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Broken Cycle #1
The Ascension of Souls
A broken prophecy
In a land where an ancient prophecy is renewed every generation, two countries are trapped in a repeating cycle of war. But the cycle is broken, and destiny is beginning to unravel.
Two people bound by fate
Luminara, a palace servant, sneaks into the birthday party of the newly anointed ruler, Rianthran, where the two form a forbidden bond.
As Rianthran prepares for the sacred ritual of Ascension, Luminara’s secret powers start to make themselves known. Haunted by visions of the past and terrified of what it means for her country’s future, Luminara must choose a side.
One chance to right the world
As war looms, the Empire teeters on the edge of upheaval. Can the cycle be mended, the shared destiny of its people restored? Or will they forge a new future, free from the chains of prophecy?
The first in the Broken Cycle trilogy, The Ascension of Souls is an epic fantasy with intricate worldbuilding, complex characters, political schemes and a unique magic system.
In a land where an ancient prophecy is renewed every generation, two countries are trapped in a repeating cycle of war. But the cycle is broken, and destiny is beginning to unravel.
Two people bound by fate
Luminara, a palace servant, sneaks into the birthday party of the newly anointed ruler, Rianthran, where the two form a forbidden bond.
As Rianthran prepares for the sacred ritual of Ascension, Luminara’s secret powers start to make themselves known. Haunted by visions of the past and terrified of what it means for her country’s future, Luminara must choose a side.
One chance to right the world
As war looms, the Empire teeters on the edge of upheaval. Can the cycle be mended, the shared destiny of its people restored? Or will they forge a new future, free from the chains of prophecy?
The first in the Broken Cycle trilogy, The Ascension of Souls is an epic fantasy with intricate worldbuilding, complex characters, political schemes and a unique magic system.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2026
4 people are currently reading
508 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 26, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Brontë-Marie Wesson, and Penguin Random House for providing me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have never in my life read a book that was so full of luxurious prose. Ohhh my god. The world was painted so vividly and the main characters were well defined. I loved the injection of culture into the fantasy, it made for a more unique feel in the fantasy landscape.
My only pain point, and I recognise that this is completely personal and not the fault of the author, but high fantasy tends to bop you over the head with many characters and a complex world right away and outside of the main characters, I was losing track of who was who. But again, that’s my own fault.
This reminds me a lot of Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson and the game Heaven’s Vault, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Just the mystery and intrigue. A main character not necessarily built for the world she’s thrust into. Loved it.
I have never in my life read a book that was so full of luxurious prose. Ohhh my god. The world was painted so vividly and the main characters were well defined. I loved the injection of culture into the fantasy, it made for a more unique feel in the fantasy landscape.
My only pain point, and I recognise that this is completely personal and not the fault of the author, but high fantasy tends to bop you over the head with many characters and a complex world right away and outside of the main characters, I was losing track of who was who. But again, that’s my own fault.
This reminds me a lot of Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson and the game Heaven’s Vault, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Just the mystery and intrigue. A main character not necessarily built for the world she’s thrust into. Loved it.
March 5, 2026
A new political fantasy with a prophecy and warring empires, let’s gooo!
This was a fun read, admittedly it took me about 20% ish to really get invested as we were introduced to so many characters and learning a lot of informations but from then on the pages kept turning!
I really enjoyed the relationship between the two FMCs, both from different upbringings with different aspirations but close enough to call each other sisters.
I did find it confusing at times with several extra characters having similar names but it is a well written and interesting political fantasy story
Overall I am really excited to see where this story goes, bring on book 2!!
Thank you so much Netgalley and Penguin Randomhouse Aus for giving me the opportunity to read this E-arc in exchange for review!
This was a fun read, admittedly it took me about 20% ish to really get invested as we were introduced to so many characters and learning a lot of informations but from then on the pages kept turning!
I really enjoyed the relationship between the two FMCs, both from different upbringings with different aspirations but close enough to call each other sisters.
I did find it confusing at times with several extra characters having similar names but it is a well written and interesting political fantasy story
Overall I am really excited to see where this story goes, bring on book 2!!
Thank you so much Netgalley and Penguin Randomhouse Aus for giving me the opportunity to read this E-arc in exchange for review!
