What do you think?
Rate this book
Anahera
We all imagine escaping into new worlds, but how challenging would it really be to survive? What if you were dragged through a gateway into a place filled with magic…and you had none?
On Midsummer’s Eve, Isabella Mackay finds herself pulled through the Anahera Gate into the archipelago of Hjaltland, a world of scented magic, chaotic storms and competing goddesses. Unable to understand the language, ignorant of its cultures and completely devoid of magic, she struggles to find her own path to freedom and safety.
This might be a little easier if she wasn’t shackled to the sardonic Captain Bannerman upon arrival and hauled over a mountain. He has a job to do, and she is determined to stop him from doing it. But some fates cannot be avoided, and when they reach the great Citadel, Isabella is faced with an impossible choice: accept their bargain, or be thrown into the slave pits of Hamnavoe.
Whether it is flying waka over storm-haunted mountains, riding giant, psychic cats across the Citadel rooftops or feeding tidbits to tiny, alcoholic dragons, she is determined to survive, to forge new alliances and thwart her oppressors. Will Isabella make her way through it, back to our world? And will she even want to?
On Midsummer’s Eve, Isabella Mackay finds herself pulled through the Anahera Gate into the archipelago of Hjaltland, a world of scented magic, chaotic storms and competing goddesses. Unable to understand the language, ignorant of its cultures and completely devoid of magic, she struggles to find her own path to freedom and safety.
This might be a little easier if she wasn’t shackled to the sardonic Captain Bannerman upon arrival and hauled over a mountain. He has a job to do, and she is determined to stop him from doing it. But some fates cannot be avoided, and when they reach the great Citadel, Isabella is faced with an impossible choice: accept their bargain, or be thrown into the slave pits of Hamnavoe.
Whether it is flying waka over storm-haunted mountains, riding giant, psychic cats across the Citadel rooftops or feeding tidbits to tiny, alcoholic dragons, she is determined to survive, to forge new alliances and thwart her oppressors. Will Isabella make her way through it, back to our world? And will she even want to?
402 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 24, 2022
8 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
July 22, 2024
On Midsummer's Eve, Isabella Mackay finds herself pulled through the Anahera Gate into the archipelago of Hjaltland, a world of scented magic, chaotic storms and competing goddesses. Unable to understand the language, ignorant of its cultures and completely devoid of magic, she struggles to find her own path to freedom and safety. This might be a little easier if she wasn't shackled to the sardonic Captain Bannerman upon arrival and hauled over a mountain. He has a job to do, and she is determined to stop him from doing it. But some fates cannot be avoided, and when they reach the great Citadel, Isabella is faced with an impossible choice: accept their bargain, or be thrown into the slave pits of Hamnavoe. Whether it is flying waka over storm-haunted mountains, riding giant, psychic cats across the Citadel rooftops or feeding tidbits to tiny, alcoholic dragons, she is determined to survive, to forge new alliances and thwart her oppressors. Will Isabella make her way through it, back to our world? And will she even want to?
Words cannot describe how much I enjoyed this book! Full of creativity, imagination, magic, tension, romance, intriguing characters, enigmatic settings and a page-turning plot, Anahera has quickly earned a place as one of my favourite fantasy novels EVER!!!!
Max has created a world in Hjatland that I just want to live in and her protagonist Isabella is a fantastic, feisty and unconventional female who I admire and champion throughout the twists and turns of her ordeals and adventures in this distant land.
I am not normally not a fan of romance in any shape or form but the way that Max delivers the storyline of the budding relationship between Isabella and Bryant and the suspense of its outcome kept me reading into the early hours of the morning. Max left Isabella’s story unfinished so I can’t wait until the next instalment so I can return to Hjatland and see what Max has in store next for Isabella.
Words cannot describe how much I enjoyed this book! Full of creativity, imagination, magic, tension, romance, intriguing characters, enigmatic settings and a page-turning plot, Anahera has quickly earned a place as one of my favourite fantasy novels EVER!!!!
Max has created a world in Hjatland that I just want to live in and her protagonist Isabella is a fantastic, feisty and unconventional female who I admire and champion throughout the twists and turns of her ordeals and adventures in this distant land.
I am not normally not a fan of romance in any shape or form but the way that Max delivers the storyline of the budding relationship between Isabella and Bryant and the suspense of its outcome kept me reading into the early hours of the morning. Max left Isabella’s story unfinished so I can’t wait until the next instalment so I can return to Hjatland and see what Max has in store next for Isabella.
March 23, 2024
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It took me a while to get into Anahera. If I'm being honest here, it was kind of hard to keep up with the dialogue and constant POV jumping. At times, I had no idea whose perspective I was reading from because they switched so often within the same chapter. I had to backtrack a lot to see what I missed and who was in the scene to begin with, just for it to make sense.
Then there's the worldbuilding, which I would've liked more of. Sure, if she went somewhere, we might see something new. On top of that, we have the romance. I'm not sure if I truly see her with this guy that she chose because I liked the banter between her and the captain a bit more. Between the smell of cardamom and snow, I could see how it was hard to pick a specific scent, but why not enjoy a mixture of both?
Besides those two things, I also have a lot of questions when it comes to the magic within this world. I feel like things could've been explained a bit more or better in my eyes. Why do they continue to test her? Why does she smell certain smells when they are using magic? Why do I get the feeling that these offerings happen way more often than we originally thought or were told? This last question is just living rent-free in the back of my mind based on the few conversations that happened with a certain someone.
With all these unanswered questions floating around in my mind, I will most likely dive into the next book in this series. Especially with those comments casually made within the last chapter. Those alone will forever keep me wanting to ship Isabella with Eric. In the end, I just want answers and for things to be a bit quicker, pace-wise.
It took me a while to get into Anahera. If I'm being honest here, it was kind of hard to keep up with the dialogue and constant POV jumping. At times, I had no idea whose perspective I was reading from because they switched so often within the same chapter. I had to backtrack a lot to see what I missed and who was in the scene to begin with, just for it to make sense.
Then there's the worldbuilding, which I would've liked more of. Sure, if she went somewhere, we might see something new. On top of that, we have the romance. I'm not sure if I truly see her with this guy that she chose because I liked the banter between her and the captain a bit more. Between the smell of cardamom and snow, I could see how it was hard to pick a specific scent, but why not enjoy a mixture of both?
