Plains of Sand and Steel

Uncommon World #3

by Alisha Klapheke

A ruler’s young bride with a body to conceal, a mercenary bent on revenge, and the Fire magic that will alter their story forever.

The Wrath and the Dawn meets Truthwitch in the second standalone, full length novel of the Uncommon World series.

When her new royal husband dies at the beginning of an invasion, Seren must hide his body and use the visions the Holy Fire gives her to save the Empire from itself and its enemies. But if the high-ranking general who hates her discovers her secret, he’ll have her put to death.

When invaders slaughter Ona’s family and shatter her artist life, she joins Lucca, an experienced mercenary and her exact opposite, and heads into war. She just knows the “chanting” she can do—imposing one’s will on the world and watching it come to life—will break the invaders and give her sweet vengeance.

Both want to save the Empire but with tangled histories and new passions swirling around them, their divided motivations turn a possible victory into a deadly storm.

Join the battle today!

*clean and appropriate for ages 13+
*spicy and slightly suggestive but nothing overt

Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal

325 pages, Paperback

Published June 16, 2017

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author Alisha Klapheke strives to write fantasy romance inspired by history and informed by her travel worldwide.

*Get a Deluxe Collector's Edition of Dragons Rising with faux leather, sprayed edges, and gold foil today https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...

Reviews

[Sylvia Mercedes]

This book wasn’t really a sequel to WATERS OF SALT AND SIN, but a companion novel, set in the same world. You don’t HAVE To have read book 1 first, but I personally enjoyed having that sense of revisiting a familiar world.

This book had everything I look for in a great YA adventure. Political intrigue, dangerous magic, compelling characters. And gorgeous writing!

I wasn’t sure if I could get as bonded to Seren as the lead heroine after having become so attacked to Kinneret. But Seren holds her own and quickly won me over. She’s got a backbone of steel, and I enjoyed rooting for her as her story unfolded.

Lucca and Ona were also fascinating characters, particularly Ona, who had a strong storyline of her own in her quest for vengeance. I loved that Alisha Klapheke composed a tale that allowed TWO strong women (very different from each other, but strong in their own unique ways) to shine.

This author is quickly cementing herself as a force to be reckoned with in the YA fantasy world. If you haven’t tried her work yet, I highly recommend it! And I’m very excited to jump into book 3 . . .

[Suzannah]

I've been looking forward to this one, and it didn't disappoint! Alisha mentioned to me that this story is inspired by the life of a real figure from history, Shajar al-Durr. In 1250, while Louis IX's Seventh Crusade was advancing down the Nile to attack Cairo, Shajar al-Durr was Sultan al-Salih Ayyub's wife. At the height of the war, al-Salih died, likely of tuberculosis and Shajar al-Durr together with some of the sultan's high-ranking officials conspired to keep the death a secret, ruling Egypt in al-Salih's name until his heir could return to Cairo. Then, when the new sultan Turanshah alienated his father's men, he was assassinated and Shajar al-Durr reigned as sultan in his place. Though her rule (and the remainder of her life) were alike brief, Shajar al-Durr's story is a remarkable one, and I couldn't wait to see what Alisha would do with it in this book.

I wasn't disappointed! In this story, Seren, the kyros' wife, is caught in an invasion just as her husband dies and must keep his death secret while clinging to power in the face of foreign invasion and the new heir's attempts to oust her. I really loved Seren - she was the gentle, quiet, self-doubting sort of heroine, while still believable as a wise ruler. With a heroine in such a precarious position, this story was hard to put down! So much suspense and palace intrigue, and so well handled!

But it's not just the historically-inspired bits that I enjoyed. Our other heroine is Ona, a mercenary who thirsts for the blood of the Invaders who killed her aunt. As the story unfolds, a firm alliance and friendship develops between Ona and Seren - but when Seren spares the life of the Invader king, Ona starts to have second thoughts. I loved this whole plotline. For one thing, we've seen a TON of "strong male friendships go sour" in literature, but the same thing with female characters is much less common, and I loved that. Ona is a great character, someone we clearly know is in the wrong, yet whose temptations we sympathise with. And oh, she has an epic Bad Romance that I really enjoyed.

