| Title | : | The Sapphire Oath |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9798408680665 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 296 |
| Publication | : | Published March 29, 2022 |
In a land ravaged by war, a King now sits on a throne that doesn’t belong to him. A Princess accused and now lost.
With the death of beloved Queen Enelya and the world in mourning, Giselle has disappeared and is accused of murdering her mother. Hidden away in the enchanted forest to fend for herself, she finds herself at the wrong place at the right time.
An old acquaintance offers a hand in not only finding Giselle’s friend but also to help clear her name and take back what is rightfully hers.
The Throne.
A Princess. A Soldier. A King.
One Epic Battle.
And A World To Save.
The Sapphire Oath Reviews
-
“My blood is your blood. My body is your body. This is my Sapphire Oath to you.”
The Sapphire Oath is the first book in a brand new fantasy series. It is also the author’s debut novel! I adored Giselle and Shadow. I know the author is a huge LotR fan so it wasn’t hard to spot the little bits of Legolas in Shadow. ;) Dignified and proper, but lethal in a fight. And fiercely protective of those he loves.
Giselle was a little harder for me to connect with, hence the 4-star rating instead of five. But after that ending I suspect she will go through some major character growth in the second book. I can’t wait to see where the story goes from there! -
< ARC provided by the author in exchange of an honest review >
3.5 stars rounded to 4
I enjoyed the ride! It has a great potential for a fantasy series. The characters is there, the main plot is strong, and the world building pretty good. I like Shadow! Took me a while to like Giselle as much but I get there eventually. I love their sweet backstory!
However, the downside for me is the writing style. I found some parts with too many details and some parts where I actually need more details but found none. There were also some confusing turn of events that kind of mess with the main plot. This result in wavering vibe to characters relationships and it irked me a bit. The romance was also a bit too fast progressing for me, but it might be just me.
Overall, it's a nice start of a fantasy series and looking forward to read next book! -
You definitely need to add this one to your TBR. I enjoyed this one so so much. I liked how determined Giselle is. I am excited to see her grow through this series. Shadow is really a true friend. I enjoyed him and how much he cares for Giselle. The ending completely blew my mind. I didn't see it coming at all. I enjoyed all the action and adventure this book gave. I can't wait for book two.
The Sapphire Oath is book one in Nimra World by Melanie Davies. It is also the author's debut novel. I can't recommend this one enough. It is a great start to a new fantasy series.
I was given this book as an ARC. These are my honest and true thoughts. -
What a great start to a fantasy series!!
I have never been a fantasy reader - simply because I found it hard to picture myself in their world but with Shadow & Giselle, I pictured everything. It was such a good fantasy starter book for me. I found myself relating somewhat to Giselle with the loss of her mother, so it made me feel much more connected to her. I fell in love with Shadow in the beginning honestly. I loved the way his character grew throughout the book. I remember the moment I realized how/why the book title was chosen, I got so so excited!! But the cliff hanger was insane. I ugly cried. Honestly much needed though, because like me, & probably every reader has instantly picked up the second book. (The Emerald Truth)
Oh did I forget to mention that THERE IS A PRONUNCIATION PAGE?! Amazing!
QUOTES I LOVED FROM TSO :
FIRST SENTENCE OF THE BOOK •• “ I awoke dripping in sweat, plagued by the memories I tried to suppress, to forget that very night I became the target of a brutal lie.” ••
• “My princess. My queen. My sovereign. I swear my loyalty to you. May you use me whatever way you require. Be that a shield to protect you, a weapon to use as you fight for what’s right or for warmth. I am yours and you shall own my heart, mind, body, & soul until the day you relinquish me of my oath, or the Goddess Aithne takes me from you.”
• “My blood is your blood. My body is your body. This is my sapphire oath to you”
• “that part of me was long gone. Dead and buried along with my mother” (this was relatable for me)
• “there was something magical about being outside just before the sun rose.”
Go get your copy asap! You won’t regret it! 💜 -
An interesting story and look forward to more from the author.
-
⚔️“My blood is your blood. My body is your body. This is my Sapphire Oath to you.”⚔️
The Sapphire Oath is book one of the Nimra World Series, and is such a good fantasy story!
