Daughter of the Sky by Michelle Diener

This is an incredible story. It's so rich in history--a history I knew nothing of before reading this, people I knew nothing of, a battle I knew nothing of. It touches on so many things and is so much more than just a story.

It's about countries waging war for the wrong reasons, about underestimating others merely because they are different. It's about the life of a soldier and doing what one's told whether it's right or not. It's about divided loyalty. It's about how everyone believes they are right and their way is the right way, without regards to others.

It's Africa and the British empire wants to kill its way into owning all in site. The Zulu people intend to fight for their land and they need a little help...from a former British girl who now lives among the Zulu people. She dresses as a boy, enters, the camp, and spies for the Zulu...and through her we experience the conflicting emotions that goes with this betrayal. She's faced with some difficult choices and her turmoil radiated off the page.

She's a terrific heroine: spunky, brave, honorable, smart. She finds ways to damage their ammo as well as deliver the required data. The war itself we experience through the hero--a man willing to keep Elizabeth's secret. There's romance and drama aplenty. Elizabeth falls in love. A jealous warrior causes trouble. The life of the Zulu people...is just so fascinating. I wish there had been more of it.

The action was intense. I truly didn't know what was going to happen next. There really is no happy ending for this chick. I actually got misty eyed as I read the last page. It was so well done. The author didn't throw us a perfect ending tied in a bow, cause it would have been implausible, and I appreciated that, especially when it seems everyone is writing the most cheesy HEAs nowadays.

My only quibble is the father's journal. I didn't care about the battles in India. I was really only interested in Zululand and Elizabeth.

Four bikes. I got this from netgalley. I highly recommend it.

Favorite passages:

"Where I come from, men don't stare at women's breasts that way. I forgot that. Forgot you would consider it my duty to cover myself, not yours to turn away."

"These whitemen cannot control their lust. Their woman must wear clothes from neck to toe, I hear, because even the sight of an ankle makes them lose their composure."