Mistress of Hours

By: Emma Elizabeth

Narrated by: Kate Hargrave

Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

Two unlikely lovers find themselves entangled in a web of dangerous secrets as they try to save a nation from its dying magic. This fantasy romance is perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and The Plated Prisoner series.

Evienne is living her dream as the highest-ranking blood mage in Ichorna when the queens assign her to monitor two unexpected visitors from their elusive northern neighbor of shifters, Beitar. She can’t help her curiosity when one of the visitors–a striking academic with piercing green eyes–seems determined to seduce her. What starts as a dalliance pulls Evienne into a web of centuries-old secrets that could turn her world, and her understanding of her power, upside down.

Orion, a professor from Beitar, arrives in Ichorna to attend their turn-of-the-millenium celebration with a singular goal in mind– he must find answers about his people’s dwindling magic. He needs an Ichornian ally, though, and the alluring blood mage Evienne may be the key to his success. All his plans are upended, though, when an ancient magic awakes in his soul.

Despite their different allegiances, Evienne and Orion decide to work together to uncover the truth of Beitar’s failing magic. As the horrible threads of the past unravel in the present, Evienne must choose between loyalty and her own integrity. The lives of a whole nation hang in the balance. With unforgettable characters, rich lore, and lush imagery, this LGBTQIA+ fantasy from debut author Emma Elizabeth explores the joy of unexpected love, the heartbreak of betrayal, and what it means to take a stand–no matter the cost.

©2024 Emma McCarthy (P)2024 Emma McCarthy

Okay, WOW!

I think Mistress of Hours has officially surpassed The Songbird and the Forest as my favorite Emma Elizabeth book so far.

There's fantasy, mystery, monsters, romance, intrigue, betrayal, and such a true, palpable love. I could not get enough of these characters - I read the physical book in two days and the audiobook in just a few hours!

Dare I say, I may have even found an inspirational quote for my wedding vows among the pages of this masterpiece?!

I'm beyond grateful to have stumbled upon Emma Elizabeth's work right from the start. I cannot wait to see what else she has in store for these characters, or for us readers. At the very least, we're set up for a storyline continuation in a future novel thanks to quite the cliffhanger!

The audiobook was just as incredible an experience as reading the words. I'm so excited to have both options!

DNF

I DNF’d this after an hr because of the narrator and a tediously slow introduction. Minimal dialogue and prolonged heavy world-building killed my interest. It was like a background dump all at once before I was hooked with any character interaction. The narrator’s tone had barely any inflection so I never got past the stage of feeling like I was being read a book. In the world of audiobooks, there’s a huge difference between being read to and being told a story.

Not the best, not the worst?

Narrator was ok and the world building didn’t really make sense. Could have spent more time talking about the big celebration and the other nations that had gathered. Attempted cliff hanger ending but honestly I won’t be picking up the next one. Felt very abrupt and with only a few lines at the end to try to entice to the next book should there be one? Could have left more loose ends and brought up more to entice the reader in my opinion.