where Talia is to be married, Merritt ends up being killed, and his Divh, a type of creature that is bonded and controlled by only a select few, including the firstborn sons of the houses, and some high ranking warriors, ends up bonding with Talia when Merritt's warrior band places itself on her arm. Now, in order to find and get revenge on the person who murdered her brother, she must enter the tournament with the Divh.

I enjoyed this book although it did take me a little bit to get into it, because of the slow pacing. The tournament was pretty fun, but it doesn't really happen for a while so everything in between was pretty much just filler that I kept getting bored with, while waiting for the next big thing to happen.

Talia was a good FMC, who is very strong, and brave, willing to do whatever she can do bring honor to her house, even though she will die if/when she is caught. Fortiss was ok, but I feel like we didn't really get to see who he actually is, and spend that much time with him, except for the end.

Caleb was a great side character, and showed that no matter what has happened to you in life, you don't need to let it slow you down and you can still do great things. I was glad that he was actually a good character (got scared there for a minute) and didn't abandon Talia. I wasn't sure how to feel about Nazar for basically the entire book. He gave off weird vibes and I could never tell if he was actually on Talia's side or not. Next book, let's be sure to kill the father <3

I appreciated the fact that the romance was a sub-sub-sub plot and was very far from being at the forefront of this book. It allowed for more detail and focus on the actual plot, which was amazing. I loved the concept of this book, the magic system (Dihvs), the tournament, and the detail that was put into the fight scenes.

<i>The way of the warrior is death</i>