There were some rough edges to this novel, and some unresolved thematic discussion - I would have loved to see the theme of vengeance versus mercy get a little more light, for instance. But overall, this was a page-turning story! As far as I know, there isn't actually a historical novel about Shajar al-Durr, but this loosely-inspired fantasy gave me everything I would want from such a story!

[Marguerite]

5 Stars.


Absolutely stunning and amazing. I thought that Waters of Salt and Sin was spectacular, well Plains of Sand and Steel blew that out of the water. I know I said that Waters of Salt and Sin was absolutely amazing and practically cyber shoved the book into everyone's faces, but Plains of Sand and Steel takes all of that epic goodness and blows it into a new dimension of amazing. (So, in short, I recommend reading this book and series, in case that wasn't clear). Now to break it down!

The characters in this book were absolutely amazing! (Note: that is the sponsored word of the day, amazing). I adored Seren as a heroine! She was so fierce, intelligent, thoughtful, strategic and all round great. Yet, at the same time, she was insecure, unsure and worried, which made her strength all the more admirable. I would love an entire series just on her. To continue this theme the rest of the world is populated by an amazing cast of crucial and fascinating secondary characters. Ona was great and I really loved the exploration of her struggles. Lucca was a great romantic lead, and I loved how supportive and understanding he is for Seren.

Now to the plot - I LOVED IT! The pages practically turned themselves and I'm going to be vague, because spoilers aren't cool, but if you love action, drama, political intrigue and a splash of romance thrown in, then you'll certainly be happy!

The writing is easy to read, really descriptive and super immersive. My complaint from last time about some action scenes being too fast - not a problem this time, so this book gets the full 5 stars!

I'm not sure what else to say - read this book! I know that this review is 90% gushing, but I just love this series and books so much. I'm so excited to read more in this world and can't wait for a new novella/novel to appear soon *fingers crossed*

*Thank-you to the author, Alisha Klapheke, for letting me be an extra early reader with this book. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

[Jaime (Two Chicks on Books)]

If Alisha Klapheke's series isn't on your to be read list you really need to add it! This book was just as fantastic as the first and I love that it's a companion and not a sequel so you can read this without reading book 1! Her world building and characters are amazing and I can't wait to read the next book in the series! I can't get enough of this world!

[Michelle]

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**Plains of Sand and Steel is the second book in the Uncommon World series by Alisha Klapheke, but the novel is a companion novel, and not a direct sequel so the book can be read without having read the first book in the series, Waters of Salt and Sin first. I really, really enjoyed Plains of Sand and Steel, but I have not read book one yet, which I now need to rectify immediately! This book was so, so much fun! And I really love the covers for the series. Aren't they super pretty?

Plains of Sand and Steel is everything I love about young adult fantasy books. First off, it is described as " The Wrath and the Dawn meets Truthwitch in the second standalone, full length novel of the Uncommon World series." Umm, yes please!!! It has an awesome world, awesome characters and plenty of politics to keep me turning the pages just as fast as my eyes would read them. I was honestly super bummed that I didn't read the first book first. Not because I was lost, because I wasn't. Plains of Sand and Steel really can be read as a standalone. But because I loved this book so much that I wanted to read them all in order. I cannot wait to devour every single book that Alisha Klapheke has written because I can tell that her writing style matches my reading style to a tee.

Plains of Sand and Steel has Seren as the main character. I loved Seren. She really needs to step up almost immediately and made some hard choices. But she never backed down, which is what I loved about her the most. I also loved Ona and Lucca, and a bunch of the other characters. They all felt so real to me. Everything about this novel felt real to me. The scenes jumped from the pages and played out right before my very eyes, which is not an easy feat. But Alisha made it seem effortless.

Bottom line: fans of YA fantasy need to add this book to your TBR list. It is so so great and so worth the read. the books can be read in any order, but do yourself a favor and pick up all of them so you don't miss out on any of the great action. I love the world that Alisha has created in the Uncommon World series, and if you are anything like me you are going to want to read all of the books in this series. Plains of Sand and Steel is excellent. Period. The end.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

[Jenny Zimmerman]

Read my full review at http://blackwords-whitepages1977.blog...

