2.5 stars – So much potential, so many question marks

The Oracle of Dusk had all the right ingredients: a cool magic system, ancient cycles of chaos, divine vs. wild magic, and a pantheon that had some real flavor. As a D&D nerd, I appreciated the familiar vibe with paladins and clerics thrown around—super easy to slide into without needing a glossary or a corkboard with red string.

But despite the solid worldbuilding foundation, the story itself kind of tripped over its own feet.

For starters, the first third of the book felt like the prologue to a completely different novel. Just as I was getting settled with the characters and plot threads, boom—1000-year time jump, new setting, new characters, new vibes. It wasn’t a twist so much as a genre switch. I genuinely thought I had missed a chapter or accidentally opened book two. It made me wish the author had either committed to the original timeline or expanded it into a full book before hitting the time-travel button.

And then there’s the POV situation. Look, I don’t mind multiple perspectives—but give me some kind of sign. Mid-chapter hops between characters with no warning made for a disorienting reading experience. Just when I’d finally figure out whose brain I was in, the narrative would yank me into someone else’s, like fantasy-speed dating with zero name tags.

The writing itself had its moments, but also… thesaurus-core. Every few pages I was stumbling over words like “succour” or “staid,” which made everything feel a little stiff, like the book was trying to impress its old English professor. I love good prose, but not when it gets in the way of telling the story.

And then, the characters. Yikes. I really wanted to root for someone—anyone—but no dice. Aurora, our main character, is supposed to be a seasoned adult who’s been ignoring her magic for decades, but she reads more like a shy, bookish 16-year-old who just discovered eyeliner. Her whole “reluctant hero” thing never quite gels, especially when she ends up time-hopping into a world where everyone is part-giant and she’s mistaken for a child half the time. Add in a love interest who starts flirting after she walks in on him bathing and turns pink with embarrassment… and yeah, it gets awkward fast.

But the real MVP of the “What Is Happening Right Now?” category goes to Phaedra and Silvanus. These two side characters go from snapping at each other for no reason (like, actual toddler-grade squabbling) to making out and being fated soulmates in what felt like four pages flat. No buildup, no chemistry, just “I loathe you” followed by “I must kiss you right now.” I actually laughed out loud when it happened. Were they bewitched? Was I? Who can say.

I finished the book, so it clearly had something that kept me going—but I wouldn’t say I enjoyed the journey. It felt like a really solid draft that needed a few more rounds of development, especially to smooth out the pacing and make the characters feel like real people instead of tropes in a cosplay lineup. There’s definitely an audience for this kind of myth-heavy, lore-packed fantasy, but it needed a little more polish and a lot less whiplash.

Still, points for ambition. And the cover’s nice.

This was a great book! It is the perfect blend of romance, fantasy and time travel. The romance was so sweet. I would recommend!

I really enjoyed this book! The pacing was great, and the story pulled me in right from the beginning. I liked that we were immediately thrown into the world without too much buildup—it made the whole thing feel more immersive. I'm still a little confused about some parts of the plot, but I’m hoping those questions will be answered in the second book. The writing was decent, and I especially liked the dynamic between the two main characters. They were different in a lot of ways but still had this underlying connection that made their relationship really interesting to follow.

I really enjoyed this book!
We get epic fantasy with monsters and interesting characters combined with time travel elements and an interesting magic system. Everything combined with religion and politics.
Aurora is a clever young woman who is not the brave hero by default but still has to become one when needed. I really felt with her heartbreak on loosing her best friend and be thrown back into time. But still she manages to get by and make the best out of the situation.
Theron is a very interesting person too, even though I didn’t like him as much as Aurora as one of the main characters.
The story is immersive and interesting with nice turns.
And the end? Wow. I didn’t know my opinion on a person could change that quickly and that drastically.
Full recommendation for everyone who likes epic fantasy!

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC!

This book is perfect for fans of true fantasy - it definitely gives Zelda vibes and has lots of elements that feel nostalgic.

