I thought that the book was interesting overall. It toed the line between science fiction and fantasy which I wasn't really expecting but I thought the genre-blending was generally done well. I appreciated how the characters were all so intertwined with one another in so many ways which made the book really fun to read. I also liked how the different perspectives allowed us to see into the minds of characters on all sides of the conflict. Even some of the more "villainous" (though I'm still not sure which side I stand on) characters were relatable and had motives that were honestly really understandable. Sometimes it could be difficult to really tell who was narrating despite the chapter saying so because the characters seemed to all share the same voice. I also thought Liam and Nick were boring characters and didn't really care for their part in the story. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next in the series and learning more about Meegan's history and the exciting revelation at the end about Kenna (though I am still a bit confused about the logistics of that with Darci and whatnot) but overall the book was interesting and kept me engaged from pretty early on in the story.

Things I loved
- The cover
- The story/premise
- The ease of knowing who’s POV we were hearing from
- Pace
Things that could be improved
- Glossary of terms at the front
- The writing felt a little clumpy at times. Too much dialogue.
- I felt I was reading a teen book rather than YA .
- Confusing from the get go. Not sure if it’s intentional but I felt I needed more description at the beginning of the characters were being introduced to. I felt I knew nothing about them, I wasn’t drawn to them and we jumped straight in. I want to know who they are, what’s their motivations?

Great story but just not written to its full potential.
As it stands I’d rate it a 2.5 but could definitely be a 3/4 with some tweaking.

Isoldesse is a light science fiction read. The cover of the book is stunning, depicting four of the main characters. However, there were so many characters by the end that it honestly left me confused. So much happens in this story. Kenna, a young college aged Earthen, is given an Arcstone that is just the beginning of changing her life. Not to mention all the other storylines that flip her world and her friends, completely upside down. I would recommend this to fans of an interesting scifi for young adults, however I must reiterate that by the end of this book I felt that too many different things were going on and it was hard for me to focus.

Kenna and Meegan are college students dealing with upcoming finals, needy parents, boy drama, and what to do with their lives after they graduate in a few weeks. I enjoyed reading this book.Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

This is a classic, it's not you, it's me.

I went into this book thinking it would be a fantasy novel. The cover looks very fantasy and so did the premise. I was incredibly thrown off by the massive Science Fiction elements in this book. However, I am a big fan of Sci-Fi so usually, that wouldn't be a problem, but I just don't think this story meshed well with it.

With the multiple points of view, it was jarring to jump from a "normal" life on Earth to an alien perspective on another planet. That being said, I think this book would've done well with just one or two points of view instead of four+

At the beginning of the book, you are completely thrust into this Sci-Fi/Contemporary world without any explanation. I think that was the book's biggest fault. It didn't <I> hook</i> me, it just left me confused.

The idea behind this novel was very clever, just poorly executed.

I had an enjoyable time reading this and it held my attention the entire way through that I finished it within the day! I enjoyed every page and thought that the plot/story was very unique. Would recommend to anyone!

Thank you Net Galley for giving me a free ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I'm a huge fan of anything and all things aliens. So this book had already drawn me in from the beginning.

The book is mostly centered around two girls named Kenna and Megan, who are best friends. One day a necklace is delivered too Kenna. Which begins to lead Kenna and her friends down an adventurous path.

This story had a lot of information explained in the beginning in order to set up the plot. Once I read past the first few chapters the rest of the book seemed to go by very quickly. I had a hard time putting this book down because I kept on waning to finish it. I think the plot development for this book was very good and kept very interested in this book.

I am really looking forward to the next book in this series!

Thank you to Kimberly Grymes and Victory Editing Academy for this ARC!

I have never been extremely interested in sci-fi books. Fantasy has always been my go-to. However, I really enjoyed this one! The addition of magic along with the technology and aliens was something that set this book apart from other sci-fi novels.

I was worried at first about there being so many POVs, but Grymes's description of this book being like a tv show where even the side characters have their own stories to tell made complete sense when I read it. It added so much more to the book to be able to watch all of these characters' storylines converge in a climactic ending that left me very upset that I did not have the second part of this duology.

The only reason I rated this 4 stars instead of 5 is because I was able to predict almost all of the plot twists that occurred due to being able to see so many characters' POVs. However, this didn't take too much away from the enjoyability of watching it all unfold.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves science fiction, or even to those who don't because this book was so much more than a book about aliens.

A group of Aliens have been chosen to watch Earth and report on our resource use and overall toxicity as a planet in an attempt to save Earth for their Goddess Isoldesse. The people of Earth, having no idea this happening, cannot recognize the spies in their midst. However as expected, an alternate rebel group is out to destroy the Aevo Compendium to allow their home planet to prosper and evolve. They believe they are the true followers of Isoldesse and that when She returns She will reward them. With magic, alien refugees in hiding, incantations and alien spies all in the mix, how can this sci fi book ever go wrong?

