First of all I would like to thank netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book. Going back to the book, It was an entertained read and I Had a good time reading. I didn’t really the pace As I said, I had a good time and dad makes me wanna recommend this book to other people.
I’ve really liked the writing and the blood was developed, The characters were likable, but I didn’t really connect with them. Maybe that was a personal problem but overall, I liked most of them.
There were a few things that I didn’t like that I would not mention here because they will be spoilers and I wanted this to be spoiler free.
To end with, It is a good book and it will recommend it. Once again, thank you netgalley 🫶🏻

Always a fan for love triangles - was a good book, would like more world building and character development to really pull the story together.

Firstly, Thank you to NetGallery and the author Ellie Evaris for providing me with the ARC of The Prophet’s Gambit in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3.5 stars

The Prophet’s Gambit had me intrigued from the moment I read the blurb, and it mostly delivered on my expectations. While it took a bit of time to find its stride, the story eventually picked up, and the buildup was worth it.

I'm a huge fan of dream-centric plots, and this one had a twist that kept me engaged. The characters, particularly Lochlen and Alek, were captivating, and the love triangle added an extra layer of tension.

Aris, the main character, was fun to follow, and her journey felt realistic, especially in terms of her developing powers. The found family dynamic was heartwarming, and the LGBTQ+ representation was a nice touch.

However, the worldbuilding felt a bit vague, and some relationships seemed rushed. Despite these minor issues, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and eagerly anticipate the sequel.

Overall, The Prophet’s Gambit is a promising start to what looks to be an exciting series, and I can't wait to see where the story goes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishing team for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I tried multiple times to read this book, and I really wanted to love it but I think I would’ve when I was a little younger. I ended up dnfing after multiple tries.

Magical adventure for any age - secrets, action, and wonderful dynamics between characters - I guess could be called a fantasy world coming of age. Great for any fantasy fan.

I actually really enjoyed this one. I felt it was a completely original concept and I loved the way it played out. Highly recommend!!

This was an absolutely wonderful debut novel. I loved the tropes, the characters, the writing. It was a bit slow to begin with but once it ramped up it was so hard to put down! I loved the diverse, but not too populous cast of characters, you could really get a sense of them without being overwhelmed with too many names and storylines.
I'll be looking for the next book asap!

This one had a slow start. I'm not sure if it was because of me and my inability to focus, but nonetheless it took forever to get through in the beginning. To be completely honest, I almost DNF, but I also don't like doing that so I stuck it through and I'm glad I did. I fell in love, slowly, with the characters and felt deeply with their desires. I think this was a great book.

Very enjoyable fantasy romance with beautiful world building, diverse cast, and great character development. The magic system with dreams and tarot is very interesting and the mysterious plot kept me hooked. I’ll definitely be reading the sequel!

Hi

Thank you so much for the opportunity to try this title. Unfortunately, it has not grabbed my attention and I'm DNFing.

Apologies.

The cover is amazing . It's the main reason why I wanted to read the book . This book was good to read . But it didn't fit in my 5 star list . The writing is great . But the story formatting was not meant for me . I think the author did a good job with the writing style .
Fantasy reader should give it a try

This book was very good! Thank you so much to Ellie Evaris and to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book early!

It was a bit hard to get into at first, as it started off pretty slowly, but it eventually built up!

The “have never met but dream of each other” trope is absolutely amazing btw and I eat it up every time. I’m very excited for the sequel and curious to see where it goes!

Conceptually, this book should have been a wonderful addition to YA fantasy, it was a story that had so much potential with a unique magic system, a hidden world, and teenagers fighting against an unknown evil. Instead the story lacked a cohesive storyline that made it difficult to follow what was going on, who was important to the story, and how their backstories connected to the world around them.

The book started off really strong with an interesting hook set in a dream world and it was easy to get pulled right into the action. Unfortunately, after that chapter, the strong hook disappeared. The dream world and the mystery relationships that were teased in that world were rarely seen again and had little to no bearing on the story. While the need for a strong hook is understandable, it should also be relevant to the story, so my interest quickly waned.

