Shape-shifters, magic, dark forces emerging, portals, and a strong female lead, all the elements necessary for a great fantasy! Harper is tough and lives on the rough side of town. Her divination powers through the tarot cards always at her side garner her respect and the notice of a few shady characters. She survives by her street smarts and by the guidance of her cards. She saves shape-shifter, Reynard the Fox (Red) from the gallows and he pulls her into a plot by a creeping darkness (the Rot) that seeps upwards to engulf not only Red's home, the magical vale, but Harper's world as well.

Gritty, with dark undertones, this adventure is beautifully woven between interesting characters whose lives become unwillingly entwined and a rapidly emerging theat. They must join forces to fight the evil that threatens both their worlds, and in the process, they just might find each other.

Thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy of Tarotmancer. This was better than I expected and will definitely have to come into the shop

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first book, but it was still entertaining. Everything just felt a little too rushed for me.
We get some explanations of Red’s past, but not a ton. There’s a claim he killed someone’s children and that’s never addressed on if it was true or not and is just seemingly forgotten.
Harper is an interesting character but again, we don’t get a ton of information about her. We are told little snippets but never given a full picture.
Overall, this book just didn’t feel fully fleshed out.

I'm on the fence as I loved how the Tarot were used in this story but the story didn't keep me hooked and it fell flat
Weill try again
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I could not get into this and didn't finish it.

The book was not able to grab my attention, keep me engaged, or even have good character development.

Frist off can we talk about this cover, OMG. Tarotmancer was a book that I needed all my life and didn't know I needed. I finished this book in one sitting and it was worth it.

Tarotmancer, the second installment in The Tales of the Riven Isles series, continues the story of Rot overtaking the kingdoms of the Riven Isles. I had many of the same issues as with the first one, but Harper is an interesting new character with the Gift of Divination and Red as the notorious fugitive shapeshifter. As Red's past catches up with them, they are brought to the Kingdom of Vale within Underneath to face the consequences of his previous actions with Harper as a hostage of this unique animal-based kingdom.

One aspect that shines in Tarotmancer is the fascinating incorporation of diviner and tarot magic. Additionally, the nods to characters from the previous book serve as delightful connections without overshadowing the main focus of this installment.

The author's writing style, characterized by presenting an event and subsequently providing an explanation in the following chapter, is intriguing yet unconventional. While it adds a unique dimension to the storytelling, it may not resonate with all readers.

However, there are areas that detract from the overall experience. The continued use of derogatory comments about women remains a concern. The writing style still exhibits a tendency towards clumsiness, relying heavily on telling rather than showing. As a result, the story feels more like a series of events rather than a journey of emotional depth. Furthermore, the inclusion of spicy romance, particularly given the context of animal forms, was uncomfortable.

This book has a promising premise but still struggles with issues of writing style and a lack of emotional depth. Readers who enjoyed the first book and are invested in the world of The Tales of the Riven Isles may find enjoyment in this continuation.

What do you get when you mix a sly fox and a clever tarotmancer? You get W.A .Simpson's fantastical journey of Harper, Red and the rot that terrorizes the Kingdom.

Can the duo and friends stop the terror that plagues the vale?

An intriguing fantasy story you won't soon forget.

I'm hoping to read more from this author very soon!


Thank you, NetGalley\W.A.Simpson\Flame Tree Press\ For this e-Book in advance for my honest review. My opinions are of my own volition.

The author made you feel invited into this world. It Carrie’s mystery along with intrigue. I love how she describes Harper and introduces us to this character along with Red. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves magic and shape shifters. So beautiful well written and descriptive that I want to go climb back into this world again. I can’t wait to find more books by this author. Yes I am buying this book and I suggest you do too

Tarot is something I was very interested in for a long time. I even had a couple's reading which was an interesting event. The cards are supposed to speak to you about what is potentially to come. Not in the way that this book would depict as such but they are supposed to give you a general focus.

This book has such a great premise and I think the style of writing is vivid and does a great job at making you feel that you are there.

The question I ask myself is how far would you go if you had the knowledge through your magic that someone was convicted of a crime, and was to be executed but was innocent?

That is a hard question as in our world you wouldn't be able to since magic and seers don't really exist in the same way.

Harper the Diviner who uses tarot to see what is. She has a good heart and seems to have a mania for the truth and ensuring justice will be done.

Red is a younger person who is saved by the diviner but he is a thief as he claims and I can see that he is going to be a good person who will do what he can.

I have always been fond of the psionic abilities especially those who can see the future. Presight is what I have always called it when you know what is going to happen. This is almost something like truth seeing.

The story itself is extremely entertaining and I find it compelling story with characters that feel real. I do believe that this is going to be a great book and it shows in the style of writing and the plotting.

Magic is not as rampant in this book but what there is, magic in the creatures that they have made come to life. I believe that it's a unique take which has kept me wanting more.

