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The Legacy of King Jasteroth #1
The Legacy of King Jasteroth Vol.1
Princess Ariella lived a secluded life—until the arrival of her new tutor, Austin. With him as her guide, she quickly learns she’s gifted with a power called the Inner Eye, granting her the ability to manifest ice; an ability so rare, there is only one other known to possess it.
When a malevolent force threatens to destroy Ariella’s family, she turns to Austin for help. However, it won’t come easy—they have just two days to prove there’s forbidden magic at work; otherwise, the Council won’t step in.
Will they find what’s necessary to earn the Council’s aide and save her family? Or will their sacrifices be in vain?
When a malevolent force threatens to destroy Ariella’s family, she turns to Austin for help. However, it won’t come easy—they have just two days to prove there’s forbidden magic at work; otherwise, the Council won’t step in.
Will they find what’s necessary to earn the Council’s aide and save her family? Or will their sacrifices be in vain?
- GenresYoung Adult
ebook
About the author
S.L. Wyllie
5 books29 followers My name is Sara, and I’m an eccentric, sometimes shy, sometimes crazy, animal lover, indie-author, musician, etc. etc. etc. from Toronto, ON. But, I wasn’t always from Toronto, I actually grew up on the West Coast of Canada, on Vancouver Island. I have two wonderful dogs who are my pride and joy (no children yet), and I have no idea what direction my life is taking me anymore.
One day I woke up and I said, I’m tired of being unhappy. And from that morning forth, I’ve been on this journey in search of happiness no matter the direction, no matter the result…
What I’ve learned so far is that money and material things can only make you so happy. True happiness comes from within, and if you’re emotionally or spiritually sick, then no amount of material things can solve that. It’s something you have to learn how to fix yourself, starting with, who are you, and what makes you happy? What sort of things do you enjoy?
And I feel like, I was caught up in this lie, of always appearing happy and great, but inside, I was broken. I didn’t know who I was anymore. I didn’t know what I liked, what I wanted to do with my life, I didn’t know myself. But, one thing was certain, I didn’t like the person I had become, the emotionally damaged and spiritually sick stranger I saw every morning in the mirror…
And so here I am, making both rational and irrational choices based on whether or not the result of my choices will make me happy. And funny enough, I’m still here, I’m still alive, I’m happier than I can ever remember being… Even thinking back to my childhood, I don’t recall this sort of consistency… I keep waking up every morning thinking that this is a dream, that it’s all going to disappear, that I will be right back where I was before, and it scares me. I don’t ever want to go back. I don’t ever want to feel like, not living is an option again. And that fear of being stuck in a rut, in a routine that is killing me spiritually, is what motivates me to keep moving forward, no matter what happens from here…
S. L.
One day I woke up and I said, I’m tired of being unhappy. And from that morning forth, I’ve been on this journey in search of happiness no matter the direction, no matter the result…
What I’ve learned so far is that money and material things can only make you so happy. True happiness comes from within, and if you’re emotionally or spiritually sick, then no amount of material things can solve that. It’s something you have to learn how to fix yourself, starting with, who are you, and what makes you happy? What sort of things do you enjoy?
And I feel like, I was caught up in this lie, of always appearing happy and great, but inside, I was broken. I didn’t know who I was anymore. I didn’t know what I liked, what I wanted to do with my life, I didn’t know myself. But, one thing was certain, I didn’t like the person I had become, the emotionally damaged and spiritually sick stranger I saw every morning in the mirror…
And so here I am, making both rational and irrational choices based on whether or not the result of my choices will make me happy. And funny enough, I’m still here, I’m still alive, I’m happier than I can ever remember being… Even thinking back to my childhood, I don’t recall this sort of consistency… I keep waking up every morning thinking that this is a dream, that it’s all going to disappear, that I will be right back where I was before, and it scares me. I don’t ever want to go back. I don’t ever want to feel like, not living is an option again. And that fear of being stuck in a rut, in a routine that is killing me spiritually, is what motivates me to keep moving forward, no matter what happens from here…
S. L.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
July 29, 2020
I received a copy of this book from Voracious readers in exchange for an honest review.
This book started out as a four star book but ended up as 3 atar book. The beginning was amazing and the world building fantastic. There were to many unanswered questions, even though this is a series you still need to understand what you are reading. Ariel's was also frustrating she spent half the book crying it really began to annoy me.
All that being said it is still a good read with an interesting premise.
This book started out as a four star book but ended up as 3 atar book. The beginning was amazing and the world building fantastic. There were to many unanswered questions, even though this is a series you still need to understand what you are reading. Ariel's was also frustrating she spent half the book crying it really began to annoy me.
All that being said it is still a good read with an interesting premise.
June 24, 2020
I really wanted to like this book. I got a copy from Voracious Readers Only and saw that it was very highly reviewed so I was excited to get going.
The beginning I thought was really well done. I liked how the author set up Ariella's world and started establishing relationships and connections between the characters. A few chapters in, though, it seemed as though the care that was taken at the start wasn't so much there anymore. Characters seemed to only run hot or cold with little development - they're either yelling at each other, or they barely speak to one another, and scenes felt slapped together just for the sake of the budding romance between Ariella and Austin. When I finished, I realized I still had little to no information about Black Magic Sorcerers (other than they're bad, I believe) and who King Jasteroth really was (I'm guessing this is to be explained later?). Things I thought I would have been introduced and somewhat explained, were not - why is magic not allowed at Golden Peaks? What is Austin hiding from Ariella? How did the Community come about? Where did the amulet come from? Not having any of this information just raised more questions and left me frustrated and confused on how it all fits together.
All this being said, the idea for the book is great and I am still interested to see what happens next. I found the overall plot intriguing, but I wish more care was taken to edit and flesh out what happens from scene to scene so it doesn't feel like there are massive holes with each chapter.