This author really has a knack for writing and entertaining her audience. In Fever, we were introduced a bit to these amazing characters, Meekra and Seren, but this story goes into a bit more detail and we meet some new characters along the way. All the things that Seren had to go through, made me wonder how much she could take before she couldn't take anymore. This author has a knack for torturing her characters, and keeping me addicted and wanting to read more. This author also has a really knack for storytelling too and her unique style of writing sets her apart from all others with her imagination and worlds that she creates.

The characters were remarkable. It was so hard to not feel what the characters were feeling at the time. Seren had to do a lot of fighting and clawing to win battles with not just herself but with others who were against her. I also felt bad for Ona too. She was such a complex character with her own set of demons and was constantly fighting. I actually felt what these characters felt.

The story-line was fabulous. All the secrets and demons in this story really kept me wanting to know more and see how things would turn out in the end. The words just flowed off the pages to me and I felt as if my imagination could travel right along with the characters in the story. This was my favorite of the three stories and I highly recommend it.

[Lana]

This the third book in the series Uncommon World took me a bit by surprise as I still have not figured how it fits into the series. We are back in the capitol of Akhayma and the Kyros is dead from a cough which lingered on the same day that the invaders approach to attack the city. Seren the Pearl of the desert, now widow of the Kyros hides the fact that he is dead and tries to take charge of city herself however she is too scared that she be found out. Two mercenaries are aiding her Lucca and Ona but General Adem is watching her every move. He does not want her to lead but is favouring Varol the late Kyros's brother, who is even more reckless and selfish than Myric was. She was the blessed one, the one chosen by the fire and she was given visions to lead her city to safety. However she was betrayed and did not know who she could trust except for Lucca who was her love and loyal to her to the last. I loved the novel because the character of Seren is very strong and loyal to her people, she only wanted peace unlike Ona who was out for vengeance. Lucca's character is also very strong and the bond between these two was remarkable. However I am still hoping that there will somehow be a link in the 4th and last book in this series to our previous protagonists else I cannot see a reason why this book was inserted in the series!

[Sophie Riggsby / allthingsequilateral]

*Review posted on Page Turners Blog on 6/16/2017*
What a story, you guys! It's a lush fantasy, which combines old world mythology with a plot that twists through political intrigue, a looming, inevitable invasion and a main character just beginning to understand her power. Now that my son's high school graduation is over and all the year-end recitals have ended, I finally, FINALLY have time to read! The first book I picked up was Plains of Sand and Steel, and I finished it in 24 hours!

I know that usually you guys find me complaining about lack of tension in a plot. Well, there was plenty of it here. I'm not quite sure what kind of spell Alisha weaves that lulls the reader into completely falling into her story. Is it the strong main character, who is coming into her powers? Is it the well written side characters? Is it just the right amount of snark thrown in for good measure? Or is it the romance (whoa, caliente!)? The answers is all of the above.

Alisha's world building makes you think back to ancient civilizations - a nod to maybe Turkish or Greek or Middle Eastern cultures of old. But, it's still fantasy, so there's a richness of detail (but, not overly so) in describing places and people that seemly vaguely familiar from my history books.

In summer, I mostly read contemporary stories, but my undying love for fantasy always leads me to pick up a high fantasy or two. If you're like me, add Plains of Sand and Steel to your summer TBR. It's definitely a book for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Marie Lu, Amy Tintera and Sarah J Maas.

[Erin]

I loved Waters of Salt and Sin. While this novel had an interesting premise, characters, setting and plot, I don’t think it was as good as book 1 in the series.

