Reign Returned is the first novel in the The Felserpent Chronicles by Katie Keridan. It is a YA fantasy novel following Kyra and Sebastian, an Astral and Daeval (essentially citizens of two opposing realms). Kyra is a skilled healer, while Sebastian is an assassin with pyromancer abilities. Kyra discovers she has recovrancer abilities, meaning she can enter the world of the dead and recover those who have died before their time. This novel follows Kyra and Sebastian as they work to discover more about Kyra's powers as a recovrancer and partner to recover the lost Daeval sword, Rhannu. But what else will they discover along the way?

I enjoyed reading this arc. Keridan uses one of my favorite techniques in fantasy novels, switching between point of views. I love being able to read from both Kyra's and Sebastian's point of views. We get to read so much more of their growth and it enables us to read about their apart as well. Keridan has unique animals called Cypher's, creatures who can talk, are bonded to a specific Astral or Daeval, and provide guidance to their person. The relationship Kyra and Sebastian have with their Cypher's was one that I enjoyed reading. They also provided levity to the novel with their funny quips and conversations. While I enjoyed the novel, I do hope that subsequent novels will have more "plot" happening. There were certain sections where I found myself slightly bored wishing for more action.

All in all, I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

Love a story with great world building!! Enjoyed this and can't wait to see where it goes after that cliffhanger :O

First, thank you so much to SparkPress and NetGalley for an eARC! I absolutely LOVED this book. I didn’t really know what to expect going in, and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it! I thought the concept was amazing and the way Keridan writes it is really amazing.

The prologue was so interesting and captivating, that’s ultimately what sold it for me, but the rest of the book was just as good! To start, the world was incredibly complex and well-built, and it wasn’t really like anything I’d read before. I also loved the characters. I really did feel connected to so many of them and I was so invested in their lives, even if they maybe weren’t the main character! And, of course, the lovely cyphers. I love the concept of animal familiars and I think they were handled so well here with such great variety.

My favorite part was, perhaps, the history or “lore,” if you will. I love worlds that have in-depth and realistic history and this was definitely one of those. It felt important enough for me to care about it, but it also wasn’t overdone or boring, which I appreciated. I just thought the importance of the history and how it was brought up was perfect.

Thank you for the ARC—I’m so grateful to have been able to read this book. It was amazing!

Reign Returned is a love story that spans centuries. Sworn enemies. A healer and an assassin.

This one wasn’t for me. It was way too wordy and without any explanations as to what some things meant / language used. A map of the realms would have been super helpful too as many locations were talked about. I’m quite shocked it’s not included!

This book was a mixed bag of feelings for me. On one hand, I enjoyed some of the politics and worldbuilding. On the other, everything felt pretty flat/two-dimensional to me; the characters, conversations, etc. It also felt a bit juvenile to me, but that could very well be because it is meant for young adult readers versus I prefer more mature books. Overall, I think it has potential but it just fell flat for me and I did not feel particularly inspired or excited throughout it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

That was a sweet, whimsical, fantasy fairytale!

First of all, I'm a huge fans of animal familiars, and I just loveeee that this book has it! The storytelling is pretty easy to follow and I loved the lore and the "reincarnated soulmates" ideas. I enjoyed the slow-burn romance too. That even though it has "soulmates" theme, the author didn't force Kyra and Sebastian to be madly in love without reasons, so I love it! I really like how they proceed from strangers to allies, then getting to know each other better and have mutual feelings. It felt natural and perfect for YA target in my opinion.

If the world were abruptly ending tomorrow, and you had the magical ability to keep your one true love “FOREVER.”

Would you, do it?

Keridan presents this same question in her newest young adult novel, “Reign Returned”

Let us begin:

Schatten and Kareth:
Have a love that people only dream about. It is a love that brings joy, happiness and above all “Peace.” For years, the two fractions were divided, only by the color of their blood, hated each other, and warred continuously. When Schatten and Kareth united all warring ended, the two realms were happy. Then one day their kingdom was overthrown, but before it could be sieged Kareth (being an Astral healer) uses her magic to enchant a spell over she and Schatten. A soul binding spell to be exact, one of pure love, one that would guarantee that someday, Schatten and Kareth will be together again.
“EVENTUALLY!”

