 Hello my darling extraterrestrials, I am Kim, this is Dustmotson Velikor, and today we are talking about Furyborn by Clara Grand. This book is about two young women separated by a thousand years, running simultaneously down the razor's edge. Both of them have something to prove, both of them have something to hide. In this world there is a prophecy that says two queens will rise, one of light and one of blood, and they will protect the kingdom from the invading angels. Oh yes, I said angels. Riel is a highborn lady, best friend since childhood with crown prince and his betrothed. But Riel is strong, too strong, and she's been taught since childhood to fear the magic that is a part of herself, something that as she explores more, she finds to be beautiful and thrilling. In a world where magic is commonplace and everyone can control one of the seven elements, Riel can control all of them. She has been foretold. But to prove that she is the one referenced in the prophecy, she must complete seven trials, and if she fails, she will be executed. Fun, right? Eliana is a bounty hunter slash assassin, maybe? And it's unclear, but she is maybe a half step above street rat. Known as the dread of Riel, she tells herself she has no qualms doing the dirty work of the tyrannical immortal emperor, all the while furiously guarding her secret. She cannot be hurt. Her body heals almost instantly. Perfect for an assassin, right? But there have been rumors that women are disappearing without a trace, and Eliana has people she wants to protect. She's just starting her investigation when what is essentially the guild of assassins decides to recruit her via one impossible task. She's not really in a position to say no. This book is fast-paced and gut-wrenching, and I would really like the next one, please. Seriously, it's super nonlinear, like mainly because it involves bopping back and forth across millennia, but also because it starts at the end, which is also the beginning and also kind of the middle, like... I don't know how to talk about this without spoiling everything. Okay, we're gonna move on. Though I gotta say, Claire Legrand writes an incredible cliffhanger, like dozens of them. Like, oh my god, she is so good at these, because you get to the end of the chapter and it's like, but then you switch to the next chapter, which is in the alternate perspective, and you're picking up from that cliffhanger. So it's like, oh right, this was the thing I was panicking about like 45 minutes ago, except now, it's now, and oh god, she writes some really good cliffhangers. Seriously, it's a page-tarner. Okay, and because I have to get philosophical about literally everything, the moral quandary of Good versus Evil is not an easy dichotomy in this book. A lot of people don't choose. A lot of people are just trying to survive. Eliana is definitely choosing against her nature for very good reasons, and Rielle doesn't even realize that she is making a choice. And yes, there is a nice romantic plotline in here, but it gets complicated. But that's honestly not why I like kept falling in love with this book. My favorite character is Eliana's little brother Remy. He's maybe 12, and he is a total dreamer. He's passionate about the stories about the old world and their myths and how things worked and the politics of that time. And I like him better than the two main characters. Like, I love the two main characters. Rielle and Eliana are great. They're fantastic kick-ass women who are complex and are doing what they think is right, and they're pursuing complex solutions to complex problems. And that's fantastic. But Remy needs to be protected. I love him. I really enjoyed this book. The worldbuilding is complex and multi-layered and beautiful. Like, there's worldbuilding for Eliana's time, and then a millennia ago when it was Rielle's time, and then even further back when they're building the religion of this world. It's myths atop myths, and I just, ah, it's so rich and I love it. And it also leaves you with questions. Like, how did we get to this point? Because, you know, consequences. What did you think about this book? Have you read it? Have you not read it? Are you watching this review so you can get out of reading it? I don't know. No judgment. But seriously, come talk to me about books. And don't forget to subscribe. I'll see you next time.