A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

From the publisher:
 

For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts Malik’s younger sister, Nadia, as payment into the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal—kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom.

But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic . . . requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.

When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death?

The first in an fantasy duology inspired by West African folklore in which a grieving crown princess and a desperate refugee find themselves on a collision course to murder each other despite their growing attraction.

 

Yes, it's another A Blank of Blank and Blank YA fantasy title. But look at the rest of that cover! I really look forward to the day when West Africa will be a fantasy setting as common as 'medieval Europe', but since we're unfortunately not there yet, yes, this will be inevitably be compared to Children of Blood and Bone (see previous comment re: titles). In my opinion, it's the much better novel of the two. I added this to my Want to Read list when it came across my radar back in May, and I'm very glad I got a chance to get read it.

As indicated above, the story is told through alternating points of view, Malik's and Karina's. Both characters, as well as the supporting cast are well written, although I did find some of the council members tended to blur together. The world building is fantastic, and no prior knowledge of West African customs or folklore is necessary. I found it notable, especially in these Interesting Times, that the author chose to write Malik as someone who deals with anxiety and panic attacks. I don't think I've seen this before in a fantasy novel, and it's well written. The ending is perfectly set up for the sequel and I can't wait to return to this world again. 

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is available at Galesburg Public Library through inter-library loan.

 

  

Lore by Alexandra Bracken

 From the publisher:

From the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Darkest Minds comes a sweepingly ambitious, high-octane tale of power, destiny, love and redemption.

HER NAME WILL BE LEGEND

Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.

Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world in the wake of her family's sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt's promises of eternal glory. For years she's pushed away any thought of revenge against the man--now a god--responsible for their deaths.

Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods.

The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore's decision to bind her fate to Athena's and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost--and still may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.

 

If Lore sounds like a cross between The Hunger Games and Percy Jackson, you're right. If you enjoy one or both of those, you'll probably enjoy Lore. If you're not familiar with either franchise, but do have an interest in Greek mythology, hidden societies, and revenge, you'll also probably enjoy Lore. As indicated by the publisher, this YA but entertaining for adult readers novel follows Lore as she tries to distance herself from the society that her family has been a part of for almost 2000 years. The descendants of the famous heroes like Perseus and Heracles hunt down the remaining original gods, as well as those who were once mortal but have achieved immortality in a previous Agon. I found this to be a unique twist on the demigod/descendant motif that's so popular right now. 

Lore is well-written and action packed. I believe the body count is probably close to that of The Hunger Games, but with more on-screen violence. I found the dialog and pacing to be well done, and I'd definitely like to see more of this world. While Lore reads as white, two of the main supporting characters are Korean and Black, and there's some LGBTQIA+ representation as well. 

Whether you're looking for something similar to a familiar series, or want to dive into a novel that will have you looking up lesser known figures from Greek mythology, I highly recommend Lore. 

Lore will be available from Galesburg Public Library after it is published in January of 2021. Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide and Hyperion and NetGalley for the full e-ARC.

A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

 

From the publisher:
 

Fourteen-year-old Mona isn’t like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can’t control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable life in her aunt’s bakery making gingerbread men dance.

But Mona’s life is turned upside down when she finds a dead body on the bakery floor. An assassin is stalking the streets of Mona’s city, preying on magic folk, and it appears that Mona is his next target. And in an embattled city suddenly bereft of wizards, the assassin may be the least of Mona’s worries…

 

Hugo and Nebula award-winning author Ursula Vernon writes awesome children's books, including the popular Dragonbreath series. But some of her books for older readers can be a bit dark, and rather than risk scarring children for life, she also write under the name T. Kingfisher. I've loved Ursula's writing and artwork for decades, and her earlier books were comfort re-reads during the spring quarantine. So the odds were pretty good that I would enjoy this one. And I did.

As described by the publisher, Mona's talent lies in bread. She can make cookies dance, tell the muffins they don't want to burn, and then there's Bob. Bob is the sourdough starter she 'created' when she was younger, who now lives in a bucket in the basement and blorps happily in greeting when she comes down to feed him flour. The book opens with Mona discovering the body of a young woman on the bakery floor, and unfortunately her day goes downhill from there.

