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Cloaked Shadows #1
Cloaked Shadows
The journey starts here...
Ikena Ralliday is plagued with nightmares of her father's brutal death at the hands of a monstrous Sinturi, those abominations which feast on humans to survive. They snatch children from their beds, infect animals with their darkness and serve one purpose only - to overrun Nevera and destroy the magical Cloaks.
When Ikena - a human - discovers that she herself is a magical, she should obey the law and report to the Cloak army. But that would mean never again seeing her home and all those she loves again. She can hide her magic away, but it's becoming impossible to control. Besides, no matter how much she resists, Ikena is drawn more and more into the heart of the endless war between the Cloaks and the Sinturi.
It seems her fate is tied to that of Nevera's and danger is always lurking.
Ikena Ralliday is plagued with nightmares of her father's brutal death at the hands of a monstrous Sinturi, those abominations which feast on humans to survive. They snatch children from their beds, infect animals with their darkness and serve one purpose only - to overrun Nevera and destroy the magical Cloaks.
When Ikena - a human - discovers that she herself is a magical, she should obey the law and report to the Cloak army. But that would mean never again seeing her home and all those she loves again. She can hide her magic away, but it's becoming impossible to control. Besides, no matter how much she resists, Ikena is drawn more and more into the heart of the endless war between the Cloaks and the Sinturi.
It seems her fate is tied to that of Nevera's and danger is always lurking.
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
238 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2021
2 people are currently reading
185 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Hawkes
2 books127 followersMelissa Hawkes is a British author who grew up in the foster care system from the age of nine. She writes adventurous, emotional fantasy loosely inspired by her childhood experiences. Her core motto is the well-known saying, ‘my past does not define my future,’ and she hopes to inspire young people with difficult upbringings to chase their dreams, much like she has. Because when the world labels us and tells us we can’t do something…we prove them wrong.
Melissa grew up watching her biological siblings immerse themselves in fantastical worlds and stories they created, and soon fell in love with writing too. She has a wild imagination and always felt it exciting to conjure up a story, usually involving magic and some terrifying creature or beast. Earlier pieces of work also included Queens and Kings (because obviously?)
She currently resides in Oxfordshire and enjoys a breezy Cotswolds walk. She dabbles in ceramic painting and other crafts, home décor, a good board game (and is highly competitive), and, of course, all things books, whether that’s reading them, buying them, or talking about them.
Melissa grew up watching her biological siblings immerse themselves in fantastical worlds and stories they created, and soon fell in love with writing too. She has a wild imagination and always felt it exciting to conjure up a story, usually involving magic and some terrifying creature or beast. Earlier pieces of work also included Queens and Kings (because obviously?)
She currently resides in Oxfordshire and enjoys a breezy Cotswolds walk. She dabbles in ceramic painting and other crafts, home décor, a good board game (and is highly competitive), and, of course, all things books, whether that’s reading them, buying them, or talking about them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 2, 2021
*ARC copy in exchange for an honest review*
Ikena Ralliday discovers that she has magic. This means that she should obey the law and report to the Cloak army. But that would mean never again seeing her home and all those she loves. She can hide her magic away, but it's becoming impossible to control. Besides, no matter how much she resists, Ikena is drawn more and more into the heart of the endless war between the Cloaks and the Sinturi (those abominations which feast on humans to survive). Is she the chosen one that can save Nevera?
This story follows our chosen heroine, Ikena and her best friend Sedric, who has no magic powers of himself. They try to run away from the Cloaks army but when they need help they turn to the king. Here they start training when it becomes clear that Ikena is the chosen one and should try to save the world from the Sinturi.
I really liked the world and the characters that Melissa Hawkes created . The characters are one of a kind and have different background stories. I hope we learn more about the background of some characters in the next book.
I also loved the whole chosen one on a quest idea. This reminds me of a lot of other books and there was a chance that the story would fell flat between all the other books but it did not! This book has the potential to become huge !
I enjoyed the build up of the story. It is never rushed and it has the right steps that Ikena should take to get to the end of this book .
The only feedback I can think about is that I wanted more tests before Ikena and her friends became Elites. I felt that to become one was easy especially with the limited time that went by when Ikena and Sedric started there lessons and when they passed.
Overall it was a fun, action filled, chosen one on a queste book that has some touches of romance in it. I can't wait untill book 2 is out!
*ARC copy in exchange for an honest review*
Ikena Ralliday discovers that she has magic. This means that she should obey the law and report to the Cloak army. But that would mean never again seeing her home and all those she loves. She can hide her magic away, but it's becoming impossible to control. Besides, no matter how much she resists, Ikena is drawn more and more into the heart of the endless war between the Cloaks and the Sinturi (those abominations which feast on humans to survive). Is she the chosen one that can save Nevera?
This story follows our chosen heroine, Ikena and her best friend Sedric, who has no magic powers of himself. They try to run away from the Cloaks army but when they need help they turn to the king. Here they start training when it becomes clear that Ikena is the chosen one and should try to save the world from the Sinturi.
I really liked the world and the characters that Melissa Hawkes created . The characters are one of a kind and have different background stories. I hope we learn more about the background of some characters in the next book.
I also loved the whole chosen one on a quest idea. This reminds me of a lot of other books and there was a chance that the story would fell flat between all the other books but it did not! This book has the potential to become huge !
I enjoyed the build up of the story. It is never rushed and it has the right steps that Ikena should take to get to the end of this book .
The only feedback I can think about is that I wanted more tests before Ikena and her friends became Elites. I felt that to become one was easy especially with the limited time that went by when Ikena and Sedric started there lessons and when they passed.
Overall it was a fun, action filled, chosen one on a queste book that has some touches of romance in it. I can't wait untill book 2 is out!