March 7, 2026
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an earc in exchange for an honest review
The Ascension Of Souls is a queer epic fantasy with an abundance of political intrigue!!
it took me a bit to get into the story but by the 30% mark i was hooked.
i loved following multiple POV’s and i enjoyed how unique each character was. i grew to love most of them and
Nejla especially was so intelligent and badass which i adored!
also the troupe gave me major DND vibes which i loved!! the found family element was really wholesome and i loved all the interactions between them that we got to see.
the stakes got so high by the end and i’m so eager to find out what happens next!!
i definitely recommend picking this up if the premise intrigues you
The Ascension Of Souls is a queer epic fantasy with an abundance of political intrigue!!
it took me a bit to get into the story but by the 30% mark i was hooked.
i loved following multiple POV’s and i enjoyed how unique each character was. i grew to love most of them and
Nejla especially was so intelligent and badass which i adored!
also the troupe gave me major DND vibes which i loved!! the found family element was really wholesome and i loved all the interactions between them that we got to see.
the stakes got so high by the end and i’m so eager to find out what happens next!!
i definitely recommend picking this up if the premise intrigues you
March 7, 2026
“Humans are weird, fickle creatures; they want what they want and they are oddly stubborn once they've set their minds upon something.”
A broken prophecy
Two people bound by fate
One chance to right the world
The Ascension of Souls follows Luminara, a lowly palace teagirl who is in a fight for survival after forming a forbidden bond with the newly anointed ruler, Rianthran.
This story is the first in a new epic fantasy trilogy. I really enjoyed the story a lot. I didn’t feel like there were any hugely epic scenes but I do love that fact that book 1 has really set a solid foundation on history & characters that will allow books 2 & 3 to come in hot with epicness!
The characters are complex and there are so many layers to peel back. Luminara is so very complex and I don’t want to say anything really to create spoilers. I really loved Wirru and I’m so excited to see where his character leads. He’s so interesting and I think there’s still so much to learn. Jivan is awesome and I have fingers crossed! Rianthran…. I am just not sure. Nejla, I don’t really care for. Not because she’s not written well, just because I don’t like her vibe 🤣 but you have to have people you don’t like in books!
The magic system sounds cool and I really hope we see more of this used in the next book. The world building was really good and intertwined so well between the plot and complex characters.
And the queer rep was incredible. It wasn’t just queer rep in the sense of characters being queer, it was also woven into some conversations and I think this was done really well.
Bronte-Marie’s style of writing is so different but I loved it. Overall, I really enjoyed this book a lot and I cannot wait for the next one!
Thank you so much to Tanaya & Penguin Books Aus for the gorgeous pr box and to Bronte for not only writing an awesome book, but also signing and personalising it 🥺
A broken prophecy
Two people bound by fate
One chance to right the world
The Ascension of Souls follows Luminara, a lowly palace teagirl who is in a fight for survival after forming a forbidden bond with the newly anointed ruler, Rianthran.
This story is the first in a new epic fantasy trilogy. I really enjoyed the story a lot. I didn’t feel like there were any hugely epic scenes but I do love that fact that book 1 has really set a solid foundation on history & characters that will allow books 2 & 3 to come in hot with epicness!
The characters are complex and there are so many layers to peel back. Luminara is so very complex and I don’t want to say anything really to create spoilers. I really loved Wirru and I’m so excited to see where his character leads. He’s so interesting and I think there’s still so much to learn. Jivan is awesome and I have fingers crossed! Rianthran…. I am just not sure. Nejla, I don’t really care for. Not because she’s not written well, just because I don’t like her vibe 🤣 but you have to have people you don’t like in books!
The magic system sounds cool and I really hope we see more of this used in the next book. The world building was really good and intertwined so well between the plot and complex characters.
And the queer rep was incredible. It wasn’t just queer rep in the sense of characters being queer, it was also woven into some conversations and I think this was done really well.
Bronte-Marie’s style of writing is so different but I loved it. Overall, I really enjoyed this book a lot and I cannot wait for the next one!
Thank you so much to Tanaya & Penguin Books Aus for the gorgeous pr box and to Bronte for not only writing an awesome book, but also signing and personalising it 🥺
March 15, 2026
There were many intriguing aspects about this book, such as the world building, the representation and political landscape but unfortunately it just didn't land for me. At times, the plot had me gripped enough to want to read the next page and then it would just... fizzle out. It took till about 60% for me to be invested in the story.
In the beginning, the reader is thrown many different characters, along with specific terminology without much explanation in a short amount of time. I read an early copy of this book so I'm not sure if this is something that is in the final print copy but I believe I would've greatly benefited from a glossary. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to connect with the main characters and personally, as a reader, I really need this to be invested in the story.
I absolutely think this book will find its audience. It simply just wasn't for me.
Thankyou NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book!
