Kendare Blake always writes about strong women. The strength of her characters always differs. That strength might be a character's intelligence, athleticism, cunning, compassion, or a mixture. It is what she does, and she does it well.

In Champion of Fate, Ms. Blake introduces us to a society of strong women. These women, the Aristene, remind me of the mythical Amazons with their godlike powers and isolation from the rest of the world, but their goal is to create heroes. From the moment you first meet an Aristene, you know that theirs is a society with many secrets, most of which you will uncover by the story's end.

Our heroine, Reed, is an orphan rescued by the Aristene. Fueled equally by revenge and gratitude, she devotes her life to becoming an Aristene warrior. As is always the case with blind devotion, what Reed discovers once she ventures beyond the protection of the training grounds leaves her questioning her life's purpose, not without good cause.

Still, as much as I wanted to root for Reed and her hard-fought answers, I struggled with Champion of Fate. There is little about the actual plot that bothered me. Instead, all of its issues are in the writing. The pacing is uneven, too slow for the first portion of the story, and much too fast later. There are only so many training stories one wants to read and only so much ceremonial prep and ceremony one can handle. I could have done with less of that and more relationship-building between Reed and her hero-to-be. As it is, Hestion goes from questioning Reed and doubting her abilities to being madly in love with her in one page - way too fast to be believable, let alone enjoyable.

The other area in which I struggled with Champion of Fate is the syntax of the entire novel. Yes, Champion of Fate is a young adult novel, but the sentence structure is too simple. The sentences lack complexity. As someone who appreciates a beautiful sentence for what it conveys and the nuance used to string words together to maximize the message, Ms. Blake's overly simple writing style lacks that nuance. There is no beauty in the writing, just function.

This doesn't mean I won't read the second book when published next year. Champion of Fate ends with a turn I did not see coming but probably should have. While Ms. Blake answers most of our questions about her world, she leaves Reed with several choices and more than one path to follow. I am excited to see what Reed opts to do and how her story and that of the Aristene will end.

The fantasy novel for all the horse girls. And I mean that in the most positive of ways. This is one of those YA novels that feels like it's also for adults. The characters are ambitious and strong in all the best ways.

In "Champion of Fate" by Kendare Blake, the story unfolds when raiders brutally assault Reed's village, leaving her as the lone survivor, selected as a sacrifice to ensure safe travels for the very people who shattered her world. Her journey takes an unexpected turn as she finds herself in the company of a young and disgruntled colt; the raiders' second chosen offering. Rescue comes in the form of two Aristene warriors, a select group of immortal women, and their blessed steeds. Empowered by the grace of their goddess and her mystical abilities, the Aristene are bound by a solemn duty: to accompany heroes on their quests for glory, regardless of the sacrifices it entails.

Now an initiate of the order, she faces her ultimate challenge: guiding her first hero to victory in battle. Success will secure her place among her sisters, while failure would mean exile from the only home she has left. Reed's determination is unwavering until she meets her hero, Hestion. Hidden truths about the order come to light and Reed grapples with the true cost of becoming an Aristene. With a looming battle, she must make a critical choice between her planned life within the order and the unexpected connection she finds with Hestion.

"Champion of Fate" offers a richly detailed and deliberate narrative. While it may progress at a measured pace, the storytelling is expertly executed, immersing readers in a world of heroes and war, love and sacrifice. The emotional weight of Reed's decisions and the consequences resonate deeply, making for a well-crafted tale set in a complex and engaging world. The horses really made this even more endearing than it would be otherwise. The connection between the perpetually grumpy Silco and Reed was hilarious and sweet, and it felt genuine.

As Reed navigates her new and perilous path, the novel explores the unexpected twists of fate. With richly developed characters and a meticulously crafted world, "Champion of Fate" promises an immersive reading experience that delves into the complexities of destiny and the bonds forged in the face of adversity.

Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, and Quill Tree Books for the eARC. This is an honest review.

4.5/5

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨💫
—
i’m not quite at all sure how to describe this book. it was really good. but at the same time, ask me what the hell happened and i would NOT be able to tell you… but also i could? idk brain no work, no thoughts only vibes.

