Heir of Illusion by Madeline Taylor

Title: Heir of Illusion

Author: Madeline Taylor

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Verran Isles # 1

Publication: April 1, 2025

460 pages

Source: Libby Library

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She is not the pet they tamed.

Blessed with the power of illusion, Iverson Pomeroy has many tricks up her sleeve. However, none of them are a match for the enchanted collar at her throat that keeps her bound as assassin and mistress to a ruthless king. Forced to play the role of his obedient pet, she plots in secret to destroy him and claim the freedom she has always been denied.

She is the beast they let inside.

When a mysterious reaper, Thorne, arrives in the city with his sights set on the same weapon Ivy needs—the only artifact that can remove her collar—she must decide how far she’s willing to go.

And she will show no mercy.

With a tenuous alliance tying them together, Ivy learns there is more to her reluctant companion than meets the eye... He sparks her curiosity and ignites dangerous desires within her. But will the secrets they harbor destroy each other? And does it even matter, when anyone who so much as touches Thorne dies?

MY THOUGHTS

Finally! My prayers have been answered. I don’t know what it is, but the last few books I’ve read have been duds. I decided to pick up Heir of Illusion because the synopsis sounded promising and I’m so glad I did. It finally got me out of my reading rut!

Heir of Illusion had me from the very first page. Talk about one heck of an opening line! The book is being pitched as the “Next Romantasy Hit,” and honestly, I think we should retire the word romantasy because it’s becoming synonymous with mediocre books and poor writing (to me) which Heir of Illusion is absolutely not. It is so much more than what’s currently dominating the romantasy space. The worldbuilding and magic system felt refreshing and unique. I loved how the world was divided into different Isles and the Gods who inhabit them. The abilities granted by each God and how they manifest in the citizens and their heirs were fascinating to explore. The worldbuilding was complex enough to feel layered yet still easy to follow, which I appreciated. The writing was excellent, the pacing was great, and everything flowed so smoothly. Some dialogue might be considered modern for a fantasy setting, but because I was enjoying the story so much, it didn’t bother me at all.

Iverson was an amazing protagonist, flawed yet incredibly self-aware, which I appreciated. It was such a nice change from many current FMCs who are, frankly, oblivious and intolerable dolts. Iverson endured a terrible upbringing, and the more we learn about her, the easier it is to root for her. For a first book in a series, her growth felt realistic and very easy to emotionally connect with. She reminded me of old-school heroines: kickass with questionable decision-making at times, but ultimately full of heart. I like Thorne, for the most part. I’m still not entirely sure what to make of him because I’m not used to morally gray characters who openly express their feelings as easily as he does. He’s so understanding and considerate that it sometimes gave me pause. Still, Iverson and Thorne were fantastic leads, and I loved their early banter. The secondary characters were also well-developed and compelling. I adored Darrow, he was such an unexpected standout, and I’m glad we got more of him beyond the first chapter.

I truly thought I knew where this story was going, but I did not see those twists and turns coming! I love when a book can move me, keep me engaged, and genuinely surprise me. And the ending…Thorne…Iverson… absolutely brilliant! Heir of Illusion is an incredible start to a brand-new trilogy, and I cannot wait to read the next book. I’m shocked this is Taylor’s debut because the writing, worldbuilding, and plot were so impeccably done. For once, I wholeheartedly agree with the rave reviews, Heir of Illusion will be the next big fantasy obsession. One hundred percent earned. I highly recommend Heir of Illusion, such an incredible book!

Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

Title: Wicked Saints

Author: Emily A. Duncan
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Something Dark and Holy #1
Hardcover, 385 pages
Publication: April 2, 2019 by Wednesday Books
Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.
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A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself. A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings.

Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light.

My Thoughts

It’s been awhile since I’ve read a book that touches upon the subject of Gods and Godliness. Wicked Saint is a story of a clergy girl with the ability to hear the Gods and wield their powers. That alone piqued my interest. However, it took me quite some time, months to finish Wicked Saints. I’m not familiar with Slavic history or the culture so I cannot attest to its accuracy or spelling. But I thought it was an otherwise nice change to see and learn about gods I’ve never heard before.