*ARC copy in exchange for an honest review*
February 3, 2022
4.25 stars
*Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of her book to review in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
At first I was a little uncertain about how I would feel about this book, but I was thrilled by how much I enjoyed it! Cloaked Shadows takes place in Nevera, a place of magical and non-magical people who all have a common enemy: the Sinturi. The story follows a young girl, Ikena, who discovers that she herself is a magical, meaning she is obligated to report herself to the Cloak army and join the war against the Sinturi. But in doing so, it would mean never being able to see her family or home again. The more she avoids her destiny, the stronger her powers become and the harder it gets to control.
I thoroughly enjoyed learning about this big and vibrant world that Melissa Hawkes created, along with the characters. Although I did find that the book sped through a lot of the conflict and didn't contain much risk. I wouldn't necessarily say it was rushed—because it wasn't, I enjoyed the pacing—it was just too easy. For example, the characters were given this book that basically described the entire next couple chapters. We weren't really given that mystery factor, and it just made the book play out way too "safely". I could tell that the author was trying to incorporate conflict using the Sinturi, but even that was resolved without difficulty. I don't know if that made any sense, but yah. It definitely got better near the end of the book(after they got to the palace) though.
Also, the magic didn't seem to have much of a limit. When writing a story with any sort of magic, or superpowers, it is always smart to add a limit to that power. A drawback. Otherwise, your character is going to become way too powerful, maybe even invincible, and it will confuse your audience/reader as to what their limit is. The professor, we discover, is known as a Slayer, but there seems to be no limit. A Slayer is said to hold all the kinds of magical abilities, which makes sense, but the only ones we know of are Shifters, Elementals, Descendents, Healers, and that's it. The powers that the Slayer displayed were way beyond that of the only 4 magical abilities we know of, making their abilities seem immeasurable. If the writer would have split the magic users into complete categories or explained all the "options" I think it would have resolved that issue and made it easier for me to understand.
Despite my critiques, I really did love reading Cloaked Shadows. The story was incredibly detailed and thought out and I'm hoping that we will get to see more about some of the newest characters and their backstories in the next book. It was an overall excellent read and creative debut and I'm grateful to have gotten the opportunity to read it. I can't wait to be able to read the sequel.
*Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of her book to review in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
At first I was a little uncertain about how I would feel about this book, but I was thrilled by how much I enjoyed it! Cloaked Shadows takes place in Nevera, a place of magical and non-magical people who all have a common enemy: the Sinturi. The story follows a young girl, Ikena, who discovers that she herself is a magical, meaning she is obligated to report herself to the Cloak army and join the war against the Sinturi. But in doing so, it would mean never being able to see her family or home again. The more she avoids her destiny, the stronger her powers become and the harder it gets to control.
I thoroughly enjoyed learning about this big and vibrant world that Melissa Hawkes created, along with the characters. Although I did find that the book sped through a lot of the conflict and didn't contain much risk. I wouldn't necessarily say it was rushed—because it wasn't, I enjoyed the pacing—it was just too easy. For example, the characters were given this book that basically described the entire next couple chapters. We weren't really given that mystery factor, and it just made the book play out way too "safely". I could tell that the author was trying to incorporate conflict using the Sinturi, but even that was resolved without difficulty. I don't know if that made any sense, but yah. It definitely got better near the end of the book(after they got to the palace) though.
Also, the magic didn't seem to have much of a limit. When writing a story with any sort of magic, or superpowers, it is always smart to add a limit to that power. A drawback. Otherwise, your character is going to become way too powerful, maybe even invincible, and it will confuse your audience/reader as to what their limit is. The professor, we discover, is known as a Slayer, but there seems to be no limit. A Slayer is said to hold all the kinds of magical abilities, which makes sense, but the only ones we know of are Shifters, Elementals, Descendents, Healers, and that's it. The powers that the Slayer displayed were way beyond that of the only 4 magical abilities we know of, making their abilities seem immeasurable. If the writer would have split the magic users into complete categories or explained all the "options" I think it would have resolved that issue and made it easier for me to understand.
Despite my critiques, I really did love reading Cloaked Shadows. The story was incredibly detailed and thought out and I'm hoping that we will get to see more about some of the newest characters and their backstories in the next book. It was an overall excellent read and creative debut and I'm grateful to have gotten the opportunity to read it. I can't wait to be able to read the sequel.
February 20, 2021
This is the first real fantasy book I have read and I read it in two sittings! I literally couldn't put it down. I felt so engrossed in the story and felt a real connection with the characters. I warmed to Ikena, the main character instantly and her relationship with Sedric reminded me of Katniss and Gale from
I found the story really addictive, it's a really easy read with so twists and turns. I loved how it progressed and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen.
If you love YA and fantasy this is the perfect book for you. I honestly cannot wait for book 2 to be released!
I found the story really addictive, it's a really easy read with so twists and turns. I loved how it progressed and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen.
If you love YA and fantasy this is the perfect book for you. I honestly cannot wait for book 2 to be released!
June 21, 2021
I so wanted to like this more than I did. The idea and concept of the story was easily a 4/5. But overall this book gets a much lower rating because of writing style and grammatical errors.
To start with, if Hawkes hired and editor for this book, they need to be fired. If she didn’t have an editor, she needs to hire one, preferably a developmental editor.
The characters were bland. They had so much potential, but all just fell short. Each and every character had the same personality, that kids cartoon character that’s always jazzed and speaks in super simple sentences. It was so hard to differentiate characters cause it felt like the only difference was their names.
I also had a hard time swallowing the whole, oh a week of training and I’m a beast! It just wasn’t realistic. Also, at the beginning of the book Ikena really hates the cloaks but after like 2 hours with them, she’s totally fine with the situation.