*some spoilers*
Giselle is in hiding after her father accuses her of murdering her mother, the Queen, on her wedding day. The Princess is fending for herself in an enchanted forest, protected with a cloaking spell to make her appear different, but her betrothed, a warrior named Shadowbane, knows her no matter what she looks like. He was sent by the King to capture Giselle and bring her back, but after spending time with the Princess, he starts to fall in love with her and will risk everything to protect her... even his life.
⚔️"He took one knee and held the dagger up at me, his head bowed, and it was at that moment I realised what he was doing. 'My Princess, My Queen, My Sovereign. I swear my loyalty to you. May you use me whatever way you require. Be that a shield to protect you, a weapon to use as you fight for what’s right or for warmth. I am yours and you shall own my heart, mind, body, and soul until the day you relinquish me of my oath, or the Goddess Aithne takes me from you.'"⚔️
The world building is wonderful, and Giselle and Shadowbane are such interesting characters! Giselle is so stubborn and hard-headed that she made me want to scream, but on the other hand, Shadow is such a sweet gentleman. He's courageous, loyal, and completely swoon-worthy! Both of them are willing to do whatever it takes to protect those they care about!
The plot twist at the end had me completely stunned, and I can't wait to read the next one!
Thank you to Melanie Davies for sending me a copy! -
Being a lover of all things fantasy, I was very excited to receive a copy of
Melanie Davies's The Sapphire Oath, book 1 in The Nimra World series. I will do my best to keep this review as spoiler free as possible but there may be a bit included below so consider yourself warned.
In The Sapphire Oath, we meet Giselle, a young princess, who is on the run and in hiding after a terrible tragedy forces her to flee her home and her father the King, and leave behind the life of royalty she has always known. While born out of pain and heartache, Giselle's journey gives her an opportunity to come to know herself in ways that she may not have otherwise. Her time away from her kingdom has made Giselle more self-reliant, humble and fierce as she carves out a life amongst the dangers of the enchanted woods with her companion and close friend, Ayla.
However, destiny and fate always have a way of making themselves known, even when one isn't prepared to embrace them, and for Giselle they first find her again in the form of her handsome former betrothed, Lord Shadowbane, or Shadow, to those of us who come to love this endearing hero. Shadow has a warrior's heart and a mysterious past linked to the ancient goddess who created the world of Nimra.
When Shadow and Giselle find each other again, they both quickly realize how much the other has changed but cannot escape the growing pull that they feel for one another. As evil forces threaten to tear apart the kingdom and the innocent people who live in it, Giselle realizes she can no longer deny the calling to retake that which is rightfully hers and dispel the evil power her father has been harnessing. However, with their forces woefully undermanned and betrayal much closer to home than they could ever expect, will Giselle and Shadow's mission lead to the destruction of all they love, including one another? You will just have to read to find out!
I always enjoy learning a new fantasy world and the magic system that it brings to life like the one in The Nimra World series. Giselle is fierce, fiery but also vulnerable and it is in her mistakes and imperfections that as a reader you ultimately come to connect with her struggle and root for her success. Shadow is a wonderfully calming counterpart to Giselle's energy and his steadfast devotion to protect her endeared him quickly to me almost from the beginning.
Melanie does NOT shy away from a cliffhanger so be prepared to scream a little when the last page of book 1 ends. I am looking forward to seeing how this story unfolds and how the characters will rise to their next set of challenges in book 2, The Emerald Truth.
Happy reading!
-KO'D -
2 star
The first thing I noticed was that this author likes to info dump. There also a lot of telling, not showing going on. There's also some contradiction going on. This princess is on the run so why don't we give her bright red hair and crystal blue eyes? That's seems inconspicuous. *Sarcasm* seriously though, why In the world would you make someone gorgeous with bright red hair when they're on the run and trying to go unnoticed. To make matters worse, why would you purposefully walk up to a ranger tracking you just to confirm info you already know? That's incredibly stupid and dangerous. It's almost like she wants to get caught.
