REVIEW: Records of the Ohanzee by Rachel R. Smith

 

Are you looking to start a new fantasy series? We have you covered! The ‘Records of the Ohanzee’ series is full of m

The first 3 books in the Records of the Ohanzee series are full of action, magic, and friendship. You’ll easily fall in love with these characters and their quest to take back what’s theirs!

The blurb:

An Heiress, an ancient prophecy, and a masquerade.. Nerissa, the Heiress of Chiyo, prepares for the masquerade celebrating the twentieth anniversary of a thwarted assassination attempt on her family. Longing to be admired for herself and not her title, she arranges to switch costumes and enjoy the ball in blissful anonymity.

But, when the fateful night finally comes, a prophetic warning of a second attack arrives too late, and the evening turns from revelry and romance to violence. After being pulled from the chaos by an enigmatic guardian, Nerissa learns that the Royal Family has been concealing a formidable secret for generations – and it is only one of many that are about to be revealed.

The story begins off a bit rough. About 25% into the first book is when the story begins to flow together nicely. We meet our main character, Nerissa, as she is living her everyday life as the Heiress of Chiyo. Nerissa is an awesome heroine! She’s incredibly humble, intelligent, strong, and it also helps that she’s a fellow book lover. Her growth throughout this series is something special.

As the story continues, we are introduced to a lot more characters. All of them play a certain role in the story. There is a mother/daughter duo that are seers, Nerissa’s everyday friends/family, and then there are the Ohanzee.

The Ohanzee are my favorite part about this series because they are these amazing warriors. Their connection to the Royal Family helped bring the story full circle for me. I love friendships in books, the strong bonds between people who would do anything for one another, and that is definitely present in this series. We see Nerissa and the members of the Ohanzee grow into a family and I loved every minute of it!

As we move along to the second book, I have to say that Rachel R. Smith’s writing only improves. Everything flows together nicely within this magical world. Due to the events from the last book, it sets our characters on a quest to gain back what is rightfully theirs. This is when we begin to learn more about the magic this world holds. There are crystals, a prophecy, and tales. I’m not going to spoil it for you, but I promise you that if you love fantasy stories then this book won’t let you down!

Now, as for the romance aspect of this series there isn’t much until about the end of the second book into the third one. Which I didn’t mind this at all because I love when friendship is the foundation to any romance, so it works for this series. There are definitely swoon-worthy, adorable moments. The romance will leave you completely satisfied by the third book.

Throughout the books there is always action, twists, and revelations. There is a lot more action by the third book though, and it is by far my favorite in the series so far! These characters were intriguing which helps you become invested in their stories. I can’t help but hope that they succeed because you begin to truly feel for them as you watch them grow into strong individuals.

A lot happens between these characters and to them as the story progresses. There are even more revelations and truths that come forth as well. By the third book, more characters are introduced and we get to know our villain better too. Everyone is complex and that really made the story for me.

The way this series is written will leave you wanting more. All of them wrap up in a great way while still setting up the next book. I think Rachel R. Smith is a fantastic writer! Everything that I had a problem with in the first book improves by the third. The world-building, storytelling, and switch of POVs all improve. I couldn’t help but appreciate that.

The only downfall is that all the magical information regarding the crystals and prophecies can get a bit confusing. Thankfully there is a guide of sorts at the end of each book to help with that though! I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys fantasy reads. These characters are great and the story is even better. I’m excited to finish this series once the final book is released next year!

A must read story!

4.3
Plot
Characters
Writing
Theme/Message

The Records of the Ohanzee series delivers an intriguing plot, but can become overwhelming with information at times. Rachel R. Smith’s writing helps with that though. Once the tone is set, it’s easy to enjoy everything the books have to offer. The characters make this story great. I enjoyed watching them transfer into a family while on this magical quest!

"And she is the reader who browses the shelf and looks for new worlds but finds herself." - I'm a writer who enjoys telling you all about the things I love, which includes a lot of books!

Bookstacked Comment Policy

We welcome respectful comments. Our only rule is to be kind. Rude, hateful and generally mean-spirited comments will be removed.

0 Comments