Another issue was the formatting and grammatical errors. There were a few places where the text of the book would change for a word or a paragraph. A few minor spelling or punctuation mistakes, those weren’t bad. Towards the end there were a lot of double indents for new paragraphs as well. What was bad was the constant misuse of words. Here’s a few of my favorite examples (not direct quotes from book, but situations and sentences paraphrased):
-he scoffed his food
-I’m king and I don’t have to do what you say, but I’ll endeavor you anyway
-he swallowed in his pity
And my biggest issue was the writing style. Hawkes is very much a tell don’t show kind of writer, so you’re often told something very obvious... four times... in the same sentence. Also, there were many instances where the word used wasn’t wrong... but it sure as hell wasn’t right or sounded funny (ex. Calling it an oxygen bubble instead of an air bubble). Sentences also tended to run on and flow of the book could’ve been greatly improved by using semi colons or simply having more sentences.
I feel like this may be a bit of a harsh review, but as an indie author myself, some of this just could’ve been easily avoided with more/diverse beta readers and the hiring of a professional editor.
To start with, if Hawkes hired and editor for this book, they need to be fired. If she didn’t have an editor, she needs to hire one, preferably a developmental editor.
The characters were bland. They had so much potential, but all just fell short. Each and every character had the same personality, that kids cartoon character that’s always jazzed and speaks in super simple sentences. It was so hard to differentiate characters cause it felt like the only difference was their names.
I also had a hard time swallowing the whole, oh a week of training and I’m a beast! It just wasn’t realistic. Also, at the beginning of the book Ikena really hates the cloaks but after like 2 hours with them, she’s totally fine with the situation.
Another issue was the formatting and grammatical errors. There were a few places where the text of the book would change for a word or a paragraph. A few minor spelling or punctuation mistakes, those weren’t bad. Towards the end there were a lot of double indents for new paragraphs as well. What was bad was the constant misuse of words. Here’s a few of my favorite examples (not direct quotes from book, but situations and sentences paraphrased):
-he scoffed his food
-I’m king and I don’t have to do what you say, but I’ll endeavor you anyway
-he swallowed in his pity
And my biggest issue was the writing style. Hawkes is very much a tell don’t show kind of writer, so you’re often told something very obvious... four times... in the same sentence. Also, there were many instances where the word used wasn’t wrong... but it sure as hell wasn’t right or sounded funny (ex. Calling it an oxygen bubble instead of an air bubble). Sentences also tended to run on and flow of the book could’ve been greatly improved by using semi colons or simply having more sentences.
I feel like this may be a bit of a harsh review, but as an indie author myself, some of this just could’ve been easily avoided with more/diverse beta readers and the hiring of a professional editor.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2021
I never ever have read fantasy but took a chance on this one because the premise sounded so good. I’m so glad I did. It’s fabulous! I cannot believe how much I loved it from the start. The world the author created was so detailed and creative. I felt like I could envision the setting easily and take the journeys with the characters. Her word choice was gorgeous as well. I was rooting for the characters the entire time, straight through to the end. Wow, just wow. I’m so excited there are more in this series.
March 24, 2021
*ARC copy for exchange of an honest review*
This review was due in January, but I felt so bad for not being able to finish Cloaked Shadows that I kept postponing writing this review; in hopes that I'd still fall in love with Melissa's work. Melissa is such a kind soul, so warm and welcoming, and I absolutely adored the time we all spent group reviewing Cloaked Shadows on Facebook. She is an absolute sweetheart and I wish her all the best with this series, future works, and her personal life!
Anyway, this isn't about Melissa as a person but Cloaked Shadows and because this is an honest and personal review, it might not resonate with everybody. That's fine. Please do not take offense.
In the beginning, I have to clarify that I did not manage to finish this book. I started it in December, made it to page 104 this morning, and finally gave up. It is not that Ikena's story is boring, no. I loved the way Ikena cares for her family, her relationship with her siblings in particular. To avoid spoilers, I will not go into detail but the mystery surrounding her and her journey was very intriguing as well! However, for me, it did not make up for:
- regular grammatical mistakes
- lack of basic logic (e.g. you don't turn buff by exercising for one week)
- too long sentences that could easily be turned into two/three separate sentences
1. Grammatical errors could (and should) easily be fixed by having different people proofread a novel before publishing it. I'm not a native English speaker but if I noticed them, Natives probably would too. It is an unnecessary annoyance that can throw a reader off rather quickly. With a plot this good, it is very devastating to see how bad grammar can affect a reading experience.
2. If you have read Cloaked Shadows, you know that it's a fantasy novel. Therefore, logic in the sense of "but magic doesn't exist" is not what I'm referring to. What I mean with 'basic logic' is that of course you're going to smell bad if you train, sleep, and live in the same clothes for two weeks straight. So why is the character so surprised by it? They complain about being woken up early every morning, but all of a sudden they turn into early risers without any explanation. They exercise for a week and suddenly they are buff. Even in fantasy novels, you need some sort of basic logic that explains miracles and magic.
3. Long sentences are a nuisance that is easy to fix. Instead of using a comma, make a full stop and start a new sentence. That way, it is easier for the reader to follow along. It does not improve one's writing style if the sentences extend over three lines; rather, it only harms by possibly annoying the reader.
Again, this is only my personal opinion. It breaks my heart to be leaving this review when so many others love and adore Cloaked Shadows. It is Melissa's first novel, so obviously there is still room to improve, especially since she is so young. I'm honestly looking forward to her future works and anything else she might have up her sleeve!
Melissa, if you're reading this, please know that this is not intended as a personal attack. I've debated for months whether I should even post a review if most of my feedback is so.... negative. But, since you sent me your precious baby (yes, this is how I usually refer to books) as an ARC, I wanted to be completely honest.
please don't hate me
This review was due in January, but I felt so bad for not being able to finish Cloaked Shadows that I kept postponing writing this review; in hopes that I'd still fall in love with Melissa's work. Melissa is such a kind soul, so warm and welcoming, and I absolutely adored the time we all spent group reviewing Cloaked Shadows on Facebook. She is an absolute sweetheart and I wish her all the best with this series, future works, and her personal life!
