I was GIFTED with this E-ARC because I am part of Elisa's street team for this book and I'm completely amazed by the incredible world building, the character arcs, and all the magical/fantastical elements. Right from the get-go I fell in love with our MC, Seri, and quickly learned to love the other women around her as well, Eshai, Tsana and Raya. I've read many books with strong female characters but this was the first time I felt I could relate to all of them individually. Their walks in life varied greatly but their common feature was their love/loyalty for others and their courage in the face of great adversity.

Growing up, I didn't have books with Filipino characters and the ones that have come out in recent years have all struck me to my core in a way I didn't realize they would. DAUNTLESS was no different. This is the kind of book I WISH I had as a teenager. This is the kind of book that I'm so glad is being published so other young Filipino's can read it and SEE pieces of themselves reflected in these amazing characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! While it took me a while to
get used to the writing style and be truly invested in the
characters, I ended up reading the last three quarters
really quickly.
I would say the story has somewhat of a slow start, but
that isn't without reason. Bonnin really takes her time to
introduce her world without having to hold the reader's
hand through it. It's up to the readers to put the pieces
together themselves. I think part of the reason it took me
a minute to grasp the details of the world was because
unlike most epic fantasy stories, words that mean
something specific beyond the traditional definition are
not capitalized (ie beasts, valiants, valor). But once you
get past that, the rest is pretty easy to take in.

“Armor reflects a valiant’s heart, and a strong heart requires more than just life.”

In a world where people are hunted by beasts and beasts are hunted by people, we meet Seri, a settler on the edge of the known world, assistant to famed valiant leader Eshai Unbroken. Seri is running from her past, unaware of her true position in society. As Seri encounters a new side to her world, she learns truths that lead her to question what she has been lead to believe.

Dauntless is a multiple POV fantasy. It is Filipino-inspired and has LGBTQ+ representation. Tropes include childhood friends-to-lovers, star-crossed lovers, secret/unknown parentage, secret abilities, magical weapons/armor.

Personal Opinions:

I DEVOURED this book. It is one of my top books of the year. The world building was just slow enough to not be overwhelming and just quick enough to know what was going on. The pace at which information was revealed was perfect. I stayed engaged throughout the entire story.

The world Elisa builds is incredibly immersive. The attention not just to detail, but to the right details is consistent throughout the book. The character development does not fall second to the world building. Every character felt completely real and I understood their motivations. The book was fun to read, but also emotional and tense and shocking at times. The romantic relationships didn’t feel like they took away from the plot, but rather encouraged it.

I would recommend this book to literally everyone.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for providing access to an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Be dauntless,” he quoted. “for the hopes of the People rest in you.”

First going into this book, there was a lot I didn’t understand, which is the case in most fantasy books. But once I got the hang of the terms, it was very easy to immerse myself into the story and the lives of the characters.

Dauntless follows Seri, a young girl who is the assistant to Eshai Unbroken, a war hero and an inspiration to the People. Through the book, we see Seri discover unexpected things about herself and the world around her. She questions what she has learned innumerable times, and her character development was truly remarkable to see.

Through this multi-POV book, it was very easy for me to connect with the characters and what they were going through. Their inner conflict was so refreshing to read and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

The worldbuilding in Dauntless is commendable. The world has been so beautifully crafted, and the writing as a whole has to be one of my favourites. The action sequences kept me glued to the page, and the descriptions transported me into the book.

The romance in the book was also so well done! It wasn’t too fast or slow, and truly was a breath of fresh air. Overall, I loved this book a lot and definitely recommend this to anyone who’s looking for something that will keep you at the edge of your seat with its plot twists and have your heart aching for the characters.

The worldbuilding has got to be my favourite part of the book, love it was visualised! Oh, the action! Honestly, this book is very well written to appease the senses, lovely debut.

Actual rating: 4.5

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! While it took me a while to get used to the writing style and be truly invested in the characters, I ended up reading the last three quarters really quickly.

I would say the story has somewhat of a slow start, but that isn't without reason. Bonnin really takes her time to introduce her world without having to hold the reader's hand through it. It's up to the readers to put the pieces together themselves. I think part of the reason it took me a minute to grasp the details of the world was because unlike most epic fantasy stories, words that mean something specific beyond the traditional definition are not capitalized (ie beasts, valiants, valor). But once you get past that, the rest is pretty easy to take in.

But where Dauntless truly shines is in its worldbuilding! Though smaller in scale compared a lot of high fantasy I've read before, I was thoroughly impressed with how much detail and nuance Bonnin was able to include in her story in terms of the magic system as well as the politics of the different groups represented, all within a span of relatively fewer pages than most epic fantasies! And it was executed so expertly that it never felt info-dumpy or confusing. The way both plot and worldbuilding unraveled themselves was so masterfully paced that every single chapter felt intentional and meaningful.

While this has been pitched as being Filipino-inspired, I would temper high expectations with regards to Filipino influence since beyond the characters' physical appearance, food references, and the tropical setting, not much about the world's mythology feels particularly Filipino, at least according to my limited knowledge. In terms of the sapphic romance, I really loved that element of the story despite it not being the focus of the plot. Still, it was beautifully written and depicted.

