9780063087668
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Realm Breaker audiobook

  • By: Victoria Aveyard
  • Narrator: Natalie Naudus
  • Length: 16 hours 34 minutes
  • Publisher: HarperTeen
  • Publish date: May 04, 2021
  • Language: English
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Realm Breaker Audiobook Summary

Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller!

“A true fantasy masterpiece.” –Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling author

The Queen of Fantasy strikes again! This stunning new series from Victoria Aveyard, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Red Queen series is a high-voltage, high-stakes adventure where kingdoms hang in the balance and betrayal is only a breath away.

A strange darkness grows in Allward even Corayne an-Amarat can feel it in her small town at the edge of the sea. The long lost heir to an ancient lineage, it’s not until Corayne meets a rag-tag group of companions that she learns how to wield the magic slumbering in her blood–and how together they might stop what’s coming.

From her seat on the throne, Queen Erida has one aim: build a kingdom worthy of her destiny. While her court hopes to marry her off, Erida will do anything she can to avoid losing her crown–and her freedom. No matter the cost.

Meanwhile, shadowy corpse armies march the hillsides and dangerous beasts creep through fissures in the world, and a great evil grows stronger by the day. As the realm descends into chaos, the choices are clear: Save the world…or end it.

Realm Breaker is the first book in an epic series, told in multiple-POV chapters that follow an irresistible cast of characters through an incredibly imagined world, with action-packed adventure and lethal twists you won’t see coming, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Tolkien himself.

Don’t miss Blade Breaker, the #1 New York Times bestselling sequel to Realm Breaker.

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Realm Breaker Audiobook Narrator

Natalie Naudus is the narrator of Realm Breaker audiobook that was written by Victoria Aveyard

Victoria Aveyard was born and raised in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, a small town known only for the worst traffic rotary in the continental United States. She moved to Los Angeles to earn a BFA in screenwriting at the University of Southern California. She currently splits her time between the East and West coasts. As an author and screenwriter, she uses her career as an excuse to read too many books and watch too many movies. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling Red Queen series, and you can visit her online at www.victoriaaveyard.com.

About the Author(s) of Realm Breaker

Victoria Aveyard is the author of Realm Breaker

Realm Breaker Full Details

Narrator Natalie Naudus
Length 16 hours 34 minutes
Author Victoria Aveyard
Publisher HarperTeen
Release date May 04, 2021
ISBN 9780063087668

Additional info

The publisher of the Realm Breaker is HarperTeen. The imprint is HarperTeen. It is supplied by HarperTeen. The ISBN-13 is 9780063087668.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

