My book reviews for the Curse of Shavhalla trilogy by T. A. Hernendaz, including Tethered Spirits and The Revenant Prince. Please be aware that the review for the second book contains spoilers.

Tethered Spirits by T. A. Hernandez
Published by Independently Published
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: Fiction
Genres and Categories: Action, Adventure, Dark Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Animal Companion Characters, Diverse Representation, Magic Users, Musician Characters, Brown Characters, Gay Characters, Mental Health Representation, Queer Characters, Chronic Illness, Mental Health, Physical Disabilities, Trauma, Curses, Fire Magic, Various Magic, Dragons, Spirits, Undead, Found Family
Series: Curse of Shavhalla #1
My Rating:
Published on: 14th December 2021
Pages: 639
Disability Representation: Amnesia, Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Pain, Depression, Fictional Condition, PTSD, Self-Harm, Suicidal Ideation, Terminal Illness, Trauma
Buy this Book! Amazon UK / Amazon US / Barnes & Noble / Blackwells / Bookshop.org US / Waterstones
Add to Goodreads

A spellbinding tale full of magic, adventure, & heartfelt emotion.

Amar is searching for his lost memories, hoping they will reveal more about the curse that plagues him. With support from loyal friends, he may finally be on the verge of finding answers. To succeed, he'll need to enlist the help of an unexpected guide.

Kesari is a Tarja, granted magical abilities through her Bond with a spirit named Lucian. Haunted by past mistakes that have left her desperate to give up her magic, Kesari has her own reasons for agreeing to help Amar. But in doing so, she may finally have to face her unresolved fears.

Meanwhile, a young refugee named Aleida is in pursuit, convinced the secret behind Amar's curse can save her brother from a fatal illness. With nothing left to lose, Aleida will do whatever it takes to achieve her goal.

When their paths collide, all three are set on a journey to unravel a mystery far deeper than they ever suspected.

If you enjoyed the whimsy of Howl's Moving Castle and the character relationships in Six of Crows, you'll love this book.

This book was provided for free by the Author and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book!

Content Warnings:

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When T. A. Hernandez was looking for reviewers for the first book in a new fantasy novel, I was happy to offer to help. I’d heard her talking about Tethered Spirits for a while now, and I was intrigued by the world she had created and the characters she introduces in the synopsis. Tethered Spirits offered a whole bunch of things that I love in books, including, but not limited to “messy POV characters”, healing from trauma, found family, a snarky fire spirit and “a badass and nurturing warrior”. Honestly, she had me at “lots of magic”, so the rest was just a bonus!

Tethered Spirits is a novel filled with rich world-building and fascinating characters who end up thrown together as their paths end up entwined around one man, Amar. For one reason or another, they are on a quest to help him find out what has happened to him, to unravel the mystery of why he can’t remember who he is or where he’s from. There’s much more to the story, and as that’s a huge spoiler, all I’m going to say is that the details of his curse are not as simple as amnesia. It’s world-changing if it can be duplicated, and some people want to do so for good, and there are people who want to get hold of Amar for their own selfish reasons.

This is a book where not everything is as it seems, and even when I’d begun to work out the twisted plots that Hernandez weaves, I didn’t see that huge twist at the end. She has magnificently set it up for book two, but I am getting way ahead of myself; there is plenty to unpack in book one without thinking ahead!

The magic system in Tethered Spirits is very interesting and unique. People can become mages (Tarjas) by tying themselves to the spirit of a deceased Tarja. That sounds extremely necromantic and dodgy as hell; however, it’s quite the opposite. It’s a symbiotic relationship. In exchange for getting to live on in the form of a spirit, the deceased Tarja can bond with a person and share their abilities with them. The spirit Tarja only has a short period of time to bond with a person after death, and if they fail to do so, their spirit has to move on. The bond they form is a close one, and the spirit’s form depends on how powerful they were in life.

This offers a whole new dynamic to the concept of magic and familiars, and in Tethered Spirits, we see two very different Tarjas and two equally unique spirits. The juxtaposition between the two also highlights the comparison between the two young women who are bound to the spirits, and this is where Hernandez’s writing really shines. Every character shines bright, yet not glaringly so. This is very much a novel of found family as Hernandez promised, and they slot together like a jigsaw. Tethered Spirits is all about stories and journeys, some of them happening right in front of us and some of them from long ago. Everything is connected, and sometimes all it takes for healing to begin is for a connection with the right people to be made, to find the right path for oneself. It’s not an easy journey, healing trauma, and Hernandez steers well clear of miraculous cures or other tropes.

