I received the Audio through Netgalley. I did enjoy how well the narrator, Teralyn Davis executed all the voices. I loved the premises of the book, and I was excited to start listening. But I found out fairly quickly that this was not the book for me as I do not care for "journey" type stories. In fact, I have a hard time taking this as an Adult labeled book and not YA. I would recommend this to my almost middle school niece though. It is a good book to introduce ALL of the fantasy types out there such as druid, werewolves, spell casters, elves, Djinn, and many more characters and powers mixed together. This was a good book to show how a diverse group of people can be friends and work together. I would probably continue the series. The book did end quite solidly (Rounding up)

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the author did an excellent job on the characters, world building, and plotting of this novel. The central theme is the main character, Kiana, who is trying to restore the fading magic of her world through dangers to save the seeds from the shiver tree. The idea of the book is unique, and I couldn't put it down. I can't wait for more from this author. I absolutely recommend this book to the fantasy readers.

Thank you Net Galley, Blackstone Publishing, and Holly Searcy

While the premise and world-building have potential, I found The Shiver Tree to lack coherence, particularly in its execution. The story introduces a dizzying array of species—elves, druids, gnomes, sorcerers, and werewolves—which at times made the narrative feel overcrowded and difficult to follow. Rather than immersing me in the world, the sheer volume of characters and species felt overwhelming, pulling me out of the story.

The spell-casting scenes, while initially intriguing, suffered from a lack of explanation or context. Incantations were spoken, but their meanings or effects were rarely clarified, leaving me confused and disengaged. Instead of heightening the magic and tension, these moments created a barrier to fully understanding the stakes or the characters' actions.

Additionally, the narrative’s pacing often caused me to lose connection with both the characters and the building tension. There were moments of promise—Kiana’s visions and the lore surrounding the Shiver Seed were compelling—but they were often overshadowed by an overcomplicated plot and too many narrative threads.

Ultimately, while The Shiver Tree has flashes of originality and ambition, its lack of focus and clarity made it difficult for me to fully engage with the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Black Stone Publishing for the opportunity to listen to this ARC.

*Thank you to author, NetGalley & Blackstone Publishing for allowing me to read this early in exchange for an honest review*

The Shiver Tree by Holly Searcy

3⭐️

The Shiver Tree seems to be a Dungeons & Dragons inspired story that follows a group of adventurers trying to uncover the truth behind an attack of ships that left an ice druid calling to their aid.

The story follows our main character, an elf druid, who is trying to become more acquainted with the world around her and train her magic to become more powerful as she’s the next in line to become head of her colony.

This reminded me a lot of my D&D days with the use of specific potions to aid them in their adventure, spells, races, classes and the monsters that were fought. It almost was on the cusp of being a cozy fantasy in my opinion and was a fun read.

I found myself having trouble getting super into the story as the pacing was sometimes weird and I felt like the characters were a little bit predictable & taken at face value. The pacing was almost like a pattern where an encounter would take place, characters get wounded and heal, then the same thing would happen multiple times in that order. I suppose I wanted a bit more depth into the characters as well.

Overall, I didn’t DNF and I feel like D&D fans would like the story and find it enjoyable!

Thank you, #TheShiverTree #NetGalley, for this ARC audiobook opportunity. This story was fun and adventurous. I enjoyed the diversity of characters, places and creatures. I like that the author ended in a way that set up for their next adventure and I’ll listen to that one when it comes out too. Personally I would have enjoyed a little more romance mixed in with the adventure, but that’s just a personal preference.

This story is very much a ‘fantasy adventure’ that takes place in the land of Amarra, which is on the brink of ruin. The land used to be guarded by the five druid orders, but now they are struggling with crops, monsters, and pirate raids. The daughter of the High King, Kiana, wants to help to re-establish the orders and solve the problems that Amarra has been facing. Her father doesn’t agree with her, but she decides to go on a quest to restore the order.

Honestly, this book really fell flat for me. I had a really hard time connecting with the characters and found the world building to be awkward at times. I read the excerpt and had really high hopes because I am definitely here for an epic quest. I decided to stick this book out and finish it because I really believed that it had a lot of potential and I think that the book deserves an honest review. The magic system was definitely pretty neat; especially the tattoos.

