##ADGIFTED  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Kavi is a Taemu. Her people, once feared berserkers and the spearhead of a continent-spanning invasion, are the dregs of Raayan society. Their spirits crushed. Their swords broken. Their history erased.

But Kavi has a dream and a plan. She will do whatever it takes to earn a place at the secretive mage academy, face the Jinn within its walls, and gain the power to rise above her station and drag her people out of the darkness. Except power and knowledge come at a cost, and the world no longer needs a Taemu who can fight. So they will break her. Beat her down to her knees. And make her bleed.

But if blood is what they want, Kavi will give them blood. She will give them violence. She will show them a berserker’s fury.

And she will make them remember her name.

About the Author
Aman was born in Mysore, India. He grew up in Vizag, studied in Bangalore, lived in Bangkok,  completed a PhD in experimental psychology at the University of Canterbury, and has settled (for now) in Melbourne, Australia. His writing draws from modern Indian history and is influenced by writers and artists like David Gemmell, Brandon Sanderson, Takehiko Inoue, and Kentaro Miura.

My Review First off I didn’t expect it to be so graphic and gruesome, not necessarily a bad thing, as it doesn’t bother me, but worth noting. Also a few triggers around grief are also worth taking note of too.

A fantasy based book with a complete background of said world and characters, but it chunks that you can digest, it does jump around a bit, so I needed to be fully immersed in the book to really take it in, worth it though, as its not as light hearted as others are, so give it time and consideration, and be mindful while reading.

As someone on a spiritual path that works with ancestors in real life, I loved the depiction of this side of spirituality, and the fear of not being able to control rage, fear and more. And not having expectations met and your path get thrown into a whole new way. It was an incredible read, and I personally can’t wait for more of Kavi. It feels like a well established author not a debut novel, outstanding.