Wyvernhail by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

HAI HAS ALWAYS been an outsider. With a falcon mother and a deceased cobra father, she is considered a mongrel by most, an ally by some, and a friend by few. Hai's broken falcon wings are a painful reminder of the life she once led on the island of Ahnmik. And here in Wyvern's Court, the avian and serpiente royal family keep their distance, refusing to acknowledge her cobra bloodline. They know that Hai's magic is so volatile, she can barely control it, and images of the past and future threaten to overwhelm her.

When Hai's cousin, Oliza Shardae Cobriana, abdicates the throne of Wyvern's Court, Hai has visions only of destruction: the serpiente king Salem, dying in her arms; the dutiful guard, Nicias, unable to save a generation of children; and Wyvern's Court engulfed in flames.

Now Hai will do anything to protect her new home - even if it means betraying the very people who need her most.

Wyvernhail is the fifth book in the Kiesha'ra series by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. It is also the first book I read by her. I knew it was the fifth and that I was reading them out of order and I usually try not to do that, but I figured, what the hell. It was a short book and a quick read. Despite not reading the first four in the series, I was never lost.

The world involves shapeshifters, wolves, ravens, snakes and falcons. But it is not urban fantasy; it is written very much like a traditional fantasy story with a strong dash of romance. You have the prince, the princess, the mixed blood misfit, all with both human and winged shapes. Hai is the misfit. She also has visions of the future.

I liked this book very very much. If it has a weakness, it is that scene transitions are a bit abrupt. Sometimes that can be confusing. I didn’t expect to like it so much. I have read other non-urban fantasy involves that involve shapeshifters and I liked few of them this well. They were better written, maybe, but they lacked something Wyvernhail has. I am not sure what that is.

The scene I liked best was at the end when Hai was contacting her empress and realized that though she thought of the empress as a mother, the empress never loved her like that.
Grade: B-