I’ve really enjoyed the bookish opportunities I’ve gotten through The Nerd Fam. They’ve put a lot of phenomenal ARCs in my hands since I’ve started reading them. When they started their monthly Early Reads Book Club, of course I had to sign up. Last month, the chosen book for the group was the upcoming KOBRA by Cris G. Wells. It’s a fantasy adventure complete with a murder mystery and conspiracy, a deadly investigation including booby-trapped tombs, and an utterly unique magic system.

KOBRA comes out on August 18th. Purchasing options for the US, UK, and EU regions can be found on the author’s website.

Summary:

Davina Lachlan does not fail. She is a centurion, after all, and one of the best. That’s why the leaders of her country chose her for this mission. One of the foremost researchers of Evergreen Sap is dead. Murdered. Intelligence shows he had a massive hoard of the substance. When used as tattoo ink, the sap can bestow previously-unfathomable powers upon the bearer of the design. In the wrong hands, it can be extremely dangerous.

Of course, everyone believes that their hands are the right ones. Davina knows that the sap will be safest and put to the best use in her country, but that’s not where the clues are. To find out what happened and where the stash might be, she’ll have to work with her foreign counterpart, Captain Zephyr Kentar. They agreed they would split the stash once they find it, but neither of them can really expect the other to hold to that bargain.

My Thoughts:

First and foremost, I had a lot of fun with this magic system. It uses a magical tree sap as tattoo ink, using different designs on various areas of the body to unlock powers. There’s a lot of thought given to not only the system’s mechanics, but how they were discovered in the first place. I also loved how the author chose to explore the effects of magic on cultures and politics. The sap becomes a vital resource very suddenly, and readers see all the implications of that in the multiple countries of this world.

The investigation the characters undertake is also a lot of fun, reminiscent of Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider. Trying to keep up with the clues as they come is an exciting ride. This is amplified by frequent, well-executed cliffhangers. The story has both a dual POV and dual timeline to the narrative. Readers learn the pieces of the story out of order, always leaving them craving answers until the very end when the final pieces of the puzzle fall into place.

There was one area where I struggled with this book. I do a lot of camping and hiking, and I also have emergency medical training. Fellow readers with similar skill sets will also likely facepalm a few times in reaction to character decisions. Characters who should have a very solid grasp of wilderness survival and first aid don’t demonstrate that. They often undertake actions that would in reality make the problem worse.

That was really the only point where I had to work to suspend my disbelief. The story was otherwise very immersive and captivating. There was even a very believable gradual building of respect between the two leads in a reluctant-allies-to-lovers romance ARC. Even when you already know what’s going to happen (thanks to the dual timelines), the level of tension is undeniable. It’s impossible to look away.

I will be anxiously awaiting the second installment of the Inked Sap series, and not only because of that brutal cliffhanger. I can’t wait to see what happens next and learn more about the intricate workings of this world and its magic system. Cris G. Wells is off to a great start with this one.

Content Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence and Death, Blood, Manipulation (through magic), Gaslighting, Child Abuse, Graphic Sexual Content, Fire & Burn Injuries, Parent Loss, Grief, Vomit, Classism, Nationalism, Civil Unrest, Alcohol

After I Finished KOBRA

The next book I dove into is an upcoming title from Left Unread. They’re a small but mighty publishing imprint that specifically promotes BIPOC authors and platforms marginalized voices. Every book from them so far has been absolutely phenomenal. (While I don’t typically review audiobooks, I have to say that Cry, Voidbringer that I listened to recently featured absolutely top-tier voice acting in addition to the original writing.)

Their next title will be coming out next month. It takes place in the not-too-distant future where nothing grows and humans shelter in small cities rationing the resources that remain. The last known abortion provider is in hiding from the governments and other powerful organizations of the world. All of them want her dead.

My next review will be for Buzzard by Inez Ray.