The cover is what drew me to this book. I know they say not to judge a book by its cover, but I do. It’s what draws my attention. And then I read what the book was about and I was intrigued. Kehoks are people who have been bad in their past life causing them to be born into this hateful beast. But in the book, these people use them to race, which is a dangerous thing. Kehok’s cannot be reasoned with. But there’s a twist in here and it’s a good one. I began to suspect a bit but I was still into it. It was a bit of a slow start and I didn’t truly get lost into it until the ending but the premise of the book is amazing. I just couldn’t get completely lost in it like I do some books. However it wasn’t a bad read at all. Just the first part of the book went on a little too long.

Now, I’m cheating a little because I technically haven’t finished reading this book yet. I had to put it down because it was trending toward being a little too exciting. See, my reading time these days normally happens when I’m winding down for sleep — and I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with sleep. So anything that might keep me up — like, say, a good book! — sometimes has to give way to the practicality of adult life. Right now, the practical thing is to avoid additional stress. There’s enough of it in the world right now.

Which is my long-winded way of saying that, while I haven’t finished this book yet, I didn’t want to wait to point this book out to you. It’s already available and you really don’t want to miss it. If you want to read a fantasy book about strong women smashing class barriers, then you want to pick this one up.

Now, I find the bits about reincarnation and a priest-caste that can assess your soul and tell you where you’re headed in the next life a bit odd. It seems to be an actual talent and not just a pay-us-and-we’ll-upgrade-you type of thing like one would normally expect in a world full of severe class differences. Does this book say anything significant about that? I’m not sure. Not yet, it hasn’t, but I’m barely halfway through the book.

If you pick up this book, I’d like to hear your opinion. Please be sure to come back and leave me a comment.

Thank you Harper Voyager for sending me a copy of Race the Sands for review. This in no way affected my opinion.

I really like Sarah Beth Durst's writing and Race the Sands was just as fantastic as I was hoping. The beginning started off a little slower but, quickly picked up. There are three POV's one is the future emperor looking for his brother, Tamara a Kehok trainer and Raia a Kehok rider. Tamara was such a nurturing character with drive to keep her family intact while becoming an elite trainer again. Raia has an emotional journey of finding herself by discovering who she is and what she will allow in her life. We all wish we had good loving parents but that is not always the case. Raia's parents who are anything but loving. Raia finds bonds that are stronger and provide a healthy balance in her life.

The world building and character development in this standalone were done impeccably. I even really enjoyed the political aspect of the story. Nothing felt to heavy or complicated even though the story is original and unique. I was never lost or confused. I am highly recommending Race the Sands.

Always a fan of the writings of Sarah Beth Durst. I’ve been reading her novels for many years and her heroines maintain an impressive balance of being badass and caring each time. I enjoyed reading Race the Sands for many reasons, including racing with kehoks who come in so many different shapes and only have one thing in common: their nasty temperament. Of course, having a metal lion as the main kehok in the story is bound to draw attention to something great in store for the characters.

I went into this book thinking Raia would be my favorite, but Tamra ended up being the most memorable character for me as a reader and as a person. The badassery she showed at the end with the kehoks and how she used her will as both a shield and a weapon to save the people she loves blew me away. Which makes sense, given the author states in her acknowledgements that Tamra was named after Tamora Pierce, an author whose works have influenced her over the years and one who writes heroines as great as Durst.

4.7 stars. This was a wild one. It didn’t seem my style when I checked out the first page, but I’m very glad I kept going. It took a lot of turns I didn’t expect, and the creatures are imaginatively developed. I was so glad to see a fiercely protective mother, even though I didn’t necessarily agree with all her choices. And I was glad to see an affectionate relationship between brothers. What can I say…it’s really nice to see families sticking together for a change!

Another aspect I really enjoyed seeing was the way the characters struggled with their consciences. Normally, we (or at least I) would almost gloss over a character in a fantasy novel who lies to preserve an important secret. You know what? That one isn’t glossed over here.

There’s a lot of violence in this book, and we definitely see some risky sports and their ugly consequences. If that’s not for you, move on. The profanity/vulgarity is relatively mild (for an adult book; I’m assuming this is adult, not YA), which is nice.