BUT VIBES THERE WERE. SO MANY VIBES. immortal female warriors equivalent to the amazon warriors? check. immortal horses that can TALK(on occasion)? check. a pretty hidden city for those amazing amazon warrior women? check.

we start the book off with reed, a young girl who is unhappy with where she’s living. she used to live somewhere else with her family, before they had to pack up and move to be, essentially, refugees in another place. she’s mumbling and grumbling about “why did we have to leave” because shes, ya know, a child. she doesn’t understand the complexities of refugee camps and why they exist. well, lo and behold, where she’s living isn’t quite her problem anymore because almost everyone in that encampment is killed, including her family, because every main character needs a tragic backstory. just when reed is about to be taken to be sacrificed, she, along with a really pretty black colt, is rescued by these amazing immortal warriors, members of the aristene order, worshippers of kleia gloria, the goddess of glory. from here she’s whisked away to their hidden city, atropa, and then put into a training camp where she will learn all the skills she will need to one day hopefully be an aristene warrior herself.

after that prologue, we open to reed, now 18, and preparing to be able to take her hero’s trial, along with her two best friends gretchen and lyonene. we get to see just how much these girls all mean to each other and i love that. i feel like we miss out on a lot of strong female friendships in books because romance is usually at the forefront, and while this book does have romance at times, the friendship between these three girls is always a huge part of the story. it’s so great.

later on we meet hestion, reeds hero. she will have to lead him to glory to be able to pass her hero’s trial and become a full-fledged member of the aristene order. i was drawn to hestion almost immediately, and as the main male character you KNOW he’s the one that’s going to be reeds main love interest. he’s such a sweet and caring guy, but also a formidable warrior and a man of honor. he loves his brother and his friends beyond all else, and that kind of loyalty is what really endears characters to me. sar, one of his best friends, is also of the same race of people that killed reeds family, which we get to see as a conflict point throughout the story. it was really well done and you get to see how reed eventually overcomes her own feelings about his people to be able to befriend and protect sar as well.

there were definitely some parts of this book that had me fuming, and you’ll get to see what i mean if you decide to pick up this book. there was a time i had almost completely written off lyonene because she had some something so cruel and thoughtless i just could not get over it. the way she would also sometimes talk to and about reed because reed was the perceived “favorite” of the aristene order’s elders also just gave me the biggest ick. but i digress, she’s a very well written character and i did really like her… most of the time.

some parts of this book felt like it dragged, though all of the parts were necessary. every chapter had SOMETHING important happening, but i suppose it just took a while to really grab my attention. and then, of course the last bit of the book, maybe the last 10 percent or so, just happened all at once so it gave me whiplash for real.

the ending of this book, too??? omg it hit me. no spoilers, of course, but something big happens and i think, while two of the characters parted on not so good terms, i do think we will see them reunite in the next book. i’m pretty excited for it!

I was hyped by the premise of this book. It didn't work for me. That could be more me than the book itself. I love the writing but the pacing was off.

Champion of Fate once again proves why Kendare Blake is one of my favorite authors. This book is for the people (like me) who wanted a cut of the Wonder Woman movie just set on Themyscira, for those who like their fantasy with a side of action and adventure, for the lovers of funny, scene stealing side characters and ill fated romance and mythology and horse.
I want to know everything about the Aristenes and the warriors who have served the order. The world building was complex, but I want even more explanations for things, and especially more about where Reed fits in and what makes her special. I feel like that might be coming in book 2. I really like Reed and her journey. The story progressed in a way that made her motivations clear. You can't help but root for her. And I love love love Aster and Veridian.
Also, THAT ENDING. I'm still recovering.
The one issue I had with the Champions of Fate was the pacing. Certain points jumped from scene to scene with no connecting tissue in between. It felt disjointed and was sometimes hard to follow. Also, I wish we got a little more of Reed's experience joining the Aristenes as a child. Seeing her grow and train and learn to fight would further help understand why the order is so important to her more than the sole fact that she is an orphan.
But overall, I did really enjoy the story and will be eagerly awaiting the next book!

I haven’t read anything by Kendare Blake in a really long time, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. I loved the concept. It hints at star-crossed lovers and magic and secrets, all things I love in a book.

And, boy, did it deliver those things. I loved the pacing of the romance between Reed and Hestion. I constantly wanted more for them, but loved every minute of their scenes together. The minor characters are amazing, from Reed’s often-absent mentor to her mentor’s lover and former Aristene to Reed’s fellow initiate. I liked that the order was made up of so many different kinds of women and that made for lots of different kinds of relationships between them. That was pretty cool.

The stakes heightened pretty quickly in the second half of the book especially. I felt like I flew through that last quarter with my breath held, wondering how things were going to turn out.

At the end of it all, I find the only thing I’m disappointed about is having to wait until the next book is released to know what happens next!

