Blog Tour: Amber & Dusk by Lyra Selene

Sylvie has always known she deserves more. Out in the permanent twilight of the Dusklands, her guardians called her power to create illusions a curse. But Sylvie knows it gives her a place in Coeur d'Or, the palais of the Amber Empress and her highborn legacies.

So Sylvie sets off toward the Amber City, a glittering jewel under a sun that never sets, to take what is hers.

But her hope for a better life is quickly dimmed. The empress invites her in only as part of a wicked wager among her powerful courtiers. Sylvie must assume a new name, Mirage, and begin to navigate secretive social circles and deadly games of intrigue in order to claim her spot. Soon it becomes apparent that nothing is as it appears and no one, including her cruel yet captivating sponsor, Sunder, will answer her questions. As Mirage strives to assume what should be her rightful place, she'll have to consider whether it is worth the price she must pay.

Review:

Amber & Dusk by Lyra Selene is written so beautifully. Sylvie is an orphan that has magic. It is known that people with magic are usually a sign of aristocracy. All Sylvie wants to do is fit in, so she decides to leave home and try to find a place to belong. Sylvie is a really strong female character. She has plenty of flaws but I felt like Selene was able to bring a great main character to her readers. When Sylvie gets to court, she ends up taking on a persona named Mirage. She doesn't everything she can to survive and train.

The story is a bit slow to begin but I feel like a few chapters in, it really begins to pick up. I loved how original this book is. It has a great big fantasy world. In the first few chapters you end up getting a lot of information that sets up the rest of the book... this is why I suspect that it was a bit slow. I feel like Selene did a great job with the writing. She was really able to bring this story to life.

If you want a fun fantasy story that captures your attention right away, this is the book for you. This book is filled with so much intrigue and magic. You can even find some romance in the story. I enjoyed the complex characters and all the world building. This is definitely something that any fantasy reader would love.

About the Author:

Lyra Selene was born under a full moon and has never quite managed to wipe the moonlight out of her eyes. When she isn’t dreaming up fantastical cities and brooding landscapes, Lyra enjoys hiking, rainstorms, autumn, and pretending she’s any good at painting.

She lives in New England with her husband, in an antique farmhouse that’s probably not haunted. AMBER & DUSK is her debut novel.

Twitter: @LyraSelene
Instagram: @lyraselene