I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of this review.

Island of Exiles by Erica Cameron is an addictive, high-stakes read. I found myself engrossed from page one. What makes it so addictive was the unique world-building and setting Cameron developed through the eyes of her main character Khya. It is unlike anything I’ve ever read!

Khya is a warrior, put simply. She, like everyone else, puts Shiara, her home and people, above everything else. Basically the way the society works is like an “all for one and one for all” mentality. It is the only way they could survive this harsh world. But back to Khya. She has bought into this idea wholeheartedly. She will give her life for Shiara, and do whatever is asked of her. That is until her brother is killed.

Yorri is the catalyst of this story. We see a very small glimpse of him through Khya’s eyes before he dies, then we see him in another light. Khya would do anything for him, and it takes her from a character that is hardened and disliked to one you love and root for.

The plot of the book is that the elders of Shiara are hiding something and killing people to do so. It’s devastating for someone like Khya who has devoted her life to doing what the elders wish. I couldn’t sit the book down at this point. I was so engrossed in the mystery and deception Khya uncovers. Not to mention the romance 😉 My favorite person in the book is Terren and he is Khya’s least favorite person. It’s obvious to everyone but Khya Terren’s intentions. I found myself swooning over him and his unintentional sweet acts over and over. So much swooning!!

Overall, I really enjoyed Island of Exiles. I’ll admit that even though I couldn’t sit the book down, it did take me longer to read than usual. I think that is do to the world-building at the beginning of the book. It is all told through the character’s perspective and the author avoids big info-dumps. As a result, it took a little while for me to catch on to the terminology and setting than it usually would. That’s a positive though because it is unlike anything I’ve ever read. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a dystopian fantasy.

In the first installment of The Ryogan Chronicles by Erica Cameron, Island of Exiles, we follow the story of a young warrior and ward mage from the island of Shiara. When Khya’s brother Yorri is pronounced dead following a surprise attack by their enemies and then his body mysteriously vanishes, the truth comes out quicker than Khya is prepared for it. The leaders of the clan have lied and betrayed her people for endless centuries. In order to save her brother, and her home, Khya must team up with a rival, a person her brother had a secret relationship with as well as many other surprising characters.

Sea of Strangers, the second installment in the series, continues Khya’s story as she and her friends and allies leave Shiara and travel to a land they didn’t know existed. Ryogo is the home of Varan and the other immortals who rule over Itagami. Khya must find the secrets hidden in the mountains of Ryogo in order to kill Varan and bring her brother back alive; both of which are seemingly impossible tasks as Varan is immortal and has accumulated knowledge and power over his many years of existence. Finding the secret of immortality might help her defeat Varan but she fears she may lose something in the process - her brother, Shiara, Ryogo, or even herself. The journey she must take isn’t even half the battle.

There are so many things about this book, as well as the first, that I thoroughly enjoyed that I feel like I could write an essay about it. In fact, the only complaints I can find after reading is that at times the ranks within Itagami, the slang terms, and the use of non-gendered terms could be incredibly confusing. But as I read, these became easier to understand and pinpoint. Once I discovered the glossary in the back of the book, it was even easier to just enjoy the story.

Erica Cameron has created an incredibly complex, diverse, gritty and detailed world in these books. It is unlike anything I have ever had the honor of reading before. Especially since it doesn’t feel forced. Instead, it is incredibly realistic. The best example I can find is how we are introduced to the ebet characters. These people are non-gendered and they are considered completely normal and welcome in Shiara. It isn’t until Khya leaves that we see how they are treated in Ryogo - as if they are punishment from the gods - and realize how effortlessly Cameron has managed to normalize something that even in our society can be wrongfully deemed as unnatural. In fact, it seems like it could actually be a reflection on our own society.

It is also shown in how the citizens of Itagami have been kept isolated from the world, made to believe they are the last beings on the planet by the immortals who rule the clan. When Khya and her allies travel outside of the world they know, they learn about new cultures and people and you can visibly see the contract between her society and the new one because of how detailed the writing is. The real world is much like this.

Aside from the diversity, there is the world building which is incredibly breathtaking. There are endless descriptions of the beauty of the land, the rawness of the elements, the differences between the people. And the magical system in this world is incredibly complex and interesting to read as it is expanded on. There is also the character development. It is most seen in Khya and Sanii. Khya begins to see that asking for help does not make her weak, that she is not fully responsible for every single failure that comes up them. Sanii grows into the person you are able to see beneath the whole time, waiting to unfold and steal the show.