The story begins immediately, there’s very little given to understand the world, you’re straight in from the beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!

I went into this book completely blind, having not read a lot about the book, the cover snagged me along with the promise of an epic fantasy romance. This book is loosely based on Legend of Zelda and I'm not super familiar with the story since my only experience with video games is watching my younger brother play as a kid. After reading some other reviews, I think this probably helped, so I didn't know what was coming!

This book started off kind of slow for me, it took me a few days to get to 20% and I normally get through a book a day. However, once I got to about 25%, I finished the book that day, it really took off at about 45% and from there I couldn't put it down!

Things I absolutely loved: the complex magic, the chemistry between the FMC and MMC, the side characters being so well developed.

Things I wish were slightly different: I personally needed a little bit more world building, the glossary helped, but I was still pretty confused about the World and its magic system. (Although, this may be because I'm not familiar with the Legends of Zelda backstory.)

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am excited for the bext installment in the series and will definitely be reading and recommending this series!

Such a great story and very well written!

Aurora is an acolyte of Knowledge and besties with a hot-headed princess. She discovers an ancient artefact and then gets swept away into fulfilling a prophecy she cannot refuse, ending up thousands of years in the past lusting over a king who is destined to die.

This whole book was so enjoyable to read, I struggled to put it down. It’s true that the beginning of the book is completely different to the rest but it is interwoven so beautifully. From the profound world building to the depth of connection between the characters and even the richness of the history embedded within the story- I just thoroughly loved every minute.

As someone with, dare I say, oracle-adjacent foresight, I can kinda see where the next book and maybe even the ending/main twist is going but I am still really excited to read through the journey.

Thank you Victory Editing and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC early.

A dedicated historian, who doesn’t want to be a hero, falling for someone in the past who is doomed? Yes please! This twisting tale of time-travel, romance, magic and in-depth world-building with amazing (and I do mean amazing) characters and dialogue had me captured from the first chapter. Well-paced and alluring, an overall brilliant start to an action-packed fantasy series! I look forward to the next book.

Breathtaking from start to finish, this epic fantasy romance swept me into a world of magic, danger, and heart-wrenching love. The characters were complex and unforgettable, with a chemistry that felt tender and electric. Immersive worldbuilding made every twist in the plot feel like a revelation. I'm eager to see how the series continues!

This book kept me up at night for several days in a row. I loved it and I could not stop reading it. I hated the MFC and FMC. Theron is super hot headed, irrational and selfish. Aurora is super smart but also so very irrational and naive. But I am not sure the author intended for the reader to like them. Rather than watching the characters grow and learn, their horrible personalities are revealed, leaving you wondering whether they are truly the heroes or actually the villians.

Although the characters were unlikable and the romance was toxic, the characters were full of depth and contradictions. While I didn’t love them, I loved watching their story unfold.

I absolutely loved this book. The depth of the characters, the political intrigue, the religious turmoil, all of it together wove a unique and fascinating story that kept me on the edge of my seat until the epically devastating cliffhanger. I cannot wait to read the next book and see what happens next to our characters.

A great big Thank you to NetGalley and Two Laurels Press for providing this advance review copy. It was truly a privilege to read. All opinions in this review are my own.

If you’re interested in a story that intertwines destiny, romance, and ancient magic, this novel might be a compelling addition to your reading list.

This one sounded promising but unfortunately fell flat for me.
We jump right in to the story from the very first chapter, which would have been great if we got the worldbuilding and backstory at the same time but we didn't and that just left me confused.
There was also a lot of POV switches without any warnings, sometimes mid chapter and that was not it for me.
The characters also fell flat and were one dimensional imo. It even felt like some were there just to fulfill certain tropes..

Overall, this could have been a good book but everything needed to be more fleshed out.

The setup is rich—primordial monsters, time travel, fated romance, and a doomed king with a sharp tongue and political cunning. Aurora and Theron’s chemistry had potential, and the Zelda-inspired time-travel and ancient-ruins aesthetic brought a mythic, quest-like atmosphere that I found immediately compelling.

