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Island of Exiles

(The Ryogan Chronicles #1)

Erica Cameron (Goodreads Author)

3.75 · Rating details · 193 ratings · 87 reviews

In this diverse, gritty survival fantasy, a girl warrior turns against her island clan to find the brother they claim died, uncovering secrets. Perfect for fans of Graceling and Snow Like Ashes.

In Khya’s world, every breath is a battle.

On the isolated desert island of Shiara, dying young is inevitable. The clan comes before self, and protecting her home means Khya is a war ...more

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Kindle Edition, 400 pages

Published February 14th 2017 by Entangled: Teen

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Jan 03, 2017 Jen ♥Star-Crossed Book Blog♥ rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, arcs, insta-not-used, im-the-only-one-i-walk-alone

Island of Exiles was one the most unique books I've ever read. The world that was created was fascinating, and I've never encountered one even close to how it was described. On top of that, the characters that appeared on the pages were larger than life. And the way the plot unfolded was completely entertaining. Island of Exiles was beyond original. So I wish there wasn't a but, but there is. I never fully connected to any of the characters. And on top of that, the names that were created for ra Island of Exiles was one the most unique books I've ever read. The world that was created was fascinating, and I've never encountered one even close to how it was described. On top of that, the characters that appeared on the pages were larger than life. And the way the plot unfolded was completely entertaining. Island of Exiles was beyond original. So I wish there wasn't a but, but there is. I never fully connected to any of the characters. And on top of that, the names that were created for ranks, magic and basic terms in their world was beyond confusing and wouldn't stick with me.

What is pain when death bites at our heels?

In the first chapter alone, you get a good grasp on the harsh lifestyle and what it's like to live on the isolated island of Shiara. Each day is a fight to survive. It's completely brutal. From the terrifying creatures, to the intense terrain, to the unforgiving weather, they are constantly under attack. Khya, our heroine, is a trained warrior. She scouts, fights and protects those in her group and her Clan. She is the definition of kick ass! But at the same time, it's easy to understand that Khya was raised to put the Clan before herself. The needs and safety of the clan will always be more important than just one person.

“Where’d you learn to fight like that?” It really is galling to know that Tessen was right about Yorri, but my pride in my brother is enough to trump even that.
My brother smirks. “Where do you think? From watching you.”

Well, that is until something happens to her brother, Yorri. She loves him more than life itself, and finds herself on a different path because of her brother. On her journey, her world gets flipped upside down. Not only in regards to what she knew, but also for who she can and can't trust. One of my favorite people that kept appearing in her life was Terren. He would never go away, no matter how much Khya wished it lol. I quickly formed an opinion on him, and I loved every single time he graced the pages with his presence. The moments they were together were so much fun!

I don’t breathe as Tessen reaches out to brush the tips of his fingers along the line of my jaw, an almost sad smile on his lips. “I see you , Khya. I’ve always seen you. And except for your tendency to pretend that you hate me most days, I like what I see.”

So while this book seemed like a huge win win, I unfortunately struggled. There were so many new terms, and I never could grasp them. Between their ranks, kind of magic and basic world terms, there was 80ish new words to learn. And while that didn't seem like a lot, only a handful stuck with me. On top of that, I struggled keeping track of who was who. Their names were so unique, and even though I made a cheat sheet, they just wouldn't stick.

So I closed the book lost. Because on one hand, I loved the story. It was one the most unique book I've ever encountered, and I was beyond fascinated. I loved how the plot was fast paced and where the twists took the story. But not being able to connect to the characters, and also getting lost in terminology every few paragraphs, definitely pulled me out of the story again and again. So if you're looking for a unique fantasy, then definitely give this one a try. You may adapt easier than I did, and therefore fall head over heels in love with this book. But for me, it just didn't work out in the end, so I unfortunately won't be picking up the sequel.

*ARC kindly provided by Entangled Teen via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

For more of my reviews, please visit:

...more

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Feb 09, 2017 Miranda rated it really liked it

Island of Exiles was a gripping, addictive, and captivating book. This book sucked me in from the very first page. Island of Exiles was a book that pulled me in and never let me go! I was pleasantly surprised by this book!

I loved the world the author created, but I did have some issues with wrapping my head around everything. I thought the author did a great job of avoiding info-dumping, but I the world was so unique that there were some aspects that took me a while to completely understand and ...more

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Feb 05, 2017 Madison rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

Island of Exiles is a rich and epic fantasy, incredibly detailed with superb world building. I am picky about what fantasy novels I read, but this one far surpassed all my expectations and I am now eagerly awaiting book two in the series.

When I was offered a chance to read Island of Exiles I was told it was suited to readers of Graceling and Snow Like Ashes. That's a pretty high standard to reach, but despite that, I was still surprised when this book was actually really very good. It reminded m Island of Exiles is a rich and epic fantasy, incredibly detailed with superb world building. I am picky about what fantasy novels I read, but this one far surpassed all my expectations and I am now eagerly awaiting book two in the series.