In the beginning, the reader is thrown many different characters, along with specific terminology without much explanation in a short amount of time. I read an early copy of this book so I'm not sure if this is something that is in the final print copy but I believe I would've greatly benefited from a glossary. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to connect with the main characters and personally, as a reader, I really need this to be invested in the story.
I absolutely think this book will find its audience. It simply just wasn't for me.
Thankyou NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.75 stars.
The Ascension of Souls is a fascinating political fantasy, and not without heart, as some political fantasies can be. Most of our main characters are queer (and written by a queer author), which is lovely to read. I don't think that queerness is normalised in this setting, but as most of our interactions are between queer characters, discomfort with someone's identity or sexuality only comes up a couple of times. While the identities and sexualities of our main characters are not main plot points here, they are deeply interwoven with the fabric of the characters' lives and thus with the plot.
I appreciated that while there was a conflict that could have created a rivalry between two women characters in the first half, instead they chose to support each other despite the tricky circumstances.
Something about the writing in The Ascension of Souls is intoxicating, entrancing, and luminous as it slowly reveals its secrets to you. It reminds me very much of the intricacies and lush storytelling of The Jasmine Throne (and series) by Tasha Suri.
This book is written in three parts, and each part leads with the same quote from an in-world character. I loved this - at first, you don't know who the character is. But as the story unfolds, the quote becomes more meaningful and more heart-wrenching every time. Such a wonderful little detail.
I found the beginning of this book quite difficult to follow. There's some important contextual lore in the prologue that didn't feel clear to me, and this lack of clarity continued in the first part of the book as well. I was confused about which side our characters were on and how they were related to the plot, and I found I had to return to the prologue for context a time or two. Another thing that confused me were two occasionally mentioned, 5-letter names that both started with Z (note to reader: ZINAT is Luminara's mother. ZURIK is an old man and Hastria). After about the 20% mark, I felt had a better grasp on the story (and the Z-named characters!) to continue on with. I feel the book could have benefited from either some more edits for clarity at the beginning or a glossary.
The ending is a wonderous clashing of interests, and it really feels like there's a lot more of the story to tell in subsequent books: backstories unturned, new relationships developing, questions to be answered, and potential that is yet to come to fruition. I'm undecided whether I will pick up the next one, but time will tell.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Australia and Netgalley for a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
The Ascension of Souls is a fascinating political fantasy, and not without heart, as some political fantasies can be. Most of our main characters are queer (and written by a queer author), which is lovely to read. I don't think that queerness is normalised in this setting, but as most of our interactions are between queer characters, discomfort with someone's identity or sexuality only comes up a couple of times. While the identities and sexualities of our main characters are not main plot points here, they are deeply interwoven with the fabric of the characters' lives and thus with the plot.
I appreciated that while there was a conflict that could have created a rivalry between two women characters in the first half, instead they chose to support each other despite the tricky circumstances.
Something about the writing in The Ascension of Souls is intoxicating, entrancing, and luminous as it slowly reveals its secrets to you. It reminds me very much of the intricacies and lush storytelling of The Jasmine Throne (and series) by Tasha Suri.
This book is written in three parts, and each part leads with the same quote from an in-world character. I loved this - at first, you don't know who the character is. But as the story unfolds, the quote becomes more meaningful and more heart-wrenching every time. Such a wonderful little detail.
I found the beginning of this book quite difficult to follow. There's some important contextual lore in the prologue that didn't feel clear to me, and this lack of clarity continued in the first part of the book as well. I was confused about which side our characters were on and how they were related to the plot, and I found I had to return to the prologue for context a time or two. Another thing that confused me were two occasionally mentioned, 5-letter names that both started with Z (note to reader: ZINAT is Luminara's mother. ZURIK is an old man and Hastria). After about the 20% mark, I felt had a better grasp on the story (and the Z-named characters!) to continue on with. I feel the book could have benefited from either some more edits for clarity at the beginning or a glossary.
The ending is a wonderous clashing of interests, and it really feels like there's a lot more of the story to tell in subsequent books: backstories unturned, new relationships developing, questions to be answered, and potential that is yet to come to fruition. I'm undecided whether I will pick up the next one, but time will tell.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Australia and Netgalley for a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
'The Ascension of Souls' is the first book in a new epic fantasy series following multiple individuals who play roles in a prophecy that affects two warring empires. With a focus on politics rather than on the magic and whimsy of the world, this book may not be for everyone.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Australia and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.