Dauntless was truly something unlike anything I've ever read before. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quick fast-paced adventure with awesome action scenes, intriguing political dynamics, and animal companion stories. This is accessible and can be enjoyed by anyone from young teens to adult fantasy readers.

THIS BOOK. GIVE ME 80 COPIES OF IT. I don't even know where to begin with how much I loved reading this. It was so beautiful. The writing was incredible and stood out to me compared to other YA fantasies (which I read a lot of). The relationships in this were also really good particularly between Seri and Tsana. They felt so honest and watching their relationship develop was one of of my favorite parts of reading this. When they were traveling together along with Eshai, These characters were so wonderfully written on their own and together, they were unstoppable. I loved them so much and they were such hot mess sometimes lol. I felt like I was with them because of how visceral the writing and their characterization was. The concept of the beasts that unraveled throughout was really interesting and I feel like I haven't experienced anything like that before. That's what I loved most about this book: it was so unique. I know it's Filipino-inspired and I'm glad that we finally have some rep in that direction because it was so refreshing to read this and get a new kind of fantasy. I love this book so much and I will not stop recommending it when it releases!

This was such a gripping fantasy! I love when a book makes you feel like you’re really there, and I highly enjoyed it! I really loved the friendship and relationship between these two main characters!

3.75 Stars
Dauntless was such a fantastic time! It truly deserves credit for being the only thing I could read during the school year reading slump. With that, I’ll start with the positives. This book was a WIN for the girls out there. It featured strong, growing, but also struggling hopeful women. I rooted for all of them and found myself genuinely excited about how their missions were doing and the developments that came with it.

The other nice thing about Dauntless was how friendly of a fantasy book it is to those new to the genre. The matter is like two sides of a coin. Power systems here aren’t very elaborate, though enough for me to personally enjoy the story while keeping track of everything. Overall, it depends on your level of wants when it comes to fantastical elements.

Like any other book, there were aspects of Dauntless that I struggled with while reading. The pacing was frustrating with the way it kept turning in circles. Progress came, but I constantly felt like old repetitive events turned back when they could’ve left more room for world development.

The romance here was slightly disappointing. I can count on my fingers the amount of Southeast Asian sapphic books I’ve read, so I was ready for more. The excitement was definitely there for the relationship, but it took a hard hit with how tight the dedicated time was. There was constantly show rather than tell and I was left with not feeling their supposed deep attachment or feelings.

To wrap it up, this was a lovely book! A fun, enjoyable time that marks ground as a solid debut. I recommend you check it out for a quick Asian inspired fantasy read!

Thank you to Macmillan and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I LOVED this book so much! The worldbuilding was so full and lush, I loved how the reader was immediately dropped into Seri's world and learned along with her as she traveled. I felt like I was in a tropical rainforest while reading. There were so many interesting details, like how the valiants' armor changed color and shapes depending on their "hearts" and personalities, the different languages and stories, the meanings of their names, etc. It really felt like a fully fleshed out world!

I loved Seri's character too, she was a joy to read about and follow, and the side characters were all well developed and enjoyable to read about too. I loved Seri and Tsana's relationship, of course, and the mysteries about Seri's past and heritage kept me guessing and wanting to read more throughout the whole story.

Loved this! Five stars all around.

This book was amazing! I had high expectations going in because of all the hype, but it was even better than I expected. Great characters, great story, 10/10 would recommend to others.

I received an ARC copy of this novel from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A world overrun by beasts. A young girl trying to find her place in the world after a troublesome past. But what if they were one in the same? What if the world you thought you knew, was a whole lot bigger and different than you ever could imagine.

Our main character, Seri, has had a rough life. She was an orphan at a young age after her mother's untimely death and her father's disappearance. Her only friend, Ithim, well, we don't talk about Ithim. Seri joined a traveling settlement to get away from all the ghosts that haunt her in Elaya.

Esthai, the leader of this group and also a legend among the known world for her bravery and sharp wits. She leads Seri and the rest of her valor to a new spreading tree to create a new settlement and to extend the known world.

Tsana, an unexpected hiccup for both Seri and Esthai. Seri cannot help but be drawn to this mysterious figure in more ways than one. But Tsana is hiding a big secret. Will Seri choose to follow everything she has ever known or risk it for someone she just met but can't seem to get out of her head?

I apologize but this was the most "okay" book I've read this year. From the synopsis and and the cover, this book seemed to be just like "The Hunger Games" and it excited me so much. But that could not be farther from the truth. You are immediately thrust into the world without any lead in or explanation. It's assumed that you would know what the world was about and it was confusing. I know that some books are similar but they take the time and world build discreetly, almost like you don't even know it's world building. This book? There was very little world building until closer to the end of the book. I'll admit the book ended better than it started but it didn't have much competition.

I just couldn't bring myself to root for the characters. They were just very two dimensional. I did not develop an attachment to any of them. It did offer great LGBTQ representation and POC representation. But other than that, I just did not enjoy this book.