When I was offered a chance to read Island of Exiles I was told it was suited to readers of Graceling and Snow Like Ashes. That's a pretty high standard to reach, but despite that, I was still surprised when this book was actually really very good. It reminded me in parts of Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta (one of my absolute favourite fantasy novels) and The Host by Stephanie Meyer (just the parts about a subsistence culture living in a harsh, desert-like surround, with a strong community focus).

Island of Exiles has some intense and well-layered world building. Every little detail is considered, but there are never any information dumps or description-heavy sections. The new vocabulary in this novel is huge. And yet I never found myself confused or lost. There is a glossary at the back, and while I admit that some of the ranks went over my head so too would any military ranks we use in the real world, so I just kept reading, paying attention to each new word, creature or name as it was introduced. The terms give this novel a distinct Eastern feel and yet the setting, culture, language and people of this book are unique. There are also a whole range of magic powers, a third gender and diverse sexual orientations.

Khya is a strong, independent young women. She has the power to create wards to protect both herself and others. She is part of the top class, one of three her clan is divided into, and serves by patrolling, fighting, and protecting her clan and their home. Her focus is also on protecting her younger brother, a bond that many do not understand. She is fierce, powerful, clever, and serious - everything a fantastic fantasy protagonist can be.

One of the things I loved most about this book was the romance. It plays a big part in this novel and yet it really doesn't steal the limelight. Tessen just isn't in any way Khya's focus. He is just there, has been her whole life, stealing promotions from her and basically being annoying. He is a fly at which she swats some times. And he continues to integrate himself into her life. Their relationship develops so incredibly slowly and naturally, it is beautiful to watch. I love how he annoys Khya, how she dismisses him and how he continues to always be there to support her. I love how we see this all through Khya's eyes. I love how she never suddenly realises that she is in love with him. It's so much more than that. She just slowly sees him as he really is. I'm not very good at explaining this, but it's worth it to read Island of Exiles just for their relationship - all the endless action and detailed fantasy world building are just a bonus.

The whole book brings a high level of action and tension. There is never a dull moment and the end only gets more and more exciting. I can't wait for the next book. I'm incredibly grateful I had the chance to read this book.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library. ...more

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Dec 11, 2017 Danielle's rated it really liked it

Khya lives on the island of Shiara. It's isolated and harsh. Every day is a challenge. Most die young.
Magic, secrets, and half-truths are all around.

Khya was close to her brother, Yorri until his apparent death. Now she is determined to find the truth. She is a trained warrior and dedicated to protecting her clan, but her brother's death changes everything. Now she has to put her trust in Tessen. Trust is earned not given and it will take time. Tessen is hot on Khya tracks and soon becomes inte ...more

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Jan 29, 2017 ♡Jacqueline♡ beautyliterate rated it liked it

Shelves: arcs, young-adult, fantasy-books, lgbtqia-books

I struggled A LOT through this book but.. it was fast-paced and very unique. I wish we got a little bit more development with the important information just because I was left confused at so many parts which took away from the story.

If the crucial parts, for example, key definitions were explained more fluidly I think I would've really enjoyed this book. The plot was progressive and action packed. The characters were likable but I didn't LOVE them since I did feel so disconnected to the book as ...more

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Jan 27, 2017 Shannon (It Starts At Midnight) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-for-review, 2017, february-2017

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

Ohhh guys, this one is unique! And has a lot going for it! I am just going to get right into all the good stuff.

The world is incredibly unique. Like, so much. The creativity in this world is mind-blowing, honestly. The author didn't just create a place, or a group of people, she created a whole world, complete with customs, language, traditions, and so much more. I ...more

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Feb 03, 2017 Danya rated it really liked it

Shelves: queer, young-adult, fantasy, netgalley-arc, 2017-release, protagonist-poc

This review and others can be found at my blog, Fine Print.

Have you been struggling to find an original, well written YA fantasy? Look no further! Here are 5 reasons to read ISLAND OF EXILES by Erica Cameron.

1. Creative World Building

If you enjoy complex social, political, and cultural contexts in their fantasy novels, rejoice! ISLAND OF EXILES has it all. Khya’s clan lives on Shiara, a land of inhospitable desert that forces them within the walls of their city, where they wait out natural dis ...more

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Jan 20, 2017 Leah rated it really liked it

Shelves: m-f, ebooks-kindle, arcs-review-copies, netgalley-edelweiss, 4-stars, bisexual-biromantic, young-adult-lit, queer-literature

***I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

SUMMARY:

In Erica Cameron's ISLAND OF EXILES, we visit a nation ensconced in magic and a hierarchy based upon strength and ability. They're is taught to put complete faith in their leaders and to put the well-being of the clan before themselves or anything/anyone else.

