Recommend for: people who enjoyed the animal transformation magic on My Lady Jane

I had a hard time getting into this story. All the characters felt very generic (one is even called Scarface), and that lack of specificity as well as the fast pace led to relationships that, to me, were underdeveloped. I wish there was more space for deeper exploration of the science-backed magic, the lock-picking, the world, etc. there were also a few parts that were pretty sexist. I can’t tell if that’s on purpose because those narrators are supposed to be sexist (e.g. one is surprised that a girl can do things “better than a boy”) or if it’s just a shallow exploration of feminist themes.

In terms of my enjoyment, I would’ve rated lower, but there’s nothing I remember as inherently problematic or grammatically incorrect, so I added a star.

Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.

'Dreadmarrow' is the first book of the YA fantasy series. The story is interesting, that is true, but the pace is way too fast, and so nothing has a smooth development, and the romantic relationship was too sudden, especially since the girl broke up with her boyfriend, who was asking her to marry him a day ago... The magic was also a confusing part, as well as the whole magical world, but the characters were interesting, and the story had the promise of a fairy tale-like quest.

Finally, the audiobook was enjoyable, but the chapters were too abstractly concluded.

This was a really fun fantasy book that I would have devoured as a teenager. The magic system was really interesting, and the characters felt relatable. The relationships between each of the protagonists and the sacrifices each of them make to advance their stories for the greater good was done very well, and I really enjoyed it. The audiobook is very well done, the narrator was wonderful to listen to.

Tessa’s father has been killed but she believes he can be brought back to life. She will venture with Ash and Calder to defeat the fiendish conjurer Fellstone. They will face many trials but Fellstone is not immortal.

Very well written and well narrated novel (I listened to the audiobook). Great characters in a book with adv3nture, magic, shapeshifting, friendship and love. Well paced and plenty of tension and action. Enjoy.

I can’t believe this book doesn’t have more recognition. The audiobook is amazing, it makes you feel like you’re in a magical fairytale. The magical world is really interesting, their ability to shift with amulets was fascinating, as well as how that works and the consequences. I loved the adventurous side of this book, it reminded me of Percy Jackson in a sense, it has nothing to do with the plot but with the characters, the friendships and the bond they formed while each being on this mission with three different objectives but wanting the same. The plot twists on this book were really fun too, the villains were pretty great and love the minimal romance subplot.

Tessa as a main character was nice to listen to, she was brave and determined in her mission and I loved that.

4,5 stars ⭐️
I will recommend this to anyone who will listen

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this Dreadmarrow by Margie Benedict (AKA Marjory Kaptanglu).

I was charmed by Benedict's coming-of-age story of a young woman struggling to find her place in the world while fighting to save her father, kindling a romance, and warding off boar men (yes, there are boarmen in this world, among other creatures).

The novel opens with a delightful scene showcasing MC Tessa's ability to shapeshift (via a magical amulet) into a bird. The amulet belonged to her missing (under suspicious circumstances) mother, who left behind both Tessa and her beloved Papa. Avian excursions aside, Tessa is content with her life in her small town, far away from the politics of her land's not-so-friendly conjurer; until, that is, the day that conjurer has her father killed. No big deal--not if you're as determined as Tessa, who soon hatches a plan to steal the conjurer's magical Dreadmarrow; a device that can reverse even death.

Tessa undergoes a number of transformations throughout the novel, both literal and figurative, as she makes a number of startling discoveries along the way. These discoveries bring up questions of choice and identity, nature and nurture, that will no doubt be expanded upon in future installments of the series. The innocence and at times straight-forwardness of the characters makes this feel more like middle grade than YA, as does the audiobook narrator (Charlie Sanderson), who delivers the (quite lovely) prose in a soothing, fairytale-esque voice. At times, in fact, the narration was almost too soothing, as Sanderson's evenness of tone doesn't always lend itself to action scenes (of which there are many--see aforementioned boarmen).

A middle grade 4 stars, YA 3.5.

I appreciate the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. I enjoyed the narrator. The plot to the story had potential but the story itself I found hard to enjoy. The relationships between the three main character where they became instant besties because they had the same goal was not believable. All of Ash's talk about being a good swordsman but he had never even held a real sword and learned against farm boys was laughable. I found the reveal about ratcher or whoever to be interesting.

2.5 stars (rounded to 3)

This was tagged as both middle-grade and YA, and it definitely felt like it straddled the line between them. The main characters are around 17, but for the most part I don't think it would have made a big difference to the story if they'd been 12 or 13. The portrayal of the characters and their motivations and intentions all felt very simple. I didn't feel like there was much depth to them - either the heroes or the villains.

I immediately liked Tessa (and her direct rejection of the idea that she's "not like other girls"), but I became frustrated with her over the course of the book. She is very slow to grasp things that should have become obvious from context. I also found it hard to be interested in Ash or Calder, and I never felt like I developed a good understanding of Calder's brand of magic/science/alchemy.

My main criticism is a lack of forward momentum. After a solid start, I felt like the story went in circles and the action became repetitive. Between that and the blandness of the characters, the stakes never felt truly real to me.

