A Kingdom of Exiles: The Outcast Fantasy Series

From the very beginning, the length of this novel was intimidating. At times, particularly in the middle, it felt like 1,000 pages the way I was trudging through those sections. That being said, I did really enjoy the story as a whole. I’m quite picky when it comes to fantasy authors and their ability to create a believable and immersive world. Nova did a great job with setting up the land and its inhabitants. In addition to the creation of a culture for each of the unique groups (fae, witch, human), there was some history provided regarding the current political drama. Occasionally, the detail provided became excessive with names of people and/or places the reader had not yet encountered which made some sections drag on much longer than necessary. However, I appreciated the effort demonstrated despite having to traverse through the more information-dense passages.
I was impressed with how well developed most of the characters were. They were not overly described (which allowed for some imaginative interpretation) and felt very authentic in their attitudes and behaviors. I loved the gang of “exiles” and how they bonded together over the course of the novel. The overall premise was also solid with a blending of classic fairy tales and themes from well-known YA novels – such as The Hunger Games or A Court of Thorns and Roses. Especially during the second half, there were multiple storylines happening at the same time which helped to move the story along.
The weakest aspect of the novel (and perhaps this will come into play later) was definitely the multitudes of male fae obsessing over Serena. It seemed that every one that she met was immediately drawn her in some way and either became her enemy or friend/lover. In my opinion, this weakened Serena’s character and led her to be more reactive than proactive. I’m also not a fan of the whole “mate” trope which is present here and seems to be a major factor moving forward.

4.5 stars: Amazing despite many flaws. I will reread it when the next book comes out so I can remember all of the details.

Things I liked:
Honestly, what I like most is the POTENTIAL. I'm excited to see where this will go and I have plot predictions that I just need to see if they play out. I'm a big fan of unpredictable romance plots, and let me tell you, it wasn't until almost the middle of the book that I saw where this romance really was headed... and then it even gets more complicated at the end (which also surprised me). I love it when things get constantly shaken up. The magical world seemed fleshed out satisfactorily, and for the most part I didn't have any problems with how the plot played out. And beautiful cover art!

Things I didn't like:
As others have mentioned, this is eerily like Sarah Maas's faery world in many ways, though there were enough differences that I don't think it's a copy cat... just INSPIRED by Sarah Maas, which is still crossing a bit of a line. And so far Ms. Maas has crafted hers just a little bit better. Other issues: the heroine is embarrassed by her body/look and describes it as awkward and undesirable. I don't feel like she had an appropriate enough epiphany moment where she felt she was beautiful. Maybe that's coming later. Also, A lot of characters and backgrounds were introduced, and for the most part that was done well. There were a few instances though where those things kind of fell flat, but I can't give away details unfortunately without spoiling plot points. There are probably other minor issues that aren't coming to mind.

Overall, I think well of this book.

I was not expecting much but this book was stellar and took me totally by surprise. The story line had some of the classic aspects of Fae novels but also added some new elements. The supporting characters were very well developed, it wasn't just some random background characters that you don't know much about. I won't lie, I didn't expect this had much to offer but I was very much mistaken. This novel was great, the story was different that I didn't feel like I was reading the same old novel from a different author. Give it a shot, you won't be disappointed.

I picked this book up, not knowing what to expect. there weren't any reviews yet, and I didn't know the author, but when it was on kindle Unlimited and I liked the book description, so why not give it a try. I thought it was engaging from the beginning. The characters are extremely enjoyable and I like the aspect of there being many complex personalities in the story. For the most part the story was fast paced, but I found the book long... Let me explain, when I got the book, I thought it was a stand alone rather than the first installment (there isn't a cliff hanger, in case your worried, after that last comment). Then, the overall plot is a bit predictable, or what the overall journey is going to be, with that said, there are plenty of twists and there are several things that keep you guessing. This story is full of adventure, I was just surprised it camped out so long in one place (no pun intended) without accomplishing more of the overall tasks. I will definitely keep an I open for the next book in this story.

I was pleasantly surprised at the turn this story took. I read the first two chapters when I was asked to beta read, so I knew I’d be hooked when I picked up the published copy. But, I had no idea what kind of action-packed adventure I was getting myself into. Just when I thought things couldn’t get worse, they did. When I thought the characters would get a break, the stakes rose, keeping me enthralled.

S.B. Nova did a brilliant job of weaving in characters, twists, and detailed backstory without overwhelming me or dragging the pace. Each character (and there are a lot) is unique with their own voice and motives, adding to the overall tension and conflict.

I love Frazer most–a brooding, darker Fae you don’t anticipate to take on such a huge role in Serena’s life. Their vulnerability as individuals is intensified by their friendship and their characters strengthened by it. This is so well done! I was taken completely off guard by the uniqueness of their relationship.

There are a few instances I thought I might be able to predict, but a kink in the characters’ plans or their reactions threw me off every time. I do think I know what will happen with Serena’s love interest issue, though. However, I’m glad the book ended the way it did, and that the issues of romance are stalled in more ways than one.

I’m anxious to continue this story, and will have a book hangover for a while!

