The Prophet's Gambit

It's been ages since I found a good YA contemporary fantasy series and THIS was exactly what I needed to get back into the genre! I want to be a prophet now (and I think I might steal Lochlen's deck of tarot cards)

Albeit struggling with relatively long chapters at first (maybe it was the Kindle), the characters and the world-building had me on my tippiest tippity toes. The first chapter and the whole dream sequence, I was already a goner. I really wanted to read more of the dreams. And the mythology parts surprisingly had me more intrigued to dive deeper into the realm (I mean, how cool does 'Krysidian' and 'anathemian' sound)

But the best part for me, that ultimately made me love this book as much as I did, is the dynamic between the six main characters and their powers. AND I did not expect the minor twist drops towards the end (also love how there's a pronounciation guide at the end).

Also, I'm stuck in another love triangle 🫠 Although I have a feeling she'll end up with Alek, there's just something about Aris and Lochlen that has me chanting 'be still my heart'. I literally bookmarked every interaction between them and I almost cried when she finally said, "found you" 🥹

Gah - I'm too invested, I need the second book to drop in my lap STAT!

𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁: Stunning debut! Keep an eye out for this one 🪄

THIS BOOK!!!


Seventeen-year-old Aris has always been obsessed with dreams, even if she can't remember most of them. She's spent her life waiting for something to happen, chasing a memory always just eluding her grasp. That is, until she meets Alek—a boy with golden eyes and a knack for avoiding injury.
A tarot reading leads him and his friends to believe she's the key to finding Krysidia—the hidden realm from which their ancestors were banished—but only if Aris can learn to trust her newfound abilities does she stand a chance at fulfilling the deck's prophecy. To make matters worse, Lochlen, the only one capable of guiding her training, seems to have it out for her, and despite his efforts to keep his distance, Aris can't shake the sense of familiarity she gets when he's around.
Torn between a desire to prove herself and letting Alek continue to protect her, Aris must face the fact that her life will never be the same. Wherever magic goes, death seems to follow, and when Aris learns the car wreck that killed her parents was no accident, she realizes Krysidia is more than just a legend—it's their best hope of survival. That is, if it even exists . . .

The Prophet's Gambit is the first volume of a new fantasy series by Ellie Evaris, an emerging author with incredible talent.

I didn't know what to expect from this book. The plot intrigued me right away, as well as the cover is the title, but I didn't know if it would fully match my tastes or not. Well, I loved it. From the first to the last page. It was really, really hard to put it away even for 5 min.

The author's writing is very smooth, involving so romantic.

It often happens that, when you are a beginner, you go to create dialogues that are not very dynamic and clumsy but this is not the case. The dialogues created by the author are extremely dynamic and well studied. And the characters😫😫😫

MAMMA MIAA

Although the characters are numerous, they are all well characterized and interesting. Unique!
It was impossible for me not to empathize with some of them.
Worldbuilding is not overly difficult to understand. I probably would have preferred to explain it in more depth, but it doesn't matter. However, I really appreciated it.

The only negative note is the time frame. Sometimes it seemed to me that some events were very hasty or that too much time had passed between one event and another. 😰

It was, all in all, a compelling and super appreciated read. I can't wait for you to read it too!

I sincerely thank Netgalley, Hidden Grove Books, and Ellie Evaris for sending me the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. All the considerations are mine.

4.75 🌟

thank u netgalley and hidden grove books for an e-arc for a honest review

the prophet's gambit was is a gripping and well crafted fantasy novel. the story is set in a world of magic and mystery, where powerful forces are at work behind the scenes. the story follows aris and along the way she meets a enigmatic boy named alek and the two of them embark on a passionate romance that adds an exciting layer to the story

the plots moves at a brisk place with plenty of twists and turns in unexpected ways. the characters were all so well-drawn and unique, and it's easy to become invested in their fates. the world building was so appreciative, with vivid descriptions of the setting and a well-developed political system that adds depth to the story

what i loved most about this book was the way that ellie crafted her characters. aris is a strong and capable heroine who is easy to root for, and alek is a mysterious and intriguing love interest who keeps you guessing until the very end

overall, another book to be excited for the release of

This book… is going to be everyone’s next obsession. Like fourth wing level world building!! The magic system is really unique and I love the tension between ring havers and non ring havers. It creates a really interesting dynamic where magic havers aren’t only hated by non magic havers but also by those who can’t fulfill their magic with a ring which is an interesting dynamic. I loved the tension between Lochlan and Alis and his antihero attitude. The group of friends Alis finds will absolutely melt your hear. And this book had a top tier mystery about how Alis’ parents truly died (not a car accident after all it seems) that kept me very engaged. (Plus Lochlan in that scene placing the flowers made me cry.) This is one of my favorite books I read all year. Thanks so much for letting me review it!!