<This is both a standalone and prequel novel.>
There are two Jin’aiti sisters of Sundau in the Tambu Isles. Channari (Channi) is as monstrous as Vanna is beautiful. Channi wasn’t born with a serpent’s face, but Vanna was born with a golden light in her heart. Vanna’s the only person who values and loves Channi. Vanna was supposed to be the sacrifice to the Demon Witch, Angma, a tiger demon, as a newborn, so their mother could live. Angma plans to claim Vanna by her 17th birthday, which is two days away. As if that hasn’t weighed on Channi all these years, Vanna’s set to be married off in a vulgar betrothal contest that lines the coffers of the greedy. Channi vows to defend Vanna, lest she be bought by the horrific King Meguh. When Meguh makes a deal to kidnap Channi, Channi fights over land and sea to reach her sister with her best reptile friend, Ukar (a freckled green snake), and Hokzuh (he’s part dragon, part demon). While Angma cursed her face, it’s the Serpent King who filled her veins with his poison. Meanwhile, Hokzuh has neither the dragon nor demon halves of his heart. He knows Angma claims his demon half (his demon side is kept at bay by his moonstone), but he would not be able to see the golden glow of his dragon half even if he was standing right in front of it. How strong are the bonds of sisterhood when pitted against a Demon Witch and a half-dragon-half-demon desperate for both halves of his heart?A Legends of Lor’yan novel, this one’s cup runneth over with a fully-realized world of well-constructed cosmology that is beautiful and devastating. The setting is lush, the fantasy thrilling, and the Southeast Asian folklore is resounding. This fast-paced, action-fueled YA gives us characters to empathize with, courage to praise and explores the dark side of beauty while showcasing how deep the bonds of sisterhood run. For those who’ve read Lim’s Six Crimson Cranes duology, reading this particular character’s story will be heartbreaking and enchanting, in equal measure. Also, this might be the first time I’ve rooted for the slithery reptiles of the world, albeit a fictional one.
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