Book Review #18: The King’s Sorceress (The Sorceress Saga Book 1) by Giselle Jeffries Schneider

Hello Dear Reader!

Welcome to another indie book review! This one came a lot sooner than the usual “one book review every three weeks” because of this book’s short length. Honestly, I am thinking about dedicated one day of the week to book reviews that isn’t Sunday just because I know I can finish most books within three weeks.

But enough about that! Let’s get into the review!

The King’s Sorceress by Giselle Jeffries Schneider is a charming fantasy read that follows the story of young sorceress Aria and her journey in escaping, staying hidden from, and foiling the plans of King Crane, the cruel man she’s been forced to serve. Before we get deep into the review, here is the back-cover summary (from Amazon):

One girl’s daring escape to save the last kingdom in the realm. The day Aria turned twelve, her entire life changed. She went from being the King’s daughter to being the King’s Sorceress. Though, monster is the most common term she hears. She’s a monster. She kills without a second thought, unconcerned about the emotions she steals to complete the job. No one knows what is truly in her heart and mind.

Man, this back-cover summary really has me wishing I was better at summarizing. Anyway, on to the review!

The King’s Sorceress focuses on main character Aria, who is assumed to be about eighteen years old. I say assumed because she doesn’t know the year she was born, which is really sad. What’s also really sad is that this girl really hates the fact that she exists, especially because of her powers, which I won’t spoil in this review. As a result of the king abusing her powers for his own personal gain, Aria has come to believe that her powers are purely evil, that she is evil, and that she is better off dead. Fortunately, she meets another magic-user named Nicholas, who takes it upon himself to protect her, take care of her, and train her in the proper use of her powers.

I love the main characters Aria and Nicholas, mainly because I find them relatable in some way. Their characters are shown to have a lot of depth in the book, and I just love their dynamic. It’s very wholesome and sweet, which caters to my personal preferences, so I’m probably biased in saying all of this. The small cast of side characters joining Aria and Nicholas also have their own distinct personalities, which I love. Even though they’ve had very little of their own time in the book, I was able to get a grasp of what they were like as people.

While not much is said about the world itself throughout the book, the short snippet about how the kingdoms in this world came to be at the beginning of the book was really informative, and I found it rather enjoyable. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that opened like that, so it was rather refreshing for me. If you’re something who likes books who open in this way, then you’ll like it, too.

While I did enjoy this book overall, there were a few things that took away from the reading experience for me personally, but not too much. Mainly, I wish that the world was expanded on a bit more. Also, I would’ve liked to see more of a gradual building of Aria and Nicholas’s relationship throughout the book. To me personally, it just seemed rushed, and I felt like the story itself was rushed. There was a lot put into the 150 pages of this book, and I just wanted things to be fleshed out more. There were also some scenes that were supposed to hit pretty hard emotionally, but I didn’t feel an emotional connection while reading them. Finally, the ending was really abrupt. I wasn’t expecting it at all, and for me personally, it didn’t leave me wanting to read more. It left me feeling a bit frustrated because I just wanted more from the book itself.

So, The King’s Sorceress rating:

6/10 and would recommend if you’re looking for a charming, fast-paced fantasy read! Despite my criticisms, I did enjoy reading this book, and I did come to love Aria’s and Nicholas’s characters. If you’re looking for a shorter fantasy read, then I definitely recommend this for you!

That’s all for this book review! Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for reading!