For a while now, I’ve been connected with Alyson Dawn on TikTok because we have a mutual love of books and stories. Every so often, I would see her post about a book she was working on writing. Everything she said about it piqued my interest. When she put word out that it was ready for ARC readers, I knew right away I had to put my name on the list.

Summary

Blair has a quiet life, and she finds it cozy. She loves her home and teaching the children of her village. The peace she enjoys then shatters when a severely injured stranger appears raving about shadows. It makes everyone uneasy, including Blair. The king sends hunters meant to eliminate the threat, but it makes her feel no safer. Instead, she turns to the local blacksmith, Damien.

He easily fulfills her request to make her something to keep the kids safe while in her care. However, keeping Blair herself safe will prove to be a lot more difficult. They need to start by escaping and leaving behind everything she knows. In doing so, she’ll discover the world is a lot stranger and darker than she’d ever imagined.

My Thoughts:

This was a fun read. I’m glad I got my name on that list. While Blair wasn’t always likeable at first, she definitely grew on me. I took to everyone else straight away. The romantic relationship had a fantastic grumpy/sunshine dynamic that grew very naturally. They also pick up another character to tag along through adventures who makes for excellent comedic relief. He had me laughing out loud a few times.

There are a lot of more minor characters as well, making for a very full world. Even the ones who only show up briefly feel distinct and recognizable by personalities and traits that arise very organically. The various places they stop each have mixtures of demographics living within them in ways that give each area its own flavor without making them feel flat and homogenous. It made the world feel very real.

That is, except for all the magic. I really enjoyed the system of shadow magic that the author has devised here. It’s an intricate system with a lot of versatility for its users. At the same time, it’s still easy for readers to follow and understand. Based on the ending (not a spoiler) I fully expect a second book that will delve even further into this area. I’m very excited for that possibility. The moment I finished the book, I reached out to the author and volunteered myself as a reader for the next one too.

Content Warnings: Graphic Descriptions of Violence & Injuries, Slut-Shaming (by primary character), Gore, Graphic Sexual Content, Child Abuse, Animal Cruelty, Kidnapping, Depictions of Medical Procedures, Discrimination, Torture

After I Finished Marked

After finishing Marked, I wanted something on the lighter side. Part of the job as an ARC reader is to screen for any last-minute typos or formatting errors. This helps ensure everything is corrected before the final release. I had to take a lot of notes for this one and wanted to take it easy for my next read. Therefore, I picked up a short book by one of my favorite authors. His work never fails to put me into a lovely and serene mood.

My next review will be for How to Walk by Thich Nhat Hanh.