This book contains:
- Espionage
- Racism
- Extortion.
Rhioa and Tirzah are the main female characters. As sisters, they have a close bond despite what their relationship means for them and their futures. Because of who they are, their career choice puts them in harms way, and makes it difficult for either one to form relationships outside of each other.
Tyron is a human from a country that’s closed off from the rest of the world, with healing gifts based in magic. His background isn’t identifiable early on, and I won’t spoil it for you otherwise it spoils some of the story. But he has strong principles that he stands by at all costs.
Rhioa and Tirzah are on a mission, and due to the nature of their race and work, we don’t know the details until well into the book. Throughout this book, we get to follow them as they complete their mission, while Tyron is finding his way in the world outside of his home country.
I first read this in Round 2 of the BBNYA 2023 competition and I had the pleasure of reading it again in the final round. When I read it in Round 2, I was so engrossed that I forgot I only had an excerpt and was so confused when my “next page” never came. So when I got to pick it up again I was so excited!
As someone who enjoys intrigue, mystery, and puzzles in my books, I thoroughly enjoyed the entire premise of this book. I was puzzling over what was happening, why, and what possible motivations they might have for most of the book. By the time I got my answers, I could see how every little piece of information we’d been given had given us a clue. But without the final piece of information, it was practically impossible for me to put all those clues together.
My only concern with the book was Part III. From my point of view, this final Part didn’t have a place in this book. Maybe as a short epilogue, but not 3 chapters and a really weirdly placed and timed epilogue. The epilogue especially didn’t make sense to me. Part III felt detached enough from the rest of the story, but to then have an even more detached epilogue. I was left finishing the book confused rather than eagerly wanting the next book.