This is a book I can tell will stay with me for a long time.
The shining star of Dauntless is without a doubt the characterisation. Seri and Tsana are loveable and relatable while still feeling their age and incredibly human. Bonnin handled their relationship and coming-of-age arc beautifully. This is the perfect book for little girls to see themselves, to accept that it's okay to change, to need help, and most importantly, to fight for what you believe in.
The wonderful writing, world building, and magic system were beautiful and completely immersive with a dark underside of moral ambiguity that added a thought-provoking depth to the book. However, this never took over the story. The found family, coming-of-age narrative and romance sub-plots create the needed light and hope to balance the dark.
This was a beautiful book that deserves to get so much love!

3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 4.

There's a lot to enjoy in "Dauntless", an action-packed tale of a guilt-stricken young woman trying to find her place in a world that's filled with rampaging beasts. The battle sequences, the unique armor, and the backstory that emerges between points of character building are engaging and cinematic; I saw so much of what I was reading in my head that it felt very much like a fun film. Unfortunately, the central romance falls flat - why oh why does the author skim over their first few interactions? They literally meet, and then the sentences are about that they continued to do so and enjoyed getting to know one another over the next few days. Talk about glossing over the fun parts! It made rooting for them difficult because I didn't really know why they liked each other, what they had in common, how they functioned together... nothing.

Still, everything else is great fun. This one reminded me of kaiju stories and the like in the best of ways. It felt very much like a young YA book - and it was awesome fun.

Wowza! Fierce! And look at that cover. Gorgeous.

I loved this story and hope there will be more.

This is a story of a girl, who is suffering from grief and guilt, and is trying to find a place in her world. The world is harsh. It is People against Beasts. The Valliants, the army of the people go out and hunt the Beasts to get their armor, to make themselves stronger, to get their magic and power. Yes, there's a kind of magic in this world, that is not completely understood or revealed.

Soon, our MC Seri gets herself a job working as a sorts of an assistant to a high level Valliant. Soon they find their town under attack from the Beasts, and it seems very coordinated. The Beasts aren't as wild as they have been told they are for years. Soon Seri, and her boss find out there is more to the jungle and beyond the tree in the unknown world.

I loved how lush this story is. The world might be lacking as we are only concentrating on what is known to the People and Seri, but what we are told - it is a beautiful and dangerous. I loved how layered all the characters were, and how their believes and values intertwined and built up to that ending. I loved the danger, the betrayals, the hunts.

I wish for more information on Seri and her family, but I guess I'll have to wait for the next book as this left a very open end for future adventures with Seri. I would return to this world and their adventures any time.

A breath of fresh air, this book is all the good things. It has a well crafted story, a plausible tension, love, honor, and telepathic beasts. I adored the casual Filipino detail of it, as well as the camaraderie of good friends brought together under impossible circumstances.

A gem!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced read.

Many of our middle graders and young adults will enjoy the story. Adults and avid fantasy readers are unlikely to enjoy as the world building isn’t there and the characters are a bit flat. Stopped reading at 10% but if it continues as it has, our YAs will likely enjoy at three very easy stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book! I love that it has a lot of strong women characters. Adventure-packed and also filled with references to Filipino culture such as the tinikling. I can't wait for Book no.2! Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy!

I was immensely looking forward to this. The premise sounded intriguing and so many reviews were raving it. But this book felt very mediocre and fell flat for me. I was disappointed by the world building as well as the surprise multi pov. It may be a great read for those who don’t like heavy world building and a quick and easy fantasy, but for avid fantasy lovers, it will likely also fall short for them.

After a tragic event involving the loss of her childhood friend, Seri volunteers to be the aide to the Eshai Unbroken, a legendary Valor, who was helping to build a new settlement in a spreading tree on the border of the known world. In a world where the threat of beasts has forced civilization into the trees, Valors are the only ones who can explore out into the world and protect the settlers as they farm and gather water from the base of their trees. Valors gain superior ability through their armor, which is made from the beasts they have killed.

When Seri meets Tsana, she is immediately fascinated by her strange clothes and name. After spending a few days together, Seri sees a light walking off into the dangerous rainforest. She chooses to follow it and ends up discovering that Tsana and her master can speak with the beasts, and that the beasts are about to attack the city. Can Seri protect her people? Are the beasts truly mindless? And why can't Seri stop thinking about Tsana?

The beginning of this story gave me a fan fiction-esque vibe with how quickly it dove into the middle of a story, however the rest of the book flowed much better and was suitably fast paced and exciting. The characters were beautifully developed and the world history was well developed. But it felt a little far fetched at times and some of the world building was less than complete- they lived in trees and yet had no better way of fetching water than using buckets from the dangerous ground? There was really no way in place for non-valorants to move to a different city? Or at least not an explained method. But overall, these really are superfluous things that I care way too much about.

In the end, I really enjoyed this book and I almost wish that instead of the epilogue, the author had made a sequel following that storyline, but I am excited to read the next book in the series regardless. I would recommend this story to anyone that enjoys Filipino inspired worldbuilding, lesbians, and expeditions in the rain forest beyond the known world in order to save a civilization.