Anyway, this isn't about Melissa as a person but Cloaked Shadows and because this is an honest and personal review, it might not resonate with everybody. That's fine. Please do not take offense.
In the beginning, I have to clarify that I did not manage to finish this book. I started it in December, made it to page 104 this morning, and finally gave up. It is not that Ikena's story is boring, no. I loved the way Ikena cares for her family, her relationship with her siblings in particular. To avoid spoilers, I will not go into detail but the mystery surrounding her and her journey was very intriguing as well! However, for me, it did not make up for:
- regular grammatical mistakes
- lack of basic logic (e.g. you don't turn buff by exercising for one week)
- too long sentences that could easily be turned into two/three separate sentences
1. Grammatical errors could (and should) easily be fixed by having different people proofread a novel before publishing it. I'm not a native English speaker but if I noticed them, Natives probably would too. It is an unnecessary annoyance that can throw a reader off rather quickly. With a plot this good, it is very devastating to see how bad grammar can affect a reading experience.
2. If you have read Cloaked Shadows, you know that it's a fantasy novel. Therefore, logic in the sense of "but magic doesn't exist" is not what I'm referring to. What I mean with 'basic logic' is that of course you're going to smell bad if you train, sleep, and live in the same clothes for two weeks straight. So why is the character so surprised by it? They complain about being woken up early every morning, but all of a sudden they turn into early risers without any explanation. They exercise for a week and suddenly they are buff. Even in fantasy novels, you need some sort of basic logic that explains miracles and magic.
3. Long sentences are a nuisance that is easy to fix. Instead of using a comma, make a full stop and start a new sentence. That way, it is easier for the reader to follow along. It does not improve one's writing style if the sentences extend over three lines; rather, it only harms by possibly annoying the reader.
Again, this is only my personal opinion. It breaks my heart to be leaving this review when so many others love and adore Cloaked Shadows. It is Melissa's first novel, so obviously there is still room to improve, especially since she is so young. I'm honestly looking forward to her future works and anything else she might have up her sleeve!
Melissa, if you're reading this, please know that this is not intended as a personal attack. I've debated for months whether I should even post a review if most of my feedback is so.... negative. But, since you sent me your precious baby (yes, this is how I usually refer to books) as an ARC, I wanted to be completely honest.
please don't hate me
June 10, 2021
An enjoyable YA read!
Cloaked Shadows follows Ikena in understanding her past, present and future through a dangerous political context of magic, betrayal and everchanging loyalties. Through understanding that she holds a power she can no longer hide, Ikena travels with childhood friend Sedric to the capital to, eventually, report to the Cloak Army. Here, she finds herself in a unique position of power, and finds out more about the Sinturis that threatens the kingdom in which they live.
I won't lie, I had read The Gilded Ones not long before CS, and now I've kind of got both plots mixed up in my head. They've got similar enjoyable and gripping storylines and themes - sometimes leaning in too heavily to familiar YA troupes, but all in all good to read.
This was an enjoyable word-building read that has me excited for the sequel!
Cloaked Shadows follows Ikena in understanding her past, present and future through a dangerous political context of magic, betrayal and everchanging loyalties. Through understanding that she holds a power she can no longer hide, Ikena travels with childhood friend Sedric to the capital to, eventually, report to the Cloak Army. Here, she finds herself in a unique position of power, and finds out more about the Sinturis that threatens the kingdom in which they live.
I won't lie, I had read The Gilded Ones not long before CS, and now I've kind of got both plots mixed up in my head. They've got similar enjoyable and gripping storylines and themes - sometimes leaning in too heavily to familiar YA troupes, but all in all good to read.
This was an enjoyable word-building read that has me excited for the sequel!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2022
*ARC copy in exchange for an honest review*
I pretty much enjoyed reading about Ikena Ralliday. We follow her as she try to run away from the Cloaks, because Ikena has magic powers and she should obey their laws. But look at that, Ikena is the chosen one and now she tries to save the world from the Sinturi, while working along the Cloaks.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The author played the game of the chosen one and won. I really like how the protagonist was tested and how she was trying to match with the place she was given to the story, being the chosen one.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Even though the writing was very good and the premise was so interesting you could see that the author wanted to run the plot. It wasn't rushed and the pace was good but it was too "easy". I would like to see more challenges for the protagonist to face. I don't know if that make sense.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The world Melissa Hawkes created was vibrant and big. I was enjoying learning about the different magical abilities someone could have and how powerful some people was. But I felt like the author did the mistake every debut fantasy author does: there wasn't a limit to the power. When you give power to your characters, you must always add a limit, a drawback of some kind. Because you'll end up with too powerful characters without any motivation to forward the plot. This, though, isn't something that made the book less interesting or less good. It was just an observation.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
All in all, I really enjoyed the book and was really happy that it met the expectations I had while reading the synopsis. Now I want to read the second book because that ending was OMG LIKE WOW....
I pretty much enjoyed reading about Ikena Ralliday. We follow her as she try to run away from the Cloaks, because Ikena has magic powers and she should obey their laws. But look at that, Ikena is the chosen one and now she tries to save the world from the Sinturi, while working along the Cloaks.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The author played the game of the chosen one and won. I really like how the protagonist was tested and how she was trying to match with the place she was given to the story, being the chosen one.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Even though the writing was very good and the premise was so interesting you could see that the author wanted to run the plot. It wasn't rushed and the pace was good but it was too "easy". I would like to see more challenges for the protagonist to face. I don't know if that make sense.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The world Melissa Hawkes created was vibrant and big. I was enjoying learning about the different magical abilities someone could have and how powerful some people was. But I felt like the author did the mistake every debut fantasy author does: there wasn't a limit to the power. When you give power to your characters, you must always add a limit, a drawback of some kind. Because you'll end up with too powerful characters without any motivation to forward the plot. This, though, isn't something that made the book less interesting or less good. It was just an observation.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
All in all, I really enjoyed the book and was really happy that it met the expectations I had while reading the synopsis. Now I want to read the second book because that ending was OMG LIKE WOW....
