Crown of war and shadow

Bestseller Ward (The Beloved) kicks off a new series with this bumpy slow-burning romantasy. Orphaned Sorrel has been shunned by her fellow villagers her entire life for her magical ability to foresee and experience the sensations of a person's death when she looks into their eyes. When the Fulcrum, a recently crumbling magical wall outside the village that keeps demons away, kills a local boy, Sorrel becomes the target of an angry mob that blames her for not preventing the death. Desperate to escape, she makes a deal with brooding mercenary Merc: a night in his bed in exchange for safe passage to another city. Prior to leaving, Sorrel's former employer gives her a magical compass and a black crown and tasks her with returning it to the legendary warrior queen to whom, he claims, Sorrel has a surprising connection. As Sorrel and Merc travel the monster-riddled wasteland, they slowly give in to their growing feelings. Ward's worldbuilding is vivid and Sorrel's magic is unique, but it takes too long to get the characters on their quest and into the meat of the story. This uneven pacing also leaves the relationship between Sorrel and Merc, while intense and spicy, feeling rushed. There's plenty to enjoy here, but readers will hope book two is better constructed. (Feb.)

In ages past, the "Savior" defeated the Dark King and his army of demons by trapping them in the Fulcrum, a gateway of light. To ensure his imprisonment, magic was outlawed in Anathos, but the Fulcrum is failing, freeing demons whose kills strengthen their king. Sorrel is an orphaned young woman, shunned and hidden for much of her life because of her innate ability to heal, which creates suspicion among the townsfolk. What she truly hides is the curse that enables her to see the exact moment of others' deaths. When evil comes to town, Sorrel is blamed and must escape with the aid of a devilishly handsome mercenary soldier, Merc. But first she learns that her identity is not as it seems; to discover her true destiny, she must travel south to the warrior queen. Passions rise as Sorrel and Merc navigate treacherous foes and terrain, but even more betrayals and revelations might doom them all. VERDICT With plenty of dangerous adventures, mysterious pasts, and smoldering looks, this exciting first book in the "Kingdoms of the Compass" series marks paranormal romance queen Ward's ("Black Dagger Brotherhood" series) outstanding entry into the romantasy genre.--Linsey Milillo