“Swallow, Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, Daughter. Stay alive.”

In one word: splendid! I haven't encountered a book in a while that has been able to leave me both speechless all warmth and tingly. Amy Harmon’s enthralling, poetic writing style has brought forth a story full of emotion and sheer beauty.

"In a land purged of enchantment, love might be the only magic left."

In a world where magic is condemned and feared, being Gifted is a curse. Once, not so long ago, Healers, Tellers, Spinners, and Changers lived freely in Jeru, openly using their Gift. But some used their god-given gifts for Evil, thus, making the Gifted hunted, reviled, and hated. For Lark, a Teller, her gift is a constant reminder of all she has lost: her mother, her voice, her freedom.

“I didn’t want to be taken care of. I wanted to run away from all the men who sought dominion over me, who thought they could own me, imprison me, use me, cut me.”

King Tiras has always tried his best to be a good man and a fair ruler of Jeru. After bearing witness to the terrors his father laid upon their people, Tiras wants nothing else than to ease Jeru’s fears and troubles. But a war is upon them. A war against an enemy of powerful creatures that know no mercy. An enemy that will stop at nothing to bring the demise of Jeru and its people.

“I think I will keep you.”

Lark’s and Tiras’ lives soon meet once again. Lark sees this as an opportunity to free herself of the grasp of her father, while Tiras, seeing her as a ray of hope, wants to use her as a pawn in the nightmarish war approaching Jeru. Lark, the silent girl with a powerful voice. The Bird, The Sword. She will be the one to determine the outcome of this horrible war. But first she has to learn to trust, not only herself, but Tiras.




Lark, pure and gentle hearted, is taken into a journey of self discovery. She begins her trek as a girl who was never taken into account, always ignored. Always alone, longing to be seen, to be heard. To be loved. But of course it is not all that simple. Too much is being asked of Lark who is remorseful of all the lives she has taken, and all those that her actions will take.

“You said I choose you because you are of use to me. And I did. But know this, Lark. I have loved you every moment of every day, and I will love you until I cease to be. Bird, man, or king, I love you, and I will always love you.”

As they get to know each other better, Tiras helps Lark find her voice by teaching her to read and write. With this new knowledge, Lark’s voice grows into that of a powerful, strong woman. In him, Lark has found herself wanted, loved, longed for, seen. Thanks to Tiras’ love Lark now understands that, no matter how small her voice, she is an important part to the world and, most of all, to him.

“I have loved you every moment of every day, and I will love you until I cease to be. Bird, man, or king, I love you, and I will always love you.”

I am not one for a story full of romance. I am not a romantic. But this story touched my heartstrings. I was left with a smile on my face. And every time I think back to Lark and Tiras I am filled with longing, for such a delightful story, full of warmth, hope, and endless possibilities.




Disclosure: I received a copy of this book as a Christmas present from my amazing husband. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. All thoughts and opinions are my own. All images are mine, unless otherwise noted.