Name: Given
ISBN: 9781989365045

Nandi Taylor

Yenni has never been this far from home. With only her wits, her strength, and her sacred runelore, the fierce Yirba warrior princess is alone in the Empire of Cresh. It’s a land filled with strange magics and even stranger people—all of whom mistrust anyone who’s different. But Yenni will prove herself, and find the cure for her father’s wasting illness. She will not fail. No one warned her about the dragons. Especially not about him. Yet there is something powerful and compelling about the violet-black dragon known as Weysh. In human form he's muscular, beautiful—and completely infuriating. What kind of arrogant creature claims a stranger as his Given; as his destined mate? Yenni is no man’s—or dragon’s—plaything. But other magics must be at work here, because Weysh might just be her best hope at finding the answers she seeks. Only now Yenni can’t tell if she’s fighting an attraction to a dragon . . . or fighting fate itself.

Given

Lauren Sullivan

Well, at least the cover is gorgeous. First off, I’m still puzzling over how the blurb calls this a “subversive fantasy-romance” when honestly it’s pretty much exactly like every other enemies-to-lovers fated mates romance out there. At best, it suggests an unfamiliarity with either genre that explains a lot about this book.

“Well, because I am a woman who enjoys hunting, and learning about runes, and learning about combat, people act as if I am strange and unnatural.”
“Hmm,” Diedre and Zui said as one.
“But it was once very common for women to do these things. You know what I think? I think it is everyone else who is unnatural.”

Yenni yearns for more freedom. As a princess, she’s expected to marry the prince of a neighboring tribe, and he expects her to give up her “unfeminine” activities – hunting, weapons practice, and runelore, the magic practiced by the people of the Sha islands. So, she undertakes a journey, sanctioned by the gods, to the empire of Cresh in hopes of finding a cure for her father’s sickness. Enrolling at a prestigious Creshen university to learn more about their magic may be the only way to save him, but navigating Creshen culture and prejudice is an almost insurmountable obstacle she hadn’t expected – as is the interest from one very pushy dragon.

I liked Yenni. She’s strong, regal, and not afraid to work hard for what she wants. However, she was painfully oblivious to those who meant her harm, both unintentionally and intentionally. There’s a lot of racism directed at her, but Yenni doesn’t understand why they’re treating her differently – for instance, a classmate asks to touch her hair and then is startled when Yenni asks to touch hers back. It’s 90% through the book before Yenni starts really calling people on the racism – and that’s after she’s revealed as a princess. Most of it’s of the overt variety, rather than microaggressions, and the actions and Yenni’s failure to engage with it made the book read much younger than I expected. One thing that sat uncomfortably with me involved names. Yenni insists on being addressed as “Yenni Ajani” because, in Sha culture, it’s rude to only call someone by their first name unless they’re very close. However, because one-syllable names are only for gods in her culture, Yenni changes her friends’ Creshen names – Harth becomes Har-tha and Weysh becomes Wey-sha – without their input. It was a minor thing, but I didn’t understand why she couldn’t just explain to them why it bothered her and come up with nicknames together.

Weysh furrowed his brow, confused. “So I should simply leave her be?”
“If that’s what she wants.”
“But why? How would that endear me to her?”
Zui threw a quick, fond glance at Harth. “Because respecting a woman’s wishes is one of the most seductive things a man can do.” Weysh shook his head. It seemed incredibly counterproductive, but everything else he’d tried so far had been nothing short of disaster.

And then there’s Weysh. Frankly, he’s awful. His main fault is that he’s painfully honest – blunt to the point of rudeness, and past that. It’s telling that Yenni finds him “less beastly as a beast.” Frankly, he’s awful to pretty much everyone around him. Somehow, though, all of his friends tell Yenni that he’s hardworking, responsible, good with women – but we never actually see that in the book, we’re only told about it. Even during Yenni’s darkest moments, when she goes to him for comfort, he automatically turns the conversation back to himself – obviously, it’s his fault that she’s having problems because he didn’t take proper care of her! It’s only after Weysh is left partially disabled – unable to smell, which is a big deal for a dragon – that he realizes how badly he’s been treating Yenni.

