A rich and intricate world with a narrative that holds you until the last page

This book had my heart from the start! A plot with a mysterious and dark man, a bargain and a life-threatening competition? I was sold!

When they say this world was complex, they weren't kidding. Fantasy books are often confusing, but this audiobook format made everything a little bit more difficult. I had some difficulty following the development of the story and understanding the universe but, after the 50% mark, the pace improved drastically

The slow burn was very well-developed, the romance was heartbreaking and amazing at the same time, but I definitely missed the spice.

My main criticism is related to the many repeated phrases/metaphors throughout the book. In addition, the narrator's accent caught me off guard, it made the reading experience a little more complicated than it should have been.

Overall, this was an amazing read. Full of emotion, breathtaking romance and endearing characters, I would definitely recommend this reading!

Dnf at 50%. I don’t even want to try to figure out what’s going on. It started promising but now it’s just become so confusing but also boring at the same time? I don’t know what to pay attention too. I received a free audio ARC from Netgalley. Maybe this would be better to read but when I listened I found myself just not even trying to pay attention.

4.75 fantastic stars!
Initially, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to grasp this one. There was a TON going on right off the bat. The world, the people, the magic, and then the factions within all of those pieces, there was just a lot to take in right away. So I did what I always do with fantasy……. I absorbed what I could, and assumed that if it was important, it would come back to me when I needed it. I was 100% right!
I really loved the layers to this story. Yes there was a lot to take in, but for me, it didn’t cloud the story line as a whole. Obviously some pieces stood out to me more, the braided slaves, the weavers, the shadows, but most of all, the characters!!! I absolutely loved all of the key players. Zaria was an absolute BADASS and I could not get enough of her. Sure, some of her inner thought moments seemed a bit wishy washy, but that was only momentary. She’s head strong, and absolutely determined to protect her siblings. Can’t fault a girl for that! Even in the face of potential inhalation, Zaria came out swinging! Harken was the dark and brooding man of my dreams! He was such a complex character, there was always something new to learn at every turn. I loved him from jump, and didn’t let go of that love, even for a second. Harken always had one eye on everything going on around him, and the other on Zaria, and let me tell you, that built a great amount of tension!
The action in this book about ended me! I held my breath for so much of this book, I think I turned blue at some point! Those races were INTENSE!! Ugh, I can’t with how well done they were! Yeah, they seemed like such a small percentage of the overall book, but if you blinked, you would miss something so vital to the story!
By far, though, the dragon is my favourite piece. How dare you, dear author, have me falling so madly in love with this beautiful creature!! If any harm comes to her in future books, I will absolutely revolt! Huxley (I hope that’s the right spelling) is a sweet precious baby Angel, and I will protect her at all cost!!
All I can say, in the end, is please, PLEASE give this book the chance it deserves. It’s complex and vivid, a world to get lost in.

I absolutely love an epic fantasy romance with a flawed and fabulous leading lady who falls for a Titan of a man with all the cosmic power and an iron clad heart just waiting to be broken apart. Add to it all the background of a brilliantly written and imagined fantasy world, and I am crossing my fingers that Holden comes out with another story in the same world, but this time centered around another of the characters (hopefully about one of her sisters).

This may be a fantasy story set in an imagined world known only to the author, but right out the gate the story grasped my intrigue and kept it to the very last moment. I knew from the moment Harken set foot into the scene that he was going on my book boyfriend list. Woven man and all, he is perfection. He's got all the brooding, rippling muscle, and overpowering brute nature a girl needs in a book boyfriend. Yet, what really set this story apart was the brilliant descriptions and expertly crafted characters. I want the back story to each and every one of them. Please, Lucy Holden, write a story for each.

Also, I HAVE MAD LOVE FOR STORM DRAGON'S AND I WANT ONE SO BADLY.

Definitely add this one to your TO READ list!!!!! You won't be disappointed.

Thank you Fehu Press, NetGalley & the Author for the Audio ARC! All thoughts are my own and I only give honest reviews.

NO REGRETS!!!!

I received this book for free from netgalley for an honest review.

So great I loved this book from cover to cover. It kept me on the edge of my seat.