The characters, their powers, and their interactions were stronger than the plotline, but still leaned on the confusing side. The main group of teenagers that made up the majority of the main characters were likable enough and it was nice to see their powers described slowly over time instead of thrown at the reader. The jump from character point of view to character point of view was bumpy and at times hard to follow, but it was also an interesting change to see how the story was developing depending on the opinion of whatever characters was being read at the time.

As likable as the characters were, it would have been nice to see a more cohesive backstory. There were times when the characters would say something about their past that made no sense with the information that had previously been given. That left a feeling of confusion and dissatisfaction that was difficult to overcome.

The ending was a redeeming factor as it left on enough of a cliffhanger to peak interest in where the story will go in the next book in the series.

⅖ stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Hidden Grove Books for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

I received a copy via NetGalley and Hidden Grove Books.

My Rating: 3.5/5 (rounded up to 4) --> interesting plot, characters, and character dynamics, but it felt slow and difficult to get through.

Would I read this again? No, but I would read the next book in the series.

I found this book a bit hard to get through. It was a bit slow and confusing. However, the book is the first in a new fantasy series, so it makes sense that the book may drag a bit as the reader learns about the world, magic system, and overall dynamics. There were also a lot of characters to try and keep track of, so at times it could be a bit confusing. Because it was a bit slow, I would not necessarily read it again, but I was left intrigued, and the cliffhanger left me wanting to read more.

The book centered around Lochlen, Aris, and Alek (I felt like there was a love triangle forming). Since they were children, Aris and Lochlen have been in each other’s dreams. Lochlen remembers Aris, but Aris doesn’t remember him when the dream ends. Lochlen believes that his best friend Alek is going to destroy the world and that it is his job to stop him. In the real world, Aris meets Alek and joins his group of friends, which includes Lochlen.

Aris learns that she, and her new friends are Anathemians (beings who are not quite human and can use their magic abilities through the crystals they wear). While the book does focus on the relationships between Lochlen, Aris, and Alek. The main focus centered around their search for a way to Krysidia. Krysidia is where the anathemians’s ancestors were banished from generations ago and the kids have spent a majority of their lives trying to get back. Throughout the book we see the kids' abilities revealed and how they impact their ultimate goal of finding a way back to Krysidia.

There is also an ongoing storyline were the kids, particularly Aris, try to unravel the mystery of Aris’s parents' deaths several years prior, but this was not fully answered in this book.

I won’t reveal their powers, the identities of all of the characters, or whether or not they ever make find Krysidia. That would ruin the fun.

Would I classify this as YA? Not exactly.
While there is no sexual or excessively violent and graphic material, it does contain heavy swearing (words like Fuck, Shit, goddamn, Dick, etc. are used frequently) and there are a few instances of underage drinking and partying. I consider YA books to be ones that I would recommend to a reader grades 6th-11th and because of those reasons I would not consider this a YA, at least not in my opinion.

𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐⭐⭐💫 (3.5 rounded to 4)
𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 🌶

This was a good YA urban fantasy, which reminded of the books I loved reading as an 18-24 year old.

The unique magic system drew me in, and I found the messaging particularly powerful — some scenes were quite confronting (especially where a young male overpowered and forced a young female into a situation she didn't want), but I found those situations were handled really well.

I struggled to get fully hooked into the first half of the book, and there were a few times I was left wondering if I had missed something, because I got a little lost. But, I really enjoyed the second half of the book, and found it very interesting.

I loved the inclusion of LGBT+ characters, including queer and non-binary characters.

And that ending! It was fabulous, and I'm looking forward to book 2.

💢 𝙏𝙒𝙨: bullying, sexual assualt (non-consensual kissing), violence

☆I received a ARC of this book from the author, NetGalley, & Hidden Grove Books. All thoughts are my own honest opinions.☆

Right from the first chapter, I was seriously hooked. The writing is just wonderful, and even when I put the book down, my head was still in that enchanting world. I absolutely loved it!

