This is, at its heart, a love story between two young people. That they are two men is almost beside the point; their love gives those around them hope that such comfort could exist in such an “Empty” place. The story is set on a plantation called Empty in the American South, following both the enslaved people and those who claimed to own them.
Every character is multi-faceted and feels like a real human being, a bit of good, a bit of bad, and a whole lot of complex feelings. Most chapters are narrated by a different character, and it is amazing how the author uses only his words to paint such brilliant portraits. As I read, I felt as if I were standing on a forest floor with grass under my feet and oppressive heat coating my skin, longing for rain.
The chapters set in Africa were my personal favorite; I found myself wanting to learn even more about the cultures, customs, and stories of that time. And that ending—it truly has to be experienced. This book is a powerful example of how we all have stories within us that only we can tell. A brilliant debut novel.
Welcome back to the banks of the river, travelers. If you are just joining us, you’ll want to start at the very beginning. You can find my notes for the Prologue through Chapter 10 right here.
And of course, it is much more fun if you have the story in your hands (or your ears!). If you haven’t yet, you can grab the book here or listen to it on Audible.
Spoiler Warning
We are diving deep into the heart of the story today. If you aren’t caught up through Chapter 20, proceed with caution!
Chapter 11: Crocodiles and Unwanted Affections
In Chapter 11, Sugandha learns a hard lesson: being a hero is exhausting. There is truly no better way to discover the limits of your own magic than while fighting for your life against a crocodile.
But the real “plight” for our protagonist isn’t just the giant, prehistoric beast. It’s the unwanted attention that comes afterward. Because she is disguised as a boy, she earns the admiration of a young woman who starts eyeing her as a future husband. In that moment, can you really blame Sugandha for wishing the crocodile had just finished the job?
No such luck for her, though. I have plenty more ordeals waiting around the bend.
The Cost of Deception
One of my favorite things to explore is the psychological toll of a lie. Sugandha is living as a boy, learning the grueling, beautiful art of swordmaking. These chapters give her a brief respite, a moment of “normal” work, but the guilt is starting to rot.
Her emotions are a mess. She feels terrible for deceiving Parimala, yet she aches for the life she left behind. I wanted to capture that specific longing a girl feels when she has not worn a dress or makeup or jewels in ages. In this medieval world, it is craving for Kajal under her eyes and the scent of jasmine flowers woven into her hair. Every deception runs its course eventually, and Sugandha is beginning to realize that her safety is a very fragile thing.
A Childhood Memory: The Magic of Ghee
Food is the soul of my stories. In this chapter, Sugandha is served extra ghee over her white rice, and writing that took me straight back to my own childhood.
Ghee originated in India over three thousand years ago. In that hot climate, butter would go rancid almost instantly. By heating it to remove the water and milk solids, our ancestors created “ghrita” (Sanskrit for clarified butter), a fat with a long shelf life and a heavenly scent.
Beyond the kitchen, ghee became sacred. It is the purest offering to the gods, used in yagnas (fire rituals) to carry prayers to the heavens.
Favorite Line: > “I felt like I climbed a giant ladder whose rungs shattered with each step I took.”
Read the rest of the behind the scenes of Sugandha’s deception, Atul’s insecurity, and the ancient Tamil ethics that guide my writing on my Substack.
Hello, fellow time travelers! I am so excited to kick off this journey with you. There is something uniquely terrifying and thrilling about opening up the pages of a world I’ve built and saying, “Take off your shoes and come on in.”
If you’ve been following my work, you know Prophesied Prince trilogy is a spin off of my Land of Magadha trilogy. If you’re new here—welcome to the family! Child of the River is where we start a brand new chapter together.
Before we dive into the secrets of the river, a few house rules:
⚠️ A Fair Warning
This post contains spoilers for the prologue and the first ten chapters. If you haven’t grabbed your copy of Child of the River yet, consider this your sign to go get it, find a cozy corner, and catch up so we can chat about it together.
🎨 A Note on History vs. Heart
While I strive to honor the vibrant textures of Indian culture, customs, and (most importantly) food, please remember that I am an author of fiction, not a historian. I’ve taken plenty of artistic liberties to make the magic and the world feel real. To the historians out there: I beg your forgiveness!
Why You Can’t Skip This Prologue
I know, I know. Some of you are “Prologue Skippers.” You want to get straight to Chapter One. Don’t do it. Not only does this Prologue set the stage for everything Sugandha is about to face, but it’s the secret bridge between worlds. For those who have read my Land of Magadhatrilogy, what happens here explains exactly what that mysterious ship was doing at the end of Burden of the Crown.
Read the rest of the secrets and see the historical inspirations on my Substack.
