Birth of Magic

Birth of Magic is a novella that tells the story of Kari and introduces us to the world so well developed in the Sun-Blessed Trilogy. Kari's father abandoned the family months earlier, and when Kari's mother dies giving birth to her tenth child, teenage Kari decides the best thing she can do for her siblings is to walk away from them. She strikes out on her own, and finds herself facing difficult choices as she tries to find her way.

Carol Beth Anderson has a wonderful writing style. She's descriptive, but not overly wordy, and I felt like I knew the characters. I sometimes wanted to hug Kari, sometimes wanted to shake her, and there were parts of the book where I laughed and cried and cheered. This novella is a good introduction to the Sun-Blessed world for those not familiar with it, or helpful backstory for those who have. I thoroughly enjoyed it.