A Review of Dark Intent by AB Endacott

 

Welcome to the Third Country! Yet another book by the amazing AB Endacott, I have adored reading her works lately! This follows the woman councillor seen in Queendom of the Seven Lakes (review here) who is a healer named Freya Kuch. She lived in the Third country where a brutal takeover has occured from the Kade population which has left the Pious people as second class citizens. Freya, through determination, has managed to become the perfect Kade citizen. This is torn apart, however, when she is caught up in an explosion detonated by those less happy to be subjugated. From this point onwards her view of the world and her place in it is to be tested to the limits.

I adored this book, getting to delve into yet another section of this beautifully imagined world was a delight and I was quickly fully invested in Freya’s life and seeing her open her eyes to the truth in her country was so engrossing. I love how fleshed out all of the characters are and how much I was able to imaging the world in my head without there being any info-dumping.

The blurred lines between good and bad that are ever present in our day to day life are explored within this fantasy text in a way that can be extrapolated to real life. The contrast starts out quite strong, but quickly delves into the deep greys that come with life and show that nothing can quite fit neatly into a box. I love how Alice showed this and how it was interwoven into the story.

Freya’s relationships with both Simon and Ashtyn were really interesting and so different. I won’t tell you the nature of them in order not to spoil anything but I loved seeing the two very different sides to her and how she reacts differently to them both as the story goes on and she learns more about the country that they are living in and how they are all complicit.

The ending of this book is quite the cliffhanger! I’ve seen some reviews where people love it and some where they don’t. Me? I loved it! It turns out that it was actually an accident when this was uploaded and the ending was originally intended to be a little further into the story but I love the need to continue that this left me with and I’m so excited to pick up Dark Purpose soon and carry on with the series!

I of course adored this book and really really recommend picking it up!! (which you can do here, not affiliate I’m just lazy and assume others are too!)

An addictive series by AB Endacott!!

Once I finished up Queendom of the Seven Lakes (review here) I knew I just had to carry on with my re-read and pick up book two, King of the Seven Lakes! This is the second time I’ve read this book (original review here) and I think I love it even more than the first time through if that’s even possible! From here on out there will be spoilers for the first book so go and read that and then come back here!

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Although Gidyon has been coronated, there are still those who oppose him ruling because he is a man. One family is taking advantage of this and attempting to usurp him, meaning to put his female cousin on the throne but her grandfather would be the ones pulling the strings behind the scenes. Elen-ai, Gid, and his Uncles who are his royal advisers, are all working to stop this attack.

The further world building in book two is absolutely gorgeous, really developing the world and adding extra nuance to it. I also really love the portrayal of religion. I myself am not religious but the way in which Elen-ai and Gidyon’s religions are portrayed (they prey to different Gods who bestow powers upon the worthy) has given me the closest understanding of how those who strongly believe feel. It really makes you understand how close these people feel to their God at all times. It’s quite beautiful.

There are moments of lightheartedness throughout which are placed incredibly well in order to break up the heaviness of this battle they are trying to win and I love the various facets we get to see. There isn’t just one fight here.

This is another amazing work of fantasy from Alice and re-reading this book only cemented my love for it even further! I one million percent recommend picking this book up!!

Buy King of the Seven Lakes here!

Buy Queendom of the Seven Lakes here!

Buy the combined duology here!

Ozzie Self-Published YA Fantasy? YES!

My pick for the Booktube Rereadathon June prompt of a book that makes you smile and also our pick for the Small Press Book Club: Queendom of the Seven Lakes by AB Endacott. I first read this book back in the early months of 2018, after requesting it on NetGalley, and I fell in love.

This story follows Elen-ai as she is enlisted, as an assassin, to guard the Queen’s son. In this world, only women may rule the Queendom as it allows for any familial lineage to be unknown and therefore leaves the seven families of the Queendom at the same level, with no rise in power coming from having a child with the monarch. Elen-ai must protect Gidyon, as the Queen has decreed her son will be the first ever Prince of the Queendom. Obviously, this makes all the families lose their footing and scramble to get one up over everyone including the Queen herself.

