Double ARC Review: "Nocturna" (A Forgery of Magic #1) by Maya Motayne & "Dark Shores" (Dark Shores #1) by Danielle L. Jensen



Nocturna by Maya Motayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

The first in a sweeping and epic own voices debut fantasy trilogy—set in a stunning Latinx-inspired world—about a face-changing thief and a risk-taking prince who must team up to defeat a powerful evil they accidentally unleashed. Perfect for fans of Tomi Adeyemi, Leigh Bardugo, and V. E. Schwab.

To Finn Voy, magic is two things: a knife to hold under the chin of anyone who crosses her…and a disguise she shrugs on as easily as others pull on cloaks.

As a talented faceshifter, it’s been years since Finn has seen her own face, and that’s exactly how she likes it. But when Finn gets caught by a powerful mobster, she’s forced into an impossible mission: steal a legendary treasure from Castallan’s royal palace or be stripped of her magic forever.

After the murder of his older brother, Prince Alfehr is first in line for the Castallan throne. But Alfie can’t help but feel that he will never live up to his brother’s legacy. Riddled with grief, Alfie is obsessed with finding a way to bring his brother back, even if it means dabbling in forbidden magic.

But when Finn and Alfie’s fates collide, they accidentally unlock a terrible, ancient power—which, if not contained, will devour the world. And with Castallan’s fate in their hands, Alfie and Finn must race to vanquish what they have unleashed, even if it means facing the deepest darkness in their pasts.
 




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REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

A Latinx inspired world, Spanish words which I could understand (after learning said-Spanish) and characters that made me love them and root for them, despite the wrong choices, the fear and that creepy evil power. The system of magic was interesting and the history behind the creation of the kingdom reminded me of the British colonization. Lovely plot and it never let me down.






About the author:

Maya Motayne decided to be a writer when she was four years old and hasn’t stopped writing since. She lives in New York City where she pursues her passions of petting as many dogs as possible and buying purses based on whether or not they can fit a big book in them. Nocturna is her first novel. 









Dark Shores by Danielle L. Jensen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

High seas adventure, blackmail, and meddling gods meet in Dark Shores, the first novel in a new YA fantasy series.

In a world divided by meddlesome gods and treacherous oceans, only the Maarin possess the knowledge to cross the Endless Seas. But they have one mandate: East must never meet West.

A PIRATE WITH A WILL OF IRON

Teriana is the second mate of the Quincense and heir to the Maarin Triumvirate. Her people are born of the seas and the keepers of its secrets, but when her closest friend is forced into an unwanted betrothal, Teriana breaks her people’s mandate so her friend might escape—a choice with devastating consequences. 

A SOLDIER WITH A SECRET

Marcus is the commander of the Thirty-Seventh, the notorious legion that has led the Celendor Empire to conquer the entire East. The legion is his family, but even they don’t know the truth he’s been hiding since childhood. It’s a secret he’ll do anything to protect, no matter how much it costs him – and the world. 

A DANGEROUS QUEST

When an Empire senator discovers the existence of the Dark Shores, he captures Teriana’s crew and threatens to reveal Marcus’s secret unless they sail in pursuit of conquest, forcing the two into an unlikely—and unwilling—alliance. They unite for the sake of their families, but both must decide how far they are willing to go, and how much they are willing to sacrifice.



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REVIEW


I received an e-ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

A quick read filled with magic, ah ate to love relationship and mysteries untold. I loved the sense of family and friendship and both characters were headstrong and amazing on their own, despite the rough start of their interactions in the book.




About the author:

Danielle L. Jensen is the USA Today bestselling author of The Malediction Novels: Stolen Songbird, Hidden Huntress, Warrior Witch, and The Broken Ones. Her upcoming novels are THE BRIDGE KINGDOM, which will be released by Audible Originals in October, 2018 and DARK SHORES, which will be released by Tor Teen in May, 2019. She lives with her family in Calgary, Canada.

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