In his pursuit of the occult, the Third Reich opened the Gate to a realm of magic and brought the world to ruin. The Gate was eventually closed, but They were already in our world and They were hungry.’-The Lost History, Library of AvergardAzure ‘Azzy’ Brimvine lives in a world decimated by magic, where humans have retreated underground from the overwhelming dangers of the surface. But Below is … underground from the overwhelming dangers of the surface. But Below is no safer than Above.
Magic borne plagues continue to eat away at the remaining human cities, a sickness that doesn’t merely kill, but creates aberrations from the stricken: people twisted by magic into something dark, dangerous, and powerful. It is an existence of fear and constant dread. When Azzy’s brother, Armin, is infected and cast out into the Above, she sets out after him, determined to be there for him no matter what he becomes.
The world Above is full of monsters, both wild and cunning, some more human than Azzy was led to believe. Armin is captured and bound for the Auction block of Avergard, a ruthless city of inhuman lords and twisted creatures. To reach him, Azzy must brave the perils of the Above and the chaotic life forms created by the Gate. To reach him, she must find allies and forge new bonds in this broken world.
And Azzy must reach him, before Armin’s new power is used to open the Gate once more.
more
This is such an AWESOME book!!! A friend recommended it to me, and I am SO GLAD she did!!!!! I would have missed out on an AMAZING story!!!!
The world in this book is sooo well written, that I felt like I was there! And there is a lot going on in this world. There is the below, where the story begins, and then there’s the above!!! Neither is safe really. Magic has done a job on the people, mentally and physically. The main character, Azure or Azzy, goes above ground with her guardian, Bixby, to save her younger brother, Armin. Then Azzy is on the journey of a lifetime!! She meets so many characters along the way, but non so dear to her than Kai the wolf. I loved Azzy and Kai, and I can’t wait to read more about them!!!! But I loved so many of the characters, they were written so beautifully. All the details were splayed out to us, so that we are able to imagine them as real and have strong feelings about them, whether good or bad.
I’m not going to tell you too much about the story, because I want you to read it and experience it for yourself. The writing is flawless and story moves along at an even keel, you will be lost to it!! Turn pages one after the other, and not wanting to put it down. I was/am sooo sad it ended. BUT I cannot wait for book two, when Azzy’s journey continues!!
Book source ~ BBNYA
Azure “Azzy” Brimvine and her younger brother Armin have lived with their guardian, Brixby, ever since their mother was killed. As an Apothecary he is training them to his craft, but Armin is showing signs of being infected with the Rot, a magic that eats away at a human. It won’t be long before he is cast out to the Above and there’s no way Azzy is going to let him go alone. The Heap may be a crappy place to live Below, but Above is filled with monsters. Sooner than expected Armin is cast out and that’s when everything in Azzy’s life changes.
This is an interesting take on magic and what it does to humans. Those who make the transformation and actually survive can make a decent life for themselves in the Above. Some of them who do survive turn into monsters though and those are the ones to avoid at all possible. But make no mistake, this world is filled with dangers and monsters. Azzy has to navigate it to find her brother and her guardian, but she does not do so unscathed.
The world is fascinating and the people are varied. The monsters are creative. Some are super gross while others are only a bit so. The way magic works here is inventive. Azzy herself is a puzzle. She has no idea what she is. In a world of strange things she is by far the strangest. She’s also a bit too Mary Sue for my tastes. However, I enjoy her journey and look forward to continuing on.
I loved this story! It’s a bit darker than my usual read, but the setting, the characters, the suspenseful action-packed plot, and so much more captivated me from the first pages. Atmospheric and immersive, the story is fast-paced as it follows Azzy on her journey to find her brother Armin.
Gritty, dark, and atmospheric, this unique dystopian fantasy is set in a world ravaged by magic. Humans live Below in underground communities that are slowly dwindling. Azzy, the protagonist, doesn’t agree with many of the rules and traditions in her below-ground society, which include harsh punishments and cannibalistic rituals. The rule she fears the most, however, is the one that affects her beloved brother. People who have been tainted, or infected with magic, are cast out and forced Above. This all but guarantees their deaths. When her brother is banished for being tainted, Azzy sets out on a perilous journey Above, which is filled with monsters and other dangerous elements, to find Armin before it’s too late.