Re-reading this book was so much fun, and it had been long enough that the finer points of the plot had been forgotten and I got to enjoy them all over again. I’m definitely one who enjoys a re-read! Seeing the developing relationship between Elen-ai and Gidyon as well as refreshing my memory of the political structure of the Second Country was so enjoyable and I rediscovered my love of this world. This is an amazing YA fantasy that I 100% recommend, it was such an immersive read for me and I’m so glad I pick this book up! If you’re interested in seeing my first review I’ve linked it here.

 

King of the Seven Lakes, a glowing review!

The second book in the Legends of the Godkissed Continent series by A. B. Endacott and oh boy did I love it just as much as the first one or what! This book continues to follow Elen-ai and Gidyon, if you haven’t read the beauty that is Queendom of the Seven Lakes I don’t want to spoil you! Click here to see my review of Queendom and come back once you’ve read it! There will be spoilers for the first book ahead!

Now that Gid is to be the King of this Queendom, some of the families have taken up stances against this. There are various allegiances forming across the different high-born families of the Seven Lakes who either believe that a man should not be in power or they want to take the power for themselves. Some think that Gidyon is not educated enough to rule, but Elen-ai is confident that he shall make a great King.

I was very happy as I read through to confirm that there is still no romance between Elen-ai and Gidyon. I personally wouldn’t mind them getting together, but this is either a non-existent or incredibly slow romance which is a very nice change from so many insta-loves we get in books.

The likelihood of an outbreak of a civil war starts to become a reality as we continue through the novel and this weighs heavily on all of our characters shoulders. There is also a personal battle that Elen-ai is facing as she cannot be an assassin of the Family at the same time as being a friend and advisor to the King. She has to choose between two worlds, her best friend, or her family.

Yet again Alice’s writing is absolutely gorgeous and engaging, I was fully absorbed into this world and the events happening within it that I was able to sit and read this in the living room as my parents watched TV and completely ignore the programme that was on! I am so excited for this book to get more hype behind it and have a much larger reader base as more people find this amazing series! This high fantasy book with a badass female lead and interesting political action could be great for both Young Adult readers and those that read more within the “adult” genre.

I am really looking forward to reading The Ruthless Land (the 3rd book in the series), although I won’t lie, I’m a little sad that it won’t be following Elen-ai and Gid and is instead based elsewhere in the Continent! I’m sure I’ll love it just as much, but I have definitely become very invested in these characters and I really hope that we come back to them again in the future and have Elen-ai as our PoV once again. However, damn am I excited to be seeing another part of this world! So much has been hinted at within the first two books but coming into this third one there is so much potential and so much scope for what could happen here.

Essentially, get on this bandwagon now! You’ll definitely regret it if you don’t!

Queendom of the Seven Lakes

This was one of my first requests when I originally signed up to NetGalley and it has been pushed to the bottom of the pile for a while, which is a great pity as I absolutely loved it! Before I go any further I’d like to thank NetGalley for the eARC of this book.

This story follows Elen-ai as she is enlisted, as an assassin, to guard the Queen’s son. In this world, only women may rule the Queendom as it allows for any familial lineage to be unknown and therefore leaves the seven families of the Queendom at the same level, with no rise in power coming from having a child with the monarch. Elen-ai must protect Gidyon, as the Queen has decreed her son will be the first ever Prince of the Queendom. Obviously, this makes all the families lose their footing and scramble to get one up over everyone including the Queen herself.

I wasn’t too sure how this story was going to develop, would there be a cheesy romance? Would the plot be stereotypical and obvious? The answer is HELL NO! This fantasy read did everything in such good proportions, with the relationship between our protagonist and her charge developing in a way which felt very natural and realistic and makes you root for their side intrinsically. Although there is much about the world that I feel I do not know, I knew what I needed to in order to comprehend the events in the book and I am sure that the sequel (yes there is a sequel, I am so excited!) will explain further about the world and develop this fantasy read even more.

I am very glad I picked this up and was able to read it and I 100% recommend that you at least read the synopsis to see if this is your sort of book, as I had believed I would be getting an averagely told fantasy with a mediocre plotline (because I am apparently an idiot/have been let down by a lot of books lately) and instead I am now finding myself with a new favourite world that I can’t wait to return to! Definitely, need to get to King of the Seven Lakes when I can!!