Wicked Saints featured two opposing sides of what I believe is the same country (not sure if that was ever indicated) Kalyazin and Tranavia, who’ve been at war for centuries. The main difference between the two was one believed in the gods and the other does not. Our heroine, Nadya a Kalyazian is out on a mission to stop this long, never-ending feud by going after the Tranavian King.

Readers weren’t given clear explanations as to why some believed in Gods while other didn’t, why or how the feud began or why the Tranavian King banned the gods and their teaching from his kingdom. There were too many plot-holes for my liking. And then the characters. I kinda liked Nadya at first, the naive and sheltered girl in the mountains with hidden powers. But of course once she fled the mountain she became a wholly different person. I’d normally say that attributed to growth and experience but it wasn’t the case. Nadya was very hot-cold and as the story progressed egotistical as she believed (and others) that she was the answer, the chosen one to defeat the evil-doers. Meh, I’m over the snowflake formula. The two leading boys of the story weren’t any better. Serefin is your typical prince, sarcastic and charming but deep down he wants more to life than what is expected of him. Malachiasz is dark and mysterious…again your typical ‘’bad boy’’. The author mentioned her inspiration for him was Kylo Ren, I definitely can see the similarities and was not impressed. In the end I didn’t care for any of the characters and was never invested in the story.

I was genuinely intrigued and engaged in the first half of the book but by the midway point I lost interest and wanted it to be over. I read too far to DNF, so I forced myself to finish it. All in all, it wasn’t the best debut, Duncan had some moments but not enough to save the book itself. With that said, I will not be picking up the sequel. 

 

 

 

The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith

Title: The Library of the Unwritten
Author: A.J. Hackwith
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Hell's Library #1
Trade Paperback, 375 pages
Publication: October 1, 2019 by Ace Books
Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.
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Many years ago, Claire was named Head Librarian of the Unwritten Wing-- a neutral space in Hell where all the stories unfinished by their authors reside. Her job consists mainly of repairing and organizing books, but also of keeping an eye on restless stories that risk materializing as characters and escaping the library. When a Hero escapes from his book and goes in search of his author, Claire must track and capture him with the help of former muse and current assistant Brevity and nervous demon courier Leto.

But what should have been a simple retrieval goes horrifyingly wrong when the terrifyingly angelic Ramiel attacks them, convinced that they hold the Devil's Bible. The text of the Devil's Bible is a powerful weapon in the power struggle between Heaven and Hell, so it falls to the librarians to find a book with the power to reshape the boundaries between Heaven, Hell....and Earth.

Have you ever wondered where unfinished manuscripts and stories dwell? It’s not tucked away as a binary code in the pits of your computer nor stashed in a folder somewhere in your filing cabinet. Stories are shelved away in the Unwritten Wing in Hell, locked down and overseen by a librarian. Because occasionally, a story gets restless and comes alive in search of its creator hoping to have their stories finished and written.

This is where head librarian of hell, Claire, comes in. She’s been the library caretaker for awhile now and haven’t had any issues, she knows every book like the back of her hand. Until one day a book goes unaccounted for, finding its way to earth. With the help of her muse assistant and a young, newbie demon; Claire sets out to retrieve the rouge book. But the situation goes south when her mission entangles with two archangels hunting for the Devil’s Bible. With time of the essence, Claire and her crew of misfits’ races to find the Devil’s Bible before Heaven gets its hand on it. 

I love the idea of unfinished stories having lives of their own. Even more interesting that these stories were being housed in Hell, of all places. Library of the Unwritten was narrated by a handful of characters; the librarian, a young demon, the muse and an angel; alternating from chapter to chapter. While I enjoyed most of the characters, in general I’m not a fan of multiple POVs or the overlapping, duplicate scene from another character’s POV. It was repetitive. And some character’s POV were less interesting than others, which made the story drag in parts.

The world building and magic system were well thought out and developed. Hackwith did an excellent job in incorporating various religious history with her own unique take on life after death. I enjoyed seeing the characters travel through different realms and portals and their modes of transportation, whether it be through candlelight or a raven’s wing. And no surprise that a library’s weapon of choice is those of words or pen and paper. The battle scene in Valhalla was fun.

