Anathema by Megg Jensen

Summary Provided by Goodreads:

Forget prophecy. Make your own destiny.

Sheltered from the outside world with no hope for escape, slave girl Reychel dreads her fifteenth birthday - when her master’s symbol is burned on the back of her bald scalp. Her best friend disappears the night before, leaving her to face the branding ceremony alone. She soon discovers nothing is as it seems when people desperate for freedom beg for Reychel's help.

Can Reychel learn to believe in herself?

My Thoughts:
I was really excited when I got this book from the author, Megg Jensen to review. Well, actually I asked her to review it because I really wanted to read it! I had read the summary on goodreads and thought it sounded very interesting. This book did not disappoint! I was captivated from page one, and it only got better and better.  

The heroine, Reychel has been a slave her entire life. On her 15^th birthday she will be branded with a fox on her neck, her master’s symbol. This means she will always belong to him. Before the branding “ceremony” can take place, Reychel is able to escape with the help of some invisible, magical people which will eventually become her friends. Free for the first time in her life, Reychel begins to learn who she truly is and secrets of her past are revealed.

What I liked most about Anathema was how everything flowed perfectly. No plot points were dragged on for eternity, but at the same time, nothing was said to quickly (did that even make sense??). There were so many questions of mine that were answered, but there is still enough for a second book to take place. I think what I am trying to say is that nothing was forced onto the reader, everything was told to us at the appropriate times.

The characters were also very well written. I loved Reychel. After everything she had been through, she was still trusting, honest, and brave. Then there is Mark, the hero and love interest to Reychel. There is more to him then meets the eye, and I can’t wait to see him again and hopefully, learn more about him! 

Anathema is a great read, especially for fantasy lovers! It might seem like a short novel, but even at only 160 pages (nook pages), there was still an entire world that was to be discovered. I hope in Oubliette (the second one in the series-due out June 20^th) we get to learn more about the Malborns, and why they were able to rise to power.

On a side note, Jensen writes in the acknowledgments about how her daughter gave her the idea for this book, which I thought was very cute!