Before an ambush by enemy soldiers, Lord Cassia was an engineer's apprentice on a mission entrusted by the king. But when plague sweeps over the land, leaving countless dead and devastating the kingdom, even Cas’ title cannot save him from a rotting prison cell and a merciless sickness.
Three years later, Cas wants only to return to his home in the mountains and forget past horrors. But home is not what he remembers. His castle has become a refuge for the royal court. And they have brought their enemies with them.
When an assassin targets those closest to the queen, Cas is drawn into a search for a killer… one that leads him to form an unexpected bond with a brilliant young historian named Lena. Cas and Lena soon realize that who is behind the attacks is far less important than why. They must look to the past, following the trail of a terrible secret—one that could threaten the kingdom’s newfound peace and plunge it back into war.
Goodreads | Amazon
Rating: 2 Stars
My Review: This is one of those books where the prologue was better than the actual book. I wished that the prologue would have been the POV and the actual story as it gripped me from the first sentence. The actual story once it started left in the dust and I just didn't care about this character. I had already fallen in love with this princess and the people she had to leave behind.
Review
★ "Cas's soft, slow-building romance with Lena, a clever younghistorian, is wonderfully authentic and adds depth to Cas's characterarc from vengeful prisoner to trusted official. Lucier's a deft handwith layered relationships tangling her characters together infascinating ways and propelling the story forward, and Cas's succinctnarrative voice holding high stakes and hope in equal measure. Expertlyplotted with complex characters, the book features well-crafted twistsand turns as Cas is thrown headfirst into the mysteries of the royalcourt....Part political mystery, part dark adventure fantasy, this is abook you'll want to devour in one sitting. Deeply satisfying."—School Library Journal, STARRED review
"Lucier wastes no time in this gripping mystery: Every twist iscarefully plotted, and the worldbuilding is intricate yet effortless.Each of Cas' relationships, even those with the spirits he encounters,is distinct, and, like him, readers will find it difficult to judge whois trustworthy....A well-balanced and captivating stand-alone fantasy." —Kirkus
"Lucier wastes no time in this gripping mystery: Every twist iscarefully plotted, and the worldbuilding is intricate yet effortless.Each of Cas' relationships, even those with the spirits he encounters,is distinct, and, like him, readers will find it difficult to judge whois trustworthy....A well-balanced and captivating stand-alone fantasy." —Kirkus
About the Author
Makiia Lucier grew up on the Pacific island of Guam and holds degrees in journalism and library studies from the University of Oregon and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is the author of three previous books-A Death-Struck Year, Isle of Blood and Stone, and Song of the Abyss-which have appeared on many notable lists, including the Kids' Indie Next, the American Booksellers Association's 'Best Books for Children' and the American Library Association's 'Best Fiction for Young Adults.' She lives with her family in North Carolina. Learn more at makiialucier.com or on Instagram@makiialucier.
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FTC Guidelines: In accordance with FTC guidelines regarding endorsements and testimonials for bloggers, I would like my readers to know that many of the books I review are provided to me for free by the publisher or author of the book in exchange for an honest review. If am compensated for any reviews on this site I will state that post has been sponsored.
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