The only person Khya really loves and trusts is her younger brother Yorri, and she is determined to protect and take care of him. When Yorri is suddenly procl ***I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

SUMMARY:

In Erica Cameron's ISLAND OF EXILES, we visit a nation ensconced in magic and a hierarchy based upon strength and ability. They're is taught to put complete faith in their leaders and to put the well-being of the clan before themselves or anything/anyone else.

The only person Khya really loves and trusts is her younger brother Yorri, and she is determined to protect and take care of him. When Yorri is suddenly proclaimed dead due to a surprise attack from their enemies, it's not long before Khya starts to suspect that's not the whole truth. To discover what's really going on, she must team up with the boy who's always been her competition, and a person who she doesn't know but who Yorri loved and trusted implicitly.

---------

REVIEW:

Erica Cameron has never let me down, and she continues to succeed in hooking me in with ISLAND OF EXILES.

Admittedly, it took me a little while to get into it at first. From the very beginning, we're immediately tossed into this new world, with a bunch of different terms and sayings. Even with the help of the glossary (which I didn't know existed until I get to the end of the book, so keep an eye out for that, if it's not at the front in the final version), I felt a bit like a fish out of water for a while, trying to understand what exactly was going on. But after a few chapters, and some helpful context clues, I was able to immerse myself in the world Cameron creates without stumbling over the new words.

Which I am so thankful for, because the worldbuilding in this novel is incredible. Cameron details different ethnic nations, social and magical hierarchies, multiple sexual and gender identities, technological advances, and so much more. It doesn't read like a history book at all, but as a history nerd who is fascinated by the progression of these things throughout the ages, it was so fascinating to read about all of these in ISLAND OF EXILES.

Speaking of sexualities and gender, I loved Cameron's work in these two areas, because they are both such non-issues in the society she's created. There is a third gender that is recognized by all in the society, and there are specific pronouns that they use for those who identify as ebet. It's pretty much the same with sexuality. The main character, Khya, is either bisexual or pansexual, and it's never an issue. The same with Etaro, one of Khya's friends and squad members, who is asexual. No one give's a fuck! (Heh. Literally in Etaro's case.) I'd love to to live in a society that is so accepting of sexuality and gender that isn't heterosexual and cisgender. (Not this society because I've read the book so I know what's up, but you know what I mean.)

Finally, I loved all of the characters! None of them are flat or one dimensional. They're all human, with vast and differing emotions. They love, they hurt, they get angry, they forgive, they keep secrets, they try to protect their loved ones. None of them are perfect by any means. They're just as flawed and broken as an every day person, which is something I love to see in characters I'm reading about and trying to identify with.

Overall, this book is amazing and a wonderful read. I cannot wait to read the second one, and to see what else Erica Cameron releases in the future. ...more

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Feb 15, 2017 Melissa (YA Book Shelf) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbtqia-ya

Haven't been reading much of late, but wow! I'm not a fantasy reader really, but honestly, I loved this diverse story and can't wait for the rest of the books in this series to release.

Tons of action, adventure, and there's a good reason why so many authors and even Kirkus Reviews have fallen hard for this book. Pick it up today and see for yourself.

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Jan 25, 2017 Liza Wiemer marked it as to-read

Shelves: weneeddiversebooks

CAN'T WAIT TO READ THIS!

Starred review on Kirkus:
"Cameron expertly blends worldbuilding and intriguing characters with page-turning action scenes and a story that builds in tension and complexity. The novel’s commitment to diversity adds new dimensions to the story, as the cast is entirely nonwhite, and the clan recognizes nonbinary gender identities and complex sexual orientations. The lexicon of unique terms and concepts may be intimidating to some readers, but the vocabulary adds fantastic ...more

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Feb 22, 2017 Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction-young-adult, 2017, genre-romance-deliberately, review-on-amazon, g-a-magic, reviewed, g-a-real-combat, g-t-another-world, rp-netgalley, genre-coming-of-age

Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...

2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars due to Tessen & Sanii!

Khya is a clan warrior whose home is an isolated desert island. She's closest to her brother, Yorri and is constantly pestered by her rival, Tessen. As a rare fykina who can make wards to protect from magic and physical dangers she is important to her team and her ambition in life is to become a leader of her clan. When her brother's body mysteriously disappears she goes on a quest to learn ...more

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Feb 14, 2017 Di rated it it was amazing

Shelves: rereads, some-of-the-reasons-i-love-ya-books, feeding-my-ya-addiction, can-t-wait-for-the-next-installment, 2017-releases, earc, netgalley, diverse

I have NO idea why this book hasn't had more hype! I really, really enjoyed it and it's like nothing I have ever read - which is saying something, especially in the YA world!

The world building is complex, thorough and absolutely fascinating: Erica Cameron has done an AMAZING job of creating a distinctive and diverse fantasy world.

