A publicist for Kendare Blake reached out to me and wanted to know if I would like to review her upcoming release, Champion of Fate. This book is the first of a YA fantasy duology and releases September 19th, 2023. Since I enjoyed Blake’s other series, Three Dark Crowns, I said yes. Unfortunately, and I hate to say this, this book didn’t do it for me. This review will have spoilers.
Synopsis:
Behind every great hero is an Aristene.
Aristene are mythical female warriors, part of a legendary order. Though heroes might be immortalized in stories, it’s the Aristene who guide them to victory. They are the Heromakers.
Ever since she was an orphan taken in by the order, Reed has wanted to be an Aristene. Now, as an initiate, just one challenge stands in her way: she must shepherd her first hero to glory on the battlefield. Succeed, and Reed will take her place beside her sisters. Fail, and she’ll be cast from the only home she’s ever known.
Nothing is going to stop Reed–until she meets her hero. Hestion is fiery and infuriating, but what begins as an alliance becomes more, and as secrets of the order come to light Reed begins to understand what becoming an Aristene may truly cost. Battle looming, she must choose: the order and the life she had planned, or Hestion, and the one she never expected.
My Thoughts:
- Rating–
If I could rate using half stars, Champion of Fate would get two and a half but I have decided to round down to two. This is not a horrible book. It’s not badly written and the characters are fine. I think the world is interesting and I really enjoyed the mythological vibe. However, the pacing is so glacially slow.
Pacing can make or break a book. I have a short attention span and for me to enjoy a slower paced story, it needs to bring ALL the emotion and drama. Unfortunately, this one did not. We’re told throughout the story that if certain rules are broken that bad things will happen but we never see that. The rules are consistently bent for Reed and her friends so nothing felt high stakes or important.
The “romance” was also really bad and what I enjoyed the least. I personally did not feel any connection between Reed and Hestion. It was completely based on instalove and us being told, not shown, that they were in love. It should have been emotionally devastating when their relationship broke apart but I did not care at all… and it didn’t seem like Reed did either.
Final Thoughts:
Kendare Blake is a good writer but this is not her best work. I think it would have been better if there was more action, more romance, more deaths and well, just more. At this moment, I’m not particularly interested in reading the next in this duology but that could change. As always, I would love to know your thoughts! Thanks for reading and have a great day!
The Book and Beauty Blog 