There are random scenes where the MFC forgets parts of her past (even though she's only been on the run for a year) and we have a flash back that is absolutely unnecessary. Why go through all this extra work when it could be written more effectively? And then the MMC doesn't believe that our heroine killer her mother but plans to do what's necessary and even kill her himself if he has to. Then he has the gall to act confused when someone tells him to check his loyalties and figure out who he can really trust. Why wouldn't he be trying to help her if he believes she's innocent?
The author also needs an editor, a few slip ups here and there happen but there were just so many.
Ex: He look at me and I could already tell he was hesitant to answer but we needed to know everything we could, to understand what we may be going up against and how endanger we all were.
That's just one sentence in an almost 300 page book. She also didn't do any research or fighting styles or injuries. The FMC broke her nose and said she just needed it pushed back in. That's not how you set a broken nose, it doesn't just pop out.
I was just disappointed with how this book turned out. I think if you market it as a YA book it would be fine since kids and YA don't notice much about that kind of stuff But as an experienced reader it just didn't have much going for it. -
Giselle is a strong, balanced and sassy fmc. She is hiding from her power hungry father (the king) who has accused her of a heinous murder! She has spent months alone with her only friend, Ayla, in hiding and is aided by a mythical creature, that few believe to exist, who helps her hide her identity as the princess.
Shadowbane is a strong and protective soldier looking for Giselle to bring her back to the king. After searching everywhere he finally finds her and he needs to gain her trust. Growing up with her - and having been her arranged betrothed before the accusation - he struggles with identifying his feelings for her and has a deep desire to protect her at all costs. This means turning his back on the king.
Ayla and Giselle are attacked and captured with Shadow. Shadow manages to escape and free Giselle, but she must decide to save Ayla then and there without the means to do so and risk death or trust Shadow and go get help leaving Ayla behind to suffer - getting help forces her to decide if she's going to take back her place on the throne as the rightful ruler or not. She struggles with leaving her friend, her unreadiness to rule, and new/rekindled feelings for Shadow.
Is Ayla worth her kingdom to save? Or does she need to come into rule first in order to save Ayla and her kingdom? Great world-building full of action, mystery, unique magic/lore system, twists and turns you don't expect with a slow burn friends to lovers trope, you can't go wrong! -
Thank you Melanie Davies for providing this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Giselle, a girl living in a cabin in the woods with her friend, has a secret which only she and the Goddess of the Woods knows.
An old friend of Giselle from her previous life appears in the woods and Giselle's past comes to light.
Nimra is a war ravaged land with a King sitting on the throne which is not his. The norm for this realm is for a Queen to rule but the King killed the Queen (his wife) and accused his daughter of this treasonist crime.
Giselle is the Princess who is the rightful Queen. Shadow, her old friend who was actually her fiancé, has been sent by the King to capture Giselle so he can have her executed and steel her throne.
“My blood is your blood. My body is your body. This is my Sapphire Oath to you.”
This book has:
Badass FMC
Soulmates
Magic
Touch her and you will die
Touch him and you will die
Multiple POV
Betrayal
Battles scenes
Slowburn Romance
I really enjoyed a book. I was drawn in from the first chapter and captivated until the last word.
I enjoyed the multiple POV. Finding out about Giselle's past from her and Shadow definitely was an interesting element.
The battle scenes were well written and flowed nicely. There was a little bit of spice.
Learning the politics and opinions of both sides of the battle actually made me question who was telling the truth at one point.
What a cliffhanger this book has!!! I nearly threw my kindle when I read the last sentence. I cannot wait to read book 2. -
If you want a story that grips you, pulls you in from the start, and is not an instant romance, but more a gradually building of a relationship, character development in a world that isnt current but more of mystery and fantasy then this is the book for you.
Melanie has a way with her words that pulls you in, and it’s not words on a page that you are reading but you can physically see the plot play out. This is what this author does, and I could not put this book down, and I just wanted more and more from this series.
A princess is betrothed and on her wedding day her mother is killed, but she is the one blamed for the murder and so what else can she do but run and hide and in doing so she meets another who she calls on as her best friend and someone who she call a sister. But the problem is the King as people out looking for her and after years of running she runs into someone who is of the King's guard but there is something about him something that pulls her in. He is her betrothed a man that would do anything to help her and keep her alive. An army builds in her support, but things arent always as they seem, who can be trusted, who wants her best interests.
