A princess by the name of Sepora has been held in a chokehold by her father for the last few years of her life. He forces her to use her rare ability to forge a material called spectorium, an incredible source of power. She flees to the nearby kingdom of Theoria in attempt to hide from her home kingdom, but ends up being swept into the life of the new king Tarik. They cannot deny their growing affection for one another… along with the secrets they both keep.
I fell in love with Sepora from the first chapter. She isn’t some stereotypical princess who hates her life and wishes she could be normal. She is a motivated, brave girl who is more relatable than not, even when placed in a world so different than our own. I just adored the way that the story played out, and I formed a deep connection with the characters that kept me hooked the whole way through. The only thing I didn’t like about this book is that it doesn’t have a sequel yet!
The imagery and description that Anna Banks uses is spectacular, and I love how the different kingdoms are so different from one another. I could almost imagine the captivating scenery of Serubel and Theoria as I flipped through the pages!
Reviewed by Lexi, Grade 7, Tuckahoe Library
HCPL TeenScene's Read + Review 