I, like other reviewers, was very drawn to the cover. It's simply gorgeous. I'm not a huge YA reader but am a sci-fi romance/fantasy fan, so I take Science Fiction a little less seriously than some people. I enjoyed the whimsical feel of this story. The world building is okay. Athru, Anumen, Sendarians and the Aevo C. were creative and imaginative concepts. However the new terminology all dropped on the reader in the first 3 chapters was a bit overwhelming, even for me. My advice is move the Glossary to the front of the book and I think that solves a lot. Once I read through the Glossary of Terms, I could re-read and follow the initial story much easier.

The friendship between the Main characters remind me of a sci-fi version of Charmed (loved that show). I could easily visualize this in sitcom form. Overall, by Chapter 7 I was sucked in to the story and couldn't wait to find out what happened. I would definitely recommend it. Ive posted the book under my ARCs story on my Bookstagram @AprilsBookishLife with release date, Goodreads and Twitter. I'll be glad to also post an Amazon review upon release. Thanks for allowing me to read it!

Loved reading this book! So different from my normal reads (being sci-fi YA) but I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover and blurb and it made such a nice change.

Lead character Kenna is drawn into her college friend Meegan’s secrets when she receives a mysterious stone necklace that introduces her to a mysterious older woman with a gold aura. Kenna and Meegan are also about to be taken to another world for a ‘routine’ evolutionary assessment by an alien species with piercing orange eyes 🪐💫 There’s one name that Kenna keeps hearing... ISOLDESSE.

The book was imaginative, with new alien species and a fast pace throughout that meant I couldn’t put it down! I loved that it was quite a matriarchal type of alien society with a princess and queen at the helm. I really liked the descriptions of the alien world creatures too.

I will admit, it was difficult to get into as there was a LOT of different characters, all with unusual names, to remember. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll stick it out because it’s a sign of good imagination when an author can maintain so many characters throughout a story and make you want to follow what happens to several of them. I would also have liked to have read more about the mysterious Ben and Ulissa - I don’t think the psychological gravity of the ‘Ulissa being bonded to Kenna’ situation really ‘hit’ Kenna at any point in this book... but I look forward to reading more about it in the next book!

Isoldesse follows a group of college students as they gear up for finals, graduation, and future plans, while also dealing with aliens meddling in their lives. The book is fast-paced and the reader is immediately thrown into the story action when Kenna receives a crystal necklace that causes strange things to begin to happen to her. It is also told in alternating perspectives that, while confusing at times, add a uniqueness to the story.

Overall, I thought this book was okay. The plot is interesting and the concepts are unique, but the characters and dialog fell a bit short for me. I also felt that the dialogue and characters were depicted as too juvenile for soon-to-be college graduates. If the characters in this book were high schoolers, I would have found it much more believable.

This is a good book if you are looking for an easier science fiction novel. It is easy to digest and was a bit nostalgic for me. It reminded me a lot of the movie Zenon and Flight of the Navigator. It also sets up well for a second installment, so keep that in mind when reading!

Unfortunately, I struggled with this one. I found the characters a little 2D and did not manage to get much further than 50 pages into the book as the world did not feel very realistic and it all felt a little disjointed to me. This could simply be because, for me, this was not the right sort of read. I imagine people who really enjoy Sci Fi YA type reads may enjoy this, but for me it just did not work and I could not persevere on with something I just really do not gel with at all and find unrealistic. I do hope there are others who enjoy it.

4/5 stars. Thank you to Victoria editing for sending me this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book follows Kenna and Megan who are best friends. They are finishing college right when some strange things begin to happen. Meegan has a secret, Kenna is given a strange gift and their friend Darci has a secret too.

This book was really well written, the development of the characters and plot were well paced and I couldn’t put it down . The multiple povs made it even better. The themes of found family and bond of friendships and space and swords instantly made me love this book. I would Definitely reccomend.

Firstly, the cover - beautiful!!!! The navy and the gold are just stunning together.

When a mysterious necklace turns up at Kenna’s door, we are thrown into the story very quickly which was a nice change to slow burners.
However, this ended up being a lot more sci-fi compared to fantasy.

However, once the story was fully underway, it was hard to put down. I loved the multiple points of view and it really helped to build the picture in my mind of what was happening.

I’d absolutely recommend to those who love a contemporary book and also love Sci-Fi.

ARC from NetGalley

2.5 stars

I went into this expecting fantasy and got sci-fi. I don't dislike sci-fi, but I need to be in the mood. This book features characters who are all at least in their early 20s. Still, it reads as incredibly juvenile. Everyone acts as if they are 16. There is some romance, but not much, and what exists isn't really terribly riveting. This book is the first in a series, and it reads as such. The entire book is essentially a set-up for what comes next. There is no character growth. The plot was okay but iffy in spots where I found myself rolling my eyes at the ridiculousness of it all. It wasn't badly written just really young leaning and most definitely sci-fi. Aliens, strange tech, space travel, sci-fucking-fi.