This is book 1 in a series and ends on a cliffhanger. -
Alright, fellow fantasy nerds, gather 'round. Ever stumble upon a book and think, "This author definitely had a Legolas poster in their bedroom growing up"? Enter "The Sapphire Oath" - a tale where our guy Shadow carries serious Legolas vibes, and I'm all for it. Dignified? Check. Good in a scrap? Double-check. Protective of his loved ones like a mama bear with her cubs? Absolutely.
Now, Giselle. Took me a minute. I won't lie; she was like that one avocado you're trying to decide if it's ripe enough to eat. But after that finale? Let's just say I see potential for some guacamole greatness in the next book.
Shoutout to the refreshing role reversal - the main guy letting our girl flex her muscles and handle her business? We stan. But romance aficionados, be warned: the love blooms faster than my caffeine addiction on a Monday morning.
In conclusion, "The Sapphire Oath" is like a roller coaster. Some high exhilarating moments, a few questionable dips, but by the end, you're like, "What a ride!" Looking forward to the sequel. If you love badass females and a world so rich Tolkien might give it a nod, this one's for you. -
I loved this book. The story follows Giselle, a princess forced into hiding after being accused of murdering her mother, the beloved Queen. The accuser? Her father the King.
After running away and hiding in an enchanted forest, Giselle finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, meeting the solider that has been sent to capture Giselle… but he’s also her
previous betrothed. On a mission to save her friend and stop her father, we follow Giselle on her journey of romance, conflicting thoughts and war.
Filled with dark magic, Goddesses, betrayal, romance, female empowerment, anxiety, paranoia, and adventure, Melanie Davies takes us on a fast paced, captivating journey. I also absolutely loved the multiple POVs, getting to experience three different characters insights.
Though the book could do with spelling, grammar and tense checks as these issues do come up throughout the book, I thought the story was wonderful and I’m excited to read book two after that mind blowing ending.
If you liked Bow Before the Elf Queen, I think you’ll love this book. -
The book review for The Sapphire Oath by Mel Davies Author is here!!! In this book, we follow Giselle who is wrongfully accused of murdering her mother. She has hidden away in the forest and taught herself how to survive independently. Giselle is also looking for a friend. An old acquaintance named Shadow, helps Giselle find her friend as well as take back the throne that is rightfully her! This book was absolutely amazing. I highly recommend this novel if you are a LotR fan! This book had me on the edge of my seat, and I had a hard time putting it down! I found myself falling for Shadow, and was jealous of Giselle for her relationship with him! I can't wait for The Emerald Truth!!!!!!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -
After completing the book, my first reaction was, noooooooo I don’t want it to end! This is a great read. The characters are interesting, the story line and plot points are action packed, and the pacing of the book is good. I really enjoy when authors make complex characters. The main female character, Giselle is layered with compassion, determination, and vulnerability. I am enjoying her character development in the story line and look foreword to her continued growth in the next book. I also LOVED the character, shadow! His loyalty, devotion, and strength made him a perfect match for the vulnerabilities in Giselle. I really enjoyed their chemistry. This is the 2nd book that I have read by this author and I a new fan. Overall, Loved this one! Bring on part 2!
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The Sapphire Oath was a great way to introduce the readers to the Nimra World. I enjoyed this story so much! This book was filled with fantastic world building, amazing characters, and a beautiful fantasy world! Throughout the book, the author was able to portray so many emotions that made the book a bumpy journey. The plot unfolded very nicely, and I believe the author did a great job of introducing all the different realms and characters while making it effortless to comprehend. The ending was a crazy turn of events!! The FMC Giselle was my favorite character, and I can't wait to discover how her character develops in the next book. I am so excited to begin the second book The Emerald Truth!
-
What happens when on the night of your wedding, you witness your father killing your mother?
At 18, Giselle is forced to flee from her home, into the forrest. Here, old gods are coming awake, and her future is shown. The battle of good vs evil is upon her, second chance at a love she thought lost, and a sisterhood that helped her survive.
