by 

C. R. Stroud 

Princess Thea is the sole heir and only child of the King. After an unfortunate event a few years ago where she was kidnapped and beaten while she was traveling in the city, She is kept under strict orders to not leave the castle grounds. Thea feels like a prisoner who is to one day rule a kingdom she has not seen with her own eyes and a people she has never met.

Luckly she has one friend to call her own, Mavick. They are a faerie that stays hidden in his own home, that just so happens to be accessible through a portal , hidden behind a tapestry in a hallway that isn’t walked very often. Mavick is the friend who knows her secrets and her sorrows. One day he offers her the freedom she so desperately craves. She takes the chance given to her, knowing it may be her only chance.

Once Thea returns from her taste of freedom, her real adventure begins. She goes back to give Mavick a gift for his kindness, but he’s not at home. What she does find is a doorway that was never there, with a riddle that is attached by a dagger. Even more worrisome is the blood she finds, its faerie blood.

Without another thought, she decides to jump through the newly appeared door and find her missing friend. Through the door, she arrives in the realm of Sanctuary. Thea makes some unlikely friends, and may strike a deal that she does not fully know the extent of yet. While Thea navigates
the trials of finding Mavick, she starts to also navigate who she really is and what she really wants.

The characters are written beautifully. The flaws aren’t hidden , but highlighted, and become strengths when needed. The representation in this book is written in such a way that you can find a at least a little bit of yourself in one of our main cast of characters.

The world building and magic system are unique and well fleshed out. You don’t find yourself asking questions that you don’t soon get the answers to. The character development is gradual and happens naturally as the plot moves.

You don’t get to the main antagonist until the end of the story. However, this is intentional. The twist at the end is perfect and leaves you wanting more. Book one did an amazing job setting up for the next book/books.

“And now I fear there is no goodness left in me. In its place sits a burning, festering rage.”

I cant wait to see what this rage does, and where we go next!