Besides those two things, I also have a lot of questions when it comes to the magic within this world. I feel like things could've been explained a bit more or better in my eyes. Why do they continue to test her? Why does she smell certain smells when they are using magic? Why do I get the feeling that these offerings happen way more often than we originally thought or were told? This last question is just living rent-free in the back of my mind based on the few conversations that happened with a certain someone.
With all these unanswered questions floating around in my mind, I will most likely dive into the next book in this series. Especially with those comments casually made within the last chapter. Those alone will forever keep me wanting to ship Isabella with Eric. In the end, I just want answers and for things to be a bit quicker, pace-wise.
April 22, 2022
Let's start with the things I didn't like and end on a positive note.
I genuinely like when Maori culture is referenced, but in this case it felt weird to have the MC being from Aotearoa but portalled in Shetland and then the people she comes across use the same references and words. Why not portal her from New Zealand? That would have made more sense to me. The injection with the tiny bugs to understand and read local language? Too convenient. I thought there could've been a better way to handle this or just make them use the same language in the first place. Altogether the references were all over the place, saris from India, Fish Amok from Cambodia, Norse mythology and Maori culture mixed with fantasy. It was just too much and I would've preferred if the author made up her own culture, food and words for this fantasy book.
What I absolutely hated were smell references on EVERY single page and I almost dnfed the book because of that.
Isabella the MC has no ambition or goal in mind, which bothered me. The dialogue and jumping between POV thoughts could've been done better, but all being said, I would read the next book, because there is potential.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I genuinely like when Maori culture is referenced, but in this case it felt weird to have the MC being from Aotearoa but portalled in Shetland and then the people she comes across use the same references and words. Why not portal her from New Zealand? That would have made more sense to me. The injection with the tiny bugs to understand and read local language? Too convenient. I thought there could've been a better way to handle this or just make them use the same language in the first place. Altogether the references were all over the place, saris from India, Fish Amok from Cambodia, Norse mythology and Maori culture mixed with fantasy. It was just too much and I would've preferred if the author made up her own culture, food and words for this fantasy book.
What I absolutely hated were smell references on EVERY single page and I almost dnfed the book because of that.
Isabella the MC has no ambition or goal in mind, which bothered me. The dialogue and jumping between POV thoughts could've been done better, but all being said, I would read the next book, because there is potential.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2022
I received a copy of Anahera from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The premise sounded interesting--a woman transported to a magical world--and I thought the cover was pretty. However, from page two I already didn't like the voice. I stuck it out until 22% and then I DNFed. There were a bunch of things I just couldn't get past:
-Most importantly, the main character Isabella has no desires or motivations at all, and no personality. When she's introduced, I have no idea what she wants. She doesn't seem to have any goals in our world. And when she's transported to another world, I would have thought she'd have some kind of opinion, either desperation to get back home or insatiable curiosity about the magical world she's in. Instead... nothing.
-Isabella goes from not-caring about much of anything, taking everything in stride, to freaking out over the most minor things--back to being perfectly calm.
-The head-hopping is unbearable. With every paragraph, I had to figure out anew whose mind I was in. The narration even switches between characters within the same paragraph!
-There were missing words throughout, which didn't necessarily affect my ability to understand the story, but showed that the book needed more editing. There was also a lot of repetition of words, phrases, and descriptions, which is a stylistic choice that really bothers me.
-New [fantasy/magic] words are sprinkled throughout with no context at all. Coupled with the head-hopping, it was impossible to guess what significance they had.
-Isabella and the (handsome, amazing-smelling) man who captured her begin to form a bond though they haven't had any conversations or meaningful moments together... and he is LITERALLY selling her as a slave.
-The narration is all telling rather than showing, creating distance between me and the characters. As a result, I didn't care about any of them.
I really wanted to like this book, but it had too many negatives for me to overcome.
The premise sounded interesting--a woman transported to a magical world--and I thought the cover was pretty. However, from page two I already didn't like the voice. I stuck it out until 22% and then I DNFed. There were a bunch of things I just couldn't get past:
-Most importantly, the main character Isabella has no desires or motivations at all, and no personality. When she's introduced, I have no idea what she wants. She doesn't seem to have any goals in our world. And when she's transported to another world, I would have thought she'd have some kind of opinion, either desperation to get back home or insatiable curiosity about the magical world she's in. Instead... nothing.
-Isabella goes from not-caring about much of anything, taking everything in stride, to freaking out over the most minor things--back to being perfectly calm.
-The head-hopping is unbearable. With every paragraph, I had to figure out anew whose mind I was in. The narration even switches between characters within the same paragraph!
-There were missing words throughout, which didn't necessarily affect my ability to understand the story, but showed that the book needed more editing. There was also a lot of repetition of words, phrases, and descriptions, which is a stylistic choice that really bothers me.
-New [fantasy/magic] words are sprinkled throughout with no context at all. Coupled with the head-hopping, it was impossible to guess what significance they had.
-Isabella and the (handsome, amazing-smelling) man who captured her begin to form a bond though they haven't had any conversations or meaningful moments together... and he is LITERALLY selling her as a slave.
-The narration is all telling rather than showing, creating distance between me and the characters. As a result, I didn't care about any of them.
I really wanted to like this book, but it had too many negatives for me to overcome.
March 26, 2024
This was a molasses story. Very little happened but a lot of character and world describing, but also kind of choppy? The characters are decent but their thoughts/interactions are very repetitive. While I’m happy to say there is no insta-love, this is also not a slow burn. More like a malfunctioning crockpot?
The last few chapters started this headed in a cool way, so might read book 2. I’m hoping the second book is where all the action takes place because all we’ve got so far is a non-magic chick with anger issues, a surly captain (who I envision as a pirate) and an alien dude who struggles with emotions lol.
The last few chapters started this headed in a cool way, so might read book 2. I’m hoping the second book is where all the action takes place because all we’ve got so far is a non-magic chick with anger issues, a surly captain (who I envision as a pirate) and an alien dude who struggles with emotions lol.
April 3, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley as well as the publisher for this ARC in exchange of an honest review!
3.5 stars
I have to say, this book was a very unexpected and enjoyable surprise for me. It took me some time to get into the book, some time was needed to understand the world as well as the various point of views.
