A thrilling fantasy rife with magic and culture, A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is a book about family, history, and storytelling. Following the intertwining paths of Malik, an immigrant to the capital of Ziran who has made a deal with a vengeful trickster god to save his sister’s life, and Karina, the crown princess determined to use magic to bring her family back from the dead, this story has the street rat/princess romance of Aladdin inspired by West African folklore. Perfect for anyone looking for a new take on the trends of 2010s fantasy tropes, this book does an excellent job of telling a high-stakes tournament from the points-of-views of a tough-as-nails princess who longs to be a musician and see the world and a boy who’s sacrificed his love of storytelling to make sure his sisters can live the lives they deserve. The writing was lush and immersive and the plot kept me guessing until the very last page, despite reiterating some predictable elements of the enemies-to-lovers genre (that just so happens to be one of my favorites, making me well-familiar with the cornerstones).