Servant of Earth is an intense fantasy with good characters and a fascinating setting. The plot wasn't my favourite - a bit predictable at points and some tropes I wasn't really feeling - but overall it was a solid start to a series that has real potential!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

A fantastic new series. I loved the new world of magic and dark fae, set against a poor human world. Kenna is a brilliant lead characters and the many twist are very engaging. Just enough heat for the genre. Loved it.

This is the first instalment in The Shards of Magic series.

Kenna Heron has lived her entire life on the borders between the human and the fae world. She has learned there is little to love about the magical beings and has grown hard and distrustful, some say half-feral, as she has sought to survive in the harsh environs they force upon the humans. This will prove necessary to her survival as she is uprooted into the fae realm and forced to serve under her new mistress. She is set the task of aiding in her undertaking six deadly trials, one for each branch of magical fae house. If she succeeds, her mistress will gain immortality and become the heir to Earth House. If she doesn’t, the punishment is death—for both mistress and servant.

I absolutely adored every element about this book! The trials in the synopsis were what initially piqued my interest and I was relieved to find each one given proper and detailed attention. They were bloody and brutal and the other fae were clever and conniving. Kenna had as much to battle against surviving each battle as she did the court politics that this world thrived upon.

This same close focus was provided to the underground fae world. It was a sprawling labyrinth that Kenna only got to see a fraction of. I'm so eager to learn more about the magic of the fae and the clans they have divided themselves into, as the series progresses. There is so much room for growth, in both geography and history.

The romance was swoon-worthy and I was just as eager to see this enter into the storyline as all the other elements previously mentioned. I was relieved to find that it didn't overshadow these other elements, however. I love my romantasy books, but I also often find myself longing for a stronger storyline to centre the tale, and this definitely delivered that!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Sarah Hawley, and the publisher, Gollancz, for this opportunity.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

No, stop because at this point Sarah is an autobuy author and I'd read her grocery list. This is my favourite fae-focused romantic fantasy since The Cruel Prince. Yep. You heard me. The depictions of the fae as these unearthly, violent and inhuman beings is so well done. The entire world setting had me hooked immediately, especially once we entered the fae realm. The underlying mystery plot and political scheming had me intrigued and thinking about the book at all hours. And even more importantly: the FMC was fun to read about - she was relatable, cunning, clever, steadfast, resourceful. But she wasn't immediately and magically great at everything! She had to learn to navigate this dangerous world, with threats lurking around every corner. I need book two so bad tbh, I don't know how I'm going to wait until next year!

Absolutely brilliant. 

I enjoyed this so much. Loved the plot and world building the characters and the romance subplot. The plot is dark and talk about some hard themes that are timeless. Full or court politics, treason and intrigue, it sucks you in the story from the first page. 

This book has a lot of elements we find in romantasy without being romantasy, many elements make you think of other popular books, but for me, they were improved in this one.
Have you read acotar and loved it, but thought it lacked a true fight for equality and the feminism is diluted? Well, you won't have that problem with this one. Our heroine Kenna do her best not just to survive herself but to help everyone as much as she can. She is a strong-layered character who grows with the story and who you can't help but love. It is probably one of the few times the main character is my favourite instead of one of the side characters. Who are by the way also great and interesting 
I loved the ending and I can't wait for the next book. 
And I am hoping this one gets some nice special edition that I can add to my collection because it is absolutely worth it.

I loved this new romantasy book from Sarah Hawley! It was so twisty & action-packed, I couldn't put it down and read it in a night. Kenna is such a great character and you are really rooting for her throughout the whole book. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I can't wait for the second in this series.

Servant of Earth, was a lot of fun and completely different to Hawley's previous work, the Glimmer Falls series, which I was also fortunate to receive an early copy of.

We start with out main character Kenna, who while trying to save her best friend from being a tribute to the fae, falls through the barrier to their world - The Kingdon of Mistei. Kenna becomes a servant of Lady Lara, the heir of Earth House, who is facing the Immortality Trials and is tasked to aid Lara.