The writing is descriptive and yet easy to read and the world is full of gritty and shocking detail. There's a glossary provided at the back of the book to help o ...more

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Jun 18, 2017 Kirsty (Amethyst Bookwyrm) rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, review, netgalley-edelweiss

Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for giving me this book to review.

Island of Exiles is a good book with an interesting story and world which is a post-apocalyptic fantasy novel. It was well written with good world building, interesting characters, full of action and a romance which was there but did not take over the story. I really enjoy fantasy books but I found the names and titles overly confusing which caused me to feel that it was slow to start. Similarly, the three genders con ...more

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Dec 18, 2016 diana rated it really liked it

Shelves: my-favorite, arc, netgalley

ASDFGHJKL!!

This. Book. Is. So. Badass.

I admit I was so confused in the beginning with all the unfamiliar terms I came across (but hey that's what the glossary is for right?) but once I got myself familiarized with the world, the book just got a whole lot better.
I don't think I've ever read a book quite like Island of Exiles. I didn't know what to expect from this but what I got? What I got was an amazing blend of diverse characters, an amazing worldbuilding, a unique and complex world one woul ...more

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Oct 20, 2016 Brett Jonas rated it it was amazing

I got the chance to read an early version of this book, and it absolutely blew me away! I can't wait for the release date so I can reread it - and so I can have other people to fangirl with!!

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Feb 12, 2017 Alexa rated it it was amazing

This book... is just... incredible. It begins so simply, not quite a “Oh, look, another magic-ridden high fantasy” feel, because it does have a very epic, even almost chilling start, but it doesn’t feel like it’s going to be as mind-blowingly phenomenal as it actually is. That comes on slowly—yet the story was never boring. It begins with a simple but strong story stake, then builds and builds and builds on that, one shocker plot twist at a time, until the end result is something completely othe ...more

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Feb 21, 2017 Rebekah rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2017, ya-addiction, dystopian, lgbt

A HUGE Thank you to EntangledTeen for this book which I got in exchange for an honest review.

Full review to come...

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Nov 23, 2016 Hannah Brauning rated it it was amazing

I had the chance to read an early copy of this book, and I already can't wait for the sequel. The story is engaging and satisfying with high adventure, subtle yet steamy romance, and beautiful, diverse relationships. Key to this book are the well-developed characters. They give you a glimpse into this world so different from ours by feeling the beats of the story alongside the characters and learning about their society and place in it. Altogether, it's really good read.

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Nov 27, 2017 lacy white rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017, arc-copy, ebooks, 4-stars, c

A special thank you goes out to Entangled Teen publishing for allowing me to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

initial thoughts;
I will admit. At first, I wasn't super into this book. There was a lot of information and a lot of names that really confused me. Since this island is an island of war, there were a lot of war terms/weapons that I couldn't quite understand, along different names of honor for different people. But after I got through that, the story started to pick up and I rea A special thank you goes out to Entangled Teen publishing for allowing me to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

initial thoughts;
I will admit. At first, I wasn't super into this book. There was a lot of information and a lot of names that really confused me. Since this island is an island of war, there were a lot of war terms/weapons that I couldn't quite understand, along different names of honor for different people. But after I got through that, the story started to pick up and I really started to enjoy myself. There is also a helpful gallery in the back of every name, weapon and things of that nature.

characters;
The characters were great! Khya was such a strong character and I liked her immediately. I was getting Lada feels from her but with Khya, she knew when to reign in the brutality. My favorite thing about Khya was the love she felt for her blood brother, Yorri. Khya reminded me of...well me in that sense. I love my baby siblings more than anything in this world. If harm ever came by them, I would not rest until the person/s pays for what they did to my babies. Khya's love for her brother really helped me to bond with her more.

I supported the relationship between Tessen and Khya. He challenged her and didn't let her rudeness (which she was prone to do at times) go unchecked. They both helped each other in a lot of ways and I couldn't get enough of their interactions together.

awesome information;
In the email I got that explained a little more about this ARC there was some great information about the author and the book itself. Firstly, the author is asexual and is an advocate. There are characters that are asexual and are LGBTQIA+. The best part is that the LGBTQIA+ is completely normal in this world. There is also diversity and POC. This book is also an ownvoices! (I'm not sure if I need to to put a hashtag or not.)

overall;
This book is a bit difficult to get into a first but once you do, it's a whirlwind of adventure. You will fall in love with the family that this clan creates and you will love Khya and her love for her blood brother. I can't wait to get started on the second book! ...more

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Feb 01, 2018 CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, bisexual, queer, fantasy, asexual-aromantic, fiction, american, non-binary

3 stars for potential teen readers, 2 stars for my own enjoyment. Unfortunately pretty run-of-the-mill fantasy, albeit the nonchalant inclusion of a non-binary / third gender/sex, asexuality, and bisexuality (not that I'm down playing that!). Although I'm still unclear about the non-binary category: I think it's a third sex with physical differences (ie, they can't have biological children the text says) and a corresponding gender identity (called 'ebets') but it's not made very clear. It's also ...more

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Feb 10, 2017 Jannin (The Booknerd Dragon) rated it liked it

Shelves: reviewed, arc

First of all, I want to let you know that this book tour is brought to you by YA Reads Blog Tour so I want to thank them for giving me the chance to host a tour.