January 1, 2021
*ARC copy in exchange for an honest review*
If you're looking for a book that includes
• A magical world: check
• A strong female protagonist: check
• Vulnerable characters: check
• The chosen one on a quest: check
• Some romance: check
• And much more!
Than this is your book!
I loved reading this book! Some parts reminded me of other books, but when there are already so many books written, that is kinda inevitable… And all the books I thought of, are amazing! While reading this book, I constantly had the feeling that this could become huge!
However, sometimes I felt like there was something missing, and boom! The next chapter has it ;).
As you might question, why would I be reading for such a long time when I love the book? I read this during a readalong with the author (who is amazing and really kind!) and we read a chapter a day!
And now I’m here, not so patiently waiting until book 2 is ready ;)!
*ARC copy in exchange for an honest review*
If you're looking for a book that includes
• A magical world: check
• A strong female protagonist: check
• Vulnerable characters: check
• The chosen one on a quest: check
• Some romance: check
• And much more!
Than this is your book!
I loved reading this book! Some parts reminded me of other books, but when there are already so many books written, that is kinda inevitable… And all the books I thought of, are amazing! While reading this book, I constantly had the feeling that this could become huge!
However, sometimes I felt like there was something missing, and boom! The next chapter has it ;).
As you might question, why would I be reading for such a long time when I love the book? I read this during a readalong with the author (who is amazing and really kind!) and we read a chapter a day!
And now I’m here, not so patiently waiting until book 2 is ready ;)!
*ARC copy in exchange for an honest review*
January 17, 2021
Book review - No spoilers
Cloaked Shadows by Melissa Hawkes
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Ikena Ralliday is hounded by nightmares of the moment her father was killed by the Sinturi; creatures of dark magic.
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Soon Ikena unlocks her own magic, after an incident in the woods and now must report to the Cloaks. The Cloaks are the King’s magical army, but it means giving up your life and family.
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Ikena tries to resist at first, but her pull into the conflict between the Cloaks and Sinturi is getting harder to resist.
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What an amazing debut from Melissa. I’ve been so lucky to read an arc and be a part of her read along. Cloaked Shadows is an exciting addition to the fantasy genre!
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I’ve always said that world beholding in fantasy is important, but if done wrong can be fatal to the story. Luckily Melissa’s world building is seem less and effective. She brings the world of Nevera to life.
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Ikena, herself is very relatable and a great role model. Her supporting cast is great too. I personally love Cato, a Cloak professor and Flynn, another Cloak recruit.
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I can’t wait to read the rest of this adventure! Looking forward to learning more about this world and seeing my fave characters in action!
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An easy and addictive read, I recommend for all fantasy lovers, of all levels! Perfect for Harry Potter, Hunger Games and Divergent fans! Cloaked Shadows is available for pre-order and is released 28th February.
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Favourite Quote
If there was one thing she hated more than most, it was being told what to do.
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Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Cloaked Shadows by Melissa Hawkes
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Ikena Ralliday is hounded by nightmares of the moment her father was killed by the Sinturi; creatures of dark magic.
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Soon Ikena unlocks her own magic, after an incident in the woods and now must report to the Cloaks. The Cloaks are the King’s magical army, but it means giving up your life and family.
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Ikena tries to resist at first, but her pull into the conflict between the Cloaks and Sinturi is getting harder to resist.
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What an amazing debut from Melissa. I’ve been so lucky to read an arc and be a part of her read along. Cloaked Shadows is an exciting addition to the fantasy genre!
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I’ve always said that world beholding in fantasy is important, but if done wrong can be fatal to the story. Luckily Melissa’s world building is seem less and effective. She brings the world of Nevera to life.
.
Ikena, herself is very relatable and a great role model. Her supporting cast is great too. I personally love Cato, a Cloak professor and Flynn, another Cloak recruit.
.
I can’t wait to read the rest of this adventure! Looking forward to learning more about this world and seeing my fave characters in action!
.
An easy and addictive read, I recommend for all fantasy lovers, of all levels! Perfect for Harry Potter, Hunger Games and Divergent fans! Cloaked Shadows is available for pre-order and is released 28th February.
.
Favourite Quote
If there was one thing she hated more than most, it was being told what to do.
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Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
April 3, 2021
Cloaked Shadows is the debut novel by Melissa Hawkes, a self-published author. I was well and truly gripped from start to finish, and the second novel is already on pre-order
Set in the magical lands of Nevera where magical and non-magical people live separated lives we follow the story of the strong, female protagonist Ikena , who realises that there could be more to her life than she thought!
Fantasy isn’t always my first choice of book to read but I loved this one, it was so easy to follow and a really exciting story I couldn’t put down. I loved the world that Melissa created, the fun adventures the characters go on has you on the edge of your seats, full of twists and turns.
The end really makes you want more! If you enjoy YA fantasy then this book is definitely up your street!
Set in the magical lands of Nevera where magical and non-magical people live separated lives we follow the story of the strong, female protagonist Ikena , who realises that there could be more to her life than she thought!
Fantasy isn’t always my first choice of book to read but I loved this one, it was so easy to follow and a really exciting story I couldn’t put down. I loved the world that Melissa created, the fun adventures the characters go on has you on the edge of your seats, full of twists and turns.
The end really makes you want more! If you enjoy YA fantasy then this book is definitely up your street!
