"The Ghost and the Fallen" is a na fantasy romance written by Lana J. Prince, the first installment of a currently ongoing series.

It is a book that left me with conflicted feelings! On paper it had all the makings of winning me over, and in part it did! I was captivated by the enchanting world building inspired by the Victorian era, the intricate magic system, the plot full of action, subterfuge, deception and mysteries, and the complex, tormented and interesting characters. The problem that spoiled everything a bit? The writing!

I admit that on the one hand I enjoyed the prose. On a purely aesthetic and visual level (places, clothing, physical appearance of the characters, etc...) it convinced me. I found the descriptions vivid, evocative, and enchanting. I loved the way certain settings were depicted, so much so that I ended up in a swoon. The problem is everything else! The pace seemed slow and heavy to me, made worse by the presence of rather long chapters. The narration gets lost between empty and chaotic situations, unable to find the right middle ground. Sentences are often unnecessarily convoluted, with numerous repetitions that made reading extremely difficult for me. I felt a general sense of dragging, at times truly exasperating. Not to mention the coldness of the text! The writing seemed cold, detached, and dry of emotion. I felt no passion and this prevented me from getting attached to the story and the characters. And I'm really sorry about that! Because, as mentioned above, I loved the general idea of the various elements, sensing their charm and potential. But in detail the book conveyed nothing to me, except boredom and frustration.

All in all, this is a book with fantastic premises and great potential, which unfortunately did not convince me because of the writing!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lana J. Prince for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me ignoring my family and housework so I could binge read and solve this mystery. Apollo and Jinx are end game ❤️ I was surprised how quickly I fell in love with both characters despite their flaws and secrets. There was such a subtle shift in Apollo's feelings and actions toward Jinx that made it all feel natural and genuine. The magic in this world was unique and different from other fantasy books and I found myself more invested in the story because of it. Another shining star in this book is the dynamic of the Voclaine family. I loved all the siblings and their nuances and quirks. The characters felt so real and I appreciated the intelligent debates and character development we witness.

The story hints at bigger things coming and gives direction to future plot lines. I can't wait for the next book and to see where this cliffhanger left us! Overall, a great binge-able book with unique magical aspects, slow burn relationship, and who-dun-it mystery! ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

✅ Impossible choice between love and family
✅ Love the sibling dynamic
✅ Fight between the gods that affects mortals
✅ Bargains and debts

➖ Polish up some grammatical errors
➖ Lost momentum at some points, slowing the story down
➖ I got confused at some spots when Jinx would shift and it wasn't explicit that she shifted back so I wasn't sure what face she was wearing

“The Ghost and the Fallen” by Lana J. Prince

In Somnium a plague twenty years ago caused the inflicted to become the “Cursed”. The Cursed are people with magical abilities that are easy to pick out with their silver ringed eyes. The Cursed are forced into a life of secrecy and evasion, as they are relentlessly hunted.

Jinx has an illusionist ability that she can change her appearance at any moment which helps in her profession of theft. She did not become cursed because of the plague though; she made a willing deal with a demon to ensure her family to be financially taken care of. The loophole to the deal is she must solve a riddle before her impending twenty-first birthday, an ominous deadline that looms ever closer.

Apollo Voclaine, Son of the Seven- the seven aristocratic families that rule Somnium. He hides the fact that he is cursed with the help of a magical ring. When the ring gets stolen by Jinx is sets a new deal in the works. Jinx will help Apollo if he helps her in return. Joining forces, they set out to find a lost artifact. Will Jinx and Apollo end up falling in love with each other in the process?

The last 40 pages of the book was EVERYTHING!!!!!!! I absolutely loved this book so much. I really liked the characters and their trauma and how it brings them closer and keeps them apart throughout the entire book. It is a slow burn type of romance for most of it but I’m really hoping for them the entire time. I liked the world building and magic system and dystopian quality to the story. And like I said the ending was so good that I’m going to have trouble waiting for book two. Perfect 5 out of 5 stars.

*ARC Reader*

I received this ebook in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is unquestionably worth reading! I enjoyed the plot, the vibe, the characters, I don't think I've read any similar fantasy book!

This is an exhilarating fantasy tale set during the Victorian era, concluding with a thrilling cliffhanger that will leave you on the edge of your seat. If you have a passion for enchantment, intrigue, a dash of romance, and a touch of excitement, then this book is a must-read. I particularly relished the witty exchanges between the central characters and found their dynamic thoroughly engaging.

An immensely enjoyable read, this fantasy book boasts magic, character growth, enemies to lovers trope, clandestine alliances, emotional turmoil, captivating romantic anticipation, and intricately crafted world-building.

