- Ashley & Nicole
Book Review: Incandescence by Elena Leman
Incandescence by Elena Leman
Published by: Amazon Publishing on November 9th, 2020
Rating : ★★★★
Genre: Adult Fantasy // Metaphysical Fantasy
*The author of this book sent us early access (arc) in exchange for an honest review, so don’t expect anything less than that. We will always give an honest review, be it a positive one or a negative one.*
Synopsis:
Orobella is a cosmic wanderer, living borrowed lives in borrowed bodies. Her mission on planet Install is the same as always—collecting Crystals of Emotions while having as much fun as her new physical form allows, no strings attached. But once she meets the hypnotically mysterious Sambor, both her body and soul yearn for more. She makes him an offer he can't refuse.
In the world where creatures of death and darkness drive men mad, emotional detachment has been Sambor's greatest life achievement. As the future leader of the Lasota tribe and a spiritual tattoo artist, he can't afford the luxury of mental weakness. Yet his meticulously constructed equilibrium is shaken up when an alluring nymph promises to save his baby sister, in exchange for a sacred Lasota tattoo. He can't say no. Even if that means his demons will get the best of him.
Steeped in mysticism, elemental magic, and sensual vibrations, this romantic fantasy is more than a love story. It’s a journey through a soul.
CONTENT WARNING
This book contains graphic violence, sexual situations, physical abuse, and adult language.
This is a joint review by Ashley Kuehster and Nicole Courtney.
MY THOUGHTS - NICOLE COURTNEY
This book had a very detailed science fiction fantasy world - you could tell the author thought through every aspect when building her world. I liked the idea of Orobella going into the body of someone from that planet and learning to use it to her advantage.
I really liked Orabella's travel companion - it's a cute animal that makes me feel like we are reading a bit of a Disney story- because everybody needs a cute animal companion!
Orobella and Sambor’s relationship is sweet and a nice slow burn romance. I am always up for a nice romance set within a science fiction world - it just adds to the atmosphere of a utopian future.
Magic system and how the crystals works - this is a nice mixture of science fiction and fantasy together. Magic is always a great addition to any fantasy world, but making a detailed magic system is even better! I think the author does this rather skillfully.
The story has a nice flow to it, I liked the chapters from different characters perspectives. I feel that chapters from a first person's POV always add more depth to the story and you can really see how these characters develop and grow over time.
Some chapters were a bit repetitive, in particular from the beginning. It sometimes felt the pacing was a bit too slow for me.
MY THOUGHTS - ASHLEY KUEHSTER
I enjoyed how the story held multiple pieces from other series I've read and has a spin on them that I haven't seen before. I think the main character has a huge back story from all of the lands that she has traveled to before, I would be interested in seeing if some of this back story came into future books. I loved the magic system, I think it added another layer of complexity without making it overly complicated.
I loved her travel companion, I agree with Nicole that it did add some Disney vibes to the story. My favorite part about her companion was that he was there to explain the land to her not change her mind or tell her what to do.
I personally thought something more was going to happen in this story, however, I'm not sure why other than the fact I typically read thrillers. I think the story of learning to be who you are and not what you've been told is important for everyone to hear, and I liked how this author conveyed that message.
Without giving any spoilers I enjoyed the slow romance that occurred in this book and I enjoyed the self-growth Orebella had to go through.
SUMMARY OVERALL OF OUR THOUGHTS
I am really excited for the author's future works. I think that for a first published book, the author did a pretty bang on the job. I would be curious to see any future works, in particular if the author focuses more on a classical fantasy read rather than sci-fi. - Nicole Courtney
I think the author will only continue to grow in her writing as she writes more, and would enjoy reading more about Orebella in the future. The core of the story had so many interesting features in it, with so much room to expand. - Ashley Kuehster
