Shannon's Review - The Antidote by Shelley Sackier

Title: The Antidote
Series: Not At The Moment
Author: Shelley Sackier
Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy, Magic
Publisher: HarperTeen
Received: From Publisher For Review
Release Date: February 2019
Pages: 368
Rating:


Author Shelley Sackier’s Official Websites:




Website:
https://shelleysackier.com/


Blog:
https://shelleysackier.com/


Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ShelleySackierBooks/


Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ShelleySackier





Shannon’s Thoughts:
Author Shelly Sackier weaves a high fantasy world with magic, deception, and intriguing characters. Ophelia (“Fee”) is studying to be a healer in Fireli, a kingdom where plague rages, magic is forbidden, and certain bloodlines cannot mix. As a child, she had a magic ability to make plants grow. But her best friend and the crown prince, Xavi, has begged with her not to use her magic. Now Fee is betrothed to Xavi’s brother Rye, who was sent away to protect him from the plague. As the years' pass, Fee and Xavi remain in Fireli by continually taking the antidote, but Fee is convinced the plague is gone and does not always take hers. Her magic awakens as Xavi becomes ill to the point of death, and Fee is accused of poisoning her best friend. Imprisoned, she must convince Rye that she is innocent and her knowledge might save Xavi. But Xavi has been kidnapped by Princess Quinn, his fiancee, and taken to her kingdom with the mysterious healer Mistress Goodsong.

Intriguing characters keep the reader invested as Fee uncovers the secrets that oppressed her powers and kept her from knowing her true family. It is an enjoyable book that in my opinion could be the start of a series.

I feel the title isn’t fitting for the book though. I am curious to know if there were other choices. I thought the antidote that the characters take in the long run wasn’t the main focus and it just seemed off to me.

This was the author’s Shelley Sackier third book and would like to check out more titles by her. The Freemason’s Daughter looks promising. I think people who like Mercedes Lackey and Tamora Pierce will enjoy this book.