Witches Steeped in Gold

Iraya Adair, a lost empress, and Jazmyne Cariot, daughter to the self-crowned doyenne, are two witches whose goals are the same, yet for very different reasons. In order to save their people, the witches form a deadly alliance that could be their only hope. Or their ruin.

Iraya and Jazmyne are two very different characters, but their voices mostly the same and the only way to get to know them was through others’ eyes. I wasn’t impressed by the characters and didn’t fall in love with either of them. Most of the side characters had more of my interest. The doyenne is an interesting villain, greedy for power but also trying to do what’s best for her people. I loved to hate her. The world-building is beautiful and vast, but not explained well and the history is confusing at times. The magic system is well thought out, it’s not limitless and has consequences if used improperly or too much. There’s a twist at the end, one that was not completely out of the blue, but one part was not foreshadowed, which left me impatient for the next book.