As stated above, it was likely that I would enjoy this book, but I definitely think it will appeal to new readers as well. The characters are well thought out, the magic system makes sense and the focus on one particular aspect (like bread) allows for further imaginings. The situations and dialog are frequently humorous, such as arguing over whether baked goods created for wartime situations should be smiling or not (and whether angry frosting eyebrows will make things better or worse). There is drama and tension, and I did cry at the end.  As with many of the author's characters, minimal physical description is given, so the characters, for the most part, don't read as one race or another. 

Yes, the protagonist is 14, but this is a perfectly fine book for Grown Ups, and would be suitable for some younger readers as well. The book does open with a dead body, there's a carnivorous sourdough starter (not the most terrifying creature in the junior fiction section, I can assure you), and Mona must deal with the fact that the adults don't have everything under control, and even the People in Charge sometimes can't fix everything.

If you're looking for a fantasy that will make you hungry, I highly recommend this one. 

A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking is available at Galesburg Public Library via inter-library loan.

The Windsor Knot: A Novel by SJ Bennett

 From the publisher:

The first book in a highly original and delightfully clever crime series in which Queen Elizabeth II secretly solves crimes while carrying out her royal duties.

It is the early spring of 2016 and Queen Elizabeth is at Windsor Castle in advance of her 90th birthday celebrations. But the preparations are interrupted when a guest is found dead in one of the Castle bedrooms. The scene suggests the young Russian pianist strangled himself, but a badly tied knot leads MI5 to suspect foul play was involved. The Queen leaves the investigation to the professionals—until their suspicions point them in the wrong direction.

Unhappy at the mishandling of the case and concerned for her staff’s morale, the monarch decides to discreetly take matters into her own hands. With help from her Assistant Private Secretary, Rozie Oshodi, a British Nigerian and recent officer in the Royal Horse Artillery, the Queen secretly begins making inquiries. As she carries out her royal duties with her usual aplomb, no one in the Royal Household, the government, or the public knows that the resolute Elizabeth will use her keen eye, quick mind, and steady nerve to bring a murderer to justice.

 

'"Oh, not at all," Humphreys said, with an indulgent smile. "You underestimate President Putin."

The Queen considered that she did not underestimate President Putin, thank you very much, and resented being told she did.'*

 

Let me start this review by saying that neither mysteries nor the British royal family are my usual interests. I'm aware of them, I occasionally read them or pay attention past the headlines, but that's about it. So I'm not the best to speak on the quality of the plot compared to the rest of the genre, nor the accuracy of the Queen and Prince Philip (the only members given much attention). I can, however, say that this was a fun read. In this series, Queen Elizabeth has been solving mysteries since she was a girl, often with the help of her Assistant Private Secretary. Now as her 90th birthday approaches, the Queen finds herself on the case again, this time with a brand new APS. 

I found this book to be a lovely escape. The diverse cast of characters is well written and differentiated, and the dialog flows well. I found the wrapping up of the murder case itself to be a little murky, but as stated above, this is not my usual genre, and it may be crystal clear to others. Overall I would definitely recommend this book, and I look forward to reading future volumes in the series. 

 The Windsor Knot will be available from Galesburg Public Library when it is published in March of 2021. Thank you to William Morrow and Custom House and NetGalley for the e-ARC.  

 *Above quote is from an advanced copy and will be checked against final publication.

How Long 'Til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin

From the publisher: Three-time Hugo Award winner and NYT bestselling author N. K. Jemisin challenges and delights readers with thought-provoking narratives of destruction, rebirth, and redemption that sharply examine modern society in her first collection of short fiction, which includes never-before-seen stories.

Spirits haunt the flooded streets of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In a parallel universe, a utopian society watches our world, trying to learn from our mistakes. A black mother in the Jim Crow South must save her daughter from a fey offering impossible promises. And in the Hugo award-nominated short story "The City Born Great," a young street kid fights to give birth to an old metropolis's soul.

