Dueling Fates

Immar & Stauros trilogy #1

by Stephanie M. Allen

In the world of Erez, three kingdoms share a tentative peace. In the far west, Princess Isemay yearns for much more than frilly dresses and etiquette classes. While her twin sister, Alena, prepares for life as a monarch in a neighboring kingdom, Isemay roams the woods with her loyal cheetah, hunting dagger strapped to her belt. It's only when two surprising visitors arrive at the castle that Isemay must come to terms with her royal future - and a secret magical heritage. Now engaged to the king of the east, Isemay prepares for a position she never wanted.

After saying good-bye to all that she loves, Princess Alena travels north in trepidation - fully prepared to marry a spoiled prince she does not desire and usurp the throne from his insane father who does not deserve it. But when tragedy strikes at her wedding ceremony and she is wrongfully imprisoned, she can only hope that her hurried plea for help will reach her father in time.

Frantic to save her sister - and against the wishes of her betrothed - Isemay joins the army sent to free Alena. A mysterious encounter with a dragon in disguise leaves her with a warning that her life is in danger - but can it save her from the battle to come?

Genres: Fantasy, Contemporary, Fiction, Young Adult, Epic, Ebooks, Drama

350 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2020

About the author

Author of romantasy and monster romance. Waiting for a Fae to take me away to worlds unknown.

Reviews

[Isa (Bookishlifetime) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This book was very easy to read, mainlhy because of the writing. It was sublime. The world building was great and the story was everything you need. I highly recommend this book!

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has created amazing kingdoms with their own histories and problems as well as teen twin sisters that are pretty true to life. Full of descriptive language it's not hard to get completely wrapped up in this fantastic fantasy and the plot was very engaging. The strong woman with close bonds, romance, and fantastic magical creatures - what's not to love!

[Buttercup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dueling Fates is a wonderful story of magical kingdoms and royal families. The book is full of action and adventure set in stunning landscapes. The characters are well developed and very likeable. I thought the story was well paced and engaging. A very entertaining fantasy book.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dueling Fates is vibrant and captivating. Allen brings to life a vibrant world with characters that are believable and captivating. From page one you'll be drawn in and won't want to put this book down. Shifting alliances, court intrigue, magic and more fill the pages of this book. Highly recommend for anyone who loves to escape into a world where magic is real and adventure is just around the corner.

[Grady · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘To be sold into marriage for the good of the kingdom’

Wyoming author Stephanie M. Allen earned her degree in English from California Baptist University in Riverside, California and to date has published five books – her four part HARMONY series and now DUELING FATES.

Creating a fantasy that takes place in a strange world becomes an invitation in Stephanie’s hands as she provides a map of the world of Erez, complete with named villages and mountains, on the page prior to her opening lines of the story: ‘Savant Blackwood coughed as he inhaled a lungful of thick, black smoke. He could barely distinguish between the glow of the crackling flames and the fiery orange sunset that lit the entire horizon. He dug his heels into his mare, urging her to an even faster gallop. Surely, he wasn’t too late to save at least part of the village. Surely he would find some survivors…’ That degree of both scenery painting and character building spills onto every page of this fantasy novel that deals with the fates of twin sisters.

Ably offering a condensation of the plot that provides a map of this special place and time, the author presents the following: ‘In the world of Erez, three kingdoms share a tentative peace. In the far west, Princess Isemay yearns for much more than frilly dresses and etiquette classes. While her twin sister, Alena, prepares for life as a monarch in a neighboring kingdom, Isemay roams the woods with her loyal cheetah, hunting dagger strapped to her belt. It’s only when two surprising visitors arrive at the castle that Isemay must come to terms with her royal future – and a secret magical heritage. Now engaged to the king of the east, Isemay prepares for a position she never wanted. After saying good-bye to all that she loves, Princess Alena travels north in trepidation – fully prepared to marry a spoiled prince she does not desire and usurp the throne from his insane father who does not deserve it. But when tragedy strikes at her wedding ceremony and she is wrongfully imprisoned, she can only hope that her hurried plea for help will reach her father in time. Frantic to save her sister – and against the wishes of her betrothed – Isemay joins the army sent to free Alena. A mysterious encounter with a dragon in disguise leaves her with a warning that her life is in danger – but can it save her from the battle to come?’