Writing:
I really liked some aspects of the writing style and thought the descriptions were enchanting. However, the writing was a little choppy and hard to follow. For instance, I was often disoriented on what time of day it was as each day seemed to run into the next. I was sometimes surprised when the moon was out or the sun was shining. Time seemed to stand still at times or it seemed to fast forward at others, where an entire night passed in one conversation and suddenly they walk into the morning light. What, wha?? I also noticed the choppiness during the battle scenes. I kid you not, there was one scene where the invaders are described as pouring over the walls and the heroine warrior is utterly overwhelmed with the terrifying reality that they are all doomed and this is The End. Then after she comes to this awful reality, there is one very short paragraph describing the arrival of the kyros’ brother and his commanding personage, and literally the very next paragraph has the invaders all fleeing and the battle won. Major whiplash. And it made NO sense. So, what turned the tide? Are you saying one guy shows up and he sends the numberless horde of invaders fleeing by the power of his aura??? This type of “victory” happened again another time in the novel, where the empire wins the battle without the author describing how exactly it came to happen.
(Also, a few editing errors in the ending chapters, where the book suddenly reverts to first person POV a couple of times, which was odd.)

Plot Development:
I liked the power of the Fire. I also liked the special fighting abilities of the mercenaries. The political intrigue was cool.
As far as negatives, sometimes the reasoning for various occurrences was underdeveloped, so I was left with lots of questions.
- Why was the invader engineer turning on his people? The reasoning given was not meaningful enough to explain his disloyal actions.
- What was the aftermath of the black powder weapons? I wanted to know more details about how it turned the tide in the battle. The pacing in the two battle scenes was slow and detailed for the first half of battle (where everything seems to be going wrong) and super sonic for the second half, which made me feel robbed. ;)
- Were the invaders under some magical curse? Because the author kept describing them in ways that felt like she was setting that up to be the case.
- Why did Seren want to see Ona’s dead body before Seren was discovered outside the walls and killed by Invaders? Who cares about Ona at this critical point??? Everything is hinging on what Seren does in her last moments and then she decides she wants to seek out Ona’s dead body for one last sentimental look. I’m sorry, what?!

Characters:
I liked the heroine, Seren, and I especially liked the hero, Lucca. They were good, strong, wise, and courageous leaders. On the other hand, I did not like Ona and felt she was given too much respect and admiration at the end. I have no desire to follow her story, and it bugged me when Seren kept giving her partial credit for the victory at the end, because honestly Ona had nothing to do with the victory! Literally, NOTHING at all! In fact she tried to sabotage the black powder weapons as well as Seren’s leadership. Seren’s people were victorious IN SPITE OF Ona, not because of her. So Seren’s misplaced respect at the end was annoying. Sure, mourn the recent friend that ended up utterly betraying you, even forgive her, but don’t wallow in the grief like she was your BFF since your youth, and definitely don’t give her credit where it’s not due. (And btw, they hardly even knew each other so Seren’s grief seemed over the top.) Ona was misguided, brutal, self-serving, and definitely creepy. I’m not a fan of the epilogue.

Romance:
They had some chemistry, but the romance didn’t quite hit that sweet spot. The ending of the novel was not particularly fulfilling because the two main characters are ruminating on their grief. Consequently, their victory (both in battle and in being able to be together) didn’t really feel victorious. Which was a bummer.

Content:
Language- no swearing
Sex- 1 maybe 2 sex scenes are behind closed doors, start to finish, so they aren’t scenes at all, actually. It’s just alluded to but there’s not much lead up. Some vague innuendos elsewhere in the book.
Violence- very violent. Lots of hand to hand combat with swords. Lots of blood and killing and more blood, and severing of limbs, etc. I didn’t think it was so much that it detracted from the story, though.
Cover- I love that horse!
I read this on Kindle Unlimited.

[Cameron]

Originally posted on the blog What the Cat Read.

If you haven’t yet tried Klapheke’s novels, what are you waiting for? If you enjoy fantasy, magic, suspense, danger, political intrigue, and more, you’ll love this book. And before I go fully into my review, let me assure you that just because this claims to be the second book in Klapheke’s Uncommon World series, it doesn’t mean you can’t read it as a stand-alone. This book features a different set of characters from the previous books in the series, though you do meet Seren in Fever, the short novella that proceeds this. But even then, you don’t need to read Fever to read this one. But if I’m to be honest, don’t be surprised if you immediately go and get the rest of the series when you’re done because yes, it is that good, and yes, you’ll want to read the rest at some point! That being said, let’s get on with the review, shall we?

