Betrayed, deposed and presumed dead.

When her father is killed in a bloody coup and her uncle seizes the city, Orsiana pleads for help with the only power still willing to listen, unaware that the gods will use her as a pawn in their own game.

Thrown back on the streets of Abia, armed with the gods' double-edged gifts, Orsiana must thwart her uncle's plans and learn what it takes to rule a proud, stubborn city that thrives on artifice and wit. She will plot, fight and use lethally tuned verse to stir a rebellion. But just when her uncle's Machiavellian schemes start to topple, a new player will enter the game, and the gods will raise the stakes. It's easy to fight an enemy you hate, but how about an enemy you fall in love with? If she wants to win, Orsiana will have to risk the last precious thing in her possession: her heart.

A story of revenge and recovery, Ghost Apparent blends the history and folklore of the Eastern Adriatic with the bloody treachery of the Renaissance courts and is a perfect read for the fans of dark political fantasy.

This book was provided for free by the Author and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book!

Content Warnings:

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Ghost Apparent by Jelena Dunato was a pleasant surprise. A blend of folklore and mythology, Dunato’s heroine finds herself orphaned and alone, the only one aware of her uncle’s treachery. Desperate to tell the truth about that awful night, she calls upon the gods for help. But gods are tricky beings, often with their own agendas, as Orisana quickly learns. While they want her to rule rather than her uncle, a straightforward answer to her pleas is not forthcoming. Instead, she ends up playing their games as each one helps her in their own way.

At first, I thought that Ghost Apparent was going to be another retelling of a fairytale, but I quickly realised that was just one part of Orisana’s story. The novella format fits perfectly with the story’s pace, and Dunato writes believably about the nuances of a clever young woman at her most vulnerable. Unlike other stories, Orisana’s intelligence is tempered by her lack of experience, and it was a joy to watch her adapt as she learned.

Ghost Apparent is a refreshing and well-written story that fans of myths, folklore and fairytales will enjoy!

Thanks for reading my book review for Ghost Apparent by Jelena Dunato!

Don’t forget to check out the rest of my reviews if you’re looking for some more book recommendations 🙂 You can also now sign up for my newsletter to get an email each month with a list of my new reviews!

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