This was a beautifully imagined, slow burn fantasy that felt like slipping into a dream. It is lush with elemental magic, sibling loyalty, and the unravelling of fate. While it took me a while to adjust to the pacing, I came to appreciate the book’s commitment to atmosphere over spectacle. It’s not a story of constant battles or fast moving plots—it’s a story of watching two brothers, Ro and Tito, be shaped by the world, by history, and by one another.

The worldbuilding was pretty immersive. You can almost feel the damp moss underfoot and hear the crackle of magic in the air. I was especially taken by the way magic is treated in this universe. It's not as a flashy tool, but as something strange and personal. The dynamic between the siblings was the heart of the story for me. Ro’s gentler and more reflective nature paired with Tito’s grounded steadiness gave the book a tenderness that fantasy doesn’t often linger on.

That said, readers should know going in: this book is patient. Sometimes too patient. Much of the first half is spent on training and political murmurs rather than forward action. And while I was content to wander with them, there were moments where the repetition dulled the impact. Some phrases and descriptions were used more than they needed to be, and the pacing occasionally stumbled because of that.

Still, the final chapters delivered. It all came together in a way that felt earned. The ending left me with just enough answers to be satisfied, and maaaybe enough questions to want more.

Thank you for the access!

I really enjoyed the book! The plot and the atmosphere was nice, it was a surprising and enjoyable read!

DNF at 27%. The book was too slow for me, it was a challenge to fully get into the story because of the pacing. I think I might have finished this book at some point to be honest but I ran out of time and it won't let me download it again. It wasn't the right fit for me at the time given to finish.

For the parts I've read, I liked how the relationship of Tito and Ro was written, the depth of their connection and loyalty were established early on. The contrast in Tito and Ro's characters are distinct but complementary which seemed to reflect in the manifestation of their magic too.

Vivid and simply magical. The author has a way with describing. Not too complicated for readers, especially the magic system, for me that is. The plot itself is what made me read it, I really appreciate Tito & Ro's siblinghood and the journey to where they are now. Very hooked on the fighting scenes actually, the author did a really great job. It all felt so natural and chair gripping. I am looking forward read more about this world.

First off: the atmosphere? Immaculate. Wright has a real talent for painting scenes that feel both grounded and otherworldly. Whether it’s a windswept mountainside, a candlelit hall full of secrets, or a quiet conversation that’s way more important than it first appears, you feel like you’re there. The setting never overwhelms the story—it enhances it.

Thank You NetGalley and Page Turner Books, Inc. for the ARC!

I really enjoyed reading this book! The worldbuilding was rich and magic system were unique in their own way. The plot focuses more on training and the politics in thew world that sort of made me tune out a bit here and there, but it was overall interesting to see the last quarter of the book pick up! I wish the book was a bit less repetitive in the details of locations we had already been familiarized with. I can definitely see many others enjoying the books bonds, reflections, and relationship with others.

Magic is a gift…or so the brothers were told.

For Tito and Ro, attuning to the Runestone should have been the start of a new life. Instead, it became a prison. Trapped in Atheron’s citadel, training under the watchful eyes of the Magi, they quickly realize that power comes with a price, and theirs is being shaped for something far greater than they understand.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF me at around 20%. While there were some points of interest (the magic system seemed like it was going to be good) there was just something about this that didn't keep me hooked.

I have mixed feelings about the book.

It's a good story, a great journey undertaken by Tito and Ro.
It's a story about finding a place for yourself in the vast world.
And it's a story about fate and destiny, of what you have been given and what you make of it.
The themes of the book are those that would relate highly with New Adults who are finding their place in the world.

The plot, unexpectedly, is more training and political movements than action and adventure. Considering it is the first book 1 in a whole series, I won't hold the lack of adventure against it. For me, the high and low moments of the book were a little amiss and hard to ride. Since I went in expecting adventure but found politics in the backdrop and tension in the front, I didn't know what to do with it for half the book. Then the pace begins to change. Tito and Ro slip closer to the politics and tension goes in the backdrop. And so, the book picked up again.

As for characters, I loved the grounded-ness of Tito and look forward to more of Ro's scenes which were few and far in between in the first book. Other than that, the characters can be a hit and miss. There is a wide variety of side characters, annoying, harping, grumpy, interesting, intriguing, sly, dual faced and so on. I love the wide variety of dynamics they form for the story.

This fantasy novel is exactly like its title — quiet, introspective, and a little mysterious. It features elemental magic, a strong sibling bond, and just the tiniest hint of romance.

The elemental magic system gave Avatar: The Last Airbender vibes — super visual and atmospheric. I loved the quiet early chapters in the village; they had that peaceful, nature-connected feeling that made me want to stay in that world longer.
But the pacing gets really slow after that. Lots of repetition, lots of waiting, and the main plot doesn’t really do much until the final quarter. If you're into fast-moving, action-heavy fantasy, you might get a bit frustrated.

There’s almost no romance — the emotional weight comes from brotherhood, sacrifice, and tough choices. If you’re into character-driven, slow-build fantasy with soft worldbuilding, this one might speak to you.

🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 3 / 5

Beautiful magic, solid themes, but pacing was a struggle.

Beautifully written, had me hooked from the start with a twisting tale of brothers, magic and betrayal.
The world was so well crafted I completely got lost in it and found coming back to reality a bit of a bump at the last page. Amazing book, everyone who likes a twisty fantasy should read this

I really wanted to like this one but it fell short. It wasn’t until the last hundred pages that I felt it peaked my interest but most of the writing was repetitive and drawn out to me. Some of the issue could have been solved by better editing. I would be curious on how the series continues.

What stood out most to me was the bond between the two brothers, it’s heartfelt, authentic, and something you don’t often see explored so deeply in fantasy. Their relationship really anchors the story and made me care about what happened next.

The pacing is on the slower side, but that works well for the kind of story, it’s easy to follow. The magic system is intriguing, and I enjoyed how naturally it was woven into the world.

At times, the worldbuilding felt beautifully immersive, especially in its more atmospheric moments. However, there were instances where descriptions felt slightly repetitive, particularly around things like food or locations that had already been described in depth before, sometimes leaving things to the imagination can be a good thing.

Overall, this is a warm, character-driven fantasy with a uniqueness, I enjoyed it!

The magic system reminded me of Avatar the Last Airbender and I. was. hooked! I really enjoyed the sibling bond and the character growth. Overall, it was a nice reading although in some parts the writing style felt a bit stiff and repetitive.
Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy!

4.25 stars
A cozy, slow-paced fantasy book. I love the brothers and their development. The story was easy to follow and understand. The descriptions weren't too much in my opinion and I loved the magic.

4.5 stars
I think this is the first novel by Urriah Wright, and I'm so glad I got to read this. The plot line is engaging and atmospheric, however, I will say that since it was a very descriptive-based story, the action or movement of the plot started almost towards the end of the novel. The relation between the brothers is sweet and quite homey, but I'm afraid to read the sequel because everything is pointing towards Tito going evil or something. The world-building and magic system were also very fun to read. I NEED a physical copy of this in my library now.

DNF@20% (+feedback shared on Goodreads without rating) - The story has elemental magic, that was beautifully described in parts. I liked the calm and reflectiveness of their life in the village, and connection with nature. The story moves quickly from here, following the two brothers in their journey to leave for the city and realize their potential magic. They are revealed to have powerful magic, that is set to change the course of their destiny. I was looking forward to reading the book, for the thoughtful discussion it might pose with respect to free will and destiny.

But on the whole, the pacing and character development was not fitting what I'm currently in the mood for. Based on what I have read thus far, I won't be invested in continuing the trilogy, so I've decided to stop here. If you like elemental magic, and some of these potential themes, defintiely give it a try.

A key detail that adversely impacted my personal reading experience with respect to the writing was the singular use of plural pronouns. It's the first time I have come across it, and it was unexpected as there was no indication in the blurb. In some scenes, it was confusing when multiple things or people were being referenced within the same sentence or paragraph. When it specifically swtiched to Ro's perspective, the use of they/their/them felt excessive. It was mentally jarring, and not an enjoyable reading experience trying to read through those parts. From a reading and language standpoint, it doesn't come across as an intuitive or sound solution. This is something that I believe comes up in American authored literature, and is more culturally relevant for English speaking countires.

English is not my first language - Hindi and Kashmiri are my native tongues, and I can understand 6 other languages to varying degrees. India is the most linguistically diverse nation, and all our languages have an intricate, deeply interwoven and nuanced use of personal pronouns in languages that is natural and inherent. It is not something we actively think about or even need to.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complementary e-arc of this book. All opinion expressed here are my own.

Very well written and a joy to read, I was hooked. Some of the writing did get a little repetitive at times but it didn't detract from the experience.

The magic system reminded me of Avatar the Last Airbender and I. was. hooked! I really enjoyed the sibling bond and the character growth. Overall, it was a nice reading although in some parts the writing style felt a bit stiff and repetitive.
Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy!

I liked this big story about two brothers, the powers they must learn to wield and the prophecy that hangs over their heads.
This book has elemental and mesmer magic, amazing world building and a kind of grumpy mentor/teacher which I always adore the most.

There were parts in this book that were a bit slow but overall the story pulled me in. What I loved most was the dynamic between brothers Tito and Ro, there is always something heartwarming about sibling bonds that are strong and loving.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for this eARC!

I pictured Avatar the Airbender while reading this as the magic system was very similar. This is a story about two brothers and the debate of free will and fate. The bond between the brothers is precious and heartfelt. There’s a slight romance to it but not much, it’s a slow cozy fantasy book, lots of world building and history. The action doesn’t take place until about 75% of the book. The amount of time “hearty stew with crusty bread” came up was enough time for me to actually make stew! That goes to say, there were some parts that felt repetitive. The history of this world is told by the side characters the brothers meet along the way. I thought it was well done as it showcased how history can be told very differently through different POVs.

The dynamic between the two brothers was genuine and their growth is seen throughout the book. One of the brothers is non-binary, a first for me in a book and was much appreciated. The way the book ended sets up for some really big events coming on, excited to see how everything unfolds!