I loved the idea of this story, the sandy and hot atmosphere reminded me of Dune and Mad Max. There were, however, a few things I did not love but I will get to that shortly.
Delta is a badass female MC and she has a good reason to be. Not only does she live a hard life at Dead River, but she also is one of two people with a secret map to The Verdant branded on her back. One night she takes her sister to receive help with her pregnancy and although Delta loses her sister to childbirth that night, she takes the baby and returns to her people, her family… only to find out that raiders trashed their settlement and took her family to Bedrock which is where a man known as the General rules like an overlord.
The story honestly just gets better and better. What I had difficulty with was not being able to really feel that the characters were being genuine and realistic when they communicated with one another. The way they spoke felt forced to me personally.
I do think this was a fun and fast paced read, definitely original with some mystical touches to it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc. All opinions are my own.
Book Oracle 