The beginning I thought was really well done. I liked how the author set up Ariella's world and started establishing relationships and connections between the characters. A few chapters in, though, it seemed as though the care that was taken at the start wasn't so much there anymore. Characters seemed to only run hot or cold with little development - they're either yelling at each other, or they barely speak to one another, and scenes felt slapped together just for the sake of the budding romance between Ariella and Austin. When I finished, I realized I still had little to no information about Black Magic Sorcerers (other than they're bad, I believe) and who King Jasteroth really was (I'm guessing this is to be explained later?). Things I thought I would have been introduced and somewhat explained, were not - why is magic not allowed at Golden Peaks? What is Austin hiding from Ariella? How did the Community come about? Where did the amulet come from? Not having any of this information just raised more questions and left me frustrated and confused on how it all fits together.
All this being said, the idea for the book is great and I am still interested to see what happens next. I found the overall plot intriguing, but I wish more care was taken to edit and flesh out what happens from scene to scene so it doesn't feel like there are massive holes with each chapter.
March 25, 2018
Great novel for any fans of fantasy novels! The author creates lush scenes and well developed characters. This is a really great debut novel and I’m very much looking forward to future works!
March 21, 2018
Loved it!! Couldn't wait to read the next chapter.
I think it has something for everyone. Excitement, romance, action.
I highly recommend reading!!!
I think it has something for everyone. Excitement, romance, action.
I highly recommend reading!!!
April 22, 2020
The plot and the world were interesting, but I found the characters flat and the execution of the storyline hard to follow.
The character's reactions to things seemed to flip so suddenly from scene to scene, it was hard to get a consistent personality on any of them making it difficult to figure out exactly where everyone stood in relationship to one another. This made the characters hard to like and the romance hard to get in to, for me.
The plot was interesting, and I liked the idea of the world and, maybe it's just me, but I was especially interested in Prince Edward's storyline...unfortunately, like much of the more intricate details, I think it got lost in the quick transitions and choppy dialogue, so I couldn't exactly tell why characters did or didn't care about something, and it made it harder to tell what I was supposed to be paying attention to.
All in all, I think it's an interesting story, but the execution is a little tedious to me. I will be interesting in reading this author's later works once some wrinkles are ironed out!
Received a complimentary copy of the book from via Voracious Readers Only
The character's reactions to things seemed to flip so suddenly from scene to scene, it was hard to get a consistent personality on any of them making it difficult to figure out exactly where everyone stood in relationship to one another. This made the characters hard to like and the romance hard to get in to, for me.
The plot was interesting, and I liked the idea of the world and, maybe it's just me, but I was especially interested in Prince Edward's storyline...unfortunately, like much of the more intricate details, I think it got lost in the quick transitions and choppy dialogue, so I couldn't exactly tell why characters did or didn't care about something, and it made it harder to tell what I was supposed to be paying attention to.
All in all, I think it's an interesting story, but the execution is a little tedious to me. I will be interesting in reading this author's later works once some wrinkles are ironed out!
Received a complimentary copy of the book from via Voracious Readers Only
July 9, 2020
Spoilers! Beware!
I'm going to be brutally honest, but take it with a grain of salt. I got a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only for a review.
I didn't like this book. In fact, I hated it. But take it as constructive criticism. :)
Here are my problems with this book:
Ariella is a wimp. She squeals at the slightest thing, yet we're expected to believe in her because her ancestors were fearless warriors. I was waiting for her to grow more, but after 178 pages she's still a scaredy cat. And even after the book ended there was no growth. Of course she's a princess, but she'd be so much more interesting if she rebelled, especially against her abusive father. She also cries in every chapter.
I didn't like Austin. He was her teacher but they both create romantic feelings for each other. I don't like that kind of relationship. I don't think it's appropriate. He should have been teaching her-teaching us, the readers, about the world they live in. The magic, history, etc. There was some magic lessons, but they were so simple that they were uninteresting. They also don't play a role for Ariella later on, so they felt pretty useless.
They both have the qualities of thirteen year olds, not adults. Reading the word "squeal/squealed" in every chapter gave me a headache. Synonyms are a fantastic tool for overused words. Ariella is just exhausting.
Another thing that bothered me was Ariella's relationship with her mother. There was no backstory; no flashbacks that showed the depth of their relationship. There was nothing to make me care for her. So when she died, it fell short. Why should I care if she died? There was no significance to it, and nothing that made me care about her.
The ending was awful. It made me feel like everything that happened didn't matter. Ariella doesn't even develop her powers! At all! The summary told me that "...she’s gifted with a power called the Inner Eye, granting her the ability to manifest ice; an ability so rare, there is only one other known to possess it." It lied to me.
Here's the thing, Wyllie is a new author so there's bound to be mistakes. Practice making your characters well rounded, the world richer, and the outcome devastatingly fantastic.
I'm going to be brutally honest, but take it with a grain of salt. I got a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only for a review.
I didn't like this book. In fact, I hated it. But take it as constructive criticism. :)
Here are my problems with this book:
Ariella is a wimp. She squeals at the slightest thing, yet we're expected to believe in her because her ancestors were fearless warriors. I was waiting for her to grow more, but after 178 pages she's still a scaredy cat. And even after the book ended there was no growth. Of course she's a princess, but she'd be so much more interesting if she rebelled, especially against her abusive father. She also cries in every chapter.
I didn't like Austin. He was her teacher but they both create romantic feelings for each other. I don't like that kind of relationship. I don't think it's appropriate. He should have been teaching her-teaching us, the readers, about the world they live in. The magic, history, etc. There was some magic lessons, but they were so simple that they were uninteresting. They also don't play a role for Ariella later on, so they felt pretty useless.
They both have the qualities of thirteen year olds, not adults. Reading the word "squeal/squealed" in every chapter gave me a headache. Synonyms are a fantastic tool for overused words. Ariella is just exhausting.
Another thing that bothered me was Ariella's relationship with her mother. There was no backstory; no flashbacks that showed the depth of their relationship. There was nothing to make me care for her. So when she died, it fell short. Why should I care if she died? There was no significance to it, and nothing that made me care about her.
The ending was awful. It made me feel like everything that happened didn't matter. Ariella doesn't even develop her powers! At all! The summary told me that "...she’s gifted with a power called the Inner Eye, granting her the ability to manifest ice; an ability so rare, there is only one other known to possess it." It lied to me.
