Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this doesn't influence my review. The synopsis pulled me in, but I didn't like the multiple POVs. Additionally, the time framing was confusing. I did not understand if the past was being written or the present, and the plot was confusing.

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not affected by the free copy.

After losing everything, Reed gives everything to becoming an Aristene, a mythical warrior that leads heroes to victory. One final challenge stands in her way - she must guider her first hero to glory. If she fails, she'll be cast from her home.

I really wanted to love this story, but I just didn't. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but my expectations were high and I feel they weren't met. My biggest issue with this book was the pacing. It felt like it either dragged, or it was choppy. There were some really great, high energy, big plot moments, but instead of building on those moments, it lost all momentum.

I also didn't love the main characters. Hestion was a little too perfect, Reed had too little character growth. Aster, Veridian, and Aethiel were definitely some of my favorites, I would read their books. However, I did love the mixture on mythologies, it was fun to make those connections.

Overall, I felt this book had a lot of potential, but was underdeveloped. There wasn't much info about the big bad, there wasn't much in the realm of character development, and the pacing was off. I do love Kendare Blake though, so I will probably read the sequel.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this arc.

This book had a lot going for it - the writing was strong, the characters were well drawn - but the pacing was slow, and I just couldn't engage as much as I wanted to. Because the writing was so well done, I will likely pick up another book by Kendare Blake, as perhaps the plot and pacing of this particular novel just wasn't doing it for me.

Reed may be an orphan, but she is not without family. She has been preparing to be an Aristene and has finally become an initiate. She has one large task … make sure her first hero finds glory. If successful, she will be an Aristene and stand tall beside her sisters. If her first hero fails, she will be forced to leave the only family she has left. Reed has grand plans, but her hero, Hestion, is not what she bargained for. What secrets about becoming an Aristene will be uncovered? Will Hestion be the hero Reed needs him to be?

Champion of Fate is the first book in the Heromaker series. This fantasy adventure has the making of a grand storyline and although there is some worldbuilding at the beginning of the book, it was artfully included and didn’t feel like drudgery. Blake has created characters that are easy to relate to, even though I have never gone through the ordeals experienced throughout this tale. A great start for what will be a fun series.

Thank you to the publisher for the arc. This seemed like it would be up my alley but however the writing style just wasn’t for me.

This is the first book by Kendare Blake that I've read and what an introduction! I will certainly be picking up her other books/series in the future. Blake's writing is really easy to read and I never felt bogged down by the text, which makes the whole reading process more enjoyable. I also think this lends itself to the accessibility of the book; I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a YA fantasy.

Honestly, I was going back and forth between rating this book a 4 and a 4.5 (I really enjoyed it) and, ultimately, I landed on a 4. I think the world-building, the magic system, and the character development of most of the characters are great. For example, without unloading massive information dumps on the reader, Blake is able to paint a picture of not only the different places/worlds that are visited throughout the story, but she's also able to provide a rich background on the Arestene (group of warrior women - think Amazons and Valkyries - who are assigned to help heroes achieve glory that will then be transferred to their goddess).

The description of the book is what initially caught my attention and lead me to pick it up, and it certainly did not disappoint! I was so wrapped up in the world and the characters, that I just wanted to find out what was going to happen next. Needless to say, I flew through this book and I am now sad that I will have to wait for the second one to come out.

The backstory for the main character, Reed, is simply heartbreaking. From her troubling beginning, you cannot help but root for her throughout the book. Reed's struggles to find her path, while still staying true to herself, is one of her characteristics that I found truly relatable. The twist to Reed's story and the impact that it has on her and who she will become is gutwrenching. Again, I can't wait to see where Blake takes Reed in the second book.

On a side note, I will also say that I loved Sar (a secondary character). Blake's descriptions of him and his mannerisms had me smiling throughout. His ability to provide some comic relief was much needed. I hope he pops back up in the next story somehow.

Part of the reason this wasn't a five-star rating for me was because the second half of the book, which focuses on the war, seems somewhat underdeveloped. Parts of this section of the story seemed a little underresearched or not fully fleshed out. The fighting and the war, overall, seemed to lack a clear sense of hierarchy/organization/understanding. For example, the mechanics of undertaking a siege seemed cursory in the plot and this took me out of it a little. I think that the book would have benefited from a little more accuracy when it comes to the war component.

Another thing that I thought was missing somewhat was the concept of the enemy in the story. Throughout the book, the concept of a rising evil power is brought up with the knowledge that it will negatively impact the Arestene. However, it isn't until almost the end that the name of the enemy is discussed and it's really only talked about in passing. There is no broader description or explanation of how this group is the enemy, what their goals are, etc. The reader just knows they're bad. The backstory for this growing threat may be covered in the next book, but I just wish there had been more information provided in Champion of Fate.

This breaks my heart but had to DNF at 30%. Had a difficult time engaging and sustaining interest. Still getting a copy for the library though because I know our readers will enjoy this more than I did.

The writing has a lot of potential, but the pacing was so slow that it didn't feel very engaging. Love the concept though!

I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read and advanced copy of this title!

Champion of Fate by Kendare Blake was a truly refreshing read! For those who enjoyed Blake's Three Dark Crowns series, the first book in the Heromaker series will also thrill. The main character, Reed, is delightfully strong, driven, and loyal, as are her friends and the Aristene, a mystical order of warrior women who guide heroes to glory to honor their goddess. It has long been Reed's wish to join the order, but she must complete a trial with her hero to win glory and become a full Aristene. The story follows her on this journey with her hero, Hestion.