October 13, 2021
A Fun New Take on Magic
I really enjoyed this one, although I will also say that I think it could have really benefited from a good edit. There wasn't anything glaringly wrong with it. I really think it has more to do with flow, some transitions just not being quite right in spots (maybe just to simple in some areas and in others places there's over explanation). My other problem was the relationship between Ikena and Cedrick, it was a little odd and unrealistic. They both have it bad for each other, but she pushes him away and doesn't think he's really that into her, and yet they sleep in the same bed for MANY weeks?! Just snuggling and then not so much as a kiss! I don't know very many guys that could tolerate that kind of temptation for that amount of time. If polished it would be an easy 5 star story because the overall plot and story line is fun and different.
Parents: PG-PG13 It's really geared toward middle grade readers. I don't remember any bad language, and there is the normal fantasy violence but not overly graphic. In terms of sexual content, it's really pretty mild, yes they sleep together but it's literally just snuggling and sleeping, lots of teenage angsty romance and a few kissing scenes including an awkward thrown in LGBT kissing scene with two boys.
The narrator did a great job and was fun to listen to.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I really enjoyed this one, although I will also say that I think it could have really benefited from a good edit. There wasn't anything glaringly wrong with it. I really think it has more to do with flow, some transitions just not being quite right in spots (maybe just to simple in some areas and in others places there's over explanation). My other problem was the relationship between Ikena and Cedrick, it was a little odd and unrealistic. They both have it bad for each other, but she pushes him away and doesn't think he's really that into her, and yet they sleep in the same bed for MANY weeks?! Just snuggling and then not so much as a kiss! I don't know very many guys that could tolerate that kind of temptation for that amount of time. If polished it would be an easy 5 star story because the overall plot and story line is fun and different.
Parents: PG-PG13 It's really geared toward middle grade readers. I don't remember any bad language, and there is the normal fantasy violence but not overly graphic. In terms of sexual content, it's really pretty mild, yes they sleep together but it's literally just snuggling and sleeping, lots of teenage angsty romance and a few kissing scenes including an awkward thrown in LGBT kissing scene with two boys.
The narrator did a great job and was fun to listen to.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
May 6, 2021
This book just wasn't for me. I probably don't fall at all in the target demographic for this book so that may be a big factor on why I wasn't a big fan. I know this is Melissa debut novel and I applaud her on accomplishing such a feat! Overall I liked the concept of the world and the premise for the story but for me this read as more of a middle grade read. The characters I think were supposed to be older teens but to me they still seemed very immature for the situations they were in. For that reason it was hard for me to push myself to finish the book. There were random bits of technology referenced that really threw me off at times and didn't seem to fit into the world from what the story made the world seem like up to there. (Mention of photographs, television) Despite this book not being my favorite I think this author has a lot of potential so I will deff look into her future works! (side note I just wanted to mention I do love the cover of this)
January 12, 2021
My thoughts: I've been writing and rewriting my review for the last week because I want to give this book the justice it rightly deserves.
I loved this book! It has such a unique concept and is really well executed. There were many moments when I was so engrossed in the story that I felt as though I was really in Nevera with Ikena.
Cloaked Shadows has great character and world building. Short sharp chapters to keep the flow of the story without omitting any important details of the characters personalities; the variants of magical abilities nor the histories of Nevera.
I did feel there was a big build up to the challenges to become an Elite (rank in the Cloak Army) and was a little surprised that they all gained the status within one day. While I thought the challenge would last for a 24-48 hour period, I still really liked the challenge tasks set and how they demonstrated the different magical abilities and how they assisted the others to complete a particular component of the challenge.
The final chapters tied up loose ends really well whilst leaving enough suspense for the story yet to come. I already can't wait for book 2!
I loved this book! It has such a unique concept and is really well executed. There were many moments when I was so engrossed in the story that I felt as though I was really in Nevera with Ikena.
Cloaked Shadows has great character and world building. Short sharp chapters to keep the flow of the story without omitting any important details of the characters personalities; the variants of magical abilities nor the histories of Nevera.
I did feel there was a big build up to the challenges to become an Elite (rank in the Cloak Army) and was a little surprised that they all gained the status within one day. While I thought the challenge would last for a 24-48 hour period, I still really liked the challenge tasks set and how they demonstrated the different magical abilities and how they assisted the others to complete a particular component of the challenge.
The final chapters tied up loose ends really well whilst leaving enough suspense for the story yet to come. I already can't wait for book 2!
February 28, 2021
This is authors debut novel and it didn't feel like it. It was so well written and I really enjoyed this story. This world was so interesting and characters were so great. Every character had their own important place in story. I really liked Ikena because she was strong characters. She cared deeply her family and she tried to do what is right for them. Even if it meant leaving home. It was interesting to read how she and others trained their magic and learnt history of Nevera. Can't wait to read more from this author.
An ARC was provided in exhange for an honest review.
An ARC was provided in exhange for an honest review.
August 4, 2021
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I really enjoyed this book. I like to read about new adventures and ideals with magic and it’s workings. I do agree with Aekina (sp) that there isn’t something right with the king. Things move very fast in this book which works well and you don’t have too many pause notes. The character development is nice and it’s great to see teenagers work together for a common good.
I recommend to young adults and fantasy lovers and to those who thrive on adventure
I really enjoyed this book. I like to read about new adventures and ideals with magic and it’s workings. I do agree with Aekina (sp) that there isn’t something right with the king. Things move very fast in this book which works well and you don’t have too many pause notes. The character development is nice and it’s great to see teenagers work together for a common good.
I recommend to young adults and fantasy lovers and to those who thrive on adventure
June 21, 2021
From chapter 3 I was hooked, this is such a fun book that is action filled, every chapter I felt like BOOM some happed that kept me reading. It was an easy read that had lovely relationships between characters and I loved that the history was explained through the book which made me feel like I was on an adventure with them all. I can’t wait to read the next book which came yesterday. If your a fantasy lover… these books should be on your shelves😏
October 7, 2022
This was wow!