Here's the thing, Wyllie is a new author so there's bound to be mistakes. Practice making your characters well rounded, the world richer, and the outcome devastatingly fantastic.
July 25, 2020
**I received a complimentary copy of this book via Voracious Readers Only**
This was an incredibly frustrating and difficult read for me. Before I dive into my issues with the book, I'll start on a somewhat positive note. The set-up had some promise. At the beginning of the story, it felt very reminiscent of gothic horror, and given that this takes place in a fantasy castle, it could have been a really intriguing twist on the 'sinister things happen in this house at night and we don't know why' trope. Alas, as I'm sure you can gather from the author's synopsis, that's not the direction this story takes, which is a shame.
Now I'm going to tackle the things that definitely need improvement. A bit of warning as some of this might be considered somewhat spoilery. Let's start with characters. Ariella is infuriating as a protagonist. She cries her way through this entire book. If she isn't crying, then she's probably throwing a really unnecessary temper tantrum. I believe it's stated that she's 18 in the book, but dear God she felt more on par with a petulant 12 year old.
That brings me to a much broader complaint I have—the fact that none of the characters have personalities. There's nothing to them. No proper backstories, no particular traits, motives, beliefs... They all simply exist in this world like leaves on a tree, only ever doing anything because the wind (a.k.a the plot) blows them along. Several other major issues stem from this problem. Conflict in this book feels forced and unnatural, precisely because none of these characters have substance. Choices and actions feel hollow and incomprehensible, because you have no idea who these people are. The romantic subplot also feels forced. When neither party has a personality, you can't understand why they'd be drawn to one another, and the relationship in turn has no substance to it. And perhaps the biggest issue that stems from the underdeveloped characters is the fact that there are no character arcs. Every character is, by the end of the book, exactly the same as they were when they were first introduced.
The plot itself also presents some issues. The events in this book are very rushed and disjointed, and they could benefit from some serious fleshing out. Events have no build-up nor proper aftermath, because as soon as it's over, it's on to the next big plot point. As I've mentioned, there are no character arcs, and likewise, there isn't really an overarching plot. It's just a sequence of loosely-related events. By the time you reach the end, nothing is resolved. In fact, the villain is first introduced at the 83% mark. Is he vanquished or dealt with? Nope. We're made aware of his existence, and that's about it. Hell, the synopsis mentions Ariella's ice powers. At the beginning, she's training hard with her mentor and being told constantly how powerful she is. Do we ever see her use her powers after those first few training sessions? Nope. As such, this book feels like it's only the first half of what should be a complete novel. Yes, this is the first book in a series, but each book should have its own self-standing narrative that fits within the larger narrative arching across the entire series. This book doesn't have that.
I can't really recommend that anyone read this, but I would like to offer some constructive criticism for the author, because I don't want to just rant about this book. In the future, I would highly recommend that the author focuses on properly fleshing out her characters to make them feel real, and to give us something to latch onto. A lot more planning and thought needs to go into what constitutes these characters. And characters, in order to feel compelling, need to undergo development as the story progresses. As humans, trauma, conflict, victories, etc. impact us. People aren't typically stagnant. In terms of story, plot elements also need to be more fleshed out. More time needs to be spent within each event so it feels like it has meaning and so characters have the opportunity to progress their arcs. If you're rushing through a plot point just to get to the next part of the story, maybe question if that plot point even needs to be there in the first place. This story could have benefited from being much more focused in terms of what it's trying to accomplish.
This was an incredibly frustrating and difficult read for me. Before I dive into my issues with the book, I'll start on a somewhat positive note. The set-up had some promise. At the beginning of the story, it felt very reminiscent of gothic horror, and given that this takes place in a fantasy castle, it could have been a really intriguing twist on the 'sinister things happen in this house at night and we don't know why' trope. Alas, as I'm sure you can gather from the author's synopsis, that's not the direction this story takes, which is a shame.
Now I'm going to tackle the things that definitely need improvement. A bit of warning as some of this might be considered somewhat spoilery. Let's start with characters. Ariella is infuriating as a protagonist. She cries her way through this entire book. If she isn't crying, then she's probably throwing a really unnecessary temper tantrum. I believe it's stated that she's 18 in the book, but dear God she felt more on par with a petulant 12 year old.
That brings me to a much broader complaint I have—the fact that none of the characters have personalities. There's nothing to them. No proper backstories, no particular traits, motives, beliefs... They all simply exist in this world like leaves on a tree, only ever doing anything because the wind (a.k.a the plot) blows them along. Several other major issues stem from this problem. Conflict in this book feels forced and unnatural, precisely because none of these characters have substance. Choices and actions feel hollow and incomprehensible, because you have no idea who these people are. The romantic subplot also feels forced. When neither party has a personality, you can't understand why they'd be drawn to one another, and the relationship in turn has no substance to it. And perhaps the biggest issue that stems from the underdeveloped characters is the fact that there are no character arcs. Every character is, by the end of the book, exactly the same as they were when they were first introduced.
The plot itself also presents some issues. The events in this book are very rushed and disjointed, and they could benefit from some serious fleshing out. Events have no build-up nor proper aftermath, because as soon as it's over, it's on to the next big plot point. As I've mentioned, there are no character arcs, and likewise, there isn't really an overarching plot. It's just a sequence of loosely-related events. By the time you reach the end, nothing is resolved. In fact, the villain is first introduced at the 83% mark. Is he vanquished or dealt with? Nope. We're made aware of his existence, and that's about it. Hell, the synopsis mentions Ariella's ice powers. At the beginning, she's training hard with her mentor and being told constantly how powerful she is. Do we ever see her use her powers after those first few training sessions? Nope. As such, this book feels like it's only the first half of what should be a complete novel. Yes, this is the first book in a series, but each book should have its own self-standing narrative that fits within the larger narrative arching across the entire series. This book doesn't have that.