There's a bit of everything in this book. World building with six different houses, Fire, Earth, Light, Void, Illusion, and Blood each with their own magic system, also as you're learning about the world with Kenna, there's no need for heavy background information which makes Servant an easy book to get into. There is also a tyrannical leader, rebellion but also forbidden love and self-discovery. Kenna, especially, makes a transformation, she becomes more self assured and confident in her decision making - especially with that ending, which I am so happy about. I was worried that Kenna would be put on the backburner near the end supporting the decisions of other characters rather than making choices for herself. Which is why I was so happy that Hawley decided to shift the power dynamics near the end.

Servant of Earth is my favourite Hawley book so far, I'm so annoyed about the wait for book two. I just want Drustan and Oriana to take a nice walk off a high cliff and Kallan to make his move.

Thank you to Orion Publishing Group, Gollancz and Sarah Hawley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review is for Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley which will be released in the UK on the 14th November! Thanks so much to Netgalley and Gollancz for giving me an eArc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this authors Glimmer Falls series, and when I heard this was a more serious fae fantasy you know I was in.

First of all I loved the magic system and world building in this book, where you have 6 ‘houses’ all with their own separate magic, trapped in an underground world and separates from the humans. I also loved the fact that you see that fae aren’t actually supposed to be this way, and began with all 6 magics within them, until their own selective breeding turned them this way.

I also loved the characters, even if the tropes and storyline are a little bit overused (no spoilers so I won’t talk about it anymore). I loved Kenna and her dedication to helping the humans she’s found, as well as also wanting to help her mistress (even if forced to at the beginning) and how their relationship forms as well. The character development for both Kenna as well as the other characters you see was pretty great, and I loved Kenna becoming more confident while also keeping to her ‘feral’ and blunt self that she was before she came into the fae realm.

The romance was good, and the spice was great. However with most books these days, you have the brooding dark haired fae waiting in the background, so you know he’s going to be playing a big part (hopefully) as a love interest in the next book.

The ending was also so good, I honestly can’t wait for the second book to see what shenanigans Kenna gets up to next. (I also just want to see her punch Drusten in the face). Loved this book, even if it did seem a little long, and cannot wait to see what comes next!

Servant of earth is an electrifying whirlwind of raw emotion and relentless determination. This isn’t just a story about survival; it’s a powerful exploration of hope, love, and the lengths one will go for freedom. The writing is rich and immersive, drawing you into a world that feels both perilous and seductive. The stakes are unbearably high, but it’s Kenna’s journey of self-discovery that truly grips you. You’ll find yourself cheering for her as she navigates through each challenge, her courage and wild heart igniting a fire within you. If you’re searching for a tale that grips your soul and leaves you breathless, this is it. It’s the kind of story that stays with you, a powerful echo of resilience and passion that you’ll carry long after the last page.

I’ve read a couple of Sarah Hawley’s other books from the Glimmer Falls series and Servant of Earth is a total world away from these! Yes, they are both set in the world of fantasy but, where Glimmer Falls is more current world merged with fantasy and romance, Servant of Earth is most definitely for those lovers of A Court of Thorns and Roses and Cuel Prince. Trust me, if you loved those worlds you MUST get your hands on Servant of Earth!

Kenna is an orphaned human, having been abandoned by her father and recently losing her mother to poverty and sickness, seen as wild and feral by those in her small village, she finds herself in the Fae Realm – The Kingdon of Mistei ruled by the harsh and terrible King Osric. Kenna is forced into service as a servant of the House of Earth; One of the six houses of the Kingdom - Fire, Earth, Light, Void, Illusion and Blood.
We join Kenna as she is forced to become the servant of Lara, an Earth fae who must participate in a series of challenges to ascend from childhood to adult fae, and truly come into her Earth powers and ultimate immortality. No question, this is a pretty classic fantasy plot, a series of challenges that must be completed to achieve an ultimate objective but, Sarah Hawley adds multiple other elements to create more than a few twists and turns that definitely kept me engrossed.

