Not even death can tell them apart.
In the wild and lush kingdom of Twinsbane, everyone has a look-alike, and each twin is cursed to die when their double breathes their last. When an ancient plague arises, the kingdom’s only hope is to sever these deadly ties. Yet King Daccias refuses to relinquish the cure, a legendary potion called the Separator.
Waruu, an orphan determined to break these ties, discovers he’s the king’s doppelgĂ€nger. He’s certain that if he can switch places, he can save the kingdom. But if anyone learns his true identity, he’ll lose everything–including the people he’s desperately trying to protect.
King Daccias wants nothing more than for his subjects to cease threatening to behead him if he doesn’t hand over the Separator. Intent on catching those opposing him, he finds himself ensnared in his own trap. If he doesn’t break loose, the kingdom will rest in the hands of an insolent boy who knows nothing about the truth behind the events unfolding around him.
To save their kingdom, both Waruu and Daccias must face their greatest enemy–each other.
Interested? Read On:
Spoiler alert: This book hasn’t released yet! It will be coming out in November of 2025, but while at Realm Makers this year, I had the incredible opportunity of being given an advanced reader’s copy–signed and everything! đ€©
It has got to be one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. Now it’s displayed on the shelf with a few far older advanced reader copies that I’ve found over the years. Although, I have to say, this is probably the best of the bunch. The cream of the crop. But what, you might ask, made this book so wonderful?
Well. Let me tell you.
What I Love:
From the moment I opened the book until the very last sentence at the end, I was hooked. You know when a book is so good that you just keep flipping through the acknowledgements and blank pages at the back, hoping for just one more morsel of delight?
This book gave me exactly that feeling. I couldn’t get enough. I devoured this book in less than a day, which was a wonderful feeling after weeks of pushing and pushing to edit Sons of Starborn and having no time for reading. This book is a breath of fresh air.
Not only that, but the concept is just plain cool. Also, the world building is beautiful, layered with real-world details, but the hierarchy and so many other bits and pieces are another world entirely.
The characters were lovable and complex, but made so, so many mistakes. As Lemony Snicket would say, “They’re like chef’s salads, with good things and bad things chopped and mixed together in a vinaigrette of confusion and conflict.” Each of their secrets perfectly wove into every single plot twist. I love how character-driven this story is.
Speaking of plot twists, the entire thing was very twisty. I could only guess at most two or three plot twists. All of them had perfect build-up but most were completely unexpected. Masterfully done.
While this book ended in a promise for more and a little bit of a cliffhanger, I closed the book completely satisfied. No resentment for the author for leaving me dangling on the precipice of the story. The author balanced everything so incredibly well. Wit and humor parried with gravity and truth.
What I Don’t Love:
The only thing I got caught on was how confusing the transitions between each place seemed. There was no clear layout of where they were in relation to other locations or how quickly they got from one place to another.
Content Warnings:
Mentions of alcohol, violence, death.
Soldiers stumble out of a tavern. It’s clear they’ve been drinking. Aside from that, people fight, are beaten, and stabbed. Nothing is in graphic detail. However, there are a few “on-screen” deaths.
Ratings:
Appropriate content: 5/5
Writing skill: 5/5
Story construction: 5/5
Ethics: 5/5
Other Information:
Christian: Yes
Point of view: Third person limited
Tense: Past tense
Romance: Hinted at
Series: Yes
Age suggestion: 9-18
Conclusion:
Sons of Day and Night is an absolutely magical, masterful delight for young and old alike. This is one of my new favorite books, sitting pretty beside my other favorites like Lord of the Rings and Here, There be Dragons. I highly recommend this book. Buy it! Buy two copies! Look forward to its release in November! I am just…astonished at how delightful this story is. It deserves 5 out of 5 cupcakes.
God bless,
–Astor
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