Occasionally, the themes can seem trite and overdone. And some of the plot elements seem a bit weak to me; I find it difficult to believe, for example, that people would go to such lengths to protect this particular secret (you’ll see what I mean. I don’t want to hand out spoilers). However, on the whole, this is a seriously good book.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a blast! I loved the magic and the characters and just everything this book was! I was once again reminded why I love Sarah Beth Durst’a writing and way of telling stories so much. She’s a master story teller. This world was just as unique as all the worlds she creates are!

This was my first book Sarah Beth Durst, but I've been hearing wonderful things about her fantasy novels for years. That being said, I'm so glad I started with Race the Sands, because I loved it!

The true strength of this book lies with the emotionally complex and sympathetic characters (kehoks included!). I loved Tamra and Raia, and I tore through the story to see what would happen to them. Ultimately, I found the book well-paced and compelling--I never felt bored while reading. I would highly recommend Race the Sands to any high fantasy lovers, or any teens looking for a well-written, accessible adult fantasy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The nitty-gritty: A thrilling standalone with heart and emotion, Race the Sands is guaranteed to satisfy both adult and YA readers.

When fellow bloggers start raving about a book, I tend to sit up and listen. And there sure has been a lot of raving about Race the Sands! This is my second Sarah Beth Durst book—quite honestly, the first book of hers I read did not work all that well for me—but I’m so glad I decided to read this. While Fire & Heist felt more middle grade than YA, an age group I tend to avoid, Race the Sands was a perfect blend of YA and adult and will certainly appeal to readers in both groups. Durst came up with a tantalizing hook that grabbed my attention and held it for the entire story, a feat that not all authors can pull off. Not only was the story exciting, heartwarming and emotional, but the characters were all fully formed and developed, and the pacing simply couldn’t have been any better. In short, this book was nearly perfect in every way.

Durst introduces us to a world where a person’s goodness determines their fate after death. Those pure of heart are destined to be reborn as animals or even augurs, the elite who are able to read a person’s aura to determine their worth. But those with the worst tainted souls—murderers, liars, betrayers—can only come back as one thing: a monstrous chimera-like beast called a kehok. In the empire of Becar, kehoks are used as racers in the annual Becaran Races. Only strong-minded riders are able to control a kehok, and Tamra Verlas used to be one of the best. 

Tamra’s racing days are over, though, and she’s become a trainer instead, working with riders and kehoks to prepare them for the races. Lately, however, her reputation has been tarnished due to a fatal accident at last year’s Becaran Races. When her current students abandon her after a training accident, Tamra knows her time as a trainer could be limited, unless she can pull off a miracle. Tamra’s patron, the Lady Evara, agrees to give her one more chance to produce a rider who can win the championship, so Tamra sets off to the Gea market to find a winning combination.

Fate intervenes when Tamra discovers a violent and angry lion kehok who has the fierce heart of a winner. And even better, a runaway named Raia seems to have an affinity with the beast and is determined to become a rider. Tamra buys the kehok and agrees to train Raia, with only a short time left before the start of the racing season.

Meanwhile, the emperor of Becar has died and his brother Dar, the emperor-to-be, cannot be crowned until the emperor’s new vessel—his reincarnated animal form—is discovered and brought back to the palace. After months of fruitless searching by the augurs of the city, Zarin, the dead emperor, still has not been found, and the citizens of Becar are becoming restless without a ruler in place. It’s up to Augur Yorbel to suggest that Zarin might not have come back as an animal at all, but something much more troubling. 

I just realized how tough it is to write a story recap for Race the Sands, there is a lot going on! Luckily Durst masterfully keeps all the different story threads from getting away from her and spins an irresistible tale full of exciting races, engaging characters, tender emotional moments and plenty of betrayal. I would go so far as to say there is something for everyone in this story. But amazing action and great characters can only go so far without a purpose, and Durst uses the idea of reincarnation to show how the characters struggle with being “good,” especially when they are forced to make tough choices. Despite the augurs proclamations that a tainted soul will be punished upon rebirth, it’s clear that not all the characters’ choices are black and white, and that even the kindest souls aren’t perfect. I loved the moral dilemmas presented in this story, and the way Durst presents her ideas add another layer to this complex story.

