Title: Escala’s Wish (Tales of Valla Book 1)
Author: David James
Publisher: Trash Panda Publishing
ISBN: 979-8999979926
Pages: 539
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Reviewer: Liz Konkel
Hollywood Book Reviews
Escala has never fit in with the rest of the glamorous Court of Dreams, with mortal blood that has given her undesirable (by faerie standards) traits such as curiosity. This need to be curious drives her to risk everything to understand the one thing the Court can’t teach her: human love. One forbidden kiss later, she sets into motion ancient grudges and an unfortunate revenge scheme that threatens the balance between two worlds. As punishment, Escala faces the Court’s wrath, losing her wings, her title, and her very faerie identity before being thrown into the world of Valla. Now her only option is to fix what she’s done or stay in permanent exile. But the biggest challenge she’ll face is the stoic ranger charged with helping her, though as the two grow closer, the more they know an impasse awaits them when her quest is finished.
The fantasy elements are subtly incorporated into the story, creating a backdrop that feels as real as it does magically. This revolves primarily around the Court of Dreams, which houses a variety of fantastical beings such as pixies and orcs. The premise is reminiscent of a fairytale brought to life with Escala in trouble for a kiss that went horribly wrong and a quest to make it right. Along her journey, you’ll be reminded of various fairytales, which adds a fun spark to the story and there may even be a reference to a wolf. Between prophecies and destiny, the story builds nicely as it places Escala in a position of a greater purpose. Author David James uses a magical world to tell a story about legacy, revenge, and adventure with little touches that feel whimsical and original. These elements are what make the world itself feel well-rounded with fine attention to detail that James clearly put into creating realistic stakes and other-worldly dangers.
The Court has an intricate system that makes things complicated for our pixie who just wants to know what love is but provides an easy conflict that sets her as an outcast. This works to give the characters a perfect setting for embarking on a quest, even if it’s not necessarily by choice. The scenes between Escala and Roedyn get better the further you get into the book, with fun dialogue and lots of charm. The romance elements balance out the fantasy ones without one taking away from the other. James strikes the right blend between the two and makes you root for the characters to succeed. The story takes time to slowly build the bond between the characters with every interaction feeling authentic. Romance lovers won’t be able to put the book down as the story explores faerie politics, found family, and love.
The writing has a great blend of wit and heart, but it’s the structure that makes this feel like something truly special. The opening narrator sets up a story of a mischievous pixie told at a tavern to a crowd who hang onto every word. This sets up Escala as this legendary figure before you ever meet her and give you a wink at what to expect. Though the narrator takes time throughout the story with regular interpretations to remind you that this is a legend being told by a bard extraordinaire. This is a fun way to incorporate oral storytelling into the structure and give it more of a fairytale essence that works well from beginning to end. This is a highly recommended romantasy that incorporates everything you love about both genres. A story that is fun to read right from the first page, Escala’s Wish never loses its charm as the whimsical, magical, and dangerous quest finds our heroine on a journey that searches for love and purpose.