Loosely, the story follows Isabella and a group of humans who one evening at a party find themselves transported in an alternate dimension, where they are made prisoners who to choose between marrying members from the aristocracy or become slaves to the highest bidder. I found the overall plot and writing of this book to be quite interesting and unique. Despite the various point of views written, the author managed to switch between the povs effortlessly without making the read any harder, each pov had their own unique voice so the flow of the story did not suffer from the change in voices, it was pretty smooth.
However, I have to point out the fact that I found Isabella lacking depth as a character as well as her reaction to being kidnapped to be quite problematic, in fact her relationship with her kidnapper was too friendly too quickly which made me quite irritated. As for the ending, it fell flat for me, very lacklustre. I am hoping the sequel to be more action packed.
3.5 stars
I have to say, this book was a very unexpected and enjoyable surprise for me. It took me some time to get into the book, some time was needed to understand the world as well as the various point of views.
Loosely, the story follows Isabella and a group of humans who one evening at a party find themselves transported in an alternate dimension, where they are made prisoners who to choose between marrying members from the aristocracy or become slaves to the highest bidder. I found the overall plot and writing of this book to be quite interesting and unique. Despite the various point of views written, the author managed to switch between the povs effortlessly without making the read any harder, each pov had their own unique voice so the flow of the story did not suffer from the change in voices, it was pretty smooth.
However, I have to point out the fact that I found Isabella lacking depth as a character as well as her reaction to being kidnapped to be quite problematic, in fact her relationship with her kidnapper was too friendly too quickly which made me quite irritated. As for the ending, it fell flat for me, very lacklustre. I am hoping the sequel to be more action packed.
April 10, 2022
The storyline for this book was a four to the five-star idea. With that being said, I struggled to get through the first 25% of this book and thought about quitting several times. The writing, in the beginning, is thoroughly confusing. The story switched from two different first-person pov and then to the third person in one paragraph. I will say the 45%-75% mark of the book was four-star quality and engaging. There was little switching of points of view, and the characters gained some depth. However, after the 75% mark, the book seemed dragged out, and the plot disappeared. The book ended abruptly, but that is to be expected from a series, and I hope the next book sticks to a plot and leaves out the unnecessary and random points of view of side characters.
Thank you, Cranthorpe Millner Publishers, for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.
Thank you, Cranthorpe Millner Publishers, for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.
August 11, 2022
As a fan of this author's Twitter presence, I was very excited to read this book and purchased it as light hearted summer reading for a plane ride home to the Midwest. It met this expectation splendidly with a blend of science fiction and fantasy, immersive sensory descriptions, and brightly rendered characters on an adventure through a strange new land. It reminded me of the experience of devouring adventurous fantasy novels back in my teenage years before everything became a gritty reboot.
I had a few areas of disappointment with the book as well. The world was clearly complex and well developed within the author's mind, but readers don't get much insight into how it all works. There is both magic and technology and I wish we'd gotten more information about how their respective systems work. I also would have liked greater insight into the social dynamics of the various classes and races and some history of the world. Elements of the plot could have stood some more layering and context and I would have loved to have a better sense of what the characters were trying to accomplish so that I could watch the conflicts play out with a deeper investment in their successes and failures.
On the technical side, I have to admit that third-person present-tense is my second least favorite tense to read, and there was a fair amount of switching character point of view in the middle of scenes that was distracting- I would have much preferred to either follow one main character or have the point of view change between the three main characters at chapter breaks. And I was deeply unimpressed with the proofreading and found a number of copy errors that a professional should be spanked for missing.
In all, If you're looking for a book with a world and characters that sends you back to youthful days spent role-playing and reading paperbacks in a hammock then this is the book for you-- but pro tip: don't try to read this book while hungry! The food descriptions are... I might need a snack just thinking of them.
I had a few areas of disappointment with the book as well. The world was clearly complex and well developed within the author's mind, but readers don't get much insight into how it all works. There is both magic and technology and I wish we'd gotten more information about how their respective systems work. I also would have liked greater insight into the social dynamics of the various classes and races and some history of the world. Elements of the plot could have stood some more layering and context and I would have loved to have a better sense of what the characters were trying to accomplish so that I could watch the conflicts play out with a deeper investment in their successes and failures.
On the technical side, I have to admit that third-person present-tense is my second least favorite tense to read, and there was a fair amount of switching character point of view in the middle of scenes that was distracting- I would have much preferred to either follow one main character or have the point of view change between the three main characters at chapter breaks. And I was deeply unimpressed with the proofreading and found a number of copy errors that a professional should be spanked for missing.
In all, If you're looking for a book with a world and characters that sends you back to youthful days spent role-playing and reading paperbacks in a hammock then this is the book for you-- but pro tip: don't try to read this book while hungry! The food descriptions are... I might need a snack just thinking of them.
August 26, 2022
I'll be the first to admit that I don't read a lot of fantasy, but I'm adventurous and like to read a variety of books. I'm so glad I passed through the portal with Isabella! I appreciate her tough and gracious spirit. Great descriptions of the senses, including playlist recommendations, as Isabella navigates this magical and frightening world. I look forward to book two!
April 22, 2022
3.75 stars. Wow what a unique fantasy read! The fantasy world the main character Isabella ends up in feels different than most I have read about before. I will say I would’ve loved a bit more world-building type descriptions, I was definitely confused by some of the different species/animals etc, but it got a bit easier to pick up on as I went along. I would love to give this a re-read and pay a bit closer attention to help build the world in my head more. I wanted a bit more understanding of Isabella and who she is and her past, but I still found her ultimately likable and overall a good character. At first I was annoyed by a bit of a bait and switch love interest type situation but got over it quickly. The cliff hanger though! It definitely gets me wanting to read the next in the series to see how it plays out!
June 6, 2022
I struggled with getting into this book. Being Scottish myself, I found the Shetland accent over-pronounced and annoyed me every time they spoke. That aside, when I got into the storyline I found it an easy quick read. The building of a new world and characters is long progress and I think the author got it right. I don’t tend to like YA but I’m looking forward to the next book.
I love books that have a dual or multi-POV, I feel I get more depth from the characters and understand them better.
I think I would do a re-read before the next book would be a good idea, just to pick up the small details on the world again.
