Lightborne (The Bexley Chronicles, #1)

by Brindi Quinn

[Quirky Cat]

What immediately caught my attention for Lightborne was the stunning cover. I’m not normally a fan of covers that are mostly yellow and gold, but in this case it creates a striking image. And, bonus points: I love the font used! So I pretty much loved everything about the cover. As for the description? That helped to peak my interest as well; Lightborne looked different from other series I have read, and being that I’m always on the hunt for something good and new, obviously I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.
Lightborne, as you can probably guess from the title, is about a race of non-humans called the Lightbornes; they run around protecting humanity from the darkness. Our main perspective for this unique world is an even more unique creature; Bexley (yes, you heard me right). She’s quirky to the max, frequently talks out loud to herself, and oh yeah, she’s having her memory tampered with.



I can’t get over how unique this story was. Not only was the plot exceptionally original (I can’t safely say that I’ve read anything like it) but the characters break away from the norm. I honestly thought I wouldn’t like Bexley, based on our first introduction of her (spazzy, discombobulated, and bouncy) but honestly? Her character completely grew on me, and in such a way where I can picture people in the book meeting Bexley, feeling the same way I did at first, and then eventually coming around to like her as well. I really enjoyed that little touch there.
There are many more supporting characters in this novel, but three are more important than the rest; Aiden, Kinley, and Pidd. Now you’ll likely form your own, very strong, opinions about each of these characters (I know I did) but I think you’ll also be surprised by them too. Each one is surprisingly fleshed out, considering all the other details Quinn put into this world; they all have their interests, concerns, weaknesses, and flaws. They all also have their own character arc, though each one serves a purpose and helps to support the main story being told.
The romance in this series will tug at your heart strings. There’s intrigue, banter, loss, confusion, and a dozen other emotions wrapped up into it. It makes for one heck of an emotional roller coaster, but in so many ways it’s exactly the sort of relationship I’d expect Bexley to get herself wrapped up in (and I mean that in a good way, for the record).
The world Quinn has built here is huge; with three worlds overlapping and interlocking. Each world appears to have its own set of rules, as do their inhabitants. Despite the massive scale of the world she’s brought to us, it never feels overwhelming or underdeveloped. I find myself anxiously awaiting the next book, if nothing else so I can see more details about the world itself (though seeing what Bexley comes up with next would also be interesting).
Speaking of world building, the legends and lore of this series are enviable. They’re beautifully done and all weave into one another. They leave hints and trails throughout the real world (as in, the Lightborne world) for us fans to try and pick up on. I love little moments like that.
The ending is slightly cliffhanger-ish, but not in a way that will make you want to pull out your hair; just in a way that pretty much insures that you’ll be coming back for more (which I have no problem with). Regardless, I can’t wait to get my hands on the second novel, which will make the wait a bit on the painful side. Here’s hoping it won’t be too long of a wait!


For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks