I'm attempting to get out of my reading slump and what better way than reading a book by the author of my absolute favorite duology. I listen to this book while I am alone in the car to pick up my mom from work or after I drop her off. I am already about the quarter of the way through and this book takes place in the same realm as the Cilestial Duology. We are following a female character who's name i know but can't spell. I don't have the physical copy to look it up either. Anyway our main female character is a weak woman who is slowly dying in the beginning. Her grandfather risks his life to give her a rare relic that the celestial queen sent him to get called the Pearl Lotus. The lotus binds itself to our main female character and cures her of all her illness. But she is to never reveal that her grandfather gave it to her. Shortly afterwards, our female character's grandfather dies of a heart condition in the presence of the celestial queen and the god of war. Making our main female character believe that they had a part in her grandfather's death. Then an interaction happens between the main female character and the god of war after he saves her from being attacked by winged creatures that somehow get past the protective barrier around the city that was placed years ago through a deal. The god of war tells the main female lead that she has a month to get settled in her new position and mourn her grandfather before he comes back to take her to present herself in front of the celestial queen. A few chapters focus on our main female character getting used to being the new ruler of her city. It explains how the ministers are trying to use her weak state to their advantage, but she doesn't tolerate it much. She isn't blind to what they are doing. Then the day where she needs to visit the Celestial Kingdom approaches. She assign rival ministers to handle issues while she is away under the supervision of her childhood friend. Then the god of war takes her to his home because something had happened at the palace of the celestial queen, delaying our female character meeting her. As we read about her stay in the god of war's home, you get hints of a romance brewing. It gives you the whole enemies to lovers trope. I stopped at the point where our female character ends up going into the forbidden southern courtyard and encounters a woman there. That's all I got so far. I am enjoying the book so far. I do plan on getting the physical copy by the time of my next post on this book so I can give names. I just can't wait to see where things play out from where I left off.
So until next time...
-Lys