Sahil

September 16, 2021

** spoiler alert ** Realm Breaker is the first book in a Fantasy trilogy by Victoria Aveyard that follows an unlikely group of heroes who must band together in order to save the world from destruction. “No mortal alive had ever seen a Spindle. Echoes of them lingered, in places remembered or forgotten, in people touched by magic, in creatures descendant of other realms. But no Spindle had burned in an age. The last of them was a thousand years gone. The passages closed, the gates locked. The age of crossing ended. Allward was a realm alone.” The basic premise of Realm Breaker is that an evil villain, Taristan, is on a mission to open all of the long dormant Spindles, which are portals that open up to other realms. In doing so, he could unleash a great evil and end the world. The prologue dives headfirst into the action with him opening the first of these Spindles, and the rest of the book follows Corayne an-Amarat, a pirate’s daughter, who is visited by an immortal soldier, Domacridhan, and an assassin, Sorasa, who inform her that she is the last of an ancient bloodline and the only one who can help them stop Taristan from ending the world. In order to save the world, they need help though, and thus the adventure starts with them finding others to aid them in their quest, which includes the squire Andry Trelland, who is caught between home and honour, a witch who speaks in riddles called Valtik, Charlton, a forger with a secret past and Sigil, a bounty hunter with a score to settle. Other characters include Erida, the ambitious Queen of Galland, Ridha, another immortal who is aiding the group and Taristan, the evil villain. “We don’t choose what we’re born to, Corayne,” Erida replied. She touched the crown on her brow. “We can only walk the path put in front of us.” For most people, Realm Breaker is so eagerly anticipated because they were huge fans of Aveyard’s Red Queen series, as was I. If you are reading Realm Breaker because you are a fan of the Red Queen series, I promise you that you will not be disappointed. There’s non-stop action, betrayal, a diverse cast of characters and a plot that both pulls you along and keeps you wanting more. Unlike Red Queen, which has a love triangle front and centre in the first book, Realm Breaker has little romance but does set up certain interactions between characters that hint at more to come. There’s a potential romance between two villains, a lot of back and forth banter and bickering between characters which is very reminiscent of Mare and Evangeline’s back and forth in the Red Queen series, and a quest that takes up the majority of the story. Fans of Red Queen will not be disappointed but for newcomers to this author, you’ll be blown away by the plot, the well written action scenes and the personalities and dynamics of all of the cast of characters. “You will destroy the Ward for a crown!”“A king of ashes is still a king,” Taristan crowed.” Realm Breaker was a really good first book, and pulled me in right from the very first page. Man, that prologue was brutal. It did take a little bit of time for me to get fully immersed in the story, but that was mainly because so many characters were introduced in the prologue and then more of the main characters were introduced to the story, not to mention there was a lot of dense world building and heavy description as well. But don’t let this intimidate you because it adds to the richness of the world which adds to the enjoyment of the plot. This is an almost 600 page book but it absolutely does not feel like it. I feel like this whole story went so fast and before I knew it, I had reached the ending. I went through this book for some reason thinking of it as a standalone and then I had to remind myself that the story wasn’t going to conclude in this book and that there were going to be two more books. This first book is focused on setting up the story and the characters, and does feel very much like a first book that promises a lot more to come. “Sorrow is a mortal endeavor. I have no use for it.” “Sorrow touches us all, Lord Domacridhan, whether we believe in it or not. It doesn’t matter what you call the thing ripping you apart. It will still devour you if given the chance.”“And how do I defend against such a thing, Squire?” the Elder demanded, his voice rising. “How do I fight what I cannot face?”Without thinking, Andry raised his own fingers, palm open, an offer as much as a plea. “With me,” he said. “Together.” This book is told from six points of view: Domacridhan, or Dom, as he is known as, Corayne, Sorasa, Andry, Erida, and Ridha. Not all of the group of heroes have a point of view, but the majority of them do, but there are also perspectives from characters who are not a part of the main group trying to save the world. All of the characters were varied, diverse but equally interesting and although they developed in this book, I’m really excited to see where they all go in the following books. Watching the group slowly form as the book went on was interesting but the dynamics between them all are so damn entertaining, I love it so much. “Mortals are hot-blooded, quick to anger, quick to fight,” he said. “It has been your flaw these centuries past. Perhaps it will be your salvation too.” Let’s start with Dom, who is a 500 year old immortal, also known as a Vedera or an Elder, a scowling giant of a man who is an actual softie and needs to be protected at all costs. The author could have gone down the route that a few Fantasy writers go down when it comes to immortal, physically intimidating men, by making them very possessive and toxic but I swear to god Dom is an actual cinnamon roll who I just want to hug. His character was such a great addition to the story, especially because he brought so many funny moments with his naivety, and also because his back and forth bickering with Sorasa actually gave me life. “In the foothills of the great mountains of Allward, surrounded by heroes and immortals, Andry certainly felt the gods around him. Who else could have set a squire on such a path, the son of a foreign noblewoman and a low knight? Heir to no castles, blood to no king.” Andry the squire is also another character that needs to be protected at all costs. He is by far one of my favourite characters because he’s so wholesome. He literally steals a tea pot from an abandoned farmhouse and makes everyone cups of tea after a particularly brutal battle with a sea serpent aboard a ship. Like, what more do you need to know about him? He's a polite, respectful soft boy who is the softest boy on earth, torn between wanting to help Corayne out of the goodness of his own heart and wanting to ensure the safety and survival of his mother, his only living relative left. “Fear is a well-honed instinct, useful as any steel edge,” she said. “It’s kept me alive more times than I care to count. So let that fear in, let it fill you up, let it whisper and guide. But do not let it rule.”Corayne shakily nodded her head. “I won’t let it rule.”The assassin looked satisfied. “There are no greater teachers than fear and pain.” Then we have Sorasa, an Amhara assassin of the Guild who is also one of my favourite characters (There is basically a running theme here of all of the characters being my favourite characters). Sorasa was so badass, which was not surprising at all considering she’s an assassin so she’s automatically an amazing character. She really provided the well needed comedic relief to the series and her sarcasm and verbal attacks on basically all of the characters gave me life, especially her back and forth bickering with Dom when she would basically verbally annihilate his soul. “Your blood is born of the Spindles, of distant realms and lost stars. You want the horizon, Corayne of Old Cor. You want it in your bones.” Corayne un-Amarat, who could be described as the main character, was also an interesting character because she’s so different from Mare, the protagonist of the Red Queen series. She is a pirate’s daughter who wants nothing more than to escape her life in a small town and explore the world, which she gets to do, even if it’s not quite how she expected it would go. She’s starstruck a lot of the time with all of the new parts of the world she’s getting to see, a little inexperienced and naive. But what I liked about her character is that her strengths lie in her thinking, in her talent of maps and the world. Personally, I do think Corayne was the weakest character and even though I enjoyed reading from her perspective, I do hope we get to see more development of her character in the sequel. I just want to know more about her so she becomes as interesting and compelling as the rest of the characters in the series. “Erida stood without her throne, without a crown, without any of the trappings of the ruler she was born to be. And, somehow, she’d never felt more like a king.” Then we have, Erida, the Queen of Galland. When Erida was introduced to the story, I thought I had a clear idea of what her character was going to be like and the role she was going to play in the story. But boy, was I wrong! I was so wrong. But I’m also so happy that I was wrong because what she ended up being was so much better than any idea that I had for her. Erida is an ambitious queen who basically joins forces with the villain Taristan in order to further her goals of conquering the rest of the world, which was the dream of her ancestors. I guess that means she is now also a villain? Erida surprised me, because I didn’t expect it from her character, especially when compared to how she was at the start of the story when her perspective was first introduced, but my god I love her so much. She’s ambitious and determined and so unapologetic in her drive to reach her goals, but she’s also so badass because she stands on her own as a character before she joins forces with Taristan and she takes no shit whatsoever. I am beyond excited to see how her character develops and where the story takes her, especially her relationship/partnership with Taristan. “An immortal Veder, a Jydi witch, a copper-eyed assassin, a royal squire, a criminal fugitive, and the pirate’s daughter, the Ward’s hope. What a mess we are.” We have a few more characters in the story like Ridha, Dom’s cousin who is also an Elder who helps to recruit more people to the cause and two more characters who make up the rest of the band of unlikely heroes: Charlton, also known as Charlie, a forger, and Sigil, a bounty hunter who has been hunting down Charlie for his crimes. Although these two were introduced later on in the story, I still really enjoyed their characters and the dynamics and banter that they brought to the group. I’m excited to see more of them in the sequel! “Her fingers brushed the scars on his face, her touch fleeting and featherlight. His white skin felt hot as flame. “There are breakers of castles, breakers of chains, breakers of kings and kingdoms,” she said, her voice iron.“Which am I?”Power surged through her veins, delicious and seductive. She wanted more; she needed more. “You are a realm breaker, Taristan. You would crack this world apart and build an empire from its ruins.” I wouldn’t really say that Realm Breaker is romance-focused at all. It does feel like it’s more of building the foundation of the relationships between the characters before having them actually form relationships with one another. I do think there are hints of a potential relationship between Corayne and Andry, and also maybe one between Dom and Sorasa? But because there was no clear idea, I was literally shipping everyone with everyone. I kid you not. I was shipping Andry with Corayne but also Andry and Dom, whilst also simultaneously shipping Sorasa and Dom. But I’d say that the most obvious possible romantic pairing is between the villains, Taristan and Erida. Every scene between these two characters is to tense and I swear there’s so much sexual tension, especially in the latter half of the story. I’m here for this. I like this very much. I want to know more about Erida and Taristan, especially Taristan because I find him so fascinating. There’s definitely more to him than just being “evil” and I want to know what it is. But that potential villain romance is so delicious. I want more of it. I want it all. “Take your sword and bleed for me, and I will bleed for you. Win us the crown our ancestors could only dream of.” Overall, Realm Breaker is truly a really good first book, which I think will please both fans of the Red Queen series and newcomers to Victoria Aveyard’s work. There’s evil villains, a band of unlikely heroes trying to save the world whilst also trying not to kill each other in the process, and just a rich world that adds to a really addictive plot. I need the next book. I need it now. I can’t survive in a world where this series is not all out and complete. 14/07/20 - a new fantasy series by my favourite author of all time? there better be some fucking betrayal in this book, or i don't want it.

