Weekend Reads: My Top Picks for Next-to-Read (Lauricia)

Greetings, all, and happy spring. I hope you and yours are well!

I'm taking a bit of a different angle on my contribution to the blog today. As you know from my last post in February, I'm super crunched for reading time in the spring. I've also had some pretty intense health problems, but rather than back out of this month's post, I've decided to share a few books from my Want to Read pile and to tell you why. I'm familiar with these authors from Realm Makers, an international organization of Christian authors of speculative fiction, so I can promise that all of these recommendations are appropriate for audiences who read only clean fiction.

My first pick for you is Curio by Evangeline Denmark. Here's the blurb:

“Grey Haward has always detested the Chemists, the magicians-come-scientists who rule her small western town. But she has always followed the rules, taking the potion the Chemists ration out that helps the town’s people survive. A potion that Grey suspects she—like her grandfather and father—may not actually need.

By working at her grandfather’s repair shop, sorting the small gears and dusting the curio cabinet inside, Grey has tried to stay unnoticed—or as unnoticed as a tall, strong girl can in a town of diminutive, underdeveloped citizens. Then her best friend, Whit, is caught by the Chemists’ enforcers after trying to protect Grey one night, and after seeing the extent of his punishment, suddenly taking risks seems the only decision she can make.

But with the risk comes the reality that the Chemists know her family’s secret, and the Chemists soon decide to use her for their own purposes. Panicked, Grey retreats to the only safe place she knows—her grandfather’s shop. There, however, a larger secret confronts her when her touch unlocks the old curio cabinet in the corner and reveals a world where porcelain and clockwork people are real. There, she could find the key that may save Whit’s life and also end the Chemists’ dark rule forever.”

I”ll be honest with you, The first thing that drew me to this book is its cover. I mean, the colors are gorgeous and the image promises steampunk fantasy – what's not to love? Also, Grey's conflict is realistic and personal while coinciding with the epic nature of saving the world, so I'm super intrigued.

My next pick is Kitsune-Tsuki by Laura VanArendonk Baugh. The blurb for this one reads:

“How does one find a shapeshifter who may not even exist?

The onmyouji Tsurugu no Kiyomori, a practitioner of the mystic arts, has been engaged to protect the warlord's new bride from the fox spirit rumored to be near. Tsurugu and the shadow-warrior Shishio Hitoshi face an impossible challenge in teasing out a kitsune shapeshifter from the samurai and servants – if such a creature is even present at all.

The handsome mute twin servants belonging to Lady Kaede are certainly suspicious, but it is the beautiful and strong-willed lady herself who draws Shishio’s mistrust. Tsurugu and Shishio must move carefully, for accusing the warlord’s bride falsely would be death. But failing to identify the kitsune to the warlord is equally perilous, and there is more to discover. For an onmyouji knows secrets even the shadows do not….

Kitsune-Tsuki is a historical fiction novelette, the introduction to the series KITSUNE TALES. By reader request it includes a full glossary as well.”

I can't wait to dive into this one because I LOVE Japanese fairy tales and absolutely adore kitsune. Yes, I know they're traditionally demonic, soul-sucking man-devourers, but I'm enamored with the non-evil renditions: the woman-to-fox shape-shifting, the mystique, and the cunning beauty. Add that to the concept of this story, and I'm all in.

My third recommendation for you today is Havok Magazine. The blurb for the first edition says:

“Enjoy the debut issue of Havok Magazine, your source for the highest quality speculative flash fiction. New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee headlines this issue with the beautiful story of a young woman who faces incredible odds when a murderous horde attacks her people.

Staff member Lindsay Franklin enlightens our audiences with "Hardwired," a story of a cyborg who falls in love. Plus, read six other speculative fiction stories ranging from a steampunk Pinocchio to a woman who literally married a monster.”

Full disclosure: I'm cheating a little bit with this one. I follow Havok on their Instagram page and subscribe to the magazine already, and I very much enjoy it. I'm not including it in this list because it's in my to-be-read pile, I'm including it because it should be in yours. You can get a taste for what's inside this magazine by reading the free story of the day on their website at https://gohavok.com/.

Do it. Do it now.

If you read any of these recommendations, I'd love to know what you think. Leave a comment or connect with me on Facebook or Instagram.

Until next time, happy reading!

Weekend Reads: The Near Witch by V. E. Schwab (Lauricia)

Greetings, all!

