Keera is used to protecting herself from the dangers of the Ballan desert. Guarding her heart may be the most difficult challenge of all.
Keera is an exile struggling to survive, forced to rob passing travelers or face starvation. When she steals from the wrong man—a vicious masked warrior named the Viper—his hand around her throat awakens an ancient magic within her, and she uses it to escape his clutches. Now, Keera must master her power to protect the city of Kelvadan—the only place an exile like her can find a home—from the Viper and his growing army.
The Viper serves the magic of the desert, but the sins of the past threaten to destroy it. To protect his home, he will do everything it takes, even marching on the great city of Kelvadan. However, the real key to healing the desert’s magic might lie in the infuriating but intriguing exile who slipped through his fingers and now fights for his sworn enemies.
Keera and the Viper are on opposite sides of a war to save the Ballan desert, but the strange bond they share could be the key to saving their home—or destroying their world as they know it.
GENRE
Romantasy
THEME AND TONE
Detailed and Beautiful
LANGUAGE AND WRITING STYLE
Easy to Read
CHARACTERS
Multilayered Complex Characters
MY REVIEW
The Book starts in a promising way and it sucked me into this beautiful terrifying world of Ballan dessert. I love the description of the desert from the start. The nights, the days, and how tribes live. The story starts with some tension going on among the clans as one clan is getting powerful and trying to unite other clans spread throughout the desert. The mission of this union is to save the desert which is behaving erratically.
So, I wondered how it was behaving erratically I found the answer terrifying creatures are rising up and attacking people and clans living in the desert. There is also a city at the border of the desert that is known to keep peace but the clans have some other goals in mind for that city. They do not want peace. The world-building is immaculate and I want to read more about the mystery around the desert and its magic.
There are two main characters The Viper and Keera; both are very much interesting and complex. I loved how the author described both characters and their traits in so much detail I loved them instantly to be honest. They both are at the opposite end of this whole clan and city tension. the build up and slow burn to the end result was beautiful and worth it.
I love the book in short. I cannot wait for the next books to come out. It's a 5 star read for me without any question. Add it to your tbr for October reads. it's coming out today.
MY RATING
Overall: ★★★★★ | 5 Stars
Plot: ★★★★★| 5 Stars
World Building: ★★★★★| 5 Stars
Characters:★★★★★ | 5 Stars
Pacing: ★★★★★ | 5 Stars
Mystery: ★★★★★★ | 5 Stars
Ending: ★★★★★| 5 Stars
Spice Level: 🌶🌶| 2/5
Book Cover:★★★★★| 5 Stars (Perfection)
☙ The world building
Best Words
S.C. Grayson has been reading fantasy novels since she was a little girl, which has developed into a love of writing and storytelling. She is currently focused on fantasy and paranormal romance. When she is not sitting in a local coffee shop writing and consuming an iced americano, Grayson is a nurse researcher with a focus on breast cancer genetics. She lives in Maryland with her loving husband and their two cats, who enjoy contributing to her work by walking across her keyboard at inopportune moments (the cats, not the husband).You can find her books on her website(link).
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