jessica

April 16, 2021

holy smokes. this is the fantasy adventure story we deserve this summer.things we love to see:- medieval kingdom vibes but with pirates! and monsters! - a large cast of characters with my favourites being a soft boi, a morally grey queen, and that one stoic duty-bound character who is adorable when teased.- great fantasy tropes like a group of strangers on a mission to save the word, old magic bloodlines, an immortal race advising humans, and unexpected fate.honestly, this reminded me a lot of ‘there will come a darkness,’ just with how each of the characters play a part for a greater purpose. and although there are so many of them, i wouldnt necessarily say this story is character driven. its definitely propelled by the plot - so much happens! but the characters do have depth to them (even the ones introduced towards the end), which i appreciated.this is lengthy, but the 550+ pages blew by so quickly. fingers crossed the next book is just as long!thank you so much to harpercollins for the ARC!!↠ 4.5 stars

Maryam

July 27, 2022

Attention, attention! “If you don’t belong to a place, perhaps we belong to each other? We who belong nowhere?” I hereby declare that, from man to woman and all in between, every soul who dreams in colours and unknown magic, who seeks adventures in rich lands alongside characters of flesh and blood, needs to immediately drop whatever the hell they’re holding and pick this book up. Why, you ask?Because Realm Breaker is the book my wretched heart has wished to read ever since it found itself in between the fragile pages of dreams and fantasies and nestled in against the world.No, not because of the hunger woven into its lines or the journey through forest and city and sea, all painted so tangibly they would dance before your eyes and in your ears and up your nostrils, in the gradually introduced medieval-inspired world of Allward that is diverse and bold and feels loved and lived in as a living thing (and which you need to let wash over you at first lest you become overwhelmed by its details and complexity hitting you in the face from the beginning, and instead relax because what you’ll need to remember and understand will be explained slowly later on); though the world sucks in a great deal of my adoration. “Hammer and nail, the Companions are now seven, wind and gail, bound for hell or bound for heaven.” And no, not for the mismatched, merry band of heroes who battle survivor’s guilt and the craving for home as they unwillingly try to save the world from being torn apart by the opening portals, their team growing both in number and begrudging closeness even as they wish one another dead; though I love this blooming found family (whose relationships are not focused on romance) and their challenges. Not even the jaw-dropping action scenes that are sometimes epic and sometimes hilarious but always immersive, or the smooth, artful storytelling that makes the book a tapestry—every moment a thread integral to the tale and leaving waves throughout, the suspense build-up ensuring you feel the tension either way—was what sealed its place in my bewildered heart.No, the true reason why Realm Breaker ascended into my all-time faves shelf was its female characters—its powerful, strategic, rational, calculating, cunning, resourceful, unyielding women who carried the story in their filled pockets, who I could finally point to and say that’s it that’s who I relate to. And it saddens me how rare that is. “Even when it isn’t the end of the world, the realm is a dangerous place for women,” Sorasa added, gesturing between herself and the bounty hunter.Sigil grinned broadly. “And so we became dangerous.”“Care to dance with us?” Sorasa extended a hand, gesturing like a partner at a ball. “We who belong nowhere?” In interviews, Victoria has named Tolkien as an inspiration for why she wanted to write an adventure in a medieval fantasy world and, indeed, the Tolkienesque journey is very much there. But, to me, RB does better many things the legendary and worshipped LotR trilogy did inadequately, be it ethnicity and gender diversity, morally grey characters, or a world with trade and politics that make it feel lived in. When Aveyard writes about her inspiration in the Acknowledgements, she thanks Tolkien for “giving me so much—and yet so little. For making me want. For making me hungry,” and that’s precisely it. “There are no greater teachers than fear and pain.” I know fans of Tolkien are going to crucify me under this review (by all means) but, even as Tolkien will always be an idol of mine in the field of linguistics and I will continue to admire his deep knowledge of myths and how he combined them to create his detailed world at a time when fantasy was scoffed at, his works were too absolutist, racist, and sexist for me, a Middle-Eastern girl who supposedly has a “masculine” personality and whose favourite genre is grimdark. And please, don’t argue that he was not, because the defensive arguments are the issue—he was a child of his time and that’s understandable, may he rest in peace. I am not going to pick an argument with a dead man, I just think we need to see and admit the flaws in his works instead of brushing them aside, because that acknowledgement is the only way to improve.So yes, that most renowned work of fantasy leaves me hungry as a blackhole, but the works inspired by it that strive to do it better fill me with hope. So far to climb, but I cannot look up, or look back. The truth we all know is that, for a long time, female characters were either nonexistent or included but in the worst ways possible. Then feminism kicked in and we were given a wave of female leads with no agency. Then voices were raised, and the current wave of diverse strong women rolled it—angry girls who made souls shake in fear and bold girls who did not let anyone put them or their bodies in a box; loving girls who stood strong and fought and quiet ones who slipped through the shadows with knives and deadly promises.At every turn, I loved them. I cheered for them and adored them and wept in joy. But through it all, only a handful were ones I—the reportedly heartless control-freak who mostly only had the evil male masterminds to relate to—could see myself in. And then this book came and wrapped up all my favourite types of female characters in a box, fleshed them out, and tied it with a pretty ribbon for me to tear into.What types of characters, you wonder? What is so special about these people made of words who you could simplify in tropes Aveyard explored and turned on their heads, you want to know? Then read on. “There are breakers of castles, breakers of chains, breakers of kings and kingdoms,” she said, her voice iron.“Which am I?”Power surged through her veins, delicious and seductive. “You are a realm breaker. You would crack this world apart and build an empire from its ruins.” Characters: Powerful Women & Adorable Men ✦ Corayne: Firstly, I have no idea what reviewers mean when they say our chosen one was the weakest character—I’m sorry but did we read the same book? Victoria loves to take tropes and twist them around, both showing how they can’t work and how they can if made realistic. And with Corayne, she does just that.Our girl is like all the other chosen teenagers, and yet the exact opposite. As any teenager taken on a sudden journey around the world to save it, she lacks experience and can’t survive without the adults accompanying her. But that does not make her clueless—far from it, in fact, because she is a sharp-minded planner who suffers no illusions and reads most people easily, knowing how to manage them, and is quick to rein in her emotions in favour of logically assessing the information to find solutions and even direct their group. She may be young and hopeful, but she is not naive, neither is she useless. How could she be, when she has been the mastermind behind the success of her captian (secretly pirate, but Corayne is not supposed to know that) mother’s ship from a young age. No, all this young no-nonsense lady is is out of her element, and she still does not lose herself, gathering herself quickly to react rationally. An alliance bought is still an alliance made. This is a type of character rarely written or understood, especially female and in YA, and especially as a realistic young hero and not an antihero or villain. With her darting eyes and furiously working mind, she always strives to anticipate the next step, planning and looking for answers. But when you insist that you see through all lies, sometimes you might also see through truths and disregard them. And when you have such aversion to unexpected experiences outside your plan, you can fear being incompetent and struggle. And if you are raised by a spontaneous, charming mother who is your opposite, you can also secretly crave to be as fearless and free as her.Still, with all her insecurities, Corayne knows her strengths and what she wants. She has a wanderlust in her, looking for a place to belong and lay roots, and she goes after it as she does everything: methodically. “The Lion should take you as its sigil. You’re twice as fierce, and twice as hungry.” ✦ Erida: Meet the young, morally-grey Queen of Galland, land of the Lion, and my favourite character—the character I thought I would never read.While Erida has been queen for four years, she is still just a woman in the eyes of her patriarchal society. “Untrustworthy, unfit, too weak to rule. History gorges itself on women raised high and then brought low by men grasping for their power,” but she will not be one of them. She always is—and seeks to be—in control, and will tolerate no man’s self-righteousness or share her company, her mind, and the weight on her shoulders with anyone. It might make for a lonely existence, but she does not care. Because Erida and her strategic, cunning mind are preoccupied with more important matters, such as strengthening her hold on power before her court could cast her aside. Only men can speak all day long and still think themselves silent. ✦ Sorasa: As one of the experienced adults among our MCs, this assassin of the Amhara, legend of the shadows, quick with tongue and blade, to whom discord is a better shield than steel, completely steals every scene she’s in. Not only is she a sarcastic, wild woman who takes up the role of reluctantly leading their team through danger after danger with her resourcefulness, her technique and deadly nature are captured with the most masterful quill to make her own the title assassin more than just in name. And slowly getting to know the values this amoral human holds is a welcome arc that filled me with warmth. “Whatever you decide, possible death or certain death, be quick about it.” ✦ Other honourable mentions from the cast who took shelter in my heart include: Andry, the soft boy dreaming of knighthood who has always felt separate from his fellow royal squires and will not hesitate to fight for what and who he holds dear, even if he has to burn his road back. Dom, the honour-bound immortal who, like Andry, grapples with survivor’s guilt but does it more immaturely—because he might be 500 years old, but he has no idea how to deal with emotions and is generally an oddly naive cutie. “Sorrow is a mortal endeavor. I have no use for it.” And Meliz, the woman who rides the seas, enjoys every moment, and wants and wants and will not give up her wanting for anyone. Or Valtik, the eccentric, playful, fleeting witch and her rhymes and absurd priorities who surprised me with her courage. Sigil, the dangerous, meticulous bounty hunter with a dark humour, and her mortal enemy Charlon,, the shameless forger priest I could not resist. And ofc, our king of ashes raised in the mud—oh man do I want more of him. Relationships: Found Family & Villain Romance Corayne inhaled deeply, taking one last gasp of her mother. “How fare the winds?” she whispered into her coat.Her mother breathed the smallest sigh. “Fine, for they carry me home.” ✦ Friendship & Family: My favourite aspect of any relationship is the layer of platonic support and mutual understanding. And, even as these cast of characters can barely stand one another, even as their hilarious banter and snapped retorts fill every chapter, even as the additions each bring interactions full of bitter history and tension into the mix, every new member slowly finds their place and rhythm by the end. This is only the start of something beautiful blooming, and I need more of it. Especially of Corayne and her mother, a mother she has never truly been a child to. And also the ones promising a future romance. *winky wink* “[The bargain] will be upheld.”“Unless you die,” Sorasa said airily, pulling hard on the door.“Gods willing, if it means never seeing you again,” Dom muttered. ✦ Romance: Technically, there is no romance in this first installment. However, there is ~chemistry~ and in abundance. I’ll leave the alluded slow-burns for the next books but, I need to talk about the beautiful, beautiful villain romance. “A marriage is a promise, and we promised each other the world entire.” It’s not just the sexual tension, or the delicious wickedness, or the seduction of power. It’s not even the concept of two wolves sizing one another up so very delicately. It’s the fact that she scolds him and wants him as her weapon and he wants and respects her as his equal partner and they’re both formidable threats in their own right and xdkdhs, them combined? May the gods of Allward save our heroes. Writing: World & Atmosphere Building My words are too many and Goodreads’s word limit too little. I want to tell you about RB’s monsters and portals to other worlds that are myths to the current occupants of the Ward and how creative their workings are, and the magic they had once brought into this realm that is now a child’s fever dream. I want to rant about the politics and history of this diverse world, inspired by the Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, and the themes of conquest and colonisation next to the depiction of various cultures with their strengths and sayings and ways. I want, I want, I want.But I can’t. Saydin nore-sar.Gods forgive me.Saydin nore-mahjin.Gods protect us. What I will tell you is that, even though Aveyard references Tolkien as an inspiration and the parallels are certainly there, the world building reminded me more of GRRM—and I don’t say that lightly, as he is my favourite author. Victoria is someone who always takes care to flesh out every element in exquisite detail, be it war and its strategies, the ways of pirates, or the subtle art of being an assassin. And her changing, immersive landscapes that felt truly lived in with constant conflicts and trades, layered politics ever-present in the dynamics of the world, and tangible cities and kingdoms and clans which bore personalities from the get-go were more reminiscent of GRRM’s, feeling alive and complex the way his always do.And that—this whole book—is everything I want from my fantasy. Companions: Playlist & Related Reviews Book series playlist: Spotify URL Books in series: ➳ Realm Breaker (Realm Breaker, #1) ★★★★★➳ Blade Breaker (Realm Breaker, #2) ★★★★✯➳ Untitled (Realm Breaker, #3) ☆☆☆☆☆

