This was one of the better new fantasy books i've read in awhile. Of course there are some old school fantasy tropes here, but they are done with a more modern voice and written with an obvious love for the genre. The pacing was great and the characters were interesting and relatable. I can't wait to read book two or anything else written by this author. Would highly recommend if any fantasy fans are looking for something a littel different!

4.5 stars!

I'M SO HAPPY THAT I LOVED THIS, IT'S SO GREAT. Just an excellent balance of all the right stuff. I can't wait for book two, it's going to kill me.

Everyone wanted the king dead. Anji was just the only one with the balls to follow through. On the run Anji runs into former heroes, the members of a new cult, possible allies, and definite enemies as she learns that the evils of the world do not end with the death of one man. I had no idea what to expect going into this and honestly I was a little nervous because I've followed the author for a while and really like him as a person. Thankfully, I can recommend this book with my whole heart because it is just made me so happy. Anji is an absolute gem, and Leikam does a fantastic job balancing her humor and heart with the darker moments and themes of the story which I've seen a lot of book struggle with recently. Plot-wise this initially feels like a pretty standard journey on the run but the relationship that develops between Anji and the Hawk as well as the tension that builds as Anji's execution looms really distinguishes it and makes it uniquely enjoyable. I have to also give a shoutout to Moira Quirk's narration because it's just spot on and she's one of my favorite narrators.

I'm so glad that all of the elements of this book come together in such a perfect whole. Anji has my whole heart and I look forward to her adventure continuing!

Thank you to Evan Leikam and Macmillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Happy reading!

No notes.

I loved this book. I inhaled it. I read a reviewer say that they sat down to read a chapter and stayed up all night finishing it. I had a similar experience. Once you are in this world, you will not want to take a break, so prep yourself for a good, long reading day. The characters are phenomenally flawed yet so easy to root for. I don't want to spoil anything because there's a lot of political intrigue and layers of "who's a goodie and who's a baddie" going on here. The ending was perfect. This book does not pull its punches, so don't get attached to anyone. Everyone is subject to death, dismemberment, and tragedy. That being said, if you can deal with that, this book is a near perfect fantasy read. I only regret that I read it before the next one was out. Also, any audiobook read by Moira Quirk is an automatic yes for me. If you've not had the pleasure of listening to her narrate an audiobook, do yourself a favor and get this one. Her narration is perfection.