UNHOLY TERRORS

Defying her duties may be the only way for a girl to discover the truth about herself in a world of monsters.

As a warden, Everline Blackthorn has vowed to protect the wall surrounding the Hallowed Lands from the wolflike vespertine, monsters left behind after the fall of evil god Nyx Severin. Though the distinctive dark blue eyes they share prove she’s the warden commander’s illegitimate daughter, her olive skin and dark hair betray her: Her late mother is regarded as a traitor for abandoning her post when the vespertine invaded. Everline fights not only the vespertine, but her mother’s legacy and her own lack of aptitude for magic, while Briar, her perfect half sister, who closely resembles their father, constantly reminds her of her failings. While out on patrol with Everline’s best friend, Lux, whom Briar is romantically involved with, the half sisters encounter a vespertine who’s walking upright. Seeking answers about both this anomaly and her own origins, Everline ventures onto the moorlands, betraying her warden vows. There she encounters Ravel, another humanlike vespertine, and she can’t help but find him strangely alluring. Some inconsistencies in worldbuilding and characterization are distracting, but the book’s strength and charm lie in its complete commitment to its brooding atmosphere, with stormy nights, bloody rituals, and animal magnetism. The growing sisterhood between Everline and Briar once they escape their father’s influence adds depth. Most characters are cued white.

A modern, moody, and monstrously gothic experience.