Eh..... ( )

This story feels like a smorgasbord of story elements the author thought were cool thrown together in a reasonably compelling story line. There is Ciardis' journey from peasant to courtesan, Prince Sebastian's coming of age, and some other threat yet clearly described looming over the entire Algardis kingdom. In short, there is plenty of material and room for exploration. However, most of the book felt like a missed opportunity. The tension between characters could have been played out more, the action scenes more descriptive and less brutal in their clinical play-by-play style.

Overall, the story and basic setting have potential, but the writing style is not strong enough to cover up the clunky pacing, under-developed subplots, and non-existent character development. ( )

Sworn to Raise is a fantasy novel centered around Ciardis - a poor, orphaned, teenage girl who grew up in a rural land. A caravan travels to her town one day, and she meets someone who offers her the opportunity to change her circumstances. She accepts, and the adventure begins.

I was drawn to this story for the fantasy and mage aspects. I liked the differentiation between certain types of mages as opposed to everyone having the same types of abilities. The protagonist's magical ability is magnifying the power of other mages. I kind of questioned how that would play out, as at first glance it seemed a little lackluster for a power. But it worked very well, as Ciardis could basically reap the enhanced benefits of any mage she came in contact with.

I thought the author did a good job with world-building and imagery. I liked that the characters were flawed and multi-dimensional. I plan to continue the series and look forward to what it brings. *crosses fingers* Especially if that something is puberty hitting the prince full-blast. =D ( )

There are those books that you just love to hate. You quote them, you have fun mocking the book, et cetera. And there are those books that blow you off your feet from the incomprehensible amount of beauty, minimal flaws, and the most perfectly written characters.

And then there are books like Sworn to Raise.

You don't hate them, you don't love them, and they don't really affect your life in any way. You're kind of indifferent to everything that occurs and could care less about any of the characters. You notice the countless flaws, but couldn't be bothered enough to actually list all of them.

Usually, this "meh" feeling is a sigh of amateur writing and under-developed characters. Needless to say, when readers feel this way towards a book, that is a BAAAAAD sign.

From the moment I began reading this, the writing clearly needed work. There were run-on sentences, sentences that made little sense, and sentences that completely ignored the rules of grammar. It was painful to read, to say the least.

AND THE MISPLACED COMMAS OH GOD.

Trudging through this book, I noticed that it lacked the given fundamentals that a reader expects. The plot went all over the place, there was no cohesiveness, and plenty of times I found myself scratching my head out of confusion. The conversations flowed unnaturally. To be put bluntly, it was all very awkward.

I could go on and on about the numerous problems with this book, (ex: why did she willingly travel with an unknown stranger? Where was the world-building?) but, I don’t believe this series has much hope. It needs a lot more improvement, and by a lot, I mean A LOT. Just read this sentence and you be the judge.

"Inch by inch, it withdrew from the core of his magic like a parasitic water worm being withdrawn from a swollen sore."

....

( )

Very unique world
Mostly interesting characters
A plot to enjoy

Setting was the best
Imagination spills out
Villages and towns

Killer libraries
Castles, kitchens, carriages
vivid around me

People weren't formed well
Ciardis especially
Could have been stronger

I did like some though
A select few had fire!
But only a few

Interesting read
Not very recommended
Was not bad, nor great


Well, this was a hard review to write! I didn't feel strongly one way or the other with this book. The ideas and setting were good, but I did not like Ciardis. I know some will though, and I am sure others will find it enjoyable.

The book tells us Ciardis is strong, and sometimes she is. (I do like it when she is feisty!) But not all the time. She cries at a little bullying, nearly in front of the bully! Not a good idea, she should have known that. Other times she is unreasonable. And her dialogue felt incredibly forced. Her personality kind of bounces, with no depth.

As I said in my attempt of a poem, the world and magic was great. The ending was epic too! I loved the setting! Just not my type of characters. And for me, characters are the key to what books I like and don't. Anyone agree with me?

3/5 bookcases
I liked it, kinda. But I won't read it again. I am glad I read it though! For fantasy lovers, I would say give this a try! If you are already reluctant to read the genre, though, I wouldn't,

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*

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