The story is about a girl named Khya who has a brother named Yorri. Yorri is about to have his herynshi, a trial undergone by all citizens of Itagami the year of their sixteenth birthday to find out which status they belong (Nyshin, Ahdo, Yonin respectively from high to low), but he hasn’t discovered his magic yet. So Khya got worried First of all, I want to let you know that this book tour is brought to you by YA Reads Blog Tour so I want to thank them for giving me the chance to host a tour.

The story is about a girl named Khya who has a brother named Yorri. Yorri is about to have his herynshi, a trial undergone by all citizens of Itagami the year of their sixteenth birthday to find out which status they belong (Nyshin, Ahdo, Yonin respectively from high to low), but he hasn’t discovered his magic yet. So Khya got worried because if Yorri can’t manifest a magic during his herynshi then he will be put as Yonin, normal people who only work for those higher to them. And Khya doesn’t want that because their parents were both in the high ranks in their government. So Khya did something to force Yorri’s magic out in which she succeeded. And so does Yorri during his herynshi. However, days after Yorri got assigned on a squad; he died while doing his duty protecting a clan mate. When Khya found out about it, her whole world suddenly crumble. Until one day, a friend of Yorri’s talk to Khya and told her that Yorri is still alive. So Khya plan to find his brother even if it means betraying Itagami. And then Khya also found an unwanted help from Tessen, her love interest. The three of them, Khya, Sanii, Yorri’s friend, and Tessen created a plan to find Yorri. No matter what it takes.

When I read the blurb of the book, it interests me because there is a sibling love, the kind of love that I rarely read in a book. So I grabbed it and read it.

However, when I was reading the first part of it I was so confused as to what was going on. I even assumed that Khya was a boy. It feels like she’s a boy at first. And I also got confused about her powers. I know what a ward is but I just didn’t expect that that was Khya’s powers. In the beginning of the book I thought her power was to control the weather or maybe the lightning. But then it turns out that she’s a fykina, a mage who can build a shield to protect them from other magic and the physical world (like rocks, debris, and even rain).

But after clearing all the confusions, I find myself enjoying the book. I love how Khya takes care of Yorri so much and vice versa. I understand why Khya was so concerned in forcing Yorri’s power out of him though it would also be good if Khya just let Yorri decide on his own whether he likes to be a nyshin or an ahdo or even yonin. But then there’s a reason for everything.

One of the things I like about this book is how Khya is towards her relationship with Tessen. I mean Tessen is the man but the way they treat each other it’s Khya who’s the one wearing the pants in the relationship. If ever there’s a relationship to begin with. Khya is so slow when it comes to feelings and emotions that doesn’t have to do with Yorri. Seriously. That’s what we Filipinos call “manhid” which means numb. Because she’s too numb not to feel what Tessen really felt towards her. Manhid! Lol.

The only downside of this book is the lack of adventure. I mean they have powers and magic and mysteries but while I was reading it I feel like I’m only standing in one place of the book all throughout the story. It’s not an action genre but they have powers and magic, aren’t they supposed to be like a very wild adventure because of that. If there is I didn’t feel it while I was reading it. There are a lot of talking and less adventure. The action only happened on the last part of the book which leaves me wanting for more. Though there are parts where Khya and her squad go out to hunt food and stuff in between chapters, I feel like it’s not the kind of action and adventure I want to read in a book with magic in it.

On the end of the book I get to see Khya use her powers beyond her usual limit. She pushed herself just to save the people important to her. Although there were no exchange of blows and spilling of blood, the fact that they used their magic in the end of the book a lot more than throughout the whole book is what made the ending a step up.

The book is good, don’t get me wrong. I just thought that it’s still lacking. I feel like the author could still do better. And I am hoping that she will in the second book of this series. I am still looking forward on reading the second book.

I would recommend this book to you peeps but not as much as I recommend some other books I reviewed here. Though if you want to give this book a chance, go ahead. Don’t let my opinion get in the way.

That’s all for this review peeps! Thank you for reading up to here! Love you all! ...more

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Jul 13, 2017 Lauren added it

Shelves: dnf, meh, 2017

I dunno, it was a bit slow and kinda hard to get into.
I just... couldn't get into it.

I hate not finishing books, but I think the one thing that really really threw me off was all the different words. I couldn't keep track of all of them and was literally flipping to the glossary constantly.

I made it about a quarter of the way through (a little more than 100 pages) before realizing this book just wasn't for me.

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Mar 21, 2017 Sky rated it it was amazing

please tell me why more people aren't talking about this book????????????

