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Illyrian Tales #1
Scepters & Scrolls
The open road calls our name, but home is always waiting.
Sanev, a magical librarian’s assistant in the south, embarks on a journey to retrieve a lost book. It just so happens to be with northern Prince Hamon, who is embarking on the scariest journey of parenting three orphaned water elves with a penchant for trouble.
When their two paths intertwined, Sanev finds himself teaching a reformed goblin how to cook and training the three girls how to tame their wild powers.
But in the evenings, he finds himself drawn to the lonesome, brooding Prince Hamon…and wondering if he should help him too – in conquering his siblings and claiming the throne.
Sanev’s first journey away from his library in the small town of Sunfall brings more than he could have ever imagined, and a choice he isn’t sure he’s brave enough to make.
But more than that, it brings a family he’s never known.
Author's Note: This is a full length cozy fantasy novel with a low stakes adventure and a sweet romance. Get cozy and escape to the world of Illyria where contentment is key and coziness is a must!
Sanev, a magical librarian’s assistant in the south, embarks on a journey to retrieve a lost book. It just so happens to be with northern Prince Hamon, who is embarking on the scariest journey of parenting three orphaned water elves with a penchant for trouble.
When their two paths intertwined, Sanev finds himself teaching a reformed goblin how to cook and training the three girls how to tame their wild powers.
But in the evenings, he finds himself drawn to the lonesome, brooding Prince Hamon…and wondering if he should help him too – in conquering his siblings and claiming the throne.
Sanev’s first journey away from his library in the small town of Sunfall brings more than he could have ever imagined, and a choice he isn’t sure he’s brave enough to make.
But more than that, it brings a family he’s never known.
Author's Note: This is a full length cozy fantasy novel with a low stakes adventure and a sweet romance. Get cozy and escape to the world of Illyria where contentment is key and coziness is a must!
211 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2023
116 people are currently reading
300 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
February 7, 2025
Let me just lose my mind / Is it purely platonic to call me, like, every night? (Disaster – Conan Gray).
Sorry, but this is going to be another one of those times where I rate this normally, but my review will make it sound like this book personally trapped me in The Shadow Realm, leaving me suffering in agony for all eternity. Oh well, that’s what the ever elusive “3-star” rating is for, right? That's how I use it. Anyway, reading this made me feel like I was losing my mind. “Enemies-to-lovers,” “low-drama,” “cozy-romance.” Buzz words, buzz words, buzz words! I. Must. Consume. Content. Wait, I’m not in the Truman Show, am I? Because at what point are we just... saying words? And look, I like these things in books, I really do! But this book was trying to do so much, and so clumsily, that it felt like a horrific amalgam of easily digestible tropes. I just hate it when I get the sense that a story is only doing certain things because it has to adhere to specific story conventions. Tropes are important, I know, but I think they should be hidden a little better. Because otherwise, the whole thing reeks of “studio interference,” for lack of a better term. Like, “Oh this is a cozy love story! See, look how cute and domestic it is! But wait, we got to add a little spice in order to serve the enemies-to-lovers thing so why don’t we have the love-interest take the main guy… hostage. Oh, why don't we also add all the intricate details of the elf royal family. Great, now we’ve covered all our bases!” It’s a mess. It certainly didn’t help that every time a new character is introduced, there’d usually be at least one paragraph of exposition explaining who they were with all their little backstories. Clunky and repetitive. Repetitive and clunky. Despite everything though, I did like the idea of a character like Sanev. A man who’s spent his entire life with his nose buried in books, finally deciding to up and leave so that he can go be the hero of his own story? That’s a wonderful theme to center a story around. If only it kept to that premise, because even though Sanev is the only pov, all of the narrative importance revolves around the prince! Sanev didn’t even feel like a character after a while, but more like a tour guide in other people’s lives. Nick Carraway-coded for real. Which is unfortunate, because that's hardly any different than how he started his journey. Maybe I’m just in a bad mood, but there’s a falseness to this book. I keep seeing the word “cozy” plastered all over this thing, but the final product is more like one of those Synthetic Krabby Patties. This is a book with a pretty cover that covers all the checklist trends, but in doing so, satisfies no one.
Working up the motivation to finish this was also a bit of a chore. Just call me Icarus, because my hubris really kicked my ass here. I went into this book seriously thinking it’d be an easy-breezy thing that would take me a couple days at most to get through. And, yeah well… suffice to say, it did not take me two days to finish. Every now and then, I’d look up after reading a thousand pages and see that I was only on page 80!? It’s not even like it was so rich in detail that I was lost (the opposite actually. As I’m pretty sure that a whole ass war happens off-screen), but I think this book has a bit of an identity crisis, as there’s often a weird tonal whiplash when it jumps from one chapter to the next. One moment we’d get treated to discussions about the horrors of war (some that are literally being committed by the love-interest. Real charmer, that one), and then the next, Sanev would be building a snowman with the prince's nieces. Big surprise, but I thought the love-interest sucked ass. Not even mentioning the terrible things he does (in a cozy romance!?), but I think that the dangerous aura surrounding Prince Hamon is supposed to be darkly sexy but… nah, it really didn’t work here. Unless people think the movie John Q is hot for some reason, then there’s really nothing special to be found here. And trust me, the prince is no Denzel Washington, that’s for sure. The main premise is that a cute librarian is held captive by a standoffish, but still dashing dude named Prince Hamon, but a more apt name for him would be “Prince Grug!” ...That's his caveman name. I’ve assigned him a caveman name. Because damn, he honestly behaved appallingly, all soft eyes one moment, then growling the next. King Kong mf. I mean, sure, I guess Sanev never actually minded being held hostage, but come on! It’s about the principle of the whole thing! Even Belle didn’t start liking The Beast until his ass learned how to behave. Seriously, there's a whole song about it! We're supposed to see something that wasn't there before! You want to allude to a Beauty and the Beast type of story? Then there are certain sacred rituals that you have to follow. Sorry, I don’t make the rules. So~oo, where do I stand on this? It’s probably obvious that I hate rating things low, and I made it sound like there are zero good things about this book, but there are! Probably. I just didn’t feel like talking about them. Besides, most of my ire is from the fact that it so strongly advertises itself as one thing, but clearly wants to be something else entirely. Is it low drama? Yeah, I guess. In the sense that all the bad things happen off-screen. But I definitely wouldn’t say that this is cozy. I mean, I’m literally cozy as I write this, but that's only because of the oversized hoodie I’m wearing. Sadly, I wouldn’t exactly say the same for this book.
