Tag: Fantasy

On Sale for $0.99/£0.99

Child of the River Cover

🌊 A curse. A death. A prophecy begins.

On a storm-lashed shore, young Sugandha watches her grandfather call upon the god of fire to curse a ship of enemies. The sea roars, the sand trembles—and when the ritual ends, her grandfather lies motionless.

That night, he opens his eyes one last time.

“I have enough life force left to offer you a blessing… Conceal her from Ori. Your uncle poses a grave danger to your very existence.”

As the bells of her uncle’s cart echo in the distance, Sugandha flees the only home she has ever known—her journey entwined with a dying man’s curse and a prophecy that will shape the fate of kings.

⚔️ Child of the River — Book One of the Prophesied Prince Trilogy — is a sweeping medieval fantasy inspired by ancient India, filled with curses, rival kingdoms, and a destiny born of the river’s depths.

📖 On Sale for $0.99/£0.99
https://annabushi.com/books/prophesied-prince-series/

Enter the prophecy before it consumes them all.

Back to Kashgar: Legacy, Magic, and New Dangers

Book Two of the Prophesied Prince series is inching toward 50,000 words! In the latest chapters, we encounter descendants of characters from my Land of Magadha trilogy—members of the Malla army who came to Kashgar with Atul. Writing those scenes felt like coming home. After ten years in the world of Magadha, revisiting its legacy through new generations has been deeply satisfying.

Meanwhile, Sugandha is beginning to uncover the truth about her family and her powers. Something tells me she won’t be happy with what she learns.

Magical creatures continue to hunt our protagonists—but as always, the real danger lies in human heart.

Here is a snippet from Chapter two written in Atul’s POV:

“The rumor of your death has reached our ranks. The commander… he neither confirmed nor denied it. Instead, he told us—your five guards—to find you.”

I nodded. “Clever of him. That gives you a reason to follow me north.” I kept my voice steady, calm, though the thought of the others—young men who had followed me across the sea—believing I had fallen before even drawing my sword unsettled me. Still, I had to trust the commander. Trust that he’d keep them loyal without revealing the truth. That I was alive. For now.

If you haven’t yet read Child of the River (Book One), now’s the perfect time. The audiobook, narrated by two incredible voice actors, brings Kashgar vividly to life. Book Two is slated for release in 2026.

What have I been up to?

I’ve just crossed 40,000 words on Book Two of the Prophesied Prince series (title still a mystery for now!). For the first time in years, I actually let myself take a break from writing while on vacation—wandering through a few national parks at the end of August was exactly what my creative well needed. Now I’m back in Kashgar, walking beside Sugandha on her journey, and the words are flowing again.

Here’s a little snippet from Chapter One, in her point of view:

“Nanda, tell me what you know about Purohit Parivan,” he asked again, and I blinked, as if surfacing from a dream.

Purohit Parivan. The name pulled me straight to my grandfather. I used to think his death was the hardest part. I hadn’t realized living without him would be worse.

“In his final moments, my grandfather told me to find Purohit Parivan. But the priest… he perished in a fire just ahead of my arrival.”

The priest appeared to me in a vision shortly before his death, but I kept that detail to myself. I didn’t know this prince well enough. Not yet.

This is just a glimpse of what’s to come, but I’m so excited about where Sugandha’s path is leading her—and the secrets waiting to be uncovered.

📖 If you haven’t yet read Book One, Child of the River, now’s the perfect time to dive into the series and meet these characters from the beginning. That way, when Book Two arrives in 2026, you’ll be ready to journey alongside Sugandha as the stakes rise even higher.

Book Review: A Twist of the Blade (Shadows and Crowns, Book 2)

I read Book One of the Shadows and Crowns series back in October 2023, so some time had passed before I picked up A Twist of the Blade. Even so, I remembered the story well enough to jump right in, which says a lot about how memorable the first book was.

A Twist of the Blade picks up right where Book One left us—on that cliffhanger—and plunges us deeper into the Shadows and Crowns series. In this installment, we meet several gods and finally gain more clarity on how Cas came into her powers. The story also expands beyond familiar borders as we encounter royalty from other kingdoms, broadening the scope of the world.

Cas continues to wrestle with her royal heritage, and much of the book is devoted to her journey toward fully embracing it. At the same time, we learn more about Elander’s past, with a twist that adds new depth to his relationship with Cas.

The pacing wasn’t quite as tight as in the first book, but the blend of mythology, character growth, and world-building kept me engaged. I’m invested in these characters and their journeys, and I’m looking forward to seeing what unfolds in Book Three.

“You can be afraid, and you’re allowed to feel stuck…you just can’t stay there. You have to keep going until you see what’s on the other side of that fear.”

“In this lifetime and in every other.”

A Sneak Peek at Book Two

I’m deep in the world of Book Two of my Prophesied Prince fantasy trilogy, and I’ve officially crossed the 24,000-word mark! Every day, I sink deeper into this story where secrets run as deep as the rivers, and ancient magic stirs just beneath the surface.

This book picks up in the aftermath of Child of the River. The world has shifted—alliances have fractured, old prophecies are awakening, and danger looms on every path. At its heart is a girl grappling with powers she never wanted and a prince still haunted by choices he cannot undo. Together, they must navigate a land teetering on the edge of war, where every truth hides a shadow, and nothing is quite what it seems.

One of the wild joys (and occasional headaches) of writing fantasy is juggling a sprawling cast of characters, their tangled motivations, and all the rules of magic—so yes, I find myself flipping back through Child of the River constantly to make sure I’m not accidentally breaking the universe I created!