I can't really recommend that anyone read this, but I would like to offer some constructive criticism for the author, because I don't want to just rant about this book. In the future, I would highly recommend that the author focuses on properly fleshing out her characters to make them feel real, and to give us something to latch onto. A lot more planning and thought needs to go into what constitutes these characters. And characters, in order to feel compelling, need to undergo development as the story progresses. As humans, trauma, conflict, victories, etc. impact us. People aren't typically stagnant. In terms of story, plot elements also need to be more fleshed out. More time needs to be spent within each event so it feels like it has meaning and so characters have the opportunity to progress their arcs. If you're rushing through a plot point just to get to the next part of the story, maybe question if that plot point even needs to be there in the first place. This story could have benefited from being much more focused in terms of what it's trying to accomplish.
January 30, 2021
Thanks to S.L. Wyllie and Voracious Readers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My biggest issue with this book was that it felt a bit too formulaic from start to finish. There wasn't a point in time I could sit back and really relax into the genre. The element of mystery felt too forced, and arguably left little to be desired.
My biggest issue with this book was that it felt a bit too formulaic from start to finish. There wasn't a point in time I could sit back and really relax into the genre. The element of mystery felt too forced, and arguably left little to be desired.
March 25, 2018
Great novel for any fans of fantasy novels! The author creates lush scenes and well developed characters. This is a really great debut novel and I’m very much looking forward to future works!
April 2, 2018
absolutely faaaantastic!!! the visuals are stunning , the storyline has depth and more importantly attraction !!!
February 17, 2021
*I received an ARC from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review*
“You are a girl. And girls do not become warriors. You will see no battle nor glory. You will follow in your mother’s footsteps and become a proper lady.”
I choose this uninspiring quote from Ariella’s dad because she followed the path directly opposite of what he said to her. Throughout the story, Ariella grows as a person and a warrior to save her mom. I can’t wait to read the next book and follow her journey even further.
“You are a girl. And girls do not become warriors. You will see no battle nor glory. You will follow in your mother’s footsteps and become a proper lady.”
I choose this uninspiring quote from Ariella’s dad because she followed the path directly opposite of what he said to her. Throughout the story, Ariella grows as a person and a warrior to save her mom. I can’t wait to read the next book and follow her journey even further.
July 16, 2020
DNF at 32%.
I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
I did not like this book, I wasn't sure at 10% in but I didn't want to give up too easily so I carried on but there is no point in continuing now when I'm pretty sure it isn't going to get any better. At the very beginning I thought the story had a good premise, the blurb intrigued me and while I didn't really like Ariella I thought she might get easier to read about.
For a character who supposedly wants to fight for the people and be a warrior she was very pitiful. She cried a lot and was constantly scared, and while I understand that she is a very emotional character it just felt like too much. And I'm sorry but how often did she need to squeal or squeak?!
I also noticed some inconsistencies in the story, at one point she wonders if her father really meant for her to stay in the castle forever, and I could find no mention of him saying the word 'forever' he told her she had to stay until she finished the work her tutor set her so not sure what she was on about there.
Another thing was when she was tidying the study and heard clicking from the door signifying her father was there to collect her and she was not yet finished cleaning. She then "cleaned a few more things and straightened the chairs" before her father managed to unlock the door. Maybe I missed when she developed super speed but I don't think I did. Additionally to these things, there were a number of grammatical errors, some missing words ("dark curly flowed down her back" dark curly what?! I know from the context it is her hair but still) and multiple pieces of dialogue that did not start with a capital letter, and while these are minor things they did take me out of the story.
Knowing the author was setting up a romance between Ariella and Austin also bothered me as their relationship felt very teacher/student to me and Ariella felt very childlike so I just felt a bit uncomfortable reading that as the set up for a romance.
Ariella was also very hot and cold, particularly with Vedis, one second she's thankful for being healed with some magical ointment or something and the next she is refusing to drink anything Vedis has made.
Something else that made this quite difficult to read was that I kept finding myself having to re-read pages because I would get to the bottom and have no idea what I had just read. I wasn't even noticing it happen, I would just suddenly have no clue what was going on, the book could not keep my attention at all.
I don't know, there were a few other things but considering I only read 32% and got this annoyed I would rather not waste my time reading something I know I don't like. I can see maybe why other people would enjoy it, the world building was not too bad but it really wasn't for me.
I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
I did not like this book, I wasn't sure at 10% in but I didn't want to give up too easily so I carried on but there is no point in continuing now when I'm pretty sure it isn't going to get any better. At the very beginning I thought the story had a good premise, the blurb intrigued me and while I didn't really like Ariella I thought she might get easier to read about.
For a character who supposedly wants to fight for the people and be a warrior she was very pitiful. She cried a lot and was constantly scared, and while I understand that she is a very emotional character it just felt like too much. And I'm sorry but how often did she need to squeal or squeak?!
I also noticed some inconsistencies in the story, at one point she wonders if her father really meant for her to stay in the castle forever, and I could find no mention of him saying the word 'forever' he told her she had to stay until she finished the work her tutor set her so not sure what she was on about there.
Another thing was when she was tidying the study and heard clicking from the door signifying her father was there to collect her and she was not yet finished cleaning. She then "cleaned a few more things and straightened the chairs" before her father managed to unlock the door. Maybe I missed when she developed super speed but I don't think I did. Additionally to these things, there were a number of grammatical errors, some missing words ("dark curly flowed down her back" dark curly what?! I know from the context it is her hair but still) and multiple pieces of dialogue that did not start with a capital letter, and while these are minor things they did take me out of the story.
Knowing the author was setting up a romance between Ariella and Austin also bothered me as their relationship felt very teacher/student to me and Ariella felt very childlike so I just felt a bit uncomfortable reading that as the set up for a romance.
Ariella was also very hot and cold, particularly with Vedis, one second she's thankful for being healed with some magical ointment or something and the next she is refusing to drink anything Vedis has made.
Something else that made this quite difficult to read was that I kept finding myself having to re-read pages because I would get to the bottom and have no idea what I had just read. I wasn't even noticing it happen, I would just suddenly have no clue what was going on, the book could not keep my attention at all.
I don't know, there were a few other things but considering I only read 32% and got this annoyed I would rather not waste my time reading something I know I don't like. I can see maybe why other people would enjoy it, the world building was not too bad but it really wasn't for me.