I gave this book 3 stars because there were moments that seemed to drag a bit, and at the beginning the story felt a bit rushed. Also the writing style is not one of my favorites here.

Overall, I enjoyed this read and I would recommend this book to any fantasy book lover! I think I will give book two a chance as well because of the cliffhanger.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me the eARC!

To begin, I'm not sure how so many pages went by with absolutely nothing occurring in them, it was painful to read knowing that if I skipped a chapter, there would be no plot progression. Sometimes I could like the book, and then it dragged on and on. The dialogue is overwhelming in the book, and the world-building is lackluster. I enjoyed the idea, I really did, just not the execution. This book could benefit from being half as long and telling the same amount of information. To top it all off, it needs to be edited, I found some glaring grammatical errors throughout the book that diminished the experience.

Character-wise, I liked Jinx and could grow to MAYBE enjoy Apollo. I get that he needs to hold back emotions because of the "demon" but at this point the character is dull, and honestly a bore to read about, the lying to Jinx and withholding information just made him seem like an edgy teenager, like come on.

I think, in another life, I would finish this series, but for now, the amount of skimming that was performed at the end of the story won't make the journey worth it to me.

This book was highly enjoyable. I would describe it as a magical mystery set somewhere in the 1890s. We have our two main characters; Jinx and Apollo. Jinx, who is also known as the ghost, discovers friendship, love as well as self discovery. Apollo is a misunderstood but lovelvable character with his own secrets. I love these two so much, and the tension was undeniable. The slow burn was well worth the wait. There is a little bit of spice but only one scene. I thought the writing was well done although the first chapter a little confusing and very different to the rest of the book. I did notice some vocabulary for things being changed within the book (muscle and organ) but otherwise this book was great. I also highly enjoyed the descriptions of jinx's illusions, it helped me too see the world and characters even vividly. I cannot wait for book two because, hello? That cliffhanger?? Hopefully I can receive an arc for book 2! Thank you so much Netgalley and Lana. J.Prince for giving me this arc and opportunity. This has become one of my favourite reads of 2023 so far and I look forward to seeing where this series goes!

I requested to recieve an early copy of this book due to the amazing blurb and story set-up. As much as I wanted to love it, I feel it was a little let down by the dialogue and plot seeming "rushed". There were moments where I would think "wow okay, I think I could really enjoy this" and then some piece of dialogue of info-dumping would set off the pace for me and read as somewhat jarring.
I admire this authors ability to easily shift into the tone and style of different characters and I loved the multiple POV's we got! The story itself was pretty unique, which I enjoyed, but sadly I did not finish reading. As much as I would love to have been able to, the written style didn't come together for me and that made it hard to get through. I think in terms of diaglogue, it would be helpful to use more conjunctives (I realise this is meant to be set in a regency style era however, the lack of use of conjunctives left the dialogue feeling really stuntedand took away from the actual content.)
I do want to end my review by saying that the world the author has imagined in The Ghost and the Fallen has clearly been well-thought-out and lots of time and energy have gone into it's creation - which I deeply admire. I believe that my issues with reading were more related to my personal reading preferences and I would encourage anyone who enjoys enthralling worlds. an array of sassy characters and mysterious plot points - to give this book a go.

You know that scene in Legally Blonde when Victor Garber's character says "it's like she woke up and said, 'I think I'll go to law school today?'" That's kind of how this book reads. I finished this one about a week ago, but it was so poorly written that I just had to let it stew for a little bit. This is a book that reads like it was written by an underacheiving highschooler with a fast approaching deadline and a minimum word count requirement, and before turning it in decided to run it through a thesaurus function without giving any thought to the context of the words replaced. I feel kind of bad saying that, because I googled the author, and upon reading her About Me section, all of the above statements totally check out. Now of course there is something to be said about this being an uncorrected proof copy before publication, but honey, there's unedited, and then there's uneducated. I really stuck it out to get through this book, at great mental turmoil.

There is so much wrong with this book that I don't even really know where to start. But, start, I must. Did this book even go through any editing before sending it to the publisher? If so, Prince desperately needs to hire a new editor. I'm inclined to believe it didn't, though, because it very much has first draft energy. There are loads of typos and incorrect (and sometimes made up) words. It's cringeworthy. "Habituated" instead of "habitated." "Origination" instead of "origin." "Dammed" when she definitely meant "damned." "Glinted" when she meant "glimpsed." "Churned" when I'm pretty sure she meant "charred." Girl. Where is your editor!? Those are just examples I took note of. I had to stop because it was driving me insane. Hubs noted that English may not be her first language, and that in her native language she probably sounds brilliant. I mean, that's a very real possibility, and I don't feel great about tearing her apart like this, but still. She flip-flops sporadically between past and present tense narration as well, which is one of the most confusing things a writer can burden their readers with.