I liked the author’s writing. The beginning of the book is slow but interesting and kept my curiosity captivated. The characters are well developed. The writing has a great flow. The details of the backstory is well done and it connects to each characters with a twist without extreme dragging the pace of the story. Each characters has their own story, plot and motives. Some scenes were predictable however still entertaining. Serena the main character deals with the death of her mother, and then with the death of her loving father and a twisted stepmother that drives her away from home to a mystical fae land, where she encounters love and develops friendship throughout her anguish and sorrow. I loved the plot of the book it was well developed. Can wait for the next book.

I Loved the plot and characters instantly. Draws you in so fast. Has all the stuff great books are made of, magic, darkness, deceit, sex, and some (twisted)!fairy tale vibes. I’m only disappointed that it doesn’t seem like the series is going to continue anytime soon, but the author has written a new book and it seems like the plot is VERY similar (i refuse to read it even though I loved this book because I dont want yet another cliffhanger and left waiting in suspense again. I’ll wait for one or two more books in either series to be published.) Its a great read I just hope the story continues soon before I forget about it or get wrapped up in another author or series. it has the potential to be a favorite for me. Be prepared to be left with a huge cliffhanger and impatiently wanting more.

This story is breathtaking from start to finish. I can see how it would be described as similar to Sarah J. Maas's stories, however despite parallels it is distinct and unique in its own way. The strength and diversity of the characters are fortifying; giving a feel of a realistic world despite being fantastical. The depth and range of love is especially impactful as this is a YA story. The demonstration of different kinds of love is refreshing as it isn't always present in these stories. After many late nights of reading, I can safely say this story will stay with me and I will be waiting for the next one with as much patience as I can muster. Please, drop everything and start this book. I truly doubt you will regret it.

I can’t rave or recommend this book enough! This is not my usual genre of book, but I was looking to infuse my reading with some variety as I read 4-6 books a week. Boy am I glad I did. I couldn’t consume this book fast enough and then was heartbroken for it end. Especially since the sequel isn’t out yet. I just didn’t want to let the world go. So, I’m rereading it as we speak and I already know I will reread it a few more times as I patiently (white knuckling) await the next book in the series. I only reread by absolute favorites, which this one defiantly now is. I don’t like to give spoilers on the contents of the book but let me just say the characters are deep and rich, the setting is painted beautifully with a masterful stroke. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll cringe. You’ll be on the edge of your seat. You’ll think you know what is coming, but you won’t because it is so much better than you could imagine. So, in my humble opinion even if the magic/fantasy genre isn’t your normal pursuit I would HIGHLY recommend stepping out and taking a chance on this masterpiece. I know I’m so glad I did.

I stumbled upon this and was oh so pleasantly surprised! Yes, yes, and yes! Has some of the story been done before? Well, yeah. It was mildly predictable. But I was still completely invested from page one until the end. It had suspense, colorful world building, and some romance. Each character was well built and the realism was nicely done. My only complaint is the wait time for book 2. I get good stories take time but damn.. I would have waited to read this because in 6-10 months I’m going to lose so much investment and details of the plot and story line. When you read as many books as I do.. that is a lot of stories that blend into one. Sigh. Onto the next.

I read constantly. Every day. This is the first book in a long time that I haven't been able to put down! I seriously loved it! I don't write many reviews, but I had to for this. Only annoying thing is that I don't see anywhere when the next book is being released! I'm seriously having withdrawals already!

I really enjoyed the first part of the story. The protagonist, Serena, was likeable, and it was easy to see that her character development could come in the form of self love and both physical and mental strength. The writing style at this point was comparable to Sarah Mass in terms of plot line, character background, and general diction (as many other reviewers have pointed out. ) It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing to be reminded of Maas but in the back of my mind I kept a notion to look for originality and distance from Maas’s “A Court of Thorns and Roses.”

However, as I’ve neared the halfway point of the story (and stopped reading altogether), I’ve found something along the lines of a tonal shift in Serena in terms of how she thinks, speaks, and behaves. The story drifts away from Maas style, bringing forth an angsty and insecure Serena who struggles with what is essentially a big fat lustful crush on her Fae teacher.

Instead of being challenged by elements of the Fae world such as human discrimination, Serena is instead heartbroken by a Fae crush that won’t seem to work out. Instead of the deadly, military training camp Hunter warned her of, it’s essentially a group of Fae and some humans who occasionally pick on Serena or threaten her for being human. Instead of becoming a woman hardened by grief and strengthened because of it, Serena becomes a hormonal mess of self pity and lustful wishes unrelated to her turbulent past.

There is also an attempted grit in the storyline that missed the mark for me. The author freely uses modern vulgar language (which I have no problem with if used with purpose) along with a mix of original expressions. The original expressions of vulgarity are laughable, reminiscent of something a children’s show would use ie: “what the rutting rats does that mean?” (Page 133). Mixed together, the expressions were at odds with each other and interrupted the flow of the writing.

And last but not least, the killing blow for this story, is the awkward stream of consciousness that is Serena’s first person perspective. Her thoughts about her teacher are scattered and lust driven. Her thoughts about Hunter are confusing with the presence of the teacher. Her vulgarity is misplaced. And because of this, her overall personality is flimsy and aloof to the interests of the reader.