As I’m writing to you this month, Texas is emerging like a burrowing mammal from our great Icepocolypse. The sun is finally shining in a clear sky, and the temperature is finally scheduled to rise above freezing. Those of you in the north may scoff, but we southerners are simply not prepared for this type of weather. As a meme I saw phrased it, “I love that no one in Texas owns actual snow clothes. It’ll snow and you’ll see everyone outside in mismatched pajamas and a hoodie.” Not to mention four layers of socks on our hands for gloves. It just doesn’t make sense to own clothing for weather that usually occurs only once in a decade or so!

But enough of the weather. We’re here to talk about books you need to read. For this weekend, I recommend The Near Witch by V. E. Schwab.

In the village of Near, the winds on the moors sing a haunting song. It’s best not to listen too closely, though, because bad things happen to those who do. Like the boy Jack, whose mysterious death led to the mob hunt and murder of the Near witch two generations ago.

Lexi knows the story, but still the wind calls, its haunting tune trying to tell her something if only she would listen just a little closer. She can’t let the wind distract her, though, because the children of Near are disappearing, whisked away from their beds during the night. Lexi has to find out why, or her little sister could be next.

The Near Witch is one of those stories that contains everything I love about the fantasy genre: mystery, magic, a touch of romance, and an able heroine I can relate to. It’s a “quiet and strange” story, in the author’s words. Quiet and strange in the style of Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones and Neverwhere and Stardust by Neil Gaiman. Quiet and strange in the way that I am most drawn to in a story.

I don’t remember how I found this book, but I am supremely glad that I did, and that I bought the hardback version because it’s going to have a long life on my shelf of treasures. I hope you adore it just as much.

Until next time, happy reading!

 Story Snippets: The Compound (Katie)

One of the most popular questions I get asked is whether I've ever written any other stories set in the dystopipan world of my Enslaved Series. The answer to that question is yes...but it's never seen the light of day. I've always meant to finish up this other story within that story world, and because I was once again asked about it recently, I thought I'd share a snippet of that story here.

Before we jump into it though, I wonder. Have you ever read the Enslaved trilogy? What about other dystopian stories? Do you like dystopian as a rule?

The Compound

Amelia stood on her tiptoes but it didn’t help. Hammond stood in line in front of her—the big oaf—and she couldn’t see a thing past him. She wiped her sweaty palms on her pants and tucked a wisp of blond hair back into its bun at the nape of her neck. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and her irritation.

It would be different if she hadn’t been waiting her whole life—twelve years—for this moment. Twelve years of living indoors, never seeing outside. No sun, no stars, no fresh air.

But this year she’d reached the mark. She had turned twelve just last week, and that qualified her for this quarter’s new worker assignment ceremony. They waited in line now for their first tours of the outside world and their assignment stations. Life outside the dormitory walls would be amazing. Amelia knew it.

“Can you believe this?” James whispered. “We’ve been waiting our whole lives for this moment.”

Goose bumps prickled Amelia’s arms and she grinned at her very best friend in the compound. “Yeah, but this is different for me. They let you outside last week. Today is my first time.”

James opened his mouth like he would reply, but they were interrupted.

“Amelia, did you have something important to say?” Guard Meyers strolled toward her in the narrow hallway, swinging his electricity stick in a long arc.

Amelia eyed the stick. “Sorry Sir. I’m just excited.”

His gaze hammered her. “Everyone’s excited. Keep quiet, please. We have these rules for a reason.”

“Of course. I mean, yes sir.” Amelia quickly looked away. Her mother had warned her to show more respect to the guards, but especially to Guard Meyers. He’d been her father’s best friend back when her father was alive. Not that she remembered much about her father now, but she did know he’d been close with Guard Meyers. That made Guard Meyers her favorite, and she was his favorite too. Everyone knew it. But if she was caught being too familiar or disrespectful, it would cause trouble. That would be bad, for Amelia and possibly for Guard Meyers.

She craned her neck again to see around Hammond. How far back were they from the door?

Finally, the buzzer sounded and Amelia’s breath caught. This was it! She was about to see sunlight. Smell fresh air. Maybe even feel a breeze on her cheeks.

The doors started their slow crank apart. Amelia pressed her eyes closed and took a deep breath. Would she cry?

Don’t be a baby.