“I’ve wanted to apologize for some time now,” Hamon began, looking around the room as if trying to find the perfect words.
“For what?” Sanev honestly didn’t know.”
FOR HOLDING YOU HOSTAGE! The apology is for... HOLDING YOU HOSTAGE!!
Sorry, but this is going to be another one of those times where I rate this normally, but my review will make it sound like this book personally trapped me in The Shadow Realm, leaving me suffering in agony for all eternity. Oh well, that’s what the ever elusive “3-star” rating is for, right? That's how I use it. Anyway, reading this made me feel like I was losing my mind. “Enemies-to-lovers,” “low-drama,” “cozy-romance.” Buzz words, buzz words, buzz words! I. Must. Consume. Content. Wait, I’m not in the Truman Show, am I? Because at what point are we just... saying words? And look, I like these things in books, I really do! But this book was trying to do so much, and so clumsily, that it felt like a horrific amalgam of easily digestible tropes. I just hate it when I get the sense that a story is only doing certain things because it has to adhere to specific story conventions. Tropes are important, I know, but I think they should be hidden a little better. Because otherwise, the whole thing reeks of “studio interference,” for lack of a better term. Like, “Oh this is a cozy love story! See, look how cute and domestic it is! But wait, we got to add a little spice in order to serve the enemies-to-lovers thing so why don’t we have the love-interest take the main guy… hostage. Oh, why don't we also add all the intricate details of the elf royal family. Great, now we’ve covered all our bases!” It’s a mess. It certainly didn’t help that every time a new character is introduced, there’d usually be at least one paragraph of exposition explaining who they were with all their little backstories. Clunky and repetitive. Repetitive and clunky. Despite everything though, I did like the idea of a character like Sanev. A man who’s spent his entire life with his nose buried in books, finally deciding to up and leave so that he can go be the hero of his own story? That’s a wonderful theme to center a story around. If only it kept to that premise, because even though Sanev is the only pov, all of the narrative importance revolves around the prince! Sanev didn’t even feel like a character after a while, but more like a tour guide in other people’s lives. Nick Carraway-coded for real. Which is unfortunate, because that's hardly any different than how he started his journey. Maybe I’m just in a bad mood, but there’s a falseness to this book. I keep seeing the word “cozy” plastered all over this thing, but the final product is more like one of those Synthetic Krabby Patties. This is a book with a pretty cover that covers all the checklist trends, but in doing so, satisfies no one.
Working up the motivation to finish this was also a bit of a chore. Just call me Icarus, because my hubris really kicked my ass here. I went into this book seriously thinking it’d be an easy-breezy thing that would take me a couple days at most to get through. And, yeah well… suffice to say, it did not take me two days to finish. Every now and then, I’d look up after reading a thousand pages and see that I was only on page 80!? It’s not even like it was so rich in detail that I was lost (the opposite actually. As I’m pretty sure that a whole ass war happens off-screen), but I think this book has a bit of an identity crisis, as there’s often a weird tonal whiplash when it jumps from one chapter to the next. One moment we’d get treated to discussions about the horrors of war (some that are literally being committed by the love-interest. Real charmer, that one), and then the next, Sanev would be building a snowman with the prince's nieces. Big surprise, but I thought the love-interest sucked ass. Not even mentioning the terrible things he does (in a cozy romance!?), but I think that the dangerous aura surrounding Prince Hamon is supposed to be darkly sexy but… nah, it really didn’t work here. Unless people think the movie John Q is hot for some reason, then there’s really nothing special to be found here. And trust me, the prince is no Denzel Washington, that’s for sure. The main premise is that a cute librarian is held captive by a standoffish, but still dashing dude named Prince Hamon, but a more apt name for him would be “Prince Grug!” ...That's his caveman name. I’ve assigned him a caveman name. Because damn, he honestly behaved appallingly, all soft eyes one moment, then growling the next. King Kong mf. I mean, sure, I guess Sanev never actually minded being held hostage, but come on! It’s about the principle of the whole thing! Even Belle didn’t start liking The Beast until his ass learned how to behave. Seriously, there's a whole song about it! We're supposed to see something that wasn't there before! You want to allude to a Beauty and the Beast type of story? Then there are certain sacred rituals that you have to follow. Sorry, I don’t make the rules. So~oo, where do I stand on this? It’s probably obvious that I hate rating things low, and I made it sound like there are zero good things about this book, but there are! Probably. I just didn’t feel like talking about them. Besides, most of my ire is from the fact that it so strongly advertises itself as one thing, but clearly wants to be something else entirely. Is it low drama? Yeah, I guess. In the sense that all the bad things happen off-screen. But I definitely wouldn’t say that this is cozy. I mean, I’m literally cozy as I write this, but that's only because of the oversized hoodie I’m wearing. Sadly, I wouldn’t exactly say the same for this book.
“I’ve wanted to apologize for some time now,” Hamon began, looking around the room as if trying to find the perfect words.
“For what?” Sanev honestly didn’t know.”
FOR HOLDING YOU HOSTAGE! The apology is for... HOLDING YOU HOSTAGE!!
