Are you ready for a faceless thief and a grieving prince to make their way into your heart? You better be ready, because these two characters will find their way in and stay there. Trust me, they are currently renting a small corner of my heart. Nocturna was a book that was not on my radar. I’m extremely grateful to HCC Frenzy and HarperCollins Canada for giving me opportunity to read Nocturna and get lost in the incredible world the author created. This book was an insane ride filled with magic and tons of emotions. It made me sit at the edge of my seat, laugh at the witty dialogue and feel all the emotions the characters were feeling.

Synopsis:

Alfie is a prince, and next in line for the throne after his older brother is murdered in front of him. Unable to move on from his death and doubting his own future as king, Alfie goes on a hunt to find out about forbidden magic that may bring his brother back.

Fin Voy is a thief and a faceshifter. She has spent years running away from a dark past, wearing different faces as she sees fit and thieving her days away. When she is caught by a powerful mobster, she has two choices: steal a treasure from the royal palace or lose her face shifting magic forever.

Fin and Alfie’s lives are intertwined when they accidentally unlock an evil power while they are both trying to fulfill their missions. The dark magic is the strongest of its kind and threatens to extinguish all the light in the world as it seeks for bodies to spread the evil. Fin and Alfie must put their differences aside and work together to get rid of this magic once and for all.
  
(picture from @khanlibrary this is the ARC I received. For the actual cover scroll down)

“Magic was free. It flowed through all living things and wasn’t something to be caged. Yet he could feel something holding back this black magic.”- Maya Motayne

You know the world building is good when you pause to reflect on how the author created all of it. It is definitely something I would love to ask this author because I found the setting, magic system and history so interesting and complex at the same time. The legends of the land were intriguing and the rules of magic were well explained. I also liked that the magic paid homage to the author’s Latin culture. The author used Spanish words for the magic spells, which I found was such a nice and unique touch. The writing was poetic, although there were times when I felt the dialogue could have been cut a bit short. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and how the storyline progressed.

I think one of my favorite aspects of the book was the whole face shifting ability of the main character. I absolutely loved the idea behind it and why she had chosen to abandon her real face and constantly put on new ones. It gave me a real Arya Stark vibe from Game of Thrones, who happens to be my favorite character from the series so it really added an extra twist that I loved.

Only in her absence did he realize how part of him yearned for the sound of her voice curving with the punch of a joke – a sound that made her face bright in his mind’s eye even when she was hidden by the cloak” – Maya Motayne

I was so taken away but the magic and turmoil that I was really hoping a romance would not take over the storyline. I’m actually very pleased with the way the author handled the feelings the main characters had for each other. It was well developed and it did not take away from the plot. It was a very endearing connection between two characters afraid of vulnerability and facing other emotions. They brought out the best in each other and the sarcastic dialogue made me laugh numerous times. I was left with feeling that there was more in store for both of these characters.

If you are looking for a unique fantasy with tons of magic and a sprinkle of culture, then look no further! Nocturna was a fun ride and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author. Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for sending me a copy of this book to review. I am grateful to have discovered a new author and all the magic within the book.

(Picture from Goodreads)

Happy reading!

Shazia.