A Review of Hearts of Bark and Scale by Nicole Leland

Nicole Leland’s latest publication, Hearts of Bark and Scale, transported me to a fascinating world of magic, betrayal, and love as sweet as wolfberries. Hearts of Bark and Scale takes place under the harsh desert environment where everyone’s trying to survive—including the poachers on the hunt for magic users.

With magic users considered rare and valuable, Kvisti, a dryad, is trafficked from her village home by poachers to sell her for profit. Gravely injured and grief-stricken over her capture, she finds herself locked in a magic-sealed cell in the poacher’s basement only to discover she’s not alone. Iason, a magic-possessing human and forcibly transformed snake shifter, is trapped with her. As the only snake shifter able to use magic from his human genes, he fears he will be taken to the exploitative snake den by his abusive captors. With Iason’s rare, birth-given magic, they discover the key to unlocking Kvisti’s suppressed power and the cruel truth of its diminishment.

My favorite aspect of Hearts of Bark and Scale is its worldbuilding and how main characters utilize magic to craft creative solutions to overcome obstacles and conflicts. The world’s vast lands and society harmonize with the magic system to feel realistic. With the ingenuity the soft magic system enables, it’s easy to understand why nonmagic users exploit and fear their power.

An example of this was when Kvisiti’s origins with the Mother Tree were established to explained why she and her other siblings/clones were kidnapped (so nonmagic users could have a guardian to protect their village). Further, the way characters share their interactions with other characters and their treatment helps boost the complexity and intrigue of the world. Like when Iason gets picked off the streets as a child to be groomed into the snake shifter’s healer and a vessel to produce more offspring carrying his magic. This was also shown when villagers treated Kvisti with reverence and fear because of her immense abilities yet sold her to poachers once they learned of the potential destruction of her power. Both examples reveal the unilateral, inequitable relationship between nonmagic and magic users, and how they’re often, unwillingly, used as tools to support/protect the lives of the nonmagic majority.

Kvisti and Iason individually serve as a great main cast with their own motivations, fears, and way of thinking. You have Kvisti, whose consideration can be sacrificial; and Iason, whose defense mechanisms are also his tormentor. The POV switch between chapters show how their characteristics help and hinder them, making them multifaceted and relatable.

Regarding their eventual relationship, I appreciated how different yet similar they are to each other and how they help each other face the truth about themselves and their realities. In particular, Iason’s understanding he has agency over his life despite experiencing sexual assault, and Kvisti’s decision to step out of the Mother Tree’s shadow and live on her own terms. Both characters realize others’ inflicted trauma doesn’t define them or their lives. Through understanding each other, they learn they’re capable of love and being loved despite their pasts. It’s an empowering message that feels authentic and realistic, acknowledging trauma doesn’t automatically disappear once you’re in a better place; it’s a long, slow process.

Despite this, I found their relationship rushed at times. In particular, the placement of their first kiss felt too early, taking away the buildup of one of the significant stakes within the novel. This made Kvisti’s discovery that her villagers intentionally suppressed her powers and sold her to magic poachers, and the tension of Iason helping to unlock her suppressed power less emotional than intended. If they didn’t kiss or admit their attraction before the point of no return it would’ve felt more high stakes for Iason and Kvisti.

In the end, it’s their love for each other that frees themselves from their cage, and the permission to accept themselves as they are. This is emphasized by the multiple antagonists who physically and emotionally haunt the duo. Each antagonist approaches Kvisti and Iason with the traumas they’re forced to confront while showing diversity in their level of animosity and the methods used to threaten them. Surprisingly, I didn’t find the numerous antagonists stifling. In fact, they brought more potential for the main cast to show their growth while including additional lore to enrich the narrative.

Hearts of Bark and Scale was an enjoyable read with moments of sympathy, anger, and joy. The chapter and book length kept me invested, and there weren’t any areas that dragged or felt slow, making every moment impactful, important, and invigorating. Character development was realistic without feeling melodramatic, especially once I understood their pasts and traumas.

Ultimately, Hearts of Bark and Scale was a fantastic way for me to settle down in bed while capturing my heart in the process. If you love dark fantasy romance, shorter reads, and complex characters who tackle their traumas in a realistic, mature light, this was written for you!