Prophecies and Expectations
Forging Kingdoms #1
Release Date:
January 1, 2025
Welcome to Yuiba. Where the land is healing from the cruelty of its past king, a prophecy promises to heal it, and a bad marriage could break it...
Evadne’s birth was prophesied long ago to mend the broken bonds between the races of Yuiba. Because of the prophecy, her people were hunted to near extinction and she’s the last to be born. Her family lives in secrecy in the Anjour Wood to keep her safe. But all of that is about to change.
Kali is revered in the Shimmering Peaks due to the dragon form she takes. She has sworn herself to be at the beck and call of the dragon council. However, things go astray when she is wrongly accused of theft by the knights at the Dragonbone Wall fort. When she is transferred to the dungeon beneath the castle, things end up taking a different turn for her as she learns there’s more to life beyond one’s sworn duties.
Serena is the Princess of Yuiba. She is engaged to the Prince of Eshus, but things take a turn when he reveals his true colors at the ball celebrating their betrothal. Then she meets a stranger and their connection is undeniable. She can either marry the Prince of Eshus or be swept off her feet with a man straight out of her romance novels. Which will she choose?
Will the kingdom ever experience peace?
Described as the perfect closed-door alternative to ACOTAR and TOG.
CW/CDR Level 2. Mild peril, including sword fighting, brief torture using a dagger, and battle-related injuries/trauma. Brief instance of non-romantacized abuse. Mild nudity due to shifters (called weres in this series) changing form. No swearing. There are a variety of magical creatures from werecats to vampires. There is resolution at the end of this book but it does leave you begging for more and leads into the next installment of the series.
Reviews
Love. Loss. Finding Yourself.
This debut fantasy novel addresses a multitude of life's challenges; grief and loss, inadequacy, abuse, and racism(in the form of differing species).
Page after page I was drawn into the world of Prophecies and Expectations and I grew to love each character. This book features multiple POVs from all of the main characters which truly allows for the reader to be immersed within the story.
I cannot wait for the second book within the Forging Kingdom's series.
Tropes:
💛He falls first
⚔️Touch her and die
😂Witty banter
💪🏼 Bada$$ FMC's
✨Chosen one
Romance: Multiple romance perspectives💞
Spice: No spice 🚫🌶️
Cherokee
Prophecies and Expectations is a first-person multi-POV book with an epic scope but plenty of emotional angst. The characters and plot are well-balanced. One male protagonist and three female MCs alternate chapters, giving the reader insight into each character's thoughts and feelings as the plot unfolds. The stakes are high, and I felt deeply invested in each character. The world-building immerses you with vivid details and pauses to let you drink it all in, though the pacing never lags, showing everything through the eyes of the MCs. Though a fantasy, everything has a "real" feel. Things like weapons practice are described realistically in a way that shows thorough research but without technical terminology, making it easy to understand and follow the movement in the scene.
The plot has two separate points. One is a need for a multi-racial council within Yuiba, and the other is a need for a marriage alliance with a neighboring kingdom. Both goals are clear, but seemed unconnected except that working on the second helps the characters with the first goal. The first half of the book focused on characters accepting their roles with "Chosen one" vibes and internal struggles, while the second half had more of a questing feel and an external plot. Overall, the need for peace, both within the kingdom and without, within yourself and with others, is an overarching theme.
The on-page romance is sizzling without becoming explicit. There is mild touching (Clean and Wholesome Level 2), kissing, and discussion of fated mates. A history of war between the races provides the perfect enemies-to-lovers backdrop. There is some resolution, but decisions made will have repercussions, and a shocking ending will leave you eager for the next installment.
Additional content notes:
Werewolves, weredragons, vampires, and a witch make an appearance, among other magical beings. Ancient Ones are revered as having power over the fate of the characters and are appealed to for aid.
There is no foul language, but a sparring antagonist spits some suggestive insults and one character makes a rude gesture. Shifter-related nudity makes for some awkward but funny scenes without going into too much description. Female clothing and how it fits in relation to a woman's figure is described matter-of-factly from the woman's perspective. Some sword-fighting violence and a brief torture scene.
4.5 rounded up
I read an ARC and this is my honest opinion.
Amber
This is a review of an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) I was given by the authors Josephine Carnes and Hillary Rouzan. This is a voluntary review and my own honest opinions.
Boiling chemistry, dragons, shadow- powers and protective love interests? I will be re-reading this soon already.
Have you ever read a book and immediately wished you could find someone to wipe your memory so you may read it again for the first time, and experience the laughs, the shock, and the swoons all again? I have been honored to read a couple of those books in my life, and this one is among their ranking. I have been searching for romantasy books that offer some of my favorite tropes without the spice; things like found family, unique magic, world-building, multiple romantic pairings with their own POVs, transforming magic, and shadow powers… and EXCUSE ME, but HEAR YE HEAR YE… this had it ALL. I mean, seriously, ALL of those tropes. From the first chapter, I knew I was diving into a new world I would not want to leave quickly.
This book instantly introduced me to a world of independent, self-sufficient, and daring FMCs. Evadne, Kali, and Serena are our main FMCs and although they definitely have distinct personalities, they share such a drive to create their own destiny and follow their hearts. They each have their own strengths, sometimes even a little magical with some shifting powers. There is some species shifting/ transforming, and although they do have to shift and then clothe at times, there is not very, graphic detail or anything that I found to be very open door (in fact, one of our MMCs makes a point of being an absolute gentleman-and I love a respectful MMC). There is no spice either, as I only read and review closed door books.
The MMCs I will not offer a huge amount of detail on because…. Well quite frankly I don’t want to ruin anything and one of the love pairings had me gasping at 1am going “WHAT?!?” So here is what I WILL say, the MMCs cover all of my favorite characteristics and themes, but let’s dive in a bit. There is instant chemistry for most, and although it isn’t instant love, it was instant steam (not spice though!). And I was blushing from one of them, cause it is just adorable banter and charm the whole way. They are protective, respectful, and sometimes a little unhinged (but never towards our FMCs). They love, protect, and value their love interests; and I am so here for it. We have MMCs with shifting powers, shadow powers, and a MMC that might, possibly…perhaps have fangs.
I will end here with, I do NOT do spoilers. However, once you have read it, please let me know your thoughts on what comes next…. Cause I am so emotionally invested. I need the book, even just next chapter… you know what, even just a page. I have come up with so many theories, and all I can ask of the wonderful authors is please be gentle with my heart cause I am SO hoping for a certain love pairing in the next book.
Darling