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A Soul Reclaimed by Shayna Grissom - Book Tour & Review + Giveaway

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A Soul Reclaimed
Shayna Grissom
Publication date: April 1st 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Hell is divided into seven regions. The first region is designated for the purest of souls, the seventh is for the evilest. There was once a king of Hell, but the steward family has ruled for centuries.
Nora, the stepdaughter of the steward is undone when her mother and step-father take away her beloved tutor, Peter. When Nora confronts the steward and her mother, the discussion is heated and ends with the steward in inexplicable pain.
Shortly after, Nora finds herself in the Starry Wood. Peter told her of the perils within the forest, and it’s not long before the inhabitants of the wood find her.
A giant hunter named Aegis comes to Nora’s aid. He is drawn to Nora, compelled to protect her from the steward’s assassins, the giants, and the evil souls who escape the seventh region.
Together, they travel the seven layers of Hell to discover why the steward is so threatened by a teenage girl.

My Review
A Soul Reclaimed is the debut novel of Shayna Grissom. It tells the story of Nora, whose stepfather is the steward of the kingdom of Hell. Nora, always a little different, ends up being sent away, only to wake up in the Starry Wood (not a good place to be, by the way). Ambushed by creatures, Nora is saved by a man who also happens to be more than he seems. On her journey back home, Nora starts to realize there may be more to her than meets the eye. And it may explain why she had been sent away. Will Nora uncover the truth behind everything that's been going on in Hell before it's too late?

First off, that cover is gorgeous. I absolutely love it. 
Second, I have to admit I really liked the character of Aegis. He's really well-written, and I enjoyed the fact that he was willing to do whatever it took to help Nora. She, on the other hand, did have moments where she frustrated me, but she's a decent character. All she wants is to figure out why her stepfather had her only friend (her tutor, Peter) dismissed, and why he's so afraid of her. She is just a normal girl...right?
Plot-wise, I will admit the book did start off a little slow for me. And I was confused in a couple of spots, mostly trying to keep track of who was who and what was going on. But once I got into the story a bit, it picked up, and I found myself eager and curious to find out how everything would play out.
I did like that Hell was divided into seven regions. Nora and Aegis end up exploring them, and each one has its own uniqueness. The world building was nicely done, although there were times I would have liked a little more detail, or perhaps more time spent somewhere. It would have be interesting to see each region a little more fleshed out.
Overall, though, a really strong debut. I like it. 
4 stars from me.
Author Bio:
Shayna Grissom was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. She currently resides in Seattle with her husband, two children, and her beloved pets. Shayna draws inspiration for her writings from binge-watching too many shows with far too much wine. She is a lover of the macabre, the strange, natural sciences, and films that feature vivid colors and imagery. Her favorite film director is Guillermo Del Toro, and her favorite books growing up were Anne Rice novels.

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2 Comments

Please try not to spam posts with the same comments over and over again. Authors like seeing thoughtful comments about their books, not the same old, "I like the cover" or "sounds good" comments. While that is nice, putting some real thought and effort in is appreciated. Thank you.