This book was very typical and felt uninspiring to me, unfortunately. I wanted to like it because I eat up fantasy romance novels normally, but this one bored me.

"𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧, 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙖. 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙨 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧. 𝙎𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡, 𝙨𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚."

𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 is a new to me author and is definitely on my radar! The way this story kept me on edge had me hooked, especially once the pacing picked up. While the beginning felt a little slow, once the action kicked in...I was fully invested in Talia's journey.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 setting was intense and immersive, and I love the found family dynamics woven throughout the book. The characters really stood out- Caleb, Fortiss (love) and Nazar. I can't wait to see more of certain characters in book 2! The romance wasn't a huge focus in this book but I have a strong feeling it will play a bigger role in the next book.

𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥, this was a great start to the series, and I'm excited to see where it goes next. If you enjoy tournaments, political intrigue, and found family then this is worth picking up!

High fantasy, bonded creatures, found family, a secret identity and a tournament.

This was slow for me to get into but once I made it halfway I was fully sat. Caleb, I love him and found him to be a bit a comedic relief. Nazar, was our voice of reason while supporting Talia. Fortiss, I need more of!

Talia’s brother is killed before the tournament begins, and so she disguises herself as her brother and enters the tournament in his place. Not only is she powerful, determined, and on a mission to save her house and recruit more soldiers, but she bonds with her brothers Dihv (which is forbidden for women to do and is punishable by death) who aids her and protects her on her journey. Lots of world building, lore, and even a little romance in the air. Found family is always a fave trope of mine, but we also get some mystery and secrets surrounding her brothers death. In a male dominated society, love how this story showed women with power and especially how Talia evolves and grows both within her femininity and strength. Cant wait to see what awaits Talia in the second book!

This book was a captivating blend of intrigue, magic, and adventure! The world was immersive, the characters compelling, and the tension kept me hooked from start to finish. With a perfect mix of action and romance, it delivered an exciting and unforgettable journey. I can't wait for more!

The magic in this book was great, the battle scenes were freaking epic, the worldbuilding was cool, it had SO many unique fantasy elements... but the oppression from the patriarchy really made this book feel like an absolute grind to read. It kind of got frustrating to read to the point where I was skimming sections.

Chance, if you ever see this review, I am on my knees asking for you to do a few revisions just cutting even some of those scenes.

Hit a wall when reading. I didn’t really understand some premises of the story. It kind of gives a little Mulan. I don’t really understand competition/ monsters. It could have used some more backstory details for me to engage with the story more. I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is very plot driven, with a lot of world building filled with high-stakes action, deception, and intrigue. Talia of the Tenth House, is forced to masquerade as her murdered brother in a Twelfth Night scenario to win the Tournament of Gold, seeking answers and vengeance. Talia is given her brother warband, a power that connects her to a mystical Divh. I found this magic system to be the most interesting part of the book, the idea that they speak in each other's mind and fight that way. I hope to see the Divh get even more personality in book two. As she navigates battles and political conspiracies the tension was high as to whether or not she'd be discovered. Although I enjoyed the book and overall plot, I found the Talia a little underdeveloped and the romance between her and Fortiss felt very forced to me. I actually didn't like Fortiss very much throughout this book, but perhaps that was done purposely since you never know who to trust. I will definitely read book two to see what happens to our characters!

Court of talons is such a good book! Talia of the Tenth House has been treated so poorly that immediately your heart goes out to her and you want her to do succeed and give the pay back that is well deserved. Your heart breaks for her when her brother dies- the unfairness of it all. Her whole company is murdered. None of it her fault but she bears such a heavy burden for it. Jennifer Chance did a great job of building this world- it was something new and different from what is out there already and I appreciate that!

"The way of the warrior is death"
Book Synopsis:
***For twenty-one years, Talia of the Tenth House has been her house’s deepest shame. Now, she’s their last hope.

Each year at the Tournament of Gold, first-blooded and firstborn male warriors battle alongside their massive, otherworldly monsters for fame and power. But when Talia’s beloved younger brother is murdered on his way to the tournament—and his beast unexpectedly bonds with Talia—all hope for the Tenth is lost.

The powerful, arrogant, and dangerously seductive Fortiss of the First House would never let a woman vie for a seat on the Court of Talons. He might also be her brother’s killer. Desperate for answers and to protect her house, Talia assumes her brother’s identity and enters the tournament.

But beneath the pomp and glory of this year’s battles, Talia discovers a dark conspiracy carefully crafted to destroy the entire realm. In an ever-more-deadly dance across gilded ballrooms and brutal fighting pits, she must sacrifice her heart, her freedom, and even the precious, mystical bond she’s formed with her glorious monster to win at all costs.