Charlotte

July 14, 2021

“You are a realm breaker…you would crack this world apart and build an empire from its ruins.” To anyone unsure about picking this up because of the Red Queen series (like I was). Don’t be! This is miles better and was honestly such a breath of fresh air 😊Multiple POVs (but not so many that it is confusing), fantastic world building and characterisations. Everything from the young girl thrust into a dangerous world far away from anything she has ever known, to a ruthless, murderous assassin to the sweetest cinnamon roll of a squire. Not forgetting the crazy ass witch and the immortal warrior with an ability to piss off earlier mentioned assassin 😂A dark force is at work, breaking worlds apart and causing chaos. Only one bloodline have the power to stop them - Corayne, daughter of a ruthless pirate, knows nothing of her father or her heritage. But she soon will, and the fate of the world will be on her shoulders. Meanwhile a power hungry Queen will make some pretty dodgy decisions. Honestly such an improvement from the Red Queen series, my only gripe is that I read this one so early I now have to wait ages for book 2!! “Stand tall and steadfast true. The darkness comes, your choices grow few.” **********************I’ve added this despite being mostly annoyed throughout the entire Red Queen series. 🤷‍♀️

Kelsey (munnyreads)

April 06, 2021

**Thank you Epic Reads for sending me an ARC**As someone who was not super in love with the Red Queen series, I was a bit nervous about how this one was going to play out, but this...I like this. 3.5/5 ⭐️ I’ll post an in-depth review closer to release (5/4)

