Of Silver and Beasts (Goddess Wars #1) by Trisha Wolfe
In the sand-covered queendom of Cavan, the goddess once saved a young Kaliope’s life, preventing the mercury her father attempted to hide in her blood from reaching her heart. Now, a cybernetic clamp filters it, but the silver streaks swirling faintly beneath her skin are a constant reminder that she’s different.
When nineteen-year-old Kaliope is chosen as head of the Nactue Guard, she becomes the sworn protector to her empress. In the midst of an invasion on a neighboring land, Kaliope is placed in charge of guarding Prince Caben, the last heir to his kingdom. But when they’re attacked by the feared Otherworlders, Caben and Kaliope are abducted and taken below to a realm where they must fight for their life in a caged arena.
Kaliope struggles to protect her princely charge, keeping him and herself alive while battling inhumanly opponents, and trying to save the stolen, sacred relic that will restore her empress’s life force and all of Cavan. And if she can somehow awaken the goddess within her, she may save what’s most important.
Publishes in US: April 18th 2013 by Trisha Wolfe
Genre: NA dark fantasy
Source: bought
Series? Goddess Wars #1
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I decided to buy and read this one because Trisha is a dear twitter friend who has read some of my own work and I have loved everything of hers that I've read, including some not published, but still should be. I was not at all disappointed because her characters, romance and story lines are like chocolate to my soul.
Kal is such a strong character, both emotionally and physically. She, in a society where women are the head and the strength, she still manages to stand out and be of the best. But she is believable and relatable because she has what she considers an imperfection, something she is insecure about and hides from others. She has a device that filters the mercury from her heart, and it is encased in something that makes her physically different, and the mercury in her gives her powers that she's used to protect herself before, but with dire consequences, and she carries that fear that it could happen again with her.
She is loyal to her family, friends and to the empress. Even before she thinks of herself and her own well-being, and that makes her admirable.
When she is charged with watching the prince, Caden, they have such venomous banter, but I loved how things escalated and progressed in their relationship as their circumstances changed and they realized more about each other. Caden was headstrong but also loyal. He had lots of surprises, both to Kal and to me.
The otherworlders, the enemy were so well crafted. They were dark, they had a cruel system in place, and it def kept the story hopping watching Kal and Caden fight for their life and for each other as well as Kal's friends who were also taken.
The pacing was amazing. It was break-neck at times but slowed down when needed. The world building was amazing. I never felt like I was being told things, but that Kal thought about it in a natural way that explained what needed to be explained.
The romance, ah. Trisha knows how to write something that makes me sigh, swoon, fan myself, and every other range of emotion. I am glad that this is NA because she def did some of the scenes justice making them all steamy and perfect.
Trisha is a favorite author, and I love her stories. I recommend this to any fantasy fan, or even if like me it is not normally the first thing you would grab, it is accessible, but still detailed but gives us a main character to love and cheer for and a romance that will make anyone want to switch places with Kal.
The ending was emotional and full of actions and surprises. I am eager for the next book in the series to be with these characters even more!
My question to you, my lovely readers:
Could you ever devote your life to protecting a leader?