Fantasy fans, and those who welcome an escape to a magical place, will find this new novel satisfying. The author clearly has her talent for this genre.

[Melina Lobo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dueling Fates Tour held by @shannon_rrbooktours
🦄🦄🦄
In the world of Erez, three kingdoms share a tentative peace. In the far west, Princess Isemay yearns for much more than frilly dresses and etiquette classes. While her twin sister, Alena, prepares for life as a monarch in a neighboring kingdom, Isemay roams the woods with her loyal cheetah, hunting dagger strapped to her belt. It’s only when two surprising visitors arrive at the castle that Isemay must come to terms with her royal future – and a secret magical heritage. Now engaged to the king of the east, Isemay prepares for a position she never wanted.
After saying good-bye to all that she loves, Princess Alena travels north in trepidation – fully prepared to marry a spoiled prince she does not desire and usurp the throne from his insane father who does not deserve it. But when tragedy strikes at her wedding ceremony and she is wrongfully imprisoned, she can only hope that her hurried plea for help will reach her father in time.
Frantic to save her sister – and against the wishes of her betrothed – Isemay joins the army sent to free Alena. A mysterious encounter with a dragon in disguise leaves her with a warning that her life is in danger – but can it save her from the battle to come?
🦄🦄🦄
Dueling Fates by is a fairytale/fantasy novel by Stephanie M. Allen.
Giving us an enchanted look into a world of magic, this book will take you on a journey unlike any other.
The main characters have a tremendous amount of depth to it, and in some ways reminds me of another magical princess duo (if you know, you know). AND THERE'S ALSO A DRAGON! I mean, it's such a classic thing, but the implication of the dragon in the story spans across not only what we see in the classics, but gives it a new look. (Is this a metaphor or a real dragon? Read to find out😉)
And the romance....my heart couldn't take it. It wasn't cheesy, just pure and "spine tingly".
This book had me gripped from the very beginning with its intense opening shrouded in mystery and confusion and I couldn't put if down.
I have an evergrowing love for fairytale based stories and this one did not disappoint.
🦄🦄🦄
Rated 9.5/10
Melina L.

[Chelsie Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! There are three kingdoms. In each kingdom we get the point of you of what goes on with each kingdom’s main characters. This story not only had action, but it also had a little bit of magic, as well as mystery, and romance. I’m so excited to read the next book!

[Sunshine_45 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this fantasy about princes and princesses. I found the plot exciting and intriguing and loved the adventure that was undertaken by Isemay to rescue her sister. The characters were wonderful and each quite unique. The kingdom and creatures were so whimsical and enchanting I didn't want the story to end. A great book that really captured my imagination. Highly recommend.

[Stephanie Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been such a long time coming. I'm so excited that it's finally been released into the wild! I hope you enjoy this story that has been so close to my heart for many years! Thank you for giving it a chance.

Update: Currently, it looks like the sequel will see an early 2022 release. That is beyond exciting and I can't wait for everyone to read the next installment!

[Alex (Bri's Book Nook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been looking for a new high fantasy series to draw my attention, and these books seem to bring me just the universe I needed. Close-knit family with secrets? Check. Sweet romance? Check. Magic/magical creatures? Check. Interconnected kingdoms with their own histories and issues? Check. I was totally hooked into this story by the time I reached the middle of the novel.

Alena and Isemay are twins, but they are very different. As the eldest twin, Alena has been raised the most to be queen. Isemay still had to behave royally, but she had more freedom on how to live her life. Now they are both 17 and both have marriage prospects coming their way, but they have their own minds and hearts. Alena struggles to connect with a spoiled prince who will probably force her into a life that she hates in his stuffy castle. Isemay is more free-spirited than her sister, and she worries that her husband will separate her from the things she loves to do. Specifically, force her to be a queen who never gets to enjoy the beauty of nature and being active. Soon, these are the least of the worries of these two princesses.

Alena and Isemay were some of the more realistic princess characters I have read in a while. Both were princesses, but they were normal teenaged girls first. They had their own unique personalities but this did not drive them away from one another. Alena and Isemay had one of the closest sister relationships I have read in a while. Also, they completely acted their age. They did not act older or younger than 17, they felt really relatable. I could understand why they were worried about their marriages, but they didn’t act like spoiled brats or put their kingdoms in danger. Overall, I fell in love with these characters.

