by Adam Joseph

YA Fantasy, Independently Published in 2023, 375 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

As is common in a lot of fantasy, this one jumps to different groups of people for chapters. In the beginning, while you’re still trying to learn the world, it’s a lot. You forget who these people are for a beat and what their goals were.
There are points where this story drags a little while you’re waiting for something to happen. It’s not common and you get through it quickly, but it’s still worth noting.
A few of the reveals were a little obvious and easy to figure out. Of course, it’s not marketed as a mystery story so I’m really just being picky.

A lot of times, in fantasy, when one character is heralded as important it’s a let down when we meet them. Not so for August. He bursts onto the scene in a captivating way that only adds to his mystery and intrigue. He’s a great character.
The concept of a potion giving magic was spectacular. Something like that would have consequences and I loved that those were addressed with this story.
This book has an interesting take on monsters like characters and I liked how it played out.