Part of what I really like is the book isn't as dark as what I normally read and have felt burn out because of this it makes the book more sweet. The same as this is not a strong character driven book but more about the plot.

If you are more into action and adventure than this book won't be for you. This book is about the storytelling. The characters while great are secondary to the story and I am thrilled. This isn't normally what I prefer but this is so well written.

I feel that a lot went unsaid leaving open the possibility for a sequel or a series. This book was very good and I think it had so much going for it especially as it is mostly story based. The characters weren't the strong points that I normally go for but wow the story makes up for everything.

Harper is a young diviner who uses her self taught gift to save an innocent person (Red) from death. And ever since Red and Harper met, they go on a journey to save their worlds from an evil called the Rot. Throughout the journey, both Harper and Red (Reynard) learn more about themselves and how strong they can be. Instead of worrying about being a hero, they gathered masses of people to help fight the Rot together.

This book was challenging to get into initially, but I'm pleased I persevered and finished it. The character development was excellent. The magic system was meticulously planned and detailed. The characters were a little hazy, but the more you read, the more you realise. The FMC is strong and straightforward, but the MMC is intense yet convoluted and dark. I wholeheartedly suggest it. The book has an enticing cover that draws you in right away. Harper is a Tarotmancer, and her divination ability is linked to her reading of the Tarot cards. Red is the famed Reynard the Fox, a shapeshifter, trickster, and man of many crimes. When Red is pulled back to the magical Vale to face his misdeeds, Harper is dragged along with him. However, an evil known as the Rot is infiltrating all elements of the Vale. If Harper and Red are to save each other, they must resist it. There is an innovative magic system as well as some unexpected surprises.

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC COPY OF TAROTMANCER.

Overall I enjoyed the story however I do wish the characters popped off the page a bit more. At some points it felt as if they were doing things for the sake of the plot and not because of thats how the character would reaction. I also felt like some of the action sequences were a little rushed through which inhibited the sense of danger and fear for the characters. I enjoyed the magic system/ and the world itself was interesting to step into. Overall was an interesting read and I look forward to more from this author.

This book has a gorgeous cover that tempts you in right away Harper is a Tarotmancer with the gift of divination tied to her reading of the Tarot cards. Red is the infamous Reynard the fox, shapeshifter, trickster and with a lot of crimes to answer for. When Red is dragged back to the magical Vale to answer for his crimes, Harper is taken there too. But there's a darkness worming its way into all aspects of the Vale - called the Rot. Harper and Red must fight it if they are to save each other. There's an intriguing magic system and some interesting twists.

There need to be more new adult novels. An example is this one because the genre can be expansive.

I really enjoyed this a lot. I loved the personal growth the main character goes through. I needed to read the first book but didn't know it was part of the series. I have overall enjoyed this.

I was provided this book as an ARC with the expectation of an unbiased review, which is what I will be giving.

This book was hard to get into at first, but I'm glad I took the time to finish. The character development was wonderful. The magic system was well thought out and described. The people involved were a bit muddled, but the more you read, the more you begin to understand. The FMC is strong and easy to understand, while the MMC is strong, but complicated and dark. I would recommend wholeheartedly.

Review in progress and to come.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.*

I already knew of W.A. Simpson, having read and loved Tinderbox. So when I saw Tarotmancer on NetGalley, I had to request instantly.

This is a gripping tale about magic and revenge. It follows our protagonists, Red and Harper, on a journey of personal strength and teamwork. In this book, the two main characters uncover hidden magic and have to work together to protect everything they love and defeat a great enemy.

It features strong world building and a very solid magic system. However, I found the pacing very difficult and struggled to get through it. Additionally, the characters lacked depth and I struggled to empathise with them.

Overall, I thought this was a good book but paled in comparison to Tinderbox.

#Tarotmancer #NetGalley

Let me start off by saying I did not read this book. I requested this book knowing it was a sequel, but I figured I could read the first one and then continue on the this one. Horrible idea. The first book was so boring and forgettable I had to DNF it after about 50 pages. I can't even tell you why I didn't like it. I did read the first chapter of the second book, but it would have been a waste to continue and not give a genuine feedback because I didn't know what was happening and I wasn't reading the first to find out. Well anyways, this is my very limited opinion of the book and I know it's not going to help at all. Just had to get it off my chest.

I had enjoyed the first book in the Tales of the Riven Isles series called Tinderbox a lot. This had what I enjoyed from that book and improved on this. The characters were what I was looking for and I was invested in what was going on with them. I was glad to get back to this world and enjoyed what I read. I can't wait to read more from W.A. Simpson.

"Harper noticed the others kneeling until she felt a tug at her sleeve. It was Finnick, guiding her to do the same, or at least trying to. Harper had never bowed to anyone, and she’d be damned if she started now. So, she gathered herself up and locked eyes with the king again. Damn it all if the bastard didn’t look amused! Meanwhile, the gathered people, scandalized by Harper’s behavior, were whispering behind their hands or glaring at Harper with outright hostility."