Even without the horrendous use of the English language, this author is a bad storyteller. There are no juicy plot threads, the chapter structure is basically nonexistent, and everything just miraculously and conveniently works to move the story along. The author uses "just then" or "suddenly" way too much. It's like she couldn't come up with a smooth or relevent segue, so she just made it happen abruptly. And that's the big thing that gives this book first draft vibes. That's the kind of thing you do while speed writing just so that you can keep the narrative going, but then make sure to go back in and flesh out later, something Prince clearly has no intention of doing because this book officially hits shelves in less than two months.

It's also painfully bland in terms of character development. I once had a creative writing teacher tell me not to be afraid of the grotesque or the ugly. That little piece of advice came to mind so often while reading this book. Every single character is ethereally beautiful in one way or another. There are no physical or visible flaws to add depth. The depth that she has attempted to create with these characters falls flat because of her lack of research and understanding of them. For example, the "twins," Fey and Thatcher, do not read like twins at all. And I'm not just talking about the fact that they're so different. That's normal twin behavior. They're either carbon copies of each other or they're nothing alike, and there's no in between. No, what I'm talking about is the fact that Thatcher comes across as a young adult, while Fey reads as juvenile. Thatcher is a student at university, yet Fey has a governess? Come on. And for the record, if Fey really is a serious ballerina who dances three hours a day, EVERY DAY, she's going through more than one pair of pointe shoes a year. It's more likely that she's going through a pair every month, if not every week. But, I digress. And another thing. You're telling me that Jinx, the Ghost of Somnium, is only afraid of one thing in this world and that thing is spiders? No. Not buying it. Also, she throws goose eggs in about some of the characters that never really go anywhere and she never comes back to in any way. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt here, though. It's possible those plot points will come up in subsequent books.

And let's discuss this underdeveloped and inconsistent magical system, shall we? The Cursed are essentially a race of people who posess magical abilities. Prince describes the source of this magic as an organ in the abdomen in the first half of the book, then switches to calling it a muscle (which is honestly way more satisfying and significantly less uncomfortable than the use of the term "organ"), but then peters back and forth between both words towards the end, like she can't decide, then finally settles on telling us that it's not really either. As if that's not confusing enough. Some of the Cursed are born that way, so it makes sense that their biological make up could be different from normal humans. However, other Cursed characters in the book had their abilities thrust upon them later in life as the result of a bargain with a "demon," meaning they were human until all of the sudden they weren't. And Prince describes their use of their magical abilities as coming from this same organ. Why and how do they now posess a different anatomical structure.

I could keep going, but at this point I feel like it's just cruel to do so. I'm sure someone is going to like this book, and good for them. That someone is just not me. I will admit that the last two or three chapters got pretty engaging, but by then I had already decided that I just couldn't keep banging my head against a wall with this story. It cuts off in a really awkward place, and not in the good, cliffhanger-y way a first book in a series should. I guess, on the bright side, you could maybe turn the reading of this book into a drinking game. Depending on your rule list you'd be trashed or dead from alcohol poisoning by the end of it.

Sorry I had to be so brutal, this is just my honest opinion.

TTFN

Anxious Housewife

I really, really loved this book. The lore is absolutely fascinating and is revealed to the reader in the perfect way. I was left feeling like I was discovering what was going on as the MCs were, but without falling into the pitfalls of just feeling like no one had a clue what was going on. The plot unraveled at a medium-pace and I think it was balanced perfectly with character development and relationship dynamics. Apollo and Jinx are characters I really came to care about and rooted for. The family dynamic with the rest of the Voclaines was such a lovely read and I’m desperately hoping for a happily ever after in subsequent books.

U fortunately, the start of this book isn’t reflective of the overall story. There is no balance between information necessary to the reader and the immersion necessary to fall immediately in love with a book. At one point, the Voclaines were introduced by running off a list of their names, only to be immediately forgotten. One of my biggest issues with this book was the overuse of the MCs’ names in their own POV. We know who it is and starting every new sentence or action with Jinx or Apollo was incredibly jarring and I would have DNFd this book at 13% if it wasn’t an ARC. There were also some questionable descriptions that either felt like the author was trying a bit too hard or they simply didn’t make any sense at all.