I greatly enjoyed this book. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to put it down. With every chapter I found myself on the edge of my seat anxious to find out what would happen next. There is no question that Klapheke is skilled at drawing a reader into her stories and keeping them hooked until the very end. The world that she’s created is amazing, and it easily lends itself to many opportunities for more books in the future, which is great because I am greatly looking forward to seeing what she’s got planned next.

Now as much as I miss not seeing a return of Calev and Kinneret from the previous books, I enjoyed reading about Seren and her fight to become kyros. Admittedly I wasn’t originally impressed with her and thought that she was a bit too weak-willed in the beginning, but as the story progressed she grew tougher and learned to play the leader while still maintaining her caring nature. She’s intelligent, adamant about protecting those she loves, compassionate to a fault at times, and fierce when she needs to be. I wanted her to succeed, and by the end I was cheering when she proved her strength to those who opposed her.

But this isn’t just Seren’s story, though it is primarily about her, it is also Ona’s (Onaratta) in many ways. Ona’s a character who I initially loved, mostly because she was a kick butt and ask questions later kind of girl. She’s fierce, skilled in the arts of war, driven to avenge her aunt’s death, and not one who easily takes no for an answer. The problem is, those same attributes of hers began to grow on my nerves, and eventually I grew frustrated over her not seeing Seren’s side of things. Ona is yin to Seren’s yang. They both suffered hardships at the hands of the Invaders, and both want to avenge those they lost. And each has something to teach the other. The problem that comes up though is Ona is too stubborn to see beyond her need for revenge and this causes problems. In the end, I wanted to know what would happen next with her and see where she was headed in her life, even if I was a bit less enamored with her than at the start. I can only hope that we’ll get to see more of her in the next book, and that she eventually finds her way to the peace she so deserves.

What honestly impressed me was how into the book I got. As I said, once I started I quickly found myself immersed in the story and unwilling to leave except for only the most immediate of needs. I easily could see this book being made into a TV show as it has all the themes and plot points that would make for an amazing live action series, and it isn’t often that I feel this way about a book I read. Usually I prefer that stories I enjoy be left to the printed page rather than carried over to a different form of media, but I could see myself being happy if that happened with this. Between the vividly describe lands, the caste system, the inclusion of magic, and even the bits of romance (which were there, but this is by no means a romance novel), the story has everything to lend itself to amazing TV. Seriously, if any Hollywood producer is looking for a new project to take on, consider this series, please!

So, am I fan of this book? Most definitely. Would I recommend it to others? Do cat’s rules and dogs drool? Snag a copy of this book for yourself and enjoy! Believe me, you won’t be disappointed. =^.^=

[Em and Rosi (Bibliobibuli YA)]

What a great addition to Alisha’s Uncommon World series. I should preface this review by saying that, normally, I’m not a fan of “companion novel” series. They have to be done well, the world well developed and the characters capturing your attention from the very beginning, simply because you don’t have the time that a series does to do the characters justice. In that respect, so many series like this fall short. Also, I become attached to the characters in the first book, can’t imagine it getting any better, and end up resenting new characters simply because they aren’t the people I want to read about. But, isn’t that even more of a reason to be impressed with Plains of Sand and Steel? Of course I missed Kinneret and the rest of her crew, but I fell in love with Seren, too. And I couldn’t help but enjoy that this was a contained story in a world I was already familiar with.



Seren is a wonderful heroine. She is fierce and intelligent, thoughtful and caring. She’s balanced, though. She felt real. Because her character is also unsure, insecure, young and forced to grow up very fast and has faced so much loss. Her love interest was Lucca, who can rival Calev for the best of Alisha’s leading men who are absolutely loves without overshadowing the awesomeness that is their leading lady. Ona brings in the other perspective for this book, and while she wasn’t my favorite character, she was interesting and I have a feeling that we’ll be seeing more of her later on.



For romance and action, political intrigue and beautiful writing, pick up this series. If you are just as skeptical of companion series as I was, pick up this series. If you want to get a head start on a great new series, put the Uncommon World series on your to read list, novellas and all, you won’t regret it.