Obviously, I wasn't the target audience for this, but I think I might have liked this as a kid. I would possibly recommend it to younger readers (rather than the older end of the YA demographic).

Middle grade and up fantasy adventure audiobook. A different feel to many books in this genre. Not flash bang in your face. Much more genteel. More like a magical fairytale. Maybe that’s down to the excellent audio narration.
I listened to the opening and wondered if I was going to like this book. But by the end of chapter one I was hooked. The story has plenty of peril for the characters to imaginatively respond to, and some villainous characters to boo and enjoy their deserved comeuppance. Thank you to Books Go Social Audio and NetGalley for the audio ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

This book was well written and fast paced. I enjoyed the plot, and the characters. It is definitely worth reading, very entertaining.

So I just finished this awesome book, and I had to tell you about it! The main character, Tessa, is seriously badass. She's not your typical damsel in distress – she's brave, determined, and goes after what she wants. I really loved how the author built this amazing world, and the characters felt so real and developed. Plus, there's no romance, so it's perfect for young adult readers. The magic system is unlike anything I've ever read before, and the plot twists kept me guessing the whole time. I even listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a fantastic job! If you're looking for a great read, definitely check this one out. You won't be disappointed!

I quite enjoyed this book, it was a pleasant listen while I painted. It was a bit confusing sometimes that the same narrator read the different POVs, but she made up for it by being a really, really fab narrator. It was a lovely story about a quest that focused on friendship, with a slow burn YA romance, and the search for the FMC's mother and a way to bring back her murdered father from the dead. It was enjoyable but not the most memorable story I've read/listened to, and was a little predictable, and I didn't find myself caring too much about the characters, hence the 3*, but it was a lovely little story nonetheless. I'll be picking up the sequels for while I paint soon! 3.5*

Thank you to the author for the ARC audiobook 🖤

3.5 stars (rounded up to 4)!

Dreadmarrow follows three characters; Tessa has just lost her father, murdered by the forces of Lord Fellstone; Ash seeks revenge for his brother’s death at the hands of Fellstone’s apprentice; and Calder is searching for his long-lost love, who was forced to marry Fellstone. The three cross paths and set off together to retrieve the Dreadmarrow, an enchanted relic capable of bringing the dead back to life.

The worldbuilding is one of the novel’s greatest strengths. Benedict introduces a magic system featuring conjurers, enchanted objects that can shapeshift, heal or revive, and eerie creatures like wraiths. All of these elements are woven naturally into the story without ever feeling like an info dump.

The story is told in three different points of view, which I’m not usually a fan of, but it worked surprisingly well here. Tessa, Ash, and Calder each had distinct voices and motivations, and I could always tell whose perspective I was listening to—especially thanks to the excellent narration by Charlie Sanderson! She did a wonderful job of differentiating voices, and her delivery was both clear and immersive, perfectly suited to the tone of the book. I was impressed by how clearly she distinguished between Tessa, Ash, and Calder. Each had a unique vocal style that helped bring their personalities.

However, I did have some issues with the pacing. The plot moved extremely quickly, to the point where major emotional moments didn’t have the weight they deserved. Tessa, for instance, loses her father and sees his body, yet hardly pauses to mourn before charging headfirst into a dangerous mission. There’s little time for doubt, grief, or fear, which made it harder to connect with her as a character. I often felt like I was being rushed from scene to scene, without enough time to sit with the characters or understand their deeper emotional arcs. This fast pacing also affected the romance. While the male love interest’s feelings were more believable (he had a crush on her early on), Tessa’s sudden shift toward romantic interest felt forced and underdeveloped. There wasn’t enough spark or build-up between them, and once the romance began, it seemed unnecessary rather than compelling.

The writing style is imaginative and accessible for a YA audience, but the tone felt closer to middle grade in its simplicity and lack of emotional depth. Some key scenes, like a sword fight involving a supposedly great swordsman, were disappointingly underwritten. Action lacked tension, and the descriptions were so brief that they failed to deliver any real impact.

That said, the bones of the story are strong! The premise is engaging, the villain is complex enough to be interesting, and the world itself is rich with potential. As it stands, Dreadmarrow is a fast, entertaining listen with excellent narration and intriguing ideas, but it left me wishing for more depth and development. Still, I'm interested in the next books in this trilogy, and will be reading them!

This was a cute read- Very adventure, magical, mystery vibessss. I can definitely see this as Harry Potter blended into a Medieval setting, such a fun read & perfect for the middle grade-teens & ya, coming of age audience!!

All the characters we journey w/ were great too, each w/ a different story that we follow along & a skill set the get them through their quests!!
Charlie Sanderson did an amazing job narrating each of the voices & adding so much uniqueness & character into them.

Soft dnf at 35%

5 stars for narration: I like the narrator a lot and they have a captivating voice and tone.

3 stars for story: Unfortunately the story itself isn’t holding my interest very much. This is a soft dnf for now and I will try to come back to it. I enjoyed the aspects of Tessa as a sparrow but other than that, the characters don’t really make me root for them (or against them).

Thank you so much for the arc!