Each month you will make a post with three books from your TBR List (these books can be already on your kindle or shelf or books you might want to purchase) and add your link on the linky that will be provided on my post. Your followers and the people on the linky will help you choose which book you will read next. The following Saturday you will announce the book that won. Then read the book and on the last Saturday of the month post a review. MY TBR List is now hosted by both Michelle and Berls(Because Reading) so be sure to link up your reviews below!
Ledge by Stacey McEwan Series: The Glacian Trilogy #1
Published by Angry Robot on September 13, 2022
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance
Pages: 271
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library, Purchased
Goodreads
After being randomly selected as a human sacrifice, instead of death, Dawsyn finds herself on a quest to save her people from their icy prison...---
In a place known as the Ledge, a civilization is trapped by a vast chasm and sheer mountain face. There is no way for anyone to escape the frozen wasteland without befalling a deathly drop. They know nothing of the outside world except that it is where the Glacians reside – mystical and vicious winged creatures who bring meagre rations in exchange for a periodic human sacrifice.
Dawsyn, ax wielder and only remaining member of her family, has so far avoided the annual culling, but her luck has run out. She is chosen and ripped from her icy home, the only world she knows. No one knows what will happen to her on the other side, least of all Dawsyn. Murdered? Enslaved? Worse?
Fortunately, a half-Glacian called Ryon offers to help them both escape, but how can she trust one of the very creatures that plagued her life? Dawsyn is a survivor, and she is not afraid to cut anyone down to live.
With a slow-burning romance, high stakes and even higher rewards, this richly created new fantasy series by popular TikToker Stacey McEwan will keep you gripped to the very end.
*Content warnings* gratuitous violence & death; death of a minor; suicide; attempted sexual assault
My top thoughts:
I came into Ledge with few expectations one way or the other, beyond loving the cover and thinking the blurb sounded interesting. I was blissfully unaware of the the fact this book was LITERALLY a result of tiktok. Maybe because of that, I think I ended up enjoying it more than Michelle. Her review will be coming this week, so be sure to check it out to get her full take. I personally LOVED it though.
What I liked/didn’t like:
The fantasy world that Stacy McEwan built is fantastic. As with many first books in a fantasy world, I had moments where I was a bit uncertain about what was being described, but this feeling was short lived. I feel like I had a good grasp of the world (at least to the understanding of Dawyson, whose view of the world is understandably limited) by at least chapter 10. Everything else I was figuring out along with Dawyson, so that worked well.
I feel like it’s really important to note that this is not YA. Like at all. I went into it thinking – and I’m not really sure why – that it was YA and I know Michelle thought the same. But that impression is fully dismissed within the first few chapters. I think it might be considered New Adult, as both Dawyson and Ryon are younger – maybe 20s? There are some other characters that are definitely older (oh and Iove a casual interjection of a ambiguously gendered character!). But the violence and sex definitely bring this book to adult status.
Speaking of… okay so this book has a decent dose of both. The violence has breaks for sure, but there are battles and vivid death scenes for sure. And Dawyson has been living a pretty brutal life. It makes her a fantastic character with a fierceness and bluntness that I loved. When you’ve lived every day of your life thinking that today could very easily be the day you die, I think you let go of giving a shit how you talk to others and how they perceive you. And the romance/sex. So for most the book, it’s kind of a slow burn. It’s an enemies-to-lovers meets forbidden love trope. But you always know where it’s headed and it’s a fairly prominent part of the story (which I enjoyed).
The plot had some great twists and I was held captive — to the point that when my library loan expired and I couldn’t get the book right away because of a wait list I went ahead and bought the hard cover and preordered the next book while I was at it. And boy do I wish that book were out already because this one ended on a cliff! I was wondering where it was going because I knew this was a trilogy and I was trying to think how the next book would be, making guesses and what it would be about since things felt relatively well resolved, though there were definitely threads to pull… and then BAM! Plot twist and BAM! THE END!! <<== Yep I’m telling you there is a cliff! So if you’re bothered by cliffs hold off until September. But if you don’t mind them, I definitely recommend this book. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
I discovered this book because of tik tok lol I bought it RIGHT before she had it traditionally published so I’m curious how many changes were made between my edition and the new edition. I think the author is pretty funny, but I haven’t read the book yet. I’m glad you enjoyed it!