[Texas]

Uncommon World Series:
Waters of Salt and Sin #1 - A well written, fast paced, fun adventure with well developed, likeable characters and a well thought out plot that keeps the reader immersed in the story. The author does a wonderful job with her descriptions. 4*

Fever #2 - A short story to be read after Waters of Salt and Sin. Another well written, interesting story with characters from WoSaS and a well thought out plot to keep the reader reading until the last page. 4*

Plains of Sand and Steel #3 - Another well written, fast paced, adventure with more well developed, likable characters and a well thought out plot that keeps the reader wrapped up in the story. The author paints vibrant scenes with her descriptions. 4*

Forest of Silver and Secrets #4 - This book is just as well written, action packed and interesting as the three books previous to this one. Ms. Klapheke's vivid descriptions, twisting storylines and interesting characters keep the reader immersed in the book. All the books of series run the gamut on emotions and adventures. Her characters never fail to deliver and there's humor, too. Start with the first book Waters of Salt and Sin and have fun and adventure through the series and end with this story. 4*
Uncommon World Series End.

The Edinburgh Seer - Another well written, intriguing novel with well developed, interesting characters and a well thought out, twisting plot; all that keep the reader immersed in the pages until the end. Hard to put this book down with the vivid descriptions of unfolding scenes. 4*

[Crystal D]

This is a great installment in this series. Seren, Ona, and Lucca are really good characters to follow, and the conflict is so raw. I really like the romance between Seren and Lucca, and Ona's story is so tragic. I really liked each characters arc though, and the parallels between Seren and Ona were fantastic.

The book gets frustrating at parts, but the reasons it gets frustrating works. It's a nice way to do character arcs, because you get frustrated when certain characters can't break from cycles of rage, or can't stand up on their own. But all of that is part of their overall story, and the frustration and longing to see them rise above their doubts is really good writing throughout the book that I simultaneously enjoyed and banged my head at. The characters are so real, and I felt like it would be the way I'd react to a friend of mine not reaching their potential, so it was well done.

I missed Kinneret and the gang, but we'll be going back to them in book 3. Excited to see if they meet up with Lucca and Seren again, and interested to see this Invaders plot come to it's conclusion in book 3. This book is a great way to flesh out the world more, but is a stand alone if you haven't read the first one. It doesn't spoil anything for book 1. Great story though, the climax and payoff for all of the characters arcs, and the overall plot were well paced, and well earned.

[Kelly Stepp]

Wow, what an amazing, inspiring, edge-of-your-seat read! Once I started, I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it. The story starts off strong and keeps a great pace while immersing you in a world of battles, romance and intrigue. What sets this book (and series) apart for me is Klapheke's ability to infuse her world with such diversity in culture and characters. She does this beautifully while creating a story focused on believing in yourself, loyalty, and using pain for a greater purpose than yourself. Seren's character sends such a positive message, especially to young female readers, that this alone makes the book worth reading. The secondary characters were given just as much attention in complexity, while the story line kept me guessing how things would play out and whose allegiances would stand. I loved the action, scheming, romance and magic that came together to form one of the best stories I've read lately. This series keeps getting better and better and I look forward to what comes next. It can be read as a standalone but the previous books (Fever especially) will give you a deeper understanding of the world and context.

[Elizabeth Duffy]

We are introduced to Seren in "Fever," showing us a young woman with backbone and a warm heart. Can she keep her country together and her city safe with enemies all around her? And, who will become her most loyal allies?
If you have read either of the other two books in the series (or not), you will know that the action is intense (and sometimes bloody). There is also romance (for us women who don't mind the bloody parts); but nothing too graphic (a fairly clean romance, but not so clean language if you read between the characters' lines).
You don't necessarily have to read the first two books (one main, one novella) in the series in order to understand the plot in the book. Though there are slight mentions of events from those books, this story is an individual gem shining in the desert (you can almost smell the dust with the imagery depicted).
I believe you will enjoy this book (and the rest) as much as I have.

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog)]

A great addition to this new fantasy world. I honestly thought this was going to be a continuation of the first book with the same characters but we find new and strong characters. This can be read as a stand alone if you haven't read the first book.

I enjoyed reading about Seren she was strong, courageous and selfless. She was definitely someone to admire.
I'll admit that I didn't particularly care for Ona the other character that the store followed. But I have hope that she'll grow.