As for the characters, I loved so many of them. My favorite character by far was Tamra, a world-weary woman who has been through some tough times. Tamra has an eleven-year old daughter named Shalla who is training to be an augur, but the stress of having to pay the school fees and not being able to spend much time with Shalla is becoming almost too much to bear. Tamra needs Raia and the lion kehok to win the championship so she can continue to pay for Shalla’s training, so you can see she has a lot at stake. Tamra goes through lots of changes in this story and I couldn’t help but root for her to succeed and be happy. I also adored Raia and the lion kehok and their relationship with each other. Raia is running from her terrible family and I was so happy when she met Tamra, who treats her like a daughter. You may have guessed who the lion is simply by reading my story recap (I didn’t come out and say it but it’s probably obvious and therefore not a spoiler!), and this adds a wonderful spark to an already engaging story.

I also loved many of the side characters, including Augur Yorbel, a man who has been raised to believe that the job of the augurs is important and holy. Yorbel’s beliefs are tested in this story, to the extent that my heart broke for him when he’s forced to taint his own soul with lies in order to protect those he loves. And I wasn’t expecting to like Lady Evara, but she proved to be a delightfully complex character who surprised me at every turn.

And I can’t finish this review without talking about the world-building in Race the Sands. The idea of reincarnation isn’t new, but Durst takes a fresh approach with her invention of the kehoks, monsters who are made up of different animal combinations, like a jackal/cobra or a rhino/crocodile. I loved the idea that corrupt human souls are reborn as kehoks, destined to live their lives under the control of riders. But kehoks are extremely dangerous, and this rider/racer dynamic gives the story an exciting element of unpredictability.  

I don’t always read the author’s acknowledgments at the end of books, but this time I’m glad I did. Sarah Beth Durst explains that she wrote Race the Sands as an ode to Tamora Pierce, who is not only a beloved author but a personal friend of hers. She named her character Tamra after Pierce, and I was thrilled when she talks about “Tammy” in reference to her friend. Cause you know, that’s my name. And my real name is Tamara which is another version of Tamora/Tamra. My name isn’t that common these days so it’s always a thrill when I run into a character who shares it. Anyway, this has nothing to do with the actual story, but I thought I’d mention it because it struck a personal chord with me.

The last quarter of the story is a thrilling race to the finish line, as Raia and the lion kehok compete to win the championship. Durst brilliantly brings all her loose ends together with several surprises and plenty of happy resolutions. On one hand, I’m sorry this isn’t the start to a new series, because I’d love to revisit this world again. But there is something to be said for a successful stand alone, and Race the Sands is one of the best I’ve read.

Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.

4.5 stars

You can read all of my reviews at https://www.NerdGirlLovesBooks.com.

Wow. Who knew a book about a young girl racing a monster in the sand would blow me away. This book was so fricking good!! Of course, I expect no less from Sarah Beth Durst. I love her writing and this latest book is a must read.

In Becar, how you live your life determines what physical form you will take when you are reborn. Priest-like individuals known as augers can read a person's aura to determine their fate. Knowing their fate, a person can make choices to help them in the afterlife. But, for the darkest and most evil of individuals, you are reborn as a monster called a kehok, and will remain a kehok for eternity.

Being chosen to be an auger is an honor. If a family has the money, they can pay the academy for the "privilege" of keeping their children at home with them while they attend the academy. If not, the children are plucked out of their families and must live and train at the academy.

A popular pastime in Becar is kehok racing. Tamara was an elite kehok rider until she had a terrible accident. It ended her career, ruined her reputation and left her broke. She eeks out a living training rich kids to race kehoks. She desperately needs one of her trainees to win a race so she can pay the auger academy to keep her daughter at home with her.

Raia runs away from her domineering family who betroths her to a cruel man after she flunks out of the auger academy. With no skills or way to support herself, she decides to train as a kehok racer, hoping to win enough money to buy her freedom.

Both women entrust their fate on a strange lion-like kehok that at times appears to understand what they say. But Raia can never get too comfortable, because given the chance a kehok will kill everything in sight.

