Nightspell by Leah Cypress

Tuesday June 28, 2011

Nightspell

by Leah Cypress

May 2011

Greenwillow Books

Goodreads: Here be ghosts, the maps said, and that was all.

In this haunted kingdom, ghosts linger—not just in the deepest forests or the darkest caverns, but alongside the living, as part of a twisted palace court that revels all night and sleeps through the daylight hours.

Darri's sister was trapped in this place of fear and shadows as a child. And now Darri has a chance to save her sister . . . if she agrees to a betrothal with the prince of the dead. But nothing is simple in this eerie kingdom—not her sister, who has changed beyond recognition; not her plan, which will be thrown off track almost at once; and not the undead prince, who seems more alive than anyone else.

In a court seething with the desire for vengeance, Darri holds the key to the balance between life and death. Can her warrior heart withstand the most wrenching choice of all?

Pontifications...I really enjoyed the awesome writing and originality of Mistwood so I was really excited when I received Nightspell in the mail for review. Although the stories are completely different I enjoyed this read every bit as much as the first!

The concept of a kingdom ruled and inhabited by mostly the dead risen from the grave to avenge their murders is so AWESOME! Just like Mistwood there is tons of mystery and intrigue....you're never quite sure who is on who's side and who really are the good guys???

If you're hoping for bits of Mistwood crossover, sorry....maybe in the next book? I hope so! I would love to see those characters mingle, lots of interesting possibilities there :)

The three main characters are siblings Darri, Callie and Varis, who are each used in various ways by their father and sent to eerie kingdom of Ghostland in hopes of a marriage proposal to unite their two lands. What they find when they arrive is that nothing is as it seems and that they are on their own against a plot that may or may not involve death to them all.

Both of these books are a must read for fantasy lovers! Appropriate for ages 13 and up.

***A Kirkus Starred review book.

The first book:
Mistwood

The Shifter is an immortal creature bound by an ancient spell to protect the kings of Samorna. When the realm is peaceful, she retreats to the Mistwood. But when she is needed she always comes.


Isabel remembers nothing. Nothing before the prince rode into her forest to take her back to the castle. Nothing about who she is supposed to be, or the powers she is supposed to have.

Prince Rokan needs Isabel to be his Shifter. He needs her ability to shift to animal form, to wind, to mist. He needs her lethal speed and superhuman strength. And he needs her loyalty—because without it, she may be his greatest threat.
Isabel knows that her prince is lying to her, but she can't help wanting to protect him from the dangers and intrigues of the court . . . until a deadly truth shatters the bond between them.

Now Isabel faces a choice that threatens her loyalty, her heart . . . and everything she thought she knew.