I love books that have a dual or multi-POV, I feel I get more depth from the characters and understand them better.
I think I would do a re-read before the next book would be a good idea, just to pick up the small details on the world again.
August 5, 2022
Anahera by Vianne Max will appeal to fans of animes such as "The Ancient Magus Bride" or the isekai genre.
Isabella is a young traveller from New Zealand who has just settled in the Shetlands, when she finds herself pulled into another world through a portal that opens on Midsummer's Day.
Unlike most isekai, it is easy to relate to Isabella as a regular person who would be in shock and not know how to react to being in another world.
Some reviews have mentioned that it makes no sense that this new world is inspired by Maori culture, since it takes place "in the Shetlands". But it doesn't! It's a completely different world, where the author merged her own life experiences.
Suspend your disbelief and dive into this story.
Isabella is a young traveller from New Zealand who has just settled in the Shetlands, when she finds herself pulled into another world through a portal that opens on Midsummer's Day.
Unlike most isekai, it is easy to relate to Isabella as a regular person who would be in shock and not know how to react to being in another world.
Some reviews have mentioned that it makes no sense that this new world is inspired by Maori culture, since it takes place "in the Shetlands". But it doesn't! It's a completely different world, where the author merged her own life experiences.
Suspend your disbelief and dive into this story.
August 7, 2022
A well written book containing an eclectic mixture of fascinating characters and strange occurrences, set in a very different world. And when Isabella Mackay is forcibly drawn into it, she's out of her comfort zone. Yet she gradually adjusts to her enslavement and has enough savvy to know how to survive, through tough resilience in the face of the many and varied hostilities surrounding her. Looking forward to the next book.
April 4, 2022
I want to thank Vianne Max,Cranthorpe Millner Publishers and Netgalley for this ARC.
This book was a real surprise to me. The beginning was difficult, the time to understand the world we discover, as well as the different points of view that follow in the third person.
I was afraid at the beginning of the book that it would be an outlander remake, but apart from the principle of going through a portal, the similarities stop. We follow the story of Isabella and a group of humans who one evening at a party find themselves transported in a parallel dimension, where they are waiting by soldiers, who will transport them to a large city where they will be made "prisoners".(all this doesn’t happen exactly like this but I’ll let you read the story ) They give the choice between choosing a husband from the aristocracy of the city(95% of them being awful people) or being sold as a slave to the highest bidder.
Isabella is going to be an interesting choice, and we’re going to follow the consequences of her choices.
Isabella’s reaction to the kidnapping is a bit complex to understand at first, but I strongly advise you to continue the story even if the beginning may seem long and complex. You will then meet Bryant and fall in love with him! I loved discovering this tortured but sensitive male character, with an alpha side as we like.
If you are looking for a book with intrigues, action, a well-developed world, complete characters, different and a sloooow burn romance, read this book and above all give it a chance, it’s worth it!
I can' wait for the book two
This book was a real surprise to me. The beginning was difficult, the time to understand the world we discover, as well as the different points of view that follow in the third person.
I was afraid at the beginning of the book that it would be an outlander remake, but apart from the principle of going through a portal, the similarities stop. We follow the story of Isabella and a group of humans who one evening at a party find themselves transported in a parallel dimension, where they are waiting by soldiers, who will transport them to a large city where they will be made "prisoners".(all this doesn’t happen exactly like this but I’ll let you read the story ) They give the choice between choosing a husband from the aristocracy of the city(95% of them being awful people) or being sold as a slave to the highest bidder.
Isabella is going to be an interesting choice, and we’re going to follow the consequences of her choices.
Isabella’s reaction to the kidnapping is a bit complex to understand at first, but I strongly advise you to continue the story even if the beginning may seem long and complex. You will then meet Bryant and fall in love with him! I loved discovering this tortured but sensitive male character, with an alpha side as we like.
If you are looking for a book with intrigues, action, a well-developed world, complete characters, different and a sloooow burn romance, read this book and above all give it a chance, it’s worth it!
I can' wait for the book two
May 20, 2022
Thank you to @cranthorpemillner for the #gifted copy.
Anahera is the start of a new fantasy series, The Isle of Storms. Swipe to see the back cover blurb giving a synopsis.
The book opens with Isabella in the Shetlands. She loves to travel and take in different cultures and this is her latest stop. A far remove from her Maori culture.
She's about to travel much further.
At a Midsummer party a gateway between worlds opens up and Isabella finds herself in a misty mountain landscape and under attack.
Saved from certain death by Captain Bannerman she soon finds herself captive and being taken to the Citadel.
This is her introduction to the Archipelago of Hjaltland. A land of myriad cultures, various species, and a world infused with scent based magic.
How to survive when you are looked at as inferior? As a belonging? A stark choice awaits as a slave in the mines or a different kind of slavery with an arranged marriage to one of the Gentry in the Citadel.
The Gentry are the elite high class. Entitled, lazy and vindictive. They play games which include planning on assassinating each other just to relieve the boredom.
Isabella and all other humans captured from our world are termed 'Anahera'. Their disadvantage is lack of magic where everyone in Hjaltland has some form of power accompanied by their scent.
It's a unique take on a magic system. We get interesting creatures like giant psychic cats, and wait until you meet the Drw'ad, a warlike race with very different magical abilities who belong to various castes. One of the Black has been brought up in the Citadel as a hostage. Bryant very quickly became a favourite character.
Isabella is a feisty heroine. There's plenty of action as she's in and out of danger and there's a big fantasy romance aspect to the book.
Also I like the way there are footnotes at certain parts of the book for playlist choices, either songs or pieces of mood music to accompany specific scenes. A nice little addition.
The book ends in a very interesting place. Don't expect things to be tied up. It feels like the journey has just begun.
✨✨✨✨4 stars
Anahera is the start of a new fantasy series, The Isle of Storms. Swipe to see the back cover blurb giving a synopsis.
The book opens with Isabella in the Shetlands. She loves to travel and take in different cultures and this is her latest stop. A far remove from her Maori culture.
She's about to travel much further.
At a Midsummer party a gateway between worlds opens up and Isabella finds herself in a misty mountain landscape and under attack.
Saved from certain death by Captain Bannerman she soon finds herself captive and being taken to the Citadel.