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How do I even begin talking about this book? Straight to the point, I really freaking loved it. It’s all the things I could want in a book. Survivalism, fantasy, strong female main character, diversity in all the characters, and betrayal?!? Island of Exiles delivers on so many levels, I don’t understand how more people aren’t talking about it. All the time in the book community people are begging for good diversity, and le ...more

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Jan 28, 2017 Jenny rated it it was amazing

At first I want to thank the team of Entangled Teen - a special thanks goes to Melissa - to give me the chance of reading 'Island Of Exiles' by providing an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion from my side!

The first impression, when I see a book is always the cover. Am I tending to read books with amazing covers? Yes, most definitely! And that's exactly how I feel about this cover. It's amazing and I love it!

Erica Cameron's writing style is addictive. The wording isn't always the easiest, as i At first I want to thank the team of Entangled Teen - a special thanks goes to Melissa - to give me the chance of reading 'Island Of Exiles' by providing an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion from my side!

The first impression, when I see a book is always the cover. Am I tending to read books with amazing covers? Yes, most definitely! And that's exactly how I feel about this cover. It's amazing and I love it!

Erica Cameron's writing style is addictive. The wording isn't always the easiest, as it's not the typical standard language but I absolutely enjoyed it. In my opinion it's refreshing to read something what challenges my mind every here and there and that's the way it was while I've been reading this book.

I couldn't find any boring scenes at all. This thrilling story is full of action and kept my mind occupied all the time. Thanks to the author's amazing writing style it came so naturally to imagine every scene, place, character and even the smells in this story that I literally inhaled this book.

You will also meet some really great characters in 'Island Of Exiles'.

There is Khya, the protagonist of this book. She is absolutely loyal, caring, well respected, strong, has courage and some badass fighting skills, as well as some very impressive magical skills. But most important? She has a big, loving heart and fights until the end for the ones she loves.

Then you will meet Yorri. He is Khya's little brother. Yorri too has an amazing personality. He is caring and loving, thinks outside the box and loves to discover new things but there is way more to him than you could imagine in the first place.

After a little while you will stumble across Tessen. In the beginning I couldn't quite tell, if I do like him or not but soon he started to earn a place in my heart. He seemed like an arrogant guy, who doesn't need to do anything to have success in his life. After a few chapters though? He has shown his true, amazing self bit by bit. Tessen showed, that he doesn't care if he gets in trouble for helping the people he cares for. Even, if that would mean to die trying.

But you won't just find good, loving characters. No. You will find many enemies in this fast-paced story, whose actions will let the hair on the back of your neck rise.

'Island Of Exiles' is most definitely already one of my reading highlights in 2017! I can recommend this book to everyone, who enjoys a thrilling story with heaps of action, great characters and a touch of a teasing love story between the lines. I can't wait to join Khya and all the other characters on the next part of their journey in book #2 in the 'The Ryogan Chronicles'. ...more

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Mar 30, 2017 Natalie rated it it was ok

Shelves: young-adult, read-in-2017

I felt thrown into a fantasy world with no explanation or guidance. Thankfully, I found the glossary of terms in the back of the book fairly early on, but even with that I was lost. The governmental ranking system was hard to follow too. 400 pages later and the only thing I get is that "yonin" is the lowest class and the Miriseh are the highest - I couldn't kept track of any of the others.

Also, I didn't like the main character much at all. Khya was very hard to relate to. I found her to be very ...more

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Apr 01, 2017 Hillary rated it it was amazing

Shelves: gender-and-sexuality

From both a plotting/worldbuilding and diversity standpoint, this was fantastic. The plot and the incipient romance tied together well, and the world the story took place in held true. The story also features numerous characters of a third gender with their own pronouns (ey, em, eir; like they, them, their, but with no associations with the plural), an asexual character who is friends with the protagonist and therefore shows up fairly frequency, and a bisexual protagonist. People in this world a ...more

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Dec 05, 2017 Katherine Paschal rated it liked it

Shelves: supernatural, suspense, teen, netgalley, another-world, mystery, survival

**3.5 Stars**
Khya's whole world is protecting her brother and doing her duty to her clan, her own needs don't play a big role in her choices. But when something shocking happens, Khya is lost and can't figure out who she is anymore. An encounter with someone important to her brother causes Khya to question everything she knows, including the bigger purpose on her island.

I was in love with the cover from the first moment I saw it so I knew I needed to get my hands on this book ( I had to buy myse **3.5 Stars**
Khya's whole world is protecting her brother and doing her duty to her clan, her own needs don't play a big role in her choices. But when something shocking happens, Khya is lost and can't figure out who she is anymore. An encounter with someone important to her brother causes Khya to question everything she knows, including the bigger purpose on her island.

