****Please note that this review contains open spoilers that are protected as such on the Goodreads platform.****

At the outset, let me say that this book has a lot going for it, from its beautiful cover to an interesting magical world, to a heroine that is likable both at the start and at the finish. The first person narrative, however, limits the perspectives we have of this world to the paradigm of a teenage girl and that was a source of plot and character problems for me. Elanna is a teenage hostage, gently held by King Antoine of Eren since she was age five, as a means to force good behavior on Elanna's rebellious father. Raised outside her native duchy she forgets, as she loses touch with her land, her magical heritage. When the king is murdered, and Elanna falsely accused, she makes a run for it and finds out that the world she had been raised in by King Antoine was one based on lies. She runs to her now foreign-to-her homeland and struggles to adjust. I found this aspect of the book quite promising- her reconnection with her land, her heritage, and with parents who are very different from what she remembered or assumed. It was ripe territory for dramatic development. But the path to fulfill that promise wasn't clear. The inconsistent character development of secondary characters was a frustration (more on that below).

As I mentioned, Elanna, the protagonist, is quite likable. She kind, smart, and manages herself well through a series of reversals of fortune and a surprise betrayal (show spoiler:) [by her own mother, who, surprisingly, Elanna still loves, tries to understand and doesn't plan to kill or get revenge from. (Kudos on not following a bad parent trope here!)]. (hide spoiler) But this is where the plot muddies for me. None of the secondary characters seem to have problems with these betrayals, perceived or real, and are just willing to take this teenage girl's word that everything is 'cool,' so to speak. There is no caution generated around two important characters, when they appear to have done the Caerisian rebels great wrong. Everything is forgiven quickly, easily and multiple times. The plot, which goes from here to there to here to there in terms of action, wasn't smoothly developed. I think a better editorial hand might have been beneficial here. The same is true of the world building. I wanted a better sense of Eren and the Ereni people to understand the plight of the Caerisians. All I got is that they were awful and a pack of liars and murderers, except for Guerin, Hensey and Victoire. I'm not even one hundred percent sure why Paladis was so involved in Eren and Caeris affairs. (I do thank the publisher for the map at the start of the book, by the way. It's a helpful addition.)

Beyond the plot and world building, we have the issue of character development. A number of the relationships don't ring true due to lack of development. For instance, Sophy (the girl Elanna's parents basically adopted after Elanna is taken as a hostage by King Antoine) and Elanna have little time to explore their mutual situations. Sophy views Elanna's parents as her own and truly loves them, and Elanna feels what seems to be only fleeting resentment or jealousy over the life this young woman led in what should have been Elanna's place in this duchy. Sophy, who behaves as if she is a person of importance, has her own secrets to keep and we see none of her own resentments of a returned Elanna and what this may mean for her own situation because the book is told from Elanna's first person perspective and Elanna doesn't spend much time analysing Sophy's role as a seeming placeholder for the Duke and Duchess's hostage daughter.

(show spoiler:)
[One of the great missed opportunities of the book was the character of Loyce and her motivations for having her own father murdered. Elanna has lived among the royalty of Eren but doesn't see them accurately and we don't understand much in depth about the relationship between Loyce, Elanna and Antoine. Did Antoine love Elanna more than his own daughter, Loyce? It's implied but we don't have a fully grounded understanding of why that's the case. Obviously, Elanna is a much nicer person and we get that, but why is Loyce so horrible? I would also add that the paper thin quality of character development of Finn also bothered me. He's a "hale fellow, well met" and his father sent him off to recover a throne with a clever sorcerer whose relationship with Finn we still, even at the end, don't fully understand. Here is a character that could have made us feel much more about his abrupt denouement in the story, even if Jahan had revealed to Elanna, upon Finn's passing, the origins of their bonds of attachment. Jahan's failure to protect Finn, after his multiple flips and diversions, is barely dealt with and that failure hangs like a red flag to me because of his ability to throw aside one commitment (Finn) for another (Elanna) so quickly. It's recognized, albeit briefly, but nothing comes of this recognition. Has Jahan learned his lesson? What would this failing mean for Elanna?

Likewise, Denis Falconier and even Elanna's father are rendered almost colorless, all bad or good and ineffectual. It was as if all the secondary character development went into the twice-turncoat character of Lord Gilbert, at the expense of some of the other secondary characters. Bates also spent time developing Victoire as the spirit of resistance and that character is left a loose end, after having been one of Elanna's best friends.