This is her introduction to the Archipelago of Hjaltland. A land of myriad cultures, various species, and a world infused with scent based magic.
How to survive when you are looked at as inferior? As a belonging? A stark choice awaits as a slave in the mines or a different kind of slavery with an arranged marriage to one of the Gentry in the Citadel.
The Gentry are the elite high class. Entitled, lazy and vindictive. They play games which include planning on assassinating each other just to relieve the boredom.
Isabella and all other humans captured from our world are termed 'Anahera'. Their disadvantage is lack of magic where everyone in Hjaltland has some form of power accompanied by their scent.
It's a unique take on a magic system. We get interesting creatures like giant psychic cats, and wait until you meet the Drw'ad, a warlike race with very different magical abilities who belong to various castes. One of the Black has been brought up in the Citadel as a hostage. Bryant very quickly became a favourite character.
Isabella is a feisty heroine. There's plenty of action as she's in and out of danger and there's a big fantasy romance aspect to the book.
Also I like the way there are footnotes at certain parts of the book for playlist choices, either songs or pieces of mood music to accompany specific scenes. A nice little addition.
The book ends in a very interesting place. Don't expect things to be tied up. It feels like the journey has just begun.
✨✨✨✨4 stars
May 19, 2022
It is important there are some triggering moments in this book such as the attempted rape of a child
The first line of this book really drew me in
"If Isabella had known she was going to be covered in a dying man's blood later that evening, she wouldn't have worn her favourite shirt"
And I was engaged all the way through after that. I enjoyed the writing, the narrative was third person which sometimes I find I don't like as much although it worked well for this book.
The plot was good and the characters were well developed although I look forward to seeing more development of them and new characters in book two. The author also did a good job with world building and provided rich and vivid descriptions of the nature, culture and the worlds inhabitants.
There were some characters I loved and some I detested, I adored Bryant, I think I have a new book boyfriend and I am so excited for more from him in the next books. I really liked Isabella and though she was relatable but I found her a confusing character as well in some of her actions, she was quite a feisty character in many ways and yet in others she was very submissive and it made me yearn for the fiestyness back .
I also loved Prince Meridian, Lianne and Millie who blossomed in her new role of advisor.
To be honest the only characters I hated were the Gentry who were all completely loathsome and did a great job of showing how Lord Lathorne that they discriminated against and called Demon because he was different was in fact more worthy of the Gentry title than any of them.
Throughout this book, I also got vibes from other popular culture The start definitely gave me outlander vibes, whilst other parts gave me Avatar and Harry Potter vibes with descriptions of animals in the world such as the Marrons and Saurs.
Something that I found with this book is that there is a smell description on nearly every page which felt slightly redundant, but overall I really enjoyed it and cant wait for the rest of the series.
The first line of this book really drew me in
"If Isabella had known she was going to be covered in a dying man's blood later that evening, she wouldn't have worn her favourite shirt"
And I was engaged all the way through after that. I enjoyed the writing, the narrative was third person which sometimes I find I don't like as much although it worked well for this book.
The plot was good and the characters were well developed although I look forward to seeing more development of them and new characters in book two. The author also did a good job with world building and provided rich and vivid descriptions of the nature, culture and the worlds inhabitants.
There were some characters I loved and some I detested, I adored Bryant, I think I have a new book boyfriend and I am so excited for more from him in the next books. I really liked Isabella and though she was relatable but I found her a confusing character as well in some of her actions, she was quite a feisty character in many ways and yet in others she was very submissive and it made me yearn for the fiestyness back .
I also loved Prince Meridian, Lianne and Millie who blossomed in her new role of advisor.
To be honest the only characters I hated were the Gentry who were all completely loathsome and did a great job of showing how Lord Lathorne that they discriminated against and called Demon because he was different was in fact more worthy of the Gentry title than any of them.
Throughout this book, I also got vibes from other popular culture The start definitely gave me outlander vibes, whilst other parts gave me Avatar and Harry Potter vibes with descriptions of animals in the world such as the Marrons and Saurs.
Something that I found with this book is that there is a smell description on nearly every page which felt slightly redundant, but overall I really enjoyed it and cant wait for the rest of the series.
March 14, 2022
4.5⭐️
I am so grateful to have been able to receive this book on NetGalley!
The writing of this book is phenomenal! I have never read a book that is in the present tense and shows every single person's POV. If something happens, the POV will switch seamlessly between all the key characters. It definitely allowed for a very smooth read, and I felt I really understood everything that happened!
The actual plot was so unique and interesting, I can't wait for more!! I will admit that the way Isabella reacts to her 'kidnapping' and journey to the Citadel was slightly too relaxed and happy, but once she is in the Citadel we see all those previously lacking emotions come rushing in.
Bryant is one of my favourite male characters ever!! He is so adorably awkward I loved every single interaction between him and Isabella. Extra marks for the "where is my wife?" scene! He's extremely caring but has just enough of that morally grey, strong male love interest vibes to keep me interested. When the next book comes out, I will read it simply for more Bryant content!!
The reason I can't give it 5⭐️ is because the ending is very lacklustre. However, I can tell everything has been set up for a brilliant, action-packed sequel.
Overall, this book may fast become one of my favourites of the year! I'm incredibly intrigued by the entire world that Vianne Max has created and I can't wait to see more of it.
I am so grateful to have been able to receive this book on NetGalley!
The writing of this book is phenomenal! I have never read a book that is in the present tense and shows every single person's POV. If something happens, the POV will switch seamlessly between all the key characters. It definitely allowed for a very smooth read, and I felt I really understood everything that happened!
The actual plot was so unique and interesting, I can't wait for more!! I will admit that the way Isabella reacts to her 'kidnapping' and journey to the Citadel was slightly too relaxed and happy, but once she is in the Citadel we see all those previously lacking emotions come rushing in.
Bryant is one of my favourite male characters ever!! He is so adorably awkward I loved every single interaction between him and Isabella. Extra marks for the "where is my wife?" scene! He's extremely caring but has just enough of that morally grey, strong male love interest vibes to keep me interested. When the next book comes out, I will read it simply for more Bryant content!!
The reason I can't give it 5⭐️ is because the ending is very lacklustre. However, I can tell everything has been set up for a brilliant, action-packed sequel.