With everything going on in the world lately, I’ve found myself retreating into stories that offer both comfort and deep reflection. I truly believe that fiction allows us to experience the lives of the past and draw parallels to our present. Here is what has been keeping me company:
Healing with Simon Snow
I recently turned to Rainbow Rowell’s Simon Snow series. If you haven’t discovered her work yet, I recommend starting with Fangirl. It’s a delightful story about a protagonist finding herself through writing fan fiction for a series similar to Harry Potter.
The Simon Snow series is that fan fiction brought to life.
Book One (Carry On): The “Chosen One” meets his destiny and falls in love. Once the character Baz appears, the book is all heart.
Book Two (Wayward Son): This feels like the author’s fantasy come alive—she brings these characters to her home state of Nebraska! I completely relate to this; what is the point of being an author if you cannot write your fantasies on paper?
Book Three (Any Way the Wind Blows): This explores the real aftermath of the hero’s journey. How does one move on once the “evil” is destroyed? It was beautifully written and exactly what I needed to heal.
If you’re reading along on Kindle Unlimited this month, a few of my books are part of special January collections—all available to borrow in KU.
Heir to Malla is included in this collection, which highlights first-in-series reads. If you enjoy immersive historical worlds, political intrigue, and slow-burning emotional stakes, this is a great place to begin the Land of Magadha trilogy.
Both King in Hiding and Broken King are featured in this romance-focused KU collection. You’ll find a wide range of love stories here—from quiet, character-driven journeys to emotionally charged royal romances.
This Kindle Unlimited collection celebrates fresh starts and second chances, and it includes King in Hiding and Broken King. If you’re in the mood for stories about renewal, healing, and unexpected love, this collection is worth browsing.
For fans of Circe and Elektra, a powerful retelling about the woman behind one of the greatest Greek myths. An entertaining young adult/mythology/epic novel available in KU.
If you have Kindle Unlimited, feel free to explore these collections and borrow whichever story catches your fancy. It’s a wonderful way to discover new authors—and perhaps revisit a familiar world.
Choosing favorites is always hard, but these five books refused to let go of me. I kept thinking about them long after I turned the last page—pausing to reread passages, sitting quietly with my thoughts, and feeling everything. These are the books that stayed.
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
I devoured this one in three days—sneaking pages in with my morning coffee and choosing it over television at night. There are no dragons here, no epic quests or looming catastrophes. Instead, Towles gives us exquisite prose, beautifully drawn characters, and a New York City that feels alive on the page. It’s elegant, immersive, and quietly unforgettable.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
I first read David Copperfield as a child, and Dickens has always had a permanent place on my shelves (A Tale of Two Cities still holds my heart). So I expected Kingsolver’s reimagining to be powerful—but I wasn’t prepared for how much it would ache. Chapter after chapter squeezed my heart. When you start worrying about a fictional character as if they were real, you know the author has done something extraordinary.
The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans
This was my first time reading Danielle Evans, and it absolutely won’t be my last. These stories are sharp, unsettling, and astonishingly precise. Each one gently pulls the rug out from under you—questioning history, memory, and the assumptions we don’t even realize we’re carrying. More than once, I just sat there afterward, breathless. Read these slowly. Let them sit with you.
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
I finally picked up my signed copy—one I bought from my local bookstore, Mysterious Galaxy, during the pandemic—and I’m so glad I did. This is a fierce, heart-pounding start to a series, rooted in real-world mythologies and brought vividly to life. The magic is rich, the stakes are high, and the emotional core hits exactly where it should.
The Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu
I finished Speaking Bones, the final book in the series, and honestly—wow. How does one mind imagine a world this vast, filled with so many deeply human characters? Ken Liu brings four books’ worth of intricate plotting to a powerful, satisfying close, even weaving one of the gods back into the story. This is epic fantasy in the truest sense, and it’s absolutely worth the journey.
🌸 Honorable Mentions
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang — Warm, heartfelt, and beautifully written. Stella and Michael lived up to all my hopes.
Never Meant to Stay by Trisha Das — A modern Indian romance that left me smiling. I’ll definitely be reading more from her.
Conclave by Robert Harris — I watched the movie first (I know, I broke my own rule), but the book still surprised me. A gripping look at papal elections, full of intrigue and a sharp twist.
The Worldly Philosophers by Robert L. Heilbroner — Thoughtful and illuminating. A reminder that the people who shaped economic thought were deeply human—flawed, curious, and fascinating.
If there’s one thing this list reminds me of, it’s how generous reading can be—from quiet literary novels to sweeping fantasy, from romance to philosophy. These books shaped my year, and I’m grateful for every one of them.
First off, hats off to the beautiful artwork that accompanies this book—the dragon illustrations are absolutely stunning. This is a very different kind of fantasy from what I usually read. Set in a Victorian-era–inspired world, the story unfolds as the memoir of our protagonist, Isabella, written when she looks back on her life beginning at nineteen.