I think readers who enjoy epic hero stories– maybe things in the vein of Greek myth retellings or stories about paladins or spiritual warriors– will really enjoy this one.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Book Report for Champion of Fate (Heromaker #1) by Kendare Blake

Cover Story: Sword and Sorcery
BFF Charm: Oda Mae Brown
Talky Talk: Rinse and Repeat
Bonus Factors: Loyal Pets, Tami Taylor Award
Factor: War
Anti-Bonus Factors: Necromancy, Body Shaming

Cover Story: Sword and Sorcery
The sword, the flames and the reflection of a fierce-looking eye are a pretty fair representation of this book. I would have liked to see the horse and armor the author so lovingly describes, but to be fair, so many fantasy book covers look like that (hello, Alanna) that it’s no wonder the designers went with something different.

The Deal:
When raiders destroy a village, leaving a little girl named Reed as the only human survivor, a pair of warrior women rescue her and offer her a place in their order. They are Aristene, immortal followers of a goddess called Kleia Gloria, who train heroes to achieve glory. Reed is determined to earn her place by leading her assigned hero to win a war against a blasphemous king. But is she prepared for what that victory will cost?

BFF Charm: Oda Mae Brown
Reed’s world is violent from the first chapter, which made me want to protect her, even though she would never admit to needing protection. Since losing her home to the raiders, she almost never feels safe. The Aristene order, her so-called home, is a fiercely competitive place where the line between training and abuse can be blurred, and whose leaders have a hidden agenda. Her closest ally is her horse, and even the horse bites her. Someone needs to get this girl some help.

Swoonworthy Scale: 4
Reed’s love interest is Prince Hestion, the hero chosen by the goddess for her to train. It may be instalove at first – she sees him in a vision when they’re children, and he starts flirting with her the moment they meet – but they do back it up with several months getting to know each other as comrades-in-arms during a grueling war. Hestion is the archetypal hero: handsome, charismatic, fighting to protect his loved ones despite his dislike of violence. While this made him rather familiar at times, I did appreciate the way he challenges Reed’s loyalty to the order and encourages her to make her own choices.

Talky Talk: Rinse and Repeat
Maybe because it’s an ARC, the writing repeats itself. We are told at least four times that one of the Aristene elders has multicolored hair, and that Reed finds this strange. The same scenes of Reed’s first visit to the Aristene city are shown more than once, first briefly, then in detail.

Bonus Factor: Loyal Pets
Reed’s snappish horse Silco (short for “Silver and Combat”) is a fellow survivor of the raider attack that killed her family, and they’ve been inseparable ever since. When one of them gets angry, the other is the only one who can calm them down.

Bonus Factor: Tami Taylor Award
Reed’s adoptive mothers, Aster and Veridian, show her unconditional love when everyone else is pressuring her to succeed. They refuse to let politics or religion divide their family. Veridian is an apostate who left the order, while Aster stayed, but the three of them respect each other’s beliefs and will always help each other, no matter what the elders say.

Factor: War
At the start of the book, Reed dreams of leading heroes to glory, but she doesn’t understand yet what that means. Learning about the realities of war, having to make choices that are not at all glorious, and understanding why Veridian lost her faith, are harsh but important lessons for her to learn.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Necromancy
I can’t go into detail because of spoilers, but there are some scenes involving a dead body and a clacking skull I wish I’d never read.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Body Shaming
For once, I’d like to read a YA novel about a girl who doesn’t agonize over her body type. Reed’s fellow initiate Lyonene nicknames her “Ox” for being tall and strong, even though Reed repeatedly asks her to stop. Reed envies Lyonene for being smaller and thinner, even though you’d think an order of Amazons would resist that way of thinking. Relatable? Sadly, yes, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying.

Relationship Status: Initiate
I was hoping for a story that would inspire me, but this one didn’t quite pass my trial. Maybe the sequel will.

I received an e-galley of Champion of Fate by Kendare Blake from Frenzy Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Female warriors trained to guide their heroes to glory. Yes.
Adventure and battles. Yes.
Complicated female relationships that are filled with friendship, love, forgiveness, and emotion. Yes.

It's been awhile since I picked up a Kendare Blake book but Champion of Fate is everything that I remember loving about her writing. I have absolutely no idea where book 2 is taking this storyline and I love that - looking forward to it.

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙁𝙖𝙩𝙚
Heromaker 1
by Kendare Blake
480 pages
Published September 19, 2023

Thank you @harpercollins Quill Tree Books for the @netgalley ARC in exchange for my review.