I also have a lot of thoughts about the way the relationship between Elanna and Jahan was developed. This relationship, for all its seeming fire, was stilted and often almost childish when Elanna would interact directly with Jahan. While I can say kudos to the author for not making this a battle about marriage between these two, it was awkward to have them discussing marriage long before there was any obvious affection and clear emotional attachment beyond the normal sexual attraction between a cute guy and a pretty girl. The relationship didn't feel a "real" as I wanted it to, for a long time. There were enough things to be uncertain about in various characters' motivations in this book, and after the initial revelation that Jahan was sort of playing both sides against the middle, their relationship should have been more clear cut so that we are not left wondering as the various other unclear relationships play out.]
(hide spoiler)

All in all, this is a first novel and writers learn as they go. The book would have been stronger with a smoother, better-outlined plot and stronger character development. I feel as if the editor and publisher may not have wanted the page count to go above a certain threshold and that development of the plot and characters may have suffered because of it. In any case, this book reminded me of Patty Briggs' first novel, Masques, which she later rewrote and expanded, in its show of promise in the high fantasy genre. Bates similarly is an author who has a lot of promise. I'd definitely pick up her next book to give it a try.

Great story that kept me up all night. Want more!!

A new fantasy series for YA or older readers, The Walking Lands had quite the unique and interesting magic system! I'd love to learn more about that, and I'm looking forward to the next two books in the trilogy. (But worry not, this one didn't end on a cliffhanger. I hate it when books do that.)

While I did enjoy the story, for some people the first person POV might be an issue. I do wish the author had shown more and told less.

Recommended for people who enjoy fantasy stories and don't mind a subplot of romance.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was pitched on review sites as perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, which meant I was definitely wanted to read it. However, upon finishing the book, I don't know that I'd suggest it to someone antsy after the last Throne of Glass book.

Elanna's been held hostage by a neighboring king for 14 years and has internalized everything they've taught her about her homeland. When the king is killed, Elanna is framed for it and must escape certain death. That escape leads her to the leaders of her homeland rebellion, the people desperate to free Caeris. At first, Elanna's skeptical of their cause, but when she can no longer deny her own magic, she becomes dedicated to the cause. And because it's YA fantasy, there's a romance.

The good: I really like the concept of Caeris as a land-- semi-sentient, guarded, the shifts. I liked that Elanna was, of all things, a botanist, which ties in well to her role in Caeris.

The bad: I had a hard time getting into this, and at times, it felt SO LONG and disjointed. I couldn't work up to caring about the love interest or what would happen to Elanna, because of COURSE she'd come out all right in the end, and she wasn't engaging enough for me as a character. This felt very much like a first book, but I'll still read any sequels.

The premise of the book was well thought out, and the book itself was well-written. The problem that I had with it is that I didn't like the main character at all. I thought she was impulsive, not in a good way, and made some of the poorest choices that I have seen a character make. I didn't find that she grew throughout the story but remained rather static. I really hated that, because I felt that the secondary characters were extremely well-drawn and did grow.

The Waking Lands book was a lovely fantasy novel with great story writing. Elanna, our main character, was portrayed wonderfully and her struggle to find where she belongs was carefully written. She had so much to deal with and the way it all was portrayed was well done, I do wish there was a little more in the world building. The author knew the background and the world really well, but would love to know more about things in this world, maybe more will be shared at another time. A nice read and enjoyable!

I really really liked this book. The only reason I won't give it 5 stars is that it gets a wee bit confusing in the middle- some of the explanations for why things happen and how magic works in this world aren't fully developed. In short, I've read better (and more believable) magic systems but I did enjoy reading this book :)

with the amount of hype i was seeing around this book i expected it to be a lot better. parts of the world building were really good but most of the characters, their interactions with one another and their motivations were far from believable. the love story alone was so ridiculous - it felt forced.

the main character's obliviousness to EVERYTHING was distressing. I know Stockholm syndrome is a real thing. and I know being kidnapped and held hostage at a young age would mess someone up but most of that was unaddressed which felt like a cop out. even though I'm tired of series, this could have definitely done with a sequel. the end was rushed, everything was rushed, it just was only okay.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley.

The Waking Land promises to be the start of a fun and exciting fantasy series. With complex world-building and a gift for growing characters and ideas, Bates introduces to a world of magic, political intrigue, and revolution. This is a page-turner you won't want to put down.

An epic fantasy with all the elements for a perfect read.......an individual and unique heroine, magic, well developed and colorful characters and a brilliant story!

This was a pretty enchanting and unique storyline in the fantasy genre with plenty of action, magic, love as well as an interesting introspective on human behavior.

The story is pretty intense with interesting characters she really tried to flesh out as the novel progressed making it one of those books you would want to reread in the future.

The pace was a little bit up and down so at times it seemed to drag then suddenly pick up at rollercoaster speed and there wasn’t enough detail in her world building as I felt there were still some holes when it came to the religious aspects of her story. The little bit of negative didn’t take away from the fact that ultimately this was a satisfying fantasy adventure with a strong female protagonist.

What I liked: The premise of this book is fascinating, the words are well chosen and beautiful, the characters likable and authentic. The idea of a strong woman protagonist who wakes the land is compelling and her conflicting emotions and thoughts, realistic for a 19 year old. I enjoyed the interplay between her and the other characters in the book, and the way she has a hard time connecting with her parents after a being abducted and kept away from them for 14 years.

