Secrets Etched in Stone (Book 1 of ?) by Kaleb Erickson

First Line:

The aura winking above him fluttered with cruel, iridescent light–that promised power in one hand and death in the other.

Summary:

Quinn, Virgus, and Elena are on different missions until their paths converge.

Quinn Fletcher was recently exiled and branded unfit for duty by the warrior mages. After a rigged duel that cost him his future, he sets out with his estranged uncle to retrace his father's last steps.

Elena, a Northern spy in disguise, must sabotage the expedition. Her mission? Steal an archival key.

Prince Virgus escapes his mother and her manipulation. Set on a quest to find himself outside the role he's been born with, he faces trials and monsters beyond his imagination.

My Review: NO SPOILERS

Action-Packed and Engaging from the Beginning!

This one was a pleasant surprise for me! I expected the magic system to be developed, but never thought it would be this in depth. The main characters were well thought out, with rich backstories, and I found myself rooting for them!

I liked Quinn and Virgus’ characters the most. Their relationship from the start was so rocky, but I could appreciate their growth. They both went through a lot on their journey, and I was so glad we got to see their separate paths before everything converged again.

I will say that personally, the world felt a little too in depth at times. I found myself skipping a lot of passages to get to the meat of the story near the 60% mark. Overall, I don’t think it took much away from the experience. The book overall was still so entertaining, and I wanted to know what happened next at each chapters beginning!

Thank you for the ARC copy <3

Rating:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

My Favorite Quote(s):

N/A

Page Count

440 Pages

Date Finished:

October 14th 2026

Book Genre:

Fiction, Fantasy, Pirates, Adult, Dark, Magic, Romance, Tense, Adventurouswas