Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 413 pages
Author: KB Benson
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: February 3rd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads
BOOK SUMMARY:
Two years have passed since Ari was taken as a prisoner to the troll realm. Two years of blood staining her hands, killing as the troll king’s mercenary. In Eida, it’s kill or be killed, and Ari will do anything to survive.
But survival does not come easy in Eida, especially for a young woman with fire in her blood.
When Ari’s sold to one of Eida’s most notorious training masters, her survival comes with a price: unleash the monster she’s buried inside. A very real and very dangerous creature no opponent can defeat.
Ari expects to kill. She expects to survive. But she doesn’t expect the growing feelings she has for the man who has claimed her as his. Together, Ari and her master will cut down every opponent in the arena seeking a wish from their king.
Until a man from her past challenges her within those walls, and everything Ari has fought for crumbles. All for a man she once loved. But if she is to save her own life, she must take his.
After all, everyone dies in Eida.
NEED THE SEQUEL.
This was a good starter book!! I enjoyed a lot of it and have definite plans to pick up the next book.
The beginning gets you on the edge of your seat real quick. I liked all of the action and intense fight scenes. Within that I do think the middle got a little repetitive with how many fight scenes there were. I was looking for a bit more character building or something else not endless streams of altercations. I did like Ari too. She is clearly on a big character arc and for the beginning of the series I am happy to watch this journey for her.
Note: there is a love triangle!!! It does add a level of angst and making me want to shake a few characters BUT I do think with a longer series it’s going to create some drama that I look forward to (as long as I’m on the right side….).
I liked most of the world building. I felt like that was unveiled well and some good answers about the trolls were given. What I’m still confused about is the magic system. I’m not sure why certain people have certain things and I need some answers on that front.
A solid start. Brutal, intense and a dash of romance. I liked this one a whole lot. Can’t wait for more!
Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy
- Language: very little
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: med-high
- Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of life, physical and magical altercations, creature attacks, plague-like sickness, near death experience, weapons violence
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