So, what did I like? I loved the magic systems, both the Sha runelore and the Creshen magic. I would happily have read more about Uhad’s 67 laws of casting or why all their incantations need to have “source” in them, but unfortunately the surface is just barely scraped. Runelore, with its hymns and patterns in special paint, was equally fascinating and I loved all the parts involving Yenni explaining it or using it. Disappointingly, while Weysh realizes almost right away that runes would allow him to work magic in dragon form – Creshen magic relies on spoken triggers, and dragons can’t speak – they don’t get around to trying it out until three-quarters of the way through the book.

This is the first in a series, so the book ends without much of the plot points being resolved, leaving the ending a bit jumbled. Overall, this isn’t a badly written book, but it felt like it needed tighter editing to figure out what story is being told. Is it about Yenni’s quest to find a cure for her father’s illness? Her relationship with Weysh? Her adventures in Cresh at the university? I was never quite sure. I think this would work for for middle-grade readers, but it’s a bit light for the YA audience.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review

Sheila Goicea

Thanks so much to The Fantastic Flying Book Club for having me be a part of the GIVEN Blog Tour! 

I received an ARC of this book from Wattpad Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! In no way does this affect my rating or review.



All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.

Content Warning: Attempted murder, Violence, Sexism, Prejudice, Discussion of a past Rape, Mugging

  Magic belongs to everyone, Yenni Ajani. Rich and poor. Islander or Creshen.

Yenni, a Princess to the Yirba tribe, has grown up on the Moonrise Isles. Privy to the lifestyle a princess, she understands that the role she has is significant, and demands responsibility. Thus, marriage to a neighboring tribe may be her calling in order to bring her tribe peace with another alliance. Yenni's father, and chief of the Yurbi tribe, however, has fallen ill with a wasting disease. Healers have been trying to keep his illness at bay with the use of Rune magic, to little avail. 

Rune magic is a sacred and powerful tradition among the clans that inhabit the Isles, and practiced regularly. Specific runes are passed down from generation to generation, and some, are rarely shared in order to keep their purposes secret. Runes, and many other practices are very different from the world that Yenni must travel to.

  Orire N'jem is a sacred journey, undertaken to honor the Sha—our gods. I must complete the task they assign, and in return my tribe will receive their blessing.

Yenni decides to travel to the land of Cresh in order to study and learn how to help her father. Afflicted with Wither-rot, the tribe's chief is declining rapidly in his health, and Yenni may be his only hope. Upon arrival, Yenni is struck by the completely different world she has landed in. People of all different colors (literally) and origins converge in a city of knowledge. Not only that, but dragons still exist on Cresh—they were killed off over three hundred years ago on the isles. After a strange encounter with one, Yenni learns that she is a Given—a predestined mate to a dragon/human. This turn of events is exactly the distraction that she doesn't need, not to mention with the off-putting man who claims she is his future betrothed.

Weysh, born of the dragonkind, has always been sought out by women. With good looks, charm, and the ability to turn into a dragon, he's utterly irresistible, or so he thinks. When he meets his Given, Yenni, he's shocked that she doesn't bow to the expectations that she's to be his romantic conquest. Puzzled by Yenni's refusal, Weysh endures a painstaking journey to win her favor, with a little humility, and ultimately, some common sense.

Yenni enrolls in the school in Cresh that teaches about magic. This magic, however, is nothing like the "primitive," as Creshians call it, Rune magic she is accustomed to. Through a series of events, it turns out that her only hope in passing her classes and staying enrolled is to be tutored by Weysh. 

Through many up's and down's, Yenni begins to learn her way around this new magic, and Weysh, learns how to act appropriately around Yenni. Inevitably, the two learn more about one another, particularly their cultures and customs, and are able to bridge the chasm between them. The problem begs to differ, how will it all end? 

Given is a story packed full of original mythology, magic, and world-building. Lands with very different stories are developed well (visually, not so much.) Religion and mythology exist in both the mainland and the Isles, as well as customs, traditions, specifically represented in magic. Weysh, one of few dragonkind, is said to be descendants of the sacred warriors of their god, Byen. Unlike his predecessors, he has the ability to shift between human and dragon form, whereas the original dragons didn't have a human form. 

Weysh's character is like chewing on a tough piece of jerky—unpleasant, and off-putting. When he first shows up on the scene, he has no idea that a woman has her own will. He has no concept that even though Yenni is his Given, she still has a free will. Yenni, a princess (although, this is kept secret for most of the story) and warrior, is incredibly driven and has no interest in being his Given because 1) she doesn't know him, and 2) he's incredibly demeaning. 