As I said, I love this author's writing. She has the ability to grab your attention on the first page and not let it go until the satisfying end. Tamara and Raia were fully developed characters that grew throughout the story in a natural and believable way. Tamara is a strong, capable woman without being harsh or overcritical, particularly when training Raia. She is a loving mother and is willing to do anything to protect her daughter. Raia starts out as a timid girl with no confidence and grows into a fierce champion able to stand up for herself.

The story has an even pace and doesn't lag in the middle like a lot of books tend to do. While kehok racing is a central component of the book, there is just enough action to get a feel for the racing without it dragging out and becoming boring. Despite being 544 pages, the book is a fast read that you won't want to put down.

Stand alone fantasy books are hard to find, so this would be a gem even if it wasn't so good. Luckily, this is a fantastic book that is a must read for any fantasy book lovers.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Becar is a small desert kingdom ruled by an Emperor and a religious group of monks called Augurs . The augurs are responsible for guiding the people and protecting their souls so that they may avoid being reborn as an animal or insect due to their corrupt lives. The Emperor has died and a new Emperor can not be crowned until the Augurs locate the deceased Emperor's soul. The Emperor-to-be has no power to do anything until the coronation. The neighboring country is gearing up to invade and conquer. The Becarans have a Race using monsters - a kehok - the animal that souls beyond redemption are born into. A Kehok trainer and a young untrained rider have acquired a kehok with unusual talents and strive to become the winners of the series of races. Will they be able to help the Emperor-to-be find the late Emperor's soul so he can restore order to Becar before it is too late. Lots of action , and intrigue make this a thrilling read. The author is able to create an imaginative and unique story. Truly enjoyable!!!!

Review: 4.5 Stars


I really loved this book! I've been having a hard time getting into fantasy novels lately, but when I saw all of the amazing reviews that Race the Sands was getting I just had to give it a chance. I wasn't sure that I even wanted to read a book about monster racing, but I wound up really loving it. This was a fabulous standalone fantasy and I really loved the story and its characters.


I really enjoyed all of the characters, but I especially loved Raia. Her search for a better life was incredibly empowering and I loved how down-to-earth she was. Her character felt so genuine and I really felt like I could empathize with her, she was just easy for me to relate to. Tamra was a character that I related to a bit less, but still loved reading about. She was so stubborn and determined. Even though nothing seemed to be working out she never gave up hope and I really admired that. Sarah Beth Durst created some strong willed female characters that were really easy to connect to. These characters helped make this story so fantastic and really helped me feel emotionally invested in this journey.


I think a big part of what made this book so fantastic was the world building. It was easy to sink into, yet had a lot of elements to it. The politics, religion and reincarnation were each explained well, but without too much detail. Even though Race the Sands was over 500 pages and I've been going through a fantasy slump I flew right through this book, which has been a really hard thing for me to do lately. It all came together really well and I just thought that the idea was so fascinating. I was not really excited about the idea of monster racing, but the story wound up being so much more than that and I really just loved the whole thing.


The plot was great. There were several unexpected twists and the way different plot lines came together was truly masterful. I loved the races because those parts of the book just got me so excited. I found myself reading as fast as I could so I could know what happened next. I just really enjoyed this book. I laughed, got angry and rooted for Raia and Tamra every step of the way. I have had a hard time getting excited about reading lately, but I had no issues getting invested in this story.


Overall I'm really impressed. I had only read one other book by Sarah Beth Durst, but now I'm dying to see what else she's written. This was a fantastic standalone and a wild ride. I was so doubtful about this book but I'm happy to say that I would highly recommend it to fans of fantasy adventure stories.

AMAZING. I spent every second enthralled with the world building, the characters, and the magic. The author says she was inspired by Tamora Peirce, and I believe her. 10/10, I need more set in this universe.

Race the Sands is a sweet, mythical tale of friendship and family which celebrates the joy of finding your place – and your people – in the world.

In the kingdom of Becar how you conduct yourself in this life determines who – or what – you come back as in your next. The worthy come back as heirs to vast estates, the less worthy as dung beetles. The darkest individuals, those who made no attempts at redemption, come back as a kehok, a vicious, murderous monster, and they are doomed to that form for all eternity, through endless cycles of life, death and rebirth.