August 10, 2023
I feel like a victim of false advertising when it comes to this book. The blurb says it's an adventure with low stakes but how low are the stakes when the plot revolves around a power struggle for the throne, and failure would result in the deaths of a prince and his orphaned nieces? The blurb also promises a sweet romance but I kind of barely felt it.
The last five or so chapters were genuinely frustrating to me that I was just honestly ready to be done with this book. We were supposed to be at the climax of everything and yet there were senseless conversations happening between Sanev and some random librarians, and between Sanev and Eitrix, the latter of which was probably a late attempt at expanding some more on this fantasy world but just felt unneeded. Or maybe it was an attempt at exploring a side character more. But that late into the book?
Anyway. I digress.
The biggest flaw of the book for me was I never fully warmed up to Hamon at all. For most of the book he came across as the lesser evil between him and his siblings, rather than someone you want to root for to become king. The lack of his perspective in the book was glaringly obvious by the end. Was I supposed to sympathize with him? I don't know, because we never get a proper explanation for why his faction of elves hates the summer elves. Was I supposed to guess why a transfer of power in Torbei is significant? I don't even need a justification for Hamon's prejudices; I would've been fine with just a simple explanation for the divide and I got none.
And it isn't just Hamon. There are so many concepts in this book that get mentioned but aren't fully explained, like how elves get turned into ghouls. That part was genuinely interesting to me but despite being frequently mentioned, we aren't given any information as to how this process works. We're expected to just nod and move along.
(I wonder if the explanations I'm looking for will be given in the next few books in this series? Or are they in the author's other series, which seem to take place in different planets? If so, I don't think that was a very good decision. Not everyone is willing to read multiple different series.)
Also, I think this book really needed another pass at proofreading. I noticed so many spelling inconsistencies - and even verb tense inconsistencies - while reading. For the names, you can probably guess which is the correct spelling, but it's still frustrating to read. Is it Tialha or Tiahla? Is it ursyus or urysus?
I really wanted to like this more, but the book just feels too short for all the things that the author seemed to want to do. Even the romance felt rushed and flat, and the resolution wasn't convincing to me at all. I think it really could've been better if it was a bit longer and we were offered Hamon's perspective in order to fully witness the growing feelings between him and Sanev, and to understand his thought process. That last chapter seems to be leading into the second book in the series, but I genuinely can't tell if it will be about another couple or if it will continue Hamon and Sanev's story. Either way, I'm not sure if I'll continue this series.
The last five or so chapters were genuinely frustrating to me that I was just honestly ready to be done with this book. We were supposed to be at the climax of everything and yet there were senseless conversations happening between Sanev and some random librarians, and between Sanev and Eitrix, the latter of which was probably a late attempt at expanding some more on this fantasy world but just felt unneeded. Or maybe it was an attempt at exploring a side character more. But that late into the book?
Anyway. I digress.
The biggest flaw of the book for me was I never fully warmed up to Hamon at all. For most of the book he came across as the lesser evil between him and his siblings, rather than someone you want to root for to become king. The lack of his perspective in the book was glaringly obvious by the end. Was I supposed to sympathize with him? I don't know, because we never get a proper explanation for why his faction of elves hates the summer elves. Was I supposed to guess why a transfer of power in Torbei is significant? I don't even need a justification for Hamon's prejudices; I would've been fine with just a simple explanation for the divide and I got none.
And it isn't just Hamon. There are so many concepts in this book that get mentioned but aren't fully explained, like how elves get turned into ghouls. That part was genuinely interesting to me but despite being frequently mentioned, we aren't given any information as to how this process works. We're expected to just nod and move along.
(I wonder if the explanations I'm looking for will be given in the next few books in this series? Or are they in the author's other series, which seem to take place in different planets? If so, I don't think that was a very good decision. Not everyone is willing to read multiple different series.)
Also, I think this book really needed another pass at proofreading. I noticed so many spelling inconsistencies - and even verb tense inconsistencies - while reading. For the names, you can probably guess which is the correct spelling, but it's still frustrating to read. Is it Tialha or Tiahla? Is it ursyus or urysus?
I really wanted to like this more, but the book just feels too short for all the things that the author seemed to want to do. Even the romance felt rushed and flat, and the resolution wasn't convincing to me at all. I think it really could've been better if it was a bit longer and we were offered Hamon's perspective in order to fully witness the growing feelings between him and Sanev, and to understand his thought process. That last chapter seems to be leading into the second book in the series, but I genuinely can't tell if it will be about another couple or if it will continue Hamon and Sanev's story. Either way, I'm not sure if I'll continue this series.
May 3, 2023
*read for free with Kindle Unlimited *
I liked the characters and the settings but the royal political stuff wasn't as interesting to me (just a me thing) in this one, though three character's actions and relationships were fascinating if that makes sense.
Would have loved some chapters from Hamon's pov, especially during the second half.
The ending was sweet in one part and surprising in another with a certain someone..have a feeling there's an interesting time ahead :)
Would still recommend and can't wait to visit these people again.
I liked the characters and the settings but the royal political stuff wasn't as interesting to me (just a me thing) in this one, though three character's actions and relationships were fascinating if that makes sense.
Would have loved some chapters from Hamon's pov, especially during the second half.
The ending was sweet in one part and surprising in another with a certain someone..have a feeling there's an interesting time ahead :)
Would still recommend and can't wait to visit these people again.
August 24, 2023
DNF @ 14%.
I wasn’t sure about this one. The author’s note seems to conflict with reviews as to the contents. But I don’t need low stakes.
But that TOC took my doubt and doubled it. Thirty chapters listed, with the POV… except the only POV is Sanev’s. 1. Sanev, 2. Sanev, 3. Sanev, etc. We get it.
So, from there we have about 7 side characters mentioned in the first 10 pages. And it is apparent from the mentioning of two of these characters and references to last events that they are likely featured in other book. This book being Sorcery & Scones. Which I have not read. Referencing characters and plot from another series in the first book of a series is a great way to make me never want to read another book from the offending author again.
