Kai Zeal

You have a guaranteed future ahead of you, but what if you had to change it, what would you sacrifice to alter it?

In the quiet town of Opal Pines, the new school year is just beginning, and with the new school year starting, new problems arise for Kylie and it doesn't help that her mother rarely lets Kylie out of her sight. Jordan's new friend has already made it crystal clear that he's not a fan of Kylie, just complicating everything further.

It doesn't help that their older selves are refusing to step in and help in any of the events that are to come, they are already at odds with each Siani. And Rotanu isn't sure that the ends justify the means needed to get there.

Things take a darker turn and start to get worse when a familiar woman returns from the June kidnapping and has her sights set on Kylie's head.

What happens when a past is riddled with pain and yet still seeks vengeance? The present is filled with a loneliness you can't escape. And the future, the future is uncertain and ever-changing?

Riyati Rivals by Kai Zeal is the second book of the Riyati series a new adult/adult contemporary, low dark fantasy series. You'll find that this series explores themes of identity, legacy, the greater good, and finding your path in life.

The Riyati series will include multiple first-person perspectives, and multiple queer characters (currently including demisexual/romantic and lesbian representation with more to come in future books). This series is set in the modern-day United States.

Riyati Rivals, the second book of The Riyati Series by Kai Zeal. I didn't really know what to expect when I picked this series up. I missed reading the first book, so it did take me a little bit of time to catch on to what was going on, but I did manage it. I do recommend that you read the books in order so you have the chance to get to know the characters, and the world, and you understand what is going on before you jump into the second book. I do plan to read the first book and then re-read this book so I have a better understanding of this book and the events that play out in it.

I did enjoy it even though I hadn't read the first book. I can see that it would be a great second book to the first and would add a lot to the world and the characters that were introduced in that first book.

I quickly realized that things were growing ever more complicated for the characters and the entire Opal Pines through this book and I honestly can't wait to see what happens in the next book of the series.

I did notice that the characters did grow and change a lot throughout this book and I loved the addition of the magic that they used.

I can see that this series would be a fun and enjoyable read if you were to start with the first book and then move into the second book. I would highly recommend this book and this series and I can't wait to read more from Kai Zeal in the near future.

A different view on a fantasy novel. Teenagers coming into their magic with some help from their future selves who take up residence in their subconscious (along with their previous incarnations) to help their yournger selves survive. The characters are well thought out & it is easy to follow each one's chapters & so follow the story. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only

Words cannot describe the emotions I went through in this book. I shared in the character's confusion, anger, anxiety, interest, and basically all of their emotions.

I love the magic system and the take on reincarnation was a personal favorite.

I loved watching the the characters show their softer and unseen sides. I am looking foward to the rest of the books as I cannot wait to watch these character's grow.

My only criticism is that I wish that the magic language could be translated or explained to us, but at the same time I understand keeping the readers in the dark about what it means because we then get to learn as they learn.

This is a brilliant debut book and I am excited to learn more about this world and I look foward to truly understanding all of the characters!

Who was the person you were five years ago? What if you could talk to them? Would you tell them information to try to change things, or would you do everything you could to ensure the outcome you already know?

An excellent beginning to what is sure to be an expansive story, Riyati Rebirth is an interesting take on reincarnations and time travel simultaneously - how the past, present, and future all interact and affect one another is one of the driving themes, and how does one retain agency when both your past and your future have different ideas about what you should do.

The way the magic system is handled is super fun - a mix of both technology and magical girl anime creates a unique blend that works really well for the low magic setting. And trying to balance learning about magic and being a normal high schooler is hard when you are sharing your brain with four other people! The magic also ties into the history of the world and a past that has been largely forgotten by modern historians, but which has very immediate influences on our two main protagonists.

There's also plenty of mystery to keep readers engaged from start to finish; while two of the characters know how events will play out, I found that their prior knowledge of events (which is only cryptically hinted at) served to increase tension and impending dread. And the characters themselves are great, fully realized and complex, each with their own goals - whether that be to date a girl, learn magic, ignore everything that's happening, or just survive the summer.

This first-in-series weaves its tropes, plot, and characters into something new and exciting. I can't wait to read what's next!