The prose of this book is really well done, and tightly written. I enjoyed the way that the narrative was woven between both primary and secondary characters, and the world-building was done in a very "show rather than tell" manner which is something that I tend to prefer in most books. One thing I had difficulty with was differentiating between some of the extended cast (mainly characters who didn't have a large role in the story, or who were mentioned by name only and didn't actually appear). There are so many characters introduced in such a short period of time, and some of them share similar or identical titles (such as the Hastria) that I found myself wishing for a glossary or index that I could refer to. Note that I did read an advanced reader copy, so there is still the possibility of such a thing being included in the final published version.
One of my favourite characters was Nejla, a woman of noble birth from another region who was placed in the palace that the majority of the novel takes place in in the hopes of gaining a political allegiance through marriage. Nelja is intelligent and very politically driven; having been born the only child of her father without any Blessings (the magic of this world) she compensates with a reputation built on her kindness and political knowledge. Luminara, one of our main characters, is a close friend of Nejla to the degree that they refer to each other as sisters. Something I really appreciated was that when both show an interest in the same man (Nejla more out of political interest, Luminara out of passion), they support each other with surprisingly little animosity - not something you would see in many similar storylines. If I were to continue reading the series, Nejla is definitely the character I would like to see further developed the most.
Something this novel does really well is it's handling of queer characters. The world the story is set in is not necessarily queer normative, there are mentions of characters being against homosexuality for example, but the writing handles queer characters in a way that you can feel some of the author's lived experience coming through.
While I found the overall plot intriguing and the writing well done, the point where this book lost me a bit was unfortunately in the pacing. The opening prologue and initial chapters were quite confusing to follow, and I didn't find myself fully understanding what the story was trying to do until Part 3 - two thirds of the way into the book. Passage of time was a little blurry, and it wasn't always easy to tell how much time had passed between chapters. Sometimes events felt a little too close together in terms of pages because of this. For example at one point a character goes missing and travels what felt like was supposed to be quite far away, and then they are found very quickly. Despite this, the overall pace is very slow. This is the first book in a trilogy, so this book is setting up for future events at the cost of this singular book having a strong narrative of its own.
'The Ascension of Souls' is well written and has some really interesting ideas in its world politics and magic system. The pacing and political focus means this one won't be for everybody, but I'm glad to see many others have already enjoyed this one so I think it will definitely find it's audience.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Australia and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.
The prose of this book is really well done, and tightly written. I enjoyed the way that the narrative was woven between both primary and secondary characters, and the world-building was done in a very "show rather than tell" manner which is something that I tend to prefer in most books. One thing I had difficulty with was differentiating between some of the extended cast (mainly characters who didn't have a large role in the story, or who were mentioned by name only and didn't actually appear). There are so many characters introduced in such a short period of time, and some of them share similar or identical titles (such as the Hastria) that I found myself wishing for a glossary or index that I could refer to. Note that I did read an advanced reader copy, so there is still the possibility of such a thing being included in the final published version.
One of my favourite characters was Nejla, a woman of noble birth from another region who was placed in the palace that the majority of the novel takes place in in the hopes of gaining a political allegiance through marriage. Nelja is intelligent and very politically driven; having been born the only child of her father without any Blessings (the magic of this world) she compensates with a reputation built on her kindness and political knowledge. Luminara, one of our main characters, is a close friend of Nejla to the degree that they refer to each other as sisters. Something I really appreciated was that when both show an interest in the same man (Nejla more out of political interest, Luminara out of passion), they support each other with surprisingly little animosity - not something you would see in many similar storylines. If I were to continue reading the series, Nejla is definitely the character I would like to see further developed the most.
Something this novel does really well is it's handling of queer characters. The world the story is set in is not necessarily queer normative, there are mentions of characters being against homosexuality for example, but the writing handles queer characters in a way that you can feel some of the author's lived experience coming through.
While I found the overall plot intriguing and the writing well done, the point where this book lost me a bit was unfortunately in the pacing. The opening prologue and initial chapters were quite confusing to follow, and I didn't find myself fully understanding what the story was trying to do until Part 3 - two thirds of the way into the book. Passage of time was a little blurry, and it wasn't always easy to tell how much time had passed between chapters. Sometimes events felt a little too close together in terms of pages because of this. For example at one point a character goes missing and travels what felt like was supposed to be quite far away, and then they are found very quickly. Despite this, the overall pace is very slow. This is the first book in a trilogy, so this book is setting up for future events at the cost of this singular book having a strong narrative of its own.
'The Ascension of Souls' is well written and has some really interesting ideas in its world politics and magic system. The pacing and political focus means this one won't be for everybody, but I'm glad to see many others have already enjoyed this one so I think it will definitely find it's audience.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A beautifully intricate and masterfully crafted fantasy about a prophecy that has people in its chokehold and is trying to break free from their intended fate. I loved seeing this world develop and the characters finding strength within themselves. There's a long-foretold prophecy that has repeated itself across cycles and continues to keep two nations at war with each other.