Because only Talia understands the

If she’s discovered…she dies.

If she loses…she dies.

And if she doesn’t stop the evil screaming toward them through the shadows…everyone dies.****

Well wasn't that just just intriguing? Yes you say? Well grab this book then. While as it stands with book one there was not a whole lot of romance this is the finding oneself stage and maybe in book two we will see our two love birds with more romance. The supporting characters are wonderful and if anything happens to them I will throw hands!! I am anxiously awaiting book two!

A little surprised to find that I loved this book. I thought it was going to be a slightly silly and perhaps overwrought adventure, but found a heartfelt, touching story with a gritty heroine, an intriguing world, and a powerful relationship between girl and beast.

The world Talia lives in is highly misogynist, where women are considered lesser beings and good only for marriage and breeding; yet Talia must risk her life to become her brother and win a tournament for her House - the same House that would see her dead for pretending to be a man. Talia is a strong character, yet not without softness, and her trauma is gracefully acknowledged by the author. The other characters are mostly nuanced, with the exception of the villains - bit of cardboard cutouts there - but Talia's companions have distinct personalities of their own, with histories and goals. And the connection between Talia and Gent - be still my beating heart! Such a beautiful aspect of the story and one that made me want to hug them both and protect them.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this novel. This book took me a while to get into. I did like the female main character's vibes. Very Mulan-ish. I do think it picked up pretty quickly. Loved the supporting characters as well. Excited for book two!

A Court of Talons
by Jennifer Chance


Rating 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐


This book was so incredibly good!

I've been in a reading slump for the past few months and have just been reading books that felt like a chore to get through but this book absolutely gave me that reading spark that I haven't felt in a long time.


A Court of Talons follows the story of Talia who lives in a civilisation known as the Procterate, made up of 12 noble houses. Long ago there was a war in their world between the imperial city and the Western realms, close to defeat the Imperial city sought the help of another world made up of mythical , awe inspiring creatures known as Divh's. With these Divh's the Imperialists were able to subdue the West but suffered great losses. They decided to leave behind a small force to protect them from the West and retreat back to their city. 300 years passed without them returning and the Procterate and it's 12 houses were born. Talia is of the Tenth house and the book begins with her on her way to the twelfth house to get married to it's child heir, she is accompanied by her brother Merritt who is on his way to the renowned Tournament of Gold to buy soldiers for their house. But on the way their caravan is ambushed and her brother is killed. He dies in Talia's arms and his band which connects him to his Divh slides onto Talia's arm. She then decides to go to the tournament herself in an attempt to carry out her brothers mission and find his killer. But when she gets there she realises that her brothers attack was part of a grander more sinister scheme and the identity, honor and safety of not just her house but the entire Procterate is in jeopardy.


Firstly the world building in this book is amazing, by the first chapter the basic scene is set and the reader understands the background without reading laborious paragraphs. Talia is also from a rural house and in the Procterate woman are treated as second class citizens and denied the same rights as their male counterparts, so Talia was denied access to information about their world and history so as she learns , the reader is able to learn with her.

What I also loved about this book was that it was Talia's story and nothing not even the romance distracted the reader from that fact. The romance was also gradual and didn't overpower the other plot points, Talia was able to reason and think rationally and didn't allow the romance aspect to distract or dissuade her purpose which is rare in a FMC. The relationship between her and her Divh was also a heartwarming part of the story.

Overall this book has good world building , an interesting plot , plot-twists , romance , found family and was such an enjoyable read for me.


*** Thank you so much to Netgalley and the Publishers for this Arc in exchange for an honest review***

This was good. The FMC gave very much Mulan vibes and I was here for it! It was a little hard to get into for the first half but then it picked up. If your a fan of post apocalyptic story's with hidden secrets this is right up your alley. 4 stars

Thank you so much for the ARC opportunity! Unfortunately I had to DNF this one at around 25%. I just couldn’t get into it, though I tried on and off. I don’t think the book was bad, but it didn’t manage to grip me/make me care about any of the characters. If I’m not hooked by a quarter of the way through the book I don’t force it.

It could have definitely been a mood thing, but I won’t be logging this one on goodreads since I didn’t finish it and can’t give it a fair rating. If the author comes out with something intriguing in the future I would potentially give her another try. I’m giving a 3 stars below since I didn’t finish it (though I would normally give a dnf less if I get past 50%), but please note I won’t be posting this anywhere or dragging down ratings.

Personally I found this book to be a bit lacking.