May 18, 2020
I don't want to say I hated this book because there were elements that I appreciated, but I will admit I was relieved when I finished it. I liked the brief history of the world and the description of the cities and the world Wyllie created. I loved The Community, but I wish there was more information on Chasterdale because Ariella was so determined to go there at the beginning of the book. I had a lot of other issues with the book as well:
1) The pacing at the beginning of the book. It was fast-paced at first and then suddenly it skipped forward a few months and Ariella could do magic, but I missed out on the first stages of her learning about her powers and how to use them.
2) Ariella's magic and magic in general. I'm still confused about how magic in the novel works and how you can tell someone has an Inner Eye and what that entails. Also, it's frequently mentioned that magic isn't allowed, but the King somehow knew that Ariella possessed magic and forced her to study it? And I'm not sure if Ariella ever knew that she possessed magic before then, but I feel like she should have suspected something. Also, she very rarely used her magic within the novel and that seemed weird to me.
3) The story is very contained within itself. I don't know anything about Ariella outside of the story, I have no idea what her life was like before she began learning magic. I also don't know what her relationship with her family is like, aside from her father. She has zero concern for her mother at the beginning and never reflects on any memories with her or anything. She also has basically no relationship with her brother Charles and honestly I have no idea why Charles is in the novel at all. Bascially, Ariella's life begins when she meets Austin and so she's a very underdeveloped character which felt like laziness on the author's part.
4) Ariella's character. Ariella is supposed to be 18, but she acts like a spoiled child most of the time. She frequently asks stupid questions, has insane mood swings and CRIES ALL THE TIME. Not only is Ariella's behaviour extremely frustrating, but it made her relationship with Austin cringey because he acted so much older and more mature than her and the tutor-pupil romance just felt creepy.
5) Repetition. This is just a small thing, but the amount of times Wyllie mentioned the family resemblance between Ariella and her father/brothers was extremely annoying. I UNDERSTAND THEY ALL HAVE EMERALD EYES AND SILVER HAIR, NO NEED TO STATE IT FIFTY TIMES.
Okay, that's the end of my rant. If you're really into YA fantasy and have nothing better to read, give this a shot, but expect poor writing, poor characters and very little plot.
I received a free copy of this book through Voracious Readers Only in exchange for a review.
1) The pacing at the beginning of the book. It was fast-paced at first and then suddenly it skipped forward a few months and Ariella could do magic, but I missed out on the first stages of her learning about her powers and how to use them.
2) Ariella's magic and magic in general. I'm still confused about how magic in the novel works and how you can tell someone has an Inner Eye and what that entails. Also, it's frequently mentioned that magic isn't allowed, but the King somehow knew that Ariella possessed magic and forced her to study it? And I'm not sure if Ariella ever knew that she possessed magic before then, but I feel like she should have suspected something. Also, she very rarely used her magic within the novel and that seemed weird to me.
3) The story is very contained within itself. I don't know anything about Ariella outside of the story, I have no idea what her life was like before she began learning magic. I also don't know what her relationship with her family is like, aside from her father. She has zero concern for her mother at the beginning and never reflects on any memories with her or anything. She also has basically no relationship with her brother Charles and honestly I have no idea why Charles is in the novel at all. Bascially, Ariella's life begins when she meets Austin and so she's a very underdeveloped character which felt like laziness on the author's part.
4) Ariella's character. Ariella is supposed to be 18, but she acts like a spoiled child most of the time. She frequently asks stupid questions, has insane mood swings and CRIES ALL THE TIME. Not only is Ariella's behaviour extremely frustrating, but it made her relationship with Austin cringey because he acted so much older and more mature than her and the tutor-pupil romance just felt creepy.
5) Repetition. This is just a small thing, but the amount of times Wyllie mentioned the family resemblance between Ariella and her father/brothers was extremely annoying. I UNDERSTAND THEY ALL HAVE EMERALD EYES AND SILVER HAIR, NO NEED TO STATE IT FIFTY TIMES.
Okay, that's the end of my rant. If you're really into YA fantasy and have nothing better to read, give this a shot, but expect poor writing, poor characters and very little plot.
I received a free copy of this book through Voracious Readers Only in exchange for a review.
May 29, 2020
This book was a good starting point and I did enjoy it but there are some aspects of it that I hope are addressed for the upcoming books. I thought this book lacked character development. Who is Austin and Ariella... what is their backgrounds? Why was he chosen to be her tutor? Why did the King know about magic and yet his children no knew nothing about it? Did the King have any knowledge as to what was happening with the Queen? Why is her brother so mean to her? How did she not know about The Community prior to being brought there by Austin? What is Austin's relationship with his sister? How did everybody know what the substance was right away and yet Austin who is supposed to be this amazing tutor had no clue what it was? Why did the King only permit Austin to go to the tutoring room and no where else in the castle? I think you get the point I am trying to illustrate. There are too many questions which made the story feel scattered. How many that I did like but there's so much room to further develop this story. I just feel that a couple of them should have been answered while leaving some of them mysteries for future books.
As I was reading this story I was left confused on some character relationships. Ariella came off as immature. For her age and the time and environment this book is set in, it just doesn't seem realistic that she would be that immature. Additionally, Austin as her tutor and part of the council seemed awfully immature as well. He would snap at people and really didn't have a reason for it other than appearing moody. I felt like the relationship between the two of them was forced and it didn't really have a natural progression.
The ending of the book, as well, had a few too many plot holes and twists. It did end on a cliffhanger which is okay except I really feel like this book was just the beginning to set up the scene for future stories.
Having said all that... I actually really did enjoy this story. I liked how it was progressing and the world the author created. I will be reading future books because I want to see how it develops and I hope a few of my questions will be answered.
Overall, this is a good book but needs further development and future stories will need further character development and to answer a few plot holes.
I received an ARC through VRO for review.
As I was reading this story I was left confused on some character relationships. Ariella came off as immature. For her age and the time and environment this book is set in, it just doesn't seem realistic that she would be that immature. Additionally, Austin as her tutor and part of the council seemed awfully immature as well. He would snap at people and really didn't have a reason for it other than appearing moody. I felt like the relationship between the two of them was forced and it didn't really have a natural progression.