The line inched forward, and Amelia marched in formation toward the doorway. Already the air felt different. Sticky instead of dry.

“Name?”

Amelia glanced at the guard. It was someone she’d never seen before, a woman. She didn’t smile at Amelia, even when Amelia smiled at her. “Amelia Linden, twelve.”

“You are all twelve,” the woman said. “I only asked for your name.”

Amelia gulped. “Sorry.”

The woman typed something into her comp screen. “You may pass,” she said without looking up.

Amelia gulped again and stepped outside. Warm air hit her arms and she grinned. Sunshine. It was sunshine on her arms! She let herself look up toward the sky for the very first time ever. Her breath caught and she paused. A bluebird—something Amelia had only seen in pictures—swooped through the sky and landed on a tree branch. An actual tree!

A large courtyard surrounded the front doors of the compound. Intricately carved bushes and plants lined the concrete walkways, and benches were placed throughout the area.

She could stay here forever.

 

It's Party Time! (Katie)

This week marks the release of The Rebel Princess, book 2 in my princess series. To celebrate, I'm throwing a book release party right here on Lands Uncharted! The best part? You're all invited!

First, we must have snacks! Have a few, and don't forget to grab a drink!

Now that we're all prepared with yummy goodies, let's talk books! Fairy tale retellings are some of my favorite types of books. I love all stories of princesses, adventures, and mysteries. Here are a few that inspired me to write my own, as well as a few I've read since!

(Where have I seen that author's name before?! *wink wink*)

The Dreamworld Duology, which I devoured!

All books by my dear and talented friend Melanie Dickerson!

Oldies but goodies, and oh so good at that!

I'm thinking The Selection was the first book I read that introduced me to this world of nontraditional princess stories!

Brimming with mystery and palaces!

The best part about these books is that none of them are exactly new, and most can be found in your local library. You'll have to let me know if you've read any of these or if you've added any to your TBR pile.

DRUM ROLE PLEASE!

Now let's talk about our guest of honor, The Rebel Princess! Here's where you can learn all about her online!

Goodreads

Instagram @KatieClarkBooks

Facebook @KatieClarkBooks

www.katieclarkwrites.com  

Amazon

A traitor. A future king. A doomed love story.

Merry Stern has never been a spy, but when she's offered asylum in exchange for her help uncovering remaining rebel bands, she accepts in hopes of freeing her father.

Working with the royals is no easy feat, especially considering that Prince Gregory Hamilton considers her untrustworthy and duplicitous. As she and the prince navigate their uncomfortable relationship, Merry is introduced to questions she did not know she possessed; questions of light and darkness, good and evil.

Princess Roanna is finally engaged to Prince Benjamin of Lox, only the marriage seems stalled, and she cannot determine at whose hand. The Dawsons won't let her out of their sight, Chester's Wake is focusing all efforts on finding their lost princess, and Lox refuses to acknowledge her position entirely.

Truth and lies are brought to light as those who seek to control and destroy are finally uncovered in The Rebel Princess.

I'm so excited to introduce Merry and Gregory's story to the world! I hope you've enjoyed my little virtual celebration, and if you happen to read The Rebel Princess I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for stopping by, and happy reading!

Weekend Reads Book Feature: Still Small Voice by Allen Brokken (Katie)

Still Small Voice by Allen Brokken (Katie)

Today I'm featuring Still Small Voice by Allen Brokken. This is book 2 in the series, and it's a fantastical adventure aimed at Middle Grade readers and their families. The best news is that it's available for purchase as of today, July 24!

I first met Allen online through the Realm Makers organization. We were in the same critique group and that's where I was first introduced to his writing. We met in person at a RM writer's conference, and I was convinced of his desire to provide clean, inspirational fiction for kids and their families. When Allen approached me about endorsing the book and featuring it on Lands Uncharted, I was honored and happy to do so.

Here's what I had to say about Still Small Voice...

