The Book Dragon has finished
Spice Bringer by H. L. Burke and gives it a resounding five claws!
My 5 star review: "Once in a blue moon you read a book that affects you so profoundly it's difficult to tell whether the book is just that good or you read it at just the right time. In this case, I think it's both. I've read most of Burke's writings, and she's a fantastic storyteller, but Spice Bringer is more than a great story. It's profound on many levels, has stellar characters, superb world-building, and a twisty plot full of so many unexpected things, I was left in a puddle of emotions. I just finally read The Fault in Our Stars but this book is a thousand times better showing the reality of a young girl living with a terminal disease because it's full of love and hope. Niya is an inspiration; such a strong character! Jayesh is so vibrantly real, and Alk the fire salamander is one of the most memorable characters ever! I know I'm gushing, and I don't care. This is the best book I've read in a long, long time (even better than The Curse of Chalion, and I didn't think a fantasy could be better than that one), and it deserves to be made into a movie. Highly recommended for lovers of fantasy with more than a dash of romance...." NOTE: Be sure to have tissue handy while reading this book!!!!
My favorite quote: "Life, precious life, always bound to her by a spider's thread when everyone else had an iron chain."