This book had fun world-building and interesting characters. What it lacked - despite the fact that a company called Night Owl managed the publishing of the book - was anyone looking at punctuation, spelling, and misuse of words. This ranged from words that sound the same but are spelled differently (such as bare vs. bear) to totally mistaken use of a word presumed to be correct. It made an otherwise entertaining book painful to read. As Brando might have said in On the Waterfront: "It coulda been a contendah."

I'm rating this 3 stars mostly because of grammatical issues, or else I would have given it 4. In the Kindle version there were more than a handful of grammatical errors that distracted me from the story, mainly leaving out words in the middle of sentences.

Overall though, I loved the story. I could barely put it down. I needed more and still need more. I was a bit confused as to why so many males are drawn to a human, but I won't spoil anything. I think I have an idea as to why, and I think it will make sense if that's where the author will take the next book.

I feel that parts of the book were a little rushed over compared to other sections that were drawn out. I did notice that each character had their own unique personality with flaws. It didn't read as mostly the same characters interacting throughout the book, so the author did an amazing job there. I'm still confused as to who the main character is, as in her essence. She's a little all over the place, but she's an 18 year old human. I suppose she's still figuring that out and growing herself. There was good character development, however I felt two of the main supporting characters had a better development arc than our main heroine. I'm hoping her personality is a little more developed in the next installment!

An exciting and well executed epic with a not totally unique plot, but a well done one. The strong points of the book are interesting characters, a cool world, and a well developed plot. The weakest point in my opinion was the romance aspect where a lot of the lines were very cheesy and cliche and interrupted the flow of otherwise good dialogue (cave scene was hot though). I hope Serena develops and becomes more self assured and independent and the book was definitely a slow build up, but overall a good read.

I real a lot of different genres but love fantasy for the escapism. I typically don't leave reviews because I'd rather be reading, but every once in a while a book warrants the effort. This was one of those books. It kept me entertained. I laughed, I got angry, I was sad and I look forward to the next book ... pretty much everything you can ask for in a light fantasy book.

This book needs edited and needs a lot taken out. The scenes are so drawn out for no reason. Then she is obsessed with her instructor because he’s hot. That’s it. I felt no connection between the two of them. Then she has some connection to Frazer, also, for no reason. They want to save each other, why? The character building and relationships need serious help. This book could be good if the author got some professional help with it.

I really enjoyed the character development in this book. It was romance in the storyline but the friends developed between the characters is what made it so enjoyable for me. Serena, the main character is a likable personality with a good mix of humility, intelligence and hope.

Sometimes these fantasy books get lost in the character's head as a means to describe the scenes. This author has a good sense of story movement and uses the other characters and action to pull the story along.

I truly enjoyed reading this engaging, fun, and otherworldly story. The conflicts and characters are realistic and you find yourself more consumed than you realize by their struggles. The portrayal of the condition of person and societal positioning is craftily woven through this story.

I was hesitant after reading in the review of this book comparing it to Sarah J Maas' writing style. But I do see the comparison. Wvwn at the somewhat slow beginning a picture was created that you can visualize. I can't wait to see what's in-store next for Serena and her pack. At times the lines of good and evil are blurred. And to me that brings forth the truth of realism in fantasy. I loved this book and look forward to reading Draaken

Complete all your responsibilities before you start this book because you won’t be able to get anything done after you start this book. I read this book strait through. I. Love. This. Book. First of all I ADORE Serena and Frazer’s kin bond! It’s adorable how they act just like blood brother and sister! I was also shocked when Serena found out that Wilder wasn’t her mate, so I’m eager to figure out who her mate will be in the next book. Btw, does anyone know when that comes out? I love the packs relationship with each other! The moment I was reading this I was like, “It would be awesome to be on their pack”. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasies! I’m exited to read more of S.B. Nova’s books!

Great character development, the main character is so complex and you feel like you grow with her throughout the novel. When you think you know what’s gonna happen an unexpected but exciting twist happens. I called out sick from work because I only got 3 hours sleep bc I couldn’t put it down and finished this book in the middle of the night. I need the sequel!!! I’ll probably read it again in the mean time.

I seriously could not put this book Down! I would not hesitate to read. It had me laughing out loud like a crazy person and close to tears the next. I really like this author. I have seriously read almost every book on the kindle app by this author.
I really like liked it. I can not wait for the second book to come out. I am really disappointed that I can’t just read the hole series on a weekend binger.

This series makes it right to my favorites with Harry Potter and vampire academy. So many things are done so well. It’s a perfect balance of adventure, romance, friendship, magic and desire. The beginning of the book and the end are almost like two completely different stories weaved effortlessly together in a way that is not at all forced. The characters are well written and their development just through the first book is great. It has every element that makes fantasy series so amazing. Plot line is not at all predictable and it’s almost refreshing. I highly recommend to anyone that enjoys an immersive world. Only negative thing I can say is that the second book isn’t out yet and that I cannot binge read the whole series. Very very well written and enjoyable!