Blood Weaver Lady by Karina Espinosa

reviewed by Katy Grant

        Foe or Friend, Obsessed with or Loved by

Layanna, a blood mage princess, hides behind the guise of Leila a healer of Lomewood. Befriended by the only living person to know her true identity, Selene. Part merfolk, she had been sold into servitude by her father, to the Rose Petal, a house of pleasure. They would watch over each other until the promised time when Leila would find the means to free Selene from her bondage and Leila could safely return home to Valoria.

   Ten years ago, war broke out between Valoria and Keldara.  Layanna was sent away with her loyal guardian Sir Eric. Even as the war ended, Eric had warned Layanna there was danger to her life if they returned to Valoria. Promising to reveal all he knew of the peril, in her path, when she was older. In the meantime, he trained her in the use of her blood magic, as well as how to defend herself.  Sadly, he died before sharing his knowledge of the danger.  To find the answers she sought, Layanna stayed hidden plying her trade as a healer while quietly searching in places where information flowed.

  Word has been spread The Crimson Clan, another waring people, from the Grasslands had sent a message to Valoria that they held the Lost Princess and would return her to Valoria only if the King and Queen agreed to certain demands. Otherwise, she would be married to the clan chief’s son. After ten years what had changed? Why was the Crimson Clan avowing they had her as a bargaining chip? She needed to learn more.

  News came to Leila that some from the Crimson Clan had been reported within Lomewood. Leila feared for Selene with such men visiting the Rose Petal.  So, when Selene signaled Leila she was in trouble, Leila faced off several of the Crimson Clan men surprising Ronan, the leader of the Crimson Clan group, with her skills as his men lay defeated at her feet. Ronan made the mistake of trying to buy Leila’s “services” as a pleasurer. She caught him off guard when she remarked that the services, he needed from her were those of a healer. The mark on his neck proved someone had tried to poison him. He was surprised by her knowledge and the attempt on his life. Leila was even more surprised when he confronted her the next morning with the knowledge that he knew who she was, the Lost Princess.

Within the vast Central Plains, the small town of Lomewood was supposed to be neutral territory, free of the kingdoms and clans’ dealings. Nevertheless, when some from the Crimson Clan entered the city, they would come face to face with Layanna’s brother Prince Marcellus and their childhood friend Prince Caelan, of Eldwain. When her brother Marcellus and Caelan found the Crimson Clan in the city they brought in reinforcements. Leila would be caught in the middle of a battle between Ronan, his men, and Caelan with a stronger force of soldiers. Caelan sought Ronan’s death as well as the release of the Princess and would destroy any who stood in his way.  When Leila got caught in the crossfire she would be captured and tortured by one she thought a friend, while the one she assumed to be an enemy would fight to protect her. Why?

 The are no empty sentences as the story rolls out its magic, mystery, drama, hidden secrets, hatreds, warring differences, variety of atypical magical beings and unbound love, in a world uniquely built on a very imaginative platform. In this book we learn about the city of Lomewood and the Central Plains. While, I hope to see more of the other kingdoms in the next editions. Kariana Espinosa has done a smashing job of clouding the characters, so the reader isn’t certain who to believe and who to mistrust. Selene, Leila and a young boy named Henry are the only ones I am sure of at the moment. Emotions run high through the characters, easily heard in their exchanges and dialogue. In this first book, just when you think you may have an idea of who’s, who and where the story is going you turn the page to another confrontation and the characters show a completely different side to themselves. Leila is smart, wary, strong, and unsure of those she thought she knew. At the center of chaos trying to understand what is happening, and why now, Leila only knows she wants no harm to come to Ronan or Caelan. his is only the beginning, with a cliff hanger that will keep my trying to predict what happens next until next book surfaces on the shelves.