“Lines of purple edged the slits of his round eyes.” - slits, by definition, are not round.

“Jinx smacked her lips together, the aftertaste of the sandwich leaving an unpleasant aroma in its wake.” - Are we talking about bad breath here? What is this bringing to the story? It feels completely unnecessary and adds nothing to the scene.

Similar to the above, we have mention of Apollo’s saliva pooling in his mouth and it just leaves one feeling confused as to why this is a part of the book.

The smut in the book is also filled with reference to Apollo’s saliva/drool and these were very questionable descriptors, in my opinion, especially for the type of scene. It left me with the feeling that Apollo was a dog watching his owner eat a steak.

There were a few continuity issues with the blooming flower pin, the washing of the hair, the climbing of the roof.

Duke Voclaine doesn’t seem like a man who would scurry.

Despite the negatives I personally found in this book, these are easily fixed execution issues. I am left with an overwhelmingly positive feeling about this book. The author has created a fascinating world with characters that have depth, flaws and complexity that feel very relatable. The ending was the perfect mix of stress for the characters I’ve grown to love and excitement for what could be coming next. I’m in awe that this is the authors first book and can’t wait to see what else they have to offer.

Fantasy
Romance
Mystery
Grumpy MMC
Dangerous MFC
Secret Society
Spicy

Jinx has not had contact with her Mother and uncle since she was eight years old. Living in the slums in absolute poverty was too much to handle. To help her mother, Jinx went into the forest to find the legendary creature of the woods to make a bargain to help her family.

The creature granted her wish at a cost, she was not allowed to contact her family in any way unless she solved the riddle that ended her curse. Breaking the rules meant instant death for her mother.
The curse has its benefits because she is able to change her form in any way, mimicking anyone she wanted to be.

The only way for Jinx to survive on her own is through crime. Now that she has turned 20, she only has a year left to break the curse.

Apollo Voclaine, an emotionless son of a Duke teams up with Jinx to try and break the curse. He fights to remain cold and distant towards Jinx but he keeps slipping up.
He has his own reasons to break the curse, because the reason for him supressing his emotions is eating him up alive.

Jinx moves into the Voclaine Mansion under false pretences and quickly falls in love with Apollo’s parents and siblings. She has not known love like this since she was home with her own mother and dreads the day the farce ends and she has to move on.

This is an action packed fantasy set in Victorian times and ends on a nail biting cliff hanger. If you love magic, mystery with romance and some spice then this is the book for you. I loved the banter between the two main characters and enjoyed the way they interacted with each other. I gave it four stars because there were parts that felt a bit slow but after a while it picked up nicely. I look forward to the next book of the series.

This book is definitely worth reading.


I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Lana J. Prince for this e-arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lana J Prince for this opportunity to read rate and review this arc which will be available November 9,2023!

Another romantasy about magic users being bad and outlawed and the FMC is a self appointed orphan to protect her family from the fact that she’s a magic user. She visits a creature in the woods that is from her dreams and is given a year to break the deal, solve the riddle and can go back to her family. Enters the MmC who is also a bad magic user hiding his powers and que the angst, the banter and the adventure.

The book was ok. It’s a different spin on the same trope we have had in the romantasy genre for the last few years.

The Ghost and the Fallen is a story of a young girl who made an unfortunate deal at the tender age of 8 with a demon in the woodlands to save her family from poverty. This deal brought her family good fortune but at a stiff cost. Jinx had to lose her family for good unless she could solve a riddle. She spent many years living as a ghost, stealing from the rich and giving to others who were cursed such as herself, but not of their own doing while she searched for the answer to the riddle. Until she meets Apollo. Their paths cross and they begin an adventure together to help find out more about a cursed box that is tethered to the two of them in a way that they do not understand nor comprehend. While working together to try and find the missing artifact they find themselves becoming more entangled with each other and realizing that maybe, they don't always need the tough exteriors that they have become accustomed to. Through their time together, they come across information that will help them both succeed in their paths but also leads them to a darker truth that may end up destroying more than just themselves. It's a beautiful story about 2 lost souls trying to find their way through the darkness. It seems they may have found a way in each other, but things aren't always as they seem....

This book had everything I love… magic, romance and mystery . I couldn’t put it down. Loved the character of Jinx and her magic.
The ending left me excited for then next book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

4.5 stars. I am once again annoyed that I've done this to myself. The pacing made it hard to put down and I enjoyed the world/character building. And after that ending I need more now please lol.

