Goose Reads 2023! (Closed)

Week 46 - The Warlock's Azalea

Week Forty-Six - November 12th - November 18th

Title: The Warlock's Azalea

Author: starisredy

Genre: Fantasy

Number of Chapters: 13 (broken up into parts)

Completed? Yes

Link (Added as an in-line comment):

Blurb:

Leaves and petals of different hues were falling around, and to her, in the middle of it all, was the soft gaze and gentle smile Aziel had for that one pink petal on his palm. The rest of the scenery, with tiger-swan creatures in the sky-lake on the side, were all simply complimenting his existence.

And when his attention veered on his left and towards her, something inside of Keir tightened. It suddenly became hard to breathe.

Why were his eyes expressing so much melancholy?

-

Keir was unbothered by most things in her life. After graduating from university, she thought she'd find a simple career and continue her boring life--until she came face to face with lurkhounds, met a hundred-year-old warlock, and found herself as the means of another dimension's welfare.

What's more, strangely enough, something about this warlock claiming to be the only one of its kind alive today bothers her. Perhaps it's something about the way he talks, his interesting facial expressions, or the combination of the refreshing and elusive scent of flowers he carries.

Can Keir unlock the mystery behind him to quell her pestilent curiosity? Or will her role in retrieving an heirloom serve as another key to a much less anticipated lock?

Goose's Thoughts:

Welcome to Week 46 and another fantasy story full of twists and turns and some of the best hint-dropping ever!

This was such a unique story and I loved reading every second of it. The plot for this story is so complex but makes so much sense come the end and the small hints dropped throughout go along way to help this. I had so much fun towards the end of the story following the clues as we came to the big reveal. Staris did such a masterful job at weaving the complexities of the story together from beginning to end and it was such an interesting plot to follow.

The descriptions throughout are so magical from beginning to end. I loved the contrast between the bland nature of Keir's laugh in the human world, to the explosion of colour she got upon entering the new dimension alongside Az. It helped to add so much depth to the plot as well. Staris' descriptions were honestly incredible and I could picture everything they described throughout. They were really able to bring this new world to life in just a few paragraphs.

Keir was a really fascinating character to follow throughout her journey and I loved seeing her grow as the plot progressed. The coldness she presents early on was done so well and it was fun to see her transform with the time she spends alongside Az. Her journey was so well done, especially towards the end when we see her step into her own as the big reveals unfold and the story reaches its dramatic conclusion. She definitely made for a fun main character and her journey was a fun one to follow.

This story also has a whole collection of fun side characters that we were introduced to throughout the story. My favourite has to have Evril who was just so adorable and a fun little bundle of energy. Each side character added so much to the story and a new layer that added to the complexities already in motion. Altair was probably one of the more complex characters. I loved how cold and distant he seemed in the beginning, but to see that shift in him later in the story was some really fun characterisation. 

If you're looking for a complex story that will have you yelling at the screen from beginning to end, then this is the one for you. It's so beautifully crafted from start to finish, especially all the little details leading to the final reveal. This is such a well constructed story.

Thank you for writing such an amazing story, Staris!

-Goose