Here’s a glimpse at the current draft—the opening lines of the book (subject to revision, of course—I’m still on the fence about including “sweat glazed his muscles” so early on).

For most of that first day on the river, Prince Atul rowed like a man expecting trouble. His gaze swept the banks, searching for signs of pursuit. Whenever he spotted someone—fishermen, travelers, too far to tell—he quieted his strokes and steered us farther from shore.

Sweat glazed his muscles, as he rowed with the strength of three men. Then his head snapped toward a thicket of trees by the water’s edge, eyes sharp, jaw set. A hunter watching for movement. I studied him in that moment, still unsure if I’d been brave or foolish to ask him to come.

I’ve loved returning to Kashgar and imagining new regions of this medieval world—wilder lands, colder truths, deeper betrayals. There’s so much I’m excited to share with you in this next installment: forbidden magic, political intrigue, unexpected friendships that will reshape the course of prophecy.

📚 Book Two is coming in 2026—so if you haven’t yet read Child of the River, now is the perfect time to start! Meet the characters, step into their world, and get swept up in the first part of this epic journey.

More updates coming as I write, revise, and (hopefully!) survive drafting this book. I can’t wait for you to journey back into this world of danger, destiny, and hidden truths.

Did book two live up to the magic of book one?

I just finished book two of Tomi Adeyemi’s series—she’s a local San Diego author, which makes me extra happy to support her work. Magic is back in Orïsha, and nothing is better. The magic system continues to be excellent, the world building is immersive, and the book cover? Absolutely stunning.

Zélie and Amari are at odds about how best to protect Orïsha and the maji, and their conflict is at the heart of the story. From page one, the action takes off and rarely lets up—there’s hardly a moment to catch your breath.

That said, I have a couple of nitpicks. I wanted more clarity around Zélie’s inner motivations, especially why she’s so resistant to peace. Her emotional arc felt a little underdeveloped in places. But the story is still gripping, and the surprise ending definitely left me wondering what’s next.

You are not your mistakes. Do not let one moment define or destroy you. The gods work in mysterious ways. Have faith in their greater plan.

Will I read book three? Likely yes. I’m invested enough in these characters to want to see where their story goes next. A solid fantasy read.

What is Anna Writing?

I’m loving being back in Kashgar with some of my favorite characters. Writing Book 2 of the Prophesied Prince Trilogy has been both a challenge and a joy—especially walking alongside Sugandha. I’m not making her life easier (she wouldn’t let me!), but I need to make sure she’s ready for what’s coming. And trust me, what’s coming will change everything.

Secrets buried in silence. Loyalties tested by blood. As Sugandha searches for answers about who she truly is, she finds herself entangled in a world where every truth has its price.

If you’ve read Child of the River, you’ve only glimpsed the surface. The next book delves deeper—into hidden pasts, shifting identities, and a power that refuses to be forgotten.

Get ready to lose yourself again. Coming in 2026.

Stuff Your Kindle with Fantasy

Mark your calendar for Stuff Your Kindle with Fantasy—a one-day event on June 14 where you can grab incredible fantasy reads for just $0.99 each!

📚 Child of the River, the first book in my Prophesied Prince series, will be featured under the Medieval Fantasy category on StuffWithFantasy.com.

In Child of the River, Prince Atul arrives in the kingdom of Kashgar seeking vengeance for the Malla envoys, whose mission ended in slaughter. But his path takes an unexpected turn when the river whispers the name of a girl—Sugandha—urging him to find and protect her. A girl he didn’t know existed. A girl he doesn’t know how to find.

Start your journey into the world of Prophesied Prince and fill your Kindle with magic, mystery, and unforgettable characters this June 14!

https://stuffwithfantasy.com

Go read this series

I just finished Speaking Bones, the final book in the Dandelion Dynasty series. Just—wow. How does a human mind dream up such a vast array of deeply human characters and build a magnificent world around them? I’m simply amazed.

Our beloved—and not-so-beloved—characters return for this series finale. Théra across the sea, Phyro, Fara, Savo, Jia, Timu in Dara—each faces challenges that threaten their lives and dreams. Ken Liu masterfully brings four books’ worth of intricate plots to a satisfying and powerful conclusion, even weaving one of the gods back into the story.

I love that the heroes are engineers, using skill and ingenuity to fight their battles. There are many philosophical threads too, especially on what makes a good ruler, but the true beating heart of this series is its characters.

There’s one character, introduced way back in book one, who emerges as the lynchpin of the entire saga. Their arc is incredible—full of doubts, certainties, triumphs, and heartbreak. Several scenes broke my heart, but the resilience of these characters kept me going.

This series is epic in every sense of the word and absolutely worth the time. Highly recommend!

Why did I wait so long?

I finally got around to reading my signed copy of Children of Blood and Bone—a treasure I picked up from my local bookstore, Mysterious Galaxy, during the pandemic—and I’m so glad I did.

The world building in this book is phenomenal. From the characters to the magic system to the lyrical names, everything is vivid and immersive. And the cover? Stunning. I appreciated it even more after reading the book and catching the subtle symbolism woven into its design.

I was especially fascinated to learn that some of the magical elements are inspired by Yoruba beliefs, including Ase, the divine energy force. What a beautiful way to be introduced to aspects of Nigerian culture and spirituality through fiction.

This is a powerful, heart-pounding start to a series, and I can’t wait to dive into the next book. Highly recommended for fans of richly imagined fantasy rooted in real-world mythologies.