The ending of the book, as well, had a few too many plot holes and twists. It did end on a cliffhanger which is okay except I really feel like this book was just the beginning to set up the scene for future stories.
Having said all that... I actually really did enjoy this story. I liked how it was progressing and the world the author created. I will be reading future books because I want to see how it develops and I hope a few of my questions will be answered.
Overall, this is a good book but needs further development and future stories will need further character development and to answer a few plot holes.
I received an ARC through VRO for review.
February 22, 2020
Ariella is a princess of the Golden Peaks with a secret magical power she never knew about. She longs to be a warrior, to swing a sword like her father, to fight in battles like her brothers, but she is forced to be a lady. One day, her father brings her a tutor - Austin - but he doesn't teach geography, or history. No, he teaches her how to use her inner eye. Shortly after, mysterious events occur. Her mother falls ill to an incurable sickness, her father is summoned to battle, and her eldest brother no longer recognises her. Alongside Austin, she fights to get the magical Community to launch an investigation into the odd happenings around the castle. It's a race against time to save her family, will she succeed?
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book to review
The Legacy of King Jasteroth was an interesting read, however I feel like the world in which the story is set was underdeveloped. I would have loved to know some more history surrounding the Golden Peaks, and the Community. While small tidbits are given to the audience, I feel like a lot is still unexplained. Why was magic banned from the Golden Peaks, how was Ariella born with magic and how did her father know when she herself didn't know, who is King Jasteroth and what is his backstory? Despite these questions, I enjoyed the budding relationship forming between Ariella and Austin. In direct contrast to her father, Austin is kind and patient with her, encouraging her when she doesn't succeed to try again. I love the way Austin was written, he carries trauma in his past, yet he still manages to be a kind and honourable man. His character is the opposite to his sister, who tends to be more wild and uncontrolled. I find the mix of characters in this book to be interesting, and I'm curious to see how the rest of this story will play out in the later books. Most of all, I want to see how Austin will interact with Ariella's father, who is cold and borderline abusive.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book to review
The Legacy of King Jasteroth was an interesting read, however I feel like the world in which the story is set was underdeveloped. I would have loved to know some more history surrounding the Golden Peaks, and the Community. While small tidbits are given to the audience, I feel like a lot is still unexplained. Why was magic banned from the Golden Peaks, how was Ariella born with magic and how did her father know when she herself didn't know, who is King Jasteroth and what is his backstory? Despite these questions, I enjoyed the budding relationship forming between Ariella and Austin. In direct contrast to her father, Austin is kind and patient with her, encouraging her when she doesn't succeed to try again. I love the way Austin was written, he carries trauma in his past, yet he still manages to be a kind and honourable man. His character is the opposite to his sister, who tends to be more wild and uncontrolled. I find the mix of characters in this book to be interesting, and I'm curious to see how the rest of this story will play out in the later books. Most of all, I want to see how Austin will interact with Ariella's father, who is cold and borderline abusive.
May 5, 2020
I was generously sent this book through Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review so here are my thoughts on The Legacy of King Jasteroth.
I found this book really easy to read and follow along which is always a positive. The beginning of the book has some really great imagery and descriptions which create a really nice start to the book. I thought that the introductions of all of the characters was done really well, there were no moments where I was confused about who was who and their relationship to the main character, Ariella. I do think that the romance element was done very well and didn't feel unnatural or forced which I really appreciate.
I didn't give it a full 5 stars for a couple of different reasons. I thought that, while the book was paced well and a decent read, the plot itself felt quite generic and not extremely special or stand-out compared to all the other current YA fantasy books that are popular at the moment. I admit, this made me compare this book to many others that I have read that I found have a fairly similar plot. The ending (no spoilers) also left a lot of loose ends and not a lot of explanation. I'm sure this will be answered in the next book but I do wish we had gotten some more answers just so the ending was more rewarding.
I also found the characters to be quite flat and their reactions to be quite... intense? I felt that the characters were calm and reasonable on one page and then I found turn the page to find them screaming at each other. To me this didn't feel very natural and it often brought me out of the book because I would try to figure out why the character had such a sudden and swift change in temperament. I would have loved to see more natural interactions between the characters, especially Ariella and Austin.
All in all I do think that no one would be disappointed in this book but I do think that there are some aspects of it that I wish had been done slightly differently.
I found this book really easy to read and follow along which is always a positive. The beginning of the book has some really great imagery and descriptions which create a really nice start to the book. I thought that the introductions of all of the characters was done really well, there were no moments where I was confused about who was who and their relationship to the main character, Ariella. I do think that the romance element was done very well and didn't feel unnatural or forced which I really appreciate.
I didn't give it a full 5 stars for a couple of different reasons. I thought that, while the book was paced well and a decent read, the plot itself felt quite generic and not extremely special or stand-out compared to all the other current YA fantasy books that are popular at the moment. I admit, this made me compare this book to many others that I have read that I found have a fairly similar plot. The ending (no spoilers) also left a lot of loose ends and not a lot of explanation. I'm sure this will be answered in the next book but I do wish we had gotten some more answers just so the ending was more rewarding.
I also found the characters to be quite flat and their reactions to be quite... intense? I felt that the characters were calm and reasonable on one page and then I found turn the page to find them screaming at each other. To me this didn't feel very natural and it often brought me out of the book because I would try to figure out why the character had such a sudden and swift change in temperament. I would have loved to see more natural interactions between the characters, especially Ariella and Austin.
All in all I do think that no one would be disappointed in this book but I do think that there are some aspects of it that I wish had been done slightly differently.
April 3, 2018
Where do I even begin?! This book definitely is apart of the fantasy world, however it has some mysterious elements, some action elements, and of course one of those romances that makes you cheer when the two characters finally kiss! Austin was such a kind, emotion filled character which was really nice to see. And his interactions with Ariella were so adorable, the way he cares for Ariella, and vise versa.
The mystery comes in when there seems to be a misunderstanding regarding King Jasteroth and the Black Magic Sorcerers. There is even more mystery when it comes to Austin and his past. One of the biggest questions that occupied my mind while reading was "what is Austin hiding"! Not to mention, the encounter the queen experiences in the prologue creates even more mystery and was a very well done set up for the story.