The author paints a clear and vivid picture of Isabella: a young woman deeply passionate about science, and dragons in particular. One of my favorite scenes is a quiet, heartwarming moment with her father, who recognizes her love for learning. In a world where she is unlikely to be allowed to pursue her passions, he gives her a list of potential suitors who at least own the books she loves—so she can keep reading. It’s such a tender, realistic gesture, told entirely in the voice of a scientist, and it made me smile.
“A husband willing to fund a library for his bookish wife is not so easy to obtain; most would see it as a pointless expense. You might, however, find one willing to share his library.”
Isabella’s meeting with her future husband and their courtship are described with the same analytical restraint—observed, measured, and yet surprisingly moving. The author somehow manages to keep everything fully in character while still warming the reader’s heart. Isabella’s first expedition with her husband forms the backbone of the novel, chronicling their study of dragons, complete with a touch of mystery and a wonderful cast of side characters, each with distinct personalities.
“The dragon within my heart stirred, shifting her wings, as if remembering they could be used to fly.”
My only reservation is the ending, which didn’t quite deliver the same emotional punch as some of the earlier moments. That said, this is a wonderful premise, thoughtfully executed. This kind of fantasy won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you enjoy historical fiction with a speculative twist, this is well worth picking up.
I wondered how the author would conclude this fantasy series with so many characters, plots, and subplots, and I was pleasantly surprised by the ending. In the previous book, we left Ciri in a different world with the elves, who knew of the prophecy and her supposed role in it. In this book, Ciri is trying to return to Geralt and Yennefer, who are each fighting their own battles.
The Battle of Brenna is one of the highlights of the novel. Told through multiple points of view—especially from the perspective of the field hospital staff struggling to save lives—it is written with remarkable skill and emotional impact. Another clever narrative choice is the way the author lets us glimpse the future, where the present story has already turned into legend, and then allows those future characters to influence events in the present.
The ending is open to interpretation, and I can see how some readers might be unhappy with it—particularly with how Emperor Emhyr’s quest concludes, what becomes of Geralt and Yennefer, and where Ciri ultimately ends up. For me, though, this was a satisfying, if unorthodox, conclusion to the series.
This is a series that will truly benefit from a reread; there are so many Easter eggs and layered details that are easy to miss the first time around. I am not sure when I would have the time or energy to re-read the series. Happy reading.
“I’m alive, she thought. So it’s not the end of the fight. The fight only end with death, everything else is just an interruption”
“Any dream that we dream for too long becomes a nightmare. And from it we awake with a scream.”
December is always a generous month in the book world, and this year my books are part of several wonderful group promotions run by fellow authors. If you’re looking to stock up your winter reading pile—especially if you have Kindle Unlimited—this is a great time to do it.
If romance is your comfort read, King in Hiding and other romance novels are part of a KU Romance Sprintrunning through January 9, 2026. These are perfect “just one more chapter” reads for cozy evenings, and an excellent excuse to make the most of your KU subscription.
Fantasy readers, I haven’t forgotten you. Child of the River is included in Fantasy Adventures on Kindle Unlimited, which runs through January 8, 2026. If you love immersive worlds, magic, and long journeys, this is a treasure trove of KU reads waiting to be discovered.
And if the word free makes your reader heart beat faster: Prince in Shadow is part of Fantastic FREE Fantasy – December, available through December 31, 2025. Consider this my small holiday gift to you.
While you’re browsing, I also want to highlight a KU fantasy: Shattered Kingdom: Episode One of the Nobledark Fantasy Serial by Jon Cronshaw.
Three sisters. One murdered king. A kingdom on the brink.
With savage wyverns, decaying magic, and a conspiracy centuries in the making, this nobledark fantasy is rich with betrayal, sisterhood, and sacrifice.
If you love Robin Hobb, Katherine Addison, or Samantha Shannon, this is one to add to your list before the kingdom burns.
December is the season of stories—old favorites, new discoveries, and worlds waiting to be explored. I hope you find something here that keeps you warm through the longest nights of the year. 📖✨
As the year winds down, I’ve been taking stock of my reading goals—because of course I have. My goal for 2025 was to read 25 books. As of now, I’m at 23, and currently reading two books at once: Abundance (non-fiction) and Lady of the Lake, the final book in The Witcher series. Surely reading hefty fantasy tomes should count as at least two books each, right? I remain cautiously optimistic that I’ll limp across the finish line at 25 before the year ends.
In January, I’ll share my favorite reads of 2025, but for now I’m already thinking ahead. My reading goal for 2026 is—boldly, bravely—the same: 25 books. Mostly fiction, a sprinkling of non-fiction, a mix of new releases and classics I’ve somehow missed. The challenge, of course, is that as I write Book Three of my fantasy series, I’ll also be reading other fantasy novels… many of them comfortably over 100,000 words. Epic quests are wonderful. They are not fast.
Wish me luck. And tell me—what are your reading goals for 2026?
Anna Bushi 