We see glimpses of characters long gone who remain integral to the plot and haunt the narrative. Lives are reborn, and the cycle of the prophecy continues on and on.
The world was rich in its descriptions and political machinations. There were times when the plot lost me a bit in the complexities of the world and the vast amount of terms and elements being introduced at once. It also took a moment for me to be fully immersed in the plot and for the action to start. Once it kicked off, however, I was fully grasped.
I was really intrigued by all of the characters and their complexities. Luminara was such a gentle yet powerful force in the book. I hope to see her character come into her own more as the series goes on. She held firm to her beliefs and genuinely wanted to see her people at peace.
Rianthran was an interesting character in that he was thrust into power at such a young age and had the weight of the prophecy on his back, as well as other powerful figures in the background urging him in certain directions.
There was a strong cast of secondary characters as well, who were vital to the development of the main characters and the progression of the plot. Nejla was a fierce and confident character who wanted nothing more than a position of power and was fiercely loyal to the women in her service. That was one of my favourite aspects of this book, the connection between the women and their fierce desire not to be pushed to the side of history, rather to forge their own paths and rewrite themselves into the world as forces to be reckoned with.
There was a deep connection between Luminara and Rianthran which I am really eager to see how it develops throughout the series. The ending too?! I need Book Two immediately.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Australia for the ARC!
We see glimpses of characters long gone who remain integral to the plot and haunt the narrative. Lives are reborn, and the cycle of the prophecy continues on and on.
The world was rich in its descriptions and political machinations. There were times when the plot lost me a bit in the complexities of the world and the vast amount of terms and elements being introduced at once. It also took a moment for me to be fully immersed in the plot and for the action to start. Once it kicked off, however, I was fully grasped.
I was really intrigued by all of the characters and their complexities. Luminara was such a gentle yet powerful force in the book. I hope to see her character come into her own more as the series goes on. She held firm to her beliefs and genuinely wanted to see her people at peace.
Rianthran was an interesting character in that he was thrust into power at such a young age and had the weight of the prophecy on his back, as well as other powerful figures in the background urging him in certain directions.
There was a strong cast of secondary characters as well, who were vital to the development of the main characters and the progression of the plot. Nejla was a fierce and confident character who wanted nothing more than a position of power and was fiercely loyal to the women in her service. That was one of my favourite aspects of this book, the connection between the women and their fierce desire not to be pushed to the side of history, rather to forge their own paths and rewrite themselves into the world as forces to be reckoned with.
There was a deep connection between Luminara and Rianthran which I am really eager to see how it develops throughout the series. The ending too?! I need Book Two immediately.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Australia for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.75 stars
Read this for the gorgeous writing and the political maneuvering, but do go in understanding that you need patience for the payoff!
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House Australia for this e-ARC <3
The writing for this book is stunning! The prose is descriptive and luxurious, which was honestly the main thing that kept me reading. The world, lore, factions, and characters are unique and fascinating, which I would love to see fleshed out a lot more in the next book.
The prologue and first chapter is quite information-heavy, but once I got my bearings around all the new terms, it became easier to digest. It would have been helpful if the ARC had included a map! I thankfully found the map online, which helped me track the locations of the story.
While the story was never boring, I did find the pacing quite slow. Expect a heavy focus on court politics rather than strategy, action or magic usage. The stirring of the pot took too long and only really started piecing together around the 80% mark. Although labelled as an epic fantasy, I think the scope of epicness was reduced due to the slow pacing and setting confinement within the palace in Suthuras for a majority of the book.
I do find this book a great setup for something more grand! Now that the heavy lifting of world-building is out of the way and the political stage is set, I have high hopes for the sequel.
Read this for the gorgeous writing and the political maneuvering, but do go in understanding that you need patience for the payoff!
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House Australia for this e-ARC <3
The writing for this book is stunning! The prose is descriptive and luxurious, which was honestly the main thing that kept me reading. The world, lore, factions, and characters are unique and fascinating, which I would love to see fleshed out a lot more in the next book.
The prologue and first chapter is quite information-heavy, but once I got my bearings around all the new terms, it became easier to digest. It would have been helpful if the ARC had included a map! I thankfully found the map online, which helped me track the locations of the story.
While the story was never boring, I did find the pacing quite slow. Expect a heavy focus on court politics rather than strategy, action or magic usage. The stirring of the pot took too long and only really started piecing together around the 80% mark. Although labelled as an epic fantasy, I think the scope of epicness was reduced due to the slow pacing and setting confinement within the palace in Suthuras for a majority of the book.
