This book manages to put a new spin on fantasy, while maintaining the magic and adventure the genre is known for. I also found the world-building in this book to be extremely believable and well done. Ultimately, I did enjoy The Rite of Radnick, and will be seeking out the second book in the series. That being said, it took me a while to get into the story, and I didn't love the author's writing. 3.5/5 stars, Would recommend to others.

Thank you to netgalley, the author, and publisher for this ARC, looking forward to reading O'Toole's next book!

From page 1, The Rite of Radnick enthralls and immerses, creating a poignant, powerful story and an emotional, righteous ride within the corrupt, patriarchal world that seeks to cage our heroine, Braya, magically adept and thus chosen to be sacrificed for the good of her people.

With inspiration drawing from Greek mythology, heavily featuring a religious ideology in the name of Gaia, goddess of the Earth and mother of life, Tara O’Toole beautifully crafts a wholly unique, layered, and connective world, one full of rot and hope in equal measure.

The writing is beautiful, captivating, and alive. It is full of powerful thematic exploration, and an imaginative, yet grounded narrative full of monsters, unrealized magic, and biting social commentary. Like the best dystopian fiction, despite the nearly suffocating bleakness and entrapment, there is an underlying poeticism, emotional resonance, and unwavering spirited daring to challenge those who seek to keep us silent and small.

The romance is well-crafted and just present enough, offering a sense of connection, desire, and vulnerability, without taking focus away from bigger things happening such as the main character’s personal journey, the bonds of sisterhood, and revelations of an unbalanced, corrupt world.

Despite every attempt to break her into submission, our resilient heroine, Braya, is an admirable survivor, an uncompromising dreamer, and one who loves and fights fiercely for those who matter most to her. As things escalate and more is revealed, particularly revealing the treachery, manipulation, and lies around everything she has ever known, she goes on a journey of re-wiring her identity and connection with the world around her. Yet, she isn’t immune to the need to wear a mask, maneuver, and put everything on the line to to find her way back to her family and begin to chip away at the erosion that has long since poisoned so many.

The Rite of Radnick is a beautifully composed, exhilarating, high-paced adventure with incredible worldbuilding, exposing the danger of blindly accepting ones’ fate and the toxicity of religious extremism among highlighting the strengths that found family and personal autonomy can bring. I very much look for to reading the continuation of Braya’s story and what will come of her world in part II of the duology: Act of Ascension.

Contains:
Greek Mythology Roots
Allies or Adversaries?
The Bonds of Family- Both by Blood and Found Family
Forbidden Romance
Unique World Building and Magical Systems
Fight to the Death Survival Tests
Challenging a Corrupt World

Perfect for fans of:
The Grishaverse/ The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Thank you to the author for reaching out with a review request and for NetGalley for the reader access.

The story definitely gives off Handmaid's Tale & Hunger Games vibes, but is still different enough to keep it interesting.

The book is well written and hooked me from the start. While there are many characters, none of them fell flat, and all seemed to have their own motives and secrets.

And, oh, the secrets and betrayals! While I saw some coming, there were a few that kept me on my toes.

All in all, this book is a great story of a broken society, of resistance and of found friends and family. I look forward to reading the next one!

Honestly I liked this book, the idea itself is quite interesting. For me the only problem was that I found the story a little confusing at first and it cost me to get into the rhythm. After getting into the rhythm, it turns out to be an interesting reading even in a somewhat captivating way!
I like the way this story is full of secrets, betrayals and sacrifice.

Readers who enjoy fantasy stories with a strong heroine will find a lot to like in this book. The world-building is decent and offers an engaging backdrop for the story.

But, it wasn’t quite the right fit for me personally. It feels like an amalgam of many popular YA elements (especially dystopian) and I found myself wishing for something a little more distinctive to help it stand out. I also had a bit of difficulty fully connecting with the characters, who felt somewhat underdeveloped to me at times.

Thank you NetGalley for the free copy of this book

This book surprised me! I did not know what to expect when I started reading, but I was immediately swept away on the journey with Braya as she fights her way to a better future for herself. This was such a unique story with complex, developed characters, and an interesting world/magic system. The story moved at a great pace, and kept me guessing and wondering what would happen next until the very last sentence. There was so much packed into this story without dragging or filler. I love even more that this book is part of a duology, and will be wrapped up when the next book releases! I can’t wait!

The Rite of Radnick” is a short, eerie, and atmospheric horror story that leans heavily into folk horror themes. It follows a mysterious ritual in a secluded village, filled with tension, dread, and cryptic traditions. The pacing is slow but deliberate, building a creeping sense of unease. The ending leaves room for interpretation, which adds to the unsettling tone.

Overall, it’s a haunting, ambiguous tale for fans of slow-burn, ritual-based horror.

3.75 ⭐️ / 5

The Rite of Radnick is a dark romantic fantasy that explores sacrifice, defiance, and class struggle through the story of Braya — a “chosen” vessel for the Goddess Gaia who rejects the fate forced upon her. Her rebellion leads to a brutal competition among the ruling elite, where survival means more than just staying alive.