Although at times the story seemed to drag along, it was easy to push through because each thing that happened held importance for the story. The journey the characters take in order to discover the secrets they need to save Yorri, Shiara and Ryogo is such an important part of this story. Reading along as these characters face the elements and the prejudiced people of Ryogo made me feel a much deeper connection to it all.

I am so grateful to have been given the chance to read Sea of Strangers. This series is one I will highly recommend to those who enjoy the genre but also to those who enjoy incredible worldbuilding, diversity and characters who practically jump off the pages at you. I cannot wait to be absolutely ensnared by the next installment of this wonderful story.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I went into reading this book but my expectations were blown away! Entangled Teen publishes some very fun books and Island of Exiles was definitely one of them. I can see now why there was so much hype around this series! The plot was unique and really easy to just sit down and get lost in and I'm really eager to read the sequel to see where the story goes from here!

While ISLAND OF EXILES should have been my thing, I couldn't get into it during the time I had to read it. It's very disappointing.

An excellent read, kept my attention from the beginning. I could see the movie play out in my mind as I read. I can't wait for the sequel!

This was such an interesting book! I didn't know what I expected when I went into reading this, but it was such a thrill ride! The character really brought the book to life and made it super interesting.

I started reading “Island of Exiles” at the end of November but due to some personal reasons, unrelated to the book, had to stop. I picked it up again in January and realized that I needed to start from the very beginning. I did just that, and I am very glad I did because I wanted to give this book justice and I felt that I wouldn’t have been able otherwise.

The strongest point of the book is the worldbuilding. But, sadly, it is, in a way, its weak point as well. The author created a fascinated world: the events of the novel take place on an island with very harsh, desert-like landscape and raging storms. The hierarchy of the clan is very strict; the obedience is not questioned; the rations are scarce. You train, fight, and die young. Erica Cameron developed the magic system and the society's structure in which your magical ability defies your position in the world. Every type of skill and status has its own name. The language of this world is quite extensive, which makes the process of submerging into the narrative extremely slow.

Plainly speaking, it will take you some time to get used to all the words and definitions. It is not a bad thing, and many of high fantasy adult novels have complex worldbuilding, including their races, cultures, and languages, but in the case of a YA novel, it slows down the pace of the narrative.

When I started “Island of Exiles” for the second time, I already knew what to expect and made sure to pay attention to the world of Itagami. It made it easier to get into the story again for sure. I do admit, that the narrative does not develop as quickly as I would have prefered in the beginning and once you hit one third into the book - this is when fun stuff happens.

By the end of the book, I was comfortable enough with terms and definitions that I didn’t feel like I was walking in the dark anymore (by the way, there is a glossary at the end of the book - I wish I had known!). I flew through the remaining pages, very keen to find out what happens next.

Let me tell you - the plot went into a completely different direction from what I expected!

My favourite part “Island of Exiles” was the gender and sexuality diversity of this world. People are born of either of three genders: male, female or ebet (which is explained in the glossary as the sex designation for those neither male nor female; while reading the book I kept thinking about intersex, although I can not claim if it is what the author intended it to be). There are specific pronouns for ebets too. Relationships between people can be khai (a relationship chosen specifically to produce children) or sumai (a deep bond/partnership/love, which does not necessarily have to be sexual and can be created between siblings, for example). Or relationships can be simply casual. The sexuality is never discussed or mentioned as something “normal” or not. Anyone can be attracted to any gender or or be ushimo, i.e. asexual or fall on asexual spectrum.

I loved this aspect of the world so much! I wish Erica Cameron would write a pure romance within this world as it would have so many possibilities!

I had some problems with the main character, Khya, as I had trouble understanding some of her actions. She kept referring to Tessen stealing her promotions - something which I only vaguely grasped. She seemed to be hell-bent on distrusting Tessen, while he was only ever amicable and pleasant to her and others. It felt as if the author was trying so hard to make it “enemies to lovers” type of relationship that it felt a bit unnatural. The same thing about Khya’s obsession with her brother, Yorri, that was borderline possessive and manipulative.

I feel as if Yorri’s character was not developed in full either, but hopefully, it is going to be remedied in the sequel.

My favourite characters were Tessen, Sanii and Etaro. I also suspect something is going on between Etaro and Rai - or maybe it is my wishful thinking, but I hope for the happy ending for all characters.