Overall, this book may fast become one of my favourites of the year! I'm incredibly intrigued by the entire world that Vianne Max has created and I can't wait to see more of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2025
**I received this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
When I tell you I *savored* this book. I initially thought I was getting into another YA fantasy when I first requested it, but this is definitely more adult than I first anticipated. You've got your "villain" who really isn't a villain at all, a baddass main character who will do anything to survive, and a cast of supporting characters that make this book so rich and utterly beautiful.
I usually read pretty quickly, but with this book I found myself slowing down and taking my time, really exploring the descriptions of the scenery and the world Isabella finds herself in. I was so torn when the story came to a close, and I kept hoping for just a few more chapters. The landscape is lush and expansive, and the different species she encounters are fascinating to get to know more about.
I will be following this author closely for whatever books come next, and I can't wait to see what worlds and wonders come after this series comes to a close.
When I tell you I *savored* this book. I initially thought I was getting into another YA fantasy when I first requested it, but this is definitely more adult than I first anticipated. You've got your "villain" who really isn't a villain at all, a baddass main character who will do anything to survive, and a cast of supporting characters that make this book so rich and utterly beautiful.
I usually read pretty quickly, but with this book I found myself slowing down and taking my time, really exploring the descriptions of the scenery and the world Isabella finds herself in. I was so torn when the story came to a close, and I kept hoping for just a few more chapters. The landscape is lush and expansive, and the different species she encounters are fascinating to get to know more about.
I will be following this author closely for whatever books come next, and I can't wait to see what worlds and wonders come after this series comes to a close.
May 20, 2022
Full Disclaimer: I got a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The opening chapter of this book gave me Outlander vibes, but this book is better. There aren't side tangents that pad the word count, blatant Homophobia, or rape threats every other chapter, or the male protagonist beating his supposedly beloved wife like there are in Outlander.
I loved the world building. The capital, the history, the different species, etc. They all appear to be just the tip of the iceberg and I can't wait to see a bit more below the surface of said iceberg in subsequent books.
I appreciated how Isabella and Bryant's relationship is growing at a realistic pace. I also enjoyed the humour such as when one character says "Break of second bloody fast." In a message.) IYKYK.
I can't wait for subsequent books to see how Vianne Max explores the Anahera being immune to magic, and the hinted at fight between Bryant and The First Mother, as well as the humorous banter between Isabella, Bryant, and Eric.
The opening chapter of this book gave me Outlander vibes, but this book is better. There aren't side tangents that pad the word count, blatant Homophobia, or rape threats every other chapter, or the male protagonist beating his supposedly beloved wife like there are in Outlander.
I loved the world building. The capital, the history, the different species, etc. They all appear to be just the tip of the iceberg and I can't wait to see a bit more below the surface of said iceberg in subsequent books.
I appreciated how Isabella and Bryant's relationship is growing at a realistic pace. I also enjoyed the humour such as when one character says "Break of second bloody fast." In a message.) IYKYK.
I can't wait for subsequent books to see how Vianne Max explores the Anahera being immune to magic, and the hinted at fight between Bryant and The First Mother, as well as the humorous banter between Isabella, Bryant, and Eric.
May 19, 2022
This book was part of the Cranthorpe Millner Bookstagram Tour, and that you have received the book for free in exchange for promotion. Thank you for giving me the chance.
3.5❤️
I think this book has a great amount of potential and development. The character did seem a bit out of ordinary but I think it is relatable to an extent. She travels to a different world and doesn’t have any form of worry or goal but I think it took her a while to process and accepting where she is at a slower pace. I believe since it is the first book introducing the worlds and everything else took majority of the story. In which can cause the story to feel out of nowhere and everywhere. However, I am hoping the second book and afterwards will be much better.
3.5❤️
I think this book has a great amount of potential and development. The character did seem a bit out of ordinary but I think it is relatable to an extent. She travels to a different world and doesn’t have any form of worry or goal but I think it took her a while to process and accepting where she is at a slower pace. I believe since it is the first book introducing the worlds and everything else took majority of the story. In which can cause the story to feel out of nowhere and everywhere. However, I am hoping the second book and afterwards will be much better.
April 6, 2022
Got it from Netgalley and this is my honest review:
To be honest, I really didn’t like this book. Was very hard to read and move on with the pages.
The main character is boring. And honestly if someone sent you to another world you should be pretty mad, but MC seems to accept everything too easy. Could have been written better.
To be honest, I really didn’t like this book. Was very hard to read and move on with the pages.
The main character is boring. And honestly if someone sent you to another world you should be pretty mad, but MC seems to accept everything too easy. Could have been written better.
December 16, 2022
Very good book. I enjoyed being taken into a magical world of fantasy. Would totally recommend this book to all fantasy fans.
December 28, 2022
I loved this book. It was so well written and drew me in immediately. I've recommended this to many of my friends over the fall.
February 14, 2024
My English teacher wrote this
10/10
10/10
May 18, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
Ended up putting it on the DNF list at 21 percent. I just...struggled trying to get through this one. The third-person writing style put me off, mostly because it made the storytelling feel almost stilted. It just made it harder to understand what was going on most of the time. I'd have to go back and reread passages to try and recenter myself because I keep getting confused about who was speaking. The jumps between different characters' mental dialogue were tiring because I was constantly getting confused about who exactly was thinking what. The plot that I managed to drag myself through has a lot of "yikes" moments. Including the main character almost getting sexually assaulted right at the beginning of the book, constantly describing POC character with food adjectives, and other things. Minor spoilers, but Bannerman's first impression of Isabella, directly after getting kicked in the nuts by her is, "She is not unpleasant to look at - passable breast and an agreeably fertile curve to her hips, although her attitude is decidedly feral." Like, seriously my guy? You just injected a mysterious substance into her, and from her point of view, you're holding her down just like the guy who almost sexually assaulted her earlier. But you still have a moment to stop and ogle her? Near the 20 percent mark, there's a part of a scene that baffled me. “She has laughed with the man, struggled with him, made some kind of connection.” Except...she didn’t… I don’t feel any connection between our two main characters in the slightest. Just because they were nice to each other during a meal or two does not make them “connected”. The struggle of him trying to keep her alive wasn’t out of some desire to keep her safe, he literally only did it because it was his job. His job is to protect an Anahera and that’s what he did. Nothing more, nothing less. Also, he’s treated her the same most people would treat an acquaintance. The book is also trying its damndest to pair Bannerman and Isabella off together. I assume they get into a romantic relationship later in the book, but in the first part, it just feels forced. One minor side thing that bothered me is the accents of the Shetland villagers in the very beginning. Shetland is an island off the coast of Scotland, so my assumption is that they would have a similar accent to the Scottish. Yet, when I first read the villager's accents, they were written in a way that I thought they were Jamaican until the book clearly stated they were in Shetland. Also, if the portals opened around the world, what was the point of Isabella coming to Shetland instead of going through a portal in New Zealand where she is from? She even meets someone who came through a New Zealand portal! Everyone being described with certain scents slightly annoyed me at first, but I remembered the plot description does say "a world of scented magic". (Side note, I used to handcraft custom perfume oils for a job, so I know my way around scent blending. Cardamom and cigar smoke does NOT smell good together. It smells like spicy musky dust and makes you want to sneeze. I've made that exact blend before, so I know!) The Maori culture references in the book were cool to see. You rarely ever see Maori culture used in fantasy novels, so it was a nice change from the usually referenced cultures. I will give the book that. I really didn't like Anahera. Maybe if it wasn't written in the third person style, it would be a little easier to digest. But as it stands, it's going to be staying on my DNF shelf permanately.
