By Tomi Adeyemi
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A book with awesome characters, intricate and unique worldbuilding, a splash of romance, and magic – what more could you want?
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age Level: 13+
Duology (third book coming in 2023)
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis
They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.
Now we rise.
Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.
But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.
Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for an enemy.
A Review
This was an incredible book that I could not tear myself away from – you'll want to have the sequel on hand as soon as you've finished with it! Zélie was so fierce and empowering, especially as she struggled with herself and what her newfound strength and responsibility means for her and her people, and the storyline keeps you on your toes the whole time. You can practically feel the magic floating from the pages, and even though this is a fantasy novel, it is very relevant today in our current world. You should definitely pick this one up!
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