But, I did read on a bit more.
We are told on the first page that Sanev rarely leaves the library. 10 pages later we are told he frequently goes to the local café in the evenings.
We are told you can’t use a portal to go somewhere if you don’t know the where you are going to. And then Sanev uses the portal and ends up somewhere. He isn’t sure where. And one could argue the book he went to retrieve is the anchor, only the book is nowhere in sight.
We are told librarians are protected throughout the realm, but after showing his seal to prove his identity, he is detained. And I don’t know about you, but if someone decides to take me prisoner, my first action won’t be to make them a tasty dinner.
A few less contradictions in the first 3 chapters would have maybe convinced me to try reading a little longer, but I admit I lost all patience at the soup.
I wasn’t sure about this one. The author’s note seems to conflict with reviews as to the contents. But I don’t need low stakes.
But that TOC took my doubt and doubled it. Thirty chapters listed, with the POV… except the only POV is Sanev’s. 1. Sanev, 2. Sanev, 3. Sanev, etc. We get it.
So, from there we have about 7 side characters mentioned in the first 10 pages. And it is apparent from the mentioning of two of these characters and references to last events that they are likely featured in other book. This book being Sorcery & Scones. Which I have not read. Referencing characters and plot from another series in the first book of a series is a great way to make me never want to read another book from the offending author again.
But, I did read on a bit more.
We are told on the first page that Sanev rarely leaves the library. 10 pages later we are told he frequently goes to the local café in the evenings.
We are told you can’t use a portal to go somewhere if you don’t know the where you are going to. And then Sanev uses the portal and ends up somewhere. He isn’t sure where. And one could argue the book he went to retrieve is the anchor, only the book is nowhere in sight.
We are told librarians are protected throughout the realm, but after showing his seal to prove his identity, he is detained. And I don’t know about you, but if someone decides to take me prisoner, my first action won’t be to make them a tasty dinner.
A few less contradictions in the first 3 chapters would have maybe convinced me to try reading a little longer, but I admit I lost all patience at the soup.
July 26, 2023
This was a cute read!
I liked the character of Sanev a lot, and the book is a quick and fluffy cozy fantasy that hit the mark that I was looking for.
However, where the book falls flat is in worldbuilding. The author tries to do far too much in too little space, and it gets to the point where the new concepts don't really add much to the story at all. We know there's a war happening, but not why. We know that , but not why. We hear a lot about elves being turned into ghouls and orcs, but none of that is explained. Even throwaway sections like the food and animals in this world end up getting confusing.
Additionally, I do wish that we'd gotten a look into Hamon's perspective a little. As it stands, he's a little flat coming purely from Sanev's perspective, but even still, he's an okay character and I did get the romance between the two.
2.5/5 stars, rounded up to 3/5 stars because I did end up enjoying the romance and the main plot, even if the worldbuilding fell flat.
I liked the character of Sanev a lot, and the book is a quick and fluffy cozy fantasy that hit the mark that I was looking for.
However, where the book falls flat is in worldbuilding. The author tries to do far too much in too little space, and it gets to the point where the new concepts don't really add much to the story at all. We know there's a war happening, but not why. We know that , but not why. We hear a lot about elves being turned into ghouls and orcs, but none of that is explained. Even throwaway sections like the food and animals in this world end up getting confusing.
Additionally, I do wish that we'd gotten a look into Hamon's perspective a little. As it stands, he's a little flat coming purely from Sanev's perspective, but even still, he's an okay character and I did get the romance between the two.
2.5/5 stars, rounded up to 3/5 stars because I did end up enjoying the romance and the main plot, even if the worldbuilding fell flat.
October 2, 2023
not bad, but I wanted more
When I finished this book in June, I remember really enjoying it. I think I was going to rate it 4 stars but was just too lazy and busy—how could I productively procrastinate a writing assignment if I was writing something else—to sit down and figure out a full review. Now, several months later, I only faintly remember the plot. Reading a few other reviews helped jog my memory more, but beyond being the cozy fantasy atmosphere that I love, there wasn't a lot that stood out to me about this book. I remember the role librarians play and wish there had been more about that. It would not necessarily have worked for this story, but I would have loved to learn about the world through their portalling adventures. I'm always a sucker for found families and do remember finding Sanev's interactions with the kids and cook sweet. I didn't feel much for the romance though. I think I would be interested in reading more stories set in this world. I want to explore more of the themes and descriptions I remember the narrative only lightly touching on.
When I finished this book in June, I remember really enjoying it. I think I was going to rate it 4 stars but was just too lazy and busy—how could I productively procrastinate a writing assignment if I was writing something else—to sit down and figure out a full review. Now, several months later, I only faintly remember the plot. Reading a few other reviews helped jog my memory more, but beyond being the cozy fantasy atmosphere that I love, there wasn't a lot that stood out to me about this book. I remember the role librarians play and wish there had been more about that. It would not necessarily have worked for this story, but I would have loved to learn about the world through their portalling adventures. I'm always a sucker for found families and do remember finding Sanev's interactions with the kids and cook sweet. I didn't feel much for the romance though. I think I would be interested in reading more stories set in this world. I want to explore more of the themes and descriptions I remember the narrative only lightly touching on.
September 19, 2023
Not a cozy by definition, not a romance, some good things
Rating: 3.25🌈
In Scepters & Scrolls, S.R. Meadows has , unfortunately, set herself up for criticism and anticipatory story attacks by the inclusion of the word “cozy” in the title. Scepters & Scrolls is many things but a cozy read it’s not.
Meadows’ on a cozy. Each book in the series gets a similar note.
“Author's Note: This is a full length cozy fantasy novel with a low stakes adventure and a sweet romance. Get cozy and escape to the world of Illyria where contentment is key and coziness is a must!”