Ended up putting it on the DNF list at 21 percent. I just...struggled trying to get through this one. The third-person writing style put me off, mostly because it made the storytelling feel almost stilted. It just made it harder to understand what was going on most of the time. I'd have to go back and reread passages to try and recenter myself because I keep getting confused about who was speaking. The jumps between different characters' mental dialogue were tiring because I was constantly getting confused about who exactly was thinking what. The plot that I managed to drag myself through has a lot of "yikes" moments. Including the main character almost getting sexually assaulted right at the beginning of the book, constantly describing POC character with food adjectives, and other things. Minor spoilers, but Bannerman's first impression of Isabella, directly after getting kicked in the nuts by her is, "She is not unpleasant to look at - passable breast and an agreeably fertile curve to her hips, although her attitude is decidedly feral." Like, seriously my guy? You just injected a mysterious substance into her, and from her point of view, you're holding her down just like the guy who almost sexually assaulted her earlier. But you still have a moment to stop and ogle her? Near the 20 percent mark, there's a part of a scene that baffled me. “She has laughed with the man, struggled with him, made some kind of connection.” Except...she didn’t… I don’t feel any connection between our two main characters in the slightest. Just because they were nice to each other during a meal or two does not make them “connected”. The struggle of him trying to keep her alive wasn’t out of some desire to keep her safe, he literally only did it because it was his job. His job is to protect an Anahera and that’s what he did. Nothing more, nothing less. Also, he’s treated her the same most people would treat an acquaintance. The book is also trying its damndest to pair Bannerman and Isabella off together. I assume they get into a romantic relationship later in the book, but in the first part, it just feels forced. One minor side thing that bothered me is the accents of the Shetland villagers in the very beginning. Shetland is an island off the coast of Scotland, so my assumption is that they would have a similar accent to the Scottish. Yet, when I first read the villager's accents, they were written in a way that I thought they were Jamaican until the book clearly stated they were in Shetland. Also, if the portals opened around the world, what was the point of Isabella coming to Shetland instead of going through a portal in New Zealand where she is from? She even meets someone who came through a New Zealand portal! Everyone being described with certain scents slightly annoyed me at first, but I remembered the plot description does say "a world of scented magic". (Side note, I used to handcraft custom perfume oils for a job, so I know my way around scent blending. Cardamom and cigar smoke does NOT smell good together. It smells like spicy musky dust and makes you want to sneeze. I've made that exact blend before, so I know!) The Maori culture references in the book were cool to see. You rarely ever see Maori culture used in fantasy novels, so it was a nice change from the usually referenced cultures. I will give the book that. I really didn't like Anahera. Maybe if it wasn't written in the third person style, it would be a little easier to digest. But as it stands, it's going to be staying on my DNF shelf permanately.
April 4, 2022
3/5
Anahera by Vianne Max revolves around Isabella, an independent New Zealand girl who has content to spend her days alone in her little town. When she and her entire village are suddenly transported to another world, Isabella is swept into a world of marauders, murder, and magic. Will she be able to survive her journey? But more importantly, will she be able to face the outcome if she does?
Let’s start with Isabella. What a boring lady she is. She has no dreams, no redeeming qualities and no interests. Her whole character is just her adapting and being okay with literally anything. She’s friendly I guess, but like that’s not hard.
Bryant I did like, on the other hand. Finally some real depth in a character. I liked him especially because he made Isabella actually interesting.
The writing style was kind of hard to wrap my head around at first. It felt like I was being whisked from character to character without a moments notice. I became more used to it towards the end, but it’s not really my cup of tea.
Also the amount of information that was being spewed out was alarming. I gave up trying to understand most of the places and lore since there were mostly no explanation of most things.
The action moments and plot-driving moments were great. I liked their fast-paced-ness. But the other 75% of this book was kind of lagging. Especially that ending. What was that! The book just… ceased to keep going. Out of nowhere.
I reeeeaaally hope the sequel keeps all the things I loved and has less of the boring stuff. It seems like the plot is just about to really get going, so I am looking forward to finish this series, if only to be rewarded for my patience.
Lastly, the playlist recommendations. Just. Why. I tried listening to some of them while reading to give Max the benefit of the doubt, but to me they didn’t really match the feel of the world. Again, not my cup of tea but I guess someone else might like the addition of an accompanying playlist while they read.
Anahera by Vianne Max revolves around Isabella, an independent New Zealand girl who has content to spend her days alone in her little town. When she and her entire village are suddenly transported to another world, Isabella is swept into a world of marauders, murder, and magic. Will she be able to survive her journey? But more importantly, will she be able to face the outcome if she does?
Let’s start with Isabella. What a boring lady she is. She has no dreams, no redeeming qualities and no interests. Her whole character is just her adapting and being okay with literally anything. She’s friendly I guess, but like that’s not hard.
Bryant I did like, on the other hand. Finally some real depth in a character. I liked him especially because he made Isabella actually interesting.
