Gr 8 Up-Rasmira is the daughter of a high-ranking village leader and is training to become a warrior to keep her small village safe from the monsters that lurk in the forest. During her trial, Rasmira realizes that she has been sabotaged, but when no one, including her father, believes her, she is banished from her village. Before she can return, Rasmira must kill Peruxolo, the village's oppressive god. As Rasmira goes through stages of betrayal and hopelessness, she meets two boys who have also been banished from a nearby village. Over time, Rasmira and the boys form a friendship, and she begins to understand that to complete her task and survive in the forest, she must learn to trust others. Levenseller's series opener presents a female warrior who refuses to believe that crying makes one weak and that strength is not feminine. Through Rasmira's inner monologue, teens will learn that teamwork and friendship are important and that failure makes one strong. This high-octane novel is filled with mythical creatures and showcases a heroine who wants to be a warrior, a woman, and a leader. These themes will resonate with many teens, even if the story line is familiar. VERDICT -Recommended for all collections.-Dawn Abron, Zion-Benton Public Library, IL © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In the middle of the dangerous wild stands a cluster of villages, and the people living there are forced to pay regular tribute to a vicious god. In the village of Seravin, 18-year-old Rasmira prepares to become a warrior and, one day, to follow in her father's footsteps as Seravin's leader. Though Rasmira is the only female warrior-in-training, her father has made sure she's the most skilled, a fact that's made her few friends among her fellow trainees. To become adults, the trainees must pass a trial fail, and they will be banished, tasked with an impossible challenge before they can be welcomed back into their village or the afterlife. When Rasmira is sabotaged at her trial, her father charges her to kill the immortal, unbeatable god who terrorizes the villages. Much like she did in Daughter of the Pirate King (2017), Levenseller presents a fully rounded portrait of a girl whose strength in battle is tempered by her very human anxieties. Rasmira's quest is thrilling, her emotional journey compelling; this adventure sings.--Maggie Reagan Copyright 2019 Booklist

Exiled after a cruel betrayal causes her to fail her coming-of-age trial, Rasmira leaves her village for the treacherous wilds, where she meets fellow exiles Iric and Soren. Working together, they can accomplish their "mattugrs"--impossible tasks--and return to their villages, but Rasmira's mattugr is daunting: she must assassinate a god whose supernatural powers kill at a gesture. Growing self-confidence, humorous banter, and an incipient romance distinguish this fantasy adventure. (c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.