Welcome to my tour stop! You can find all the other stops on the tour here. Read my review below...
A Promised Vengeance
By Sara B. Larson
Young Adult Romantic Fantasy, Romantasy
Hardcover & eBook, 309 Pages
October 28, 2025 by Jumelle Press
Summary
From the author of the DEFY trilogy, get ready to immerse yourself in this romantasy reimagining of The Count of Monte Cristo!
They took everything from her.
Now she will destroy them all.
Falsely accused of murder, impoverished Elodie Dantès is torn from her childhood love, Killian, stripped of her most valuable possession—a forbidden artifact that wields ancient power—and banished to the otherworldly prison of Autremonde.
Awaiting certain death in a world poisoned by magic, Elodie meets an unexpected ally, and together they begin digging for an escape. However, once Elodie is finally free, she discovers that the very people who betrayed her are those she trusted the most. Consumed by vengeance, Elodie develops a plan to ruthlessly destroy them all.
But all too soon Elodie is forced to choose whether vengeance is worth the price, especially if it means losing the love of her life forever.
A PROMISED VENGEANCE is a retelling of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO YA fantasy style. What a tall order to fill! This twist on the classic was creative with an interesting fantasy world with unique magic and a character readers will relate to and cheer on. There's romance and plenty of heart for fans of romantasy.
I liked the heroine, Elodie, from the start. She's relatable and just a solidly good person in wanting to find success as captain of a ship and raise her living for herself and her best-friend-turned-love and his family. There are some side characters who play small roles and who I felt were a bit flat but still added to the story. The world building was creative and interesting. I would have loved a lot more immersion and descriptions, but I thought it was fairly well done. The stakes were high and there's some action and some climatic moments, especially towards the end. There were also themes of love, friendship and forgiveness.
I think this story needed an additional book to give it as much depth, growth and needed complexity. I just don't think you can really do what this story needs in one book since it felt like the plot and characters didn't have enough time to really fully develop before moving on. There was also some over-the-top drama and a few things that didn't make sense to me.
In the end, was it what I wished for? This one didn't work for me as much as I was hoping for. It was still decently written, but I wanted so much more and know the author is talented enough to give it. However, it was still an enjoyable read and a book my 14-year-old daughter would enjoy. Will I pick up the next release from this author? Yes. Yes, I will. Some of hers are past favorites so I'm looking forward to seeing what she writes next!
Content: Some violence and innuendo but clean.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Toppling Stacks tours, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Sara B. Larson is the author of the acclaimed YA fantasy DEFY trilogy (DEFY, IGNITE, and ENDURE), the DARK BREAKS THE DAWN duology (DARK BREAKS THE DAWN and BRIGHT BURNS THE NIGHT), and SISTERS OF SHADOW AND LIGHT DUOLOGY. Her new releases include a YA fantasy coming Fall 2025, and EVERY BEAT AFTER (adult debut) coming spring 2026. She can’t remember a time when she didn’t write books—although she now uses a computer instead of a Little Mermaid notebook. Sara lives in Utah with her husband, their four children, and their dogs, Loki the Maltese and Bindi the English Cream Retriever. She writes in brief snippets throughout the day and the quiet hours when most people are sleeping. Her husband claims she should have a degree in “the art of multitasking.” When she’s not mothering or writing, you can often find her at the gym repenting for her sugar addiction.
Are you a fan of this author, The Count of Monte Cristo, or YA fantasy? What's the most recent fantasy your read and loved?
Now she will destroy them all.
Falsely accused of murder, impoverished Elodie Dantès is torn from her childhood love, Killian, stripped of her most valuable possession—a forbidden artifact that wields ancient power—and banished to the otherworldly prison of Autremonde.
Awaiting certain death in a world poisoned by magic, Elodie meets an unexpected ally, and together they begin digging for an escape. However, once Elodie is finally free, she discovers that the very people who betrayed her are those she trusted the most. Consumed by vengeance, Elodie develops a plan to ruthlessly destroy them all.
But all too soon Elodie is forced to choose whether vengeance is worth the price, especially if it means losing the love of her life forever.
(Affiliate links included.)
My Review
A PROMISED VENGEANCE is a retelling of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO YA fantasy style. What a tall order to fill! This twist on the classic was creative with an interesting fantasy world with unique magic and a character readers will relate to and cheer on. There's romance and plenty of heart for fans of romantasy.
I liked the heroine, Elodie, from the start. She's relatable and just a solidly good person in wanting to find success as captain of a ship and raise her living for herself and her best-friend-turned-love and his family. There are some side characters who play small roles and who I felt were a bit flat but still added to the story. The world building was creative and interesting. I would have loved a lot more immersion and descriptions, but I thought it was fairly well done. The stakes were high and there's some action and some climatic moments, especially towards the end. There were also themes of love, friendship and forgiveness.
I think this story needed an additional book to give it as much depth, growth and needed complexity. I just don't think you can really do what this story needs in one book since it felt like the plot and characters didn't have enough time to really fully develop before moving on. There was also some over-the-top drama and a few things that didn't make sense to me.
In the end, was it what I wished for? This one didn't work for me as much as I was hoping for. It was still decently written, but I wanted so much more and know the author is talented enough to give it. However, it was still an enjoyable read and a book my 14-year-old daughter would enjoy. Will I pick up the next release from this author? Yes. Yes, I will. Some of hers are past favorites so I'm looking forward to seeing what she writes next!
Content: Some violence and innuendo but clean.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Toppling Stacks tours, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
Tour Schedule
Follow the tour here.
No comments
Post a Comment
I love comments! I try to read and reply to them all. Feel free to agree or disagree and generally share your thoughts with me.