This is the first book I listen to from this author. The narrator took some getting used too and personally I felt a different narrator, one that can distinguish characters would have been more beneficial. I found that I ended up reading the book then listening to it for this reason. This is especially as the story is very complex in the first 50% of the book due to the complex world, characters and the plot. I did find myself re-reading a few paragraphs to understand the context. Personally, not an easy read and does require concentration. I wish I knew about the end notes which is useful to keep up with all the different terminology used.

What a remarkable book!
Covered all the bases and delved into all the feels.
Some spoilers below, but really just an outline of the story…there’s so much more!!
This book intersperses family, friends, lovers, magical creatures, nasty/dark creatures, other worldly realms, fantasy, life, death, fighting to the death, princes and princesses (sort of) and a dragon.
Based on a family with 3 daughters and 2 sons. The oldest daughter (Zaria) is the protector who watches out for all of them. Until things go terribly wrong… and one of them is taken away…and two are sold as slaves… to the Indigold Lords. But even worse, Zaria is bought by the Savage King…the one who is the most evil of all! Or is he????
Zaria dreams of freedom for herself and her family. She realizes the only way she can become free is by entering a race…one that is known throughout the land to be truly savage. Most who enter do not leave the race…they die!
Great character development. Wonderful descriptions of all that is going on in their world. And…pulls you right in from the beginning!
Thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC Audiobook! (My first ever!!)
Looking forward to continuing the series as the books release!
Woven in Darkness by Lucy Holden.
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

Great story & narration

Great world building, well described characters & fascinating romance.
I loved it.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

A very promising start to a new exciting book series!

This was such a fun read!!! Lucy Holden creates an elaborate world filled with magic, feisty MCs and well written characters!!

This book gave everything I wanted and more! The writing was so easy to digest, and the plot along with the characters kept me engaged the entire time I was reading!

The magical creatures in this book were also an amazing touch! I'll always be a fan of books with dragons 😂

Ultimately the chemistry of the characters was the cherry on top, which led to me giving this such a high rating. I adored this book and I can't wait to read the next in the series!

The description of the book intrigued me to listen/read this book. I recommend for fans of Sarah Maas.

I like the option of having both formats so when I'm commuting I can listen to stories. The narrator took some getting used too and personally I felt a different narrator, one that can distinguish characters would have been more beneficial. I found that I ended up reading the book than listening to it for this reason. This is especially as the story is very complex in the first 50% of the book due to the complex world, characters and the plot. I did find myself re-reading a few paragraphs to understand the context. Personally, noy an easy read and does require concentration. So not a beach read or lazy Sunday read! However, the plot and characters are intriguing and I would recommend reading the book.

The premise of this book was fantastic and the writing was beautiful. I listened to this as an audio book and the narration was amazing. We follow Zaria who is a slave with no recollection of her life before she was enslaved. In an effort to free herself and her siblings she enters a life-or-death race for freedom. The race leads her to join the Savage King, Harken on not only an epic adventure, but a fascinating investigation. With a cast of intriguing characters and a unique magic system this was a really fun read.

There were some moments where I found myself wanting the story to move more quickly. I really enjoyed the story, but I would have been more engaged and enjoyed it even more if it was trimmed up just a bit. I am definitely looking forward to the next book.

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book but I had to DNF this at about 50%. Here are things I really liked: the writing style, the main character, and the world building. The things I did not like about it though I think revolves around the narration of the book. There were, in my opinion, too many characters and the narrator did not have enough of a distinguishable voice for each character. Sometimes I thought it was the main character and then it would turn out to be a man she met in the road. That made it difficult to pay attention to without my complete undivided attention. This one comes out this weekend on kindle unlimited and I will give it another shot then! I think it has great potential but the ARC I was given did not do it for me.

I would be happy to update my review once I read the physical copy.

Woven in Darkness

Plot: .5
Writing: 1
World building: .5
Characters:.5
Themes: .5
3/5

Spice: .5/5 There really isn’t spice in here, just some angst

What you can expect:
- Morally Grey, dark MMC
- Extensive World building
- Interesting magic system based on needles and “weaving” openings between spaces.
- Political intrigue
- Tournament-esque games

Woven in Darkness had a strong start. I was instantly sucked into Zaria, her family, and their slave status via braid. There was a lot of world building, which is expected for a fantasy book, so I didn’t mind it. However, as we went on, the world building never really stopped. I remember looking at how far I was and thinking, “How is there STILL worldbuilding 70% into the book?!”. Because the world is so expansive (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for a story like an epic fantasy series), we get chunky worldbuilding. As a slave, our FMC (Zaria), is completely oblivious to the world and how it works. So we have a lot of world building being explained to her because she asks questions (FBAA flashbacks) and the other big chunk of worldbuilding is through flashes of the MMC’s past. I do appreciate getting the info in different ways but man, it was a lot. I wish there was a glossary of terms or something I could flip to and refer to when something comes up because honestly, I’m still confused.

