Isabel Ibañez

Immersed in 19th-century Buenos Aires, I journeyed alongside the determined Inez Olivera, driven by the enigma surrounding her archaeologist parents' demise in Egypt. Inheriting their wealth and an ancient ring, Inez's quest led her to Cairo, unveiling a world steeped in magic, mystery, and adventure. Despite her guardian's attempts to thwart her, Inez's resilience and artistic prowess propelled her forward, adding depth to her character. The story intricately wove Egyptian mythology, family show more complexities, and cultural nuances, immersing me in bustling markets and archaeological wonders. While the beginning felt slow with historical details, the narrative gained momentum, introducing a captivating slow-burning romance and surprising twists. Whit, the guardian's assistant, added an intriguing layer to the tale. Ending on a cliffhanger, the book left me eagerly anticipating the sequel, promising a continuation of Inez's compelling journey filled with magic, love, and unexpected revelations. show less

It's 1884, and a 19-year-old Argentine and Bolivian heiress sets sail to Egypt to investigate the mysterious deaths of her parents. Inez Olivera grew up in Buenos Aires largely without her mother and father, who often were in Egypt, assisting Tío Ricardo, her uncle who was an archaeologist, with his expeditions. Word comes that Inez’s parents have disappeared in the desert and are presumed to be dead. She makes it her mission to find out exactly what happened to them. Whitford (Whit) show more Hayes, a former British soldier who works for Tío Ricardo, orders him to send Inez back to England for her own safety. Inez has a mind of her own and other ideas and repeatedly ignores his demands. She finds that a gold ring that her father had sent from Cairo before he disappeared has somehow given her a gift of magic that may help find Cleopatra’s tomb. Tío Ricardo, a historian who opposes the colonial exploitation, is desperate to find it before treasure hunters can rob Egypt of its artifacts. As the story continues through Inez and Whit’s alternating points of view, the chemistry between them starts to sizzle, and they run into danger and deception at every turn of their quest. All this takes place while they remain unsure if they can trust one another. The first half is "wordy" but it was worth sticking with it for the fast-paced conclusion loaded to the gills with numerous and shocking twists. A word of warning though...it's a cliffhanger that leave the reader questioning everything and hoping that there will be a sequel. I haven't checked yet to see if there is but if it exists, I will diffidently want to read it show less

GRACELESS HEART by Isabel Ibañez took me by surprise. I wasn’t certain what to expect, but what I found was an intriguing alternative history of medieval history. I enjoyed Ravenna’s story so much, and I particularly enjoyed the detailed look into Medici Italy.

Call me crazy, but Ms. Ibañez’s idea of Fae, vampires, and witches and wizards influencing medieval Italy is not the most far-fetched story idea I’ve ever read. Even better, Ms. Ibañez pulls off this idea with an intimate show more depiction of the wealthy in Florence and the everyday workers in Verona, taking you back in time to an era filled with unparalleled corruption and extravagance. It just so happens that magic also exists in her version.

It helps that Ravenna is a great heroine. Not only does she have strong morals, and an even deeper devotion to family and friends, but she is refreshingly honest. She is no demure, naive maiden. She may not have much worldly experience, but she is not afraid to speak the hardest of truths, even when those truths reveal her own weaknesses. While many would consider honesty a weakness, in Ravenna it is a unique weapon, one she does not even know she is wielding at times. Her honesty makes her magical abilities seem weak by comparison because the truth in an era when the Papacy was at its most corrupt and the Medici family reigned supreme is a more powerful weapon than any magic.

I enjoyed GRACELESS HEART so much that I want to read more in Ms. Ibañez’s Spellbound series even if Ravenna is no longer the main character. I want to see what she does with other areas of medieval Europe, if they will be as detailed and historically accurate (minus the magic) as her depiction of Florence. show less

It is the nineteenth century and Inez Olivera is part of the upper society of Buenos Aries. She has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who leave her in the care of her aunt and two cousins.

When Inez receives word of the death of her parents, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in Egypt. When her guardian does not provide details on her parents, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her show more sketch pads and a golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping. Upon her arrival in Egypt, the magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s fate than what her guardian led her to believe.

With her guardian’s handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that may kill her.

This is such a beautifully written book. It is a unique historical fiction book with elements of fantasy and is filled with magic, mystery, secrets, lies, betrayal, slow burn romance, and unexpected twists. Ibanez’s ability to immerse the reader in the setting is wonderful – I felt like I was walking through a Cairo market or an archaeological dig. I thought I had the mystery figured out about 2/3 of the way through the book, but Ibanez pulled out a cliffhanger that changed everything. My only complaint is that the story started off a bit slow, but Ibanez’s descriptive imagery and the discussion of Egypt’s history and mythology kept me interested. By the second half, the story picked up the pace, becoming more action-packed, so be patient and you will be rewarded. This book managed to feel unique as a historical fantasy read. This book is the first part of a duology, and I am very eager to read the second part.

Thanks to NetGalley, Isabel Ibanez, and St. Martin’s Press for providing a complimentary copy of this book in hopes that I will leave my unbiased review. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and the above review is simply my opinion of the book. show less