Since I am lucky to have already received the second book in The Ryogan Chronicles, Sea of Strangers, I jumped into it right after finishing “Island of Exiles”. Can not wait to see what happens next.

Highly recommend “Island of Exiles” to those who would not be intimidated by a complex glossary of the world and to the fans of diverse reads.


Rating: 3.5 stars

Rating: 📚📚📚📚

Cameron's Island of Exiles is a fast-paced tale of one sister’s love and loyalty against all odds.

Itagami, on the island of Shiara, is home to the Miriseh, and the people they protect. When early storms begin wracking the city, and neighboring clans encroach into Itagamin territory, life becomes increasingly difficult. One such encounter claims the life of Khya’s younger brother Yorri. But Sanii, Yorri’s partner, believes something is amiss and enlists Khya's help to uncover the truth. With the unasked for assistance of Tessen, a basaku mage, Khya and Sanii make a recovery that will shake the very foundations of Itagamin life.

I dove into this story! The world-building is top-notch. Magick seems to be something the majority of the population can use, and comes in many different flavours. There are those who work rock, those who heal, those who can manipulate fire, or use telekinesis, those like Khya who can craft wards, those like Yorri, with heightened reflexes, and like Tessen, with enhanced senses. Some of the magic, like that of Yorri, and Tessen, seem less magic, than psionics. The variety is great though, and seems to manifest randomly. There doesn't seem to be a fully genetic component that, say keeps fire workers or healers in the same lineage.

Itagamin society as fascinating to the anthropologist in me. It functions very different from what I'm used to, with everything designed to keep people safe, happy, and healthy, but still without the nuclear family unit as most of our world understands it. Children aren't raised in year groups, in nurseries, which leads to doseiku groupings where life skills are taught. Reaching a certain age leads to a test to place the doseiku into castes- yonin (non-magic folk), ahdo (mid-level mages), nyshin (high-level mages), and the kaigo council. The Miriseh are immortals who rule Itagami.

This society has three different genders. Besides male and female, there are the ebet, who use the pronouns 'ey’, 'eir’ and 'em’. I did find this a bit difficult to mentally pronounce at first. It was never fully explained what the difference was between the three genders. Was it personal choice, or are there defining characteristics that clearly mark what they are? It is noted that they are physically unable to bear or sire children.

I did find the random discussion of Khya’s moontime pointless. It wasn't necessary to story, and while there's nothing graphic about it, it’s something I as a woman deal with monthly. I don't want to read about it unless it's absolutely pertinent to the story, such as say, a young woman experiencing it for the first time, or if it happens in a society where the women are sequestered during that time, which Itagamin society is not.

As for characters, I really liked Tyrroh, and Yorri, though we don't see too much of Yorri. Tsua, Chio, Zonna and Osshi are pretty cool, too. Osshi is a historian, so always a plus in my eyes. Tessen is my favourite. If it wasn't specifically mentioned that he is seventeen, I'd have thought him much older, given his maturity level. And he just seems so sweet. Honestly, he deserves far better than the person he’s pursuing. I hope he finds it. I really do. I don't like seeing people taken advantage of, and taken for granted.

Despite that she's one of the main characters, I really did not like Khya. She's very immature, whinging on about how Tessen 'stole’ promotions from her, rather than considering its her own immature behaviour that plays a factor in it. She treats him like an ass, when he's never done anything to her. Khya openly admits that she'll go against Itagamin custom and law by putting her brother before others. We are supposed to believe that there is something special about her, but I just don't see it. I'm into the second book now, and still don't see it.

I wasn't a big fan of Sanii, either, though I liked em better than Khya. It is Sanii, not Khya who is the catalyst for the story. It is Sanii, not Khya, who tumbles to the island’s secret, and who then convinced Khya. Ey have a greater maturity than Khya as well. Really, what was off-putting about Sanii’s personality was the crankiness. To get a better idea of eir personality, I'd need to see them around Yorri, and I hope we get the chance.

Overall, this story left me eager to read the next one. If you are a fan of innovative magick, and stories influenced by Japanese lore, be sure to check out Island of Exiles!

***This book was reviewed via Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Wow, where do I even begin? This was an exciting read from start to finish. It’s hard to put into words how much I absolutely loved this book. I’m already stoked for the sequel, Sea of Strangers.