The beginning is slow and somewhat unfocused, with world elements that feel slightly out of place and character choices that are hard to follow. But once the competition begins, the story takes off. The second half is fast-paced, full of twists, and nearly impossible to put down.

The world building is strong, the magic intriguing, and the themes powerful. Braya is a flawed but relatable lead, and standout characters like Heyden and Seyleth add real depth. Tara O’Toole’s writing is lush and immersive, pulling you in before you even realize it.

While not perfect, this is a gripping and emotional read with serious Hunger Games and Fourth Wing vibes. A strong start to a duology — and the next book can’t come soon enough.

The Rite of Radnick by Tara O’Toole

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! Once I picked it up, I couldn’t out it down. At one point I had my husband scolding me to go to bed because we both knew I needed the sleep. The magic and world system was so unique and the concept as a whole was so intriguing, and the plot twists? Judas. The ending? ARE YOU JOKING!? I stared at a wall for a sold ten minutes after trying to manifest book two to pop up because I wanted answers. So glad that Tara reached out and asked me if I would be interested in reading her book off NetGalley and man, it was worth it.

Feral Rating 4/5:
Spice Rating 2.75:

What you can find:
- Secrets & Prophesies
- Dystopian Vibes
- One Bird, Yes Bird
- Deadly Trials
- Strong Willed FMC
- Enemies to Lovers
- Unique Magic System
- TENSION
- Banter Galore
- Hidden Identities
- Touch Her and Die


My Muddled Summary:

She’s been here for as long as she can remember, ever since they tattooed the mark on her forehead displaying she was one of chosen. As a Chosen your life is not your own, you live and train to serve one purpose to enter a deep sleep at 21 and give your power to be used as Gaia sees fit. Catch is you don’t wake up, and Braya has never wanted this life, and as the eve approaches for the sacrifices to begin she makes a plan to escape or die trying. Little does she know this one decision will lead to more than she bargained for and very soon Braya is going to have confront the destiny that she knew was her’s to begin with. The question is what will she choose, and will she survive it?

This book was such an interesting experience. The first half felt like an extended prologue — slow and a little unfocused — and I wasn’t entirely sure where the story was going. But once the competition began, I was hooked. I flew through the second half in a single sitting and couldn’t put it down.

The worldbuilding was strong, and the intrigue kept me curious, though the references to Gaia and Nyx felt oddly out of place in an otherwise original world. The magic system had potential, but what really carried the story for me were the characters.

The FMC was flawed and resilient, and while her choices didn’t always make perfect sense, it made her feel human. Seyleth’s arc was more layered than I expected, and Heyden easily became a favorite — his loyalty and quiet strength really stood out.

Some moments, like the way character deaths were brushed over too quickly, felt a bit rushed, but the overall experience reminded me of the same addictive pull I felt with The Hunger Games and Divergent.

The last stretch of the book was packed with twists, and by the end, I was desperate for answers. I cannot wait to see how it all unravels in the next one!

3.5 🌟

Thankyou to the author for asking if I could read and review this book.

It was hard to get into the first part of the book and I wasn’t sure where it was going and to be honest struggled to follow along! But once I did get going I really got into it.

I was a little confused trying to understand some of the main character’s decisions and similar to other people who have reviewed this book, the characters are STRESSED but I just didn’t feel it as I was reading so didn’t feel as connected to the story as I would have hoped. Also, significant events were seemingly forgotten almost instantly.

Dance of Thieves meets Fourth Wing meets Hunger Games meets From Blood and Ash, all of this but still very much its own story!

Tara O'Toole has incredible style of writing. Each line felt like a smooth wave of the ocean lapping against the shore. You're to busy admiring the waves to realize you're being pulled deeper into the tide until you are completely drowning in her all consuming words.

The Rite of Radnick is a dark romantic fantasy tale of class antagonism, social justice, religious manipulation, courage against all odds, and the concept of choice.

Braya was born as a "chosen" vessel for the Goddess Gaia's power. Her twenty one years of life has been nothing but preparation for the day she is presented the ultimate choice of Gaia's chosen: Sacrifice herself for the greater good of her people or banishment. For others like Braya, there is no choice to make. Their lives were never really theirs to begin with. Therefore, there is no hesitation when it comes to their sacrifice. However, Braya doesn't share the same sentiments. She has people she cares deeply for in her life which is a detrimental weakness in the eyes of the Sect. leaders overseeing all of Gaia's chosen. We see this heavily exploited throughout the book.

When it comes to Braya's choice, plans for everyone go awry. Her defiance lands her caged and desperate. Braya's desperation flails and her hope diminishes until an unsuspecting individual facilitates her escape. She is presented a bargain that requires her participation in the ritualistic game with the future ruling class of her country. As a "dreg" (low class) Braya holds no sympathy for the crowd of Apexes (ruling class) she finds herself mixed in with as she battles her way through a deadly competition. Justice is to be had, loved ones are to be saved and truths are to be kept hidden. That is, until everything changes and plots twist.

