A Dawn of Onyx: The Sacred Stones Book 1

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Kane Ravenwood. Kane motherfreaking Ravenwood. How to describe this hothead manipulative powerful man with a good sense of humor and a killer crooked grin?

Thank you so much Kate Golden for an arc of your debut! I can’t wait to continue reading Arwen’s story. This book is out now!Feature our fav trope: he's "evil" but has chiseled abs, dark hair, a jaw which can cut glass = INSTA LUV I love a good friendship in stories and I loved seeing Arwen banding with Mary, the keep’s librarian. Both had been friendless their whole lives and it was heartwarming and amusing to see these two go on risky shenanigans. i would say this was an extremely tropey read, but i'm not complaining bc it was exactly right for me atm and i. ATE IT ALL UP. i mean, just look at all these tropes: Arwen was such a contradiction on the one hand I loved how loyal she was to those she considered her own but I also thought she then made rash thoughtless decisions in the moment without much thought to the consequences and when it came to Kane she could also be quite prejudiced and very blinkered. She definitely seemed to hold him to a different standard than everyone else and she wasn’t willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. The banter between the two characters was a delightful aspect of the book, often causing me to burst out laughing while reading.

This was a fantastic beginning to what looks to be a very engaging and well written fantasy romance. The world building with this one was beyond excellent and was very well done add in the fact that this is a debut author well I’m excited now to see how this author evolves further. the world-building i did have a few qualms with, but i have a feeling that's going to be rectified in the next book and i simply cannot wait! The characters are the best thing about this book, 5/10. Arwen is a very independent girl with a little more to her than the average person. Kane is the King and is alright, not a huge fan. Mari is the MAIN reason I gave the characters 5/10. Overall, I felt like the characters were awkward and just weird. There was just something missing between Arwen and Kane that made them awkward to read about. Not my favorite couple. I do feel like if they were written differently and had more time to create an actual relationship the reader could see, it would have been easier to get into.

EDIT: I’m adjusting this to 5 stars based on the fact that I literally can not stop thinking about this book. It lives in my head rent free and that deserves a full 5 star rating for me ❤️‍🔥🫶🏼

By the end of the story, we will have an emboldened Arwen, trusting in her abilities. She’s been put to the test and came victorious. I do appreciate a good character growth. From mouse to warrior.This is sole POV Arwen’s and when we initially join her she’s still in her small town in the kingdom of Amber residing there with her younger sister and mother whilst her brother is currently away having been drafted into the Amber kings army. I think the realm we are presented was so interesting, and I hope we get to see more of the other kingdoms in the next installment! Yes the Fae aren't a new concept, but I really liked how they were adapted into this story. I did have a few issues in the first couple of chapters, mostly because I think Ryder is a little bit of an asshole, despite his sister thinking he's incredible and always comparing herself to him. But since we leave him behind for most of the book I could ignore him for the most part. As this is romantasy, you’ll also have an attractive thief and a broody powerful king somehow sparing verbally with Arwen and that felt like heated foreplay to me!

In the heart of Onyx's Army, she starts uncovering truths about the war, the Fae. After meeting their King, Kane Ravenwood, however, she finds it hard to get him out of her head. ― I must admit, I totally get it. The man's 🔥 Well...I guess it isn't as bad as I imagined. I won't say I wasn't prepared for what was coming, I saw some quotes and experts on social media indicating its quality, but I was curious. I kept seeing it here and there, and I wanted to see for myself what it's about. To be fair, it isn't all that bad. The story is engaging, the romance is cute at times, and I genuinely found some moments humorous. Also, the lore and the world-building, in general, are based on precious stones, as most of the locations in particular are named after them, that are fascinating and original. Nonetheless, aspects of the book such as the writing, especially the dialogue, come off as cheesy and mediocre. I can excuse that to a certain extent, however. This is the author's debut novel and these qualities are actually somewhat expected in such cases. Who knows? Maybe the second book will be significantly better than the first one. 🤞🤞 The dialogue between Arwen and Kane felt really cheesy and unnatural. They had no spark and I don't know what they saw in each other. I really wasn't convinced of their chemistry.Arwen and Kane were such a fun pairing with a delicious banter and steamy slowburn that had me curling my toes and crave for more. There were instances I was annoyed by Kane mostly for how cryptic he turned sometimes and thought the attraction between was a bit rushed but it was Arwen's easiness and Kane's naughtiness I found entertaining. Kane placed his hands on either side of my head and leaned forward so that the water sprinkled along his hands and forearms, sparkling droplets like falling stars twinkling around us. This started off decently, I enjoyed Arwens character (at first), I liked where the story was going- exchanging herself for her brothers debt, her healing abilities, her exchanges with the ‘strange prisoner’, even the small plot twist with said prisoner, which was predictable, but I moved on. I absolutely loved this story. With lies, betrayal, political intrigue, magic, and more, it is a brilliant epic romantasy and one I would highly recommend. Special thanks to the author for sending me a copy of the book. I loved it so much, I plan to buy a physical copy for my bookshelf. Elara was such a breath of fresh air-- funny, honest, and powerful. Enzo has my heart forever (smug and sarcastic is already a dream combo, but with a heart of gold? Sold.)