This story is wonderfully diverse. Different sexualities are accepted, and there’s three different genders (along with their own pronouns), which was pleasant to read. The characters have great depth. Khya, the protagonist, is strong-willed and determined, but her soft side is shown. Tessen is also determined, but he knows when to back off.

The world is also fantastic! Exploring Shiara and Itagami was so interesting. Erica Cameron wonderfully built a civilization that felt entirely real. There are different classes for each citizen, and each of these classes are so well thought out! The magic is beautiful and the explanations are wonderful – an example is Khya is in the rank “nyshin” and is known as a “fykina” mage, which means she can create barriers to protect herself and others from magical and physical assaults. While these terms might seem difficult to grasp at first, they’re so woven into the story that they easily catch on. If you’re wanting to read something that has tons of layers to pull you in, this is definitely something I can recommend.

Throughout the book we are aware of the stakes. At the very beginning, the stakes are made known — this is not an easy world to live in. When Khya must risk her life, the stakes become even higher. I gripped the edges of my pages (well, er, tablet) as I read because I had to know what would happen next!

There was also romance! Ah, my heart! Reading Khya and Tessen was such a treat! The romance wasn’t immediate, which is something I love. I was able to read Khya develop her feelings. They bantered a lot and tested each other, and that was also wonderful. The romance didn’t feel forced, either. It was great!

Final Thoughts
A wonderfully diverse YA fantasy that had me yearning for more at every page turn. There was fantastic world building an amazing sense of the stakes throughout the novel.

The full review can be read on my blog!
http://blog.makaylasophia.com/post/168777626368/islandofexiles

This first book in the series throws us into a strange and deadly desert world where every day is a fight for survival.

What Fed My Addiction:

Utterly unique.
I’ve never read anything like this series, and the world that Cameron has created is beyond anything I could possibly imagine. Like, seriously, how does she come up with all of it? It’s unmistakably brilliant.

Diversity.
Traditional gender roles are simply not a thing in this book. In fact, the society in the fantasy world features three completely accepted genders. In addition to that, sexuality and romantic relationships seem to be relatively fluid for the people in this society as well (and some people are asexual). This is all accepted without comment, which I loved.

Family bonds.
The society doesn’t have a traditional family structure. Siblings are rare and almost never raised together. Despite this (or maybe because of this), Khya is extremely close to her brother. My absolute favorite parts of this book had to do with the emotional connection between Khya and her brother.

Hate to love romance.
Khya doesn’t care for Tessen at the beginning of the book, but it’s not because Tessen is unlikable or a jerk (which tends to frustrate me). Still, because of Khya’s initial feelings, the romance is appropriately slow to develop. Which only makes it better when they finally make their way to each other.

What Left Me Hungry for More:

Very complicated worldbuilding.
This book is not a quick and easy read. The world, the society, the magic system, the political and religious systems—they’re all incredibly complex. You’d do well to have the glossary handy!

Slight trouble connecting at first?
It took me a little while to warm up to these characters at first—possibly because I was spending so much of my mental energy on figuring out the worldbuilding.

Not necessarily a Young Adult tone.
The series is marketed as YA, and technically the main characters are young, but they don’t feel young to me. In this society, Khya is already a warrior of sorts and she leads a very adult life. Because parents aren’t really part of the picture in their society (at least not at all directly), there’s very little interaction with them. Khya is self-sufficient and even takes care of her younger brother in a somewhat parental role. Don’t get me wrong, I think YA readers will enjoy this, but the book didn’t have a typical YA tone or feel to it.

I ended Island of Exiles ready to jump straight into Sea of Strangers. The first book was full of surprises and I was eager to see where they all led. I give this first book 4/5 Stars.

Island of Exiles is a wholly unique fantasy created on a desert world with a city that is a warrior community and ruled by immortals. At the start, the world takes some time to sink into, because there is a lot we are not explained, and terms that were created for the novel specifically. What we know is that magic users are a big part of the population here, and being adept at using it gives them a higher place in society. Khya, a user of rare skill magic (she can create wards, and shields - basically barrier magic, but also sense the flow of energy in the world), naturally wants her younger brother Yorri to also be placed as a warrior or higher. But when he dies, and she finds out everything is not right in her world, she and her rival, Tensen, set out with her brother's love interest, Sani, to figure out what shadiness is their council upto?

