THE FOREST KING'S DAUGHTER

Former friends turned enemies must save their worlds.

Cassia, daughter of the Sylvan king, longs for recognition from her stern father, Silvanus, and misses her long-gone, gentle dryad mother. She hates being the Deathringer: The title means she must try to destroy the underground-dwelling Azpians using the ring childhood friend Zeru, a horned Dracu from the Azpian realm, found among his mother’s possessions and gifted her, not realizing its import. After Zeru kidnaps Cassia, hoping to retrieve the ring, which is stuck firmly to her finger, they travel to Welkincaster, the Ancients’ sanctuary, in search of answers. Sparks simmer, and they each discover unexpected new powers. The romance is appealing, even if Zeru feels too perfect, and the lovers’ joint desire to achieve peace and see off a late-emerging enemy provides impetus to kick the story up a notch after a leisurely opening. Cassia, who struggles to be true to herself when everyone (except Zeru) wants her to be someone else, is a sympathetic hero, but for all the magical trappings, unbreakable oaths, and bloodthirsty trees, most of the story’s emotional beats are relatively mundane. Uneven pacing and several convenient information drops detract somewhat from this otherwise enjoyable and wholesome series opener. Sylvans are of “many different builds, heights, skin, and hair colors”; Cassia has “dark golden hair,” and dark-haired, green-eyed Zeru has “lightly bronzed skin.”

A sweetly romantic magical diversion.