#BlogTour: The Last Messenger of Zitol by Chelsea Dyreng #yahistorical #yaromance @dyrengo

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We are one of the stops on today's tour presented by Cedar Fort Books. We apologize for the delay in posting. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

The Last Messenger of Zitol
by Chelsea Dyreng
YA historical fiction
Paperback, 304 pages
Published September 1st 2016 by Sweetwater Books

When Rishi is kidnapped and taken to Zitól, she faces an unthinkable future: she is to be sacrificed to appease the gods. To survive in this place, where greed, lust, and fear eclipse compassion, Rishi befriends the selfish and ignorant king, only to discover that he may not have the power to save her after all.

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About the author:

Chelsea Bagley Dyreng is the author of “The Cenote.” She was raised in Wyoming and Idaho and earned her BA at Brigham Young University. She worked for several years as a librarian before moving to North Carolina where she and her husband are raising five God-fearing, book-loving, adventure-seeking kids.



I love it when I assume a story will go in one direction from reading the summary and I'm totally off about it. The Last Messenger of Zitol by Chelsea Dyreng is such a story. This YA historical fiction began with a type of note from a person who was not the main character and we learn from him, a royal named Nadal, about how the story came about. His voice told me enough to keep my interest. Okay, I'll admit it, Nadal fascinated me. And then I met Rishi, a virtuous, strong young woman who is sought out for her very strengths.

It is obvious from the rich details on each page that the subject matter--the rich Mayan history and culture--was well researched by the author. She lovingly describes settings and objects and foods and birds, every thing, we need to experience Rishi's life. From the opening about her grandfather and his amazing stories about his life in Zitol, I too could smell those exotic peppers and see the sunset spread out across the sky. I fell quite easily into this book, enveloped by its engaging narration, as Rishi's life played out across my mind. She is a rich character, taken from her home where she shares a rich bond with her siblings, to be sacrificed in Zitol, and she meets someone who will share her adventure.

The Last Messenger of Zitol intrigued me from page one. There was action, adventure, kidnapping, romance, corruption, tragedy and more. The rich details made my reading easy and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Rishi and Nadal. The words flowed, the pacing held steady, the characters grew and the story kept me invested. I highly recommend this book.

Rating: 
5 Loved it!
Cover comment: 
It's an okay cover.
Book source: 
I received a promotional copy in exchange for my honest review.

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