I enjoyed Seren'a journey and how she grew into herself becoming the woman she was meant to be.
It was a fast pace exciting adventure that I can't wait to see what happens in the next book and explore more of this fantasy world.

I voluntarily reviewed an arc from the author.

[Christinaraven]

I thought it was great to get to revisit the Uncommon World series. II liked the short stories that have already come out and once I started reading Plains, I was addicted after the first chapter and had to see what happened next. Well written, it was full of twists and turns, adventure, war and great interactions between characters. Really liked Seren and Ona and Lucca and the rest of the characters. Parts made me laugh and groan. Add in magic and its was a great story. I received a free copy and my honest review is - great book 2 full of action and great characters.

[Carol Brandon]

Another strong female heroine … actually, two. They are complex characters who have to battle their own demons to become who they were meant to be. There’s lots of action, political intrigue; great character development. I think I liked this better than book 1 … just. You don’t have to read them in order – they take place in the same world, but there are different characters who I’m guessing we may meet together in book 3?? I received a free copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

[Alicia Scarborough]

It was okay

Nothing like the first book in the series but then again it was a shift from the waves of the sea to the sand dunes of the desert. Not to mention a change in casts. It was alluded in the second book, Fever, and now in this book you got to follow the Pearl of the Desert’s adventures.

Romance, revenge, deceit and action all rolled up in this story. Give it a try, you might like it.

[Phi]

I read this book years ago and had forgotten most of what happens. I'm so glad I decided to do a re-read. It was absolutely brilliant. I adore the main characters, and the story is so unique! Reading it the second time was just as magical as the first. I may have to read this entire series again soon ❤️

[Roeshell]

I really enjoyed this book :D
every book in this series has had me wanting more to read. It's definitely a great series and it'll surprise you and draw you in. give it a read! what are you waiting for??

[Jennifer Burkhalter]

Loved this book. It was my first read by this author so I was not too sure of what I was getting myself in. Needless to say it was fantastic and I look forward to reading more by this author. I don't give spoilers in my reviews, this is a must read.

[Samantha]

Enthralling complex tale!

This series has great character development with strong characters with believable strengths & weaknesses. The stories themselves wind and curve keeping your attention. I look forward to more.

[Fiona Andrew]

We are with a new set of characters who are fighting the common enemy the Invaders. We meet Seren, Pearl of the Desert the Kyros wife, the Kyros Merric who is ill, a host of people who help to run the city of tents. In to the mix two mercenaries arrive, Lucca and Ona, they have come to teach the Kyros troops the Silvanian way of fighting. This method helps make you faster, stronger, able to fight for longer. Many things happen to them. You’ll need to read the book to find out what. Highly recommend.

[Andra]

Fantastical Adventure

Holy Fire...Visions (Chosen/Blessed)...Invaders...Death...Fate...

Believe in self and abilities. There's power in voices.

"Fate rarely waits until we're ready."

"Your wishes are my wishes."

[Angela Jones-Cuéllar]

pooled ink Reviews:
3.5 Stars

This is a companion novel, not a sequel, with new fierce characters. So whether or not you’ve read Waters of Salt and Sin you can dive into this book with no problem.

Klapheke crafts a unique world filled with searing plains, gut-clenching chances, and a sharp vengeance through it all. Unlikely allies face off against enemies who lurk just beyond the shadows and together they dominate this story, spilling blood and forging friendships as they face down their fate.

A world that is teetering on high stakes, rich in magic, and led by determined females, Plains of Sand and Steel is a one-book fantasy adventure that exhilarates and delights.

Read my FULL post for more info and a giveaway! https://pooledink.com/2017/06/05/plai...
(giveaway for a limited time only)

[Rachel's Book Reviews]

2.5

Read for tour, wasn't impressed like I hoped to be. Review soon

[Audrey Friedman]

Can't wait for more tales from this Uncommon World!!!!

[Sarah Hickner]

It won’t quickly leave your mind or heart. This is a story of bravery, hardship, friendship and faith. It may be my favorite of the series

[irene triplow]

Awesome

Like other books in this collection great story, couldn’t put it down, looking forward to the next one,
I would never have discovered these books without Amazon