Sworn to Raise
Series- Courtlight Series #1
By- Terah Edun
Genre- Young Adult, Fantasy, Coming of Age
Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Ciardis has grown up in poverty, a cleaner in a small vale on the outskirts of the empire. But beneath her empire’s seemingly idyllic surface lies a hidden secret. Whispers of an inept crown Prince are growing ever louder—intensified by the five year anniversary of the soulbond initiations.
Amidst scandalous whispers, Ciardis finds herself chosen to train for the Companion’s Guild. She leaves her home and sets off on a personal journey to become a Court Companion. A position she’d never thought possible for a lowly servant to obtain, she must prove that she has the skills to attract a Patron.
But she must master those skills quickly. If the legends are true, only Ciardis can harness the power to raise a Prince in an Imperial Court sworn to bring him down.
This sensational series debut melds intricate storylines with remarkable characters and unforgettable magic. Sworn To Raise is ideal for fans of Kristin Cashore, Michelle Sagara, and Maria Snyder.
Review:
I'm sure you've seen this series up on my blog quite a few times lately and I am so glad I finally get a chance to read it because it really has intrigued me from all the posts about it. This is a High Fantasy piece at heart and as such the story to be told here is rather large. You have Royals and social structure to magic and other skills that really draw you into this fantastical world. Ciardis is a 17 year-old girl who has done nothing but launder her entire life. She is an orphan and from a very early age learned to take care of herself by working hard and long hours. However, that all changes when she meets Serena, a women of status known as a companion, and she takes Ciardis under her wing to become a companion herself. Sworn to Raise takes you on a poor orphan's journey through the court life of tricks and deception on her way to finding out more about herself than she thought possible.
Ciardis is a great female lead in my eyes. She comes from literally nothing, no family or stature and has made a living for herself no matter how meager, through hard work. You have to love a character that knows that a little elbow grease is required in life and she flourishes into a real woman by the end of the book. Her growth is visible and not all of it is because she is suddenly in the middle of the highest class of people, but of her own qualities that get to shine because of the opportunity present to her. Plus, between her own accomplishments and problems cleverly solved , such as her reading problem, this story balances overcoming odds with getting some much needed help along the way. Pair her with the cast of characters around her in Sworn to Raise and they really lead you on this great journey around a fantasy kingdom with a lot of drama going down!
That world is what my favorite part of the story comes from. Fantasy is a tough genre to write, I've said this before, simply because of all the world building that has to be done in order for a story to work. You can't be too vague because the reader can't understand what the environment that these characters are in is suppose to look like and if you just ramble on and on about scenery and other things around said characters, people find it boring. Sworn to Raise does this perfectly. I have to give the author huge props for showing me what this world looks like versus telling me. Little things like letting me know the carriages that Serena and Ciardis are traveling in away from her home are actually sleds let me know she comes from a where it is wintery or when they arrive at the Companions Guild, the fact that she mistakes it for the Imperial Castle makes you understand how high these woman are regarded. Subtle hints in a fantasy world without losing the enormity of it are what takes this story from being really good to great. These women are not to be trifled with and reminded me so much of the similar named companions of Sci-Fi fixtures like Dr. Who that I had a hard time finding this book anything but enjoyable to read! Sworn to raise will take you on a unique journey of a strong female character and show you a world you have never seen before. - My Opinion- Buy it!
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Sworn to Transfer
Series- Courtlight Series # 2
By- Terah Edun
Genre- Young Adult, Fantasy, Coming of Age
Blurb:
Eighteen-year-old companion trainee Ciardis Weathervane has won the friendship of the royal heir and saved his claim to the throne. Yet her interference in the inheritance rights leaves more harm done than good. The Ameles Forest lies unprotected and its inhabitants are dying.
As humans begin to die in gruesome deaths, the Emperor dispatches the royal heir to the forests with the solution to the kith concerns.
With enemies closing ranks in Sandrin, Ciardis can little afford to leave the city’s nest of vipers to take on a new task. But she’s given no choice when her loyalty to the crown and courts are called into question.
To keep the Companions’ Guild happy and the favor of the Imperial Court, Ciardis will be tested in frightening new ways, especially when she’s faced with an obstacle that could risk the lives of her friends and the family she never thought she had.
This second novel continues the story of Ciardis Weathervane from Sworn To Raise.
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Amazon
Amazon
Series- Courtlight Series # 3
By- Terah Edun
Genre- Young Adult, Fantasy, Coming of Age
Expected Publication Date- December 6, 2013
Blurb:
This third novel continues the story of Ciardis Weathervane from Sworn To Transfer.
Ciardis Weathervane fought for the living dead and won. But worse than taking on a mass murderer, was her discovery that she had been deceived by her friends. Now she needs to not only fight a war in the North and survive, but also decide where she stands in the midst of competing sides.
A threat to all she holds dear lies in the North and her heart is not the only thing she might lose. A massive army awaits in the mountain pass, surging closer to the gates of the southern lands. Nothing the Algardis army has done so far has dissuaded their march forward and Ciardis finds out that her powers to enhance are needed now more than ever.
As she faces her greatest fears on the battlefields and her heart is torn between her love of Sebastian and loyalty to her family, Ciardis must choose her fate carefully. For in her path, lies the destiny of the empire.
This third novel continues the story of Ciardis Weathervane from Sworn To Transfer.
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About the author:
Terah Edun is a young adult fantasy writer born and raised in the Atlanta metropolitan area, who transplanted to the Northeast region for college, and has spent years living abroad in South Sudan and Morocco. She writes the stories that she always loved to read as a young girl.
Check her out:
Twitter- https://twitter.com/tedunwrites
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/TerahEdunAuthor
Website- http://teedun.com/
NetGalley- https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/show/id/36428
GIVEAWAY!
Thanks so much for your amazing review of Sworn To Raise Kathy! :D
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