Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

Author: Thomas Vaccaro
Publisher: Indie
Released: November 16, 2021
Received: Reedsy
Warnings: Bullying, mental illness/health concerns, graphic violence/injuries, mental and emotional abuse, discrimination

De Cineribus: From the Ashes is the debut novel of Thomas Vaccaro. Within these pages, you’ll find a creative fantasy novel that will make you stop and think: courtesy of a morally gray main character.

Felix was born into a world where two halves of the same whole fight for world dominance. It’s humans versus sorcerers, with both wanting the right to lead the world as they see fit. Felix was born a sorcerer, though he didn’t know it for the longest time.

Yet, the fear that Felix has had to bear his whole life is getting to him. He wants to use this newfound power to do something – he wants to become powerful. Yet, with power comes great temptation. Will Felix resist or indulge?

“Am I wicked?”

It has been a hot minute since I got to enjoy a book with just a grayscale character. Since these tend to be some of my favorite characters, naturally, I found De Cineribus: From the Ashes quite refreshing.

There was a lot for me to enjoy within these pages, from the leading character (obviously) to the world (I love a good blend of fantasy and science fiction) and everything in between. There’s a lot worth delving into.

I should probably mention that there are a lot of darker themes within De Cineribus: From the Ashes. That isn’t a bad thing, but it is worth mentioning. However, I want to give major bonus points, as Thomas Vaccaro included a full page of trigger/content warnings in the beginning. I wish more authors would do this! 

Speaking of things I loved seeing: Felix is a bisexual Latinx who is swayed by power and magic. It was an entertaining plot to follow, and I would not argue with more books along this line. I also really enjoyed how much effort Vaccaro put into describing the world. It was so easy to picture everything happening in vivid detail. My brain very much appreciated the help there!

All things considered, I would say that De Cineribus: From the Ashes is a delightful and worthwhile read.

Thanks to #Reedsy for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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