Thank you NetGalley, Tractor Beam Publishing and Kimberly Grimes for an ARC of Isoldesse in return for an honest review.

Wow! This book is incredible!

The first few chapters were difficult as there is a lot of information to get through in order to develop the world, the characters and the plot. It didn't help that I picked this up after the Christmas holidays so my brain was in a bit of a holiday hangover and not retaining half of what I was reading for the first couple chapters. There are also A LOT of characters and species in this series and each of them are integral in the plot so keeping track of them all and their story lines required patience. Once I got a grasp of who's who and the incredible plot Kimberly had built, I was hooked. Beyond hooked! I typically don't read many science fiction books, but honestly I don't know if this book is sci fi or fantasy, it's like a perfect marriage between the two.

Kimberly took so much care in creating this story. Even the smallest details brought so much light to the story. Like who doesn't wish they had a car wash like shower in their house. I have read stories before that put too much focus on the details that they lose sight of the plot, this isn't the case in Isoldesse.

Meegan and Keena are fantastic leads, their strength and problem solving is forefront in the story. I love their inquisitiveness and how bravely they face being 'abducted' and taken to a new planet. You find out so much about these two and who they really are at the end of the book and it leaves you begging for more. There's mystery, romance, friendship, aliens and magic in this wonderful book. It is everything you could wish for in book one of a series (well that, and for the second book to come out as soon as possible).

I highly recommend Isoldesse to anyone that loves a story that sneaks up on you and leaves you thinking. Isoldesse will stick with me for a long time, I have so many questions and can't wait so see what's next for this group of humans and Sendarians as they try to get back what is theirs.

Well done, Kimberly, a fantastic story! Such a fun read!

Isoldesse is a very detailed story about a group of friends Meehan, Kenna, Darci, and Ally who find themselves in the middle of an mission from people not of this world. Their friendship and trust in eachother is tested, as well as their honesty.
I found this book to have very detailed world building, This caused the book to have somewhat of a slow pace in the beginning. HOWEVER,the world building was VERY necessary for the amazing plot that the author built. This book had it all.
Romance ✔️
Testing of friendships ✔️
Betrayal ✔️
Super hot aliens✔️
I would definitely recommend this book!

𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 -𝙽𝚘 𝚂𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚛𝚜
𝑰𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆 by Kimberly Grymes

𝙿𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜
~359 ish? It is hard to tell because if the way NetGalley formats it.

𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎
~4 hours

𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎
NA Sci-Fi

𝚂𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚢
Kenna is a normal, college-bound young adult with internships, social groups, and college studies on the horizon. But her plans get turned upside down when she discovered a stone from an alien race. Without knowing it, she puts herself and those she cares about in the middle of a war between alien races.

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝙴𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢𝚎𝚍
-The cover! I mean, come on! It’s gorgeous.
-This book jumps between the first perspectives of multiple characters. Usually this is terribly confusing, but the author is extremely clear beginning of each chapter who the reader is following.
-Dialogue is realistic and easy to follow.
-the Glossary of terms provided was very helpful

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝙴𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢 𝚊𝚜 𝙼𝚞𝚌𝚑
-Whilst the dialogue was realistic, it was also abundant. Sometimes it felt like characters talked at length about things that could have been said so simply.
-I liked the multiple layers of species in this book, but, as the worlds were revealed, I found myself confused often trying to figure who was who and who was what. The glossary of terms was helpful with this, but it was not my favourite thing to constantly be flipping to the glossary.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐
★★★.5

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
.

Isoldesse is a contemporary style new adult fantasy story of human college students that end up in the middle of a battle between alien races.
Aliens does mean Science Fiction, and this is a story about aliens, but the entire writing style, drama, and plot, I think fits much better with the fantasy world and would appeal more to a fantasy reader than a sci fi reader, so I'm choosing to categorize it as fantasy.
The story is told through multiple POV not only including best friends Meegan and Kenna, but also Darci who is not introduced to our lead characters for quite some time. This makes the start a bit confusing to grip at first since all 3 have such different knowledge bases about what is going on.

This book is PHENOMENAL! It’s a must read for sure!!

Kenna and Meegan are best friends. They’re finishing up college right as some strange things start to happen. Meegan has a secret, their friend Darci has a secret, and Kenna is given a unique gift that opens up a whole strange, slightly scary, mostly exciting path before her and her friends. There are two different groups of people after this set of friends and you’ll spend chapter after chapter piecing together the clues as to what is the truth.

I couldn’t put this book down. These characters and this plot are extremely well developed, and it’s fantastically told from multiple points of view giving you deeper insight into the characters, their circumstances and what they believe.

There’s magic, space travel, advanced technology, dark characters, swords, and the ultimate bond of friendship that makes this my new favorite read. I’m automatically adding Kimberly Grymes to my list of must-buy authors, and recommending Isoldesse to anyone who’s seeking an epic SCI-FI Fantasy adventure!