The First Girl Child
(The Chronicles of Saylok)
by Amy Harmon
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Blurb
From the New York Times bestselling author comes a breathtaking fantasy of a cursed kingdom, warring clans, and unexpected salvation.
Bayr of Saylok, bastard son of a powerful and jealous chieftain, is haunted by the curse once leveled by his dying mother. Bartered, abandoned, and rarely loved, she plagued the land with her words: From this day forward, there will be no daughters in Saylok.
Raised among the Keepers at Temple Hill, Bayr is gifted with inhuman strength. But he’s also blessed with an all-too-human heart that beats with one purpose: to protect Alba, the first girl child born in nearly two decades and the salvation for a country at risk.
Now the fate of Saylok lies with Alba and Bayr, whose bond grows deeper with every whisper of coming chaos. Charged with battling the enemies of their people, both within and without, Bayr is fueled further by the love of a girl who has defied the scourge of Saylok.
What Bayr and Alba don’t know is that they each threaten the king, a greedy man who built his throne on lies, murder, and betrayal. There is only one way to defend their land from the corruption that has overtaken it. By breaking the curse, they could defeat the king…but they could also destroy themselves.
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Review
5 magnificent stars!
First with the Bird and the Sword Chronicles, and now with The First Girl Child, Amy Harmon continues to make the unimaginable real by transporting her readers into her unique fantasy worlds. Her poignant and breathtaking stories are effortlessly brought to life by her vast creativity and imagination, and she consistently delivers one-of-a-kind reads.
The First Girl Child is her newest fantasy and I was quickly consumed by its magic. It is a story of gods and runes, of curses and salvation. It’s majestic and beautiful, emotional and raw.
This book is set in a world where people have gifts that have the power to change everything, and when one such gift is used to curse the future King, it threatens the future of all the people.
”From this day forward, there will be no daughters in Saylok.”
“Salvation will come through my son, and only through him.”
I don’t want to spoil a single part of this story so I will not go into too much detail about the plot but just know it is a cleverly constructed, phenomenally written, completely captivating, and emotionally gripping story that has rocked my world and is easily a top 2019 favorite!
The First Girl Child is about a boy who is destined to be king and the first girl born in a land that was cursed with no more daughters. There is magic to be guarded, battles to be won, a curse to break, and destinies to be fulfilled. This book brings mythological stories to life and the mystery and magic are well crafted. Every single word was perfectly placed and the way the story unfolds is clever and compelling.
It’s a love story of epic proportions, and though the romantic elements are wonderfully executed, this book is so much more than a romance. It’s the story of the people and their connections to each other that really consumed me. The multifaceted characters are unique and the relationships between them are complex. Whether they are good or bad, each person has a role in the story and their own journey to embark on. They face challenges, take chances, and learn to trust the people who truly love them.
The relationship between Bayr and his uncle, Dagmar is heartwarming. They will do anything for one another and I believed it. Their honesty and support is endearing, and I loved watching them work to accept their roles even when the proves difficult.
“You are a protector, Bayr. And I believe you’ve been given power to defend this land—every clan. You are not Bayr, the Temple Boy. You are not Bayr of Berne or Dolphys. You are Bayr of Saylok, and you must defend this land from her enemies within and without.”
Dagmar and Ghost have a special connection that is unique and different. I loved watching it grow and add another layer to the story.
“You make me want to be seen,” she said, and his gaze shot to hers, searing, searching.
“I have always seen you, Ghost.”
And then there are Bayr and Alba, and everything they are to each other. Their connection is true, real, and undeniable from the moment Bayr sees Alba. First as a guardian, then as a friend, and finally as her true love, Bayr has always been meant for Alba. It’s a forbidden love that is pure and fierce. It spans two decades and I believed the love as it grows to be everything.
“There is no Alba without Bayr,” she whispered. “Not now. Not then. Not ever again.”
Overall, this phenomenal story brought so much magic, life, and love into the book world. Amy Harmon has proved once again her ability to deliver an unforgettable story with exceptional characters who remain in our hearts. I want to relive this story over and over and I rediscover the magic that filled my soul.
*ARC generously provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
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The Chronicles of Saylok
The First Girl Child
*2019 FAVORITE*
Review
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The Second Blind Son
*2021 FAVORITE*
Review
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About the Author
Amy Harmon is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and New York Times Bestselling author. Amy knew at an early age that writing was something she wanted to do, and she divided her time between writing songs and stories as she grew. Having grown up in the middle of wheat fields without a television, with only her books and her siblings to entertain her, she developed a strong sense of what made a good story. Her books are now being published in seventeen different languages, truly a dream come true for a little country girl from Levan, Utah.
Amy Harmon has written fourteen novels – the Washington Post bestseller What the Wind Knows, the USA Today bestsellers The Bird and The Sword, The Smallest Part, Making Faces and Running Barefoot, as well as the #1 Amazon bestselling historical From Sand and Ash, The Queen and The Cure, The Law of Moses, The Song of David, Infinity + One, Slow Dance in Purgatory, Prom Night in Purgatory, and the New York Times bestseller, A Different Blue. Her next novel, The First Girl Child, a historical fantasy romance, will be released August 20, 2019 by 47North.
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