I personally would choose not to read any additional books if this is a series because it didn’t really stand out to me. With that being said, everyone has different likes and dislikes, so if this type of book appeals to you I would definitely give it a try.

I want to thank Holly Searcy, NetGalley, and Blackstone Publishing for the Audio ARC of this book. I really appreciate the chance to give a review.

Audiobook Narrator- Clear and easy to understand

Kiana wants to restore the magic that is fading in her world. But she needs to fight off the deep ones to have the mother tree and to save the other seeds from the shiver tree.

There is a lot of adventure and action. And a very little slow burn with a dragon Druid. I was expecting a little more of an adventure the main action points are when Kiana found her sister and when Kiana found the ice druids.

I listened to an audiobook of The Shiver Tree by Holly Searcy which was narrated by Teralyn Davis. Davis does an excellent job pacing this book and voicing these characters, and there were many! She was really able to bring this book to life.

This story follows Druid Kiana who is from a political family, who sets out to restore the "Orders". However, quickly upon making the decision to do so she begins having visions of an ancient artifact which has fallen into the wrongs hands. Kiana enlists help of some friends and sets out on a quest to find this item, without really knowing what it is, only knowing that without it, there may be no way to save her people.

Would I have liked it if I read it in regular book format? I probably would have enjoyed the story enough to stick with it, but honestly it felt a bit disjointed. I did find many things that I liked in this book like the magic system and the quest itself, but I would have enjoyed getting to know some of the characters better and how they fit in this world. I am okay with tons of races/classes but some of them fell flat as I did not have enough history to understand how they fit or their motivations for their actions. All in all, good story, great narration.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for a chance to review this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Holly Searcy’s The Shiver Tree presents a complex and richly detailed world that balances the accessibility of YA fantasy with the depth of high fantasy. While the blend sometimes creates an enjoyable and digestible introduction to an intricate setting, it also leads to an uneven tone. The high-fantasy elements occasionally feel diminished by a more simplistic, YA-style approach, making the narrative come across as slightly disjointed. This duality might appeal to some readers as a bridge between the genres but could frustrate those seeking consistency.

3.5
The characters are plentiful, and their development, while intriguing, can feel overwhelming as they are introduced alongside numerous world-building elements. The romantic subplot between the protagonist and her love interest stands out as refreshingly grounded. While much of their relationship’s history takes place off-page, it avoids the overdone “instalove” trope common in YA, lending their dynamic a layer of authenticity despite the somewhat basic banter between them.

Teralyn Davis’s narration is a highlight, showcasing her talent in bringing characters to life through distinct voices and accents. However, the decision to incorporate a wide range of dialects—spanning from American southern drawls to high English accents—was a mixed bag. While Davis performed these accents well, their stark differences felt jarring and out of place within the same fantastical world. The juxtaposition of a southern farmer and a highborn British elf, for example, was difficult to reconcile and occasionally broke immersion. That said, this creative choice may not bother most listeners and might even add charm for those who enjoy varied character portrayals.

Overall, The Shiver Tree offers an ambitious story that may appeal to readers looking for a lighter take on high fantasy, paired with a skilled narration that adds personality to its cast. However, the tonal inconsistencies and the unusual mix of accents may leave some listeners feeling more puzzled than enchanted.

The Shiver Tree is a wonderful adventure. The magic system is so interesting, I really loved the idea of magical tattoos. The characters are engaging and loveable, and the friendships feel real. The story is slow to start but builds up to keep your interest. My only issue was the dropping of the f word at multiple occasions as it felt very strange to have normal swear world in such a well thought out fantasy world.

This wasn't my normal type of read. While I enjoy fantasy, I prefer there to be more creatures, i.e. dragons and other like beasties. This ended up being something I still enjoyed quite a bit, though it took a bit for it to pick up. I got very attached to the characters, especially Snow, and I'm sad there wasn't more time with them. The world-building was fun and Amarra is a place I'd like to visit in my dreams. Hoping to read more by this author one day and I hope she continues to world-build here.