I was especially drawn to the opening chapter, where we meet Aurora mid-excavation. A fantasy romance that begins with a female archaeologist analysing history through artefacts? Yes, please. Her reflections on the past through material remains gave the story a fresh, intellectual edge I really appreciated.

However, I struggled with the pacing and emotional stakes. The story moves too fast to allow for meaningful character development or deeper exploration of its darker themes. As a result, key plot points feel rushed, and character motivations—especially Aurora’s selection for this divine quest—remain underdeveloped. The gods’ intervention felt arbitrary, which diluted some of the narrative tension and world logic.

Additionally, the book leans heavily on dramatic speech and high-conflict dialogue, with characters often shouting or arguing rather than communicating. This made emotional moments feel shallow and left little room for quieter character development or atmospheric worldbuilding. There was an overreliance on dialogue, which sometimes took the place of richer description or introspection.

While this one didn’t fully land for me, readers who prioritise fast-paced plots and a mythic setting over deep character work may still enjoy this one.

i ATE this up. The world, the romance, the tropes. Here for it
Give me more immediately!
Will deff recommend this!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. I want to state upfront that I did DNF this book at 35% after I realised that this book was just not for me and I was struggling to force myself to continue.

Based on the cover of the description of this book I expected it to be a lot faster paced but I did not connect to the writing. I found myself more attached to earlier characters in the story that did not feature throughout the book.

I have played some Zelda games before and found that my previous knowledge almost took away some of the tension from the story. Whilst some readers may find that enjoyable, I myself did not.

I did enjoy the relationship between Fae and Silvanus and wish this had been explored more. It almost felt like the introduction needed to be a book on its own.

Overall, this book was not for me, however I think some readers may find this enjoyable if they are a fan of more political based fantasy and lengthy descriptions.

I enjoyed this book and the unique premise around it.

It did seem a little slow at points but it's also a book that's heavy on the political intrigue which makes sense with the pace. The idea of traveling to the past before what is basically the apocalypse is a very interesting idea and I was very excited to see what happened. I love the idea that she's from the temple of Knowledge because it gives her an advantage in some ways when she's thrown back. She has some idea about what happens.

I also enjoyed the interactions between the MMC and FMC. They're both stubborn and willing to do whatever they think is necessary to save those important to them. Unfortunately, those goals don't always align since they care for completely different people. Watching them grow to tentatively trust one another made the book even better since they didn't immediately love or trust the other. Even by the end there's some distrust under the surface which makes sense for this book.

All of the characters in this book are fleshed out and have stories of their own that intersect and interact throughout the story. It was nice to see even side characters have a story that tied into everything else.

I'm very excited for the next one!

I think the concept of this book is super interesting as I’ve played a couple Zelda games and my husband is a big Zelda fan so I was excited to read this! Unfortunately, I could only make it 45% through. I struggled to get invested in the characters and their relationships with each other and the world. The time jump 1/3 through felt a bit random and unclear. It also felt like a completely different story from the first part of the book. Maybe if it had been indicated more clearly that would have been easier to understand and why the time jump was needed. Some of the vocabulary used seemed a bit unnecessarily intense or confusing - obscure words were chosen when I felt like a more “normal” word would have made the reading flow easier.

I think some additional explanation and world building of all the levels (initiate, princess, etc) rather than referring to the glossary could be helpful as well. Even with referring to the glossary, I felt like it was hard to get immersed in the world and understand what was going on.

I will absolutely give this book another shot at a later date and see if it appeals to me more. I’m excited to see what this author comes out with in the future as well. This was my first ARC review and I’m honored to have been chosen.

Fantasy novels have a special way of sweeping readers off their feet and transporting them into entirely new worlds — places where dragons soar, magic pulses through ancient forests, and heroes rise from the most unlikely places. This book is no exception. Rich in imagination and brimming with heart, it delivers an unforgettable tale that blends high-stakes adventure with deeply personal storytelling.