My book club has moved on-line in wake of the COVID pandemic, and we've switched gears in our selection. Realizing that many of us are having trouble finishing full length books, we chose the short story anthology How Long 'Til Black Future Month by N. K. Jemisin to follow up our discussion of Stamped From the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi. I do love a good anthology, and it's been close to a year since I've read one. And this was a fantastic book to jump back in with.

Published in 2018, HLTBHM is a collection of 22 stories covering the range from speculative fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy, and dystopia. According to other reviewers, some are set in the same worlds as Jemisin's novels. I haven't read any of her previous works, and followed the stories in question with no issue. The majority of the main characters are black, and at least half of them are women. Overall, I found this to be a great collection. 'The City Born Great' absolutely deserved its 2017 Hugo nomination (the same year that N. K. Jemisin won Best Novel for the second year in a row). Other stand outs include 'Red Dirt Witch', the Jim Crow era fey story mentioned by the publisher, 'The Effluent Engine' set in a steampunk New Orleans that I would love to see more of, and 'Valedictorian', where the top student in each high school class is taken away, never to be seen again. There are a number of stories that didn't really grab me, and 'The Evaluators' suffered from formatting in that it told its story through dated emails and other transmissions that didn't scan very easily. In writing this review, it has also become very noticeable that the story title is not at the top of the page, making it difficult to flip back through. Overall, however, this is a wonderful anthology, and definitely worth your time.

How Long 'Til Black Future Month is available for curbside checkout from Galesburg Public Library in both regular and large print versions, as well as through the Libby app.

Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline

From the publisher:

A bold and brilliant new indigenous voice in contemporary literature makes her American debut with this kinetic, imaginative, and sensuous fable inspired by the traditional Canadian Métis legend of the Rogarou—a werewolf-like creature that haunts the roads and woods of native people’s communities.

Joan has been searching for her missing husband, Victor, for nearly a year—ever since that terrible night they’d had their first serious argument hours before he mysteriously vanished. Her Métis family has lived in their tightly knit rural community for generations, but no one keeps the old ways . . . until they have to. That moment has arrived for Joan.

One morning, grieving and severely hungover, Joan hears a shocking sound coming from inside a revival tent in a gritty Walmart parking lot. It is the unmistakable voice of Victor. Drawn inside, she sees him. He has the same face, the same eyes, the same hands, though his hair is much shorter and he's wearing a suit. But he doesn't seem to recognize Joan at all. He insists his name is Eugene Wolff, and that he is a reverend whose mission is to spread the word of Jesus and grow His flock. Yet Joan suspects there is something dark and terrifying within this charismatic preacher who professes to be a man of God . . . something old and very dangerous.

Joan turns to Ajean, an elderly foul-mouthed card shark who is one of the few among her community steeped in the traditions of her people and knowledgeable about their ancient enemies. With the help of the old Métis and her peculiar Johnny-Cash-loving, twelve-year-old nephew Zeus, Joan must find a way to uncover the truth and remind Reverend Wolff who he really is . . . if he really is. Her life, and those of everyone she loves, depends upon it.

Originally published to critical acclaim by Penguin Random House Canada in September of last year, Empire of Wild will be released by HarperCollins Publishers at the end of next month. I've had Cherie Dimaline's The Marrow Thieves on my to-be-read list for quite some time and I jumped at the chance to read an advance copy of Empire of Wild. And it is spell-binding.

The novel follows Joan of Arcand (which I confess I didn't pick up on until reading another review) as she still mourns and searches for her husband Victor a year after his disappearance. Discovering a man who looks like him, but isn't him sends her on a desperate quest that touches on belief, history, religion, and exploitation. Mythology and folklore are interests of mine, and I was familiar with the rougarou of Cajun legends. I was absolutely delighted to come across an #ownvoices novel dealing with a similar creature from Canada.

You can place The Marrow Thieves on hold for pick up now. Empire of Wild will be available through Galesburg Public Library as a print book, audio book, and on Overdrive on July 28.

Pride Month: Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

From the publisher:

Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children
No Solicitations
No Visitors
No Quests
Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else.
But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.
Nancy tumbled once, but now she's back. The things she's experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West's care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.
But Nancy's arrival marks a change at the Home. There's a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it's up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of things.
No matter the cost.