I do find this book a great setup for something more grand! Now that the heavy lifting of world-building is out of the way and the political stage is set, I have high hopes for the sequel.
March 14, 2026
Please hear me out (or don't) this book is steeped in fantasy plot and world-building and I thoroughly struggled to take it all in. My view is subjective - as all books and opinions are - and my rating of this book is fully influenced by my lacking comprehension of the writing style. AKA I was struggling to pick up what this author was putting down. I feel as though I was picking things up eventually but I was having to think so long and hard about things (not my personal favourite while trying to escape having to critically think for an hour or so before bed or while my baby naps) so this unfortunately led to me not having as much enjoyment for this book.
Additionally, I'm a character focused gal. I LOVE me a well thought out character that feels fleshed out, emotional and flawed. I sadly didn't feel connected to any of the main characters in this either. I feel that there was so much potential but I just didn't get the vibes.
I think on the whole that there is certainly an audience for this. I believe that there are definitely people that will (and have) really enjoyed this book. If you enjoy rich world building with a unique writing style this book may very well be for you. I think that there is much more to be explored in future books in the series
Additionally, I'm a character focused gal. I LOVE me a well thought out character that feels fleshed out, emotional and flawed. I sadly didn't feel connected to any of the main characters in this either. I feel that there was so much potential but I just didn't get the vibes.
I think on the whole that there is certainly an audience for this. I believe that there are definitely people that will (and have) really enjoyed this book. If you enjoy rich world building with a unique writing style this book may very well be for you. I think that there is much more to be explored in future books in the series
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Okay, where do I start? The Soul of Ascension was everything I had been looking for in a fantasy. This felt utterly unique and was such a breath of fresh air.
Bronte's writing touches my soul in the most lyrical and magical way possible. I have not been so immersed in a book in such a long time. It's hauntingly beautiful how Bronte explores the tension between the roles society assigns to our characters and the moral paths they ultimately choose to follow. It really furthered the lore, the loss, the expectations, and the atmosphere of the world.
Bronte was able to blend a fast-paced storyline comprehensively with so much lore that it flowed so naturally. I felt like I was there, floating above our characters, watching as their world unfolded around me. Each character had such a distinct voice and clear motive/actions that it was clear whose chapter I was in.
I really loved this one. I will be recommending it to a lot of people at work.
The only negative is that I have to wait for book 2
Thank you to Penguin Random House Australia and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Bronte's writing touches my soul in the most lyrical and magical way possible. I have not been so immersed in a book in such a long time. It's hauntingly beautiful how Bronte explores the tension between the roles society assigns to our characters and the moral paths they ultimately choose to follow. It really furthered the lore, the loss, the expectations, and the atmosphere of the world.
Bronte was able to blend a fast-paced storyline comprehensively with so much lore that it flowed so naturally. I felt like I was there, floating above our characters, watching as their world unfolded around me. Each character had such a distinct voice and clear motive/actions that it was clear whose chapter I was in.
I really loved this one. I will be recommending it to a lot of people at work.
The only negative is that I have to wait for book 2
Thank you to Penguin Random House Australia and Netgalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2026
I was reccommended this book by a friend, and whilst initially I was excited it just did not land for me...
The world building is weak and whilst there's some great moments, that's all they are, moments. You can't build a good story on sparks of inspiration and build up.
Honestly I do wish I enjoyed it but it felt so flat, it seemed like it wanted to make a statement (and in some cases it did) but it just kept missing the mark. I do think the author has done well for queer characters and their stories, but also there felt like no way for audience to connect to these characters even from a queer persons perspective.
I hope whole heartedly that the next book is much better but as for myself I don't think it'll be worth the read. I know that a lot of the attempts at world building are to most likely set up for an amazing series but until the author figures out their pacing, chacacters and even the story itself, i just don't see a future for this series
Unfortunately this has left a damper on my perspective of the authors writing as well, so i think I might also give a miss on their other book
The world building is weak and whilst there's some great moments, that's all they are, moments. You can't build a good story on sparks of inspiration and build up.
Honestly I do wish I enjoyed it but it felt so flat, it seemed like it wanted to make a statement (and in some cases it did) but it just kept missing the mark. I do think the author has done well for queer characters and their stories, but also there felt like no way for audience to connect to these characters even from a queer persons perspective.