What I didn't like: There's lots to be sad about in this book--war, death, violence. And also, a totally gratuituous sex scene. Bleh. I want my YA to be appropriate for all YA audiences...I wouldn't want my kids to read this one.

DNF at 75% due to sexual content. :( It's really too bad--it was a fantastic story, but it was unfortunately ruined by graphic sex and sexual content. I don't recommend this one.

I finished this book in one sitting. I'm so happy Netgalley approved my copy. Look at that cover, is it not beautiful?? I couldn't stop looking at it when I first saw it. And with that summary I couldn't not request for a copy. I'm so happy I did though. After reading this story, I sat on my feelings for a few days. I wanted to review it quickly but really didn't know what to write down. Lol. I still go back and reread it a few times a day. Just those scenes I really love... Like the mirror scenes.
I love this book. The magical and enchanting feel and it's colorful characters. All together, a great start to a new series. Looking forward to more from CB. Thank you.

What a book! Really enjoyed! Highly recommend. Perfect book club pick!

This was a good start to what I'm hoping is a series! There were some pretty cool fantasy elements, but there was a lot of politics/war strategies that bored me. But overall a good read!

I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine De Rey. Thank you.

When she was five years old Elanna had been kidnapped for political reasons and by the time this story takes place she is nineteen and has come to look upon her kidnapper as a father figure. That was a pretty important idea for the story which wasn't explored as much as I think it should have been. Now Elanna is involved in a political movement again, also against her will - at least in the beginning. In this fantasy world magic is forbidden and we are reminded multiple times + 10 about the witch hunts to remove magic from the kingdom. Well, guess what....or guess who has magical abilities. Now all she has to do is learn what her powers can do and how to control her use of them.

This fantasy world is superficially drawn with very little real depth to any of its elements and Elanna is not someone I want to spend any more time with. The story is written in first person so you get many gems such as "I wake." "I fold my arms. I don't believe it." That writing style is not ever going to be my favorite because I feel I'm missing so much by being trapped inside the head of one character. However, this coming of age novel will definitely appeal to the mid-teen age group I think it was written for. There is lots of talk of kings and princesses and using magical power for the world's good and romance, romance, romance. All presented in a completely fairy tale atmosphere which will be entirely satisfactory to its target audience.

I actually really liked the story, I just wish everything had been a little more fleshed out. The relationships lacked substance and some of the characters and events seemed like an afterthought. As happy as I was for a standalone, this may have been better as a duology. I just wanted a little more depth to the characters, conflict, and story.

he premise of this book sounded great and I was excited to read it. I enjoy the mythology that the book was based on, so I was really ready to dig in to this book.
I encountered problems right from the beginning, however, and it really affected my ability to enjoy what I was reading and identify with the main character. The books begins with a memory of the main character being forcibly kidnapped from her parents at gun-point (well, it was some type of firearm. The use of guns, pistols, muskets, etc. in the world the author created was a little fuzzy). Then, years later, we meet our heroine again, and she resents her parents for never trying to rescue her, feels that all of their beliefs and customs are silly and backward, and cares for the king who brutally kidnapped her and has held her hostage for all these years. And this is in spite of the fact that everyone at court treats her like she's a peasant and has no business rubbing elbows with them.
When El is forced to leave the palace and travel to her true homeland, she refuses to contemplate that other forces might have been at work, that the man who took her as a child was a bad person, and that her parents have always cared for her.
The way El acts toward the old king and her real family made her very unlikable to me. I also had a hard time reconciling the fact that she knew she had some sort of magical powers, and even "used" them at least once a year, but was continually surprised at her abilities. I really just wanted to yell at her sometimes.
If the prologue had been left out, the beginning of the book would have flowed so much better. El could have had flashes of memories, or nightmares, and then the true events of the night she was taken could have been revealed to her by her trusted maid right before she was forced to flee. That would have made all of El's confusing attitudes, feelings, and motivations seem much more believable and understandable.
I really wanted to press on with the book, even with my dislike of the heroine, because I wanted to know what would happen to her and the other characters in the book. I wanted to learn how their problems would be solved and how their world would unfold. El was just so very hard to understand that is was very difficult to do so, however. She was flopping back and forth every other paragraph, and I just wanted to shake her and say, "Why do you think this way?! That makes absolutely no sense!"
The world-building was hard to follow in the beginning, as well. There were a lot of names to remember, and many of them were similar, with lots of vowels going on. Circumstances, "historical" events, and politics were not really explained well.
This book had good "bones" but it was just not fleshed out well. I really wanted to like it, and I tried very hard. But it just did not work for me.

Meh...I really wanted to love this book. I was fascinated by the concept of the female protagonist being connected to the land but was disappointed in the story overall. The characters were not fleshed out and the story, even though it moved quickly, didn't really capture my interest. 2.5 stars