There were some plot points that I felt were repetitive. I love a good tournament but the way it was done in this book made me question if there could have been a different type of game that could still be used to further the story. I really enjoyed the beginning and I really enjoyed the end but that middle chunk took a bit for me to get through. The pacing was a lot slower. Slower pacing + dense worldbuilding = an almost DNF. I did a light DNF and read a couple spicy books so I wouldn’t burn out. The story has so much potential, I think it could have benefited from less information.

I liked Harkan as a character. He’s old and doesn’t act like he’s 19. That’s a win in my book. I felt like we got to see so much into his life and by the end I knew him better than Zaria. I felt more invested in him as a character even though we don’t get too much growth in the current story.

I loved Huxley. I wanted more of Huxley.

The overarching story was not resolved as this is a series but the ending felt like it was a stand-a-lone. It wouldn’t hurt to give this one a shot because even if you choose not to continue with the series, you’re getting a satisfying ending.

This is NOT a starter fantasy book. This is NOT a spicy book. This is a high fantasy for those who love a unique and extensive world and magic system.

I listened to some of the audiobook and I have to say I enjoyed it much more. The narrator did a wonderful job.

Thank you to NetGalley for an Advanced Listener Copy of Woven in Darkness. This is my honest review.

<b>Thank you to Lucy Holden/Fehu Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book and audiobook to Review. </b>

Woven in Darkness is the beginning of a multi-part Romantacy (Woven Saga). This book focuses on the freeing of Zaria a woman who was enslaved as a child. Zaria tries to be a fierce protector of her "siblings", other orphaned children who mysteriously appeared with her one night. At the beginning of this book Zaria encounters Harken who helps her in her quest to win freedom and riches enough to free her "siblings".

<b>Stars: 3/5
Spice: 2/5 </b>

Things I liked about this book:
- the main character and most of the prominent side characters are described as distinctly not-white
- fun and fascinating world that has been built
- really enjoyed Zaria and Harken's personalities and reasonings for doing things.
- author has interesting ways to describe darker human concepts.
- the romance between Zaria <spoiler>and Harken </spoiler> isn't the central part of the story even though their emotions are a driving force in the book.


Things I didn't love about this book:
- the world created has a lot of its own language (which is cool but confusing), and makes it harder to get into the book and story. The world is completely unique to this author and not rooted in reality or well-established lore (say Harry Potter, Harry Dresden, Alpha and Omega, Emily Wildes's Encyclopedia of Faeries etc) I really wish that there was a glossary to help explain certain concepts or objects (ie the needles) better and maybe a map.

Specific Notes on the Audiobook: Narrated by Heather Takano
- In some places, the words narrated and the text on paper do not line up 100%. It does not change or detract from the experience/story but there are discrepancies (usually inconsequential words are missing).
- The narrator speaks very clearly but the intonation is a little flat. Heightened emotions and dramatic actions are often read in a similar manner as more mundane descriptions. I personally prefer a more dramatic reading that really pulls me along. But this narration was still very pleasant to listen to.

I'll definitely be looking for book two in 2024 to see how things unfold.

Zaria is the main character that we are following through most of the book. She is a slave whose goal it is to win her freedom and protect her siblings. This is a little convoluted as it seems she had money saved and had been working to buy/ pay their way free?
It starts off very strong as we see her meet the other main character, Harken- “The Savage King” in the first few scenes. She also loses her brother, which immediately garners sympathy from the reader. She plans to enter a race that might allow her slave braid to be unwoven. However, when she reached the finish, she realized that the race was rigged all along. The Savage King then buys her. There is a slow-burn romance. We gain insight into the savagery of Harken’s past and the experiences that make him the man he is. I liked the way those reveals happened magically when she touched the slave braid. I also really liked the storm dragon and the relationship that developed there.

The magic system and lands are complex, and there are a lot of extraneous characters that make it hard to keep track. All in all it was a decent storyline and I wouldn’t mind reading the next in the series but it’s not one that I will be eagerly awaiting.

