Sea of Shadows (Age of Legends, #1)

by Kelley Armstrong

[Melanie]

If you know me, you know I don't read many young adult books. However, I think Kelley Armstrong could write the phone book and I would read it. I stayed up late last night in the #ReadAThon reading this book. It was great.

It takes place in a different world where prisoners are sent into the Forest of the Dead where they will die from sickness or are killed by someone with sickness. They have "Seekers" who are people who go out and collect the spirits of these people and put them to rest. Ashyn is 16 summers old and it is her first time going into the forest looking for the victims. People in her search party start disappearing.

There is also her twin sister, Moria, who is a "Keeper". She is more of a protector. They each have a "bond beast" Ashyn has a hound and Moria a wild cat. They are separated when chaos breaks out in their village.

Through the story, the sisters face untold dangers and some things that 16 year old girls shouldn't have to face. They don't have to face these things alone. They each have a protector. Ashyn, is with a boy who she finds in the forest, still alive after months, which is unheard of. Moria, is with one guard whose father is a traitor.

I'm assuming that this is another trilogy, as Ms. Armstrong seems to like them for YA books. I know that there is a book two coming, because she left an opening for it. I don't know that I would call it a cliffhanger, but there are unanswered questions for sure.