Thank you for making this arc available online.

Let’s start off by saying that the best way to go into this book is by not really knowing anything about it - the remarkable pacing, beautiful writing, and masterfully woven characters mean that you don’t need any prior knowledge of the story to fully fall into it and quickly become completely immersed.

But if you do want a little flavour - Stoneheart depicts a time where formidable, otherworldly Titans invade a Roman inspired city called Porenza, which has a complicated, bloody history, and a truly unique power source running through it called ‘the Bright’, which can be harnessed by a select few who can withstand a process to become ‘Brightened’. Porenza stands as the setting for the entire novel, and is a gathering point for a range of characters who find themselves there for a varying host of reasons, drawn from different corners of this world.

This story is told through this handful of character perspectives, and their differing backgrounds and personalities are what truly shape this world for you. You laugh alongside these people, feel their anguish when all seems lost, and their hope when paths finally cross and things fall into place, in a city whose invaders grow ever more terrifying, even when you don’t think it’s possible.

I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys character driven fantasy stories such as Robin Hobbs Realm of the Elderlings - my comparison being made to the swift, gut wrenching depictions of magic, love and conflict in an classical world shaped by such intensely wonderful and awful characters. I would love to see the story continue and expand, and see what lies beyond Porenza’s walls, for the world that has been constructed is complex and deep rooted - you know that feeling
when you finish book one unable to imagine how it can be topped, but by end of the series are able to look back fondly to it as the catalyst for all that comes next? Exactly that.

I hope that many others pick up Stoneheart and enjoy diving in to its world as much as I did!

This was such a fun unique fantasy book to read! I enjoyed it jumped straight into action; however I struggled to connect with the characters. Overall, I believe many fantasy readers will enjoy this fresh breath of air :)

Thank you NetGalley and Max Shepherd for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Its giving Brandon Sanderson. Which isn't a bad thing. Lots of world building which i was so interested in until the book let me down. It just took a turn that I did not find exciting. If you're in to Brandon Sanderson check it out. If not definitely pass.

DNF at 55% - 2.5 stars

"Stoneheart" really let me down, even though its summary made me excited to read it.

Here are some points that made me uninterested to continue reading it :
- I couldn't for the life of me understand dimensions, which made me unable to visualize the space in which the plot is taking place. How big is the city? What's her layout? How many people live there? How big are the places we see, like the Arena?
- I also didn't understand the political background. Wtf was the war about? Agains who? Why are there refugees? And why are they treated like this? Is there trade between the cities? How far from each other are they? How do they operate?
- The characters were a major issue for me ; they weren't well fleshed out. I didn't know their age, or even their appearance, or what was their background. It's really hard to care when you don't understand why the characters act like they do.

Anyway, this wasn't a book for me, even though I wished it was.

This was a very well written and unique fantasy world! It was definitely fun read which made it hard to put down. I enjoyed that it jumped right into action; however, I do feel that because of this a little world building and character development was put on the back burner. I struggled at first to remember who was who because there were a handful of characters introduced immediately and POVs kept shifting every chapter or so. Overall an enjoyable read! It gave Brandon Sanderson vibes at times which I enjoyed.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!

I enjoyed this book, given to me kindly through the NetGalley arcs. The magic system is unique and the world actually reminds me a bit of Shadow of the Colossus. It's not a difficult read but it sets up a wonderful, cozy world even though it's fraught with dangers.

I’m always excited to dive into books that offer multiple POVs—it’s something I genuinely enjoy, and Stoneheart delivers on that front. Each perspective adds depth and helps build a fuller picture of the story. While I appreciated that aspect and found the world-building beautifully detailed, I didn’t feel as connected to the characters as I hoped. Still, I’m sure many readers will really enjoy this one.

This was a unique book, with an interesting magic system. Was a breath of fresh air compared to the recycled themes that seem so prevalent in recent books. That said, I struggled to connect with the story and characters. It all felt a bit surface level and I struggled to envision the world/setting and characters based on descriptions.
If you like fast paced story telling and action packed combat scenes, would recommend giving this a go. If you favor books that focus on character and relationship development, you may find this falls a little short.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.