Centuries pass and

Kyra Valoran:
An Astral Healer with gold blood, dreams of nothing more than being the highest officer of all healers. She wants to be the Princepts Shaman of Aeles. She is being taught by the greatest teacher of all, and he also just happens to be her father. She want’s nothing more than to follow in his footsteps. When something happens to her father, Kyra has to heal her father. It is then when she discovers something startling about herself. She is a recoverancer, she can actually walk into the realm of the dead and retrieve a body that was not supposed to die yet.
Kyra is terrified, first of all why is this happening to her? Recoverancers are forbidden and Kyra will be arrested if anyone finds out. She has to find out what this all means, no matter the circumstances.

Sebastian Sayre:
Silver blooded, the deadliest, highly sought-after assassin in all Nocens. He lives in a cave with his Cipher, Batty. He does not need anyone, and that is exactly how he wants it to be. There is something that he needs help with though. He keeps having visions that he finds the legendary sword Rhannu, the sword that makes the beholder invincible. However, Rhannu is but a dream to a person from Daeval, (Even though it was stolen from the Nocens long ago)

Circumstances:
Sebastian is in the woods one day, burning up with fever, extremely sick. Kyra having fled Aeles due to discovering her magic abilities, happens upon Sebastian. Seeing the man so sick, she cannot in good conscious just leave him there. In her fury to heal him because of febrile delirium, she accidentally cuts herself. The blood alarms go off because “Silver Blood” is recognized in the Golden realm. As Sebastian jumps up, they both notice something of the other at the same time. Sebastian notices that Kyra is bleeding, but she is not bleeding silver, she is bleeding “GOLD.” Kyra notices Sebastian has dropped a book on Recoverancers out of his pocket and she snatches the book up flees through a portal. But Sebastian healed enough thanks to Kyra, is quick enough and makes it through the portal with her.

Deal:
Now Kyra both enraged and untrusting of this Daevalic person tells him to just leave her alone, she has things to do, and she does not want him following her.

Sebastian on the other hand can only surges with hope because he has the knowledge of what Kyra can do. He just needs a way to convince her that it is in the best interest for both of them.

Sebastian decides to tell Kyra that if she will just go with him to Vanekius, (a realm of the dead) (of course, or else he would have been traipsed over there himself) get Rhannu back to him, then he will give her many more books on Recoverancers. Poor naïve Kyra believes Sebastian and agrees to this deal. Now neither of these two actually know what fate the two have actually sealed by striking this deal.

As the two set off on their journey, their road will not be an easy one. They are both plagued by the same dream, but do not tell each other. Because neither of them is able to trust each other as of yet. How can these two ever make it to Vanekius?

Is Kyra walking into the realm of Vanekius retrieving Rhannu and handing it to Sebastian the key to Schatten and Kareth’s reborn love?
Finally?

Guess you will have to read on to find out, because this is where I must leave you to ponder.

Keridans novel is a brilliant whimsical, dreamlike excursion into fantasyland.

This slow burn is beautifully done, and her word building was impressive.

Keridans characters are a novelistic mosaic of species, colors, people, magic, you name it, Keridans got it.

Keridans ending is amazingly done, and I was totally there for it.

For this to only be Keridans 2nd distinctive work, “This girl is on “FIRE” and she’s “KILLING” it!!!

So, everyone!! pack your bags, get on board, head on over to Tar Creek, California, climb up that mountain and cliff dive into this “SPELLBINDING NOVEL”

STUPENDOUS!!

Slow burN to ZOOM ZOOM………

Thank you, NetGalley/Katie Keridan/Spark Press/ For this incredible eARC in advance for honest review. Opinions are of my own volition.