I got this book in a book box and I was hesitant to read, once I read the first chapter I was instantly hooked! I think the story was amazing, I love the characters and their development. The storyline was different from what I'm used to reading and I really did enjoy it. I gave Percy Jackson meets Harry Potter vibes.
I got this book in a book box and I was hesitant to read, once I read the first chapter I was instantly hooked! I think the story was amazing, I love the characters and their development. The storyline was different from what I'm used to reading and I really did enjoy it. I gave Percy Jackson meets Harry Potter vibes.
March 6, 2022
Exciting story, it keeps pulling you forward!
From the start, the characters pulled me in. I was invested in the mystery of the magic system and wanted to learn more, just like the main character did. Unraveling the motives and secrets was fun and exciting! I need to move on to book two!
From the start, the characters pulled me in. I was invested in the mystery of the magic system and wanted to learn more, just like the main character did. Unraveling the motives and secrets was fun and exciting! I need to move on to book two!
April 12, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the characters and storyline are really well thought out, it kept me reading until the end without wanting to stop. I've read a fair few very popular fantasy books and I easily rate this up there, if not better than some of the bestsellers on store shelves.
May 13, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ | I really enjoyed this story! There are some parts that seem contradictory, but Melissa has created such a fun world & I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes! 🤗
May 17, 2021
Ever since Ikena's father died, she has been the provider for her family. One day she accidentally discovers she has magical powers. In the realm of Nevera, all those with magical abilities must cut ties with their families and serve the crown. With no one else to look after her mum and younger twin siblings Ikena attempts to hide her powers in order to ensure their survival. The main characters of Ikena and Sedric are well written, however they do feel very much like they could be the cast in most YA fantasy book at present. Cato the all knowing is an interesting and unique character. The history contained within the story is a nice touch, bringing depth to the world building. The second half of the book is a fairly stereotypical academy fantasy with strong hints of Harry Potter influences.
The writing style feels like that of a fairytale of old. It has an air of simplicity to it, making for easy reading and suggesting the lower end of Young Adult literature. Melissa Hawkes style talks to the reader, bringing the story to life in a way a mother would to a child. It does have a raw feel to it like a lot of debut authors, however the concepts are fresh and the world building is good.
This is a good debut from Melissa Hawke, but her writing is underdeveloped. The potential she shows is promising, she is definitely an author to watch and the second book (Unveiled Reflections) will be interesting to read.
The writing style feels like that of a fairytale of old. It has an air of simplicity to it, making for easy reading and suggesting the lower end of Young Adult literature. Melissa Hawkes style talks to the reader, bringing the story to life in a way a mother would to a child. It does have a raw feel to it like a lot of debut authors, however the concepts are fresh and the world building is good.
This is a good debut from Melissa Hawke, but her writing is underdeveloped. The potential she shows is promising, she is definitely an author to watch and the second book (Unveiled Reflections) will be interesting to read.
March 5, 2022
So I ended up liking this book by the end much more than I did at the beginning. It has a slow start, but if you can get past that, the action does pick up. I will say that as an author myself, I was very put off by the grammatical mistakes in the text, however, I do believe the author has since updated the book online with an edited version, which I think is awesome. So I don't believe this will be an issue for future readers. The biggest issue I had with this book, other than the aforementioned grammar, was the pacing. The first third of the book seemed to drag on and yet each scene felt rather short and we quickly moved from one thing to the next. There was also a fair bit of convenience in the plot to start, like the MC just happening to find a book that explains her entire situation.
However, all that being said, the second 2/3s of the book were much stronger and almost entirely made up for the first 1/3.
We have a great cast of characters, both with and without magic. An interesting world, which seems to be mostly medieval in nature with some modern twists thrown in, like holograms and other tech. The magic system itself is quite unique with several tiers, and a testing ceremony very reminiscent of the hunger games.
I am interested to see where the characters go in book 2 and whether or not they will defeat the Sinturi once and for all.
However, all that being said, the second 2/3s of the book were much stronger and almost entirely made up for the first 1/3.
We have a great cast of characters, both with and without magic. An interesting world, which seems to be mostly medieval in nature with some modern twists thrown in, like holograms and other tech. The magic system itself is quite unique with several tiers, and a testing ceremony very reminiscent of the hunger games.
I am interested to see where the characters go in book 2 and whether or not they will defeat the Sinturi once and for all.
June 24, 2021
2.5🌟
To start with the cover is beautiful as are the maps inside. Simply stunning and a lovely touch.
I so wanted to like this book more than I did. The overall idea of the book and the base of the characters were easily a 4/5 but it was missing the substance. I wanted to know more about them, how they looked, why they reacted the way they did but I found it stuck to a base line. This made me struggle to fall in love with the characters.
I loved the world building. I would of liked to know a little more but the world it’s self was very inventive and fitting to the story. Some of the inconsistencies within it weren’t great. The telly and getting hench super quickly etc.
There were quite a lot of grammatical errors and missing words. Maybe a little more in the way of beta readers would of helped this.
I found it very similar to another well known book/Netflix series- even down to some of the small details. The further in I got the more references there were.
Overall my biggest struggle was with telling of the story. I wasn’t always sure who was talking/looking etc to who. It almost seemed like it was trying not to switch perspective but doing it a little anyway.
The idea of the story line was great and I look forward to seeing what else this author brings out.
To start with the cover is beautiful as are the maps inside. Simply stunning and a lovely touch.
I so wanted to like this book more than I did. The overall idea of the book and the base of the characters were easily a 4/5 but it was missing the substance. I wanted to know more about them, how they looked, why they reacted the way they did but I found it stuck to a base line. This made me struggle to fall in love with the characters.
