THE SHADOWED ORACLE Book Review

The Shadowed Oracle (book 1 in The Bonded Worlds series) by R.B. Sturn, eBook, 462 pages

Synopsis from GoodReads: This is no Prophecy. It is only Survival. When twenty-seven-year-old Ingrid Lourdes receives a series of ominous messages, the mysteries of her past quickly unravel, and the nightmares she suffered from all her life are made flesh. She is catapulted into a new world full of immortals, wraiths, cursed monsters, a raging religious war, and a secret society of beings just like her called world-walkers - living on Earth, but driven from their home world of Ealis.

With the help of Dean Crassus, one of the leaders of this secret army of world-walkers, she is forced into a Homeric series of misadventures. Fighting a scourge and the creatures it brought with it. Seeking allies in storied kingdoms. Infiltrating a magic-wielding usurper's court. And all the while, running from a ruthless Prince, and the even crueler High King he serves, to save not only herself and this new world, but the humans she left behind on Earth.

BOOK REVIEW: There was something familiar about this story that I still can't quite put my finger on and I like that a lot! One of the things that made me love Ingrid was that she took her nightmares, the things that terrorized her her entire life, and she found an artist to capture them perfectly and had them tattooed on her body. That isn't something a "normal" or "sane" person would do but I loved it! It was like a symbolic middle finger to her night terrors. If she sees them every day in the light on her skin maybe they won't be as terrifying at night when she sleeps. Right?

I don't know that I really have a favorite part or scene in this story. All the characters are great and I can't wait to see how these characters grow because y'all...the things that happened in the last 10% of this book will leave you with your jaw on the floor and more questions than answers. I cannot get into more detail because I cannot give anything away but just know that it is totally worth the read!

This was a 4 star read for me. While I did love the characters and the world building is amazing and I can see where the author is leading us and I'm excited, it just didn't leave me with that five star feel. One of the things that knocked it down a little was how fast that Ingrid just accepted she is from another world. It was like Oh Ingrid, you're a super important person in this other world that you didn't even know could exist and she just is like Alright let's go. Some of the dialogue also felt a little more juvenile for a character that is supposed to be in her late 20s. This is definitely an author I'll be watching for the next book in the series!

4/5 Stars

2025 Reading Challenge: 53/50 complete