A review by condls27
Worthy of Fate by A.N. Caudle

adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

This was such a let down. From the jump this book felt like a mess. The world building was so clunky, there’s too much going on with the Worthy, the Sages, the Nations, the Spirits and the Gods. I’m a seasoned fantasy reader and as juvenile as the writing was, it took me a couple chapters to work out what the hell was going on. 

To start, the trial was a giant nothing burger. The FMC is supposed to be this badass but gets her ass handed to her 90% of the time. The book just didn’t need it. It would’ve made more sense if the “Worthy” were chosen at birth or something if you were going to put that little effort into the trials. 

There was no foreshadowing in this book. Instead, all the plot twists were on giant, illuminated billboards you could see a mile away.
The second she asked her Spirit Animal (which feels hella problematic) if they can die, I knew that pony was done for but I didn’t even care because he was barely in the book other than as an excuse to give her wings. You’re telling me your heart broke for a horse who was essentially in a Zoom meeting with the other spirit animals the entire book?


How a romance can be both insta-love and an annoyingly paced slow burn is beyond me but it was managed here. We all love a protective/possessive shadow daddy but when we have to read “Mine” and “No one will take you from me” 500 times, it begins to lose its luster.
Also, what the hell was the point of Njall during the trial? You already explained the concepts of mates before she entered the trial so why did you have to tease it again here? This is what I meant about the overly complicated world building. To me it wasn’t clear if the current Worthy had to participate in the trial and then when author teased the mate thing with Njall, I assumed it was Ryker using a fake name for some reason yet to be disclosed. It wasn’t until Ryker’s POV after the trial where we get an explanation on what happens to the current Worthy during the trial. So again I ask, what the hell was the point Niall?!


I couldn’t stop focusing on the plot holes.
At one point, the FMC is trying to find more info about a book that the MMC later has stolen from her home/library and 1. Never asks her what the book is the whole time they’re looking for it or 2. Mentions that he already dispatched a team to break into her library/home to steal the same book. Like literally at that point in the story, they were friendly enough he could’ve just asked for it and called off his minions but he magically forgets about it until a bunch of scholars get murdered and there’s a giant crack in the building.


I should’ve DNF-d but this book already tanked my reading goal so I slogged through it but I would not recommend this.