Vesselless

Winn debuts and launches her Merciless Realms series with this action-packed romantasy. When Nizzara Glindella, the princess of Zarr and heir to the throne, is forced into a betrothal by her father, her only chance of breaking the arrangement is to enter the King’s Duel, a fighting tournament. As a caster, she’s capable of wielding “power over lifeless objects” with the help of Liha, a spirit who has bonded to her, and uses this advantage to defeat her early opponents. As the tournament progresses, however, her chances of winning narrow. Enter half-ghost Dagen Corvonna, who was king of Zarr before Nizzara’s father murdered him and took his throne a decade prior. Dagen strikes a deal with the death god: to escape the underworld, return to his people, and reclaim his throne, all he has to do is deliver Nizzara’s soul. The catch is that Nizzara must surrender willingly. So Dagen sets out to seduce Nizzarra and bond with her, lending her power in the tournament. The worldbuilding is inventive, as is the setup to what eventually plays out as a fairly standard and somewhat rushed enemies-to-lovers romance. The seduction, revelations, and betrayals will suck readers in, but the abrupt cliffhanger ending will leave many frustrated. Romantasy fans will hope the next installment comes soon. (Oct.)