As for the action scenes, they occur more towards the end, and they aren't complete war scenes but it's just enough to stir up some excitement which provides extra entertainment within the book. I find action scenes so interesting and captivating when they are kept short but still thorough.
Sometimes cliffhangers end off in really awkward situations, or they end off after a huge battle, but this book ends at a building point, where you know another climax event is going to happen next and it makes you instantly want to read the next book (which unfortunately won't be out until around December). There's something said for a book that just leaves you craving more.
The only thing bad thing about the book, is there was a lot of descriptive repetition which seemed to be a bit unnecessary to the story, as well as some "recaps" and reintroductions throughout the chapters that weren't really needed, at least in my opinion. However, once you move through those the book is so good!!! I cannot wait for the next one!
The mystery comes in when there seems to be a misunderstanding regarding King Jasteroth and the Black Magic Sorcerers. There is even more mystery when it comes to Austin and his past. One of the biggest questions that occupied my mind while reading was "what is Austin hiding"! Not to mention, the encounter the queen experiences in the prologue creates even more mystery and was a very well done set up for the story.
As for the action scenes, they occur more towards the end, and they aren't complete war scenes but it's just enough to stir up some excitement which provides extra entertainment within the book. I find action scenes so interesting and captivating when they are kept short but still thorough.
Sometimes cliffhangers end off in really awkward situations, or they end off after a huge battle, but this book ends at a building point, where you know another climax event is going to happen next and it makes you instantly want to read the next book (which unfortunately won't be out until around December). There's something said for a book that just leaves you craving more.
The only thing bad thing about the book, is there was a lot of descriptive repetition which seemed to be a bit unnecessary to the story, as well as some "recaps" and reintroductions throughout the chapters that weren't really needed, at least in my opinion. However, once you move through those the book is so good!!! I cannot wait for the next one!
July 31, 2019
I received this book from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
Over all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
The plot was understandable, easy to follow and well thought out. The author gave the readers enough insight to know what is going on without revealing the outcome of the series. There is mystery in that we don't know what is to become of Ariella and her party and that is what will keep readers reading. I have no complaints about the plot or the way it has been presented in this book.
The main character was developed and we got to see various sides of her throughout the story which allows us to feel for her as she suffers. However, its the side characters that I feel were not really developed in their relation to the main character. For example; King Lucien we see a very small part of him as a father and King (and he is said to be a great, beloved King) before he becomes a total ass. His personality change felt extremely sudden, out of place and unbelievable. The same can be said for Prince Edward and Prince Charles. One minute they are nice to Ariella and the next they are complete jerks. I believe their actions are due to the black magic but I feel it could have been displayed more subtly and developed to make it more believable.
The relationship between Ariella and Emily really confused me. In one sentence Emily likes Ariella and the next she doesn't. Then she tolerates her and then they try to kill each other. Its too back and forth and needs some definition (but perhaps that is to come?)
There were a number of unnecessary repetitive areas, such as the meeting Austin attends regarding Ariella. The conversation during the meeting rehashed a lot of what went down during the Community conference and blood readings and bored me.
Aside from those character flaws, this book was thoroughly enjoyable.
Over all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
The plot was understandable, easy to follow and well thought out. The author gave the readers enough insight to know what is going on without revealing the outcome of the series. There is mystery in that we don't know what is to become of Ariella and her party and that is what will keep readers reading. I have no complaints about the plot or the way it has been presented in this book.
The main character was developed and we got to see various sides of her throughout the story which allows us to feel for her as she suffers. However, its the side characters that I feel were not really developed in their relation to the main character. For example; King Lucien we see a very small part of him as a father and King (and he is said to be a great, beloved King) before he becomes a total ass. His personality change felt extremely sudden, out of place and unbelievable. The same can be said for Prince Edward and Prince Charles. One minute they are nice to Ariella and the next they are complete jerks. I believe their actions are due to the black magic but I feel it could have been displayed more subtly and developed to make it more believable.
The relationship between Ariella and Emily really confused me. In one sentence Emily likes Ariella and the next she doesn't. Then she tolerates her and then they try to kill each other. Its too back and forth and needs some definition (but perhaps that is to come?)
There were a number of unnecessary repetitive areas, such as the meeting Austin attends regarding Ariella. The conversation during the meeting rehashed a lot of what went down during the Community conference and blood readings and bored me.
Aside from those character flaws, this book was thoroughly enjoyable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2018
S. L. Wyllie’s The legacy of King Jasteroth Is the first book in a series. The beginning felt unusual at first but quickly the story line started to take shape and it became easy to warm to the characters. It’s a lovely story for a varied age depending upon ability but possibly as broad as 9 to young adult. As a mature adult I have enjoyed reviewing the book and I definitely have children who will love this as a gift. There are two main characters the first an older girl Ariella, so appealing to girls however quickly appearing in the story there is a young man Austin that would appeal to boys. As long as the child enjoys reading about magic, magic lands, evil magicians, friendship and fighting for right they will enjoy the story. It’s a lovely new spin on the story of magic introducing blood reading and magic fuelled by varying feeling, controlling and understanding feeling. A lovely read.
December 29, 2019
I received this book from Voracious Readers for an honest review. This book was an interesting start to this series. It was a little light on character development but otherwise it was ok. It has an interesting concept in that a mistreated princess is actually a powerful magic weilder that is unaware of her own strength. I personally would have liked more development of both Austin and Ariella as well as their relationship. I'm curious as to the direction of the series and what Ariella plans to do next. I'm also curious about the secret Austin is hiding from everyone. Am I curious enough to find the rest of the books and read them? I'm not sure yet. Do I recommend this to others? Well if you are a newer reader to the genre and don't care too much about character development then this is a good starter. If you are a hard core fantasy fan I'd pass this one by.
December 13, 2020
The story revolves around a young heroine finding herself and developing a slow burn romance with her side hero. The world development was decent and the characters themselves were fleshed out decently. The narrative was easy enough to read and didnt change out of the third person. I managed to finish this in a day.
There are some good elements to the book such as loss, action, exploration and slow unveiling of the bad guy. The story develops further into a couple more novels and the story hangs on a decision that the heroine makes at the end.
