Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing this book as a a digital galley in exchange for an honest review!
One-Sentence Summary:
Jack Tamerlaine is called back from his time as a bard on the mainland to investigate the disappearances of young girls on his home island as romance and rivalries ignite.
My Review:
I had heard a lot of positive things about this book, especially since it's a book box pick, and it truly delivered. I didn't even know much about the plot, so I was going in with more of a vibe and a hope that it would be that good.
This book is about Jack and Adaira, childhood enemies separated after Jack left their island, Cadence, to study to become a bard. Years later, he's called back to solve the disappearance of two young girls, presumably taken by spirits, but the truth is much more complex. In a way, I think this book was predictable, but in a good way. The Tamerlaines, the people who occupy the western side of Cadence, have abundant resources, but the magic they use drains them, while the Breccans, the western people, are the opposite. Like you'd expect, there's a lot of rivalry in the story itself because of this. The actual plot of the book is so intriguing because it follows a few of the Tamerlaines: Jack, Adaira, Sidra, Torin, and Frae. My favorites were Sidra and Torin, but I actually can't think of a single character I didn't like, which is great!
In terms of worldbuilding, this book was so inventive. There were so many legends and fairytales about Cadence, and the author's magic system was really intriguing. The price of the magic in A River Enchanted makes you reevaluate what's truly important in the novel and how much the characters care for each other to make the decisions they do. There are elemental spirits, stories passed down throughout generations, and magic that gives you chills.
Romance isn't a huge focus in this book, but it was such a good romance that I had to mention it. The main couples are Jack and Adaira and Sidra and Torin. As I mentioned earlier, jack and Sidra hate each other, but they have to make a number of decisions for their own safety and the safety of the girls taken that bring them together in a way that's literally forced, but feels natural. Meanwhile, Torin married Sidra mainly because he needed someone good to help with his daughter after his wife's death, but the two really balance each other out, and despite what it seems like at the beginning, their relationship is one of mutual respect, not just her being a housewife because he needed it. (Side note, I love that this book has a village setting and yet so few of the "men do the fighting >:(" moments.)
In conclusion, y'all should ABSOLUTELY read this book. It's great for people who want a mysterious, mystical fantasy novel with characters that are easy to love and a plot that reels you in from the first chapter. I can't wait to get my physical copy!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Fiction Feature 