Still Small Voice by Allen Brokken is an adventure of a lifetime! Filled with mystery, action, family bonds, and a healthy dose of animal friends this second book in the Tower of Light Series is a fantastic continuation of the journey of siblings Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan. Their quest to spread the Light as Darkness creeps across the land is a faith-filled adventure worth joining. More About Allen and Still Small Voice... Back Cover: Because of their faith, twelve-year-old Lauren and her younger brothers, Aiden and Ethan, prevailed in the battle for the Tower of Light. But their victory did not stop the Dark One. Darkness continues to spread across Zoura's frontier. Now, in a vision, Mother tells them to light a second tower in Blooming Glen. Before they can set out on their journey with the Knight Protector, their Uncle arrives with a different set of instructions. He doesn't trust the Knight Protector or the Mighty Mercenaries and believes the children should go to grandma's house instead. Unyielding in his belief, Uncle unknowingly leads the children off their path. And a misguided acolyte follows them. Lurking in the shadows, he strikes at every opportunity as the dark forces prepare to descend. Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan are Zoura's last defense. Can they convince their Uncle of the truth—that he must listen to the still small voice—and make it to Blooming Glen before the Dark One's forces overtake them? Fans of Little House on the Prairie will feel at home in the series' classic frontier setting, and the sincerity of the children's love for one another and desire to do the right thing will bring a smile to readers and listeners of all ages. Read Still Small Voice aloud to your family or confidently give it to your middle grade reader, knowing he or she will be ensconced in a wholesome and riveting experience, beginning to end. About the author: Allen Brokken is a teacher at heart, a husband and father most of all. He's a joyful writer by the abundant grace of God. Check out Allen's author page to find more resources where your children can grow their own faith and love of God by following the adventures of Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan (plus their pets!).

Weekend Reads: Inkworld Trilogy [Heather]

Do you have a favorite go-to when someone asks for a book recommendation that is "as good as Narnia or The Lord of the Rings"? Okay, maybe no one will ever write books THAT good again...but I think we are all looking for the next riveting, too-good-to-put-down series. Personally, I have a couple of favorites that I will recommend, but I'm only going to share one and save the others for later!

The Inkworld trilogy by Cornelia Funke is one of those series that I gobbled up! I'm not entirely sure how I came across it the first time, but I believe it was through browsing my library app Libby (formerly Overdrive) which allows your to check out three audiobooks at a time and, I believe, a dozen ebooks. For free. (Hint: you need this app!!!).

It's an older series (early 2000s) but somehow it missed my radar at the time. It would've been such fun to read it aloud to my kiddos when we homeschooled! The series asks the question, "What if you had the power to bring a book to life, simply by reading it aloud?" (I know...we all kind of wish we had that superpower!).

The books (translated from German) follow twelve year old Meggie and her father, whom she calls Mo, as they attempt to outrun and outwit a devious, heartless villain named Capricorn. Meggie's mother has been gone since she was small, and she and her father are quite close. He lovingly restores old books, and the two live in a house surrounded by stacks and stacks of them.

"If you take a book with you on a journey," Mo had said when he put the first [book] in her box, "an odd thing happens: The book begins collecting your memories. And forever after you have only to open that book to be back where you first read it. It will all come into your mind with the very first words: the sights you saw in that place, what it smelled like, the ice cream you ate while you were reading it . . . yes, books are like flypaper--memories cling to the printed page better than anything else." A favorite quote from Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

One rainy night, Meggie spies a mysterious man standing in the rain, staring up at their house. She wakes her father who let's the man inside. His name is Dustfinger and her father seems to know him. Dustfinger refers to Mo as Silvertongue. Meggie is confused by these odd monikers and slightly afraid of this man with the scarred face and a furry creature called a Marten living in his backpack.

Before dawn, Mo is packing Meggie and their belongings in an old camper and moving them, with Dustfinger in tow, to an Aunt Elinor in Italy. This aunt has even more books than Meggie and her dad. It is also the perfect place for Mo to hide a certain, secret book that he's trying to hide from both Capricorn and Meggie.

When she confronts her father about his new penchant for secrets and lying, she begins to uncover truths that she never expected and her father always feared.

When Dustfinger convinces Meggie to ask her father why he never ever reads to her aloud, Meggie learns why Mo's nickname is Silvertongue. His words have the power to pull characters out of the story and into reality, with the added danger of pulling things from his world and putting them into the world of the book.

What develops is complicated and enthralling! The world of the secret book and Meggie's own world become intertwined and inseparable. Both are richly imagined and their characters are evocative and unforgettable.

Though this is a middle grade book, it's one that any fantasy lover will appreciate. It would be a great read-aloud for a family as it's clean, though there may be some tense moments here and there to be cautioned about. This is one series that I'd like to buy in hardcover to add to my library. 

