Oh, this book was fantastic. It so wonderfully presents the ideas of faith and devotion and the way both love and hate exist side by side.

The world is so beautifully built, gods long dead but still influencing the shape of the world. There is just the right amount of snark, Lys pushing every boundary that she meets. This book is everything that I love about fantasy; it's absolutely incredible.

The Lost Reliquary immerses readers into a well drawn world that has undergone religious wars and introduces the character of Lys. Lys is a potentiate, raised within the Dawn Cloister and sent by the cloister on a mission to stamp out some heretics and return a lost reliquary. Success in this mission, could translate to rich rewards in their religion who worship the goddess Tempestra-Innara, not necessarily a reward that Lys desires but ... And Lys is not alone in her mission, she is joined by Nolan, a potentiate from another cloister who is at times ally and times competition. Together they travel to a distant land and through cunning, circumstance, strange luck, and some interesting skirmishes --did I mention she fights with a scythe in each hand-- we reach the apex of the plot. But, as in so many good series, the first book ends by pulling the rug out from under us and everything seems to fall apart. The combination of an interesting plot, vibrant world-building, complex characters, and a pov character who piqued my interest, all kept me hooked on this book right up to the cliffhanger ending. I eagerly await the next entry to this series to see where all the pieces land.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, S&S/Saga Press) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

My rating: 5/5 Stars.

This was the first thing I have read by Lyndsay Ely and I would like to begin by saying WOW. The Lost Reliquary was fantastic.

Gods, goddesses, and the heretics/devotees in between make up the bulk of the Lost Reliquary. Lore is not in short supply within this book.

I adore a strong FMC, and Lys fits the bill. If I had to choose three words to describe her (which would not be nearly enough) I would have to say witty, strong, and headstrong. Throughout her journey she not only pisses people off in the BEST kind of way, but does so with purpose… most of the time. Her partnership with Nolan is rocky at first, shifting into something else entirely by the end. I definitely found myself thinking “just kiss already!”. The tension between Lys and Nolan was ugh. Fabulously written. I can’t tell what I want to happen between them but I cannot wait to see more of their story in the next book.

Nolan himself is an interesting character. Of course, we are seeing him through Lys, and I cannot help but wonder what the “real” Nolan is. Is he the one who wishes to serve? To devote himself to Lys AND Tempestra? Or is he something else entirely? I love a handsome, tormented MMC. Especially one who knows his way around a weapon.

I tore through this book (all 417 pages) of it in two days. I am a mood reader at heart and ignore the constraints of a “what’s next” on the TBR list. This was an instant skip to the top for me based on description. I absolutely cannot wait to see more of Lys + Nolan’s story in a future sequel. If you are a fan of fantasy, fabulously written plot, and twists that will make your jaw drop, The Lost Reliquary is for you.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Lyndsay Ely, and S&S/Saga Press for allowing me an ARC and the chance to review this book.