The main reason I would recommend this book is for its diverse world-building. Shiara is a desert island, and its population is heavily POC. Even the immortals who rule it are East-Asian coded. They do not have a traditional family structure in Shiara - there are terms like blood-parents and blood-siblings to indicate biological relationships, but true family is with their warrior cohorts as they are around the kids of their own age from when they are young, and later on live in barracks or alone (if they have high enough status). Also, the attitude towards sexual relationships and preferences is pretty relaxed - in fact, the society as a whole presents mostly as bi/pansexual, with some prominent ace characters thrown in. There is also a third gender (ebet/eir/ey) and a pronounced awareness of physical space (even among familial relationships), and boundaries. On the magical side, there is wide range of abilities - from controlling the elements, to telekinesis, to super speed and strength - and they are all classified, so make sure to refer to the glossary at the end of the book. The unskilled magic users or those who can't use magic, are like the untouchables of this world, so they have some class boundaries to consider dismantling in future installments. (It is so wrong that they aren't considered good enough to marry/bond with)

Onto the plot - there is an undercurrent of shadiness established from the beginning, when the religion on the land has a believe-or-be-cast-into-hell sort of attitude. It is so extreme that Khya fears to even investigate at the start, thinking she will doom herself and her companions to eternal damnation or something. Obviously, that's a cover to whatever those immortals are cooking up, which is never made clear actually. The reason for them being on the island, I get, but why that particular rock in the middle of the ocean was made for its purpose, that I've yet to understand. Perhaps it will be explained in sequels, but as of now, it doesn't fit with the backstory given. Also, I was low-key amused by the fact that no one on the island has even heard of the concept of a boat.

Overall, an interesting start to a unique fantasy series, and I'm looking forward to reading its sequel soon.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Entangled Teen LLC, via Netgalley.

Island of Exiles (The Ryogan Chronicles #1)
Erica Cameron

Book Review: ♥ ♥ ♥❣
Khya lives on the island of Shiara. It's isolated and harsh. Every day is a challenge. Most die young.
Magic, secrets, and half-truths are all around.

Khya was close to her brother, Yorri until his apparent death. Now she is determined to find the truth. She is a trained warrior and dedicated to protecting her clan, but her brother's death changes everything. Now she has to put her trust in Tessen. Trust is earned not given and it will take time. Tessen is hot on Khya tracks and soon becomes integrated into her life. Could he hold some of the answers?

This book is not an easy bedtime read and I think a paperback copy would be best. I would recommend you read the glossary/Index, which is located at the back of the book. I wish I'd realised it was there, as it would help digest this book.

Island of Exiles is an interesting concept with an imaginative storyline. I enjoyed reading it, however, I had to really concentrate.

*Glossary is included at the end of this post*

3.5 stars out of 5.

ARC received as part of the chapter by chapter blog tour for book 2 Sea of strangers. My review is honest and fair.


Kindle Edition £4.48 or £7.56 Paperback, 400 pages
Published February 14th 2017 by Entangled: Teen
ISBN: 978-1633755925



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Buy it from: Entangled | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Books-A-Million | IndieBound
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island of exiles brings to life a world of magic and lies, one where gender fluidity is the norm and asexuality and bisexuality are nothing remarkable. the glossary and the explanations of magic and rank are all nested at the end of the book, which if i had read the physical copy of i would have happened upon it much sooner than i did in the ebook, when i only found it because i had reached the end of the story.

there is a lot of world-building here. it's complex and detailed and maybe a little overwhelming. i'm still kind of confused by everything with tsua and osshi but i'm guessing book 2 will continue to provide answers.

at its heart, this is khya's story. realizing that what she loves most in the world is in terrible danger she pulls together a quest that will betray everything she believes about her society. working with her brother's lover, sanii, and her longtime nemesis, tessen, they come up with a daring plan to rescue her brother, yorri.

but when things go sideways, they soon learn that there is so much more to uncover about the world around them. and the battle they will need to prepare for will be more challenging and difficult than any battle they've ever faced before.

the only thing they have to rely on is each other, on each other's abilities and the bonds that tie them together. watching the bond between khya and tessen grow in strength throughout the novel is so satisfying. it's pretty clear from early on that he's totally into her, but she sees him as her enemy. i think she reacts so strongly because she knows that he is important. he's the only person to both challenge and support her unconditionally. how he does both things at the same time is impressive. he has the strength to let her be herself, and at the same time, he bolsters her in a way that allows her to shine and yet doesn't deny his strength either. their relationship is so unique and layered and i can't wait for more. luckily my review of sea of strangers is coming up shortly.