With a unique fantasy system filled with heartbreak, mystery, friendship, and romance, this book is a new bite. The pacing, in my opinion, is a tad slow in the beginning but definitely picks up towards the middle.

Jinx is a lone wolf illusionist that is trying to beat a curse and return home to her family. Apollo is an aristocrat and heir to one of the most prestigious roles in the city. However, it's not just about them (ok maybe it is!!) The side characters are also fleshed out excellently. Thatcher is charming and sarcastic but a genius. Fey, an outgoing and bright personality. And lastly, Anya.. we got glimpses of her and I wished for a bit more but she was fierce and protective of her family and herself. I think she is going to show up a bit more on the second book.

I binged this book once I reached about 50-60% but I wished there was a bit more action in the beginning.

The book is a binge-worthy read that transports you into a world before technology was rampant, but where a unique magic is very much alive!

I was completely enamored by the illusions of Jinx and captivated by the emotionless heir, Apollo. The story follows these contrasting characters as they forge a temporary alliance in pursuit of their personal goals. However, as they navigate their partnership, they uncover that each other's personalities might not be what they initially thought.

The world-building was seamlessly blended into the narrative, making it easy to follow without becoming tedious. The unique magic system, along with the gods, was intriguing and added depth to the story. All the characters were well-written, easy to love, and easy to relate to. I appreciated that both Jinx and Apollo underwent significant character development. Their growth in terms of personality, attitude, and their evolving dynamic as partners (or more) stood out to me. There were also side characters introduced who remained shrouded in mystery, making me even more excited and anticipatory for the second book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I really enjoyed reading The Beast and the Fallen. The story is interesting and I really liked the characters especially Jinx. Her magic was so interesting. The word itself was intriguing although I was confused by some little things at times. But that didn't bother me that much. The ending left me wanting the sequel immediately. I need to know where the story goes next

The Ghost and The Fallen is an exciting, action-packed romantasy with complex characters and an interesting magic system. Jinx, an illusionist, made a deal with a demon years ago and, as part of the deal, she has until her 21st birthday to solve a riddle. If she doesn't, her family will completely forget she exists and she'll be alone. Apollo, the eldest and heir in a noble family, is struggling to hide a huge secret, one that could cost him everything if revealed. Apollo and Jinx make great main characters and their enemies-to-lovers romance is well-written and nicely paced. The side characters, mainly Apollo's siblings, are also well-developed. I hope we get to know them even more in the next book. Speaking of the next book, I cannot wait for it! The Ghost and The Fallen leaves off on a huge cliffhanger. I'll definitely be recommending this book to anyone who loves a good fantasy adventure with some delicious romance.

This book is very much similar to a magical mystery, a romantic fantasy and a very binge-able read! You are given an extremely strong female main character and a very misunderstood male main character. The magical system is truly unique and the world you're placed into is close to being very futuristic as well as the late 1890s time period,

The book begins with a series of info-dumping and slight character introductions, in which, could be a bit overwhelming and confusing at first. The mystery of who your main characters are and their need to be brought together/form an alliance is also a bit confusing at first.

Jinx, your master trickster, possesses magical abilities which she has hones to perfection. This leads to an emotional barrier between who she is and who she wants to be, making friendship, love and trust she chooses to stray away from.
Apollo, also under the difficulties of emotions, is known to be cold and detached. His inner dialogue and outward expressions combating constantly, making him vert misunderstood.

A fantasy book with magic, character development, enemies to lovers, secret alliances, angst, romantic tension and detailed world building makes this an extremely enjoyable read! Not to mention the EXTREME cliffhanger!

The anticipation for book number 2 is already kicking my curious mind into gear! I cannot wait to see where this story goes in the future and what is to come of our Jinx and Apollo.

Years ago, when she was but a child, Jinx made a heartbreaking deal that benefitted her family but kept her away from them on pain of death. She has months left until she turns 21 to solve the riddle and break the deal or else she will be forever kept away from her loved ones. Apollo, the hard drinking young noble every woman in the land lusts after, has a secret of his own, an evil that is threatening to take him over for good.
Of course, they need each other in order to help themselves.
The world building is on the light side, to be sure, with Jinx "zooming out" to see the bigger picture and other modern world concepts and phrases, but both Jinx and Apollo are more than what most people get to see. They start off as enemies, with Jinx stealing something very important from Apollo, and then they become wary allies. Their relationship grows believably and soon theirs is a friendship with something more brewing.
With everything on the line, the book ends in a cliffhanger that has me waiting for the next book in the series to find out what happens to these two. Ms. Prince has created two well rounded characters who have so much to lose, the only one who can understand them is the other.