I was in love with the cover from the first moment I saw it so I knew I needed to get my hands on this book ( I had to buy myself a physical copy to proudly display on my bookcase). Full disclosure, I was super shocked at the content of the book- I went into the book expecting a modern day teen survival story, which this was not even a little bit. This was a full fledged fantasy world full of complicated magic, society, creatures and gods that I knew nothing about. I know fantasy likes to blindly drop the reader into the world, but there was absolutely no back story here and I floundered for awhile to try and put together pieces which made it hard for me to get invested in the story. Be it the hierarchy of the society, the magic aspects, the names for people and pretty much everything in the book, was completely foreign to me and hard to say. At the end of the book was a glossary which was really helpful and I wish I had seen it before I started the book because I felt a little bit like I was in over my head. That being said, the second half of the story really picked up for me and I flew through the pages now that I understood the world and there was so much action I could experience, less introspective thinking.

There were three genders within this society, male, female and Ebet- neither male or female (which made me super curious as to what parts were what or if it was a mind set as to what they associated with) It was a really interesting concept but it made me wonder how reproduction could work and I would have loved more details in general about things like that- whether an ebet could conceive. Also, the pronouns were super confusing and didn't start feeling more natural until half way through the book (I had no idea about the third gender until way into the story and was like 80% convinced that the strange pronounce was some sort of typo in the digital copy I was reading. It was really interesting where gender really didn't matter at all to the society, be it when it came to romance and sex, you just pick someone regardless of things with no stigma associated; also being nonsexual (Ushimo) was very common- you could even have a soul bond to a person and be completely platonic.

Khya was a hard character to understand, both from the reader and the tribe point of view. She was very closed off and private, refusing to get to know anyone, but taking on the responsibility of the clan. She considered Yorri "hers" so therefore she would fight to the death to keep him safe, regardless of what he wanted or needed. She acted like the adult or parent to him regardless of him only being a year younger and very capable himself. I felt very sad for Khya though, since Yorri was her everything (obsesseively so at times- it made me slightly uncomfortable in the beginning) where as he had a full life outside of her that she knew nothing about. It felt like he was a more complete person than she was at the start of the book.

Tessen was hands down my favorite character, I completely loved him and his perseverance, the fact he became the strength Khya needed, willing to risk everything he knew to take a stand with Khya. To be honest, he was pretty dreamy, with his sly smile and quiet determination- I wanted to shake Khya to really see him for who he was, and not what she thought he was capable of.

This was a very different type of read than I have experienced recently and the world building was so intricately done. This is the first in a series (of how many, I don't know) and I am glad I can jump right into the second book to continue my journey with Khya and her crew.

Come visit me @ https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ ...more

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Feb 19, 2017 Holly rated it really liked it

Shelves: cover-love, feels-like-i-won-a-million-bucks, 2017, absolutely-loved, 1-i-was-part-of-blog-tour, entangled-teen, series, ebook, arc, diversity

I’d been eager to read this book since I’d seen a post from Erica on Twitter about it and chatted with her briefly. I am a huge fan of fantasy, and this book sounded right up my alley. I also loved the idea that Erica would be exploring the idea of asexuality in the book, as I have never read about that in any book (at least not where it’s explicitly named, although it’s possible it was hinted at in some book and I missed it). So, I jumped a the chance to be on this tour with YA Reads, and let m I’d been eager to read this book since I’d seen a post from Erica on Twitter about it and chatted with her briefly. I am a huge fan of fantasy, and this book sounded right up my alley. I also loved the idea that Erica would be exploring the idea of asexuality in the book, as I have never read about that in any book (at least not where it’s explicitly named, although it’s possible it was hinted at in some book and I missed it). So, I jumped a the chance to be on this tour with YA Reads, and let me tell you, this book did not disappoint! I don’t want to get too much into plot and what happens (I hate spoilers), but I will address the things I liked best about this book.

Island of Exiles had everything I love in a fantasy: excellent world-building; a world that is presented in a way we can easily visualize it; strong, complex characters; and a story that immediately draws you in. The structure of the society was pretty fascinating, mixing some more traditional fantasy (and real-life) elements with some new and intriguing twists. From the first page, I could really “see” Shiara, and I could imagine very well how the desert dust covered everything, how parched the warriors must get out on their patrols. The animals and plants (such as there were) were very cool; I mean, the teegras sounded like some crazy combination of big jungle cats and snakes - awesome! As different as they were, it was easy to visualize them, and they weren’t so unbelievable as to catapult us out of the story. Overall, the world-building was excellent.

In addition to the world-building, I think Erica did a great job with the characters. I love how Khya is such a tough warrior even though she’s only 17, but it’s totally believable because of how their society is structured, since children are raised learning to fight (and fight hard). I also liked that she was always watching out for and helping her younger brother, and that their bond was so close. Tessen captured me from the moment he appeared on the page; I was a little googly-eyed for him, I admit! Khya’s best friends Rai and Etaro are also fantastic characters.