**island of exiles published on february 14, 2017. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/entangled publishing (entangled: teen) in exchange for my honest review.

**3.5 Stars**
Khya's whole world is protecting her brother and doing her duty to her clan, her own needs don't play a big role in her choices. But when something shocking happens, Khya is lost and can't figure out who she is anymore. An encounter with someone important to her brother causes Khya to question everything she knows, including the bigger purpose on her island.

I was in love with the cover from the first moment I saw it so I knew I needed to get my hands on this book ( I had to buy myself a physical copy to proudly display on my bookcase). Full disclosure, I was super shocked at the content of the book- I went into the book expecting a modern day teen survival story, which this was not even a little bit. This was a full fledged fantasy world full of complicated magic, society, creatures and gods that I knew nothing about. I know fantasy likes to blindly drop the reader into the world, but there was absolutely no back story here and I floundered for awhile to try and put together pieces which made it hard for me to get invested in the story. Be it the hierarchy of the society, the magic aspects, the names for people and pretty much everything in the book, was completely foreign to me and hard to say. At the end of the book was a glossary which was really helpful and I wish I had seen it before I started the book because I felt a little bit like I was in over my head. That being said, the second half of the story really picked up for me and I flew through the pages now that I understood the world and there was so much action I could experience, less introspective thinking.






There were three genders within this society, male, female and Ebet- neither male or female (which made me super curious as to what parts were what or if it was a mind set as to what they associated with) It was a really interesting concept but it made me wonder how reproduction could work and I would have loved more details in general about things like that- whether an ebet could conceive. Also, the pronouns were super confusing and didn't start feeling more natural until half way through the book (I had no idea about the third gender until way into the story and was like 80% convinced that the strange pronounce was some sort of typo in the digital copy I was reading. It was really interesting where gender really didn't matter at all to the society, be it when it came to romance and sex, you just pick someone regardless of things with no stigma associated; also being nonsexual (Ushimo) was very common- you could even have a soul bond to a person and be completely platonic.

Khya was a hard character to understand, both from the reader and the tribe point of view. She was very closed off and private, refusing to get to know anyone, but taking on the responsibility of the clan. She considered Yorri "hers" so therefore she would fight to the death to keep him safe, regardless of what he wanted or needed. She acted like the adult or parent to him regardless of him only being a year younger and very capable himself. I felt very sad for Khya though, since Yorri was her everything (obsesseively so at times- it made me slightly uncomfortable in the beginning) where as he had a full life outside of her that she knew nothing about. It felt like he was a more complete person than she was at the start of the book.

Tessen was hands down my favorite character, I completely loved him and his perseverance, the fact he became the strength Khya needed, willing to risk everything he knew to take a stand with Khya. To be honest, he was pretty dreamy, with his sly smile and quiet determination- I wanted to shake Khya to really see him for who he was, and not what she thought he was capable of.

This was a very different type of read than I have experienced recently and the world building was so intricately done. This is the first in a series (of how many, I don't know) and I am glad I can jump right into the second book to continue my journey with Khya and her crew.

Come visit me @ https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/

*** 3.5 stars ***

Island of Exiles by Erica Cameron is a diverse YA survival-fantasy novel and is book one in The Ryogan Chronicles.

Khya lives on a desert island known as Shiara where the clan comes before one's self and she has spent her life training as a warrior. A fighter, and one who followed the rules of her clan. No matter what. Until a threat to her brother's life changes everything. Now she is turning her back on her clan, trusting her long-time rival, and on the run in order to save her brother's life and their island home.

Island of Exile by Erica Cameron is lush with description and world building. Not only is the setting and magic within the world unique, but the author creates a language and terms used within the novel which is amazing while at the same time was daunting for me personally as a reader. I found the terms interesting, but truthfully, I found myself flipping to the glossary of terms, ranks, or magic to see what the words meant a lot. This made reading overwhelming at times with the sheer amount of new information and kind of took me out of the story. However, don't let my reading experience dissuade you from reading this novel. The complete world-building, including the language, is breath-taking and it speaks to the author's skill to stay true to their story and the world they are creating.

I loved the heroine. Khya is bold and filled with energy and strength. Not to mention, she's a complete badass! She makes me think of her like Xena Warrior Princess and or some Amazon warrior.

