‘Exiles’ BLOG TOUR: Book Review + Character Interview!

If I was to tell you about the author I most admire, it would be Jaye L. Knight. Her books are some of my favorites, and I can’t say enough good things about her writing. Imagine my excitement when I was one of the bloggers chosen for her Exiles weekend release blitz! It’s a weekend-long blog tour that celebrates the release of the newest Ilyon Chronicles book, Exiles. Dozens of bloggers are gathering to review the book, interview the characters, release excerpts, and more!

If you want to be a part of the festivities, check out the official blog tour schedule and visit the other bloggers!

As part of the blog tour, I was granted a special interview with one of the main characters of Exiles: Jace Ilvaran! Jace is a wonderful young man, and I loved getting to discuss some deep topics with him. I now have the pleasure of sharing that conversation with you:

Character Interview with: Jace Ilvaran

Kiara (Me): Thank you so much for talking with me, Jace. Time is short, so let’s dive right in: if you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be? 

Jace: That I wasn’t a monster. Everyone told me I was, so I believed it. Even just a couple of years ago I believed it. It’s a very damaging belief to have about yourself.

K: I can’t imagine how hard that was. Your ryrik blood gives you several quite useful abilities, though, such as enhanced senses. Which ryrik ability do you find the most useful, and why? 

J: Being able to see in the dark is very useful. I’d probably say it was the most useful, but then, if not for the increased strength, stamina, and endurance of my ryrik blood, I probably would have been dead a long time ago, and so would many of the people I care about.

K: Let’s say you were tasked with writing a letter of apology. Who would it be addressed to and what would it say?

J: There are many people I could apologize to, but if I could, I would write a letter to Kalli and Aldor. They gave me so much. They gave me the first home I’d ever known, and while I was grateful, I still let so much of my past and my doubts overshadow it. I would apologize for that and tell them just how much they meant to me and how I’ve been able to overcome many of my doubts and my past.

K: Speaking of your past, let’s imagine that you have the chance to go back and rewrite your life story. You can avoid all the pain you have gone through, but you also won’t have met your friends and you will be different as a result of a different upbringing. Would you take the opportunity or not?

J: No, I wouldn’t. I do long for the life I couldn’t have lived with my mother and Elian as my father, but I could never give up knowing Kyrin or the others I’ve come to love. The pain was worth it.

K: What do you personally believe is your greatest strength and greatest weakness?

I’d say my great weakness is self-doubt. Even now, after all the amazing things Elôm has done in my life, it is still a trap I can fall into. Greatest strength . . . I suppose loyalty. I would die for those I care about.

K: Thank you for your time, Jace. You are a delight, and I can’t wait to see how your story plays out. I have no doubt that you will go on to do amazing things.

I also had the exciting chance to read Exiles in advance and provide my own review of the book. I want to stress that this is a completely honest and unbiased review; Jaye L. Knight was not involved in the making of this review and had no influence over any beliefs or opinions expressed within it. 

Exiles Bookends Book Review

Exiles is, simply put, a great book. I use “great” for lack of a better word (though “amazing”, “stunning”, and “nothing short of perfect” would all work too). There are a few things I would like to touch on:

First of all, I want to talk about character arcs. Characters are one of the most important parts of a story, and Jaye has never shied away from creating realistic and complex characters. Seeing as this is the fourth book in the Ilyon Chronicles, character arcs have already had time to develop throughout the series, but they continue to do so in this latest novel. The most drastic (and my personal favorite) character arc in Exiles is that of Prince Daniel of Arcacia. I won’t give details, since I’m trying to make this a spoiler-free review, but I will say that his arc is beautifully realized and something I have been waiting for since the first book. Leetra’s arc also arrives at a new milestone, which came about more naturally than I could have ever anticipated. Although I specifically singled out these two characters, the rest of the Exiles cast shines just as brightly.

The plot is engaging, clear, and wonderfully structured. It is fast-paced but easy to follow, and the book’s twists and turns left me pleasantly shocked. I love when I can’t guess the plot of a book, and Jaye L. Knight’s writing has never been predictable. The end of the book left me hungry for more, and I can’t wait for the next installment.

While I could go on and on about how much I love the book and the rest of the series, I should probably stop while I’m ahead. The character development, plot, and overall fantasy world is nigh on perfect.

Jaye L. Knight’s newest novel, Exiles, has been released! Exiles is the fourth book in the Christian fantasy series, Ilyon Chronicles. Read about it below and be sure to check out the other blog stops on the tour by visiting the official tour page. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

About the Book

Exiled after their defeat in Samara, the Resistance struggles to find allies in their quest to restore King Balen to his throne and put an end to the emperor’s tyranny. When the crete people refuse to lend their aid, Balen leads a group to Dorland to reason with them and win their support. However, enemies prove to be everywhere, and they find themselves in a fight to keep Dorland from becoming Daican’s latest conquest.

Back in Landale, the arrival of a new enemy forces Trask and Anne to tread more carefully than ever. Tensions are rising, and the enemy is determined to test Anne’s loyalty and root out the location of Trask and the Resistance once and for all.

Feeling trapped within the walls of Valcré, Prince Daniel must contend with an ever-eroding relationship with his father. As their clashes escalate, the situation becomes potentially life threatening when his loyalty is called into question. His sister seems bent on branding him a traitor and actively seeking to condemn him to the fate of those put to death in their father’s new arena. Daniel is certain his father would never execute his only son and heir, but with other forces at work, it might not be that simple.

One small misstep could prove fatal for all.

Available now on Amazon!

Haven’t discovered the world of Ilyon yet? The first three Kindle books are on sale August 11^th – 14^th!

You can find them on Amazon.

About the Author

Jaye L. Knight is an award-winning author, homeschool graduate, and shameless tea addict with a passion for Christian fantasy. Armed with an active imagination and love for adventure, Jaye weaves stories of truth, faith, and courage with the message that even in the deepest darkness, God’s love shines as a light to offer hope. She has been penning stories since the age of eight and resides in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

You can connect with Jaye on her website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Etsy.
Share in the excitement of the release and enter to win a themed giveaway pack! Prizes include an autographed copy of Exiles, a pewter dragon necklace by treasurecast, and a sword letter opener! (Giveaway is open to US residents only. Cannot be shipped internationally.)

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