Winner: 2017 Hugo Award
Winner: 2017 Alex Award
Winner: 2017 Locus Award
Winner: 2016 Nebula Award
Nominated: 2017 World Fantasy Award
Nominated: 2017 British Fantasy Award
2016 Tiptree Honor List


Seanan's books (and those under her pen name Mira Grant) are favorites of mine, and this novella is stunning. It absolutely deserves the awards and acclaim it received. I first checked it out from Peoria Library when it was released, and have purchased the subsequent novellas in the series. Tor.com recently offered a free four-pack of LGBTQ e-novellas for Pride Month, and I was so happy to re-read this gem.

Nancy has returned from a world reminiscent of the Greek Underworld. Her hair is bleached white and she holds statue-still when unsure or scared. Her parents believe she was abducted and is delusional, so they ship her off to Eleanor West in hopes that they'll get the daughter they knew back. Nancy wants nothing more than to return to the world she knows as 'home'. Upon reaching the school, she meets her roommate from a candy world as dangerous as it is bright, twins from the Moors ruled by a vampire lord, a Goblin Prince in Waiting rejected by both his fairy world and parents, and a boy who loves a Skeleton Girl. Nancy barely has time to settle in and adapt to her new surroundings before terrible things begin to happen. As the new student from a dark world, she is immediately suspected.

Seanan's world building is always incredible, and it is on full display here, with tantalizing details offered for a number of worlds with orientations like Nonsense, Logic, Virtue, and Wickedness. With both asexual and trans characters, it is a book that resonates with many that rarely see themselves in fantasy works. It is truly a book that will stay with you.

Galesburg Public Library has two copies of Every Heart a Doorway that you can place on hold for pickup.

The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke

From the Publisher: An outcast teenage lesbian witch finds her coven hidden amongst the popular girls in her school, and performs some seriously badass magic in the process.

Skulking near the bottom of West High’s social pyramid, Sideways Pike lurks under the bleachers doing magic tricks for Coke bottles. As a witch, lesbian, and lifelong outsider, she’s had a hard time making friends. But when the three most popular girls pay her $40 to cast a spell at their Halloween party, Sideways gets swept into a new clique. The unholy trinity are dangerous angels, sugar-coated rattlesnakes, and now–unbelievably–Sideways’ best friends.

Together, the four bond to form a ferocious and powerful coven. They plan parties, cast curses on dudebros, try to find Sideways a girlfriend, and elude the fundamentalist witch hunters hellbent on stealing their magic. But for Sideways, the hardest part is the whole ‘having friends’ thing. Who knew that balancing human interaction with supernatural peril could be so complicated?

Rich with the urgency of feral youth, The Scapegracers explores growing up and complex female friendship with all the rage of a teenage girl. It subverts the trope of competitive mean girls and instead portrays a mercilessly supportive clique of diverse and vivid characters. It is an atmospheric, voice-driven novel of the occult, and the first of a three-book series. 

I know The Scapegracers was suggested to me at some point on NetGalley, but the description above from the publisher just sounded too fluffy cliched high school-y to me (especially the second paragraph), despite an awesome phrase like 'sugar-coated rattlesnakes' and a gorgeous cover. Then I came across the author's article on queer visibility and coding in The Last Unicorn (my favorite movie for over 35 years) and...oh. They can write and they're making me look at a movie I can quote from memory in new ways. Yes, I will definitely request your book. I'm so very glad I did.

As described above, the book follows Sideways and her new friends as they discover their powers. It leaves out the dead deer, the mysterious auction house, and some very interesting spell books. As the first volume in a trilogy, The Scapegracers does end with some pretty big plot points unanswered, and I'm very much hoping that more focus will be on these in future books, especially the witch hunters. 

I loved this book. I devoured it in 24 hours, which has been par for the course during these Trying Times. Either all at once or abandoned half way through. No in between. This is the very best of The Craft but queer and without the betrayal (which as someone who was never popular I kept bracing myself for). It made me want to hug my female friends and braid their hair.