All in all, Library of the Unwritten was an enjoyable read. It is first in a brand-new series and I can’t wait to see where Hackwith takes these characters/stories.

Vox by Christina Dalcher

Title: Vox
Author: Christina Dalcher 
Genre: Dystopian, Medical Thriller, SF
Series: N/A

Hardcover, 336 Pages
Publication: August 21, 2018 by Berkley

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Set in an America where half the population has been silenced, VOX is the harrowing, unforgettable story of what one woman will do to protect herself and her daughter.

On the day the government decrees that women are no longer allowed more than 100 words daily, Dr. Jean McClellan is in denial--this can't happen here. Not in America. Not to her.

This is just the beginning.

Soon women can no longer hold jobs. Girls are no longer taught to read or write. Females no longer have a voice. Before, the average person spoke sixteen thousand words a day, but now women only have one hundred to make themselves heard.

But this is not the end.

For herself, her daughter, and every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice.

Aphasia is without a doubt a terrifying and heartbreaking communication disorder. I’d know because my father had a stroke four years ago and I remember that first month when he had a combination of Aphasia and temporary Amnesia (blood vessel ruptured in the brain). He didn’t remember anything let alone his children’s names and when the PT/Doctors tried to get him to read certain words, all you could hear were grunts and moans. It was one of the worst moments of my life. 

When I was first pitched Vox, I honestly didn’t read/look too much into the synopsis. All I remembered was the tag-line: What would you do if you were limited to only 100 words a day? The tag-line immediately caught my attention and I wanted to know more. I’m always up for a good Dystopian. But Vox isn’t just a regular Dystopian about the oppression of women. It’s a cautionary tale about how life as we know it can change before we even realize it, slowly creeping in until it’s too late and everyone becomes enslaved by their own ignorance and obliviousness; and taking certain things for granted and in Vox that’s our speech, language, ability to communicate…our voice. I loved that Dalcher incorporated the real disorder of Aphasia and made it the foundation of her story. I don’t think it’s a well known disorder and glad it’s being highlighted. I mean, I never knew about it until my dad was diagnosis with it. So with that said, with Aphasia as the foundation of the novel, I can relate there but Dalcher also brings up a lot of other issues which I think women can relate to in some way or another. 

Many reviewers said Vox was just a Dystopian, a mere Science Fiction novel that’s pretty far-fetched. I disagree. Some of the political, gender, cultural, religious, and racial climates found in Vox can be seen to some extent in our current reality. And everything that was portrayed/happened to the women in Vox can actually happen. Many reviewers stated that: No it would never get that bad. Never come to that. It’s not realistic…or something similar along those lines. Funny because that’s exactly what Jean thought too. Everything that Jean and the other women were subjected to was undeniably scary, abhorrent, immoral, unethical...and totally plausible! This is the type of Dystopian I don’t normally want to read about, are too hard to read and at the same should be read. Because it's so realistic. Possible.

I thought the concept was brilliant and unlike many others that read Vox; I enjoyed the medical terminology, science aspect of the novel. It was fascinating. Dalcher’s writing flowed perfectly and the combination of the short chapters and fast-paced story made for an engaging read. I read it all in one sitting! The only downside to Vox was the character development, or the lack of it. The only character that was somewhat developed was Jean, an exception because she was the main character and it’s a first person narrative. Lorenzo, Lin, Patrick, Morgan and the secondary characters weren’t fully realized in my opinion thus making it hard to connect to anyone. I also wasn't a big fan of Jean herself. She's strong and a fighter but she's also a cheater. That's not a quality I like in any character/person. And yes, characters among world building is extremely important in any book I read. However, I still give Dalcher much props for writing this book and having whatever little character development she had because she wrote this book in two month. Yes, two months you guys! That’s pretty awesome and amazing.

