Sting Magic

 Sting Magic is the first book Sarah K.L. Wilson's new series and I was swept away into a unique new world where there is literally danger at every turn and the main character finds herself in a huge fight for her life and those that she cares about.

Sting Magic is truly a thrill ride from beginning to end. Aella is the main character in this book and she has a lot of spunk to say the least. She desires to protect her family, but when the crown prince royal makes a sudden appearance in their village...all of their lives are are put at risk. He takes from them in the name of peace, threatens the lives of her family and children, and then leaves them defenseless against the Forbidding that lurks and slinks through the land devouring it and reclaiming it for its own. Aella dreamed at times of Hatching, but upon seeing the cruelty of the Prince...she'd rather die. But she does Hatch...and it's not a bird. Now she is the property of this cruel man and if she rebels her family's lives are a stake.
This book is so hard to put down and I enjoyed most of it. I love the world building and the flashbacks are really teasing as they give you hints at other moments in time, but not enough to truly understand all that is going on. I'm really hoping that there will be more in the next book.
I hate to say it but Aella really tries my patience...and from the book I'm not the only one. Haha! She wants revenge for her family and what they have suffered. I understand that, but I can't help but feel that she's selfish in her actions. She's been TOLD the consequences but yet she persists. She knows that all it takes is ONE bird with a message, but yet she has the arrogance in her heart to think that she can somehow beat a bird back to her village. I'm disappointed that she doesn't use her head much at all in this book. I kept waiting for the warnings and hints to get through to her but it's like it goes in one ear and out the other. I'm not saying that I would yield in her position, but I'd bide my time and wait instead of just attacking and thinking "Oh well maybe they'll think he was killed by accident."
I truly did enjoy this book, but I found Aella to be a character who made it hard not to want to yowl at her hard headedness. I felt that her actions were more selfish than about protecting her family. I think you'll understand when you read this book, and I really do encourage you to read it because it's a truly fascinating story. I am rating this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. I'm hopeful that Aella would get some sense in the next book now that...she's had a taste of what she's in store for if she doesn't. If you enjoy thrilling fantasy novels then this book is a must read.