Fantasy Friday: The Ring Keeper by A. J. Park
Welcome back to Fantasy Friday! And do I have a treat for you!
Caught between twin brothers, one courting demons and sorcery, the other the ruler of an empire protected by magic, Ana bears a ring of unknown powers, her legacy from a mother she never knew.
Discovering the ring’s ability makes her both a valuable member of the emperor’s court and a target for abduction by his jealous brother. Soon Ana finds herself betrayed and kidnapped, ultimately held at the mercy of the emperor’s twin and his dark secrets.
The ring exposes a web of love, hatred and unimaginable betrayal. Though its power drains her life force, the fate of the empire depends on her ability to unlock the ring’s secrets. She must find the will and strength to use it, for its magic can save the lives of everyone Ana has come to love. Or it can destroy them completely…
Why I loved this book: Wow and wow! I love being in the presence of a master storyteller! I will either have to surrender my scribely crown as Mistress of Angst or at least share it with this wonderful author. What an awesome story! Trigger warnings for a rape and suicidal thoughts/intentions, but overall a powerful, powerful tale! The people in the story live from the first page with so much action, heartbreak, courage, defiance, despair and hard-won victories. The main villain is EVIL. Once you are done with this one, grab her (unrelated) first book, War’s Ending, reviewed previously on this blog. Another masterpiece!
Follow me on BookBub for more recommendations. And don’t forget the group promo going on to grab more books, including all of A. J. Park’s books if you sign up for her email list which I highly recommend. “The West Road” is a short story of hers that gives a sneak preview of Ring with events happening right before the book begins, but for me, reading it after I have met the people in Ring made the short story even more enjoyable and heartaching. Take my word for it.
Have you read these books? What did you think?