Entitlement is represented in almost every character in some way or another. Everyone wants something, without understanding the full meaning of what it takes to get that, and the sacrifice others must make. I think this story does a good job and creating opportunities for growth in each character and learning empathy. My main issue is that the plot moves very slowly. It allows time for the characters to grow towards one another—which I'm not complaining about. To be honest, it took me a long time to look positively upon these characters. Furthermore, the events that take place aren't incredibly pivotal. I appreciated the way the cultures were built in this diverse read, but the characters themselves didn't impact me on a deep level. 

Vulgarity: Minimal
Sexual content: See above content warning.
Violence: Moderate

My Rating: ★★★

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Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher and Netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Given

Author: Nandi Taylor

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3/5

Diversity: West-African and Caribbean

Publication Date: January 21, 2020

Genre: YA Romance

Recommended Age: 15+ (romance, some violence, and… lots of romance)

Publisher: Wattpad Books

Pages: 352

Amazon Link

Synopsis: Yenni has never been this far from home. With only her wits, her strength and her sacred runelore, the fierce Yirba warrior princess is alone in the Empire of Cresh. It’s a land filled with strange magics and even stranger people—many of whom mistrust anyone who’s different. But Yenni will prove herself, and find a cure for her father’s wasting illness. She will not fail.

No one warned her about the dragons. Especially not about him.

Yes, there is something powerful and compelling about the violet-black dragon known as Weysh. In human form he’s muscular, beautiful—and completely infuriating. What kind of arrogant creature claims a stranger as his Given; as his destined mate? Yenni is no man’s—or dragon’s—plaything. But other magics must be at work here, because Weysh might just be her best hope at finding the answers she seeks.

Only now Yenni can’t tell if she’s fighting her attraction to a dragon…or fighting fate itself.

Review: Overall, I thought this was an interesting tale with very interesting characters. For the most part, they’re developed and the book had a lot of interesting lore that I’d love to know more about.

However, the book is completely different than what the synopsis leads me to believe. It’s basically a romance. The book also didn’t do well in the writing department. The book didn’t fully incorporate racism and it didn’t really develop the plot well in my opinion.

Verdict: It’s worth the read, but it could use some work in my opinion. But it’s got a really interesting concept and I’d love to see it further developed!

Leelynn Brady

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Fantastic Flying Book Club, Netgalley, and Wattpad Books for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

YENNI AJANI GAVE ME OKOYE VIBES ALL THE WAY!

Ugh I was just so proud of Yenni Ajani and her strength, her determination to save her father, standing up for herself against the people that were low key / high key racist to her in Creshen because of her being from the “Moonlight Isles” as they call it. I mean first they change the name of her kingdom to make it easier for them to pronounce – at least that’s what I’m assuming – the teachers think she’s dumb because she uses runes more than spells for her magic, and like UGH. It just irritates me how racist these people are! But I’m so freaking glad that she calls them out on it and she works so hard to prove that she’s not just some idiot islander.

Whoa okay I wasn’t anticipating ranting in the first paragraph but clearly I had to get that out.

“I am Yenni Aja-Nifemi ka Yirba, and you would do well to remember that!”

PUT SOME RESPECK ON HER NAME.

Yes I purposely spelled that wrong because that’s how you say it.

Okay also, I noticed that the book refers to her as Yenni, but she tells people that they should be calling her Yenni Ajani, and even then she feels weird about it because it’s so casual compared to how she is usually referred to back at home, but people butcher her name in Creshen so she had to give them a shorter one I guess. But I thought that was interesting.

Anyway, Yenni Ajani is why I love this book. Sure, Weysh is trying, but I didn’t like how pushy he was about the whole Given thing. Especially because Yenni Ajani doesn’t KNOW about the Given thing, so stop trying to push it on to her! I don’t care that she’s somehow your Given, give her time to process and don’t force her to do something she doesn’t want to do! Damn.

But then I was also sad at how his family – minus his sister – would treat him! Like, hello? That’s your family, despite his dragon. Don’t be so mean to him. I think that endeared me a bit to him, and then when he finally let Yenni Ajani breathe. It took a bit of explaining from his friends, which sucked, but then he respected her space for a bit and that helped me get on his side for a bit.

I need more stories from this world!! I need more books from Taylor! Like, I really enjoyed this one!

Manon van Heumen

This was really enjoyable! At times, it was a little slow, but despite that I really loved the story and the characters! Excited for the next installment.

Given

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