4/5

For fans of: Trios, SJM, zombies, necromancy, dark vs light, political intrigue, gods and goddesses, religious zealotry, fate, LOTS of flirty banter

The Big Questions:

• What genre is this in? Fantasy, romance, adult fantasy

• Are there any swoon-worthy characters? Prince Bastian is giving major Rhysand vibes and I am here for it

• Is it spicy? There is a steamy makeout session

• Is it violent or gory? There a few boxing scenes as well as scenes involving magic and fighting, but nothing overly gory

• Should I buy, borrow, or pass on this book? Borrow it!

Synopsis: When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she’s lived by one rule: don’t let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city.

Mortem, the magic born from death, is a high-priced and illicit commodity in Dellaire, and Lore’s job running poisons keeps her in food, shelter, and relative security. But when a run goes wrong and Lore’s power is revealed, she’s taken by the Presque Mort, a group of warrior-monks sanctioned to use Mortem working for the Sainted King. Lore fully expects a pyre, but King August has a different plan. Entire villages on the outskirts of the country have been dying overnight, seemingly at random. Lore can either use her magic to find out what’s happening and who in the King’s court is responsible, or die.

Lore is thrust into the Sainted King’s glittering court, where no one can be believed and even fewer can be trusted. Guarded by Gabriel, a duke-turned-monk, and continually running up against Bastian, August’s ne’er-do-well heir, Lore tangles in politics, religion, and forbidden romance as she attempts to navigate a debauched and opulent society.

But the life she left behind in the catacombs is catching up with her. And even as Lore makes her way through the Sainted court above, they might be drawing closer than she thinks.

Review: I had major hesitations for this book after hearing some rumblings of a love triangle, which is a trope I abhor. Thankfully, this book is more plot driven than character driven and I was able to fully immerse myself in the story. Overall, this is a solid start to what I hope will be a solid and fun fantasy series. Let’s get into the world building. This is a story with a rich history full of magic, politics, and religion. I really appreciate the tactic of using verses from this world’s sacred scripture to help the reader with each chapter. It made the magic system and culture feel very grounded along with the adherence to religious practice from high society, which is reminiscent of Versailles. While the politics are nothing new, the battle between faith and government for power I thought was well done.

The characterization of our main trio is a bit uneven. Our MC, Lore, is a bit frustrating. Billed as a spy first for drug runners and then for the king, she is supposed to quick witted and sly. She can in some instances, but completely misses some marks in others that are blatantly obvious. Her attempts at getting close to Prince Bastian were just so mid, like girl, do something! And stop catering to your babysitter. Yes, let’s talk about her babysitter, Gabe. This supposed duke-turned-pious monk has a massive chip on his shoulder. Now to be fair, he went through stuff and maybe if he never had to be part of this mission, he could have been happy living in his monastery atoning for his father’s sins. But boy was he just annoying in this book. I did not see what she saw in him. He was just a big, jealous grump the entirety of the book and his actions towards the end marked him as the biggest red flag. On to my fav, Rhys-I mean Prince Bastian. I am a sucker for a roguish prince who secretly wants what is best for his people and I will never deny it. He delivers in spades.

In terms of depth of character and relationships, this isn’t a very deep book. The story is unpretentious with a fast moving plot and a rich history entwined with fate. That’s what really intrigued me. It’s giving Throne of Glass-gods-messing-with-humans-end-of-the-world vibes. Is the relationship between the three main characters earned? No, not yet. The whole fate brought us together removes any work towards trust and love, but I will reserve judgement on that once I read the next book. By the way, the book doesn’t end in a cliffhanger. It has a solid ending with some threads dangling for the next book, so you won’t be left with a book hangover, which I appreciate. But I am looking forward to the next installment of this series coming out February 2024!