Shattered Realms #1: Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima

The king of Arden had my father and sister murdered four years ago, and I've vowed vengeance against him. My name is Ash, and I've inherited my father's magical ability. My healing power's have gotten stronger, but I've also learned the darker uses of herbs and magic. Although I've mostly worked with animals, I've discovered an extraordinary talent for helping humans. It's attracted the attention of the king, and I'm closer to getting my revenge. However, he's ordered me to save a prisoner named Jenna who stabbed herself in the stomach to avoid capture. No one is sure what makes her so special, and that includes Jenna herself. There are powerful undercurrents growing across the realms, and I seem to have found myself right in the middle of them.

The plot follows two storylines that alternate between the main character Ash and Jenna, a mineworker with a magemark hidden on the back of her neck. The pair share a hatred for the king of Arden, and they develop a close bond. I try to find books for middle grade readers, but this one is more appropriate for teens. It doesn't have any sex, but it comes about as close as possible and gets fairly intense at times. The mystery of Jenna continues throughout most of the book. Even though she wears the magemark, she's not a mage. She has some abilities that include rapid healing and foretelling futures, but there's something else hidden within her. Some clues are presented along the way, but I'm still not 100% sure about her powers. Ash's motivation in the whole book is to kill the king. That's a bothersome goal in a book for young readers. Despite that focus, Ash's character is basically a good person. He's willing to treat anyone in distress, and he's especially sensitive to the treatment of animals. Overall, I enjoyed the story and recommend it for a teenage audience. However, I probably won't read the sequel, since it doesn't fit the middle grade theme of my blog.