I want to mention that Khya also captured my heart as soon as I realized she has a “thing” with touching, because I am similar in that respect. I could feel her squirming when her friend engulfs her in a big hug (not something they would normally do, but they’d been worried about her). I could feel her unease when Tessen would be too close, too much in her personal space (yes, even though I was smitten with him!). I have to say, I really liked seeing myself in that aspect of her character. It’s interesting how just that aspect of her character can make me like her even more. I guess what I’m saying is, it’s my firm belief that authors would do well to give their characters some “quirks” of personality that many of us have. None of us are “perfect,” and why should we want our book characters to be? I don’t, that’s for sure! This kind of reality in characters does two things: first, if we share that trait, we are happy to see ourselves reflected in the character; and second, if we don’t share that trait, we may gain some knowledge of, perhaps even empathy for, people who do. It’s a win-win, in my opinion!

Since I referred to this in the intro, I’ll touch on two aspects of this book that were mostly new to me: the inclusion of a third sex, and the inclusion of asexuality as an accepted, normal point on the sexual spectrum. First, I liked the fact that there was a third sex in Khya’s society, with those neither male nor female being called “ebet.” Although not exactly new to me - I’ve read (mainly science fiction) books with multiple and/or different sexes before - I really liked the way it was presented here. It took a bit of getting used to, which I’ll admit was uncomfortable at the beginning, but I think to some degree that is the idea. After all, we’re at a point in our society where people are choosing to live their true selves and choosing how they’d like to be referred to, eg, using the plural pronoun to avoid gendered pronouns. If we don’t confront the way it makes us feel uncomfortable at first - using plural pronoun to refer to a single person - then we won’t be able to honor their wishes. Erica has a riff on this idea, using “ey” where you might use “they,” “eir” for “their,” and “emself” for “themself.” It took a few times for me to realize that when she’d start a sentence about Etaro, “Ey ran toward me…”, that “Ey” was not a nickname for Etaro, as I’d originally thought, but rather use of the non-gendered pronoun! But it didn’t take long for it to start to flowing from my tongue just as easily as seeing “he” in connection with Tessen and “she” in connection with Rai. I think that’s the great thing Erica has done here, which is to force us to read it and say it in our heads enough that it becomes second nature and doesn’t seem so “weird” anymore. At least, I hope that will be others’ experience as well!

Second, I really appreciated how Erica put the issue of asexuality before us with one of her characters. It is a concept that a lot of us (at least older folks like myself, if not those who would actually be considered YA themselves!) don’t know much about. That is, we may in fact have *lived it*, but we’ve not necessarily put a name to it before. Asexuality in Khya’s world is not so unusual, and there is a word for it, “ushimo.” (As a side note, there are also homosexual relationships.) I appreciate that it was even talked about, in a way that I’ve never read in a book. It’s just nice to know that not every person thinks about sex all the time - or ever - and, again, it’s an aspect of a character with which those readers who identify as asexual can identify. It helps them to see themselves represented, and it helps the rest of the readers get a better sense of what asexuality means. As I said before, it’s a win-win!

Well, that ended up being a much longer review than I’d anticipated, but there you go! I really loved this book, and I can’t wait to read more by Erica. I would highly recommend Island of Exiles to any fantasy fan, even if you’re not someone who normally reads YA. It’s an excellent addition to the fantasy genre, and I can’t wait to read the next installment! ...more

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Mar 01, 2017 Erica Chilson rated it liked it

Shelves: wickedreads, young-adult, 3-star, fantasy

I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads

3 Stars.

The blurb was a definite hook for me, especially with the Graceling being one of my all-time favorite young adult fantasy novels. But the language and terminology confused this 38-yo writer/avid reader, so I wonder how much a young adult will comprehend while reading.

I've struggled over the course of two weeks to read this novel, reading about 10% in a sitting before switching to another book, then coming back for anoth ...more

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Jul 14, 2017 Maddalena rated it liked it

Shelves: read-2017

3 and 1/2 stars

It’s practically impossible for me to resist a deep desert setting, not since Frank Herbert’s Dune became one of my favorite books, so when I read the first reviews for Island of Exiles I knew it would not be long before I saw for myself what this story had to offer.

Life on the island of Shiara is hard and unforgiving: set in the middle of a turbulent ocean, the island’s climate alternates between periods of intense, searing heat and seasonal storms that can annihilate everything ...more

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YA Buddy Readers'...: Island of Exiles (The Ryogan Chronicles #1) by Erica Cameron -- Starting April 14th 2017	3	95	Feb 24, 2017 06:44AM

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About Erica Cameron

Erica Cameron

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After a lifelong obsession with books, Erica Cameron spent her college years studying psychology and creative writing, basically getting credit for reading and learning how to make stories of her own. Now, she’s the author of several series for young adults. She’s also a reader, asexuality advocate, dance fan, choreographer, singer, lover of musical theater, movie obsessed, sucker for romance, Flo ...more