Jala’s Mask by Mike and Rachel Grinti  – Snapdragon Alcove

Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Romance

Page Count: 288

Publish: 2014

Age Demographic: 13+

Summary: When Jala meets King Azi of the Five-and-One, she forgets everything her family told her to do. She was supposed to be meek and charming. She wasn’t supposed to be herself. And she wasn’t supposed to fall for him. When the king defies his family and proposes to her, Jala finds herself the islands’ new queen. Now she’s cut off from her family and despised by the king’s advisers. Even her feelings for Azi, that seemed so clear when they were alone, are anything but clear amid the politics of the islands’ ruling families. On the second night after Jala’s wedding, the islands are invaded by ships arriving on a tide of magical fog. One of the islands is left in ruin. Others haven’t been heard from. And there might be more invaders on the way. If Jala can convince the noble families to work together, they might stand a chance, but she must choose between her family, her love for Azi, and saving her people.

Review

Mike and Rachel Grinti are the couple author team who wrote Claws which I did a review for. Its a book I like very much and wanted to give their one other book a try.

Jala’s Mask is a unique fantasy book with a blend of Polynesian and African culture and mythology. The world building gives you a good idea of the culture of the Five in One islands. The fact that the people expect that the king needs to marry and Jala wants to have this arrange marries, it pulls you in to this fantasy world.

I like the change in perspectives between Jala and Azi. Even those they are complete strangers, they both understand that and work to build their relationship in showing their love for each other. Azi sailing across the great ocean to rescue Jala in the kingdom in the sands is a great testament of love. This book is a romance but, there is so much more to it.

Once Jala became queen she had to take on the challenging decisions of going alone with her father’s wishes or choosing what right for her people. The POV from Jala is strong and much more devolple then the POV from Azi. All those I do like both characters and some of the side characters do stand out.

There is hardly any detail descriptions. While I have a good idea of what everything look like as a visual reader. I do appreciate when authors going all out and describe senses in a book. Not too much detail but not too little, just enough that it can bring the reading into the world of the book.

For example the different families on the islands grown their own ships out of coral and each family has a different way of growing these ships. However, there is no descriptions of how these ships are different from one each other. They are all just grey coral ships. While there are little details of what people look like and what they wear. For a stand alone fantasy that works. However more descriptions would have made it better.

Other then Claws the author duo never publish another book. I can only speculate and be suspicion of trad publishing as to why.

While Jala’s Mask may seen mix I do like this book for the characters and romance (that coming from someone who don’t like romance). Also while this is a teen book it not fill with repetition tropes.

If your looking to step out of the mold and find something off beat then give Jala’s Mask a read.

Review for books by Mike and Rachel Grinti