Review: Onyx and Ivory

Onyx and Ivory
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

They call her Traitor Kate. It’s a title Kate Brighton inherited from her father after he tried to assassinate the high king years ago. Now Kate lives as an outcast, clinging to the fringes of society as a member of the Relay, the imperial courier service. Only those most skilled in riding and bow hunting ride for the Relay; and only the fastest survive, for when dark falls, the nightdrakes—deadly flightless dragons—come out to hunt. Fortunately, Kate has a secret edge: she is a wilder, born with magic that allows her to influence the minds of animals. But it’s this magic that she needs to keep hidden, as being a wilder is forbidden, punishable by death or exile. And it’s this magic that leads her to a caravan massacred by nightdrakes in broad daylight—the only survivor her childhood friend, her first love, the boy she swore to forget, the boy who broke her heart.

The high king’s second son, Corwin Tormane, never asked to lead. Even as he waits for the uror—the once-in-a-generation ritual to decide which of the king’s children will succeed him—he knows it’s always been his brother who will assume the throne. And that’s fine by him. He’d rather spend his days away from the palace, away from the sight of his father, broken with sickness from the attempt on his life. But the peacekeeping tour Corwin is on has given him too much time to reflect upon the night he saved his father’s life—the night he condemned the would-be killer to death and lost the girl he loved. Which is why he takes it on himself to investigate rumors of unrest in one of the remote city-states, only for his caravan to be attacked—and for him to be saved by Kate.

With their paths once more entangled, Kate and Corwin have to put the past behind them. The threat of drakes who attack in the daylight is only the beginning of a darker menace stirring in the kingdom—one whose origins have dire implications for Kate’s father’s attack upon the king and will thrust them into the middle of a brewing civil war in the kingdom of Rime. 

I love a good fantasy book, and this one piqued my interest just from the synopsis! It's a nice chunky book and I was so ready to dive in..and then I read the opening and I knew I was totally stuffed when it came to this book! My interest was grabbed straight away by the world and the characters. Nightdrakes...magic....I was so here for it and I was so curious about it all! Not to mention Kate and the other relay riders and what they do and so on. There where plenty of mysteries thrown in to the plot from the start to keep you interested and keep you reading, and you wanted answers! There where hints of romance mixed in to the plot too. 

I ended up being fully drawn in to the book, the world building was nicely done and there was so much to be curious about....the history of the world, the magic system and so on. I actually really loved the magic system in the book, I was kind of confused at first but then I understood the difference between the two types of magic users and so on. It was an intriguing approach and I was fascinated by the different aspects of it. 

I have to say, I really liked Kate. She was determined, she was a bit of a badass...and I kind of felt for her and how she felt. She's struggled a lot but she doesn't give up and she comes through. I really liked that she had some degree of self awareness too, she's changed a lot since she was younger and she acknowledges that she wouldn't have been able to look at things objectively when she was younger. She also didn't have some of the reactions I thought she would so she kept me on my toes. 

Corwin is our other narrator, I wasn't too sure about him at the beginning, he kind of seemed like a bit of a prat. But you see how things are for him with Edwin, his brother, and how he's been treated and you understand him and he wants to help and make a difference but he actually lacks the confidence, I felt. He struggles to overcome that and it was nice to see that in a main character. 

Along with our MC's, there where a few supporting characters I completely loved! Bonner and Signe where a lot of fun, and I kind of lowkey shipped Bonner and Kate at one point, I'm not going to lie. But then I ended up fully invested in Corwin and Kate. I did however, hardcore ship Dal and Signe! Although I wasn't entirely sure whether I trusted Dal in the beginning, I wanted to love him, but he felt kind of shady to me. I did end up really loving him and I felt for him so badly, he hasn't had it easy but I still kind of feel like there's something about him...the mystery of who his father is perhaps? It has the potential to be something major. 

Of course, there are the less likeable characters. Cort was such a nasty piece of work and I was praying that he would get his but nope. Edwin isn't painted in too good of a light to me either. He has a ridiculous and deep hatred and refuses to see reason or listen to anything Corwin has to say. I was hoping by the end of the book perhaps the two brothers could work together but I think that's going to be pretty impossible unfortunately. 

I'm not going to lie to you guys, there are some pretty big plot twists and reveals that surprised me and had me like "NO WAAAY". Pieces suddenly fell in to place as I was reading and it was brilliantly done! There where all these seemingly innocuous things mentioned, that I thought where to flesh out the world or characters...but they're actually all part of the overall plot and what's really going on and where little clues. Like I picked up on them and noted them but I didn't put it all together! 

Onyx and Ivory is well written, and is full of magic, romance, action an interesting plot and characters. The world and magic system are fleshed out enough without being overly complicated and going in to pages of explanation. The plot keeps you intrigued and keeps drawing you further and further in and the world is painted vividly enough that you can be easily drawn in to the book. 

I'm actually kind of addicted to this new series, and after that ending...I neeeed the next book now! Like..the third trial?! And while Edwin is such a prat I'm still kind of rooting for him to become less of one! Plus there's multiple plot threads to carry on, and we'll get to see more of the world which I'm super excited for! Onyx and Ivory is a brilliant start to a new fantasy series, and I can't wait for more! 

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