I read this via audiobook, and the Narration by Heather Takano was good. She had a decent rhythm and intonation for the different characters. However, for the editing, I have to say that there are exceptionally long pauses between chapters. Several times I would reach for my phone to see if the app had closed spontaneously, only to have the chapter number read. But it was long enough to make me question even after I had experienced it several times! So annoying!

Many thanks to author Lucy Holden, Fehu Press, and NetGalley for the free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

I couldn't finish this.
DNF
I was so bored and felt like the majority of the story was a history lesson on this imaginary world. Nothing made sense. I felt no connection to anyone.
Listening was a chore.

I did find the writing style beautiful and with maybe a different narrator or more action, less conversation, I could have really enjoyed the story.

I really enjoyed this book! This book is the first in a series but you could possibly read it as a stand-alone.
I had the privilege of being able to listen to the audiobook and read the ebook, and I switched back and forth between audio/reading as I was running errands because I couldn't put the book down!

Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Worldbuilding: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audiobook Narration: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved that the narration wasn't monotone and easy to understand, and the banter made me laugh out loud with the tone it was read in!
Spice(subjective as always): .5🌶️ / 5

To start... the world-building for me was slightly confusing in the first few chapters and it lost me at times, but I was able to pick up on all the concepts and it made sense once I read a little more.
This book is so unique and I loved the fantasy concepts in it! Tropes include mystical court, forced proximity, who did this to you, slow burn, and more!!!!

I actually laughed out loud in some scenes of this book, especially with scenes of Gemory lol. This series has so much potential due to the world-building and magical aspects of it, and I can't wait to learn more!

On to a slight spoiler summary
Zaria and her siblings are slaves, and she enters a race to be rid of her slave braid (slave collar vibes) and to help her siblings become free as well. through events that happen in the beginning, she ends up not being crowned winner of the race but is claimed by the Savage King instead. Surprise surprise, the savage king and Zaria have a bargain that will end in her freedom, but they end up falling for each other. Through betrayal (no cheating), Zaria and the savage king are split right before she enters a second race that will give her land and coin if she wins. The races so far have been rigged and Zaria almost dies in the second Mavericks Race due to a force named Anahita, but is saved through the savage king!! (i died when he explains to her how he felt her last breath). The ending ends in Zaria being able to free her siblings from their slave braid, but it also sets up the stage for the next series where the evil Anahita will likely come back.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing a copy of this audiobook and e-book for me to review! All opinions are my own <3

Clean Fantasy Romance. I would've loved to have some of the chapters in the MMC perspective. Also, the FMC - they make a big deal about her back ground and then don't talk about it at all at the end of the story. It was a good story though. I wasn't bored and I liked the characters. The FMC was kind of bad ass. I did feel like for as long as it was the book ended very abruptly.

Thanks for the chance to read this e-ARC. The writing was so good - sometimes the prose just made stop in my tracks.

I wish I knew a little bit more about the world in general, but it was certainly an immersive fantasy tale! Just a little bit of spice, and I loved “Little Criminal” Zaria and her new “owner”, the Savage King Harken.

I’m absolutely looking forward to book 2 in the Woven Series!

The narration was wonderful!

Woven in Darkness is the first book in a new fantasy series by Lucy Holden. Zaria is a slave that is just trying to get a better life for herself and her siblings. But she finds herself claimed by Harken, the Savage King. They both have secrets and an enemy that wants them dead.

The worldbuilding in this book was magical. There were aspects of it that reminded me of a much darker Maggie Stiefvater’s “The Scorpio Races”. Zaira is such a rich and wonderful character, you just want to cheer for her.

The audiobook was very well done. In fact, I think one of the only reasons I was able to finish this was because the narrator did such a good job. If you decide to read this book, I would suggest the audio.

The reason that this book wasn’t rated higher was because I just didn’t get as engaged in the story as I wanted to be. There were also parts of the plot that seemed rushed, while others were drawn out – pacing was a definite issue for me. Trigger warnings for torture and abuse, it was very descriptive in a way. If you are a reader similar to me then these this book might not be for you.

Overall, I will probably check out this author again because there was so much good. I probably will not continue the series, but was glad to read it. I think this is an excellent world that Lucy Holden built and a great base for a story, there were just some pacing issues that I struggled with.