The races can break that cycle. If a human rider can successfully win a race atop a kehok racer, their life changes forever. Races are Becars’ great equalizers. They pull the poor out of poverty, they pluck the lowly from obscurity and bring them fame and glory. And for the grand champion, the one who wins the final, most grueling race of all, they receive a charm which permits their kehok to be reincarnated as a more worthy being.

In her youth, Tamra had a celebrated career as an elite kehok rider and as an adult, she took the natural next step and became a professional trainer for young riders. During the previous season her sponsor, Lady Evara, had given her sufficient funds to purchase the best kehok at the markets, and to train the best rider she could find. When she pushed them too hard to win the final race in the Heart of Becar, both had died. Even worse, they took down numerous other racers and riders with them. All Tamra’s savings went to pay fines and Lady Evara demoted her to working with the children of rich men, spoiled brats who want to sit upon the tamest kehoks she can find and pretend to be brave.

But Tamra needs money, big money. Her daughter Shalla has been chosen to become an augur, one of the priests who read spiritual auras and provide guidance to the people. There are only two paths for Shalla’s education: Tamra can pay for it, which means her daughter gets to attend classes during the day and live at home the rest of the time or the temple can pay for it, which would mean Shalla having to live there full time, not seeing Tamra for the next ten years. Tamra has no intention of giving up her daughter and the only way to get the money she needs is to win races. She pleads with Lady Evara to give her one more chance. Her begging earns her a small sum of money with which to buy a kehok. Now, she needs to find a rider willing to trust her.

Raia failed the training as an augur. Her failure means her family needs to pay the temple back for the years of education they provided, and her family plans to do this by marrying her to a very wealthy old man who has already killed one wife. While hiding from pursuers in the kehok section of the market, she overhears Tamra talking of needing a rider and approaches her for the job. Only the strongest win the races but what Tamra knows that many don’t is that it is not muscle that is required but strength of mind, heart and will. Even though the girl has no experience, Tamra is impressed with her courage in approaching her and agrees to train Raia as a rider.

But Raia is only half the equation for winning the race. The other half is an extraordinary kehok and Tamra thinks she has found him in the black lion. Massive, covered with metallic black scales rather than fur and with a tail that splits into three muscular whips, the creature is clearly strong and fast. She thinks he is a winner.

While Tamra and Raia deal with their significant personal problems, Prince Dar faces a horrible conundrum of national magnitude. As heir to the throne of Becar, he is the rightful emperor of the land, but he cannot be crowned until he finds the vessel for his predecessor’s soul. Currently, the country is at a halt, waiting for the augurs to come back with whatever being his brother Zarin, the previous Emperor, has become. Three months have already been lost and Dar only has weeks left to find Zarin’s reincarnation. If he is not successful, his ancestral line will be deemed unworthy to hold the throne, he will be executed and a successor will be chosen to take his place.

The destinies of these four characters will intertwine for a race that will change the destiny of their world.

Tamra is a sympathetic heroine. She has some serious physical and emotional scars; years at the races left her with a painful leg and she had some difficult familial issues which forced her to become a rider, but rather than use that as an excuse to be cruel, she does her best to ensure those around her don’t suffer the same fates. She tries to train her students well, and she is a completely devoted mother, providing Shalla with the loving home she never had herself.

In many ways Raia is the image of a younger Tamra: a desperate young woman whose parents have placed her in a position where she must participate in the races in order to survive. Her inexperience – and therefore, her lack of prejudice – towards the kehoks proves to be the salvation of many.

Both of these ladies – and their sponsor Lady Evara – are strong, independent women who refuse to accept the difficult positions in which life wants to place them and fight to form their own destinies.

Dar, on the other hand, is a very dependent character. He isn’t simply fighting for his own life but for the fate of his kingdom and that means he has to rely on others for aid. Fortunately, he recognizes valuable allies when he sees them and when he pairs up with our two heroines and Lady Evara,he becomes a force to be reckoned with.

My favorite character is easily Lady Evara. She’s a bit morally ambiguous – a good person but one who sees life in shades of grey rather than adhering to a strict standard of right and wrong. She’s funny and clever and ruthless, and I felt she added a certain sparkle to every scene she was in.