Out of all the love interests in this novel, my favorite was Jordan. He didn’t put Isemay into any situation where she was forced to be uncomfortable, and he truly wanted the best for her. They were honestly the only couple I truly rooted for in this novel, even though they all had their own chemistry. I can’t wait to see which couples will form and/or flourish in the next books of this series.


The only complaint I have about this book was that the synopsis tells the majority of the story. I was expecting the synopsis to only reveal the beginning portion of the book, but instead I got almost a summary of the entire book. I feel like this disappointed me once I realized that I knew about the majority of the storyline from the start. My suggestion would be to try to just read this book without reading the synopsis.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a new YA fantasy novel to read.

[LustForLit · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author of Dueling Fates has done an incredible job of creating an immersive world in this fantasy novel. The descriptive language paints vivid imagery and wraps you up in each scene. The characters are very believable and made the story even more captivating. A great book for escapism and I highly recommend it.

[Pegboard · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very beginning, it impressed me with the author’s writing style and creativity in Dueling Fates. Stephanie M Allen grabs the reader’s attention from the start as we see the land of Erimos slowly being destroyed by their own king. The king’s advisor, Lord Savant Blackwood, takes matters into his own hands and kidnaps the prince for his own safety. Meanwhile, in the land of Neilos, siblings; Prince Fidelis, Princess Alena, and Princess Isemay learn of their mysterious heritage and the danger they will face.

 

Dueling Fates is the beginning of a mesmerizing trilogy by Stephanie M Allen. I loved how Allen takes you to a world of kingdoms, dragons, and mystical creatures. There is a haunting undercurrent throughout this novel as the danger increases and the malicious plans come to light. The characters have vivid personalities that bring each one to life. Overall, this well-written novel keeps the reader captivated by the enchanting anticipation as events unfold. I was only disappointed when I reached the end and realized the next novel is not out yet.

[Valery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dueling Fates by Stephanie M. Allen is a great example of intricately detailed world-building, fully developed characters, and a strong storyline. Truly a unique book that builds on the strength of the main characters, namely Alena and Isemay who are twins but very different from each other. At the age of seventeen, they both have marriage prospects, but neither is thrilled with that idea. However, the plot moves on nicely at this point, and the story develops with plenty of tension, controversy, and unforeseen events that challenge the characters. Plenty of romance, magical fantasy, different kingdoms, and unusual creatures make this a must-read for fans of mystical fantasy. The author has done a great job in writing this novel, a deft and creative hand gives it a sense of mystery and flair. If you need a diversion from your everyday life, this is the perfect read, light, magical, and a whole lot of fun.

[Emma Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved that this fantasy novel had strong female characters that weren't just concerned with romance and bagging a prince. The twin sisters are strong-willed and independent and motivated by their powerful love for each other. So when Alena finds herself in trouble in a neighbouring kingdom, her sister Isemay leads an army to save her, but is she also in grave danger!

A great novel for young adults, teenagers, and adults alike, especially if you love fantasy fiction. I enjoyed to plot, the twin princesses were aspirational, and there was plenty of peril. Did I mention there was a wise dragon too!

[Andy Of The Blacks · Rating 1 out of 5]

How this book can have such high ratings is beyond my comprehension... It was a real let-down.
It might be an acceptable book for a middle schooler, but I don't see anyone enjoying it beyond the age of 13, if they ever could. As it is it felt like reading a draft of a first draft of a book.

I might have given it 2 stars for the idea of the plot (not considering the execution), but the ending is so annoying I don't feel like 2 stars are justified.

