Mother of Shadows

Really good first book for The Chosen series! I was really getting into the characters and their situation when the book ended on a cliff hanger so it was definitely worth the read. I did think that the beginning of the novel was pretty fast-paced and then there was a couple of pages/chapters that felt really drawn out. But I am excited to see what happens next because that cliff hanger was amazing!

3.5 stars I really loved the concept of this story. Helena has always had a quiet life and lives through her family's friends stories when he stops by. His next visit is more urgent though. Helena, according to prophecies, is the ruler of the Chosen. Before she knows it, she's taken away from her home and needs to learn to use her magic to pass her trial. Besides that she must find her Mate. When this turns out to be Von, not many are pleased. Due to his past and his people, he's not their first choice. Except Helena knows for sure he's her Mate and won't see it any different. There are other prophecies and when heading back to Von's home, certain difficulties arise. Not everything is as simple as it seems and there is betrayal from their own. I think it's amazing how confident Helena became with certrain things. Yes, her magic could be explosive, but she went after what she thought was right. I like that she could have fun, but really wanted to do what was right by her people. Her Circle and Von's people were a fun bunch and I hope we get to see more of them in the next book. I'd say this book has a lot of potential for the next ones. While I loved the concept, there are some things I missed. Helena apparently has trained for her trial, but we barely read anything about that. The same as the trial, for me it didn't seem complete. Same as the trial, we read about what Helena goes through, but I missed the story behind it. That's why for me it felt rather fast that the author chose to head to Von's people so fast. Just forming her circle, Helena still had a lot to do at home. And while I understand the whole idea of a mate, I think there could've ben more of a storyline for Darrin. To me it was clear that he really cares for her and would want a chance to see where that would go. I will definitely read the second book, because I do need to find out how this story continues. What is Gillian planning? What happens with Von? How will Helena cope? And will she turn out to be the ruler they expect her to be? A more descriptive review will follow soon: thebookdutchesses.wordpress.com

4.5 I especially love this one and I hope more people will pick it up so I can gush about how much I enjoyed it! This debut novel from Meg Anne has popped her squarely onto my "authors to love" list. She knows how to weave a tale that causes you to truly feel the emotions of the characters. “He might be, Damaskiri, but aren’t we all made of both shadows and light? Shadows cannot exist without light though, so you cannot have one and not have the other. Just because he may be that side of you does not make him evil.” First, I enjoyed that this story was a healthy mix of romance and plot. While the romance in this is integral to the progression of the story itself, it is not overbearing and the nature of this romance is similar to that of Rhysand & Feyre and Desmond & Callie. This story has a great elemental magic system at play. While most Chosen are only blessed with the ability to wield one type of magic, a select few have mastered multiple branches, and only the Damaskiri is blessed with the ability to wield magic from the Spirit branch. This is where our main character, Helena comes in. Helena has recently discovered she is not the ungifted peasant girl she always believed herself to be. Thrown right into the role of Damaskiri after the death of the previous ruler, the story follows Helena discovering the magic hidden within herself and facing the apprehension she has toward the task ahead of her. "It matters naught what you fear, or that you find yourself wanting. If you were born for this as they say, then you can do whatever is asked of you." This story has a full cast of unique characters, but I especially found myself loving Darrin and of course, Von. While Darrin's love for Helena is undeniable due to their childhood spent together, it is his loyalty to her and his duty as Shield that garnered him a spot in my heart as a smol cinnamon roll, right next to Dorian Havilliard. <3 I will protect him with my life. And Von, oh how he fills up that anti-hero spot nicely. He's all sarcasm and power on the outside, but he is tender and compassionate in his love for Helena. Be forewarned that things get a little steamy in this one. Von presents himself to Helena with other motives at play, but finds himself humbled by the discovery that he is her Mate. Honest regarding his inglorious past, Von takes his new role with stride, becoming a pillar for Helena to lean against when she feels weak and a guiding beacon for her soul to cling to. I adore the interaction between these two and their bond with each other. “All that I am, is yours. Regardless of what it is that brought me to you, I am yours. I belong to you, and I will strive to be worthy of you.” Lastly, THAT ENDING! OMGAHHHHH. Yes, it is a cliffhanger, but I still loved it nonetheless. I was seething with emotion at the end of this and truly felt the hurt and rage projected by the characters. I've also found myself a new favorite character to hate and despise with a vengeance. While their untrustworthiness was no real secret to me as a reader, their actions at the end were incredibly despicable and I'm pretty certain I'll be wishing them a slow, painful death in the next installment (which I am ready for right now!). I read this on my Kindle but plan to purchase a physical copy of it soon. It's just one of those books I have to own a copy I can put my hands on! https://libraryinthecountry.wordpress...