The Shadow's Embrace (paperback)

★★★★★

"What a remarkable and refreshing experience! I could imagine the world and magic so well.

What I found absolutely perfect are the multiple POV weaving together to tell a page turner that kept my full attention. The imagery was breathtaking and everything I love of a fantasy world. Iellieth and Marcon and honestly all the characters were so good. But Marcon was the refreshing walking green flag of a MMC I needed. Iellieth will become my new Druid in WoW. I was completely immersed into the book!

The battle scenes were moving and the “found family” of Druids made it all the more heartwarming but bittersweet at the end. I am truly excited to read the next book!"

@lindsey_reads_books

Goodreads review

★★★★★

Buried Heroes is one of my go to comfort reads. It is a fantastic start to one of my favorite recent fantasy series!

I love the world building and character development in this series. The author begins strong in this book and doesn’t falter one bit. Every POV character is unique and not one dimensional. The world is fleshed out as the story progresses with the reader learning lore and details through the experiences of the characters and their interaction with the world around them. Buried Heroes is EXACTLY how you start an epic fantasy. Characters you love, villains you love to hate, and a world you want to return to again and again.

If you like high fantasy stories with a touch of romance, dark fantasy, and druidic magic in a world of well written heroes and heroines, fantastic world building, and villains with depth and direction than do yourself a favor and pick up this book (and the rest of the series honestly). I cannot recommend it enough!

Raven & Chris

Goodreads review

★★★★★

Buried Heroes is a beautiful adventure full of heart, magic, and connection. At its core, this is a lyrical, layered tale of finding your own place in the world. It's a story of belonging, growth, and the magic of nature.

Set in the land of Azuria, the story is rich with history, legends, and long-forgotten truths. I was completely enchanted by the worldbuilding, from the Champions of the past to all the ties between the druids and the natural world. The descriptions of trees, plants, and the elements felt so alive. It's like I could feel the forest breathing around me as I read.

We follow Iellieth, Marcon, Genevieve, and Teodric (among many others) on a journey full of danger, growth, and transformation. Iellieth's magical amulet, which connects her to Marcon, was such a unique element. And Iellieth herself ~ I simply loved watching her open up, make friends and slowly discover her place in the world. There's a strong found family theme here.

I also have to mention the romance. It's the slowest of slow burns, and it worked so well here. It never overshadowed the plot. And Marcon is so protective, strong and loyal.

What stood out most to me was the magic system. The way druids are connected to the land, how their powers are expressed through the natural world ~ it was so refreshingly unique. Definitely something I haven't seen done quite in a while.

The writing is very poetic. Some moments were absolutely heart-wrenching, while others were soft, full of hope.

This book felt like a long walk through an ancient forest. I highly recommend it to all fantasy lovers, especially if you're drawn to Druidic lore & natural magic.

Nadja Petković

Goodreads review