**Disclaimer: I was given a free finished copy of the below in exchange for an honest review as part of a tour hosted by Literary Bound Tours.**
I’d like to begin by thanking Literary Bound Tours and the author, Miranda Lyn, for choosing me for this tour.
The first chapter can be found for free on the author’s website. Please see the link below!
Title Blood and Honor
Author Miranda Lyn
Publisher Self Published
Release Date January 4, 2021
Date Finished January 25, 2021
Description
In the land of fae, you’re either the hunter or the hunted.
Ara, a high fae in the Court of Marsh, was trained since birth to kill. When it comes down to it, can she sever the tendrils of her morality and do it? After being taken prisoner by the sea queen, she manages an escape riddled with questions, only to arrive home to absolute heartbreak. Discovering everything she knew to be a lie, she sets out on a dangerous journey to learn the truth of her upbringing. But when the hunters begin to come for her, she realizes she isn’t the only one that will need her lethal skills.
Meanwhile, Temir, a lesser fae in the vicious Court of Wind, hates no one more than himself. Gifted with the magic of healing and therefore protected from the prejudices befallen the rest of the lesser fae, he is smothered beneath the firm hand of the northern king. But when he makes a discovery that could change the world, he must decide, produce the serum and convince the one he is falling in love with to run away with him and his beloved mentor or let fear suppress him into defeat.
One high fae. One lesser fae. One goal. Find a way to fight back.
For fans of adventure, battle toughened fae, budding romance, and glory-destined heroines comes the first novel in the Fae Rising trilogy. If you enjoy authors like Holly Black and Sarah J. Maas, you won’t want to miss the beginning of this thrilling adventure.
Initial Thoughts
I was super excited to be chosen for this tour. I participated in the cover reveal a few months ago and knew this was a book I wanted to read. It’s just stunning. Also, I don’t dive in to Adult Fantasy too often so I was excited to read something a bit different for a change.
Some Things I Liked
- Ara. Now that’s a heroine that I want to be best friends with. She was so Celaena Sardothian I could hardly stand it (in a good way)! She was a fierce, smart, and didn’t let anything get in her way. I loved following her journey to uncover the secrets of her past.
- First person narration and dual POVs. I loved this. I’m a sucker for multiple POVs and I loved the way the POVs didn’t converge until late in the story. It added such a richness to the mystery of what was going on in their world.
- Mythology within the world building. I also really enjoyed the way Miranda Lyn wove poems, legends, and myths into the world she created. I thought this gave the world building a ton of depth and could make for some awesome sequel, spin-off, or even prequel material.
One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About
- I’m weird about language and context of language. One thing that irked me was the use of colloquial phrases throughout the story. Without a frame of reference from the “human world”, I constantly felt that these phrases were out of place. For example, “bigger fish to fry”, or the use of common swear words seemed like they didn’t fit the setting. This world didn’t feel modern or even remotely close to the real world so I was hoping for more unique language to reflect that.
Series Value
I’d definitely continue with this series. However, I will say that this is a series I’d have preferred to binge. There are a lot of subtle details, names, and tidbits that I will likely muddle or forget by the time I read book 2 so I would probably need a reread of book 1.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed this book. It was different than my usual fantasy but I welcomed that change of pace. The characters were unique and engaging and I loved the first person narration. This is a strong start to a series I can’t wait to read more of.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendations for Further Reading
- Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas – this again?? Yes, TOG again. It’s quite fitting. Especially the first book. Ara is very Celaena with her wit and skill set and I think if you liked Ara as much as I did, you’d like Celaena too.
- House of Bastiion by K.L. Kolarich – if you enjoyed the complex world building and the genre of Adult fantasy (as opposed to YA or NA), try this new series by indie author K.L. Kolarich.
Preorder Links
Ebook: www.amazon.com/Blood-Honor-Fae-RisingBook-ebook
Hardcover and Paperback: www.amazon.com/BloodHonor-Fae-Rising-Miranda/dp/
B&N: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-and-honormiranda-lyn
Author Links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormirandalyn
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormirandalyn/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorMirandaL
Books Over Everything 