THEIR WILL UNDONE

In this debut that’s infused with elements of Inca history, a teen vows retribution after being torn from her family.

Living in a society where girls are snatched away and “trained to become wives and servants and gifted to houses” as the emperor wishes, 17-year-old Nina and her younger sisters, Sacha and Lali, are on alert when a kunay named Kasik, an adviser to Emperor Maicu, arrives unannounced on the family farm. When Kasik tries to take Sacha, Nina offers herself up instead. She soon learns she’s being brought back to the acllahuasi—the “house of the chosen ones.” What neither Nina nor her hot captor, Kasik, anticipate is that they’ll develop a steamy mutual attraction during their journey back to the palace of Amaru Kancha, which is a problem because Nina has been selected to become the emperor’s wife. When her attay, or magic, fully manifests, it further complicates everything. Told from Nina’s and Kasik’s dual points of view, the book allows readers to develop empathy for both leads as they grapple with their demons and insecurities. Inspired by the fate of the Maiden of Llullaillaco, this story levitates with its fierce rage. Nina is a charmingly flawed character, devoted to her sisters and seething with a desire to take vengeance against the emperor, but her struggles with the darker nature of her power at times borders on the repetitive and tedious.

Fury reverberates throughout this duology opener, making for a thrilling read.