I won’t lie, it was very hard reading Vox. There were so many time when I stopped reading during a passage because I was shocked, angry and left speechless. They did not just do that. They/He did not just say that. That did not just happened. Those were  some my thoughts as I read. Let’s just say Dalcher isn’t afraid of writing the hard stuff and went where most wouldn’t. While Vox is a frightening and plausible possibility at what could be, and as much as it made me angry and had me questioning a lot of things (I don’t want my personal beliefs to interfere, so I won’t go into details)…but I think that’s part of the reason why it’s so important that everyone reads this. Men and Women. Because this book will certainly make you think, a lot. All I can say is read it, you won’t regret it!

Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio

Title: Empire of Silence
Author: Christopher Ruocchio 
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Sun Eater # 1

Hardcover, 612 Pages
Publication: July 3, 2018 by Daw Books

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Hadrian Marlowe, a man revered as a hero and despised as a murderer, chronicles his tale in the galaxy-spanning debut of the Sun Eater series, merging the best of space opera and epic fantasy.

It was not his war.

The galaxy remembers him as a hero: the man who burned every last alien Cielcin from the sky. They remember him as a monster: the devil who destroyed a sun, casually annihilating four billion human lives--even the Emperor himself--against Imperial orders.

But Hadrian was not a hero. He was not a monster. He was not even a soldier.

On the wrong planet, at the right time, for the best reasons, Hadrian Marlowe starts down a path that can only end in fire. He flees his father and a future as a torturer only to be left stranded on a strange, backwater world.

Forced to fight as a gladiator and navigate the intrigues of a foreign planetary court, Hadrian must fight a war he did not start, for an Empire he does not love, against an enemy he will never understand.

I’m not an enthusiastic reader of Science Fiction, although I watch plenty of Sci-Fi movies and televisions. But that’s because there hasn’t been a Science Fiction novel that captured my attention…that is until I read Empire of Silence. Empire of Silence was more than just a Science Fiction novel, it’s a novel about a man’s journey and struggle to find out who he is and who he wants to be, about life, war, political, family and friends. It multifaceted, complex and beautifully written. Many reviewers stated that this is an epic Science Fiction Space Opera, a genre I’m not too familiar with but what I can definitely say is this book is impressive and well written and executed. This is a whopper of a book and one would think a book this size would be intimidating with over 600 pages but by the time you start and finish Empire of Silence; you’d wish there was another 600 pages!

Empire of Silence is written in a style I’ve never encountered before. It’s written like an autobiography narrated by a future Hadrian and Hadrian in the present. It was different, unique and I loved it. Readers are taken on a space adventure as we see young Hadrian, a noble on Delos, Hadrian on the run and living in poverty on a foreign planet light years away, as a fighter in the coliseum, a prisoner in a gilded cage to Hadrian on the cusp of greatness or destruction…or both. But it wasn't always fun and games. Ruocchio also painted a cruel, unforgiving and dreary world. Where nothing is as it seems and there are monsters, because where would a story be without monsters? Except they don’t come in the form of some alien species nine feet tall or with talons and razor sharp teeth. But are made flesh and bone like us dear readers.

The characters and world-building were both well-crafted, developed and rich. The way that Ruocchio described things down to the most minute details showed the great care he had for his characters, with the world being a secondary character itself. I can imagine myself on Delos with the red and black imperial colors in the flag billowing in the wind to the hot days and nights in the slum of Emesh. Hadrian was a great flawed characters and I loved seeing his transformation over the course of the book. After reading the first page I knew I was going to enjoy this book and narrative. Hadrian did terrible things, or to be more accurate it’s the things that he didn’t do that made him terrible but yet I couldn’t help but want to learn more about him. He is by no means your typical lead, he never said he was a hero. He was just Hadrian, Had to his friends.

I absolutely loved Empire of Silence. I loved reading every minute of it, every page. With normal books, 600 pages would've been too much but for Empire of Silence it wasn't enough; and we were left with a cliffhanger! If you haven’t already read Empire of Silence then you need to go grab yourself a copy A.S.A.P. This is a 2018 debut you do not want to miss! I am already counting down the days until we get the sequel. Ruocchio is an emerging talented writer you’re going to want to watch out for and I can’t wait to see what he publishes next. 