This novel reminded me a little bit of Mary Pearson’s phenomenal His Fair Assassins series in all of the best ways. Authors should take note that these are the fantasy novels with fierce females & found family that we want!
Reed loses her family and is rescued by the Aristene order. Thus begins her journey to become a heromaker. Besides the obvious found family trope, this novel has many bright spots – Reed is a naïve teenager and is a frustrating character at first, but she does grow in maturity throughout the novel as she must lead her hero into the glory of battle. Reed must help Hestion become the hero she knows he is, but Hestion has a different fate in mind for them. Reed is torn between what she must do for her sisterhood and her feelings for Hestion. This dynamic leads us to fast paced action and adventure as we thunder to the conclusion of this story and are left breathless to know what happens next in the sequel. I was slightly frustrated by Reed’s naivete and immaturity at the beginning and middle of this story, and she did develop into a better main character by the end – so I am hoping that the sequel will bring Reed exactly what she wants. (Please let it happen).
This fantasy was extremely well structured, the world and magic system are thoroughly described. The author keeps us in suspense about what may happen, and we are left a little infuriated wanting the sequel to be published immediately.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
4.5/5 due to my frustration at times with the MC early on in the story.

I did receive a physical advanced reading copy of this book for review so I will read that and then update with my own personal thoughts on the book.

I'm not gonna lie...I went into this one blind. Having just known that I loved the Three Dark Crowns series and wanted more from Blake. Not sure what I was expecting but I really enjoyed it. Its a completely different type of book than the Crowns series.

I really loved the new magic system and the tie ins to gods of old and a time of heroes. As well as the premise that behind of every great hero was a strong women leading the way. Which provides us with totally bad ass female characters. While there was some romance - including some LGBQT+ rep - it wasn't the main focus of the story. The journey and growth of our young initiates was. Reed had some great character development from her beginning trauma at a young age to where she ends up. She makes for a great heroine and one you want to root for and empathize with. Lyonnene could be a bit much but she too had her merits. Especially the bond between the girls and the underlying loyalty in spite of a few missteps on both sides.

Also the world building was great. The only critique I would have is wanting to know more about the Veil and how it functions. The pacing may have been a bit slow in places but it was still an engaging read that has me intrigued to see what book 2 in the duology has in store.

Heroes. Fate. Strong women. In the first book in Kendare Blake’s newest series, the main character Reed is orphaned early in life, found by a couple of warriors. She is taken to their home where this elite order lives. They are Aristene - the Heromakers. Reed’s ultimate desire is to become an Aristene, to be a true part of this sisterhood. She is trained for years as she grows up, and then it is time for her to pass her hero trial - she will be granted a hero to lead to glory, and once she accomplishes that she will be able to become a true Aristene. Blake sets up the high stakes for our girl and gives her readers a heroine to cheer for. As Reed enters her trial, it becomes clear that there are things at work around her that she is unaware of, and what unfolds is surprising and captivating.

I liked Reed and her journey. I wanted to like her hero, and for the most part I did, but I felt like he could have been fleshed out a little more. The side characters are fun and add to the story; I think my surprise favorite was Sar, the Ithernan, a friend of Reed’s hero. If you’ve read and enjoyed Blake’s Three Dark Crowns series, then buckle up for another fun fantasy trilogy!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Children’s Books and Quill Tree Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.75/5 stars

Champion of Fate (Heromaker #1) by Kendare Blake, 480 pages. Quill Tree Books (HarperCollins), 2023. $20.
Language: PG13 (11 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
The Aristenes are powerful, nearly immortal women who help mortals become heroes in order to win glory for their goddess. As a child, Reed was found and saved by Aster, an Aristene, and Reed has been training to become one herself ever since. Now Reed (16yo) will have to prove herself worthy of becoming one of them by leading her first hero into glory.
Reed’s story is a tragedy from the beginning, making readers desperate for anything good to make up for it. Through the highs and the lows, readers celebrate and cry with Reed as she goes to war beside her hero. Blake makes readers think about what glory is and hints at the lurking underside of glory that comes at a difficult price. The conclusion is satisfying, but Reed’s story isn’t finished.
Skin colors mentioned are varied. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, innuendo, and partial nudity. The violence rating is for blood, murder, and fantasy violence.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

"Behind every great hero is an Aristene."

Aka, behind every great man... is an even better woman.

The premise of this story was really promising; badass women being the real reason behind how heroes end up immortalized in stories for their feats. I just wish the read was as strong. I really had to work at getting through the first 30% but still didn't feel interested until the very end. I understand that there is set up and world building for a series in play, but I also think the target audience is likely to have less motivation to work through the drag than I did. Things also felt really inconsistent: character development, the rules around the trial, plot points etc. The horses were a big plus for me though lol

Unfortunately, I think my mind was made up early into this read and then nothing even tempted me to change my mind.

