A Sea of Pearls & Leaves

A Sea Of Pearls And Leaves is a book that should be given a chance by any reader who enjoys fantasy. I have to admit I was rather curious and somewhat hesitant to start reading but I am so glad I dived into this world!

We begin rather slowly, the main concern being that Princess Ingrid of the Verskelli family has to pick a husband when, in fact, she already has a girlfriend. Lilura is a cunning, gifted witch with one-of-a-kind secret. She's also madly in love with Ingrid. Together they devise a plan that will repulse any suitor. Yet, all aspiring grooms agree to Ingrid's unusual conditions and the competition for the hand of the princess begins.

Between the love drama and the pressure of an unavoidable marriage, a serial killer on the loose attacks the priestesses of Norella Isles, leaving their corpses in his wake.

I love how much time was given to all three characters, help[ing them to develop a relationship with one another. I really loved Lilura, especially after we discovered her secret. She is special in more ways than we think when we start reading.

I also loved Soren. He is shy and understanding, a true gentleman and a very brave young man, although he wouldn't say any of these is true about him.

The lore of this world shines in every chapter, the gods and the old faith play an important role in people's everyday life. The pace is slow at first and then begins to speed up and allow the action to unfold.

What left me in awe were the descriptions. Briar does a marvelous job at painting the picture for us, with shades and details; the Sunniva Palace is a true eyesore. If I ever get to live anywhere with a staircase, I will demand it build and painted like ocean waves...

The plot twist for me wasn't really a twist, I had my suspicions since the early chapters of the book. However, I enjoyed the way it unfolded and the first time we truly get to see the murder had me at the edge of my seat!

The LGBTQ+ representation was done beautifully, in my opinion. It is rare to see a love triangle end the way it did in this book. It is about time we realize that, given you are interested in it, there is another solution to the classic 'pick one of us' trope.

Overall it was a pleasant story to read and the characters well written. It didn't drag or slack at any point and the dialogues felt fluent and realistic. A quick read with an interesting plot and beautiful descriptions.