An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors by Curtis Craddock

Title: An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors
Author: Curtis Craddock 
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Risen Kingdom # 1 

Hardcover, 416 Pages
Publication: August 29, 2017 by Tor Books

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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A polymath princess and her faithful musketeer must unravel the plot of a thousand-year-old madman in order to save an a foreign kingdom from a disastrous civil war.

Caelum is an uninhabitable gas giant like Jupiter. High above it are the Risen Kingdoms, occupying flying continents called cratons. Remnants of a shattered world, these vast disks of soaring stone may be a thousand miles across. Suspended by magic, they float in the upper layers of Caelum's clouds.

Born with a deformed hand and utter lack of the family's blood magic, Isabelle is despised by her cruel father. She is happy to be neglected so she can secretly pursue her illicit passion for math and science. Then, a surprising offer of an arranged royal marriage blows her life wide open and launches her and Jeane-Claude on an adventure that will take them from the Isle des Zephyrs in l'Empire Céleste to the very different Kingdom of Aragoth, where magic deals not with blood, but with mirrors.

An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors is a book I didn’t know I was looking for and unquestionably a breakout hit (at least for me) and an underrated gem of 2017! Never have I read a book that perfectly blended multiple genres together and done so well. I thought the world building was fascinating as it was complex, the characters were well developed and fleshed out from the main protagonists to the tertiary characters, and every word written was eloquently prosed; captivating me from the first page till the very end.

The world that Craddock created is extremely unique, multifaceted and rich. Imagine a world of sky landmasses and flying airships thanks to the outset of science and alchemy. Craddock’s world is massive, comprising of different empires and families of blood-borne sorcery that dated back thousands of years. And in this first installment of The Risen Kingdom, readers barely touch upon the surface as Craddock introduced us to our main protagonist Princess Isabelle, who came from the Sanguinaire line, an ancient line that dealt in blood magic/shadows. Isabelle was the bane of her father existence. Born with a congenital anomaly of her right-hand, no blood magic ability and a woman nonetheless; Isabelle has always been looked down upon by her father,the court and The Kingdom of Zephyrs. But what Isabelle lacked (in the eyes of others) she made up for with a lot of heart, intelligence and bravery. I absolutely adored Isabelle from the moment I saw her as the precocious child that she was. Forward a decade and some years; readers see Isabelle blossomed into a woman that she never thought she’d be; risking everything for a kingdom and it’s people that despised her as much as they feared her..hoping to bring about peace, an idea many thought silly, dubious and unattainable. I found Isabelle admirable and I loved that Craddock showed us how capable and intelligent Isabelle was versus telling the reader she is so. From her Nom de Plume as Lord DuJournal a well-known and versed Mathematician with many publications to her outwitting would-be assassins, Kantelvar a member of the Seven Great Guide, and an evil Countess.

Another great standout character was Isabelle’s trusty and loyal musketeer, Jean-Claude who is more like her confidant and father. When Isabelle was born, they tried to snuff her out but thanks to Jean-Claude’s intervention her life was spared. And it was under the direct order of the King Le Roi that Jean-Claude keep Isabelle safe from harm and danger for as long as he deemed necessary. So what initially started as an obligation transformed into a father-daughter relationship over the course of Isabelle’s life. I loved Jean-Claude as much as Isabelle. Jean-Claude played a drunken-fool so that everyone around him underestimated him; little did they know he was sharp and clever as they come and was always two steps ahead of his enemies. I thought their bond and relationship was heartwarming. There wasn’t anything Jean-Claude wouldn’t do for Isabelle, he would’ve traveled through hell and take on Lucifer himself if he had to. Jean-Claude was pragmatic and serious when the time called for it but he definitely kept me laughing and smiling with his silver-tongue throughout the entire book. I thought Jean-Claude and Isabelle made the perfect duo and loved that Craddock showcased their ever evolving relatonship, and kept that as the main tone when so many underlying threads were going on simultaneously.

