The Waking Land

At five years old, Elanna is taken from her parents and raised by the king. Fourteen years later, when Elanna is blamed for the king’s death and is labeled a traitor, she has to flee with the aid of strangers loyal to her father. When she returns to her homeland, she’s forced to confront her past, her future, and the strange connection she has to the land. As her powers grow, she becomes conflicted between two warring sides and has to make a decision that will determine the fate of the land.

Elanna has to find where her allegiances lie while searching for her place as an influential figure and discovering the power within herself. As she learns the truth behind the history of her two homes, the emotional connection is poignant and rich. Callie Bates dives into the nature of humanity, and the price of a revolution, with magical prose and a strong-willed heroine. In a refreshing switch, the love story isn’t the focal point of the plot; instead it blossoms in the background subtly, only a small part of Elanna’s journey. A powerful story of magic and revolution, The Waking Land is beautifully written, breathtaking, and spectacular.