Book Review: Nahia by Patricia Bossano

Media Type: Print Book (ARC)
Title: Nahia
Author: Patricia Bossano
Publisher: WaterBearer Press
Pages: Paperback; 261
Release Date: March 2017
Source: Author
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Content Screening: Nothing of note.

HDB Rating: 3 Keys to My Heart

Recommended to: Fans of stories filled with fae and mischief.

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Like most teenagers, Nahia is a rebellious faery princess who struggles with satisfying her own desires over what’s best for her loved ones. Following her heart in pursuit of the man she loves, Nahia hides her true identity as a faery in order to enter the human dimension. After giving birth to a daughter, Nahia’s true identity is revealed, as is the realization that she has forever altered the genetic human footprint. Faced with death, Nahia escapes to the faery realm and quickly learns the realm has entered a dormant state. To save her home and renew ties with both her human and faery family, Nahia find a way to reawaken the realm, become the new Faery Queen, and provide a royal descent for the Keeper of the Forest.

In a perfect blend of fantasy and realism—and inspired by Bossano’s real-life matriarchal family—Nahia celebrates the profound relationship between mothers, daughters, and sisters, while encouraging readers to redefine and embrace the powerful magic within.

Back when I was a new blogger, and was trying desperately to catch up with all the new books I’d missed, I went on a fairy themed binge. I ravenously read all the books about fae that I could get my hands on, immersing myself in their worlds and their culture. Then, like most readers do, I burnt myself out and wandered away to other bookish pursuits. It’s been a good long while since I’ve devoured a book like Nahia, and I honestly think that’s a good thing. I was ready to be swept away.

First off, kudos to Patricia Bossano for her brilliant way of introducing Nahia’s world. The first few pages of this book introduce you to everything from their customs, to the way that time functions within their realm. It’s a nice way to get acquainted, before diving in. Plus, since I read this book as a standalone, it was a benefit to me because I felt like I was knowledgeable enough not to feel lost while following Nahia’s story. Definitely a nice touch.

The other thing that I did enjoy about this book, were the themes that stretch across the whole story. The ideas of loyalty, what makes up a family, and sacrificing for the greater good, are all things that play a strong role in Nahia’s journey. I appreciated the fact that she wasn’t a perfect character. She makes mistakes, she’s selfish at times, but over the course of the story she definitely grows and learns. I can’t deny that I was a little frustrated with her at first, but as I read on I realized that she was just as human as the humans that she wasn’t certain of.

Now, for what didn’t quite work for me. First off, true to most Fantasy realms, the families in this book are so large that it’s tough to keep track of them after a while. I would have loved a family tree, or some other way to keep tabs on all the characters who kept flitting in and out of the story. My other issue was the way that the chapters are laid out. In Nahia’s realm, time passes much more slowly than in the human world. So one chapter can cover only two years, while the next covers fourteen. The jumps in time were a little jarring and, honestly, I felt like they could have been balanced a lot better. I found myself having to re-read the headers over and over to make sure that I was correctly situated in the right time frame, so I could keep it. It made things confusing. Additionally, the dialogue never felt like it flowed as much as I would have liked. Since the descriptive writing is so lyrical, which is perfect for the setting, I really wanted the interactions between characters to be equally as seamless. Again, it was a jarring feeling to swap back and forth between the two.

So, final thoughts? Nahia is definitely a read that has prompted me to want to read the first two books in this series. It’s also a book that has pushed Patrcia Bossano into my watched authors list. I think there is a potential here, with the realm that was built. I just think perhaps a little more polish is needed, both with the dialogue and the timeline, and it will be simply perfect. All in all it was a great way for me to dive back into the world of the fae! I couldn’t be happier.

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.