Unknown Reviews

December 25, 2021

Dom scoffed. "I did not realise there was a competition for the worst personality," he crowed.- Dom, 2021, speaking my thoughts about these characters. I feel like it’s hard for me to rate this book. On one hand, the writing was astounding, the pacing well-done, and the plot intriguing. Yet what do you do when you’ve been handed a starter? A book that practically says “actually, it’s the next book you need to read,” combined with having some of the most unoriginal, bland and worst of all, generic, characters in YA. Hi, welcome to Unknown Reviews. Today's special is Realm Breaker. Can I please take your order?To start this review, we genuinely have what I think is a cracking plot. A group of five (supposedly seven) mismatched people have to band together and use their skills to defeat Taristan, a man determined to open portals into other worlds and unleash chaos, all under the bidding of He Who Waits. (A more fun summary: Portals!) I think portal stories make excellent reading. What happens when a normal world collides with somewhere completely chaotic, where monsters spill through doors and unimaginable evils are born. The potential is endless.Unfortunately (spoiler)…we don’t get that. Basically, in this book, Spindles are the name of the gates and our crew is trying to close them. About two or three are ever opened. We hear of some of the cool worlds behind them, but unfortunately, they’re never ever entered. Now, do they play a role in the story at time? Yes. Do they play exciting roles? For definite, perhaps the most exciting part in the book. Still, it’s not that I feel I’ve been undersold a concept, because I’m entirely confident Aveyard is going to go all out in the next book, it’s just I feel underwhelmed. There are a few worlds mentioned and they all sound pretty awesome: one with sea monsters, one which may just be full of gems, one that’s home to immortals called the Elders. Except…they’re not really explored. And when you take out the usage of the Spindles, you get, well, a book about a ragtag bunch of people travelling around to continent to find something. A.K.A a typical fantasy book. The worst part of this book was how generic it was, especially the characters. As I continued on through the story, I realised something about them was itching at me, something I couldn’t put my finger on. And then I worked out it was how uninspired and terrible they were. Characters summed up (And this is accurate, even I think I've outdone myself)Domacridhan: Elder (Not fae, but a little fae. More respectful and less horny then S.J.M’s which is a win.). Lots of brooding, scowling, rumbling. Check. Corayne: “I want to explore the world. Ugh, I’m tired of life at home. Oh wow, I’m a chosen one, but how can that be, being the unremarkable girl that I am (I wrote this as a joke, but it turned out to be true, woah). I never saw this coming.” Check. Andry: “I’m a squire! I probably have trauma! I…I don’t have a personality.” Check.(Poor Andry, but this is painfully true). Sorasa: She is an emotionless assassin who has killed hundreds of men and can escape anything. We’ve never heard of that before, amiright? (Mandatory check? This isn't making sense anymore)Ridha: Wasn’t in the book, really. Irrelevant. (Check for the lols)If you read this, you might think “Hmm, the first four match up to the characters on the blurb, but is Ridha the sorceress?” Actually, no, she isn’t. She’s Dom’s cousin on the search for help to save the realm. The characters I’ve skilfully described are just the ones with the POV’s. So, that fifth member who is important enough to get a mention on the back isn’t worthy of a POV (yet). Actually, that’s another issue. The group? There’s actually supposed to be seven overall. Two join in later but they feel like very late additions even though I preferred them to our core five personality wise. Ridha has about four or five chapters, maybe even less, and they don’t contribute to the overall story? Once again, it’s a next book thing, but I can’t believe a character’s entire purpose was to set up events for the next one. There would’ve been no difference had she been in this story or not.Finally, our last POV was actually my favourite. Erida, the young queen of Galland, who rejects a typical arc seen in YA. While I didn’t love her, this was one of the elements I really want to praise Aveyard for. It was one of the only elements in the book that was unusual and I haven’t really seen it done in YA before. Out of the POV’s, she was likely the most intriguing. But now, I have to return and dissect as to why the characters were such a failure for me. Nothing is offensive about these characters. They’re not super angsty. They don’t make stupid decisions. Each of them seems to have a goal and an arc drawn out for them. I don’t even hate them. It’s more about what they stood for: Just a mishmash of clichés and a billion tropes.My description about Dom was accurate. He’s an elder, centuries old and while he doesn’t veer down the route of hitting on a twenty-year old, he’s just boring. He’s a character full of pride and justice. Whenever anyone makes a snarky remark, he scowls. He growls, glowers, glares, sours, snarls, you name it. And then I realised, I’ve seen this stiff-faced character a million times before and every time, they’re just as bad as before. I’ll compare him to Matthias from the SOC duology. I thought Matthias was the worst of the crows in the first book (great in Crooked Kingdom) and Dom’s personality is similar, but he’s actually less distinctive as a person. Please stop doing “gruff” and “honourable” characters if they can’t have a personality. Corayne. So bland. Of course, she sticks to the trope of the Farm Boy. You know the one where they discover they’re the key to a prophecy and leave their small town in search of a bigger world. What didn’t annoy me was Corayne being a bad character. She’s actually fine. I mean, she’s there, but she’s not unbearable or anything. It’s just it’s the way the other characters that view her that feels unearned. When an author has to keep beating you over the head with how special, brave, amazing this character is to everyone, it means those characters are none of those things. For example, at one stage Andry looks at Corayne, and for no reason thinks “brilliant, brave Corayne. And it’s like “where, Andry?” When has Corayne been brilliant or brave? When has been inspiring. Is this in the behind the scenes? Did she grow interesting during that time?” Or another example. Andry Trelland had seen enough spooked horses and hot-blooded squires in the training yard to know how to maintain some semblance of calm. Even if Corayne An-Amarat is more terrifying than either.”Long story short, Corayne plays the role of the everywoman. The self-insert with no discernible wit, personality, or talent so everyone can relate to her. I thoroughly believe it’s such a shame these characters dominate YA when they have the main role and then leave the book unremarkable. Andry is literally the male version of Corayne. Basically just a nice guy once again with no personality. Like, I don’t even know what his arc is or what purpose he actually serves the plot besides one thing. The funniest development in this book with Andry? His growing “relationship” with Corayne. Don’t be fooled, no romance happens in this book (another excellent decision by Aveyard), but growing attraction is there and it sucks. How is it the two driest characters become attracted to one another in a span of a few days with the most juvenile interactions. My friends, this is possible the driest romance in the history of YA romance and YOU HAVE READ YOUNG ADULT! YOU KNOW HOW BAD IT IS. Their interactions are actually even worse. “You’re the best hope we’ve got. That comes with consequences.” She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Does one of them have to be a brooding immortal listening to my every heartbeat?” she growled, nodding at Dom only a few feet away.”“If it keeps you alive, yes.” Heat spread across his cheeks, a flush blooming over his brown skin. That was forward, Trelland.” What about that was forward? “Oh, I hope you don’t die.” Yes, that is something we want for most people. Their interactions are so mundane. They’re like (I’m making this up now) “her skin brushed his. He blushed. Was he being too obvious?” Again and again. (Seriously, why is it in YA that people turn red every time their crush appears in the corner of their peripheral vision. Why? They must look sunburnt ninety percent of the time.) Even this little conversation felt forced. “A squire who doesn’t like taverns or barmaids or drinking on another man’s coin,” Charlon laughed, gesturing for another beer. “Rare as a unicorn, that boy. Not that I’m exactly clear on what that boy is bringing to the table, if I’m being honest.”