One thing I love is a good fantasy I love a book that can make me forget what's going on in the world and go into an imaginative world where the impossible happens and you meet characters and creatures you would never meet for real and this book had ot all

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the arc!
I took a while to get through this one. I'm not sure if it was because I struggled to connect with the characters or because I had a hard time with the pacing of this book. However, the world is intricate and well thought out, and I grew to love the characters a lot more as I progressed through the book. I think it completed what a first instalment of a series is supposed to do: make you want to keep reading! I am excited for the next book and I have every faith in the author.

3.5 stars

Shadow Rider is a stunning, thrilling book. I was hooked from the start! I loved each character, the tension of the plot, the fight scenes…and the world-building was incredible. I found myself wondering how the author came up with such fascination. I cannot wait until the next couple books in the trilogy!!

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it has since come out. A bunch of queers queering their ass on a complicated quest inside a world with interesting world building? Count me in. The running joke about getting spooked by Shay was 10/10.

Thanks to Bold Strokes and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for my review.

I've been a fan of Dartt's writing for many years now and was stoked to see her taking on a fantasy story. The world building in this is extremely well thought out and unique. I love that the elemental powers aren't just a copy and paste of something from Avatar the Last Airbender. This goes into how to control flying, how air and fire can be combined to strengthen a fiery blast, how a Chthonic (this world's earth Elementals) can help enrich soil or an Undine can purify a polluted river source. And I loved that so much information was given about the world and it's history, but it wasn't lumped together in a way that felt like a slog, everything was told organically.

This story focuses on six characters in total, but the two main ones are Shay (a Shadow Rider) and Keagan (an Undine Marshal) who, through a random encounter in the Shadow Realm, find their lives and hearts intertwined as they unravel a mystery that could shake the foundation of all the nations, elemental and null alike. The core cast are all extremely unique and have their own arcs where they learn to grow into their powers and their new roles as they are tasked with stopping the disappearances and murders of Elementals that has apparently been occurring for sometime.

Shay and Keagan come from very different lives, but the attraction is instant and you can't help, but root for them as they learn to trust one another and fulfill this seemingly overwhelming task.

I cannot wait for the rest of this trilogy as I am excited to get back to these characters and learn more about their world.

This is an enjoyable well written story. I enjoyed the ride getting to know and navigate through the unique world Gina as created. Well done

Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for this ARC'

Wow. just wow. This was such a unique and full world that Dartt built. The intricate storyline and worldbuilding helped to draw the reader in. This was a story that I couldn't put down. I'm really hopeful that there will be much more to come.

⭐⭐ It wasn't my cup of tea but it may be yours
🌶️ Intimate scenes but mild language - just a step past closed door

Shadow Rider is a fantasy adventure that excels in world-building, offering a rich and immersive setting. The premise of a courier from the Shadow Land joining forces with various Elementals to thwart a sinister plot is both creative and intriguing. The author clearly put a lot of effort into crafting a detailed and vivid world, which was one of my favorite aspects of the book.

However, despite the strong foundation, I found it difficult to connect with the main characters. Their relationships felt somewhat shallow, and I struggled to feel the depth of their connections. Unfortunately, the dialogue often felt flat, which made it challenging for me to fully engage with their journey.

That being said, there were side characters who resonated more with me, and I truly appreciated the author’s imaginative storytelling. I believe that readers who enjoy intricate world-building and a unique fantasy adventure might find Shadow Rider worth exploring, even if it didn’t fully capture my interest.

I’m confident that many readers will enjoy this book, especially those who love diving into a well-crafted fantasy world. I look forward to seeing more from this author, as their creativity and passion for storytelling shines through.

This author really cares about horses and their descriptions!
It was a bit hard to get into this universe because a lot of the environment is delivered to the reader through dialogue, instead of text descriptions of the world. The system that the author set up was very cool, but because there’s a lot of information to deliver at first, it took a while to get my head around how the world works!
It’s a fun read.

Two women's. Ives unexpectedly become intertwined when one saves the other from attacking wraiths. The story is about how these two, Shay and Keagan, become involved. Two women who would normally have any interaction with each other. I found this an engrossing read and hope that there will be a sequel.

I decided to start this book knowing it was going to be the first chapter of a series, which was risky in itself, because if I liked it I'd want to know the continuation as soon as possible, and if not, I'd feel really bad because this author was one of the first I ever read and I loved her book "Unexpected Ties" almost 20 years ago! To be honest, it was a departure from her earlier books, but that didn't make it a letdown. What I'm saying is, it was a pretty fun and interesting read.

Maybe it was hard at first, to wrap your head around the world she's created, its hidden connections, where one territory begins and another ends, and how they're all related. The correlations between the protagonists' gifts and the basic elements is simple, except for the Shadow Rider, Shay, the main character of this chapter, along with Keagan, who's put a bit of a spin on the usual for those with her gift. Kegan is gifted with the power of water, while Shay rides the shadow paths. Joining them in this and upcoming chapters are Ashley, the haughty wielder of fire, Cassius, the eldest and gifted of earth, and Lyria, the youngest and most novice, gifted with air.

So this is the start of an adventure. Every imaginary world has its ups and downs. But creativity is priceless, it should always be celebrated. And if it's entertaining and features strong, brave women who aren't afraid to feel, even better.