I love to listen to audiobooks. Now that NetGalley offer this I am more excited to be a part of the reviewers.
The high and epic nature of this fantasy story, gives me Lord of the rings vibes, what with the different species of creatures. This gives it a very classic feel. It feels like this plot will age well and be enjoyed for years to come.
The narrator of this story is Teralyn Davis. I don’t always enjoy female narrators for fantasy stories but Teralyn did a great job. It’s an interesting plot to bring to life as a solo narrator but I believe Teralyn’s character interpretations are very nicely done. There was a great deal of passion in her voice. I get the sense that she is enjoying the experience of reading this story. There were clear differentiations between characters, whilst cleverly switching between characters dialogue and prose narration. Her ability to turn an accent cleanly and accurately really helped to keep each character individual. I am an immersion reader so having such a clean audio experience was delightful.
This story is not something that strikes me as 100% original. In my opinion it follows a template of a basic fantasy plot line. However that does not mean it was not done well. Its soft and gentle approach to the world building makes it easy to slide in and out of the story without loosing its flow.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for this review.

Such a fun read! The characters and world building were well thought out, and well written. I can't wait to read more

In *The Shiver Tree* by Holly Searcy, the land of Amarra is on the brink of ruin. For centuries, the world was safeguarded by five powerful Druid Orders—Jade, Ice, Spirit, Sky, and Sun—but these once-unified clans have splintered, leaving Amarra vulnerable to blighted crops, monstrous creatures, and pirate raids. Kiana Paletine, a young woman with dreams of becoming High Druid, believes that restoring the Orders could bring peace and stability to the land. Determined to make a real difference, she sets out to reunite with her estranged sister, Ravaini, and bring the fractured Orders back together.

However, as Kiana embarks on her quest, a series of troubling visions lead her to the discovery of an ancient druidic artifact known as the Shiver Seed. This powerful relic has fallen into the hands of the malevolent Deep Ones, who plan to use it to throw the world into chaos. Kiana realizes that to save Amarra, she must locate the lost Ice Druids and reclaim the Shiver Seed before it’s too late—if the Deep Ones succeed, all hope for the land will be lost.

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While I was captivated by the sweeping fantasy adventure and the rich, complex world-building in *The Shiver Tree*, I ultimately decided to DNF. I struggled to emotionally invest in the characters or their motivations, which made it difficult for me to fully connect with the story. Despite the intriguing premise and high stakes, I just couldn't find the depth I needed to stay engaged.

I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Holly Searcy, and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for the opportunity to review this book. This review has been posted across my socials under the username @tinynightingales, check out my GoodReads profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863
my bookstagram account https://www.instagram.com/tinynightingales/
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I did not finish this book. I struggled to connect with the story, but I think the writing is well done overall. I am therefore giving 3 stars. I just think this story was not for me. I hope others enjoy it.

Ah this was a really good read. It was a page turner from start to finish. I was worried with how it started that it was going to be the typical fantasy book. I was pleasantly surprised as the new events kept popping up. All the characters were well thought out and had great depth. I can’t wait to reread this one and get into the next book. I listened to the audiobook and this narrator was at a good pace and really fit with the book, overall a very good choice.

I got thoroughly swept away in the elegant prose of this high fantasy captivated by the beautiful world building and perfectly paced quest!

I often find it difficult to listen to audiobooks if I haven’t read the book first but I was pleasantly surprised at the pacing, inflection, broad range of tones and accents the narrator was able to bring to the cast of characters.
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🌲Debut novel
🦊High fantasy
🌲Quest
🦊Animal companion
🌲Magical trees
🦊A bit of romance
🌲Druids
🦊Elves
🌲Pirates
🦊Warewolves
🌲Dragons
🦊Magical thralls
—
Story by Holly Searcy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narration by Teralyn Davis ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
—
Thank you Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review! 📚
Publishers release date 11/12/2024

Good character development. Interesting world development. The story keeps you moving forward wanting to know what happens next. A world that is failing needs a person willing to go against others to find the truth.

This was my first high fantasy and I enjoyed it, although it definitely took some time for me to get used to it. I was fascinated by the magic system and especially the Druid tattoos. I’m new to fantasy so I’m not entirely sure about world building and if this was done well or not but for me, as a newbie, I got a good sense of the world and all of its characters.

The audio was really great. I got a good feeling about Kiana was through the narration and the side characters were all well done.

This was a fun fantasy story! Kianna is seeing visions to help with their quest to protect their world. The shiver tree is an ancient source of power that if destroyed would end life as they know it. Through dangerous trials and encounters they work together to save them all.