“Andry Trelland is the reason we have the Spindleblade and even a chance of saving the realm,” Corayne answered coldly, her Cor eyes inscrutable.Charlon raised a hand in placation. “All right, all right. Ca galle’ans allouve?” he muttered, raising an eyebrow at Sarn.Dom failed to hide a smirk. He did not speak Madrentine, but by now he knew that Corayne most likely did. With the same twist of her lips, Sarn met his eye, sharing his sentiments for once.Corayne’s face flushed, her grip closing on her drink. “I can think of nothing more ridiculous than being lovestruck in times such as these,” she said tightly. “And if you’d like to talk about me, I suggest you do it in Jydi. I can follow in almost everything else.”Valtik cackled merrily into her cup.Understand well that Corayne and Andry have known each other for a brief while before this, they’ve little to no chemistry and, yet, this is a wink-wink, nudge-nudge sent by the author, saying “aww, they’re so in love. Even their friends see it!” It’s like she’s trying to convince us they should be together rather than allowing things to happen organically. Cut out the romance, Aveyard, please. The book is flying without it. It’s really not needed, especially when it is the most boring ship I’ve ever witnessed and is a prime example of why we need to get away from unnecessary YA tropes.Sorasa Sarn is probably my favourite of our crew but she stills relies on generic Assassin trope. I feel assassins have been overdone, especially assassins who are emotionless, disappear like Batman, are legendary everywhere. Also, in the first half of the book, there’s lot of times where Sorasa makes snarky little comments about men and it’s like “why? Who asked for this?” He was always terrible at hiding his intentions. Such is the way with men. Or (my personal favourite)The Amhara has great need for those who pass unseen and who is more unseen to men than a woman Or I learned long ago not to trust the promises of men. Even immortal onesYes. You go Queen. Joking aside, you might come at me like “but, empowering!” No, frankly, I just found them really annoying and lazy. They came out of nowhere and once again, it’s like the author is trying to pat herself on the book and smugly say “look how feministy my book is” because her character…disses guys? I firmly believe if a book has to tell you it’s message verbally by its characters, it’s because it’s not doing a good job. Tell-don’t-show once again. It feels like peak Girlboss feminism, like “woohoo, look at me, attacking the patriarchy,” rather than offering anything of substance. It's getting too surface-level and is honestly I skip over it at this stage.Honestly, I’d just rather have more fantasy books where the women aren’t second class citizens. If we can’t have gender equality in real life, can’t we have in it in some books? There’s instances in this book where if a woman is in armour, they get side-eyes or little boys sneer. Thankfully, this discourse does stop in the second half but I rolled my eyes whenever I had read through it.Sorasa does have a lot of agency and I feel the cold-hearted man killer assassin is toned down, which is great because it sets her apart from other assassins. Another great aspect of Sorasa is she’s about thirty, I think? And it was refreshing to see a character with that much skill have a believable training timeframe to back her up instead of being like “I’ve been the Assassin Legend since me mum kicked me on the street when I was little more than a toddler.” Though her and Dom’s relationship gets old (they insult each other all the time. He snarls, she snaps, blah-blah), I liked it her relationships with woman in the novel. She takes on a – I wouldn’t say motherly – but a protective role towards Corayne which was refreshing to see.To return to the feminism aspect of this book, it’s actually a shame Aveyard did feel she had to mention anything about it because all the female characters are powerful and exist as their own person. The work was already put in so the quotes pointing out men ended up being more irrelevant. Aveyard, rely on your own writing and characters please! It’s all there. Valtik is our final member of the group and is…unneeded. She’s a witch who can see the future but the thing is she speaks in…rhymes all the time. It’s certainly a choice. Also her future-telling is really ambiguous. She only tells people things when she wants to so it’s kind of like “Yo, Valtik, will we die?” and she cackles and says “Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall etc.” and you’re like. “Um, no.”Her eccentricity is supposed to be part of the whimsical *charm* of her character but I think it’d just be really annoying in a real life situation. Like, I can’t even get behind it as a reader because she has these powers and she’s just not answering anything. She literally says “Where’s the fun in telling you everything, that’s a boring song to sing.” Valtik, stop being so self-absorbed! They’re trying to stop the end of the world. Though this rhyme did make me laugh. Better than a kraken, we are not forsaken It’s just because I pronounce kraken as kra-kin not cray-kin so it was a little lost on me. Besides the characters, I’ve the same issue with the dialogue. It’s very “snarky, snark, snark” and completely serviceable but as I read on I was thinking “what distinguishes this from any other YA book? Could I divide this from ACOTAR or Shadow and Bone?” And I realised I couldn’t. It reminded me of an AI bot spends a thousand hours studying YA books and this is exactly what it would be like. It was never funny or quotable, just completely, utterly filler. Now, I’m being unfair. I could use this criticism on many books. But maybe it’s just because I’m growing out of YA that I’m looking for a little more and I’m not getting it. World? Probably fleshed out, only issue is I didn’t have a map. I heard there’s one in the hardback copy but that seems a real loss by the publishers since all these place names were thrown at me and I could never reference them in my head, so I’ve forgotten most of them I think. They need to do them in the paperback one day. Not for financial purposes, but just because it does make the book struggle, I think. (This is an edit to say I had a dream where my paperback did have the map? I don’t know what’s real anymore and I’m too lazy to check)No distinctive cultures or traditions stood out. It was like “oh, look Jydi and Gallish people” and I was like “if you say so.”The magic wasn’t fleshed out. That doesn’t bother me, but I’m reading Legendborn at the moment and that magic system is proving a real treat. My only issue with the absence of a magic system is you’re unsure what the limits are. There's a sorcerer in this book (barely used) and it posed the question couldn't he defeat all of his enemies with magic hand waving? There must be some limit there, but it was never unexplained. This means a possible deus ex machina could be pulled out of nowhere in the future which I would be very disappointed by. Since it wasn't popped out in this book, I don't mind it all and it doesn't need to be explained to me. The villain is unremarkable. Wants chaos and He Who Waits to come out for no justifiable reason (in my opinion). He makes dramatic speeches and threatens people for fun. I think I prefer courteous villians (think Gus from Breaking Bad) who do what they have to do without the boring "I hate everyone and I don't care who gets hurt in my mischef, mwa-ha-ha." (I do hate everyone, though, so I can relate). I mean just go to therapy, man, and resolve your low self esteem issues. It’s so much easier instead of wanting to take over the world. The writing was magnificent. Best written book I’ve read all year. Definitely why I’m giving it four stars. It always kept my attention and was so enriching, just *whispers* yes, God. The ending is actually kind of strange. I’d disagree there’s a twist. In fact, this book ends like the sequel is an after-thought. I can confidently say it wrapped up the majority of what happened in this book. And while it’s better than those books that tie nothing up in lieu for a sequel, it’s still like “Oh. That’s all that happened?” It could be a standalone, if a standalone didn’t actually use the elements it said it would. Overall, it’s a good second book (series, I mean. This sounds like I was trying to ignore the rest of the Red Queen series, but it was literally just a mistype. But I also did kind of ignore the rest of the series so...I'm not wrong?) from Aveyard. It’s excellently written, expansive and there’s a lot of potential there. However, I just couldn’t bypass how generic the characters and dialogue were. It really feels like it’s combined every YA book to form them without putting in any effort or making them anything more than blank mouthpieces. The four stars must seem conflicting but this is really just the book I’ve selected in today’s Why YA Needs More Originality. Hopefully with a little more effort, some use of the Spindles and character development (anything, please), the next book might step up to the mark.

