Hey guys! So Hidden just received its first critical review, and I gotta say - I'm pretty pumped with the result! Reader's Favorite Magazine gave my newest release 5-stars! They base their rating on five categories: appearance, plot, development, formatting, and marketability. I am pleased to say that Hidden scored a 4 in appearance (ok, I get that, the cover art is definitely not for everyone), and a 5 in everything else! Which, in my opinion, matters way more. The full text of the review is below for your reading pleasure, and if you haven't yet snagged a copy of Hidden, perhaps the opinion of this Reader's Favorite professional reviewer will entice you to start reading now:
Hidden is an epic fantasy novel and the second installment of the Circle series by author Melissa A. Ivanco-Murray. The Fifth Spinner Laria is troubled to find out that the enchanted Loom, which allows her to peer into the past, present, and the future, is unable to give a glimpse of the western part of Dahrigek. She contacts Mari and her friends and seeks their help in investigating the land and solving the mystery. Mari, Gren, and Ruv once again set forth to Aorea alongside the twins, Sam and Sarah, and the new recruit Wendy. However, things are worse than they imagined as they soon discover that the reawakening of ancient powers threatens to destroy all civilizations. Mari and her friends must do their utmost to prevent the apocalypse.
Hidden is a wildly entertaining epic adventure novel that keeps you hooked to its pages with its colorful characters, intricate storytelling, and stupendous worldbuilding. With its plethora of magical creatures including sanguines, leshii, lanti, necromancers, and a detailed history and lore of Aorea, Melissa Murray's narrative pulls you deep into an immersive world full of wonder and awe. The author takes her time setting up the plot but halfway through the book, the narrative picks up speed and flies by in its final stretch. I couldn't pick a favorite between the characters as everyone felt distinct and I was mesmerized by every single one of them. Despite being the second book in the series, Hidden also works out as a standalone. I was thoroughly entertained and I would highly recommend it to fantasy readers.
- Reader's Favorite Magazine