While this book is YA, the story is excellent, and at some points reminded me of Guy Ritchie’s “King Authur; Legend of the Sword”, when it came to political intrigue and acquiring certain magical abilities.
There are some minor triggers, but they are only briefly mentioned, and no intense descriptions. -
Once you take the plunge into the pages of Sapphire Oath, you don’t want to leave. The storyline is wonderful and beautifully written. Very descriptive but not overly done. I love that in Nimra, the Queens are the rulers not the Kings! Princess Giselle is strong willed and knows how to fight and defend herself. She doesn’t need saving by a man but when she lets her guard down she may find love and might need to be saved.
I can’t wait to start The Emerald Truth Book 2 in this series. Book 1 left us on a cliffhanger and I need to get back to Nimra to see what happens to Giselle, Shadow and Ayla -
I finally took the leap and dove into the fantasy world of Nimra. I have no regrets!
This story follows Giselle, Shadowbane, & Ayla. Giselle is a lost princess who escaped from her fathers clutches the night of her wedding, where her mother was brutally unalived. After the traumatic loss of her mother, Giselle just wants to live a life of peace with her best friend. However, her past comes back to haunt her when Shadow appears. In this book you’ll find betrayals, strong female characters, magic and spells, folklore, and an epic ending with a cliffhanger. -
OH MY LANTA!! Where do I even begin??
This book had me HOOKED from the very beginning! I wish I could have read it faster but life has a funny way of getting in the way. I want to read it all over again!! And again and again and again!
This action packed adventure follows Giselle on a journey to find herself and reclaim her purpose while searching for her friend. You will absolutely fall in love with Giselle.
Add this to your TBR.
Move it to the top of the TBR list.
Read this book!!!!!
I promise you won’t regret it 😊 -
If you’re looking for something different in your fantasy books I recommend this series! I love how fast paced the book is from the first page! There never was a dull moment, it had me anxious with all the secrets and politics!
I really enjoyed the world and magic system! My favorite is definitely all the tension between Shadow and Giselle. He definitely because a top Book boyfriend for me! I need to read the next one asap because that ending had me in shambles! -
A great start for a fantasy serie !
Melanie Davies created an amazing world and I can’t wait to read the second book.
I must say that I didn’t believed it was the end of the book. I thought that there was more 😭. The cliffhanger 🥵
I love some of the characters, even tho the main FC is not my favorite one.
The only thing that make it 4 stars instead of 5 for me, is the repetition. -
This was a good story! I had trouble getting into the writing style at times, which broke me out of the writing trance, but overall, it was a great book! Can't wait to get into the sequel because that endingggg!!
-
Giselle
She is in everyway the future queen they are needing to right the wrongs that have been done.. And boy oh boy did daddy dearest start a war. -
Such a good story I loved reading every bit of it. The way this book is, is just chefs kiss honestly. I consumed this book so quick I can’t believe it’s over. Definitely recommend reading this.
-
DNF @ 2%
Get an editor. That’s all I can say. The writer doesn’t know how to use a semicolon; run-on sentences abound.
The dialogue and prose is wooden and boring. The story starts with two characters waking up, discussing whether they’re going to bathe in the morning and get dressed before they head out to the market (as if getting dressed for the day was ever in doubt?) and then details their trip to the market including which stalls they stopped at. My goodness, if we weren’t treated to such riveting discoveries as “We stopped at the cloth stall to get cloth for new clothes”, I don’t know HOW anyone could possibly understand these characters and their inner selves! It’d be great if either of these women had any personality to carry the scene, but they don’t, and it’s unbearable to read.
In between these incredibly droll revelations, there’s also completely unnecessary exposition, wherein we learn the names of all the gods the MC worships and their origin story. Because that totally makes sense to throw in a first-person POV narrative whilst the MC is just going about her daily business, right? Surely all of us wake up in the morning and spend half an hour reminding ourselves that we believe in the Holy Trinity [or insert your preferred religion here] and that God gave the world his only begotten son to sacrifice in order to cleanse the world of sin [or insert your preferred mythology here].
