Reviewed by Dan
TITLE: Khalshir
SERIES: Kingmakers Book 1
AUTHOR: Jaye McKenna
PUBLISHER: Mythe Weaver Press
LENGTH: 205 Pages
RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2018
BLURB:
A street rat taken in by the infamous Khalshir Guild and ruthlessly trained as a spy and assassin, Rio thinks he’s ready for anything. When he balks at performing his first assassination, his mentor is furious, but gives him a chance to redeem himself: a simple bodyguard assignment, protecting the son of a high-ranking noble.
Second son of one of the most successful businessmen in the kingdom of Tallin, Dani Jherek never expected to become his father’s heir. After a suspicious accident leaves his twin dead, a grief-stricken Dani finds himself struggling not only to fill his brother’s shoes, but to protect a dangerous secret that, if revealed, could mean his execution.
Guarding Dani turns out to be far from simple. Instead of a spoiled, pampered brat, Rio finds himself watching over a beautiful, miserable young man struggling to survive in a dangerous world he doesn’t understand. As Rio spends more time with Dani, he finds himself caught up in a tangled web of conflicting loyalties. When Dani learns the true nature of his father’s business, everything changes, and Rio is forced to make an impossible choice: his loyalty to Guild and family, or his growing feelings for his charge.
REVIEW:
I really enjoy this author’s writing. Every time I start one of her books, I know I’m going to walk away happy. That was indeed the case with this new one…although now I want the next one immediately!
In Khalshir, Ms. McKenna introduces us to a new storyline set in the same world as her Wytch Kings series, but set in the future from the timeline of those previous books that I read and reviewed…and loved. Khalshir is set on the other side of the mountains from the kingdoms in the other books, and life there is harder for the magically inclined. The kingdom of Tallin, where our MC Dani lives is very repressive and Dani has recently developed abilities which he will be executed for if they are discovered.
Dani’s father isn’t a good man. He refuses to let Dani travel over the mountains with his mother to the distant land she calls home after Dani’s twin brother is killed in ways their father doesn’t believe were an accident. Instead, he is forcing Dani to learn his business. The only problem, with the newfound empathy, Dani can ‘hear’ the emotions of the people around him. Going into the city is enough to knock him unconscious if he doesn’t take drugs to hide and lessen the effects of the ‘gift’.
Dani’s father has hired two Khalshir Guild guards to guard Dani’s life. But they aren’t as they seem. Particularly Rio. No spoilers, but I really liked this one. I can’t wait to find out what happens to the other character who I was pulling for as well. His tale is obviously next, since there were hints in the epilogue of this one. Drat you Ms. McKenna. Please make it fast!
I highly recommend this one. You do not have to have read her Wytch Kings series, but if you haven’t…I highly recommend those as well.
RATING: 
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