Here lies the tale of Kaylan Rove, blacksmith’s apprentice who kind of nihilistically just goes along for the ride when she is conscripted to a fatal new occupation. There’s the potential for intensity, horror, and intrigue, but if Kaylan can’t make up her mind on how she feels about dying, then I guess I’m also fine either way. Her ambivalence aside, the story itself pulled me in with likable characters, a slow slide into existential dread, and a brewing rebellion.

Relic for me was an original and emotionally gripping adventure. Kaylan lived in a kingdom divided into groups led by rulers who are in possession of magical relics. These relics protect the wearer’s bloodline. Unfortunately, the magic is poisonous to anyone else in the wearer’s vicinity. The magic acts like a sentient form of radiation. The ruling family decided to ease the burden for the other household staff. There would be a drawing to choose one person who will become the ruler’s shadow. A personal servant who takes the brunt of everyday contact. Once that servant succumbs to the effects of the relic, which is a long painful death often involving insanity a new peasant is chosen.
Kaylan is living a simple life as a blacksmith’s apprentice when she is chosen to become the next shadow.
There was a lot that I loved about this book. It was a real page-turner and kept me engaged from start to finish. It even had me close to tears once or twice. That is rare for me.
There were some holes for me though. Kaylan starts to learn about a group of rebels who are trying to overthrow Lord Rennard by killing off his entire family. Only then can the relic be claimed by a new ruler. What I didn’t understand was if the relic protects his entire bloodline how can the people in his family be killed off with such little resistance?
There were other questions I had too where things didn’t quite make sense but because I don’t want to give spoilers I can’t get into them here. Feel free to contact me if you want more details. They weren’t big enough to make me enjoy the story less.

I also must give some love to Markus. Oh Markus, Master Of The Hunt, how I love you! I was hoping somehow that he and Kaylan would find a way to run away together. But things are not that easily resolved in this book. There is quite a dramatic ending that will leave you thirsty for book 2.
There was a lot of gray in this book. Meaning no one was all good or all bad. Lord Rennard was a beast but you even learn some of his backstory so you come to understand that he wasn’t always evil. All of the characters seem to have this give and take. My lovely Markus was everything that was good and kind but even he had his weaknesses. There were times I wished I could learn a little more about some people’s intentions or thoughts but that would have made the book ginormous. I have my fingers crossed that we’ll see more of the people we can care about in the following series.

3.5 stars

For me, the characters were the stand out part of this book. Marcus is a proper cinnamon bun of a character. I challenge you to read the book and not think he’s the perfect love interest. His sister is a darling I want to see more of, while Jesper is so complex. She’s a great friend, but there are so many layers to her personality that slowly unfold. Even by the end, it feels like there’s so much to learn still.

The world is interesting. It doesn’t stand out particularly from any other walled city with a semi-caste system, but I love magic that has sever health implications – and this magic affects those around it rather than the wielder.

The plot is a very slow-starter. Not until 64% did it feel like there were events happening around Kaylan, the first half of the book dealing with her settling in, making friends and getting ill. Even then, she’s pretty passive – watching and reacting.

I’m not sure what her goal is, what she’s working towards, as she’s so resigned to her death. Her lack of future dreams is completely understandable – pretty hard not to give up in her situation. I think a clearer desire to strive for would have helped her feel more active – and the plot like it kicked off sooner.

It’s very hard to predict what will happen next. In some ways, I really like this. Jesper and Rennard are unpredicatble characters, which keeps you on your toes – not sure what they’re going to do and what this will mean for Kaylan.

However, because there a hard to discern through-line for the book, the unpredictable characters added to the sense that there wasn’t a strong plot.

Relic is a YA fantasy with an interesting premise and protagonist. A magical stone called the Relic is worn by Lord Rennard. Though it protects his bloodline, it slowly kills everyone around him. When Kaylan is chosen to become the Shadow of the Lord, she is taken from her family to serve the mysterious Lord Rennard, and her life is irrevocably changed. Kaylan knows being so close to Lord Rennard will result in her death, and nefarious rebellions, as well as the ire of her master, could prove just as deadly as the relic.

Kaylan is a well-rounded, dynamic character who goes through so many trials and tribulations. Kaylan is not an entirely reliable narrator, and I often questioned her decisions and reactions to her actions. That being said, I feel like the Relic has a lot to do with her complex and sometimes contradictory decisions. Kaylan’s life drastically changes when she is chosen to be The Shadow, and you definitely feel for this teen who has little choice and less hope. I also like that the story is told in the first person because you get the thoughts and feelings of Kaylan, which adds such depth to her character.

I did feel that the pacing was slow at the beginning, and I found it difficult to become fully immersed in the story, but when I was about twenty-five percent through the story, it definitely picked up the pace. I also wish some of the magical elements and world-building were developed a bit more, especially regarding the Relic. However, the characters are well-developed and interesting, and the messages of friendship, survival, and family are strong.