The world-building in this novel is fantastic, as I feel it blends elements of Norse Valkyrie mythology and that of the Greek gods without feeling copied or overdone. Reed as a character is well-rounded and easy to root for, even as the plot progresses and twists. As a reader who does not love a lot of overt romance, this book does not focus on it as its main theme (which I appreciate). I highly recommend Champion of Fate to anyone who enjoys books about mythology and strong female characters!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 50%. The concept of this was solid but I didn't connect with any of the characters and the writing felt young, even for YA.

This is one of those I want to marinate over, but because it's a Netaglley eARC, I need to get my review done now.

TW: Child abuse, misogyny, desecration of corpses, super mild body horror, self-inflicted wounds

Kendare Blake has a way of taking what could easily be a fluffy fantasy story and making it so much darker and more tangible. Champion of Fate was no difference to this. It's not a happy story with a happy ending, but a story of tragedy and family, loss and gain. Of a girl and a dream and her horse.

Champion of Fate is set in a fantastical world where Heroes are sent divine valkyrie-like beings--immortal women with magic and battle prowess like no others--to usher them into their grand glory and fate. The main character, Reed, is rescued by two such aristene and is given a chance to become one, if she can prove herself through training and discipline, plus passing the hero's trial.

She's a cactus of a person, quick to anger to protect herself and her own, but loyal to the end. And as such, the challenges of her own fate make her question everything. This is truly a story of fate and what it means to follow or avoid it, and the consequences of those actions. It's a story of a found family who would literally do anything to protect one another, even if it goes against all the codes.

And it's a story of hidden truths and mysteries that will hopefully play out in the books to come. Champion of Fate reads like a standalone but also leaves it wide open for sequels (plus, ya know, Goodreads has it listed as the first book in a series).

If you like stories of heroism with a tinge of reality, this is for you.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing me an arc!

Wow! I was BLOWN AWAY by this book. I think part of why I loved it so much is it touched on both themes and ideas we see in ancient mythology - specifically Greek and Viking, which have some of my favorite women warriors.

To me, this very much felt like a Greek epic in how it was parsed out, and it worked so well. Partially because the world building was so amazing and partially because Reed was a magnificent character. I will admit to shedding a few tears at this book.

It drew me in and wouldn't let go. I so wanted to ignore life to finish it.

The relationship of friendship between the three girls was amazingly woven, and I am hoping to see more of it in the future books. I'm also really curious about where the story is going to go from here. Because the set up for the future is intriguing and I'm desperate to see what happens next.

This is a brilliantly written and addictive YA fantasy. I loved Reed, and I loved Silco and all the others as well. It was so well done and I'm impressed.

I'm not eagerly awaiting the next book!

Kendare Blake knocked it out of the park with this one. I love watching the society of hero makers grow and realize their mistakes. Reed can do absolutely no wrong in my opinion. I can't wait to read the next book and im excited to see how some things play out.

Wow, wow, wow. Kendare Blake has done it again with an excellent new story. Everything about this book gave me life. The writing, the plot, the story, the characters. I'm happy to finally revisit this world and absolutely cannot wait for book two!

I didn't love the standalone horror novel from Kendare Blake, but I was a big fan of the Three Dark Crowns series, and this was much more similar to that than to All these Bodies. The book starts with Reed, a young girl who seems to be an outcast in her village, but before we can even find out why, everyone in the village other than Reed is brutally massacred. The invaders take Reed with them, planning to use her as a human sacrifice, but she is rescued by Aster and Veridian, members of an order of mythical female warriors called the Aristene. She is taken in by the order and raised/trained to be a member. Ten years after her rescue, she is ready for her first mission. The Aristene are extremely skilled warriors, imbued with magic and basically immortal. But rather than building their own legendary status, their main purpose is to be hero makers. Each Aristene is assigned/fated to a warrior who has the potential to be a hero. I really liked the premise of this, and I thought the world-building was strong. I liked Reed as a main character (though she's kind of a dummy sometimes, which was frustrating, but she's basically a teenager so it tracks) and I'll definitely read the second book in the duology. I hope some issues with the Aristene order are dealt with a bit more in that one, but either way, I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to Reed and company.

Kendare Blake is a fantastic and imaginative author, accessible for younger readers and enjoyable for older readers. Champion of Fate is a new direction for this author, with the promise of more books to come -- ideal for readers who enjoy sprawling narratives and creative worlds. I recommend this book as its own visit, as well as a continuation read for long-time fans of this author.

This is my first contact with the work of this author and it made me a fan. Has a good balance between action, and fast-paced quests and I found the concept of them being hero makers awesome has a lot of biking vibes too. It feels like a game (as an RPG gamer, keeps me turning the page). It has a great progression from how she joined the order to her first mission. I don't like fantasy focused only on romance, this one has the right amount and good characters. Lots of action,f even war. Awesome.
Also, I like a book where both genres are portrayed equally as strong and efficient instead of making the women look very strong just by making the male characters horribly detestable and weak. Not the case here. I enjoy all characters and am looking forward to reading/collecting the next volume of this duology.

If you were one of those people who had that urge to find a sword and fight with a sisterhood after watching Wonderwoman it's time to find that now because this book gives all the vibes of the Amazons and Valkarie with a dash of immortal horses.

There's lots of action, a touch of romance and some incredibly visual worldbuilding. The banter too! Perfect.

From the start, the story of Reed and her fate among the Aristene captured my attention. Reed is a strong, though flawed, young adult female who is assigned her first “hero” after training eight years for it. The ending was not quite a cliffhanger but had me wanting to know more about Reed’s fate. Highly recommended!

This book gave me goosebumps! So great! I could not put it down, the subtle hints to Three Dark Crowns were fantastic. I love the character development, the face-paced storyline and the complex situations the protagonist had to overcome. 100% recommend to Fantasy fans!