The world-building is one of the novel’s strongest assets. From the first page, readers are immersed in a universe that feels both vast and intimate.

Another fantasy book devoured! What a treat. Okay, a quick layperson synopsis: Aurora is living a very nice life. She is a historian; her best friend is the Princess; and she just found her first artifact. Except that it turns out that she is tied by fate to a giant, serpent demon who will destroy their world unless they can defeat him, which, you know, is not ideal. Our girl just wants to be a history nerd, not some hero. She doesn’t even have magic like her best friend! As she tries to avoid the demon and dying, her newly found artifact sends her back in time to the very first time this demon appeared. She is determined to defeat him in this world so that he doesn’t destroy her world. She needs help and she finds an ally in King Theron. King Theron is tall, hot, and politically motivated. He sees Aurora and thinks she is an oracle fairy– she is literally half his size because people in the olden times were HUGE, she has pointy ears, and she seems to be able to predict the future, so honestly a logical conclusion. And an oracle would be VERY handy for a king. Theron and Aurora must navigate politics, death, and figuring out how to defeat a demon while also ruthlessly flirting with one another.

I enjoyed this book! The first 100+ pages were all about Aurora and her best friend and because that was barely even mentioned in the plot summary, I was a tad confused and antsy, but my recommendation is to know it takes 100 pages until we time travel and to just enjoy the ride. Also, I know absolutely nothing about Legend of Zelda (except that I think Zelda has pointy ears?) and I didn’t need that connection to enjoy this. So if that is making you hesitant to read this, know that you can thoroughly enjoy this book regardless.

I usually don’t love verbal sparring as foreplay but I could read Aurora and Theron going at it for another 200 pages. It just worked for me. I could also read Theron winding up other royals for another 200 pages. It was such a fun chess match to read. Aurora and Theron’s chemistry was spicy and fun. Is their height difference kind of crazy? Sure. But this is fantasy so we are going with it.

I liked that Aurora could be really feisty, but I felt like her other emotion was crying – ranging from being on the verge of tears to actively crying to actively weeping to actively sobbing. She did that a lot. And while I, too, would probably be crying as much as she did, I wished that occasionally she would have a different reaction to a difficult situation. Maybe she would be numb or resigned? Or maybe she would grow increasingly more angry? Either way, I wanted to see her grow a bit more and I am excited to see where she heads in the next book!

Thank you to Two Laurels Press and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.

I recently had the opportunity to read an advance reader copy (ARC) of The Oracle of Dusk by Elyse Thomson, and it was an enthralling experience. This epic fantasy romance masterfully intertwines themes of destiny, power, and forbidden love within a richly constructed world.

The story follows Aurora, a dedicated historian whose discovery of an ancient artifact propels her back in time to an era teetering on the brink of calamity. In this past, she encounters King Theron, a ruler renowned for his cunning strategies and the ominous prophecy surrounding his downfall. Aurora’s unexpected journey places her at the heart of a mission to thwart a primordial monster poised to annihilate civilization. Thomson’s portrayal of Aurora is compelling, capturing her internal struggles and resilience with depth and authenticity. King Theron is depicted as a complex character—both a formidable leader and a man grappling with his fated demise. The chemistry between Aurora and Theron is palpable, their interactions filled with tension and allure. 

Thomson’s world-building is immersive, drawing inspiration from ancient history to create a setting that feels both familiar and fantastical. The narrative’s pacing is well-balanced, seamlessly blending action-packed sequences with moments of introspection. The prose is evocative, painting vivid images of the landscapes and societies Aurora traverses. The plot twists are unpredictable, keeping readers engaged and eager to uncover what lies ahead.

In summary, The Oracle of Dusk is a standout addition to the epic fantasy romance genre. Its intricate plot, well-developed characters, and richly imagined world make it a must-read. I wholeheartedly recommend it to fans of epic fantasy and those seeking a story that will linger in their thoughts long after the final page.