2.5 rounded to 3/5

A young woman in training to become an immortal warrior must lead a hero to glory... but what she doesn't expect is the forbidden love that awaits her and the price of glory. Reed was a young girl when her entire family was slaughtered, but she was taken in by two immortal warriors who saw that she was touched by the goddess of glory. She was taken in to train to become an Aristene, an order of mythical female warriors who help guide heroes to become immortalized legends, they are Heromakers. Reed has been training and counting down the days until her trial is over and she can become a sister of the order. Yet when her trial begins and she meets her chosen hero, a arrogant but handsome prince who wants something other than glory, her heart. Reed has to find a way to bring glory to her hero, but the price she'll have to pay will be between what her heart wants and what her future holds. This is the first book in a duology but the way the first book ends you could just leave it at that. The book has a bit of an odd pacing because it starts off really slow and then picks up around the 60% mark and the ending is kind of : eh. I am intrigued by the Aristene order and the relationship between Reed and her two mentors, their relationship and interactions were the best part of the book. I didn't care for the romance and honestly didn't mind the third act breakup after everything. I am interested in seeing how the second book ends the series and what happens to Reed after how this book ended. This book is a great read for fans of hero adventures with a bit of star crossed lovers and war/hero journeys.

*Spoiler: Reed and Hestion fall for each other but she ends up giving up her role in the order to be with him and she defies the glory she saw for him because she saw that if he fights against the evil ruler he would die, so instead during the battle she gives the weapon to his brother who then kills the ruler and is killed in turn. Hestion knows she defied the fate and that she got his brother killed and breaks off their relationship. Reed then returns to the order and decides to go through with the ritual (that she has to kill herself to be reborn as an immortal warrior). *

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, Quill Tree Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I have never been a horse girl and this one might've hit harder for me if I had, but I did still enjoy it. I loved Reed's story and her fight between duty and her heart. The ending was bittersweet and I'm going to need the next one right quick because I need that sort of angst in my life!

I am such a fan of strong female protagonists setting out on quests to prove themselves fierce warriors and worthy of greatness. This book introduces us to Reed, a determined orphan whose family has been slaughtered, but her resilience to survive makes her a lucrative candidate for the Aristene warriors. This group of nearly immortal warrior women can be interpreted similar to that of the Amazonian women of Themyscira where Wonder Woman emerges. The Aristene are brave, loyal, and have a bit of magic but they also have to earn their place in the ranks of their clan through a hero's trial and joining forces with another hero to complete a quest worthy of their goddess. Though slow at some points, I enjoyed getting to know Reed, Hestion, Lyonene, and many of the other characters. I, personally feel as though the author tried to take on a bit too much as she tried to weave in a hero's tale, conflicts with friends, conflicts with self, conflicts with mentors, a waged war, and nudges towards a love interest. Nevertheless, I was fully entertained throughout this novel and hope we may get more adventures of the Aristene Warriors in the future.

Sadly this book just didn’t grab as much as I hoped it would. I put it down and picked it up multiple times but I just couldn’t connect with it. Super bummed.

Champion of Fate is a story where if you love the idea of an elite force of women warriors with almost immortal abilities - think Old Guard vibes - but also are fascinated by characters who pull the strings off to the side - like Witcher - this is for you. Trained to help heroes, Reed is a fiery and passionate new initiate. A series opener, Champion of Fate takes a bit to get into the midst of the action and the synopsis, but when it does I was so obsessed. There's this subtle sense of something grander, larger, and slightly sinister going on which I hope is further developed in the sequel.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kendare Blake for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Champion of Fate coming out September 19, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Aristene are a group of mythical female warriors. Though heroes might be immortalized in legends, it’s the Aristene who stir their paths to victory. They are known as Heromakers.

Raised by the order after being orphaned, Reed grew up hearing about her future sisters-in-arms and the amazing stories of their brave quests. She’s desperately waiting until her initiation, and now one final test stands in her way: shepherding her first hero to glory on the battlefield. Succeed, and her place in the order is secured. Fail, and she’ll be cast out with nothing.

But Reed didn’t realize she would be saddled with Hestion, her hero who is both infuriating and fascinating. When their strategic alliance turns into something more, it forces Reed to question the price of becoming an Aristene. As battle approaches and fate stands in the shadows, Reed must make an impossibly hard choice: her hero or her order.

I’ve read other books by the author and I really enjoy her writing. I always want to check out her books. Fantasy is one of my favorite genres. It was a little slow building the fantasy world, but things picked up more once the plot got rolling. I think Reed was a really interesting character. The orphaned heroine can be a little overdone in the Fantasy genre, but I thought Reed was an interesting character. I enjoyed the ups and downs with Reed and Hestion. I was hoping for a different ending. Maybe it’ll be different in the second book.