Imagination, adventure, family, and friendship whirl to form an exciting world, where magic meets sinister schemes.

If her mother's death wasn't enough to flip Yara's world upside-down, the letter her mother left behind made sure it was. Following the instructions, Yara leaves her home in our world and portals back to her true home, Zehaira. There she must not only find footing in her own world, but realizes there are more secrets than she suspected...and some of these threaten to destroy everything.

This is a fantastic ride into a vibrant world with magic, djinn, sorcerers and more. The world is very rich and brings something amazing at every turn. It was fun to get lost in the pages and wish it truly existed. The author does an amazing job at bringing this unique realm to life. Add the great cast of characters with their quirks, and it's no problem to sink right in and want to stay.

Yara has a good sense of right and wrong, and is ready to fight for what she believes in. Still, she's hesitant, at times, and does require assistance and guidance. It makes her easy to root for and sympathize with. Mixed with a sense of family and the forming of wonderful friendships, this creates a heart-warming atmosphere as well. Still, that doesn't mean the action suffers. It doesn't. There is quite a bit going on in these pages as Yara faces all sorts of situations. The mystery concerning her identity is also well-laid and very hard to guess. Plus, the world and the more evil plots keep her on her toes, too.

It was a treat to dive into such a rich fantasy world and simply get lost in the story. It's clear that there is so much more to come, and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes from here. I received a DRC and found this to be a very enjoyable read. ( )