The writing style was kind of hard to wrap my head around at first. It felt like I was being whisked from character to character without a moments notice. I became more used to it towards the end, but it’s not really my cup of tea.
Also the amount of information that was being spewed out was alarming. I gave up trying to understand most of the places and lore since there were mostly no explanation of most things.
The action moments and plot-driving moments were great. I liked their fast-paced-ness. But the other 75% of this book was kind of lagging. Especially that ending. What was that! The book just… ceased to keep going. Out of nowhere.
I reeeeaaally hope the sequel keeps all the things I loved and has less of the boring stuff. It seems like the plot is just about to really get going, so I am looking forward to finish this series, if only to be rewarded for my patience.
Lastly, the playlist recommendations. Just. Why. I tried listening to some of them while reading to give Max the benefit of the doubt, but to me they didn’t really match the feel of the world. Again, not my cup of tea but I guess someone else might like the addition of an accompanying playlist while they read.
March 9, 2022
Thank you Vianne Max, Cranthorpe Millner Publishers and Netgalley for this free ARC in exchange for a review.
The way the story is told is good, yet it seems unusual how easily Isabella accepts . It's also strange that when
Another problem here is the overused trope of . When will fiction writers stop being so predictable? Plus, it gives the impression that it's ok to . A reinforcing of . Bad optics.
There was a cute moment with the
All of that just took me out of the story and I can't finish it.
The way the story is told is good, yet it seems unusual how easily Isabella accepts . It's also strange that when
Another problem here is the overused trope of . When will fiction writers stop being so predictable? Plus, it gives the impression that it's ok to . A reinforcing of . Bad optics.
There was a cute moment with the
All of that just took me out of the story and I can't finish it.
May 6, 2022
Another book I had mixed feelings about! It took me a while to get into this and I’m talking over 50% in. The concept of the book is interesting. Main character Isabella is pulled through a ‘gate’ into another world. As a main character she’s ‘okay’. She’s pretty inconsistent - she has random moments of rebellion and at other times is really passive and docile.
My main gripe with the book was the POV that it’s written in. I always prefer books written in first person and not only was this third person but it also jumped around from person to person within the same page. One minute I’m following the main character Isabella and her thoughts and feelings and in the next I’m reading the thoughts and feelings of the barmaid who is observing Isabella. It was just really jarring and made me feel distant. It also meant that there wasn’t really any mystery, I knew what each characters intentions were. However this did get better as the book progressed and began focussing more on Isabella.
When I did finally start to get into this book…it ended. I think it ended quite abruptly. It wasn’t a cliffhanger, it seemed to just sort of end mid scene and I was left feeling really unsatisfied! I would be interested in reading the second book because this one did get more focussed towards the end.
My main gripe with the book was the POV that it’s written in. I always prefer books written in first person and not only was this third person but it also jumped around from person to person within the same page. One minute I’m following the main character Isabella and her thoughts and feelings and in the next I’m reading the thoughts and feelings of the barmaid who is observing Isabella. It was just really jarring and made me feel distant. It also meant that there wasn’t really any mystery, I knew what each characters intentions were. However this did get better as the book progressed and began focussing more on Isabella.
When I did finally start to get into this book…it ended. I think it ended quite abruptly. It wasn’t a cliffhanger, it seemed to just sort of end mid scene and I was left feeling really unsatisfied! I would be interested in reading the second book because this one did get more focussed towards the end.
July 21, 2022
Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC in return for my honest review.
There were things I both liked and disliked with this story.
Starting with the good:
The story took a little for me to get into but I did enjoy it overall, I enjoyed a lot of unique aspects to the storyline where our main character Isabella and a group of humans find themselves being transported to an alternate dimension and facing the choice of marrying a member of the ruling class or being sold to the highest bidder as a slave.
The worldbuilding was unique and I was really interested in the many different species mentioned in the story.
This story has a slooooooow burn romance, no insta-love here!
And now for my dislikes:
I didn't enjoy changing between different characters perspectives so much, if it was a different perspective in a new chapter that would be fine but I did get confused when we would change mid-paragraph. It made it difficult to always work out what I was meant to be reading.
I prefer when we are shown things through actions/scenes within a story rather than being told, and with this story we are told a lot rather than shown.
There were things I both liked and disliked with this story.
Starting with the good:
The story took a little for me to get into but I did enjoy it overall, I enjoyed a lot of unique aspects to the storyline where our main character Isabella and a group of humans find themselves being transported to an alternate dimension and facing the choice of marrying a member of the ruling class or being sold to the highest bidder as a slave.
The worldbuilding was unique and I was really interested in the many different species mentioned in the story.
This story has a slooooooow burn romance, no insta-love here!
And now for my dislikes:
I didn't enjoy changing between different characters perspectives so much, if it was a different perspective in a new chapter that would be fine but I did get confused when we would change mid-paragraph. It made it difficult to always work out what I was meant to be reading.
I prefer when we are shown things through actions/scenes within a story rather than being told, and with this story we are told a lot rather than shown.
July 9, 2025
Absolutely loved Isabella’s character and the world that the author built for her when she passes through that gate! I can’t get enough of this book. It is so exciting and I love the themes of betrayal and hope that are interwoven through it. Then comes the love! SWOON! Haha
Isabella is a complex character, who although fairly laid back, asserts herself in a unique way. Like many of us ladies she is patient and rolls with things until she is pushed too far.
I could not put this book down and have just read the second one ‘Pariah’. It did not disappoint either and now i’m going back in to read the first and second again whilst I wait for the third! WHEN WILL THAT BE?! No pressure but when? When? WHEN?
Savour Anahera, because it is the starter! Absolutely LOVE this series. Off to read again and I have ‘Pariah’ just simmering away in my mind..
If you love fantasy, then this is your dinner! Go for it!
Isabella is a complex character, who although fairly laid back, asserts herself in a unique way. Like many of us ladies she is patient and rolls with things until she is pushed too far.
I could not put this book down and have just read the second one ‘Pariah’. It did not disappoint either and now i’m going back in to read the first and second again whilst I wait for the third! WHEN WILL THAT BE?! No pressure but when? When? WHEN?
Savour Anahera, because it is the starter! Absolutely LOVE this series. Off to read again and I have ‘Pariah’ just simmering away in my mind..
If you love fantasy, then this is your dinner! Go for it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews