When the treacherous Shayla murders King Lohar, she becomes the Queen of Ambarvadi-and none of her subjects feel safe.According to prophecy, the only ones who can end Queen Shayla's brutal reign are Gul, the famed Star Warrior, and Cavas, Gul's lover. Under the guidance of Subodh, a Pashu king dedicated to justice, Gul and Cavas train to use their magic together against Queen Shayla. But before they can hone their craft, Shayla sends her army to attack Gul, Cavas, Subodh, and the Legion of the Star Warrior, a group of women faithful to Gul and Amar, the rightful king of Ambarvadi. Cavas is captured, and Gul and her army are forced to flee through the dangerous desert. While Cavas is imprisoned in Shayla's castle and tortured, Gul and her army remain determined to fulfill the prophecy and return Ambarvadi to its rightful owner-but can Gul do it without Cavas, who is her magical complement, lover, and best friend? The story is told through alternating perspectives, the most satisfying of which is Shayla's, whose voice is the most distinctive. The final third of this novel offers the fastest pace and the most reveals. The richly built, South Asian–inspired world will be best appreciated by readers familiar with Hunted by the Sky (2020), the first book in the duology.A compelling mythology-based fantasy. (map, glossary, author's note) (Fantasy. 14-18)

Gr 7 Up-In the conclusion to the "Wrath of Ambar" duology, readers meet up with Gul after King Lohar has been killed by one of his own trusted Sky Warriors, Shayla, who took over the throne by force and sent the true king into exile. Gul is being hunted, still at risk due to her newly coined title of Star Warriorthe one who will save the kingdom. Cavas is struggling with his own demons after his father's death, and his ability to do magic is now tied to Gul's powers. A new prophecy has risen and binds Gul and Cavas together as complements; their power is stronger when they are together. A new battle brings terror to the lands at the hands of now Queen Shayla's Sky Warriors who will stop at nothing to destroy Gul. They are tested by their loyalty and their feelings for one another. The character development only improves in this sequel to Hunted by the Sky ; Gul and Cavas are well-developed characters who are brought together by something stronger than physical and emotional attraction, which makes for a unique relationship. One of the strongest elements of the story is the depiction of female leaders who have risen to powerboth good and badand dominate the story line in a way unusual to medieval and magical fantasy novels. VERDICT With a story that is diverse in character development and a setting unique to young adult literature, this has a place in any collection. Erica Coonelly, Monroe Township M.S., NJ