The story has a unique and vast setting. The underground world where the story begins is deeply unsettling, and though it doesn’t seem as scary as the world Above, it is dangerous and frightening in different ways. In the Above, the threats are more tangible – monsters, magic, scavengers, slave traders, and other unusual dangers lurk. However, in the underground society, political maneuverings and manipulations, disturbing societal traditions, and a horrifying disease called the rot pose great risks to its citizens. I love that these worlds are so unique and so different from each other, yet they both have frightening and potentially mortal obstacles that harm and break people.
One of the other strengths of the story is the plethora of fascinating and fantastic characters. I love Azzy! She is a brave and determined protagonist with a tremendous amount of grit. She also has a rebellious side, which both helps and hinders her. There is nothing Azzy won’t do for her brother, and the story centers around her love for him and her quest to reunite with him. The sibling relationship is pure and loving and strong, and it is what propels the plot.
Azzy meets many unusual and unique characters and creatures along her journey, and I was totally there for it! I love how Azzy forms connections with people and creatures she meets as she searches for Armin, though I still question why some are so eager to help her. An eel-like female, a witch, a surrogate father, and many other creatures and people add depth and dimension to the plot and highlight the fact that things are not always what they seem.
My favorite character, other than Azzy, was Kai. Part wolf-part man, Kai becomes Azzy’s traveling partner throughout her quest to find Armin. They repeatedly save each other, and they develop a strong bond over the course of the book. Theirs is a complex relationship, and I’m curious to learn how and if their relations develop as the story continues.
The unique spin on magic is quite interesting as well. Corruptive and corrosive, magic has dark and dangerous connotations in this world. However, as the story progresses, Azzy realizes there are many different kinds of and uses for magic, not all of which are detrimental and dangerous. I found it fascinating how magic affects people differently, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series to see how it changes some of the major characters, especially Azzy and Armin. Azzy’s magic has just only begun to be realized, and I’m curious to see what happens when she fully understands her powers.
The story focuses mainly on Azzy’s journey, but the narration does change perspectives. I liked this because you get to see different events unfold from Armin and Kai’s point of view as well. The three are together and separated at various times throughout the book, and the switching of perspectives offers more insight into the thoughts and feelings of several characters and a look at what they experience while apart from the others.
Messages of familial love, survival, fighting for what is right, and never giving up even when the odds are stacked against you offer glimpses of hope in an otherwise dark and unforgiving world. This is definitely a story that will appeal to readers who enjoy dark, atmospheric fantasies with rich world-building and dynamic characters. Thanks so much to the author and The Write Reads for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
This turned out to be an intense dystopian story that actually felt more like a fantasy. It’s set in a future when mankind have retreated below ground to escape the horrors unleashed above. Magic is a taint that twists and alters those infected meaning monsters roam at will and normal humans fear for their lives.
We meet Azzy who lives with her brother Armin and their guardian in Heap, an underground city that’s gradually decaying. Azzy is caring, resourceful and frequently ventures above seeking herbs or anything useful as she knows it’s only a matter of time before her brothers infection is discovered. Of course things take a bad turn and Armin is cast out but when Azzy follows him it’s only to discover a horrible betrayal and Armin has been taken by grotesque traders who intend to auction him off !
Azzy is the perfect heroine and although most of this book is taken up by her journey we do get glimpses from other perspectives. I’ve no wish to reveal too much but expect Shifters, Witches and all manner of fantastical creatures. The magical elements are very intriguing and in spite of the books blurb revealing something there’s actually very little here that explains just exactly what has happened and why. I would have perhaps liked slightly more description about some of the monsters encountered so I could picture them but honestly that’s a minor niggle. I can honestly say I absolutely loved this story and was constantly surprised by this dark world and I’m already desperate to find out what happens next.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
I have received this review copy for free. My opinions are my own.
Marrow Charm was an incredible read! Right away this book set itself apart from a lot of dystopian-type books I have read, as it embraced the grimdark tone and setting of a world where civilisation was destroyed and scattered by a plague of magic.
