I will never post spoilers. These types of posts will just be general what am I reading/what did I think of it type of reviews.
Book Summary
Nothing is more important than loyalty. But what if you’ve sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy?
Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn—but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself?
Genre Tags
Magic, Strong Female Lead, Young Adult
What did I think?
So it sounds angst-y, right? Well, it is somewhat, that is just what you get with a young-adult novel. I have little patience with the angst. That said, the world building on this was absolutely beautiful! This is a familiar trope, I won’t give it away, but the world that Jordan Ifueko has built is really really really well done. I want to give things away here, but I won’t. I will just say that the culture in this world is so interesting, the magic is well done, and the writing is really really great! Highly recommend!