So, my complaints:
1) It is badly written and boring. Yes, sentences are grammatically correct, and I didn't spot any spelling mistake, but that's just about it. It is written with such a boring, disengaged voice that you don't feel anything for the characters, no emotion and no tension, even in the action scenes! How is that even possible? I ended up skimming most of the paragraphs in the final chapters out of annoyance - first and final paragraphs in each chapters gave me enough information to move on.
Also, for such a short book, the plot moves incredibly slowly, without apparent reason. Characters just do things and have conversations for long stretches, but no new information is given, no insight into the character minds... Plot does not move forward, characters don't change nor they acquire depth. We just watch them do or talk, because that's what they are doing at that moment. Not how you write a compelling story.
2)Characterisation is poor. In this book you'll find a number of character tropes going around trying to act like actual characters. They have no inner depth, no motivation, no growth, beyond what you'll expect from their general trope. So you have the tomboy girl that does not want to be a princess (but she obviously can if she tries), the girly girl that dreams of a handsome prince (and obviously she's weak and needs rescuing more than once), the womanizer-but-he's-actually-good prince, the prince who's a jerk but that is just because of his upbringing and reforms straight away, the handsome-witty-rough around the edges love interest... It goes on.
You can start from tropes, and make them alive by giving them a personality, but no character has any personality in this book.
3) The ending is just frustrating. Things are not resolved or resolved with a quick, very random speech and it tries but fails to tease any upcoming event.

Something decent: there are some decent ideas for a plot buried under all the boring nothingness. Unfortunately not enough to keep me interested.

[Molly Mop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dueling Fates is a book that had me hooked immediately. If you enjoy fantasy then I think this a book for you, full of mystical creatures, romance, unforeseen events and danger! Dueling Fates by Stephanie M Allen is the first of a wonderfully magical trilogy that kept me totally captivated by its creativity, wonderful characters and strong storyline.
The author clearly has a talent for this genre and I cant wait to read more from her.

[B]

This sounds interesting!

[Emerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging, fun, and full of intrigue. Dueling Fates is the story of three neighboring kingdoms and the royal heirs preparing for their turn to rule. Princess Isemay and Princess Alena are twins being prepared for their future weddings. While Alena has excepted her position in the kingdom, Isemay longs for more. But their futures do not go the way either expected when two strangers arrive at the palace. This story is an epic political fantasy novel full of secrets, magical creatures, and a mystical heritage. I greatly enjoyed the relationship between the two princesses who are both very different but also understand each other. They also have a very sweet relationship with their older brother. All of the characters we meet are interesting and engaging to read about, I especially had fun reading about Alastair, Fidelis, and Jordan. I greatly enjoyed the intrigue created by the politics between the three kingdoms and the positions this places both Alena and Isemay in. With plenty of adventure, danger, and love, the book is a wonderful fantasy read. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

[Lenor · Rating 5 out of 5]

One fantasy book that will make you crave more and more about this amazing magic world Stephanie M Allen has created. Arranged marriage, a fierce heroine, romance, and a world full of magic encounters.

Three Kingdoms, all which want peace among them, and so arranged marriages are the way to keep the peace. But two sisters take the spotlight in this story, Alena and Isemay, twin princesses are expected to be married but as things move along, Alena finds herself in trouble and as the sisterly love they both share, it is Isemay who has to help her sister, and so she goes to Alena without knowing the danger it means for her own life.

Captivating and magical, I can’t wait for the next book.

[DonDon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dueling Fates is a perfect escapism book set in a wonderful magical land with enrapturing landscapes and fantastical creatures. The lead characters are likeable and complex and I was excited to go on this journey/rescue mission with Isemay. I think the author has a real talent for fantasy and engaging the reader in fairy tale worlds. I felt truly invested in the lives of the characters and the mission take was undertaken. Recommend.

[Carolina Guilmain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing book for readers who want something out of the ordinary.

[Russell S]

Dueling Fates is a perfect escapism book set in a wonderful magical land with enrapturing landscapes and fantastical creatures. The lead characters are likeable and complex and I was excited to go on this journey/rescue mission with Isemay. I think the author has a real talent for fantasy and engaging the reader in fairy tale worlds. I felt truly invested in the lives of the characters and the mission take was undertaken. Recommend.

[Roselyn Schnitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that will keep you wondering.

[Robbin Hotek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must-read book, so thought-provoking!

[Young Knier · Rating 5 out of 5]

An almost perfect book.

[Michelle Isadore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty interesting story!

[Lorette Vala · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best books for picky readers.

[Wesley Bratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating story.

[Albertha Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most amazing book for a quiet afternoon!

[Barbra Has · Rating 4 out of 5]

So great.