Hunted by the Sky (The Wrath of Ambar, #1)

by Tanaz Bhathena

A riveting story of discovery, forbidden romance and idealism against all odds, set in a fantasy world inspired in part by Indian history and myth. For fans of Sabaa Tahir and Tomi Adeyemi.

Gul has spent her life running. She has a star-shaped birthmark on her arm, and in the kingdom of Ambar, girls with such birthmarks have been disappearing for years. Gul’s mark is what caused her parents’ murder at the hand of King Lohar’s ruthless soldiers and forced her into hiding to protect her own life. So when a group of rebel women called the Sisters of the Golden Lotus rescue her, take her in, and train her in warrior magic, Gul wants only one thing: revenge.
Cavas lives in the tenements, and he’s just about ready to sign his life over to the king’s army. His father is terminally ill, and Cavas will do anything to save him. But sparks fly when he meets a mysterious girl—Gul—in the capital’s bazaar, and as the chemistry between them undeniably grows, he becomes entangled in a mission of vengeance—and discovers a magic he never expected to find.
Dangerous circumstances have brought Gul and Cavas together at the king’s domain in Ambar Fort . . . a world with secrets deadlier than their own. Exploring identity, class struggles, and high-stakes romance, Hunted by the Sky is a gripping adventure set in a world inspired by medieval India.

• ISBN10: 0735267022
• ISBN13: 9780735267022
• Publish Date: 23 June 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: CA
• Publisher: Tundra Book Group
• Imprint: Penguin Teen Canada
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 384
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/isbn/9780735267022

Reviews

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

**Enter to win a copy!!** (Ends 7/1/20)

It must be said: This is one of the most amazing book covers ever. I could stare at it all day really. Glad we got that out of the way. The story is told in dual POVs; that of Gul and Cavas. And it details how Gul finds herself at the epicenter of a prophecy, how Cavas gets involved, and a plan to take down the king.

What I Liked:

• ► The characters were wonderful! I really loved Gul, she was such a fierce spirit! Forced to run when her parents are killed while she was being hunted because of her prophetic birthmark, she is a survivor. She's taken in by a group of warrior women who are not about killing young women due to random bits of skin pigmentation, and I love them so much too. Cavas is much more reserved, especially initially. He'd do anything to save his ill father, and really isn't about anything that will get in his way.



• ► The world itself was very captivating. I loved the setting, I definitely was able to get a feel for Gul and Cavas's surroundings, and I loved that part! Imagining all their locations was easy to do.



• ►Quite high stakes for sure. I mean, they are killing girls and women because of birthmarks for goodness sake! So yeah, it seems like high time someone put a stop to this! The problem is, the royals are very brutal, so this adventure won't be an easy one. Even with the rebel assistance, it's a big ask.

What I Didn't:

• ►I didn't fully understand the magic system/world. Like, on a surface level I could get it, but it all went much deeper than that. And then I started to just... not care as much and skim those parts a little. But I think that also ties into my other issue...



• ►The pacing felt a bit off. There were some parts that seemed to drag, and then some parts where I was getting whiplash from all the excitement. And this may just be me personally,  but I don't like either lags or a breakneck pace.

Bottom Line: Great characters in a high stakes, vivid setting that was dragged down for me a bit by pacing issues.