From the author of the USA Today bestselling GLASS AND STEELE series comes this captivating new fantasy.The king’s magnificent palace was built in a matter of weeks. No one saw the builders, no villagers are allowed beyond the gilded gate, and only one servant has ever left. The haunted look in her eyes as she was recaptured by the palace guards is something Josie, daughter of the village doctor, … the village doctor, has never forgotten.
For Josie, the palace is a mystery that grows more intriguing after she meets the captain of the guards, a man known only as Hammer, as mysterious and captivating as the palace itself. Whispers of magic fuel Josie’s desire to uncover the truth, but an ordinary girl like her can only dream of ever being invited inside.
When the king decides to take a wife from among the eligible daughters of the noble families, the palace gates are finally thrown open and the kingdom’s elite pour in. In a court where old rivalries and new jealousies collide, the king’s favorite is poisoned and the doctor is summoned. As her father’s assistant, Josie finally sees inside the lavish walls, but she soon learns the palace won’t surrender its secrets easily, for not a single resident, from the lowest servant to the king himself, has a memory from before the palace existed.
In the search for the truth, Josie is drawn deeper into danger, and the answers she seeks might shake the very foundations of the kingdom.
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The idea of a castle that appears out of nowhere and the people in it have lost their memories intrigued me. It is an interesting novel. I’m hoping the character Hammer will be a decent man but he is not so sure he is… Magic abounds but no one knows who is the culprit.
I liked the characters in this story. They felt like real people in an unreal universe.
I enjoyed it enough to buy the next ones in the series before I had finished the first so I could continue the story without an interruption. I read on the elliptical and my workout time goes by very quickly. I have to be careful as my speed varies with the action in the story! The characters are interesting and varied and evolve or the reader’s understanding evolves as the stories progress.
It’s a good read fantasy. You want to read the whole series.
So many mysteries to solve. Great world. Strong female character. Can’t wait for sequel
Just a nice easy read but very entertaining. Something to get lost in & relax while reading.
I would like to read it
An introduction to a new world. This has a number of a characters to investigate, but not too many that you’ll need to create a flow chart in order to keep them in order.
Murder and mystery are an integral part and a number of red herrings to keep you on your toes, as well as some romance to spice it up a little.
This is shaping up to be another intriguing series.
An interesting, and reasonably fast paced story line.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book /series.
Good read. Likable characters. Curious to know why so many lost their memories. Not happy to be left hanging at the end. It felt like author stopped just as we get to know what is happening to palace residents.
I’m disappointed that the “lost memory” was not solved in the end.
I enjoyed reading this book, but would have liked more resolution to the different issues raised.
I enjoyed every minute of this book. I rarely, and I do mean rarely, bother to purchase the next book in a series. I already have too many books on my kindle as it is. However, I WILL BE READING THE NEXT BOOK. I can’t help it. I have to know. C.J. Archer did a good job on me :-). I very much liked the main character, she is strong yet caring, resilient and even a little bit vulnerable. I also very much liked the rest of the characters, even the bad guy(s). This is an excellent book. If you enjoy fantasy at all I am sure you will be happy with it. I really can’t highly recommend it enough.
This is a very interesting mix of historical and fantasy. Yes, most fantasy story’s read as historical, but this one makes the “real” world seem like an actual historical novel with an odd occurrence that might be magic – rather than visa-versa. And that makes this book even more engaging and fun to read!
The writing does verge on the simplistic in a way that makes it feel like a YA novel, only with adult characters. It doesn’t inhibit the enjoyment of the story but it also doesn’t allow for a lot of depth and nuance in the characters and plot-line. Still I thoroughly enjoyed this unique and creative story!
*prophesy* Have no idea what this author has in-store for the overall arc of this series but after reading this first installment, I’m going out on a limb and predicting King Leon isn’t who he claims to be but has found a way to use magic to place him where he is. That Hammer is the rightful heir and that somehow Leon and company(not sure who just yet but Balthazar is a candidate) found a way to make all this happen. We’ll see how close I am to the truth when it unravels!
It wqs a good read. I don’t typically review books, but I enjoyed this.
I liked this so much that I ordered the whole series in book form. Fantasy, magic and mystery all combined with a dose of romance and danger. A keeper.
I want to know more… when do we find out what happened to their memories? I don’t think it is the king… is it Balthazar?
A very good read!
didn’t care for it. too drawn out.
I really enjoyed reading this book.
I liked the writing style and the book moved along very well. The premise was somewhat unique. I appreciated that the overplot was completed in the first book but would’ve liked to have seen the story behind the title moved further along. The layers of non-magical and magical mysteries laid out by the author worked very well and I will continue to read the series.