I am not a fan of insta-romance and this in no exception, but even more than that, it felt so unjustified, especially since the two characters spend almost no time together where she is her real self. I like the fact that he had a change of heart towards the end of the book. So the romance was a really weak aspect in this book for me. Another issue I had with this book was that I found the story to be a bit boring at times.

However, I found the characters to be quite interesting, the Divhs to be complex monsters and a great addition to the story and the combat scenes were written in a great way, which made them really vivid for me.

All in all, I found the book to be okay, not at all bad, just not my cup of tea.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Oliver Heber Books for this ARC of Court of Talons
by Jennifer Chance in exchange for an honest review!

This was a really enjoyable read! I will say the beginning was slow and maybe some people might struggle to stick with the book. That I find to be a common situation in fantasy books. And as is the case with many others, Court of Talons absolutely picks up after the first few chapters.

The story was very engaging. The book has a Mulan-esque plot but with magic and beasts that I found to be really well-done. An intriguing set up turned into a thrilling plot.

The absolute best part of Court of Talons was the world building. If you would like to read a masterclass on fantasy world building, then this has got to be your next read.

The characters were pretty great too! All around I thought they were well-written. And I think Talia felt real. I understand her motivations which made her enjoyable. And the side characters definitely added to how much I liked this book.

There is a romance and a little bit of spice, but the romance is completely a subplot. And to be honest at this point I found the romance to be a tad bit subpar. I love the MMC, but did I think the chemistry for the main relationship was the best? Not so much. I hope for more development in this area in the future because there was definitely potential.

Like I said the beginning was slow, but this book definitely stuck the landing for the ending. I am excited for the next book!

If you’re looking for a really unique fantasy with a mystery full of suspenseful twists and turns, I definitely recommend Court of Talons!

Publishing date: 08.10.2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Oliver Heber Books for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

Features:
Woman pretends to be man for the plot
Misogyny in the worldbuilding
Undercooked romance
First-Person POV
"Headstrong Female lead"
Monster / Human Bond (not the romance, sorry)

I like a little romantasy in my books, it is such a fun type of book to read. However, I think this should have been marketed more as "a cup of overloaded worldbuilding with a half teaspoon of undercooked romance". Let's start with the bad and end on a high note.

The romance was not it. There was no proper chemistry, it felt insta-lovey (this can work, but not in this one), not enough time spent between characters before we "got into it". If it is marketed as a romantasy, it needs more time to actually develop the romance. You can't serve me a raw steak and say it is medium rare. The spice also didn't do much for me, and I am usually not picky with it.

Worldbuilding based on misogyny has become such an ick for me. I think the fact that our own real world has this exact set-up just makes me tired when I see it in fantasy. There are attempts in the book to show that it is reversible, or at least possible to make it better for the women. But it shouldn't have been there at all. It is such blatant "women should know their place" vibes. The book could work perfectly fine without it, or at least done it more subtly and elegantly.

I will put the writing and my problems with the main character in the same paragraph because they are related. Some main characters can work as annoying brats, our main character here doesn not work as a brat. I didn't want her to succeed, or get her way. I was tired of listening to her inner monologues where all she can do is try to prove others wrong or prove herself right. The writing didn't do her credit either, as it felt very juvenile. This reads like middle grade in writing, and adult in content.

Over to the good ...

Fight scenes and anything with the Divhs is fun. Monsters are always fun, monsters bonded to people is especially fun. It all felt so dynamic. Combat can be so hard to properly write, but the author really nailed it for me. If the whole book was focused on the Divhs and the fighting I would give it a higher score.

Final ranking and star rating?
2 stars, D tier. I think my biggest problem is that I have read stories like this before, and may be burned out. Even so, the romance is lacking, and for plenty of people the misogyny might come off as unnecessary and off-handed. It has the bones for a good story, one I might like. But today, and as it stands, it is not it for me.

Thank you, NetGalley and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange of my honest review.

This book was simply wonderful. The story grips you and you just want to keep reading.
The world was very well written, and the magic system with the Divhs was so unique and amazing. I loved Talia! She's fierce, strong, courageous but also loving and caring. Fortiss was just *chef's kiss". Their story was beautiful, and I want to see everything that still is going to happen between them.
Loved the Divhs, loved them! I sobbed reading the final fight scene...
Wonderful book!!

I loved reading this. I was so immersed in this storyline. I cannot wait for more from Jennifer Chance!

An absolute gem! Why did I read this as an ARC when I desperately need the next book?! It is perfect and though it had a bit of a dystopian feel to begin with, it was fantastic fantasy all the way through.

Thank you so much to Oliver Heber Books, NetGalley, and Jennifer Chance for the opportunity to indulge myself in this thoroughly enjoyable book and share my honest thoughts and opinions with others.