That’s not a cozy. Not by definition at least. A cozy , often a mystery or murder mystery, is a long beloved trope, defined by several elements. It’s lighter in atmosphere, is comedic, and is often comforting in tone. Its focus is on the relationship between two people with the drama being outside of their dynamic, usually the mystery. If it happens in a quirky village, all the better.
But the author seems to think a cozy is about having cozy feelings after or during your reading experience. Hmmm, no. That’s Dr Phil , not The Oxford English Dictionary or a writing trope.
This story is a fantasy adventure. It has a bored librarian who goes in search of a missing book, find orphaned children in need, a not so lovely Prince who does some nasty things because they are necessary, and tons of political stuff that is layered on. There’s some cool maps, one that shows planets, which, curiouser. Portals, ghouls, and things which did not make any sense.
The relationship between the magical librarian, Sanev, a character I thought had promise, and the Prince, Hamon, who wasn’t well developed. Hamon was too one dimensional. He had one personality until the end where he made a complete switch in his attitude and actions, all off page.
From rigidity in his beliefs and behavior, which we witnessed, to someone who was completely comfortable with his change of heart and where it left his position within the kingdom . A sea change that the author had laid zero foundation for. This was a very shaky part of the story.
Meadows has some very interesting things going on but keeps bouncing around, unable to find a narrative thread that fits or one that flows well through the story. The girls are cute and we started to get to know them but then we switched off to another area. Then it’s espionage and a moonstone we have no idea what it does. Then apparently Sanev is able to portal around places like a lively baby goat so is dangerous situations even a thing? No idea.
Like I said, it’s more a series of questions attached by nice elements and some characters that have potential. All of which ends on a cliffhanger of sorts.
No, definitely not a cozy. Someone please explain it to the author.
Maybe not even a fantasy romance as they don’t seem to have a relationship but hold hands at the end. What is this? Fantasy/scify adventure series. That’s the closest thing I can come.
There’s 4 books written within this universe but I’m not invested enough to go check them out.
Illyrian Tales:
- [ ] Potions & Pints - m/m
- [x] Scepters & Scrolls -m/m
- [ ] Talismans & Tailors - m/f
- [ ] A Snug Sanctuary - f/f
Rating: 3.25🌈
In Scepters & Scrolls, S.R. Meadows has , unfortunately, set herself up for criticism and anticipatory story attacks by the inclusion of the word “cozy” in the title. Scepters & Scrolls is many things but a cozy read it’s not.
Meadows’ on a cozy. Each book in the series gets a similar note.
“Author's Note: This is a full length cozy fantasy novel with a low stakes adventure and a sweet romance. Get cozy and escape to the world of Illyria where contentment is key and coziness is a must!”
That’s not a cozy. Not by definition at least. A cozy , often a mystery or murder mystery, is a long beloved trope, defined by several elements. It’s lighter in atmosphere, is comedic, and is often comforting in tone. Its focus is on the relationship between two people with the drama being outside of their dynamic, usually the mystery. If it happens in a quirky village, all the better.
But the author seems to think a cozy is about having cozy feelings after or during your reading experience. Hmmm, no. That’s Dr Phil , not The Oxford English Dictionary or a writing trope.
This story is a fantasy adventure. It has a bored librarian who goes in search of a missing book, find orphaned children in need, a not so lovely Prince who does some nasty things because they are necessary, and tons of political stuff that is layered on. There’s some cool maps, one that shows planets, which, curiouser. Portals, ghouls, and things which did not make any sense.
The relationship between the magical librarian, Sanev, a character I thought had promise, and the Prince, Hamon, who wasn’t well developed. Hamon was too one dimensional. He had one personality until the end where he made a complete switch in his attitude and actions, all off page.
From rigidity in his beliefs and behavior, which we witnessed, to someone who was completely comfortable with his change of heart and where it left his position within the kingdom . A sea change that the author had laid zero foundation for. This was a very shaky part of the story.
Meadows has some very interesting things going on but keeps bouncing around, unable to find a narrative thread that fits or one that flows well through the story. The girls are cute and we started to get to know them but then we switched off to another area. Then it’s espionage and a moonstone we have no idea what it does. Then apparently Sanev is able to portal around places like a lively baby goat so is dangerous situations even a thing? No idea.
Like I said, it’s more a series of questions attached by nice elements and some characters that have potential. All of which ends on a cliffhanger of sorts.
No, definitely not a cozy. Someone please explain it to the author.
Maybe not even a fantasy romance as they don’t seem to have a relationship but hold hands at the end. What is this? Fantasy/scify adventure series. That’s the closest thing I can come.
There’s 4 books written within this universe but I’m not invested enough to go check them out.
Illyrian Tales:
- [ ] Potions & Pints - m/m
- [x] Scepters & Scrolls -m/m
- [ ] Talismans & Tailors - m/f
- [ ] A Snug Sanctuary - f/f
August 10, 2023
First things first, this was definitely a quick, cute, fun read. It flowed nicely and I adored Sanev. That said, two things bothered me. The first is that there was a TON of world building and introspection, which was probably necessary, but just made the ending feel rushed. The second was that the MM/Romance tag is a bit misleading. All that said, I did enjoy the book quite a lot and look forward to reading more and hopefully getting some answers to the incomplete world building.
July 3, 2023
A fast cozy read with a dash of political maneuvering - I enjoyed the cooking and parenting aspects and the slice of life feel, but the romance seemed a bit forced.
Sanev is an assistant librarian. He loves his job, but when his boss leaves on a trip to replace the magical power element his town needs, Sanev feels lonely and bored. When he magically transports to the north to retrieve a borrowed book, he finds the very attractive Prince Hamon and his three nieces and encounters a situation where he’s needed and might be able to help. But it’s possible that his help will be disastrous for his people.