I'm including this quote because I think it gives a far better feel to the book than the summary that was provided. 'She and Jing and Yates were all feliform angels. They laughed and sneered and drank pink lemonade. They were vain, self-centered, overconfident. They ran riot and wrecked the world. Who was I, comparing myself to one of them? Daisy could murder someone with a glance. Holy hell, I wanted that. I wanted to be gorgeous and reckless and legendary, or at least somebody people liked. I wanted the privilege of being mistaken for someone like her. I wanted to be her.'

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Erewhon Books for the ARC. The Scapegracers will be out on September 15, and Galesburg Public Library will have a print copy.

Stealing Thunder

From the publisher:  Protecting her identity means life or death in this immersive epic fantasy

inspired by the Mughal Empire.  

In a different life, under a different name, Razia Khan was raised to be the Crown Prince of Nizam, the most powerful kingdom in Daryastan. Born with the soul of a woman, she ran away at a young age to escape her father’s hatred and live life true to herself.

Amongst the hijras of Bikampur, Razia finds sisterhood and discovers a new purpose in life. By day she’s one of her dera’s finest dancers, and by night its most profitable thief. But when her latest target leads her to cross paths with Arjun Agnivansha, Prince of Bikampur, it is she who has something stolen. 

An immediate connection with the prince changes Razia’s life forever, and she finds herself embroiled in a dangerous political war. The stakes are greater than any heist she’s ever performed. When the battle brings her face to face with her father, Razia has the chance to reclaim everything she lost…and save her prince.

What the blurb from the publisher fails to mention is that there's also feathered zahhaks, large flying quadrupeds that breath thunder, fire, acid, or ice. So, close enough to dragons for the imagination (hopefully there will be official artwork closer to the publication date), and large enough to be ridden by royalty. While dragon riders as a trope has been around for decades, the author consulted with a USAF Lt. Colonel for the aerial battle scenes and it shows. The action scenes are engaging and unmuddled.

The publisher's blurb, also, in my opinion, focuses a little too much on the romance aspect of the book. While the relationship between Razia and Arjun is a major plot point, there is also such a focus on being true to oneself and dreaming of reclaiming what has been lost, while struggling with surviving day to day and daring to plan for the future. Romance as a genre isn't my cup of tea, but this book is epic fantasy, just with a romance subplot.
 
I enjoyed this book immensely, and am very much looking forward to the sequel. It's nice to get away from a generic European setting for epic fantasy, and I look forward to reading more books like Stealing Thunder and Hunted by the Sky. Throughout the book, I was able to parse most of the unfamiliar terms through context, and there was a glossary in the back. At times, Razia's internal monologue could be a bit repetitious, and overall the story could do with a bit of tightening. There may be some times when things may work out a bit too simply or neatly for some readers, but I personally prefer my recreational reading to fall more on the happy ending side than gritty realism. 
 
The author's note states: 'Now, I'm proud to say that Stealing Thunder will be the first adult fantasy novel with a trans woman main character, written by a trans woman, ever to be published by a mainstream press in the United States'. Author and trans activist Alina Boyden wrote Stealing Thunder while working on her PhD in cultural anthropology, focusing working with the hijra communities of India and Pakistan. Representation matters, and I hope Stealing Thunder will encourage publishers to bring us more voices to listen to.

I read an uncorrected proof of Stealing Thunder. It is scheduled to be published in May of 2020 and will be available in print at the Galesburg Public Library.

Hunted by the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena

From the publisher:

Exploring identity, class struggles, and high-stakes romance, Tanaz Bhathena's Hunted by the Sky is a gripping adventure set in a world inspired by medieval India.
Gul has spent her life running. She has a star-shaped birthmark on her arm, and in the kingdom of Ambar, girls with such birthmarks have been disappearing for years. Gul’s mark is what caused her parents’ murder at the hand of King Lohar’s ruthless soldiers and forced her into hiding to protect her own life. So when a group of rebel women called the Sisters of the Golden Lotus rescue her, take her in, and train her in warrior magic, Gul wants only one thing: revenge.
Cavas lives in the tenements, and he’s just about ready to sign his life over to the king’s army. His father is terminally ill, and Cavas will do anything to save him. But sparks fly when he meets a mysterious girl—Gul—in the capital’s bazaar, and as the chemistry between them undeniably grows, he becomes entangled in a mission of vengeance—and discovers a magic he never expected to find.


