Twylla has only ever known duty. As the daughter of the Sin Eater, she watched her mother eat the sins of the dead, learning the role she would one day have to fill. But she had a larger destiny, one that brings enormous responsibility. A destiny that made her walk away from her family and all she'd known.

She's the Goddess Daunen embodied.

As the Goddess, her touch can kill, and every month she executes the traitors in the kingdom. She lives in isolation, feared and revered by everyone, except for her new guard, Lief, whose quick smile and disregard for the rules makes Twylla feel like a girl, not a goddess. But she's engaged to Merek, the prince, who is immune to her touch because of his royal bloodline. That doesn't stop her from falling in love with Lief. But the Queen has plans that could ruin them all and Twylla must chose between love and duty. Will she follow her heart even knowing there can never be a happily ever after for her or will she do her duty to her prince, her kingdom, and her destiny?

What first drew me to THE SIN EATER'S DAUGHTER by Melinda Salisbury was the extraordinary title and cover art. The title calls to mind images of ritual, duty, and familial obligation and the cover is gorgeous with the swirling colors inside the glass bottle. I had high expectations for this book before I opened it, and the story definitely lives up to the provocative packaging.

THE SIN EATER'S DAUGTHER is a dark, brooding tale set in a deadly and beautiful kingdom of Lormere that could have come straight out of a fairy tale. But in the best possible ways, Melinda Salisbury deviates from the fairy tale tropes, delivering a satisfying and unexpected story that will have readers going back again and again for answers. While THE SIN EATER'S DAUGHTER does make the reader ask big questions, it is fast-paced and tense. The emotional tension as Twylla struggles with her feelings of love and duty complements the external tension of kingdom living in fear of unstable and ruthless royalty because Twylla's identity is so strongly wrapped up in her duty to the people of Lormere.

Melinda Salisbury shines when writing about the myths of this world. Myth in this case is not referring to untrue stories, but myth that creates the core belief system for a people. These are the myths that shape their choices, show them right from wrong, and provide them with hope and answers for life. The myths in THE SIN EATER'S DAUGHTER aren't used simply to set the tone in this fantasy, although they do work to create a dark, foreboding atmosphere. The myths of this world are the basis for character motivation and identity.

Twylla defines herself by these myths. Her mother is the Sin Eater, a person who must consume the sins of the dead in order for the dead to pass peacefully into the afterlife. If she refuses, then the dead are not accepted and will never be at peace. Twylla doesn't question this role or the price of sin. It shaped her relationship with her mother, forged her identity, and defined her place in the world. Twylla is also the Goddess Daunen. She can't separate herself from her duty. These beliefs truly do force the reader to ask big questions and the answers aren't going to be found on the page. THE SIN EATER'S DAUGHTER will make you question your world and those questions will linger long after you've finished the story.

THE SIN EATER'S DAUGHTER is a dark and compelling tale that defies the classic fairy tale tropes and delivers a new type of fairy tale; one you will want to read again and again.