What a tour de force. This is the prequel to A Land of Fire and Ash (ALOFA), and after reading this book, OMG, ALOFA becomes an even better storyline. I highly recommend reading this one first because the story here gives context to ALOFA. In The Dandelion Tree, we meet the sisters, Kharis and Saya. Kharis is the keeper of a fire demon imprisoned inside her body, and Saya is the protector (won't spoil this part).

All appears to be well until the sisters turn 12 and something terrible happens. I won't spoil this, but the event happens rather quickly in the book, setting up the stage for what the main character, Kharis, will face. Then, we fast forward, and Kharis is now 20 years old.

Due to the demon, Kharis holds extraordinary magical power, except everyone is afraid of it, doesn't understand what it is (I mean, it comes from a demon). The sisters love each other, and A.S.R. Gelpi does such an awesome job displaying this relationship. It's sweet, funny, and annoying. It was my favorite part.

The character development is outstanding. The author really delves into the psychology of trauma to create relatable, real characters. The pacing was great. The plot is well fleshed out. This book kept me reading. I just had to know what happened next. The secondary characters blew my mind, especially Master Aravani. My only complaint is that I wished to see/read more of him. He was such an enigmatic character. The ending signals that more is coming, and I just have to know.

This epic fantasy book DELIVERS. Its take is fresh and unexpected, and yet, universal. This author hit it on the nail. I was very pleased, at the edge of my seat at times, loved the sisters, hated the villain, and wondered about Aravani. Great main characters. Great secondary characters. This was an awesome book. Loved every minute of it.

Absolutely loved it! It makes wonderful introduction into new series that I will be sure to follow . Everything you need in a book and the world-building is amazing! Love the authors unique writing style! Congratulations on another great read!

I started reading this book after finishing Elizabeth Lim’s Six Crimson Cranes. The idea of sisters, after reading Lim’s book, caught my attention, and I decided to give this one a try. This book hit all the right spots for me. The relationship between the sisters resonated with me. The author captured their ethos well.

As the book description states, Kharis is cursed. This curse impacts her sister, Saya. Both are bound by this mysterious yoke—magic like none other. And both want freedom. They love each other, but deep down, they often wonder if wishing for freedom is like breaking apart their relationship. The truth is they are forced by destiny to be together—keeper and protector. Therefore, they question whether the relationship they have is true or shaped by this curse. This is one theme I found to be powerful.

A lot happens in this book that I won’t discuss for fear of spoiling things for other readers. Despite their internal fears, both will work to find the truth about this curse, be rid of it, and hopefully live happily after, but… as the book description also states, Kharis is playing with fire.

Character development was excellent. A+ for me. The pacing was perfect. The narrative was consistent, never contrived, and the storyline was well thought-out. There are surprises and plot twists. There’s magic, magical creatures, fights, villains, mystery, secrets, romance, and the book’s concept of love, loyalty, and kindness shines through. The world-building is impressive. The book also tiptoes on what appears to be a religious system. Personally, it was done well and aligns with the genre. The book is labeled as adult fantasy, but young adults could easily read it, too.

The book is labeled as an origin story, and it appears to be part of a series. The book doesn’t end with a massive cliffhanger, like other series I’ve read. It can end here, but I am curious as to whether Kharis and Saya will find their freedom and the price they must pay for it. I may give the next book in the series a try.

The book was published by what appears to be an independent publishing house. If this author had the machinery of a power publisher like Bloomsbury, this book would hit the NY Times list. Yet, gems such as this one are missed as a result of the publishing world.