Hunted by the Sky is Tanaz Bhathena's first foray into fantasy, and it is lush and beautiful. It's such a welcome change to see a fantasy novel set somewhere other than generic 'medieval Europe'. Tanaz draws inspiration from both Vedic India (1500-500 BCE) and the opulence of the medieval courts. Additional Persian mythology influences shape a unique world that provides a breath of jasmine-scented air in the field of YA fantasy. 

Twenty years ago, a prophecy foretold that King Lohar would be brought down by a star-marked girl. Gul is born with a star-shaped birthmark on her arm, and throughout her life her family moves constantly to avoid the King's soldiers. After witnessing her parents' murders, she is taken in by the Sisters of the Golden Lotus and begins her training in both magical and non-magical combat. While the Sisters believe she may be the Star Warrior of the prophecy, Gul's focus is strictly on avenging her parents' deaths.


Cavas lives in the tenements with the rest of the non-magus, and his father is dying. Willing to do anything to obtain his father's medicine and perhaps enough coin to move him out of the squalor, he provides information about the palace and its going ons to a mysterious ally. While seeking him out at the bazaar, Cavas saves Gul when she's accused of pick-pocketing. On the advice of his cryptic friend, he arranges to sneak Gul into the palace grounds.

I really enjoyed this book. In addition to providing a gorgeous and unique environment, the main characters are well fleshed out, and I was eager to see what happens next. There's a lot that happens in the last 70 pages and the pace felt a bit jarring compared to the rest of the book. It appears to be set up for a sequel or more, and I look forward to seeing more of Gul and Cavas.

I read an advance reader copy of Hunted by the Sky. It is scheduled to be published in June of 2020 and will be available at the Galesburg Public Library.

Taming the Forest King by Claudia J. Edwards

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Adult

Release Date: December 1st, 1986
Publisher: Walker Books
Source: Bought

Add on Goodreads

The distant Forest Province had been torn apart by corruption and rebellion. On the direct orders of her king, Tevra, Colonel of the Light Cavalry, arrives in this strange land with instructions to restore order - at swordpoint, if need be.

Yet no steel blade can hold sway in a realm where shapes of death can be fashioned from the still of the air. And even the most ungodly works of the sorcerers pale before the mysterious powers of the Forest King himself - but is he Tevra's ally, or her deadliest foe? 

Once in a while, you might get the urge to pick up a book that is decades old. That is how I felt when I decided to pick up this delicious fantasy from the 80’s on a friend’s recommendation (after waiting over a year to find and purchase a copy!). I read the blurb and had thought I would love this book but had no idea just how much until I finished the book. I ended up spending all night reading this book and didn’t regret it one bit. This is not a book to be devoured but rather cherished and I cherished every minute spent reading it.

One of my favorite things about this book (unsurprisingly) is the fact that we get to see a woman in the position of power. Our main character happens to be a colonel and a very trusted one. She has worked hard to get to that position and you can see how much she deserves it. Tevra is a formidable character and I had so much fun being in her brain. I loved her strength and her ability to keep her head straight. Certain things might escape her notice but she was so professional and I LOVED it. What I also adored was her relationship with a certain Hetwith.

I will say that if you are one to enjoy fantasy aspects more than relationships this book may not be for you. I think a lot of this book is about Tevra and her growth and her relationships with people around her. It’s not that there aren’t fantastical elements to the novel (I mean, it is a fantasy) or that they aren’t well developed or even that they aren’t of importance. It’s just that this book is more about Tevra’s personal journey rather than it is about all the adventures in this fantastical world (although there are some adventures so don’t feel disappointed!)

I had so much fun reading this book and watching Tevra develop over the course and the first thing I did the morning after I had finished this book was re-reading my favorite bits. I think I’ve done a lot of that in the past several days just because of how much I enjoyed this book. It’s definitely up there with some of my favorite fantasy reads and I definitely want to find time to re-read the book in the future.