This was an unexpected, phenomenal, unputdownable read. The Rite of Radnick is part one of a duology set to be released in 2025. I, for one, am highly anticipating the conclusion of this high stakes fantasy!

Very good book. It's fast paced with decent characters. although i think too many smaller characters. I would have liked more word building and less exposition writing. I would love to see what comes of the remaining characters in the second of the duology.

Loved the ending, the story was fast-paced, and the FMC was NOT whiny which are all wins in my eyes! I also loved the worldbuilding- this author does an amazing job of balancing the worldbuilding with the story and keeping the plot moving smoothly. Love that so much. The stakes are high in this one and there is magic! IMO, this is a classic high fantasy read that felt quick!

first 50% of the book felt like a prologue. this part was a bit boring and i didn’t fully understand what to expect from the story.

then the competition began, and it was impossible to put book down, I read the second half of the book in one evening.

sometimes the main character's actions seemed illogical, and the deaths of some characters were forgotten in a couple of lines. but this book feels like a perfect throwback to the amazing days of the hunger games and divergent.

there were so many events at the end of the book. cannot wait to read the second book, because i need to find out who the real villain is.

thanks to NetGaley for this digital arc. this is my honest review.

Thank you to the author for reaching out to me about their book, I had a great time reading this and I’m rating it 4.0 stars.

The story has some religious elements surrounding gods and how this splits them into different factions. Our POV is from our FMC who is a follower of Gaia, her tale is dark and heart wrenching to be honest.

The story had secrets, betrayals, found friendship and sacrifice. You never know who to trust and whose identity is authentic. I will say the punishment for traitors is a top 3 worst punishment I’ve ever read, it feeds directly into my phobias.

I will happily continue this series to see what happens next.

Good story, interesting twists!

Braya has been raised as one of Gaia’s Chosen at the Sect. At the age of twenty one, the Chosen essentially get forever comatosed in order for the powers that be to harvest sylla to power the city/country?? Anyway, Braya decides to flee and then somehow gets roped into competing in the Rite of Radnick under an alias with a bunch of upper city toffs.

The writing took a while to get used to - the grammar wasn’t what it should be. Actually I didn’t get used to it at all. The sentences were starting anew where normally there would just be a comma. Drove me nuts.

Overall the story was pretty good, there’s sad bits -deaths, abuse etc, happy bits -reunions, evading deaths, romance bits and one spicy scene which could have been a lot shorter and worded differently. The twists at the end were interesting and really threw a spanner in the works. I’m intrigued to know what happens in the next book.

Some of the relationships could have done with more writing time to flesh them out a bit. - I found it bizarre that Braya was left ‘broken-hearted’ by Sayleth when she’d barely had a conversation with him. She also fell in love with every man’s eyes as soon as she met them -tricked me into thinking there was a few potential love interests when there wasn’t. Also had her first time ever (including first kiss) with a man she scarcely knew in the middle of a forest. Wild.

This book has tropes of trials, underdogs, hidden identities, class system, reluctant alliance, forced proximity.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for a review.

3.5 ⭐️

Thoroughly enjoyed The Rite of Radnick, but the pacing was a bit all over the place. Definitely interested to see how the series plays out though!

3.5 ⭐️

This was a good read! Full of adventure and quests, I was interested what paths the characters were going to take.

Everyone in this is stressed tf out. For good reason. Even though I could understand the characters stress, I personally didn’t really *feel* it.

The characters are really enjoyable and I liked the rag tag team we ended up following. I liked Braya, but some of her decisions didn’t make sense given her circumstances, and that sometimes took me out of the story.

The ending left many paths open for Braya and the other characters, and I am interested to see which direction the series goes.

The Rite of Radnick is set within a repressive regime full of underdogs. We get to follow the FMC as she fights for freedom and change.
The book has a few different parts to it, initially we get to know our FMC and some of her past experiences. After a significant event she is thrown into a new life and takes to this like a duck to water. She has learnt to repress her emotions and this truly serves her to a point until she starts to become undone and gets to know herself and grow.
The world-building was slightly information dumpy at times but vivid and rich. We go through the rite of Radnick, this is deadly and has some amazing creatures. Humans can be just as deadly though, if not more so due to unknown intentions. I enjoyed the twists and turns throughout. The magical element was an also interesting addition to the world-building, which I wanted more of.
I would have liked more of a slow-burn approach with the romance and as romantic as the spicy scene was I would have either preferred the promise of spice to come or a clearer build-up. There were some scenes with tension, which I liked but needed more of for this to have had more of an impact.
The pace at times waxed and waned, but overall it was an enjoyable and quick read so the slower parts did not take away from the action.
For an indie debut fantasy I think this shows a lot of promise and imagination. Overall a fun read with themes of classism, faith, love and oppression.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.