I particularly like Kaylan’s best friend and her love interest. The relatable characters and relationships are my favorite aspects of the story. I also like how the friendships and Kaylan’s family offer some happiness and levity in an otherwise strict and unforgiving society. This is a place where freedoms are restricted and punishments are severe. Seeing close, loving, and supportive relationships thriving juxtaposes the harsh and often cruel world that they live in.

The story is a bit darker than the typical YA fantasy, and if you are looking for a happy ending, this is not the book for you. I like that the plot is unpredictable and keeps the reader guessing, and I was definitely surprised at some of the events and deaths that occurred, especially at the end. I think Relic will appeal to readers who like dark fantasy with interesting magic systems and likable characters. Thanks so much to Netgalley, Talem Press, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Love the cover, definitely eye catching but the blurb cinched it. I enjoyed the book but was bereft at the ending. I think the book needs some work but it’s an interesting story line!

What did I like? Kaylan wears her heart on her sleeve and is a great main character. I felt like the book did not explain the relic well enough. What purpose did the library serve if there was nothing to help Kaylan? Killing off all the characters in the book also left a sour note. She leaves the city and doesn’t even think of Shae? Too many puzzling aspects. More questions than answers.

Would I recommend or buy? I would have bought based on the blurb but there is definitely some reason as to why this book has mixed reviews. I’d decline part two.

I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review.

This book will leave you breathless and wanting more. I literally saw none of the plot twists coming and I'm usually pretty good at guessing what's coming next.

If you're looking for an immersive fantasy with strong female leads filled with romance and a dark plot, this is for you. I was left wanting more and I am not a Relic super fan.

This book has a gorgeous cover, an interesting premise, and is filled with emotions and a lot of sensorial language, but desperately needs more editing.
At times the language used by the author to describe scene building details actually got in the way of understanding what events were occurring within the story. There were a lot of sections of the book, particularly in the beginning that were nothing but nonsensical word salad.
I was also extremely challenged to try and understand the motivations of the characters, particularly the protagonist. At times her decisions and actions directly contradicted things we had been told previously. Well the author was able to convey the depths of emotions portrayed by the characters, most of the relationship building seemed very artificial, and there were opportunities I spotted within the narrative where the relationships could have been developed in a more natural way as opposed to the somewhat magical trust that occurred unrealistically across class lines. Adding so many characters to the cast really seemed like a necessary set up for future books, which frankly I’m not interested in reading. It was too much and the setups were very heavy handed. There was a lot of descriptive “show”but not a lot of actions or reasoning which backed up where the author was leading the reader.
They were also details about characters that really bothered me and took me out of the story. The neck and back cracking particularly were jarring and seemed like additional unnecessary detail. I understand that sometimes in a story the main protagonist is going to be a beat up, hunger game style, however a lot of the violence in this book seemed again unnecessary or to not make sense even given the premise.
I would not recommend this book unless major revisions occurred.

Instead, for fans of fantasy wanting a story with a male patriarchal sorcerer, an evil magical gem, and where the protagonist has secrets and some physical abuse: Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce

I read this book with high hopes and it didn't meet them. I started the book pretty interested but as it went on I lost interest pretty quickly. Though this wasn't a terrible book, it definitely wasn't a great one or even a good one.

I didn't like any of the characters we were given. The main character herself was completely forgettable and not unique at all. Her love interest was very bland and I didn't care about their romance at all.

This book had such an amazing idea but the plot has been done before and done better. I wish we had gotten more development and better characters with a more unique storyline.

Relic is an amazing novel that needs more attention. On the one hand, this was quite an amazing experience to read through. I liked Kaylon’s ability to use her powers to help in her when trouble came, but I felt she did not take enough ownership of the consequences of her actions as much as I would have liked to. The prose, the dialogue, and the pacing are all well done.
I also loved Rover 🙂

This novel is quite complex in its characterization. I felt Markus was a good love interest but he did not know enough about Kaylon. The two needed more scenes to get in touch with each other, and to develop the chemistry between them. While I liked Kaylon I wanted her to take more action and be less hesitant. Rennard may have been a man that over time has become corrupt, which is true in history, but I would use the example of Empress Theodora. She was a prostitute yet the most powerful man in all of Byzantium fell in love with her. Kaylon would benefit from some inspiration from her. I felt Rennard was under-used as well as Jespar. Clearly, there is a hidden history between the whole basis of the conflict that envelopes the town.

I like the concept of feudal lords utilizing people to work. This was what the Samurai Warlords did to their populations, and they killed unproductive workers. If you’re in the UK and on KU, it's free for what I believe is a limited time. Do not miss this at all. I def want to read on this exciting trilogy and see what comes next. Thank you so much to Shealea for allowing me on this blog tour.