Of course, as with my other weekend reads, this is another that I've listened to as audiobooks. Interestingly, each book has a different narrator, though the POV never changes. The first book, Inkheart, was narrated by Lynn Redgrave. The second book, Inkspell, was narrated by actor Brendan Fraser who also portrays Mo in the film adaption, and the final book, Inkdeath, was narrated by Allan Corduner.

Yes, Inkheart is actually a movie, which you may have already seen! Somehow, I missed that too, back in 2009. Here's a link to the trailer to give you a WEEKEND WATCH in case you need that too! I was disappointed to find that they crammed all three books into the one film, which left viewers with only a weak sampling of the plot. I understand artistic license and blah, blah, blah, but it really did these books a disservice, in my opinion. I suppose if you were to watch the movie first, you wouldn't know what was missing and might enjoy it more.

Have you already seen the movie or read the books? What did you think?

Weekend Reads: Convergence by Clare Revell (Katie)

Weekend Reads (Katie)

Review of Convergence by Clare Revell

Clare Revell excels at the creepy and fun psychological thriller. Convergence was a quick, intriguing read filled with time travel, mystery, and a battle in the mind between good and evil.

Etta is our main character, and she’s in love with the man of—or rather, from—her dreams. Trouble is, he doesn’t really exist. Does he?

Here are a few things I loved about Convergence:

• The sharp wit of the main character 

• The creepy factor of the villain (the dark man)

• The mysteries of the real versus the imagined

If you like mysteries of the mind (I do!!!), time travel, and lots of sharp wit than you will definitely want to give this one a try. The book releases in just a few days (yay!), and you can find it online here.

I mentioned Clare excells at these types of books, so I thought I’d give a little extra proof of that (because if you like this one you’re going to want more!). Last year, I read Clare’s Down In Yon Forrest (check it out on Goodreads!). It had a similar tone, and I absolutely loved it so keep that in mind for the future.

 Happy reading!

Review of The Piper's Pursuit (Katie)

Review of Melanie Dickerson's The Piper's Pursuit

What We're Reading (Katie)

Aren't books the best? They can pick you up when you're down, welcome you home when you've been away, or take you away when you've been in one place too long. I've been reading a bunch of great books over the last six weeks, and today I'm telling you about The Piper's Pursuit by Melanie Dickerson.

A plague of rats. Children going missing. A giant beast attacking just outside the walls of Hamlin.  And one young woman determined to save her town.

Katerina’s stepfather, Hennek, is neither a good father nor a good husband, but he is the mayor of Hamlin. Could he somehow be causing the misfortunes that have befallen her beloved town? The evidence points to a beast of unusual size—a wolf, perhaps, or a large dog—killing people who venture too far from town. But does that explain the disappearance of so many children, many of whom seem to have gone missing from inside the town walls?

Steffan knows he must reconcile with his father, the Duke of Hagenheim, but he’s not sure he’s ready. In the meantime, he roams from town to town seeking adventure and reward. When he hears of a giant beast terrorizing the town of Hamlin and an equally giant reward that includes gold, money, and the mayor’s daughter in marriage, he heads to Hamlin. Steffan plans to kill the beast, rid the town of its rat infestation, and take the reward—everything except the girl in marriage. However, when he meets Katerina, he’s not so sure. Perhaps his plans need changing.

Katerina is hunting the Beast of Hamlin for herself, determined to win liberation from her conniving and controlling stepfather. When she finds one of the children who has been missing for many months, dirty and wandering around the woods, the mystery only seems to deepen. Katerina will have to team up with Steffan, the handsome but brash duke’s son who infuriates her—he’s the only one in town who isn’t controlled by the mayor. Danger dogs them from both man and beast. Can Katerina and Steffan stop the “Pied Piper” from stealing every last child from Hamlin? Or will their interference create an even worse fate? 

I've been reading and enjoying Melanie's books for several years now, and while there are some books I've liked more than others I was thrilled with The Piper's Pursuit. I thought I'd give you a few of my favorite parts.

* Katerina's raw emotion throughout the story

* The "realness" of the antagonist (aka the bad guy)

* Steffan's gentle yet strong presence

* The orphans (love kids involved in the story like this!)

* And, as always in Melanie Dickerson's stories, the great adventure and action throughout the story

If you want to learn more about The Piper's Pursuit you can check it out here on Goodreads. It will be available for the general public in December. However, I was given an advanced copy by the publisher. All thoughts are entirely my own.