The world building in this was clever, but a bit over abundant in detail. There were many fantasy creatures- both people and animals, plants, magic, places, foods, etc.. which is fun, but mostly they were just briefly mentioned and so didn’t feel that real or add much to the story. It also felt at times like I had missed a previous book since a number of events from the past were mentioned in passing as if the reader should already know about them. (which kind of makes sense - I thought this was a debut book, but after some research, I realized that there was a previous book published but is no longer available.)
Sanev is an assistant librarian. He loves his job, but when his boss leaves on a trip to replace the magical power element his town needs, Sanev feels lonely and bored. When he magically transports to the north to retrieve a borrowed book, he finds the very attractive Prince Hamon and his three nieces and encounters a situation where he’s needed and might be able to help. But it’s possible that his help will be disastrous for his people.
The world building in this was clever, but a bit over abundant in detail. There were many fantasy creatures- both people and animals, plants, magic, places, foods, etc.. which is fun, but mostly they were just briefly mentioned and so didn’t feel that real or add much to the story. It also felt at times like I had missed a previous book since a number of events from the past were mentioned in passing as if the reader should already know about them. (which kind of makes sense - I thought this was a debut book, but after some research, I realized that there was a previous book published but is no longer available.)
Read
March 8, 2025Not rating. I feel like this was AI, but have no proof so I'm not going to leave a rating accordingly. Just inconsistent descriptions, characters, and writing. The bones of something good without the delivery.
October 28, 2024
This was terrible. It's either one of the roughest drafts I've seen published, or the author utilized AI. Since this was published in 2023 and there are no credits for an editor, the maps, or the cover—which doesn't quite match any of the several inconsistent descriptions given of Hamon and Sanev in the book—I'm sorry to say that I'm inclined to think it's the latter.
The aforementioned ever-changing descriptions of Hamon and Sanev are only one of the many egregious errors in this book. One of Hamon's nieces has her name spelled several different ways throughout the book and I could not tell you which rendition is supposed to be the correct spelling, Hamon and Sanev's names are swapped during scenes that Hamon isn't even in, and there are several instances of standard typos and wholly wrong words used. Every chapter is also labeled with Sanev's name, despite the book being solely his POV? It probably would have been a better read if we got Hamon's perspective as well, seeing as he doesn't get a lot of time on the page, despite being the love interest.
Oh, but what about the narrative flow? Is it, at the very least, cohesive? Is the story easy to follow with smooth transitions between scenes? Nope. I found myself double checking to be sure I hadn't missed a page throughout the book, and it seemed to get worse the farther in I got. Characters genuinely coming out of nowhere and scenes jumping all over the place is yet another aspect that makes me wonder if Meadows used AI.
The premise and world were both promising, and I did appreciate the inclusions of the maps at the beginning, but that's the only praise I can bear to give this. There is just too much going on here for a 200 page cozy fantasy, and none of it is given the attention and depth that it needs. I think the cozy marketing itself is a bit laughable, considering that a significant plot point is
I also, personally, hated that the other book in Meadows' Illyrian Tales series was referenced throughout Scepters & Scrolls, despite not having been published yet? Why is the narrative treating these characters and events as something the reader is supposed to be familiar with and understand when they didn't yet exist when this book was published?
And the insta-love at 95% was fucking crazy, by the way. There is absolute no build-up to their relationship. None. At all. Sanev thinks Hamon is attractive from the jump, sure, but that's about it. None of their other interactions do the work they need to for the confession scene at the end to be believable. I genuinely can't get over it happening out of nowhere at 95%.
The aforementioned ever-changing descriptions of Hamon and Sanev are only one of the many egregious errors in this book. One of Hamon's nieces has her name spelled several different ways throughout the book and I could not tell you which rendition is supposed to be the correct spelling, Hamon and Sanev's names are swapped during scenes that Hamon isn't even in, and there are several instances of standard typos and wholly wrong words used. Every chapter is also labeled with Sanev's name, despite the book being solely his POV? It probably would have been a better read if we got Hamon's perspective as well, seeing as he doesn't get a lot of time on the page, despite being the love interest.
Oh, but what about the narrative flow? Is it, at the very least, cohesive? Is the story easy to follow with smooth transitions between scenes? Nope. I found myself double checking to be sure I hadn't missed a page throughout the book, and it seemed to get worse the farther in I got. Characters genuinely coming out of nowhere and scenes jumping all over the place is yet another aspect that makes me wonder if Meadows used AI.
The premise and world were both promising, and I did appreciate the inclusions of the maps at the beginning, but that's the only praise I can bear to give this. There is just too much going on here for a 200 page cozy fantasy, and none of it is given the attention and depth that it needs. I think the cozy marketing itself is a bit laughable, considering that a significant plot point is
I also, personally, hated that the other book in Meadows' Illyrian Tales series was referenced throughout Scepters & Scrolls, despite not having been published yet? Why is the narrative treating these characters and events as something the reader is supposed to be familiar with and understand when they didn't yet exist when this book was published?
And the insta-love at 95% was fucking crazy, by the way. There is absolute no build-up to their relationship. None. At all. Sanev thinks Hamon is attractive from the jump, sure, but that's about it. None of their other interactions do the work they need to for the confession scene at the end to be believable. I genuinely can't get over it happening out of nowhere at 95%.
July 8, 2023
Caveat - Kindle Unlimited copy. Plot was too confusing - read first 30% then skipped to last 2 chapters looking for clarity which was not found. DNF
This was marketed on Amazon as a "cozy" daddy/manny fantasy romance with elves. In reading the plot quickly switches to a kingdom succession crisis with pointless war impending. I kept getting audible earworms of that terrorist puppet saying "I will keeel you!" Librarians are evidently a new magic user class with no rules or restrictions. Elves now have geopolitical restrictions as well as "racial" magic divisions? It only gets more confusing from there.
