A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross
Jack Tamerlaine hasn’t set foot on Cadence in ten long years, content to study music at the mainland university. But when young girls start disappearing from the isle, Jack is summoned home to help find them. Enchantments run deep on Cadence: gossip is carried by the wind; plaid shawls can be as strong as armor, and the smallest cut of a knife can instil fathomless fear. The capricious spirits that rule the isle by fire, water, earth, and wind find mirth in the lives of the humans who call the land home. Adaira, heiress of the east and Jack’s childhood enemy, knows the spirits only answer to a bard’s music, and she hopes Jack can draw them forth by song, enticing them to return the missing girls.
As Jack and Adaira reluctantly work together, they find they make better allies than rivals as their partnership turns into something more. But with each passing song, it becomes apparent the trouble with the spirits is far more sinister than they first expected, and an older, darker secret about Cadence lurks beneath the surface, threatening to undo them all.
For the Reading Challenge(s):
2024 52 Book Club Reading Challenge (Prompt #15: Part of a duology)
2024 Library Love Reading Challenge
The Reason
I had this book on my TBR, but I moved it up the list because my friends were doing a buddy-read for it and I was enticed!
The Quotes
“I once thought home was simply a place. Four walls to hold you at night while you slept. But I was wrong. It’s people. It’s being with the ones that you love, and maybe even the ones that you hate.”
“There is no failure in love, and I have loved without measure. In this, I am complete.”
“Our hands can steal, or they can give. They can harm, or they can comfort. They can wound and kill, or they can heal and save. Which will you choose for your hands Torin?”
“You have become more to me than mere words spoken on a midsummer night.”
The Characters
Jack, Adaira, Sidra, and Torin. These are the main characters, and I love them because of how interesting they are to the story, not necessarily because they are lovable characters. Sidra is my favorite out of them all because I find her to be strong, mysterious, and just fascinating. I love that she’s so strong in her beliefs and convictions, I love that she’s independent, and how connected she is with nature and the spirits. I also love her character arc and the lessons she learns.
The other characters are interesting too, but not necessarily characters I love. I love their roles in the story and the parts they play. I love their arcs too, and the lessons they learn. This is a duology, so I expect that there’s more to come, and I’d like to get to know all of them better and see them grow.
My Thoughts
The start was a little slow for me, and I found it difficult to get into. It didn’t hold my interest and every time I put it down, it was hard to pick it back up. I kept going because it was a buddy read and that motivated me. The second half was a lot better, more exciting, and it went a lot faster. I had some problems with the plot, I felt like it could’ve been done better, and I didn’t really like how things were resolved in the end. However, I realize it’s a duology and there’s more to come.
The saving grace here is the characters. I am a character-driven reader, and while the plot bothered me, the characters and their stories were interesting enough to keep me invested. They aren’t the best characters, mind you, but they are interesting, and I love seeing them navigate their world and their roles in it.
My Feels
My favorite parts were seeing the relationships between the characters. Not just the romantic ones, but also the familial ones. It was heartwarming to see how the different relationships developed, and the communication they had with each other.
My Rating
3/5 stars. I really like it, but it doesn’t quite hit the spot.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
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