At the beginning, the world was a bit of a mystery, but I'm guessing it'll get fleshed out more as the series rolls on. I got the basics of everyone's powers, but some things felt a little too convenient. I was hoping for a big, nail-biting threat that would leave me desperate for the next book, but it got sorted out quite quickly. The last cliffhanger is intriguing, although it had been hinted at earlier, so the suspense wasn't off the charts.

As for the characters, there are quite a bunch, and some of their relationships felt like they hit the gas pedal too fast. I feel like the teacher's perspective kinda came out of nowhere, even though I get why it was there. I think it could've been explained just as well from Aris's point of view, maybe making me care a smidge more about him.

But, despite all that, I've got a major soft spot for the main characters and how they relate to each other. They're all so unique, and their friendships were a breath of fresh air. Their relationship was what reeled me in at the start, only to leave me emotionally wrecked by the end.

To sum it up, I'd totally recommend this book. Can't wait to see where the story heads next! [Even though I've got to face the reality that I'll be not so patiently waiting for book 2 and to continue this story :) ]

From the moment I read the blurb I knew this would be right up my alley, and it really was, but it took it a hot minute to get there. That's really the only issue I have with this book.

It started off very vague, and I wasn't sure what exactly was going on for the first 20ish %. It was also kind of slow at the start, but eventually it picked up and the whole build up was worth it.

I am a hugeeeeee fan of stories that include dreams in such a way where two characters who haven't met, dream about each other and then eventually find one another in the real world. I will eat it up every single time, I'm telling you.

But here we have a little twist regarding that which I won't spoil. It wasn't explained how that twist "un-twisted" so I'm hoping we'll get some more on that in the sequel.

I loved Lochlen from the start, BUT I loved Alek from the blurb!! I am so sorryyy, he stole my heart first, but Lochlen is right behind him. His history with Aris is painful and makes for a perfect love triangle (another thing I'm a super-fan of).

I can't tell who she'll end up with, but I'll be happy either way, because both of them are wonderful.

Aris, as a main character, is fun to read about. Much like Alek, I too would follow her anywhere in less than a heartbeat. I can't wait to see her grow into her power.

Relating to that, the book happens in the span of around three weeks, so I'm glad that Aris didn't suddenly master her powers in such a short time frame. She still can't do much, and it feels realistic.

The plot was probably my favourite part, and the lore, and the characters...I MEAN EVERYTHING WAS MY FAVOURITE PART OK? No but, the plot was well-crafted, there were some mystery elements too, the lore had its own mythology and tied into existing ones as well, and the characters were of course a found family I'd love to be a part of. So it's hard to pick just one favourite thing.

We also got lgbt rep, Aris's adoptive dads, a non binary character (Jada, using they/them pronouns), and I believe Mirai might be sapphic, just based on the clues. There might be more I missed.

I had a really good time with this book, and I can't wait for the second. Ellie Evaris did such a good job with getting me invested and attached, I immediately went and signed up for newsletter updates because I WILL NOT BE MISSING WHATEVER COMES NEXT!!! I WILL BE SEATED.

As a side note, if you happen to like the Starcrossed series by Josephine Angelini, then you'll love this too. Similar vibes.

*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Please read this book! I followed along with the ebook while listening to the audiobook since I was approved for both ARCs.

I really enjoyed the book! I recently got into fantasy genre, and this was a great book for that.

I can’t wait to continue to read about this series!

Wow!!! I’m so glad I received this book as an arc!! It was a page turner for sure at the end!! I can’t wait for book two, especially with that cliffhanger! Lots of secrets still need to be uncovered, which I’m hoping will be discovered in the next book. I loved the characters, especially Lochlen!! I just need the next book already!!

Debut author Ellie Evaris has created an intriguing tale of magic and mystery.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the unique descriptive writing and carefully crafted characters. I got swept up in the story and couldn't put it down.
Really enjoyed the e-book. Will definitely be buying it in hardcover.