Generally it was a good story but somehow it lacked some real sparkle that would make it different to other plots and novels.
I received a copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers only for the pleasure of reading and leaving an honest review
There are some good elements to the book such as loss, action, exploration and slow unveiling of the bad guy. The story develops further into a couple more novels and the story hangs on a decision that the heroine makes at the end.
Generally it was a good story but somehow it lacked some real sparkle that would make it different to other plots and novels.
I received a copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers only for the pleasure of reading and leaving an honest review
February 5, 2020
The creative magic & creepy castle were amazing!
Loved how slowly every night the things in the castle got worse. And the things that happened were so creepy. Her father was so harsh & older brother to her. Disrespectful, mean, rude, & downright hateful. How do you talk to someone you claim to love like that? Her tutor Austin couldn't have come at a better time! She needed something to take her mind off being cooped up in the creepy castle. And magic was her new obsession. I do wonder why she never told Austin about her dreams. I think that might have been helpful. Austin has a way of teaching that makes magic fun & exciting. Can't wait for people to read this intriguing new world of magic & evil, it's so great.
Loved how slowly every night the things in the castle got worse. And the things that happened were so creepy. Her father was so harsh & older brother to her. Disrespectful, mean, rude, & downright hateful. How do you talk to someone you claim to love like that? Her tutor Austin couldn't have come at a better time! She needed something to take her mind off being cooped up in the creepy castle. And magic was her new obsession. I do wonder why she never told Austin about her dreams. I think that might have been helpful. Austin has a way of teaching that makes magic fun & exciting. Can't wait for people to read this intriguing new world of magic & evil, it's so great.
May 5, 2020
The author spends some time creating the fantasy world, a world which most fantasy readers will enjoy. However, I feel the entire action in volume 1 could be reduced to 100 pages. The rising action is almost a plateau due to underdeveloped characters, no real suspense, and lack of information given to the readers (I understand wanting to "string readers along", but some information is key to understanding the world and conflict within the story).
I enjoy the writing style itself as scenes were vivid and carefully constructed, but the action needs to move along at a much quicker speed in order to not lose the readers.
--I received a complimentary copy from the author through Voracious Readers.
I enjoy the writing style itself as scenes were vivid and carefully constructed, but the action needs to move along at a much quicker speed in order to not lose the readers.
--I received a complimentary copy from the author through Voracious Readers.
June 23, 2020
3.5 stars. I received a free copy of this book through Voracious Readers Only, but that does not influence my review. I truly appreciated the setup of the world building in this book. Some other books I have read recently did not do this early on, so the beginnings of them were often confusing. However, while the world building was good, there was very little background history actually given. Why is magic outlawed, and why is Ariella not allowed to leave the castle? Ariella as a whole did not feel that developed as a character, which is also true for the rest of her family. I felt like the minor characters from the Community that barely showed up were more developed. Overall I did enjoy reading this book, I just felt like the characters were to flat for me to really care for them.
July 31, 2020
This book waa quite confusing for me. Princess Ariella starts noticing evil things in the castle about the same time she is granted a tutor, Austin. It's never really explained why she is ordered to start taking lessons, or what the lessons were supposed to be about, because Austin teaches her about magic, which is not allowed. Ariella has a very strong ability yet doesn't seem to learn how to use it much at all, yet it seems like they (and she) and very important to the story. King Jasteroth is hardly mentioned and never developed much, so the title is also confusing, because there is definitely no mention of a "legacy" that includes him.
All in all, the book wasn't terrible, but I don't feel like adding the next book to my TBR pile any time soon.
All in all, the book wasn't terrible, but I don't feel like adding the next book to my TBR pile any time soon.
May 10, 2018
I love reading fantasy novels, but sadly, this one did not resonate with me. The descriptions to help set the scenes were great, but they did become rather repetitive. I had a hard time just believing in and relating to any of the characters. Many elements of the story line didn't make much sense to me, specifically regarding Ariella and Austin. Possibly the author's writing style is just one I personally don't connect with. I am sure other fantasy readers out there would really enjoy this story; it sadly didn't do much for me.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only*
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only*
April 26, 2020
I really wanted to like this book having recieved it through 'Voracious Readers Only' but I really struggled to get through it as it felt rushed and a bit jerky, leaving me wondering if I had missed something.
It was a really interesting premise and I was looking forward to getting to know the characters and watch them develop but every bit of development was rushed or skipped over completely which was a shame as I think it could have been really good had a slower approach been taken and the characters introduced more slowly. If someone asked me what Ariella's interests were I wouldn't have a clue - drawing maybe?
It was a really interesting premise and I was looking forward to getting to know the characters and watch them develop but every bit of development was rushed or skipped over completely which was a shame as I think it could have been really good had a slower approach been taken and the characters introduced more slowly. If someone asked me what Ariella's interests were I wouldn't have a clue - drawing maybe?
August 21, 2018
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only. This sounded like the kind of book I usually enjoy by the description and it had really high ratings, and I really wanted to like it. But the description made it sound like the characters actually knew something, and I didn't get that from the book. I felt lost through the whole thing and no one knew what was going on. The author kept reintroducing characters and I was confused by the relationships - people I thought were good then seemed bad, but actually were good (I think).
April 12, 2019
I received a complimentary copy of "The Legacy of King Jasteroth" via Voracious Readers Only, and I really wanted to like this book. From the description, it sounded like a good sci-fi, action with a little romance sprinkled in here and there, and for me, the less romance, the better. There is lots of magic and some action, however, much more romance than I expected. If you enjoy romance novels with action and sci-fi in the background, then this book is for you!!! Overall, I thought the book was really well written.
August 21, 2020
I loved this book. It has fantasy, romance, and a little bit of mystery, all my favorite things in a book. Weird things are going on in the castle in which Princess Ariella lives with her family, and as she tries to figure out what is going on, the mystery leaves me addicted to finding out. The main thing that prevented me from giving it 5 stars is the book leaves you with many unanswered questions, important things you probably should know by the end of the first book. However I am excited to read the second one to find those answers!
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