When Nadya prays to the gods, they listen, and magic flows through her veins. For nearly a century the Kalyazi have been locked in a deadly holy war with Tranavian heretics, and her power is the only thing that is a match for the enemy’s blood magic. But when the Travanian High Prince, and his army invade the monastery she is hiding in, instead of saving her people, Nadya is forced to flee the only home she’s ever known, leaving it in flames behind her, and vengeance in her heart.
As night falls, she chooses to defy her gods and forge a dangerous alliance with a pair of refugees and their Tranavian blood mage leader, a beautiful, broken boy who deserted his homeland after witnessing his blood cult commit unthinkable monstrosities. The plan? Assassinate the king and stop the war.
But when they discover a nefarious conspiracy that goes beyond their two countries, everything Nadya believes is thrown into question, including her budding feelings for her new partner. Someone has been harvesting blood mages for a dark purpose, experimenting with combining Tranavian blood magic with the Kalyazi’s divine one. In order to save her people, Nadya must now decide whether to trust the High Prince - her country’s enemy - or the beautiful boy with powers that may ignite something far worse than the war they’re trying to end.
Maybe this is your style if you're looking for a remake of the Grisha Trilogy in After style. That is the vibe I got from it, and no, I have not read After, but I have watched paperbackdreams rant about it and I know enough. I got the same vibes from this main character. Oh, I also recommend this if you love Alina and the Darkling together. I didn't, but you will find a similar romance here.
This book had such a unique premise and I was so hopeful that it would be one of my new favorites. I think the book had a solid beginning, but after 80 pages, I got frustrated by the main character. What was she even thinking during this whole book? She keeps switching her opinion and plans every few pages. Side characters are just thrown away and never heard of again, and no not just a few, but literally all of them. Also, can we talk about the fact that around the end of the book, she is kidnapped by the Vultures, saved by her lover, discovers that he is the leader of the Vultures, the prince randomly walks in and everyone starts plotting the murder of the king again? Afterward, she throws her lover against the wall, because she is apparently oh so again, oh no wait, she was just going to kiss him again. And then she asks him to see if her friends are okay after her kidnapping, which he orchestrated! What was she even thinking? She has stolen Alina's throne for the dumbest main character, easily. And don't forget that this happened in around 5 pages? Maximum 10.
It is a shame, the premise was really good, but it was just thrown away. Also, what even happened to the Selection-like process? Suddenly that was over.
Don't read this if you did not like After or the Grisha Trilogy. Just save your time for better books.
