The Boundless by Anna Bright

 Against all odds, Selah found true love but when her ship's secret mission is discovered she is forced to leave him behind and venture into the Imperiya.  Her heart and the fate of a nation lay in the balance and she must learn to become a wolf, or fall to them.

I first picked up The Beholder on a whim to kill time while my hair colour processed.  I think I sat and read half of the book that day in the chair.  It was a long, long wait for me to get my hands on this book but I'm glad that I finally got to it!

I enjoy the complex politics in the novel even though at times, the handling of different names for characters feels clumsy.  Sometimes I had to double check I was reading about who I thought I was.  I think that Selah show wonderful character development over the course of the duology and I am glad to find yet another strong, realistic female character.  She is intelligent, brave and unpredictable but isn't afraid to show her softer side and to be vulnerable.  I think that this is an important lesson for young girls.

Anyone looking for a steamy romance won't get it here, it is very much a YA romance with princes, chastity, patience and kissing only!  Nevertheless, it isn't necessarily saccharine when it comes to portraying relationships (romantic or otherwise.)

I enjoyed this book immensely and would recommend it to readers of Sarah J. Maas, Victoria Aveyard and those that aren't quite ready to tackle A Game of Thrones. 4/5 stars for me this time.