Top 3 Summer Reads (Lizzie)

Ever since the days when we had summers off, the summer reading list has been an important part of every reader's literary life. So today, I'm sharing some of my summer reads. I've discovered that reading is essential if I want to be able to write, so I've had to become very serious about taking the time to read, even though I'm not "out of school" for the summer. Not that I mind have a valid excuse to read. :)

I'm attacking my TBR pile as well as a new release and and re-read. So here are so my summer reads from the spec fiction section of my shelves.

1) Mark of the Raven by Morgan Busse

I've been looking forward to reading this fantasy adventure, and it's next on my TBR pile. You can check out Lauricia's review of it here.

2) The Hero's Guide to Saving the Kingdom (and Storming the Castle and Being an Outlaw) by Christopher Healy

I recently finished this hilarious middle grade series telling the true story of the the Princes Charming and their adventures and romances. A fun, clever series. You can read Julie's review of it here.

3) Spark by J.M. Hackman

This book by J.M. Hackman has been on my TBR pile a while. I've read and loved her short stories, so I'm excited to read her full-length story. You can read about it from the author herself here.

Also being a lover of historical fiction, I have a few of those on my summer list as well. I just finished and loved (as I expected I would) Karen Witemeyer's More Than Words Can Say  and look forward to Tessa Afshar's Thief of Corinth. Karen Witemeyer's books have wonderful, deep characters, great examples of healthy relationships (something too often difficult to find in romance novels), a beautiful romance, and humor. I've only read Tessa Afshar's Pearl in the Sand, but if this new one is like her debut, then it will also have deep characters, important life lessons portrayed in a way that touches you without being preachy, and wonderful Biblical history brought to life.

I also would like to re-read C.J. Brightley's The Lord of Dreams, which Laurie reviewed here and Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, because one should always have a Jane Austen novel open.

What are you summer reads? Have you read any of these?

BOOK REVIEW: Mirrors and Pearls by Lea Doué (Lizzie)

Once upon a time in a land of magic and dragons …

There was a delightful, imaginative Snow White retelling complete with dragons and hair of feathers.

Mirrors and Pearls by (Fairy Tale Dragon Riders) by Lea Doué tells the story of Snow White but in a unique world of dragon riders, fairies, a talking squirrel, and other magical creatures. Here's the blurb from amazon.com:

Forced to flee for her life on the morning of her eighteenth birthday, Princess Snow hides from her cruel stepmother, wielder of the mysterious magic mirror, and dreams of the day she can free her people.

But dreams never come true that easily.

Among those by her side are a huntsman who is more than he seems, an enthusiastic talking squirrel, and a handful of dragons who are not as helpful as Snow would like. If she is to reclaim her throne, she must come up with a bold plan to stop the Queen before it's too late.

I loved Snow and the prince (and their sweet relationship) and all the creatures. Snow's fairy "blessing" (skin white as snow and all that) is reminiscent of the type of dubious fairy blessings found in Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted. I particularly enjoyed Lea Doué's application of the blessing, but, sadly, I can't talk about it without spoiling the surprises for you. Just know it's really cool. The only disappointment (and I knew this going in) is that Mirrors and Pearls is only a novella. So not nearly long enough for such a cute story.

The Mark of the Raven by Morgan Busse | What We're Reading (Lauricia)

Mark of the Raven (The Ravenwood Saga Book 1)

by Morgan L. Busse

Lady Selene, oldest daughter of House Ravenwood, lives in a world where the seven major houses are blessed with magical gifts bestowed by the gods. Originally intended to be used together for the overall benefit of the people, the houses have isolated their gifts, instead, and shrouded them in magically-bound mystery. When Selene’s family power of dreamwalkng awakens within her, she discovers dark truths about her parents that force her to reconsider who she thought she was and who she wants to be. Her decision may save her world, but it could also tear her away from the family she loves.

There is so much about this story that I enjoyed. The setting was vividly drawn, the magic system was uniquely developed, and the characters were relatable and complex. What I appreciated the most, however, was the dark feel Busse gave the story without depriving the characters of goodness or hope. I thoroughly enjoyed Selene, and I can’t wait to read the next installment in this series.

I want to tell you more about this story, but it's so tightly woven that I can't elaborate more without giving spoilers. So you'll have to trust me on this one: you NEED to read this book. The sooner the better,