This book deals with some heavy themes, and there are dark moments, but I want to emphasise that Tethered Spirits isn’t all about doom and gloom. There are some fabulous moments of dialogue where humour and camaraderie bring light-heartedness to the darkness. The characters are well-rounded in that sense, able to laugh at themselves and each other, teasing each other in a friendly manner even when they’re dodging death. It’s a fun novel, packed with adventure, mystery, magic and friends who have made their own family. If you love fantasy novels, then this needs to go on your TBR pronto.

Revenant Prince by T. A. Hernandez
Published by Independently Published
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: Fiction
Genres and Categories: Action, Adventure, Dark Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Animal Companion Characters, Diverse Representation, Magic Users, Musician Characters, Villain Characters, Brown Characters, Gay Characters, Mental Health Representation, Queer Characters, Chronic Illness, Mental Health, Physical Disabilities, Trauma, Curses, Fire Magic, Various Magic, Spirits
Series: Curse of Shavhalla #2
My Rating:
Published on: 31st March 2023
Pages: 356
Disability Representation: Amnesia, Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Pain, Depression, Trauma
Buy this Book! Amazon UK / Amazon US / Barnes & Noble / Blackwells / Bookshop.org US / Waterstones
Add to Goodreads

They survived, but lost one of their own...

With Amar now under the enemy's control, his loyal friends will stop at nothing to rescue him. To succeed, they must fight inner battles more daunting than even the harshest external challenges. New alliances are forged as former adversaries work toward a common goal, but with Kavora on the brink of war, Kesari, Aleida, and the others face mounting pressure to prevent the conflict. Very soon, it may be too late.

A prince returns to claim his throne...

Seventeen years after Prince Savir's supposed death, an unlikely mentor guides him home to take back his crown. With the evidence clearly laid before them, several of Kavora's most powerful leaders acknowledge his return and support his claim, but convincing the empress to step down will be a much bigger challenge. Before long, Savir is swept up in a complex game of political maneuverings, eager to be more than just a piece on the board. The stakes are high-not only for him, but for the entire empire. To further complicate matters, he can't shake the feeling that something is amiss.

If only he could remember what...

This book was provided for free by the Author and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book!

Full disclosure, I’m slightly biased on this one as I’m one of the sensitivity readers for Revenant Prince. Working with T.A. Hernandez was an absolute pleasure, and she really cared about writing an authentic experience for her disabled character.

This is the second book of a trilogy, and like the first, it is a five-star read for m,e and I highly recommend it! It continues the theme of found family with a diverse cast of characters and plenty of adventure and twists!

Even truth may not bring peace…

Amar never wanted a war, but thanks to the manipulations of a cunning enemy, he's found himself right at the center of one. Establishing peace for Kavora is his highest priority, but to achieve this, he'll have to rally new allies to his cause…a task which could put not only his own life at risk, but the lives of his friends, too.

Even vengeance may not heal old wounds…

Determined to see Valkyra annihilated, Aleida isn't about to let Amar and the others face these challenges on their own. But her ties to them have grown far stronger she ever could have anticipated, and when that loyalty conflicts with her desire for revenge, she is faced with a difficult decision.

Even the most powerful magic may not save them…

Kesari, now a formidable Tarja in her own right, continues to puzzle over Amar's curse, which has the potential to be used as a dangerous tool for power and control. Until it's broken, Valkyra will remain a threat, and ending it could be the best way to defeat her.

With civil war tearing the empire apart and the leaders of both sides unwilling to compromise, it's up to Amar and his friends to end the fight and destroy the foe behind it all.

To come out victorious, they'll have to rely on each other now more than ever before.

Review to come in the future!

About T. A. Hernandez

T. A. Hernandez is a science fiction and fantasy author and long-time fan of speculative fiction. She grew up with her nose habitually stuck in a book and her mind constantly wandering to make-believe worlds full of magic and adventure. She began writing after reading J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings many years ago and is now is happily engaged in an exciting and lifelong quest to tell captivating stories.

She is a clinical social worker and the proud mother of two girls. She also enjoys drawing, reading, graphic design, playing video games, riding her motorcycle, and making happy memories with her family and friends.

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Thanks for reading my book review for the Curse of Shavhalla trilogy by T. A. Hernandez!

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