This isn’t a romance novel but there is a budding relationship between two of the characters toward the end which is very sweet.

But while the story is charming, it is also very familiar, trope ridden and predictable. Before I’d finished the first quarter of the book, I’d worked out what happened to Zarin, what archetypes Shalla, Tamra, and Raia were, and the identities of the villains. That didn’t affect my enjoyment of the novel, but if you’re looking for something completely new, this isn’t it.

However, Race the Sands will be a perfect read for fans of the author and a great choice for anyone looking for a fun fantasy read.

What a great book. Race The Sands is a stand alone book about an amazing world with reincarnation. The world building is great, the characters and wonderful. This is overall an amazing book!

Race the Sands is an excellent read that introduces a world readers will want to visit again and again. This book tells the story of those teetering on the edge of society and calls attention to the complexity of being "good" in a world where the only choice may be "which one is less horrible." The book weaves together adventure and intrigue with a cast of underdog characters you can't help but root for as they struggle to live up to their duties and stop the collapse of a country. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and hope that the author revisits this world in future novels.

My Review: I have really enjoyed Durst's books in the past so jumped at the chance to read a standalone fantasy. I was immediately drawn to the character Tamara, she is snarky and feisty. The world building was fantastic, smooth and I felt completely enveloped in the setting and culture. Speaking of culture, the use of reincarnation in this book was unique and intriguing. It was a thrilling ride with all the danger around every corner. The background of politics was a nice backdrop that kept you trying to put the pieces together. It also had an interesting play on good and evil, and the way power can corrupt. There were also themes around family. All in all it was an engrossing, thrilling and satisfying standalone.

My Rating: I was so drawn into this story, it is a long one being a standalone fantasy, but so worth it! I loved every minute of this book, the world, magic system, the cast of characters, the politics, the twists and turns, all of it. I give it a rating of Four Paws and a Stump Wag!

This book is great. Someone who likes aventure will be satisfied with Race the Sands. The characters are good!

I ADORED this book so much! Race the Sands has all the different components of a great fantasy - the world is incredibly well designed and the characters are relatable and 3-dimensional. Everything from the augurs, kehoks, and the races. The whole concept of reincarnation is so interesting and offers an interesting perspective of societal class and social norms. I loved Tamra, she was so incredibly stubborn and strong willed but that's how she was told to be according to society. Her relationship with her daughter is so sweet and overall, she's such a strong character. I appreciate that this is a standalone but ironically enough, there were moments where I thought this story could have spent more time fleshing out rather than rushing over them. Despite that, I still really loved reading this!

In the land of Becar, fear for your immortal soul is at the forefront of every decision. If you are honorable and moral, you’re reincarnated into something good, but if your soul is tainted, you’re reincarnated into a kehok, a terrifying and murderous mix of ferocious animals that race in high-stakes competitions.

Tamra is an ex-rider-turned-trainer who has hit a run of bad luck. Desperate to pay for her daughter’s elite training, Tamra trains Raia, a young woman determined to escape from her harsh family and an unwanted engagement. The two women work together with a rare and formidable kehok in the hopes of winning and securing their future. A well-developed, well-paced story, Race the Sands is an exciting and immersive read.

Tamra is a dynamic protagonist. She feels a ton of pressure in a world where she is considered “less than.” Paying for her daughter’s training and her livelihood is on the line, but Tamra is strong, determined, and relentless. She is also rash and uncompromising which proves detrimental, especially when directed at the wealthy and elite. Though Tamra feels the weight of her role in society, she doesn’t conform easily.


I love the relationship between Tamra and her daughter. She is proud of Shalla and will do anything for her. Shalla is her motivation and what propels Tamra to do better and be better. Though Tamra had a difficult upbringing, she is not a victim. I love the valuable lessons Tamra teaches her daughter about self-worth, love, and family.

One of the other strengths of the story is the amazing world Durst created. The cultures, religious beliefs, societal expectations and more are skillfully explored and developed in a way that enhances the story and creates a vivid, defined and unique fantastical world.