I read this book for the finals of the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award 2020 last year, about which you can read more at the end of this post, and even though it wasn’t high up in my personal preferences, I was so pleasantly surprised and I was really glad I was assigned to read this.
Typically when talking about magical, it’s easy to think about fairytale like magic and cute little creatures. But if I were to describe the vibes of this book, I would describe it as magical, even though it’s nothing like what I just described. The way magic has manifested into the world and into the people that don’t die from it, the best way to voice how it looks and feels is saying it’s magical. It’s dark and strange, yes, but full of magic.
The worldbuilding is done in an excellent way. The world ”starts” small, where you only see and know where the protagonist has spent all her life, but the world grows the more she sees and learns, taking you directly with her on her journey. New information is tactically fed to the reader, where needed and necessary, but also withholding it at certain moments to create suspense and a false sense of reality.
Though I really loved this book overall, a lot more than I initially expected, there were a few parts of the book that were a bit tougher to get through. I wasn’t sure if it was a small decline in the writing quality, the pacing being off, a combination of both or something else entirely, but it was frustrating and took me out of my reading flow a few times.
Overall, Marrow Charm is a magical, but grimdark read with incredible worldbuilding and a really cool premise and I would highly recommend it. If it weren’t for the fact there were more books I needed to read after finishing, I would have picked up the sequel right away.
Content warnings: Minor mentions of cannibalism, violent creature encounters, blood, selling and buying of people, death and dead bodies, (magic induced) amnesia.
Are you ready to go on an adventure? There are monsters, witches, and magics that you wouldn’t believe. There are worms that have rows of teeth like sharks and they can come out of the ground and attack you. Don’t forget the creatures that come out and snatch you up to sell in market. Then you’d be forced to live out your days as a slave under an inhuman Lord. Who knows what they are capable of! Would you still want to go on that adventure? Jacques provides her readers with an enticing and action-packed adventure as Azzy is forced to traverse the world above ground in search for her brother.
Azzy and her brother have lost their mother and have a guardian who treats them as if they were his own. An apothecary, and highly sought after, he still cares for Azzy and her brother in spite of the hushed whispers about their susceptibility to magic. Everyone is fretful of the magic that exists above ground, so they’ve all made an underground oasis. Even this cannot stop the spread. After Armin is infected, he is cast out into the above where a band of snatchers take him away. Hell bent on finding her brother, no matter the cost, she finds that not all creatures above ground are evil. Dangerous, yes. But, not evil. Gaining followers on her journey, she has many battles to face. When she finally finds her brother though, will there be anything left to salvage of his humanity?
Jacques has an unforgettable first installment. Marrow Charm is chalked full of engaging and mysterious characters alike. There is danger around every corner, but Azzy’s determination is unfathomable considering all the stakes. The story appears to be very well-written, but this is just based on an assumption from the narrator’s ease of navigation through the story. The pace is on par with each phase of the story and Hornick provides an effortless narration to boot. Her ability to capture each character and the emotion that they portray is outstanding. Not only does Jacques provide the creativity, but Hornick adds her own brand of allure to the mix. If you are a reader of young adult fantasy and adventure series, this should be right up your alley. This is the first installment in The Gate Cycle, but it does not appear the next in the series is available yet.
An audiobook was provided to Turning Another Page by Audiobookworm Promotions and in no way affects the honesty of this review. We provide a five-star rating to Marrow Charm by Kristin Jacques.
I was disappointed by this one – or at least, by my reaction to it. I was drawn to the incredible cover (seriously, how cool is that?!), the blurb, and the author’s previous work. Unfortunately, I don’t think that what was delivered met with those expectations. I also think this is one of those where the publisher did the book a disservice with the blurb choice. I LOVED Ragnarok Unwound, and when I saw that Jacques had a new title – one that promised to bring together the occult, Nazis, and a world-within-the-world, I was immediately intrigued. I started reading and felt like I’d maybe downloaded the wrong file – Azzy’s story didn’t feel AT ALL like what was described, and the letdown was hard.
