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Annie’s reading tips

Welcome to check out my YA, queer and diverse book recommendations!
​See my latest reviews below, or find a review by author or rating under categories.

7/11/2022 0 Comments

Orb and Arrow: Exploration by V.L. Stuart

This is the first book in the new YA fantasy series Orb and Arrow by V.L. Stuart following the teenage healer Brillar on her adventures through the Wild. It was a light and enjoyable read, with a strong main character to root for and an interesting world building, but a bit slow at times.
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In short, the story is about the young noblewoman Brillar of Laurenfell, who was expected to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a healer, but instead decided to take on the way of the bow and run away to explore the world as an archer. Now a highly skilled hunter, she has been forced to kill to release a mage, bound in enchanted chains. When the mage, Master Elden, insists on making Brillar his apprentice, Brillar finds herself on a new journey where her healing skills will find greater challenges. Settled lands are one thing, but in the Wild, she will have to rely on her Master’s knowledge of the terrain and the people, the Rovers, who are not always friendly…

I love strong female leads and I immediately rooted for Brillar. She’s so headstrong, brave and has such a great moral compass. I really liked the premise of the plot and the world building. But for a YA fantasy there wasn’t as much action as could have been expected. Some parts were a bit slow and the writing felt a bit drawn with long descriptions of Brillar’s and Elden’s travel and the people they met without much happening. I also never fully understood why Brillar had run away from her studies and what she’d hoped to achieve more than a wish to see the world, nor what the purpose of her and Elden’s journey really was.

For a YA fantasy, I also missed some kind of romance or pining for unrequited love. I do believe that the author will let the relationship between Brillar and Elden develop into a romantic one as the series continues, but for this installment there was nothing to spark the interest as far as romance goes. I also have some mixed feelings about the idea of Brillar’s and Elden’s relationship taking a romantic direction, since it was clear that Brillar thought of the twice-her-age Elden more as an uncle or teacher. I hope that any relationship developments onwards will be done in a way that ensures that Brillar stays powerful.

But all in all, Orb and Arrow: Exploration was a light and enjoyable read with an interesting world building, loveable characters and exciting adventures that I want to keep on reading about in the next installment of this series!

Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and NetGalley for the free review copy and blog tour invitation! All opinions are my own and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Rating:
3 stars

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Author info:
V.L. Stuart
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    Categories

    All 1 Star 2 Stars 3 Stars 4 Stars 5 Stars Abbi Glines Abdi Nazemian Adam Silvera Adib Khorram Aiden Thomas Aisha Saeed Aislinn Brophy AJ Collins Alexandra Christo Alex Beltran Alexene Farol Follmuth Alexis Hall Alex Kelly Alex Sanchez Alice Dolman Alice Oseman Ali Hazelwood Alison Cochrun Al Riske Alwyn Hamilton Amanda Ferreira A. Meredith Walters Amy Aislin Amy Harmon Amy S. Foster Amy Spalding André Aciman Andy V Roamer Angie Thomas Annabeth Albert A. Poland Ashley Poston Ashley Woodfolk Ashlyn Kane Audrey Coulthurst Becca Fitzpatrick Becky Albertalli Benjamin Alire Saenz Beth Bolden Bill Konigsberg B.L. Maxwell Briar Prescott Bri Spicer Brooke Skipstone Cale Dietrich Casey McQuiston Cassandra Clare C.F. White C.G. Drews Charli Meadows Chris Bedell Ciara Smyth Clarissa Pattern C.L. Beaumont Colette Davison Colleen Hoover Crystal Frasier C.S. Pacat Daven McQueen David Biddle David Yoon Dean Atta Debbie McGowan Debbie Rigaud Debbie Schrack Deborah Harkness Delia Owens D.G. Carothers Dhonielle Clayton Douglas Stuart Dustin Thao Elisa A. Bonnin Elizabeth Acevedo Elizabeth Arroyo Elle Kennedy Elle Wright E. Lockhart Emily M. Danforth Emily Mims Erin Watt Ernest Cline Evan J. Corbin Eve Morton Everina Maxwell Evie Dunmore Felice Stevens Grace Williams Gwen Martin Hanya Yanagihara Hayden Stone Heather Truett H.E. Edgmon Hettie Bell Holly Black Hope Irving Hudson Lin Ingrid Sterling Jacqueline Lee Jacqueline Woodson James L. Sutter Jamie Deacon Jandy Nelson Jax Calder Jay Hogan Jeanette Winterson Jeff Zentner Jen Bailey Jenna Evans Welch Jenn Burke Jennifer E. Smith Jennifer G. Edelson Jennifer Gilmore Jennifer Iacopelli Jennifer Kropf Jennifer Niven Jenny Downham Jenny Han Jeremy Ray Jesse H. Reign Joelle Lynne John Green Jonny Garza Villa Julianne Donaldson Julian Winters Kacen Callender Kami Garcia Kara Leigh Miller Kasie West Kate Larkindale Katharine McGee Kathleen Mareé KD Casey Kendall Grey Kevin Van Whye Kiley Reid Kim Fielding Kim Holden Kim Liggett Kitty Bardot Kris Ripper K.S. Marsden Laura Hall Laura Pavlov Laura Silverman Lauren James Laurie Frankel Leah Johnson Lee Matthew Goldberg Leigh Bardugo Leylah Attar Lisa Henry Lisa Williamson Lisa Wingate Liv Rancourt Liz Plum Lola Noire Lynn Michaels Mackenzi Lee Madeline Miller Magdalena Di Sotru Maggie Doolin Maggie Stiefvater Malin Persson Giolito Malorie Blackman Margaret Stohl Marie Lu Mary E. Pearson Mason Deaver Matthew R. Corr Melina Marchetta Meredith Russo Miel Moreland Mila Gray Miranda Kenneally Moa Backe Astot Morgan James M. Tasia Nancy Garden Natalie Haynes Nicholas Sparks Nicola Yoon Nic Starr Nic Stone Nina Kenwood Nita Tyndall Nora Sakavic N.R. Walker Owen Lach Penny Aimes Phil Stamper Quinn Anderson Rachael Brownell Rachael Lippincott Rachel Hawkins Rainbow Rowell Ray Stoeve Renée Dahlia Rhiannon Wilde Riley Hart River Braun Roan Parrish Robin Gow Roseanne A. Brown Rowan MacKemsley Ruby Moone Ruta Sepetys Ryan La Sala Sally Green Sally Rooney Sarah J. Maas Sarah Waters Sarina Bowen Sasha Laurens Saundra Mitchell Saxon James Serena Bell Shannon O’Connor Sidney Bell Simone Elkeles Siryn Sueng Sophia DeRise Sophia Soames Sophie Gonzales S.R. Lane Stephen Chbosky Stephenie Meyer Steven Salvatore Susan Mac Nicol Suzanne Collins Tahereh Mafi Tal Bauer Tamara Girardi Teagan Hunter Terry J. Benton-Walker Tiffany D. Jackson Timothy Janovsky T.J. Klune T.L. Bradford Tobly McSmith Tomasz Jedrowski Tomi Adeyemi Tracy Deonn Val Wise Veronica Rossi Veronica Roth V.E. Schwab Victor Dixen Victoria Aveyard V.L. Stuart Wesley Chu Xan Van Rooyen Yamile Saied Méndez

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