Airabeth

I loved reading Airabeth. I wanted to just start by saying that. The book has a fun, thriller pace to it. It is a great page turner. So much so, I think I really only made a few highlights and comments in the book as I read it. The story is immersive, and you slip away into it.

The story is about Nadia, a “flame”. In this world, there are flames, people who still have their souls intact, and they worship the old Emperors. In contrast are the soulless. They kind of remind me of the crazy people in that one blindfold movie (Bird Box). They worship “the Masters”, the rulers of the world, who defeated the emperors. The Masters are cruel and heartless. They have names to match. Although one of the Masters seems to have more character than the rest, "Cruelty”. 

Cruelty isn’t like the other Masters, and his name is a bit of a misnomer. He helps Nadia at points during her stay at the manor. I will keep the description of this dynamic brief, as I think discovering it is a highlight of the book. 

Nadia is basically forced into a deal with the Masters, where if she passes a number of trials, she and her family will be spared. Nadia is then taken to the estate of the Masters, where she does domestic work between life-threatening trials. The trials take place every week, and Nadia must use both wits and strength to overcome them. The trials often have a dark “out” which involves killing another participant in order to skip/win the trial without going through further ordeal.

The plot is compelling and intricately twisted. For a fast-paced book, the world-building and plot are still excellent. As the story progresses, the plot morphs into something very different. I was left delightfully curious at the end.  In particular, why did one of the characters act the way he did? I found myself wanting to know more about his motivations, something that I assume will be explored in the next book.

For those who like dystopian fiction, I think this is great. For those who like strong female protagonists and hints of this will-they-won’t-they chemistry, I think the book is well worth the time.

Length: 480 pages

Perspective: First person

Tense: Present  

Kindle Unlimited: Yes

Where to buy: https://www.amazon.com/Airabeth-Sacred-Seven-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0GTPPKRTN