Emma

February 07, 2021

this book pretty much includes everything I love! dirty pirates! disappointed mothers! mysterious lineages! extremely tired immortals! destinies being thrust upon the unwilling! a rag tag group of the least likely heroes! a very large and scary world! Victoria takes some tried and true fantasy tropes and once again smashes through them with her sword. it's the most fun I've had in a while.feb 7th edit: reread the physical ARC and my love for this book only grew. cannot wait for everyone to meet this crew of misfits who are often stubborn, sometimes stupid, but always brave in the face of staggering odds. I just! love them so much!!! and the worldbuilding is honestly on a whole other level. Allward lives and breathes as easily as the cast of characters Victoria painstakingly brought to life. preorder now, I promise you'll fall in love.also, VILLAIN ROMANCE!!!!!!!!!!!

Georgia

May 30, 2021

Before anything else, let me just say that I was not sure how I was going to feel about Realm Breaker. All the little snippets and details Victoria had been teasing us with for literal years had me excited and curious, but I was also wary. The book, from the beginning, was heavily marketed as being almost like Guardians of the Galaxy meets Lord of the Rings. The LOTR part was what made me nervous because I generally have trouble with denser fantasy books, so… A GIRL WAS NERVOUS. But Realm Breaker very quickly won me over.A quick note about the beginning of Realm Breaker that I want to make: if you’re struggling with the first chapter, or even the first few, STICK WITH IT! Please! There’s a lot thrown at you in the beginning, and it’s a bit of a slow start, but in my opinion, it was all for the better, and everything sinks in fairly quickly, lining up before you know it! Also, the beginning had Spy Kids 2 vibes. That’s not relevant to literally anything, but I felt the need to share that with the internet. Anyways, moving on.I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Victoria Aveyard’s true calling is being a high fantasy writer. I have no credentials to back up that claim, so take it with a grain of salt, but, seriously, I never would have anticipated the writing we got in Realm Breaker based on what we see in the Red Queen series. I don’t say that to discredit Red Queen—I LOVE those books—but rather to emphasize how different the writing styles in these two series are, and how wonderful of a surprise it was. The storytelling in Realm Breaker was on such an unreal level in its richness and immersion. It sounds so cheesy to put it this way, but while reading Corayne’s first chapter when she’s in Lemarta, I remember truly feeling like I could smell the flowers, feel the mist coming off the ocean, hear the creaks of the wooden docks. And this immersion isn’t limited to Victoria’s ability to beautifully set a scene; it also extends to how thoroughly and masterfully Victoria constructed the world and characters. The characters! Wait, we need to talk about the characters! I well and truly had so much fun with this cast of characters, and I’m already eager to get more adventures from them. Now, it’s more of an ensemble cast in this book, with a variety of POV’s, but if we were to say who was more so the main character, it’d probably be Corayne, and there is one thing I want to highlight about Corayne that I especially loved. Usually when we get a character who yearns for adventure, I think the problem can arise that said character ends up being bratty, whiny, or both. This is not the case with Corayne, and I liked that it’s established early on that Corayne really does appreciate how fortunate she is in life, and even when her chance for adventure isn’t what she necessarily wanted or expected, she is willing to undertake the task with a sense of bravery and determination. I don’t have many specific notes on other characters other than I just love, love, love them! I do have a few specific faves, though:Andry, my sweet, sweet boy. I fear for him. Sorasa, a not-literal-but-actual QUEEN. The badassery is unparalleled.Dom, my somewhat grumpy husband. I also fear for him.Erida, lowkey coming in with those Evangeline vibes which MAKES ME SO HAPPY. I need so, so, SO much more of Erida, please!And Taristan, who we really got so little of but who is somehow still super compelling as a villain? Again, much more of him, please!Ok. Time for some screaming.DAMN YOU, VICTORIA AVEYARD! That ending was cruelly placed, but perfect! And that’s all I’m going to say about where we end Realm Breaker. Just know that I am impatient for the next book.Whether or not you’re a fan of the Red Queen series, or if this will be your first dive into a book by Victoria Aveyard, I truly believe there is something in Realm Breaker for everyone and that love for this first installment in Victoria’s newest series is inevitable!**Thank you to Victoria Aveyard and Epic Reads for entrusting me with an early copy of Realm Breaker!**

