Rhuna: Crossroads - Barbara Underwood

Rhuna: Crossroads (Rhuna Fantasy Books #2)

Goodreads Summary:

The sequel to Rhuna, Keeper of Wisdom, and the second book in an exciting and unique historical Fantasy series, Rhuna: Crossroads is set in exotic Ancient Egypt and features unforgettable characters and a riveting adventure.
Some years have passed since Rhuna helped to defeat the Dark Master in her new home of Atlán, and now Rhuna has a teenage daughter who accompanies her on an assignment in Ancient Egypt to investigate some disturbing reports. She soon discovers an astonishing underground network of the Dark Master’s followers, along with the secret group of Atlans dedicated to stopping them.
In the process of trying to carry out her assignment, Rhuna is confronted with enormous challenges which could drastically change her entire life and everything she has ever believed in!

My Review of Rhuna: Crossroads

I don’t think I have ever read a historical fiction fantasy novel before! I really enjoyed this book. It is the second of a trilogy. Even though I have not read the first one, I had no problem getting into the story and the wonderful setting.

Rhuna is a grand master in the council of Atlán, a place where there is little to no violence and people treat each other with respect. People have inner wisdom and live together in peace and harmony, quite a utopian society. Atlán also presides over numerous colonies. Rhuna gets sent to one of these colonies across the ocean to investigate some events that have occurred. She takes her daughter with her. There begins their adventure in this foreign land. Being an Atlán master, Rhuna has numerous gifts such as the ability to have visions and change elements and she soon begins helping the less fortunate members of the colony. But there are some people out to stop Rhuna from discovering that the unfortunate events that have been occurring may have something to do with a dark master whom Rhuna had destroyed years before.

I thought this book was really well written and so clever. I just loved that she could use her powers to speak with her husband and the council back in Atlán. The fact that they could ultimately spy on each other’s every move was also a really creative way to add a whole new dimension to this book to make it really unique. Rhuna was so conflicted with having to keep a proper and level mindset of a master, to that of a woman in a new place that is so different from Atlán. Her heart was taking her in a different direction than she was expecting.

I really enjoyed all the characters except I had a bit of trouble keeping up with all the “keeper of wisdom” type names. A few times I couldn’t remember who was who and got a bit confused. I loved her daughter and her spirit. And I enjoyed reading about the majority of the secondary characters. I do wish that I had read the first book to get a better understanding of Rhuna as she grew up.

There was some romance in this book which I was sort of hoping for, but then conflicted as Rhuna already has a husband that she seems to love. I think maybe I would have been more conflicted if I had read the first book which apparently introduces Tozar and how they come to be together. I wasn’t a fan of how abruptly she decided “Ok I love someone new now”. BOOM. However I can understand how her husband was holding her back from becoming the person she was meant to be. It just felt a bit abrupt, however I am interested to see how it pans out in the future.

I enjoyed the mystery, and loved the setting with the pyramids and the secret rooms and thought this whole book was really clever.

Would I recommend Rhuna: Crossroads?

Yes for any fans of Egyptian historical fiction melded with fantasy and mystery! It was a really enjoyable read and I am really looking forward to the sequel!

Many thanks to author Barbara Underwood for a copy of Rhuna: Crossroads in exchange for my honest review.

(4 / 5)