Overall, I recommend Island of Exiles by Erica Cameron as a complex and bold YA fantasy novel that is worth a read.

(I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book I received for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)

initial thoughts;
I will admit. At first, I wasn't super into this book. There was a lot of information and a lot of names that really confused me. Since this island is an island of war, there were a lot of war terms/weapons that I couldn't quite understand, along different names of honor for different people. But after I got through that, the story started to pick up and I really started to enjoy myself. There is also a helpful gallery in the back of every name, weapon and things of that nature.

characters;
The characters were great! Khya was such a strong character and I liked her immediately. I was getting Lada feels from her but with Khya, she knew when to reign in the brutality. My favorite thing about Khya was the love she felt for her blood brother, Yorri. Khya reminded me of...well me in that sense. I love my baby siblings more than anything in this world. If harm ever came by them, I would not rest until the person/s pays for what they did to my babies. Khya's love for her brother really helped me to bond with her more.

I supported the relationship between Tessen and Khya. He challenged her and didn't let her rudeness (which she was prone to do at times) go unchecked. They both helped each other in a lot of ways and I couldn't get enough of their interactions together.

awesome information;
In the email I got that explained a little more about this ARC there was some great information about the author and the book itself. Firstly, the author is asexual and is an advocate. There are characters that are asexual and are LGBTQIA+. The best part is that the LGBTQIA+ is completely normal in this world. There is also diversity and POC. This book is also an ownvoices! (I'm not sure if I need to to put a hashtag or not.)

overall;
This book is a bit difficult to get into a first but once you do, it's a whirlwind of adventure. You will fall in love with the family that this clan creates and you will love Khya and her love for her blood brother. I can't wait to get started on the second book!

I’m a fan of stories about platonic relationships in general, but those about siblings have a special space in my heart. So when I first heard about Island of Exiles, I was excited, especially since it also featured a bisexual main character and an asexual side one. Though the book ended up being a pleasure to read, I must admit I wasn’t as captivated by it as I thought I would be.

First, the good: the protagonist, Khya, is incredible. She’s strong and determined, and I very much liked her more cold/impassive personality. Her two main relationships, with her brother and Tessen, are wonderfully complex and the best part of the story. Khya and Tessen’s relationship in special was incredibly refreshing and very different from your usual (and in my opinion boring) YA romance.

The mythology and worldbuilding in Island of Exiles is also great. Shiara is different, original and the author was successful in showing how its desolate climate shaped Khya’s people’s culture (also another highlight). The writing is good, though nothing extraordinary, and the plot is interesting if slow at times.

But what made this book sit in the “it was nice, I guess” category for me were, well, the characters. Yes, I just said Khya is an amazing protagonist, but aside from her (and maybe Tessen) no one is fleshed out enough and even Khya and Tessen themselves didn’t manage to make me actually care about them. Find them interesting? Sure. But care? Sadly, nope. And since I couldn’t care about them, much of the book’s emotional punch fell flat, maybe bordering on boring.

As for the rep, I can't speak on the bisexual rep (though I couldn't find fault in it) and the ace character is sadly super minor, so I honestly couldn't care much about them.

Still, Island of Exiles is a good book and a great start to a new series. I don’t know if I’ll read the next one, but I certainly recommend The Ryogan Chronicles to fantasy lovers who would like to read about a different world & interesting characters. 3.0 stars.

Island of Exiles was so so good!!!!!! and look at that cover !!

Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for giving me this book to review.

Island of Exiles is a good book with an interesting story and world which is a post-apocalyptic fantasy novel. It was well written with good world building, interesting characters, full of action and a romance which was there but did not take over the story. I really enjoy fantasy books but I found the names and titles overly confusing which caused me to feel that it was slow to start. Similarly, the three genders confused me as it was not explained that Ebet were a different gender and for ages I thought it was a spelling mistake. However, I did like that nobody cared about others sexuality, whether they be bisexual, asexual or somewhere in-between, which is not common in most books.

Khya is strong, protective and dedicated but is also stubborn and selfish. There are three other main characters, Yorri who is intelligent, Tessen who I like as he is cunning but good, and Sanii who had a lot of potential which I hope is explored further in future books.

This is an enjoyable book and I am looking forward to reading the next book Sea of Strangers. I would recommend Island of Exiles to fans of unusual fantasy novels.

Again, I just can't seem to get into these types of books anymore.

DNF.