giulsxx (exams)'s Reviews > The Concealed

“It’s magical,” I breathed. “As are you.”

first of all i wanted to thank SK Horton for giving me the opportunity to read her book in advance. thank you so much!
then, i’d like to introduce you to this story by telling you that it’s coming out on June 11th from Aethon books and is a YA romantasy. but let’s talk about the plot.

Cate just moved from America to a college in England. she hopes this can be a fresh start. little does she know, a prophecy deems her as destined to defeat a ruthless enemy in a magical land, placing a target squarely on her back. so she has to pass through a portal to another world, but she’s not alone! she has two irresistible boys, Lucas and Daniel, to assist her in this new unexpected life.
falling in love wasn’t part of the plan, but as the battle looms, Cate must solve the mystery of the prophecy and decide who in her circle is trustworthy before the place she now calls home is destroyed.

the pace is fast and the writing is very simple, which makes the book a very fast read. the world building and the magic system are interesting. this story has an aura of mystery which is very curious. it also ends in a cliffhanger so i’m pretty sure there will be a sequel!
the romance is cute but full of cliches i guess, and tbh it didn’t convince me. it felt a lot like a insta love, and i prefer slow burns 2022 giuls is having a heart attack rn.
cate is the classic girl nobody notices but all of a sudden, she’s being noticed by not one but two boys. WHAT? ngl i was really interested in the love triangle SUE ME however, the way she approached the relationships with them is kinda childish. it felt like a stereotype teenage relationship with one of the boys, who was sus asf if you ask me. the other one was like 🧍🏼?
idk, i think i’m too grown up to enjoy this type of romance, but i think a younger version of me would’ve appreciated it more.
the story has a lot of potential but imo it lacks something. it might be me the problem, bc i’m used to heavy fantasy. my tastes changed recently and while before i would’ve eaten this up, rn i still consider it a good read but it’s more for a younger audience.
overall, i think this is more a romance sets in a fantasy world, bc the fantasy element was really not that present. so if you enjoy more romances, this book is for you. however, if you enjoy more a heavy fantasy, this might not be a wise choice.
this is my humble opinion, i suggest you to give this book a chance anyway!
once again, thank you so much SK Horton for the opportunity!

Beautiful wasn’t something I commonly heard about myself except from my parents, but everyone knows parents don’t really count. Was I pretty? Judging one’s own appearance was impossibly linked to the judgment of others. Typically ignored, I’d always assumed my looks hovered around average.

I was falling for him. My heart stirred with the thought of staying in his arms forever. He felt safe. He was brave and kind and sweet, and when I looked at him, he took my breath away. The risk of heartbreak… it was worth it.

“You’re home.” He rubbed his face and smiled sleepily. “No, we’re home.”

The constant ache in my chest every second we were apart, that instantly released the moment I saw him, was all too real. That these feelings had grown so strong after such a short amount of time frightened me. I was too practical to be a love-at-first-sight kind of girl. Yet, what had grown between us was difficult to deny.

Morbidly, it reminded me of my heart, leaving messy dripping puddles of my soul in this godforsaken castle. Someone would eventually wash it away and Terra would go on as if I’d never crossed its threshold, not caring that I had left a part of myself behind.

“We can polish and make you into a diamond today, but we’ll need that grit underneath. A diamond’s only use is to look beautiful. But coal—coal can start a fire. You have enough courage and determination to heat a whole nation, and we’re all relying on that spark. Trust me.” She sat on the bed and placed her hand over mine. “Trust yourself.”