An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors is hands down the best Fantasy novel I’ve read in a long time and certainly the best book I’ve read so far this year. I loved, loved Craddock writing style. I thought everything flowed perfectly, every word he chose just fit and made sense. I also loved how he incorporated French and Spanish influences into his story; thought that was different. The plot at a glance looked fairly basic, a princess marrying a rival prince to escape her evil father…however, it was so much more complicated than anything I could of imagine. There were twist upon twist and I loved that I kept getting surprised…even when the clues were all right there! An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors has everything you’d want in a story. I LOVED this book (think I over killed it with using the word loved) and I can’t wait till the sequel comes out! Craddock is a writer to watch and has just landed on my auto-buy author list. Do yourself a favor and go to the store and get this book A.S.A.P., you won’t regret it! I see great things coming from Craddock and this new series opener. I'd rate it more than 5 stars if I could!

Game of Shadows by Erika Lewis

Title: Game of Shadows
Author: Erika Lewis
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: N/A (Potential start to a series)

Hardcover, 400 Pages
Publication: February 28, 2017 by Tor Books

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Ethan Makkai thought that seeing ghosts was the worst of his problems. Between his ethereal gift and life with a single mother hell-bent on watching his every move, he feels imprisoned. When Ethan sees a chance to escape, to leave the house by himself for the first time in his life, he seizes it, unaware that this first taste of freedom will cost him everything.

Ethan is thrown into a strange and eerie world, like nothing he's ever seen. He's assaulted by dive-bombing birds and rescued by a stranger who claims to be his bodyguard. His apartment is trashed, and his mother is kidnapped to a place Ethan never knew existed—a hidden continent called Tara.

Travelling to Tara in search of his mother, Ethan discovers that everything he knows about his life is a lie. His mother is royalty. His father is not dead. His destiny is likely to get him killed.

Confronted by a vicious sorcerer determined to destroy the Makkai family, Ethan must garner strength from his gift and embrace his destiny if he’s going to save his mother and all the people of Tara, including the beautiful girl he’s fallen for.

Game of Shadows was published last week and may have flew under everyone’s radar. It probably would’ve flew under mine as well if it wasn’t brought to my attention for review by the wonderful publicist at Tor. After reading the synopsis, intrigued, I happily agreed to review it. Plus it had an awesome cool cover! I couldn't say no. And boy am I so, so glad I read it. I loved Game of Shadows! It was the perfect adventure novel, with the right balance of action, mystery and humor. I don’t think it’s too early to say this, but Game of Shadows is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year!

I thought Lewis did an incredible job with the characters and world building. Two important aspects needed in all novels. The world of Tara felt so real and most importantly believable. Tara is divided into six territories. Each territory has their own King, Sorcerer and Book of Spells. I enjoyed seeing the different parts of Tara, learning of each territories; their king, the history, and rules. Each kingdom is very distinctive in their habits and appearance which sets them apart from the others. For example in Gransmore, the Fomorian were like giants well over 7 feet tall and in Kilkerry, there were werewolf men. I’m not too familiar with Irish and Celtic mythology but the background/history of the kingdoms and characters were meticulous, well written and thought out. It clearly shows that Lewis did her homework/research. I loved all of the characters, even the villain Swaney Bean. I found the characters realistic, relatable, likable and most of them charming. I was a little surprised and worried that our main protagonist Ethan, was fourteen years old. I thought Is this story going to be aimed on the lighter and younger side of fantasy or will Ethan be an immature little boy?. Thankfully, the fantasy was just complex enough and Ethan was mature for his age. Ethan was funny, smart, courageous, loyal, and caring. He knew when to go with his head and his heart, which were pretty good indicators of the future king of Landover.

Game of Shadows was an action packed adventure that I didn’t want to end! Seriously, upon finishing the book I rushed onto Goodreads, scouring for any details whether or not this was going to be the beginning of a series…and I was ecstatic to find out it was! The book ended on a crazy cliffhanger where I am dying to find out what happens next. I can’t wait to see what Lewis has in store for Ethan and the gang. I highly, highly recommend Game of Shadows to everyone. It has something for everyone of all ages. Action, check. Adventure, check. Humor, check. A dash of Romance, check. Strong hero and heroine, check. Everything you love about Fantasy…check, check, check. Game of Shadows is a truly hidden gem in a sea of books. Read it now, you won’t regret it! If you like Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, or The Wizard of Oz then you'd like this book too.