This was dystopia, which was not at all what I was expecting – and which is a category I don’t often choose. Or at least, don’t choose lightly. I suspect that if I’d stumbled upon the story blind, I might have had better luck with it – Jacques tells a compelling story, no matter the topic, although I must confess I found this one less immediately engaging than RU even though it was just as original. I just never felt like I found my way into the experience I was expecting.
I understand this is the first in a series – that may explain some of the questions and confusion I’m left with, although it is not common for the first book, setting everything up, to be quite so oblique… It’s possible this just isn’t the series for me – or at least, not for me right now. I may need to let my original anticipation for what I thought I was getting fade away, then come back to this one as a blank slate. Once I have an expectation about a story it’s hard to let that slide, and if the book doesn’t deliver on that expectation, it’s tough to pull me in – even if the story is otherwise entertaining.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my review copy.
5 CRANKY STARS
I can’t say that I have read anything like this story before and yet some parts are familiar. It is a well written tale and the world is relatable. I just pray that authors of these types of stories aren’t correct about what the future holds. The storyline was both fascinating and terrifying. Monsters of all shapes and sizes abound and some are quite unique. But why are there always so many spider type beings?
There are people that live below ground in caverns. They are wary of magic and try to rid themselves of anyone tainted by it. There are people that live above ground but as far as the under grounders are concerned, they are just monsters that steal away anyone that ventures out. There are also monstrous creatures that live in the tunnels of the cave systems. It is a simple but complicated society and when our heroine fights her way to the above ground city, questions abound.
As I said, the author introduces us to some different creatures and concepts. I was glued to this book until I could finish it. It was fast paced with twists and turns that one didn’t see coming. The ending left many questions and I just hope I remember to watch for another book in this series.
Magic is unruly. It cannot be controlled. When released it breeds dark creatures, creates monsters from pure flesh and diseases born of magic meant to consume.
In a moment when words are greatly needed I am at a loss to properly articulate the captivating read this was for me. The author writes fluently and effortless bringing the scenes and characters to life in your mind. This book could easily be considered horrific with the description of the Above creatures and the natives to the territory. The gory details of monsters, transitions and dismemberment are just icing on the cake of graphic description.
But that’s not all…
I could not properly build a brief synopsis of this book without giving away details I feel the reader needs to gleam on their own. I can indicate that the reader is immediately thrown into the dangers of the Above as we meet Azzy our main character. You’ll fall in love with the apothecary, Brixby, who has taken in the orphan siblings. Azzy’s brother, Armin, who holds a powerful magic inside. Kai, the wolf connected deeply to Azzy and many others along the way.
The only desire I had once I finished was to know more about how it all began. Though I am not one for books that have chapters dedicated to the history of origins for a story; I do enjoy enough background to have an understanding of why a world is the way it currently is. Without reading the synopsis provided on NetGalley I wouldn’t have known what little I did. I do not think it takes away from the story though it does take a momentary chapter or two to grab a foothold in the plotline.
With that said this book was a 5/5 for me. I truly did “really like it.” I hope to add this to my shelves as a dust- jacketed hardback and cannot wait for the second installment.
This gem came from Parliament House Press and I’m so glad I signed up for this one. Our main character, Azzy, lives in a world underground, driven there generations ago because of the magical beasts that live in the Above. But her life isn’t easy and she must hide the magic that resides in her brother for fear of him being outcast to the Above, a place he would never survive alone. She doesn’t think she’s magical, but she’s so much more talented and strong than she realizes.
But then she finds herself in the Above despite all their careful work, and she must make her way through numerous obstacles to find her brother in hopes he will remember her before she gets there. The road won’t be easy, pretty much everything is out to get her, but she must try. She’s got Kai at least for the time being and though they can’t talk to each other, they have ways of communicating. Help might also come in ways she isn’t expecting.
I should have known this was going to end on a cliffhanger because it’s a sci-fi/fantasy, but man did it gut me when it did. I normally throw down a star when I’m unprepared for one, but I just can’t with this because it’s just too good. Told in multiple points of view from Kai to Azzy, I absolutely love their characters. It always pleases me when an author creates strong main characters and you’re going to get that in Azzy. Jacques has hit this one out of the park with an engaging storyline and excellent characters. There are many magical and fantastical elements to Marrow Charm, it’s a fun read that’s hard to put down.