Hawley’s world building is perfect for this world, creating a kingdom ruled by six houses, each distinct from the other, not only in its magical characteristics but, in their architecture and design, despite all being underground and hidden away from the external world. There was no info-dumping, as a reader I felt like I was on this journey of discovery with Kenna, as she discovered and uncovered their distinct magical qualities, features and distinct people.

I also loved discovering more about the many characters in this book, of course Kenna is the stand out character, she is relatable, curious, loyal and has a strong view of morality and loyalty but, Hawley doesn’t stop there, she is careful in shaping and carving out the supporting characters amongst the Noble Fae, the lower fae, the humans and the ‘Nasties’ – you’ll soon work out who they are! And Caedo – oh are you going to love Caedo!

This book ticked all my boxes for a great read, my only sadness was it ending and knowing how long I will need to wait for the next book in the series! And whilst I could write so much more about the plot, the characters, the world, the multiple themes ranging from found family to the more disturbing and dark themes of abuse, and torture, all of which play their part in creating the dark and brooding atmosphere of this book but, that would ruin the fun for you! As I said, it’s a pretty classic plot but, Sarah Hawley executes it perfectly and with aplomb! And if you love a fantasy that delivers fae, action, tension, romance, spice and oh so many secrets, definitely pick up Servant of Earth!

Huge thanks to Gollancz, Orion Publishing Group and Netgalley for the arc of Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

hank you to Orion Publishing Group Gollancz for my Arc copy of Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley

Which is The first book in the
THE SHARDS OF MAGIC series

Right from the beginning, I was absolutely enchanted by the world-building! While it takes its time to unfold, immersing yourself in this setting is effortless. The contrast between the human realm and the enchanting fae world is fascinating. This captivating dark fantasy is beautifully layered with profound themes, including the complexities of violence. I adore Kenna's character and her resolves within this book whilst going through the trials. I will say I enjoyed the worldbuilding a lot the romance was nice but the character development is what made this book for me

What a thrilling journey! I wholeheartedly recommend this book and cannot wait for the next part of the series

#ServantofEarth #NetGalley #Fantasybooks #FantasyBooks #WorldBuilding #DarkFantasy #BookReview #SarahHawley #ShardsOfMagic #ARC #BookRecommendation

Oh this was exquisite! You know that feeling when you know you LOVE a book. Not just enjoy it but LOVE it. That's what I got here!

Kenna is a human who gets pulled into the Fae underground world of Mistei and finds herself a servant looking after the Earth Princess, Lara.

Mistei is split into the houses of Fire, Earth, Light, Void, Illusion and Blood and
ruled by the horrible, violent, King Osric.

I won't say anything about the plot apart from there's trials, betrayals, it's dark, violent and full of cutthroat fae, magic and some lovely spice!

The world building and the description of Mistei and all its secrets was written so well, it's like I was there!

Loved Kenna but my utter fave was the Void Prince, Kellan.....yes, it's true. Me liking the shadowy enemy!

Ps...need book 2 please.....ASAP!

It is a classic plot but I love the system of magic. The trials for every type of magic is awesome. The world building is well developed and well written. It is fast-paced bad intriguing. A good start to a new saga.

This is my first book by Sarah Hawley, though her other titles have caught my eye.
I very much enjoyed this one. So much so I'll be putting her other books higher up on my tbr.
The perfect dark fantasy read for this time of year!

I want to start this review by saying that I have read some of Sarah’s previous books and this one is so so much different that I was delighted to see her thrive with a slight different fantasy sub-genre! Let me put it this way: Servant of Earth has everything I love in fantasies and I felt that Sarah knows exactly who her audience is and how to get them to devour this book. This was a job very well done and I couldn’t be happier to be on the receiving end of reading this book!