Another fascinating aspect of the story is the political intrigue. Prince Dar must ascend the throne after the death of his brother, but he must locate the vessel for his brother’s soul before he can take the crown. Unfortunately, his search is fruitless, and without a leader, Becar is descending into chaos. People are questioning those in power, and neighboring kingdoms become problematic. The prince, in searching for his brother’s soul among the kehok, starts to question all that he knows to be true. The way that this part of the story unfolded is clever and offers thought-provoking questions about everything the society is built upon.

This is an interesting and immersive story with strong female protagonists, impressive world-building, and fascinating political intrigue. Messages of strength and resilience in the face of adversity permeate the story. Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishers for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Beth Durst, and HarperCollins Publishers for the opportunity to read Race the Sands in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the description of this novel, but having let it sit in my queue for a few months until near publication date, I went in with the assumption that this was a YA novel. I mean, the cover looks like a YA novel, and the desert empire setting is quite common among YA. When I started reading, I was like, oh, yeah, this is an adult fantasy. And it is one of the best adult fantasy's I have read in quite some time. While the book felt a bit slow at first as I was getting to know the world and characters, for each new character introduced, it felt sluggish until I found out how each new character tied in to what is going on. This is brilliant writing craft, well thought-out, and just a masterpiece of fantasy. 

The book takes place in the empire of Becar, a collection of cities in the middle of the desert, surrounded by the raging sands, with potential rivals across the sea of sand waiting for the opportune moment to take over the Becaran Empire. In this world, all souls are reincarnated, but what they become in their next life is determined by how pure they were as a person. They could become a beetle, which may then be reborn as a rabbit, which may then become a human once more. Augurs are people of the purest souls who can read the aura of a soul, and they help guide people to make the right moral choices in life for the best possible outcome in their reincarnation. A person who has committed a serious crime, such as murder, will be reborn as the lowest of the low for the rest of eternity: a kheok. Kheoks are mindless monsters that pop into existence in the middle of the desert. They have no recollection of their previous lives. They kill with ease. And they are used by the people of Becar for sport.

Tamra is a kheok trainer. Backed by Lady Evara, a lover of the Becaran Races, Tamra is sent to search for a new racer to win enough money to pay for damages done by Tamra and her kheoks in the past, as well as to continue her payments to the augurs for her daughter, Shalla's, augur training. Tamra is known for being a skilled controller of kheoks. The monsters can only be controlled by a person's force of will. Though she is also known for a race from a year prior, in which a rider died. Who would want to train under Tamra now? Well, not only must Tamra find a good racer, but a rider who is willing to train with such a dangerous monster.

Raia is more than eager to be the rider Tamra seeks to train. She ran away from home for more than a few justifiable reasons, and what better way to make a new life in the world than to win the Becaran Races and use the gold to break away from her past? When Tamra not only brings Raia, a complete newbie to kheok riding, but a massive black metal lion kheok, no one believes they will have what it takes to win.

Meanwhile, political turmoil is about to unsettle the Heart of Becar where Dar, the emperor-to-be, waits somewhat impatiently for the augurs to find the reborn soul of his older brother, the late emperor Zarin. In order for Dar to be officially coronated, the soul of his brother must be found. Based on all the augur readings, his brother must be a golden monkey, or some such being oh high and more pure status that other creatures. When the late emperor's souls still cannot be found, Yorbel, augur and friend to Dar, assumes the worst: what is Zarin was reborn as a kheok? That cannot be possible, as Zarin was read as a good and kind soul. But somehow, this has become his fate.

I love the reincarnation aspect of this book, as I hope to be reincarnated as something...that isn't a kehok. There is also so political highs to this novel. There's the Emperor, but also the augurs, who are esteemed the most pure and are a major aspect to the way this society is run. An upturn of either of these will cause chaos. There is also looming war. The races are one of the fun, exciting aspects of this novel, though only a few are described in detail. 

This fast-paced stand-alone novel has a very fulfilling aspect to it (I haven't read a good stand-alone in quite some time). The writing is eloquent and complex, just like the characters. There is a story here that tells of what it means to be family, the difference between right and wrong, and the importance of giving second chances. I could not put this book down, and I believe the same of anyone who is looking for a unique fantasy read should give this book a shot.