Monday, December 09, 2024

#BookReview: Beyond the Ruby Veil (Beyond the Ruby Veil, #1) by Mara Fitzgerald



A dark, queer YA fantasy that's perfect for fans of the Three Dark Crowns series. After Emanuela Ragno kills the one person in Occhia who can create water, she must find a way to save her city from dying of thirst.

Cunning and unapologetic, Emanuela Ragno is a socialite who plays by her own rules. In her most ambitious move yet, she’s about to marry Alessandro Morandi, her childhood best friend and the heir to the wealthiest house in Occhia. Emanuela doesn’t care that she and her groom are both gay, because she doesn’t want a love match. She wants power, and through Ale, she’ll have it all.

But Emanuela has a secret that could shatter her plans. In her city of Occhia, the only source of water is the watercrea, a mysterious being who uses magic to make water from blood. When their first bruise-like omen appears on their skin, all Occhians must surrender themselves to the watercrea to be drained of life. Everyone throughout history has obeyed this law for the greater good. Everyone except Emanuela. She’s kept the tiny omen on her hip out of sight for years.

When the watercrea exposes Emanuela during her wedding ceremony and takes her to be sacrificed, Emanuela fights back…and kills her. Before everyone in Occhia dies of thirst, Emanuela and Ale must travel through the mysterious, blood-red veil that surrounds their city to uncover the source of the watercrea’s power and save their people—no matter what it takes.









RAITING: ⭐⭐⭐
REVIEW: 
"Beyond the Ruby Veil" by Mara Fitzgerald gives readers with a lush and inventive fantasy world filled with intrigue and mystery.  Fitzgerald's world-building is richly detailed, with the desert city of Zafir and its inhabitants coming to life on the page. The novel explores themes of power, morality, and the consequences of one's choices, adding depth to the narrative. Emanuela is a complex and morally ambiguous protagonist, and her journey of self-discovery is compelling to follow.

The premise was very intriguing but the execution was kind of off in parts.  The pacing was super slow and the plot felt very rushed.  I know that this is a book one but I felt that to much was left unanswered.  The character development was all over the place with some characters feeling fully formed while others felt off.  


Overall, I think that this was a promising read and I will check out the next book in the series.  But it has a long way to go to be a solid hit. 


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