emieeee

May 13, 2021

that cliffhanger was NOT ok. i cannot wait A FREAKING YEAR FOR THE NEXT ONE WTFRTC

Eija

March 04, 2021

Very ready for the whole series

Emily

May 29, 2021

Victoria hit it out of the park with this one imagine a lord of the rings type quest but with morally grey diverse cast. It was everything I wanted & more from a high fantasy book and I can’t wait for the sequel!Thank you very much Orion for the ARC !

Erin

May 25, 2021

Corayne is living the life of a pirate’s daughter, always searching for something she can’t seem to find. She very quickly gets what she asks for when she finds out that her unknown father was a very powerful man and, since his death, she is the only one of his bloodline remaining- a bloodline that is needed to save her world from a dark and deadly force. Along with a ragtag group of misfits (a squire who could never quite make it as a knight, an assassin eager for revenge, a bounty hunter, a sorceress, an Immortal and a counterfeiter) Corayne travels distant lands she only dreamed of, but now everything she knows and loves is on the line and she must be willing to risk it all. Victoria Aveyard returns to the YA fantasy world with her new novel, “Realm Breaker”. I was a fan of Aveyard’s previous “Red Queen” series, and was very excited to get my hands on this (LENGTHY!) novel. “Realm Breaker” very much had a “A Game of Thrones” aspect to it, in that there are several ancient kingdoms at war for the crown, with knights, Royalty, Immortals, witches and a plain old normal protagonist, disowned by her father, with a “special gift”. Honestly, even the lands themselves reminded me of the various Kingdoms in the GOT series, and the “raised from the Dead” army was something right out of Martin’s fantasy world. Good thing for Aveyard- I’m a huge fan of A Game of Thrones, and George R.R. Martin. Corayne is exactly what you’d expect from a young, female protagonist. Desperate to find her place to fit in, she soon discovers that she (and only she) can save the entire world. Sure, it’s a trope that’s been done before (again and again), but it doesn’t make it any less entertaining. I enjoyed the characters in Aveyard’s novel, as she manages to make each and every one (good and evil alike!) show redeemable qualities. There is almost a constant stream of action, with swordplay, regular old fisticuffs and even fights on horseback (which led to death and harm of some horses, which I am NOT happy about!). Each chapter was narrated by one of the main characters, and it was clearly marked and identified. Corayne was the main narrator of course, but the majority of the others take their turns as well. Not only did this method bring more depth to Corayne’s journey and its importance, but it shed some light on the characters and lands that exist in this world, outside of Corayne’s own. Aveyard is obviously going to be continuing this journey with future novels, which the ending suggests, but there was also enough of a conclusion to be completely gratifying. With action-packed twists and fantastically quirky main characters, I am definitely looking forward to reading more of the “Realm Breaker” series.

Nainika

August 25, 2022

I think the best part of this book was that it was written by an author that I loved during her previous series. And while I hated War Storm - we won’t talk about that - I felt this was a wonderful start to another breathtaking trilogy. This story was set in such a well-developed world that I couldn’t help but fall in love with it as soon as I entered these pages. The characters were such a motley gang of characters that all had their unique characteristics and quirks that made them all the more relatable. And their ships? God, I love Dom and assassin girl Sorasa so much more than Coryane herself. The plot was so well thought out that I felt that nothing was out of place in the storyline or plotline and I think that cliffhanger left so much more to be discovered in the upcoming books.Also Erida’s POV was very interesting and I couldn’t help but want more of her mind and POV because it was from a perspective that we don’t get much of in fantasy books. All in all an amazing book that I loved from the very first page.

CourtOfKayla

March 24, 2021

THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR AND MORE. Okay so you all know how much I adored Red Queen, so when I heard Victoria was starting a new fantasy series I WAS SHOOK. Here’s what I loved: the diverse cast, POVs (more on that later), the dynamic world, and THE PLOT OH MY GOD. Here’s what I was okay on: Pacing in one minor part (literally... that’s it...) When Epic Reads reached out and sent me a Realm Breaker box I was ecstatic. I filmed my reaction on my TikTok (ACourtOfKayla) if you’re interested! I picked this book up last Friday, and I. COULD. NOT. PUT. IT. DOWN. Not gonna lie, I was terrified to start because of the wide cast. But within the first few chapters I found myself falling love with the wide range of POVs. I get overwhelmed in books with multiple POVs but found that Realm Breaker rose to the occasion. I loved every single character and THAT IS RARE. When I tell you Victoria writes this novel with a wide cast that you can keep up with, I mean it! Next, let’s talk about the LOTRs inspiration. CHEFS KISS. The entire idea of the plot being what happens when the everything goes wrong and the B team has to rise up... I SEE YOU VICTORIA I SEE YOU. It’s clear the amount of work, passion, and love was poured into this novel. Next, I was absolutely blown away by the world. Each city, each part had me on the edge of my seat. I adored every aspect, every location, and had so much fun exploring the world and I CANNOT WAIT FOR MORE. I picked this book up in a reading slump and blew through it it two days. I even designed a pair of earrings inspired by the world and a certain weapon...Also, THE ENDING?! I NEED THE NEXT BOOK ASAP!! Mmkay so final thoughts, amazing book, probably my favorite read of 2021. If you’re looking for something to add to your TBR this late spring, ADD REALM BREAKER ASAP! If you’re looking for a wide range of characters with a little something of everyone... look no further. Victoria, thank you for writing a compelling world that made my life a little brighter. Thank you for the wide cast of characters and the dynamic world that kinda began to feel like it could become home. I can’t wait for the next one and I AM TERRIFIED for how it’s all going to end (but mostly excited).

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