We follow Kenna, a young human woman, as she goes from her miserable human village through the dangerous bog (so she make sure her friend makes it ok to the faerie realm) to the cutthroat court of the kingdom of Mistei. There we’ll learn about the faerie realm alongside Kenna, its secrets and mysteries; all the six faerie houses and just how cruel faeries can be! You have all sort of faeries and their history is quite reach and interesting. Kenna ends up being a handmaid to the heir of House of Earth and must help her succeed all six trials to assure her mistress will regain her immortality and house powers.

Kenna is quite relatable and you can’t avoid falling for her curiosity, her determination and loyalty. You want to see her thrive, you want her to achieve her goals and you’ll be happy when she’s happy and sad when she’s sad. The friendships she makes with Nobel Fae - like her mistress -, lower Fae, humans and nasties slowly feels like a found family she gathers as she unravels all the secrets in the kingdom; and yes, there is a certain Prince or two that will capture Kenna’s - and yours - attention.

I quite enjoyed the kingdom world itself, how detailed Sarah made it to be and the characteristics of the different houses in their domain were quite charming. The plot itself could be predictable at time and I think I did caught on the great majority up until the end but it didn’t diminished my enjoyment and eagerness to just read one more chapter. This is a sub-genre I particular favour within fantasy so as part of the journey I like to plot alongside, collect all the little clues and try to guess what will happen next and I think that Sarah made it really well and I felt like an active participant alongside Kenna in discovering everything.

I wouldn’t say this is the most original Fae-themed fantasy but I think that it’ll appeal to fantasy lovers all the same as all the little things are really well entangled; you have the action from the trials, you have the chosen one, you have the slow burn-forbidden romance; you have all these secrets awaiting you. You’re in for a treat!

A good dark fantasy that made me think of The Cruel Prince. Well plotted, a bit disturbing at time.
The world building is well done even if it pays homage to other novel set in the world of Fae.
I found the talking dagger very interesting and original.
Some more humour would help but it's a compelling read nonetheless
The cover is gorgeous and I'm curious about the next installments
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A Court of Thorns and Roses meets The Cruel Prince.

To save her best friend from being a sacrifice to the Fae, Kenna follows her across the bog to the Fae land - a cruel and violent place. Kenna is made handmaiden to the heir of the Earth house, to aid her in the dangerous trials to gain her powers.

Of course, we have a handsome and charming Fire Prince and a dark and cold Void Prince, the King’s vengeance. I wonder what this is setting up, hmmm…

Dreams were nothing but illusion. They obscured sight of what actually existed.

Another fun inclusion - a talking, homicidal dagger! Whenever we get a sentient weapon, I get excited.

The plot twist became very obvious to me before even the 30% mark, so I am curious to see other peoples’ reactions.
Characters’ motivations, relationships, and actions were pretty predictable to me, but I was drawn into the world and the cruel fae atmosphere.

People vanished all at once, but the things you wanted to tell them or do with them or show them didn't.

I do have to mention this contains some dark and disturbing scenes. Like fae brothals, slaves, torture, executions… Definitely not Young Adult.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for a review.

Thank you to the publisher for my netgalley widget. Unfortunately I was unable to connect with the story as Romantasy is not really my thing. I much prefer darker fantasy. I would recommend this to fans of Sarah J Maas .

Oh. My.

This was truly, undoubtedly fantastic.

Excellent world building, incredibly expressed cruelty and clever politics, unbelievable twists, unexpected revelations and betrayals.

I loved Kenna as a character, her journey and bravery, her kindness and strength.

The romance was a small part of the overall story, and the few spicy scenes were scorching, really well done.

I suspect we have a Tamlin situation going on here, and someone else will turn out to be the love interest, and I cannot wait to find out if my predictions will come true.

The action towards the end blew my mind even more than everything leading up to it, and the final pages made me very hopeful and excited for the next book.

Just overall absolutely sensational!

Incredibly well written, with fantastic imagery and ideas that though familiar feel fresh in the author’s capable hands. Unfortunately, I ultimately wasn’t able to connect as strongly to this book as I’d wanted.