Norah prayed for a sand gift. Every day the same prayer. As the only person ever born without one she was helpless, mocked, shunned, and ridiculed by all but her best friend and little sister. She was worthless, could contribute nothing. There was only one time when she hadn’t felt like a failure, and that was when she rode the oceans of sand with her father, but when he died, so too did her taste of hope and freedom. With famine spreading across the land, and the threat of war on the horizon, she’s never been more desperate to prove she isn’t someone to be thrown away, which is why when the opportunity to save the village and restore the balance is presented she jumps at the chance. The statue of the goddess has haunted her with its missing eye since she was a girl. Now as times turn bleak the talk of the missing eye being the hope of salvation calls to her. Maybe if it can be found things will change. But she’s helpless. If she has any hope if finding it she must rely on the one person who makes her feel more love than she should. Her best friend. How she’d love for him to feel the same. But as the village’s strongest Shaker, he can’t afford to. Love weakens their gifts, it’s an emotion to be repressed and denied, but she can’t just cut off something so integral. Maybe that’s why her gift never awoke.
I absolutely loved Jessica Flory’s Oceans of Sand. I’m a big fantasy fan and this book ticks all the boxes with vivid engaging characters, a dramatically unique setting, a great character-driven plot, and high-risk drama. I loved the multiple-perspective character arcs, and how they pull you into so many different perspectives, fleshing out the world, history, and providing a balanced perspective between countries destined to be at war. Jessica Flory effortlessly captures the reader’s imagination and hearts in an emotional struggle for survival and discovery. Epic fantasy meets friends-to-lovers romance in a whirlwind adventure that will leave you hungry for more. The action, adventure, romance, chaos, suffering, and strife will have you hooked in an instant, while the magic system and world building will leave you in awe. This book has skyrocketed its way onto my exclusive recommended books list and is easily one of the best books I’ve read all year. Definitely an author to watch. I read this on Kindle Unlimited, but had to buy a copy too, I just couldn’t bring myself to return it.
Why not check out the author Find her here:
Twitter: @JessFloryAuthor
K.J's Athenaeum 
Wow. This review brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so much!
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