The best part of this book was the animal familiars, I absolutely loved that it was incorporated. It was a very whimsy fairy-tale and I really liked the world building. It is a slow burn and hopefully by book two it will really pick up.

An enjoyable read that has great world building and slow burning romance. it was well written and engaging with well developed characters.

That was a sweet, whimsical, fantasy-fairytale!

First of all, I'm a huge fans of animal familiars, and I just loveeee that this book has it! The storytelling is pretty easy to follow, although as for the characters, it took me a while to "vibe" with them, but I eventually got it! Love the lore and the "reincarnated soulmates" ideas. I enjoyed the slow burn romance too. That even though it has "soulmates" theme, the author didn't force Kyra and Sebastian to be madly in love without reasons, so I love it! I really like how they proceed from strangers to allies, then getting to know each other better and have mutual feelings. It felt natural and perfect for YA target in my opinion.

That epilogue made me think that these two has more (chaos) to endure in the future books haha so here I'm wishing all my very best for them!

Magical worlds, love that endures throughout time and space, dragons, spells, animal familiars, and the fate of worlds hanging in the balance. This is a truly delightful addition to the fantasy genre. I’m eager for this series to continue so I can find out what happens next.
It did start out fairly generic, and as a result the first two chapters didn’t immediately capture my interest. However the farther I read the more I was drawn in. The worldbuilding is wonderful and despite the many familiar elements it tells a unique story. The author's gift for descriptions makes reading about various locations an absolute treat. I highly recommend this to lovers of YA fantasy. This will be of particular interest to fans of Lore Olympus, The Golden Compass, the works of Tamora Pierce, and those who enjoy seeing LGBT characters. I’m so thankful to Netgalley for the chance to review the fantastic start of an exhilarating series.

Many thanks to Spark Press and Katie Keridan for the advanced copy of Reign Returned, in return for my honest and unbiased review.
I really enjoyed reading this YA fantasy first volume of this new series (The Felserpent Chronicles).
This book is based on two warring factions, with each of the protagonists coming from one faction. The concept of reincarnation is the central theme that the book starts on. Animal familiars, called Cyphers, bear similarities to Philip Pullman’s daemons. Another similarity I noticed were the ‘sana bracelets’ to Garth Nix’s bells/pan pipes. There is magic, with various types being exclusive to the respective factions.
The beginning half of the book feels rushed, with events being very convenient (although these are later explained, it still doesn’t feel satisfactory, as a reader), but as the book continues, the pace slows and the story becomes more detailed. Character development also becomes more elaborate later in the book.

Moods: adventurous, emotional, mysterious
Pace: medium
Character development: medium
Plot or character driven: 50/50
Diversity: medium – some same-sex relationships/attraction
Trigger warnings: homophobia, death of a parent

Overall, I give this book 4/5 and I would definitely read the next book in the series.

I really enjoyed reading this ARC I received for an honest review. The magic and world building was incredibly interesting. The enemies to lovers romance was well paced and lovely. I highly recommend that you pick this up

Great read! I was absolutely hooked by the first paragraph. This is a wonderful escape into an exciting fantastic world. The characters are lovable and complex and I enjoyed getting to know them. I can’t wait for the next one!

Reign Returned is an amazing book in every aspect, from the plot and characters to the writing style. It fits in the YA fantasy genre, as well as adventure. It’s an absolute page-turner and it was a pleasure to read this ARC, in exchange of a honest review. I was attached from the prologue to the very end and I can’t wait for what Katie Keridan has in store for us.

If you’re into enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance and YA fantasy, I think that you will enjoy Reign Returned as much as I did.

[This review is posted on NetGalley and GoodReads, and an extended version is posted on Instagram. Both links are attached]

Reign Returned tells the tale of two realms, once united, now divided. While the realms were under one rule and facing division, the King and Queen bound their souls together so they could return and find each other to reunite the realms when the time is right. The challenge? One soul is Daeval and one is Astral. Will they be able to overcome centuries of division and hatred and reunite their lands? Lots of fun magic and characters is this book!