I loved this. It was fun, creative, and exciting without ever being stressful. Like, I am always a fan of brutal YA fantasy competition plots but something about this just not being tense made me so happy. Aiden has been an auto-buy author for me for years but this may be my new favorite.
The pacing was excellent, and the balance of setting up the world/characters/trials, to how each of the trials was spaced out kept me engaged the entire time. I loved the world and the detailed descriptions of each city and how they operated in accordance with their god.
Teo was just such a gem. Again, in YA fantasy competition plots we usually get a pretty broody MC. Having Teo as this ray of freaking sunshine the whole time while being completely over his head was so much fun. His passion for his friends, his mom, his city, and the people. It all came through to make such an endearing character.
Then the ending had me SHOOK and anxiously awaiting the next one.
The pacing was excellent, and the balance of setting up the world/characters/trials, to how each of the trials was spaced out kept me engaged the entire time. I loved the world and the detailed descriptions of each city and how they operated in accordance with their god.
Teo was just such a gem. Again, in YA fantasy competition plots we usually get a pretty broody MC. Having Teo as this ray of freaking sunshine the whole time while being completely over his head was so much fun. His passion for his friends, his mom, his city, and the people. It all came through to make such an endearing character.
Then the ending had me SHOOK and anxiously awaiting the next one.