I hope whole heartedly that the next book is much better but as for myself I don't think it'll be worth the read. I know that a lot of the attempts at world building are to most likely set up for an amazing series but until the author figures out their pacing, chacacters and even the story itself, i just don't see a future for this series
Unfortunately this has left a damper on my perspective of the authors writing as well, so i think I might also give a miss on their other book
February 28, 2026
3.5 stars
Thanks so much to Penguin Australia for sending me a copy of this one for review. All thoughts are my own.
This was a really intricate, detailed political fantasy with a heavy focus on lore and world building. I was so intrigued right from the start, though I will admit I found the first 25% a bit hard to follow as so much information and so many characters are presented.
I really loved Luminara and her whole story in this book. She’s so intriguing and she’s got so much untapped, barely-known power and I was just so drawn to her as a character. Once she leaves the city she truly begins to blossom. I also really like the complexity of her gender identity, and that it’s not something she struggles with. It just is.
Wirru and the entire troupe were really great. I loved following them on this journey.
I felt a little disconnected from Nejla and Rianthran and their POV’s. I couldn’t quite tell if I’m meant to like them, sympathise with them, or if I’m meant to see them as the enemy.
Overall this was really engaging and I’m excited to see where this series goes.
Thanks so much to Penguin Australia for sending me a copy of this one for review. All thoughts are my own.
This was a really intricate, detailed political fantasy with a heavy focus on lore and world building. I was so intrigued right from the start, though I will admit I found the first 25% a bit hard to follow as so much information and so many characters are presented.
I really loved Luminara and her whole story in this book. She’s so intriguing and she’s got so much untapped, barely-known power and I was just so drawn to her as a character. Once she leaves the city she truly begins to blossom. I also really like the complexity of her gender identity, and that it’s not something she struggles with. It just is.
Wirru and the entire troupe were really great. I loved following them on this journey.
I felt a little disconnected from Nejla and Rianthran and their POV’s. I couldn’t quite tell if I’m meant to like them, sympathise with them, or if I’m meant to see them as the enemy.
Overall this was really engaging and I’m excited to see where this series goes.
February 18, 2026
AHHHHHH I AM OBSESSED AND NEED BOOK TWO ASAP PLS 😍🖤
“If you stay there too long, you’ll begin to decompose” MOOD
This is a high fantasy story full of epic magick systems and Blessings, morally complex characters and so many twists and turns.
There is a prophecy under which a boy born under a blood moon will become the Ramosani, a man full of innate power who is to try and save Loghar from other invading nations. However this time around, the prophecy is fulfilling much quicker than previous cycles and it’s bringing destruction and broken hearts.
I LOVED the writing so much, it was all encompassing and I found myself just wanting to read all the time to stay in the world! The world building is immaculate, the characters evolving or devolving was intriguing, and I just devoured it!
Tropes/themes:
✨ LGBTQIA+ rep (loved it so much in this story)
🖤 complex world building
✨ high fantasy
🖤 magick systems and political schemes
✨ power vs love vs home
“If you stay there too long, you’ll begin to decompose” MOOD
This is a high fantasy story full of epic magick systems and Blessings, morally complex characters and so many twists and turns.
There is a prophecy under which a boy born under a blood moon will become the Ramosani, a man full of innate power who is to try and save Loghar from other invading nations. However this time around, the prophecy is fulfilling much quicker than previous cycles and it’s bringing destruction and broken hearts.
I LOVED the writing so much, it was all encompassing and I found myself just wanting to read all the time to stay in the world! The world building is immaculate, the characters evolving or devolving was intriguing, and I just devoured it!
Tropes/themes:
✨ LGBTQIA+ rep (loved it so much in this story)
🖤 complex world building
✨ high fantasy
🖤 magick systems and political schemes
✨ power vs love vs home
February 27, 2026
The Ascension of Souls had a slower start, as there was a lot of lore to cover so that the plot made sense.
From about 30% in, I was hooked. The main group of characters were beautiful and I found their backgrounds, objectives and motives interesting.
I also enjoyed specifically Nejla navigating the court politics, war strategies and such. She was a really strong and badass character and I enjoyed her chapters a lot.
Each character had their own super objective within the main plot which sometimes got a bit confusing to follow, but it was still an enjoyable novel to read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Australia for the opportunity to read and review this book!
From about 30% in, I was hooked. The main group of characters were beautiful and I found their backgrounds, objectives and motives interesting.
I also enjoyed specifically Nejla navigating the court politics, war strategies and such. She was a really strong and badass character and I enjoyed her chapters a lot.
Each character had their own super objective within the main plot which sometimes got a bit confusing to follow, but it was still an enjoyable novel to read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Australia for the opportunity to read and review this book!