I loved the world building. I would of liked to know a little more but the world it’s self was very inventive and fitting to the story. Some of the inconsistencies within it weren’t great. The telly and getting hench super quickly etc.
There were quite a lot of grammatical errors and missing words. Maybe a little more in the way of beta readers would of helped this.
I found it very similar to another well known book/Netflix series- even down to some of the small details. The further in I got the more references there were.
Overall my biggest struggle was with telling of the story. I wasn’t always sure who was talking/looking etc to who. It almost seemed like it was trying not to switch perspective but doing it a little anyway.
The idea of the story line was great and I look forward to seeing what else this author brings out.
May 7, 2021
First of all, let’s appreciate this gorgeous cover! I am a big fan of a bookish map especially when starting a new fantasy series, so I appreciated the gorgeous map in this book. It really helps to get to know the new world. It also comes with a handy guide to the magic system!
I found there were traits from many different well-loved fantasy series such as: the hunger games and shadow and bone. This makes it a comforting and familiar read.
It always hard to find a balance between overloading information (crescent city I’m looking at you 👀) and not including enough. I wish there was a bit more world building and character building in this book. Although I liked the characters I didn’t connect to them as much as I would have wanted.
The whole magic comes with a price just makes me think of Rumpelstiltskin from once upon a time. Anyone else?
Overall, this was a really quick and easy book to read. My only criticism is that I wanted more, which I guess is a good thing.
🌟🌟🌟.5
I found there were traits from many different well-loved fantasy series such as: the hunger games and shadow and bone. This makes it a comforting and familiar read.
It always hard to find a balance between overloading information (crescent city I’m looking at you 👀) and not including enough. I wish there was a bit more world building and character building in this book. Although I liked the characters I didn’t connect to them as much as I would have wanted.
The whole magic comes with a price just makes me think of Rumpelstiltskin from once upon a time. Anyone else?
Overall, this was a really quick and easy book to read. My only criticism is that I wanted more, which I guess is a good thing.
🌟🌟🌟.5
June 6, 2021
The very first thing that gripped me about this book was its blurb. I remember reading it and going dammnnn why didn't I think of that 😂
This book had me hooked from the very first page thanks to its fast pacing and well developed characters. One thing that I noticed was how raw every emotion was and how well I could feel everything the character on the page was feeling. The grammar in a few places was off, but other than that I absolutely loved everything! The world building is so intricate and unique, the names are absolutely beautiful! My favourite character was Flynn, he's so cute and confident I aspire to be him!
Overall this was an amazing read and I spent this whole weekend binging it (also ignored the whole of that shitty lesson on cockroaches in bio to read it) and I love it so so much! Definitely an underrated book and everyone should give it a go!
This book had me hooked from the very first page thanks to its fast pacing and well developed characters. One thing that I noticed was how raw every emotion was and how well I could feel everything the character on the page was feeling. The grammar in a few places was off, but other than that I absolutely loved everything! The world building is so intricate and unique, the names are absolutely beautiful! My favourite character was Flynn, he's so cute and confident I aspire to be him!
Overall this was an amazing read and I spent this whole weekend binging it (also ignored the whole of that shitty lesson on cockroaches in bio to read it) and I love it so so much! Definitely an underrated book and everyone should give it a go!
April 21, 2021
I immensely enjoyed reading this debut novel from start to finish.
It was an engaging world that she has created along with funny, interesting, and in-depth characters.
As we follow the character of Ikena I found myself (in a good way) forgetting at times that the story was written in third-person rather than first-person. This is a testament to how close I felt towards the protagonist.
The magic system for the world was greatly thought out in detail. I liked how it was clear what each magical ability could do to make it distinct.
I would highly recommend this book to fantasy lovers or to people starting out reading fantasy.
It was an engaging world that she has created along with funny, interesting, and in-depth characters.
As we follow the character of Ikena I found myself (in a good way) forgetting at times that the story was written in third-person rather than first-person. This is a testament to how close I felt towards the protagonist.
The magic system for the world was greatly thought out in detail. I liked how it was clear what each magical ability could do to make it distinct.
I would highly recommend this book to fantasy lovers or to people starting out reading fantasy.
July 17, 2021
This quick fantasy is set in a medieval realm where those who have magic are forced to fight for the king against strange dark creatures who threaten to eat souls. It’s got a prophecy, a strange professor type, young love, and dark secrets. Welcome to Nevera.
This may be a case of "it's not you, it's me," but I didn't really get into this one. It felt a little predictable and the worldbuilding unfinished. For example, there was a lot of technology that randomly appeared at moments, which didn't seem to fit with the story. I had trouble relating to the MC, and her love interest didn't have much personality... I feel bad because I think it's a 'me' problem.
This may be a case of "it's not you, it's me," but I didn't really get into this one. It felt a little predictable and the worldbuilding unfinished. For example, there was a lot of technology that randomly appeared at moments, which didn't seem to fit with the story. I had trouble relating to the MC, and her love interest didn't have much personality... I feel bad because I think it's a 'me' problem.
May 28, 2021
Cloaked Shadows by Melissa Hawkes was a really great read!
I loved the character developement of the main character Ikena, and the aspect of her magical abilities was described in a great way.
I binge read through the book in one go 🙈😂☺️ I also loved that the book left enough questions unanswered that you are really excited to read the second book! The author managed to make you want to read the next book!
I‘m pretty excited that the second book Unveiled Reflections is coming out on the 18th of June ☺️
I loved the character developement of the main character Ikena, and the aspect of her magical abilities was described in a great way.
I binge read through the book in one go 🙈😂☺️ I also loved that the book left enough questions unanswered that you are really excited to read the second book! The author managed to make you want to read the next book!
I‘m pretty excited that the second book Unveiled Reflections is coming out on the 18th of June ☺️
March 11, 2021
I enjoyed this story!
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