At 30% point the "romance" is a barely budding attraction. The "our magic is dying" plotline is an obvious McGuffin to get rid of our junior librarian's supervisors. "Aiding and abetting thine enemy" is an extremely poorly understood concept when cutie-pie orphans are involved. Librarians are born, not made, except when the plot needs more cuteness. To boil it down, the explanations of everything are so poorly given that it is extremely difficult to understand the story.
I give up. Sorry for the rant.
This was marketed on Amazon as a "cozy" daddy/manny fantasy romance with elves. In reading the plot quickly switches to a kingdom succession crisis with pointless war impending. I kept getting audible earworms of that terrorist puppet saying "I will keeel you!" Librarians are evidently a new magic user class with no rules or restrictions. Elves now have geopolitical restrictions as well as "racial" magic divisions? It only gets more confusing from there.
At 30% point the "romance" is a barely budding attraction. The "our magic is dying" plotline is an obvious McGuffin to get rid of our junior librarian's supervisors. "Aiding and abetting thine enemy" is an extremely poorly understood concept when cutie-pie orphans are involved. Librarians are born, not made, except when the plot needs more cuteness. To boil it down, the explanations of everything are so poorly given that it is extremely difficult to understand the story.
I give up. Sorry for the rant.
August 14, 2023
3.75!
Very easy read with good political intrigue! Didn’t make you too anxious, considering it’s labeled as a cozy fantasy, but also kept your attention well!
The characters were all easy to fall in love with and I enjoyed the quick descriptions that were slipped in of the place the characters live. Including but not limited to, the fight between the south and the north and how that affected the climate on their planet.
Cute romance! Teensy-weensy bit fast, but the book was short, so I expected nothing less! Was very enjoyable!! Excited to read more of Sanev, Hamen, Tialha, Solana, and Vish’s story!
Again, was a quick read, so some of the conflict didn’t feel like it wrapped up clean, but it might do some more of that in the next book. Who’s to say. Isn’t out yet. But for this one, that’s my only complaint.
Cute, short story! Recommend for something short to read that is fluffy and won’t make you think to hard!
Very easy read with good political intrigue! Didn’t make you too anxious, considering it’s labeled as a cozy fantasy, but also kept your attention well!
The characters were all easy to fall in love with and I enjoyed the quick descriptions that were slipped in of the place the characters live. Including but not limited to, the fight between the south and the north and how that affected the climate on their planet.
Cute romance! Teensy-weensy bit fast, but the book was short, so I expected nothing less! Was very enjoyable!! Excited to read more of Sanev, Hamen, Tialha, Solana, and Vish’s story!
Again, was a quick read, so some of the conflict didn’t feel like it wrapped up clean, but it might do some more of that in the next book. Who’s to say. Isn’t out yet. But for this one, that’s my only complaint.
Cute, short story! Recommend for something short to read that is fluffy and won’t make you think to hard!
July 31, 2023
Sanev is bored at the library, and his boss is on an adventure. When he gets a notification of a lost book, he retrieves it. The book happens to be held by Prince Hamon of the North, who is embarking on his journey to raising his sister's three daughters, which is why he needed the book. Sanev and Prince Hamon get off to a rough start, but protecting and teaching the girls help them to find solid ground.
This was an exciting fantasy book with low to no angst that had a lot of adventure and a blossoming relationship between Sanev and Prince Hamon. It starts a bit slow, but it soon picks up as Sanev helps the girls learn to control their magic, and Prince Hamon starts on a journey to gain allies to help protect the girls. This was my first book by the author, and I'm interested in seeing where more stories from this world go and these characters.
This was an exciting fantasy book with low to no angst that had a lot of adventure and a blossoming relationship between Sanev and Prince Hamon. It starts a bit slow, but it soon picks up as Sanev helps the girls learn to control their magic, and Prince Hamon starts on a journey to gain allies to help protect the girls. This was my first book by the author, and I'm interested in seeing where more stories from this world go and these characters.
March 6, 2024
Cozy is right
This was just a random, quick find on Kindle for me before I started on some of my other books and I was honestly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. I finished this in a day and found it so charming and sweet. It hit all the troupes I love and none of the ones I hate while maintaining its lighthearted tone. There is a dark, foreboding feel that lingers in the background and helps show the progression of some of the characters.
If you are looking for a quick, queer, cozy read, this is it. Troupes include enemies-to-lovers, one bed, forced proximity (but not really), single parent, and a good old fashioned happy ending.
This was just a random, quick find on Kindle for me before I started on some of my other books and I was honestly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. I finished this in a day and found it so charming and sweet. It hit all the troupes I love and none of the ones I hate while maintaining its lighthearted tone. There is a dark, foreboding feel that lingers in the background and helps show the progression of some of the characters.
If you are looking for a quick, queer, cozy read, this is it. Troupes include enemies-to-lovers, one bed, forced proximity (but not really), single parent, and a good old fashioned happy ending.
June 15, 2023
A Librarian Finds More Than A Lost Book
A search, for a lost book, leads an Assistant Librarian on an adventure in a fantasy world filled with intriguing characters and creatures. This is obviously the start of a wonderful series of adventures to come. I have gone through more than half a dozen disappointing sample downloads on Kindle, but if it took that to find this gem...well it was worth it and then some, truly an encouraging find in a sea of disappointment. Please let there be more from this author.
A search, for a lost book, leads an Assistant Librarian on an adventure in a fantasy world filled with intriguing characters and creatures. This is obviously the start of a wonderful series of adventures to come. I have gone through more than half a dozen disappointing sample downloads on Kindle, but if it took that to find this gem...well it was worth it and then some, truly an encouraging find in a sea of disappointment. Please let there be more from this author.
July 14, 2023
While this was overall enjoyable, it ultimately didn't hit the mark for me. It's a quick and fluffy read but littered with far too many characters and a plot that's probably a little too much for the space it had, because even the serious topics broached felt very surface level. The romance was meh, too, because I didn't feel anything beyond friendly chemistry with them. Might have been better as a slow burn across multiple books you have more time to believe it.
