2023-06-08
A girl surviving as a street thief is swept into a power struggle of secrets and dark mages in this fantasy adventure.
Living alone on the island of Karolene ever since the death of her father and the disappearance of her mother, 15-year-old Hitomi does what she can to survive by working and stealing. Though she tries her best to blend in, Hitomi, with her “sand-gold skin” and distinctive eye shape, does not resemble the local islanders, although they are diverse in appearance themselves. More dangerously, she is a Promise—her parents secretly trained her to use magic. As the nefarious Arch Mage Blackflame targets his rivals in Karolene, Hitomi assists the resistance group known as the Shadow League in their efforts against him. The Shadow League attempts to smuggle Lord Degath and his family to safety before Blackflame can arrest the nobleman for political opposition, but the plan fails, and Hitomi and others are captured. Faced with certain death, she must rely on her magic to escape. While the worldbuilding will leave readers wanting more, the action picks up quickly, and each part of Hitomi’s journey brings surprises. In this rewritten version of a previously self-published novel, Khanani weaves a fresh story with a protagonist who is easy to root for.
A compelling story that will leave readers anticipating the sequel. (name pronunciation guide) (Fantasy. 13-16)
