By Jeffrey Overstreet, WaterBrook, $13.99, 363 pages
Cyndere’s Midnight, the second installment in the Auralia Thread series, picks up shortly after the first one ends, with House Abascar in ruins and its people, led by King Cal-Raven, struggling to survive and rebuild. Cyndere, the heiress of House Bel Amici, arrives in the land to grieve the loss of her husband as well as to ensure that a stronghold is secured for her people in the land. During a midnight visit to a well that was a source for Auralia’s colors, Cyndere discovers Jordam, a beastman who was calmed by the colors and becomes allies with him. As deadly forces move in against House Abascar again, Cyndere and Jordam must work together to protect Auralia’s people from total destruction.
With Cyndere’s Midnight Jeffrey Overstreet has created a marvelous companion to the Auralia Thread series. He builds upon the previous novel by seamlessly weaving in new characters while slowly revealing the larger storyline. Overstreet’s writing is unique and, at times, breathtaking. This is a novel to be savored and appreciated for the beauty of Mr. Overstreet’s writing, in addition to enjoying the fascinating world he has created.
Reviewed by Barbara Cothern