3 inoffensive and unexceptional stars.
3 inoffensive and unexceptional stars.
August 30, 2023
I feel like the title is misleading in how bland it is. The story doesn't revolve around magic items or relics -- it's really the story of two isolated people thrown together and each realizing they don't have to face everything alone.
I especially enjoyed being aligned with the protagonist, and I wish there were more about how he handles life outside of the library... but this book clearly ends in a good spot for Sanev and the next book is about a different protagonist.
Still I enjoyed the writing and overall atmosphere of this one enough that I'll go check for the next soon. :)
I especially enjoyed being aligned with the protagonist, and I wish there were more about how he handles life outside of the library... but this book clearly ends in a good spot for Sanev and the next book is about a different protagonist.
Still I enjoyed the writing and overall atmosphere of this one enough that I'll go check for the next soon. :)
March 23, 2024
I was looking for a cozy fantasy and this really fit the bill. It was a fun read about a librarian and a Prince. This could be read as a standalone, as I didn't read the other book in the series yet. I really liked the librarian, he had just a fun character and I couldn't wait to see what he did next. The prince seemed more one dimensional but started to show his layers as the story moved along. Then throw in some kids, a couple fun side character and time flew reading this. I am looking forward to reading the other book set in the world.
May 2, 2023
I was happy to see a second book written in this world and even happier that it was the librarian from the first book. I enjoyed this story, the girls were adorable and the building romance was really nice. Some parts felt a bit rushed and there were some continuity errors (wrong characters were used when talking about previous events), but I felt the story telling in this book was noticeably better than the first one.
I recommend reading it, and I'm looking forward to more.
I recommend reading it, and I'm looking forward to more.
May 31, 2023
Loved it!
This was such a sweet, slow burn with quirky characters. The main characters are life-like because they second guess themselves and try to mitigate their own heartbreak by walking away. Sometimes affection and love come slowly and wrap you snuggly before you even realize you are caught. Can’t wait for the next book!
This was such a sweet, slow burn with quirky characters. The main characters are life-like because they second guess themselves and try to mitigate their own heartbreak by walking away. Sometimes affection and love come slowly and wrap you snuggly before you even realize you are caught. Can’t wait for the next book!
June 19, 2023
low stakes…for a prince
Librarian with hidden depths of magic meets prince with no ambition other than caring for his orphaned nieces.
There’s a lot of external turmoil: warring factions, dark magic, imbalance of magic leading to environmental disasters, but that’s all background to two elves finding their way to each other.
Librarian with hidden depths of magic meets prince with no ambition other than caring for his orphaned nieces.
There’s a lot of external turmoil: warring factions, dark magic, imbalance of magic leading to environmental disasters, but that’s all background to two elves finding their way to each other.
July 11, 2023
A search, for a lost book, leads an Assistant Librarian on an adventure and right into the arms of a curmudgeonly elf in hiding. A fast cozy read with a dash of political maneuvering. The cooking and parenting aspects and the slice of life feel, made this and enjoyable story. The girls were adorable and the building romance was really nice.
I am glad I read this book and will read the next in the series. 3/5 stars.
I am glad I read this book and will read the next in the series. 3/5 stars.
August 20, 2023
My rating is closer to 2.5 stars than 3 stars.
This writer and I have a very different idea of "low stakes".
The story was interesting enough for me to finish it, but overall it was only "okay". I think that I will give the author one more chance to entertain me because there were a few really fun moments in this.
This writer and I have a very different idea of "low stakes".
The story was interesting enough for me to finish it, but overall it was only "okay". I think that I will give the author one more chance to entertain me because there were a few really fun moments in this.
September 8, 2023
Not a cozy fantasy at all
I really wanted to like this book but it was such a disappointment. The beginning was cute but it devolved into a bunch of political intrigue with no real resolution. The romance was also basically non existent. I like the world but I feel like the actual writing could be more polished and it would be better if they didn't falsely advertise it as cozy.
I really wanted to like this book but it was such a disappointment. The beginning was cute but it devolved into a bunch of political intrigue with no real resolution. The romance was also basically non existent. I like the world but I feel like the actual writing could be more polished and it would be better if they didn't falsely advertise it as cozy.
May 12, 2023
Too much world building for a book
Story is interesting. Narration, background knowledge and character introduction is very clunky. It's like the author knows everything and is trying to throw it at us all at once in one book
Story is interesting. Narration, background knowledge and character introduction is very clunky. It's like the author knows everything and is trying to throw it at us all at once in one book
May 28, 2023
Awesome
I truly enjoyed this book- assistant Liberian was sensitive and kind - loved the girls and how the prince ended being together with the assistant hopefully there will be book 2_ no graphic sex scenes either - beautiful story
I truly enjoyed this book- assistant Liberian was sensitive and kind - loved the girls and how the prince ended being together with the assistant hopefully there will be book 2_ no graphic sex scenes either - beautiful story
June 18, 2023
The pacing was really fast. Some characters were remembered incorrectly (one daughter was attacked, but a different one was name dropped 100 pages later for the singular event,) I enjoyed the premise and the characters, but a bit-too-quick read. The author has a lot of positives and worth your time
August 18, 2023
*Fun Read**
This book was well written and a fun read. I cannot wait for the next one in the series. I especially want to know what happens with Fish and the other girls. Does the prince stay hidden and can they fix\ save the people that have been turned by black magic!
This book was well written and a fun read. I cannot wait for the next one in the series. I especially want to know what happens with Fish and the other girls. Does the prince stay hidden and can they fix\ save the people that have been turned by black magic!
October 8, 2023
I’m giving up on this one. This is not a cozy read at all. Not with the plot, because there’s too much political intrigue. And not with the romance, because the elf isn’t the least bit nice to the librarian. DNF 40%.
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