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3.5 

The Sun and the Void

By Gabriela Romero Lacruz
The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz digital book - Fable

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Publisher Description

"Evocative and captivating. An enthralling tale of ancient gods, dangerous magic, family and love." ―​Sue Lynn Tan, author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess

Two women embark on a unforgettable quest into a world of dark gods and ancient magic in this sweeping fantasy debut inspired by the history and folklore of colonial South America. 

Reina is desperate.

Stuck on the edges of society, Reina’s only hope lies in an invitation from a grandmother she’s never met. But the journey to her is dangerous, and prayer can’t always avert disaster.

Attacked by creatures that stalk the mountains, Reina is on the verge of death until her grandmother, a dark sorceress, intervenes. Now dependent on the Doña’s magic for her life, Reina will do anything to earn—and keep—her favor. Even the bidding of an ancient god who whispers to her at night.
 
Eva Kesaré is unwanted.

Illegitimate and of mixed heritage, Eva is her family’s shame. She tries to be the perfect daughter, but Eva is hiding a secret: Magic calls to her. 

Eva knows she should fight the temptation. Magic is the sign of the dark god, and using it is punishable by death. Yet it’s hard to ignore power when it has always been denied you. Eva is walking a dangerous path. And in the end, she’ll become something she never imagined.

Praise for The Sun and the Void:

"Enchanting. An impressive debut.”―Ava Reid, award-winning author of Juniper & Thorn

"A gorgeous epic of family and power, gods and magic, longing and betrayal." ―​Melissa Caruso, author of the Rooks and Ruin series

The Warring Gods
The Sun and the Void

16 Reviews

3.5
“I really liked the book. Especially the world building and the magic system I found very intriguing. I love it when books have a map and more information at the beginning, so that made me very happy. It took me a while to get into the story and know exactly who was who. The two main characters, Reina and Eva, are very complex. What I found particularly impressive was that you could understand all their actions (even the morally wrong ones). I could always understand how they felt and how that affected their actions. However, their naivety bothered me. In the beginning I could understand it, but I missed the character development throughout the story. It was only towards the end that other persons motives were questioned and independent decisions were made. That goes especially for Reina. Another problem I had was that both main characters do things that are absolutely cruel and wrong. I can understand the reasons why they do them, but that doesn't make them any less wrong. Unfortunately, it made me less sympathetic to them, especially Reina. It made it harder to root for them. In between, the story dragged a bit, which bothered me. In the end, though, the good outweighed the bad. I loved the world. The vivid descriptions allowed me to picture each place exactly. I found Tierra'E Sol particularly fantastic. As I read, I felt like I was actually lying in the warm sun. With its South American setting, The Sun and the Void is a book like nothing I have read before. The influences of culture and myth were very interesting and I would love to read more books like this.”
“I’m having a hard time reviewing this novel. I’m not exactly sure I know what happened. I feel like I read an early, rough draft of a promising fantasy book. Unfortunately, after the first chapter of two (which were interesting), I knew this was going to be a difficult read. In my opinion, it would have been better to have condensed the storyline focus in the main storyline. By the end, there were character choices that came out of nowhere. And by end, I mean by the last chapter. Unfortunately, this just wasn’t for me. Hope you feel differently if you decide to read it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy”
“The Sun and The Void is an epic story of belonging in a world full of South American history and folklore. The book is rich in world-building, and what I appreciated the most was the unique fantasy races and species that are described in the book. The story is told from a dual point of view so we get to learn both Reina and Eva’s perspectives. All of the characters are incredibly nuanced with rich backstories and character development. While the book did feel slow at times, it is clear that this is just the introduction for future development. This is a fantastic debut! Thank you, Orbit Books and NetGalley, for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.”
“I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley so here's how I am feeling about it. This is the first book of the year that I DNF'd, it's not that it was terrible. I just feel indifferent and cannot seem to connect with the book. I will pick up this book after it's publication at a much later date and give it another chance because all stories deserve to be read! I DNF'd at page 133.”
“Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! DNF at 25% / 2 stars Content/trigger warning: alcohol, assault, blood, child death, childbirth, death, demons, emotional abuse, gore, infertility, kidnapping, pregnancy, racism, religion, sexually explicit scenes, mentions of slavery, violence (Provided by the author) Being a Puerto Rican reader, I was immediately drawn to the diverse Latino representation in this book. I rarely see Latino characters or culture in fantasy, so I was so excited to read this. The incorporation of South American folklore and the introduction of unique fantasy races like the valcos and nozariels was fascinating, but, I found it difficult to fully engage with the story. The slow pacing and lackluster plot failed to hold my attention, and I could not connect with the story in the way that I had hoped. One of the aspects I value most in books is the characters, but the characters in this novel fell short for me and were unfortunately bland and forgettable. It was difficult to differentiate between the perspectives of Reina and Eva because they did not have a distinct voice that set them apart from one another. After reading a quarter of the book, I decided to stop because I knew my feelings wouldn't change, and I didn’t want to waste my time reading something that will only be a low 3-star at best. This novel had an intriguing premise, but unfortunately, it was not for me.”

About Gabriela Romero Lacruz

Born and raised in Venezuela, Gabriela Romero Lacruz now lives two-thousand miles from home, in the land of bayous and astronauts. She graduated with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Houston, and after a stint in Oil and Gas, decided to dedicate herself to the arts. She writes young adult and adult fantasy stories set in places that remind her of home, so in her mind she’s never too far from the beaches and mountains of Venezuela. She also scratches that ChemE itch with a science fiction or two. She illustrates as The Moonborn.

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