Something is in the air, and it’s not just spring! All of our March books have been hitting, and this next new release is no exception. We’d like to introduce our new favorite historical fantasy: A Desert of Bleeding Sand by Lucia Damisa.
A Desert of Bleeding Sand is a West African-inspired fantasy novel and the first installment in a five-book series! It follows Zair and Dathan, two top-notch military students sent to the palace as spies. But what they uncover is so much more dire than either of them could expect.
We inhaled this book so quickly, and we already can’t wait for book two. And three…Four too…Oh, and five. Here are three things we love about A Desert of Bleeding Sand by Lucia Damisa!
Book Overview: A Desert Of Bleeding Sand
Content warnings: murder, death, graphic violence, serious injury, gore, torture, slavery, racism, PTSD, forced captivity, mentions of rape and sexual assault, bodies, poisoning, warfare, and weapons (Please read at your discretion!)
Summary: Zair, a reviled half-aziza (African fae) with magical powers, is determined to stop the traitors attacking her academy and kidnapping its students—especially as her beloved sister is targeted. Sent to the palace during the king’s coronation, her mission is clear: unmask the culprits behind the disappearances. But when she crosses paths with Dathan, a rival spy from another academy, his hidden motives complicate everything.
As danger escalates and more students vanish, Zair and Dathan realize they must join forces to stop the looming threat. As they close in on the traitors, a shimmering attraction pulses between them, threatening to unravel their focus. In a palace where hunger is for power and night magic guards its halls, Zair must protect her heart from the one person she cannot afford to trust and save her fellow students before it’s too late.
Palace Intrigue
Firstly, whenever there’s royal court drama and espionage involved, we’re sat! We absolutely loved seeing Zair and Dathan sneak around the royal palace, picking locks and investigating chamber leaders. Zair leverages her powers to go undetected. Dathan is a master of disguise. They each have different orders to carry out once they find the potential traitor. And the plot becomes even much more complicated once they seem to succeed in their respective missions.
Connecting All The Dots
Another thing we love about A Desert of Bleeding Sand is getting clues as to how much bigger the situation really is. Like learning the future queen‘s own involvement or the First Colonel’s secret dealings. We especially love the dual points of view and being privy to both Zair and Dathan’s findings. Once they start working together, new players come to light. You won’t hear any spoilers from us, but just know that our protagonists haven’t even dealt with the true puppet masters yet.
The Romance
We can’t finish this review without talking about the swoonworthy rivals-to-lovers romance in A Desert of Bleeding Sand! Zair and Dathan’s conflicting missions make them wary of each other in the beginning. They become closer the more time they spend at the palace, escaping dangerous (and scandalous) situations together. Eventually, each character lets down their walls and opens up to the other person. We knew it would happen one way or another, and we can’t wait to see their relationship develop even more!
With a layered political conflict and show-stopping espionage, Lucia Damisa’s A Desert of Bleeding Sand has quickly become our new favorite historical fantasy. We already can’t wait for the rest of the series!
A Desert of Bleeding Sand by Lucia Damisa comes out March 27th, and you can preorder a copy of it here!
What do you think of Lucia Damisa’s A Desert of Bleeding Sand? Are you interested in this new historical fantasy? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LUCIA DAMISA:
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