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This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me (Maggie the Undying Book 1)
Ilona Andrews
4.9
Cast in Blood: A Chronicles of Elantra Novel
by Michelle Sagara
Published Apr 28, 2026
Categories
About this book
Kaylin Neya lives in the precarious center of a shifting political storm, bound to ten Barrani lords who were once trapped in the green and now owe their precarious freedom to her. Despite her desire to stay clear of the lethal politics of the Barrani High Court, an ominous invitation from the Consort pulls her directly into their insular, dangerous world. The stakes turn personal and dire when she discovers Nightshade, an enigmatic and powerful ally, unresponsive and hovering on the brink of death.
When her own unique healing abilities fail to reach him, Kaylin realizes that a dark, ancient magic is at work. As Nightshade’s life hangs in the balance, Kaylin must navigate a treacherous landscape of shifting factions and hidden agendas. The threat against him is merely the first strike in a larger conspiracy that endangers the entire Barrani race.
Forced to reconcile her growing ties to these immortal, volatile beings with the demands of her duty, Kaylin races to uncover the source of the corruption. In a world where trust is a liability and power is a death sentence, she must solve the mystery of Nightshade’s collapse before the delicate balance of her world shatters completely.
Available Formats
Hardcover: $15.61 Kindle: $12.99
What readers are saying
bugsmomSERIES CONTINUES TO BE EXCELLENT
"Excellent series. I buy very few paperback/hardcover books anymore preferring to get them on my Kindle. This is the one of the few series that I still buy. In fact, I preordered it and can’t wait for next book. A continuation of the Elantra Series with Kaylin. The same excellent writing. For me, this series is one that I must read every word and absorb every thought. A deep series dealing with not just people and their relationships but the results of power. If you are reading this series, be sure to start at the beginning. It is an evolving series with both its plots and its characters. ["
May 9, 2026 Verified Purchase
A readerStill excellent, but…
"I continue to love this series. And there was a lot to like in this one. But i am not sure it was entirely successful. Kaylin gets called in to deal with two separate problems but really only finishes one. I suppose this was designed as a two parter but there was no indication of that until it just ended. And I wasn’t convinced that all,of the material belonged here. It could have been more focused, addressed both problems, and then expanded in a fresh volume. Now it feels half done. To make matters worse, there are so many plot lines that I wasn’t sure if Sagara was setting the stage for some great climax or elaborating the world in a way that would make conclusion more difficult. I think part of this is the challenge of handling different time scales. It seems from things said that the series has taken place over about one year (which would help explain why Kaylin doesn’t seem to have grown that much). But the developments that manifested in this book had been decades or centuries in the making. So the unfinished nature of this part of the story combined with the diffuseness of the larger contexts seemed fuzzy to me. Don’t get me wrong. I still enjoyed this and read it with enthusiasm. But if i reread it, it will be as much to see if i missed things as to just enjoy it. And that’s not my typical experience. ["
May 5, 2026 Verified Purchase
AJ Mariedecent entry, found myself most interested at the beginning and end, but lagging in the middle.
"At book 19 of the series, not counting spin offs, it can be a little challenging to separate my opinions on the series as a whole from the individual books, but I'll do my best to focus on Cast in Blood before I ramble into big picture thoughts. Cast in Blood is a decent entry into the series. Nightshade is back in the story (yes!), but is injured in a way that Kaylin's healing powers can't reach him. Unfortunately for us readers, that means he's unconscious and therefore not truly an active player in the narrative. Bummer. Kaylin's adventure has similar themes to past books: arguing with the cohort, Severn following her like a shadow, being called to the High Halls. We see the introduction of a few new Barrani characters who will likely play larger roles going forward, but didn't make a big splash for me in this book at least. One thing I do appreciate is, though the author has built us a large and wonderful cast of supporting characters, she doesn't try to jam them into every book like an Avengers movie. So yes, while I miss seeing certain characters, I understand why they can't make an appearance every time. I found myself most interested in the story at the beginning and end, but lagging in the middle. There was a significant amount of time dedicated to research, deep thoughts, guesses on Ravellon and shadow, you name it. Definitely feels like we're setting up for another big reveal (maybe next book?), but it came somewhat at the expense of forward momentum and pacing for Cast in Blood. On the series overall, I do have to get one thing off my chest. Kaylin and romance. As a lover of slow-burn/Mr. Darcy hand flex hints, I'm completely ok with things taking time. But in this case, where hints of that nature for Severn or Nightshade or ANYONE have slowly meandered down to nothing (not even addressing her nonchalant attitude to Nightshade's near-death state this book), I'm just not quite sure what to think anymore. Ok, rant done, moving on. If it's not already clear, I love this world and the characters, and I'm in it for the long haul. Can't wait to see what the next installment brings. ["
April 30, 2026 Verified Purchase
Kindle CustomerNever fails to deliver...and the audio book is awesome
"I couldn't read this fast enough, lol. I prefer listen to the audio book because I read so fast and it does provide a measure of control I myself can't maintain. The audio book narration was amazing. The plot characters everything...just another home, run in my opinion. I am off to listen to it again, now. 😂 ["
May 8, 2026 Verified Purchase