March 20, 2026
( 2.75 rating but 3 is generous due to some compelling elements.)
Love a fantasy book that cares for its world and wants it to feel lived in; but holy shit I kept forgetting what the book was meant to be about because this read like a D&D 'explain your history and lore' session. TAOS wasn't even chunky like a Sanderson book and yet I was confused af.
There were moments when the plot or character work got interesting and then just dipped before getting interesting again. It got pretty formulaic. Begging editors to have a backbone and encourage authors to go back and revise when something isn't working.
Love a fantasy book that cares for its world and wants it to feel lived in; but holy shit I kept forgetting what the book was meant to be about because this read like a D&D 'explain your history and lore' session. TAOS wasn't even chunky like a Sanderson book and yet I was confused af.
There were moments when the plot or character work got interesting and then just dipped before getting interesting again. It got pretty formulaic. Begging editors to have a backbone and encourage authors to go back and revise when something isn't working.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
One of the challenges with fantasy is to manage the narrative and the world building. For the first part of this book the story gets a little bogged down as a result. I’m glad I persisted though as the second half of the book is magical and fascinating. It’s like a decidedly less macho Witcher at times. By the end of the book the universe of the series is well established and we really care for the characters.
March 16, 2026
This one is on me. It’s a fantasy that is centred around politics and conflicts and I struggle with that. I was swept away with the idea of a forbidden bond, the magic system and the queer representation. While there’s so many elements I love about this, I did find it slow and a bit confusing (probably because I did find myself zoning out at times). Bronte-Marie Wesson is a beautiful writer who creates wonderfully complex characters though and I would definitely read her work again in the future.
3.5 ⭐️’s
1 🌶️’s.
3.5 ⭐️’s
1 🌶️’s.
March 10, 2026
✨ALC Review✨
While the political and magical side was intriguing, I found this hard to get into, and I wasn't fully invested in the story or characters as I would've been. 🥺
While the political and magical side was intriguing, I found this hard to get into, and I wasn't fully invested in the story or characters as I would've been. 🥺
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
🩷 Book Review 🩷
📚 The Ascension of Souls
✒️ Bronte-Marie Wesson
💫💫💫💫💫
Thank you to Penguin Random House Australia for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
When I saw that SenLinYu quote on the cover, I requested this book so fast and was so shocked to be accepted.
The Ascension of Souls is an intricate read that builds over the three parts.
As most fantasy books are, we are dropped right into the deep end with a complex worldbuilding and characters. Luminara is a palace servant who sneaks into the royal birthday party of the new leader, Rianthran. A forbidden bond is formed as Rianthran prepares for the Ascension and Luminara has secret powers awakening. With war looming on the horizon, the empire is on edge and a prophecy is being foretold.
The world of the Broken Cycle is complex but described in such detail you had a vivid image of every aspect. Wesson's writing is entrancing, I could not look away as this book slowly revealed its path.
Luminara is a gentle, yet strong character in this book. She had quite firm beliefs and is a voice for peace for her people. Rianthran, is a young man thrusted into a powerful role at a young age with the weight of the repeating prophecy pressing him at everything turn. The secondary characters helped to progress the plot, and I enjoyed their interactions.
The ending is a cliff hanger, yes I stared into the nothingness and hoped there was more but unfortunately I have to wait for book two!
📚 The Ascension of Souls
✒️ Bronte-Marie Wesson
💫💫💫💫💫
Thank you to Penguin Random House Australia for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
When I saw that SenLinYu quote on the cover, I requested this book so fast and was so shocked to be accepted.
The Ascension of Souls is an intricate read that builds over the three parts.
As most fantasy books are, we are dropped right into the deep end with a complex worldbuilding and characters. Luminara is a palace servant who sneaks into the royal birthday party of the new leader, Rianthran. A forbidden bond is formed as Rianthran prepares for the Ascension and Luminara has secret powers awakening. With war looming on the horizon, the empire is on edge and a prophecy is being foretold.
The world of the Broken Cycle is complex but described in such detail you had a vivid image of every aspect. Wesson's writing is entrancing, I could not look away as this book slowly revealed its path.
Luminara is a gentle, yet strong character in this book. She had quite firm beliefs and is a voice for peace for her people. Rianthran, is a young man thrusted into a powerful role at a young age with the weight of the repeating prophecy pressing him at everything turn. The secondary characters helped to progress the plot, and I enjoyed their interactions.
The ending is a cliff hanger, yes I stared into the nothingness and hoped there was more but unfortunately I have to wait for book two!
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