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Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite
Sting of the Scorpion by Evelyn Puerto is book three of the Outlawed Myth series. Damira loses nearly her entire clan at the hands of a warband and from that day on, she swore that she would never be powerless again. All that remains of her clan are her brother and their friend. Without a home, their only choice is to surrender to the control of a warlord and be drawn into the middle of the Endless War. When warlord Wei Fang uses magical amulets to gain control and take down anyone that stands in her path, Damira comes up with her own plan to seek the power of the amulets for herself. But can she stop Wei Fang before the amulets' power leads to her demise?
Evelyn Puerto captures emotional details in a way that is honest about the trauma and loss that Damira has suffered. The story focuses on the journey of Damira, Syzyan, and Shagonar who band together to find their way after everything they've lost. Their paths coincide as they discover their individual strengths, which are journeys set against a backdrop of violence and war. The relationships between the three provide different layers within the story as their dynamics shift and their circumstances change while their loyalty toward each other only strengthens. The plot has a strong basis in Damira's determination to never be powerless again after a horrific ordeal, which is explored through her anger and grief as she finds her strength and voice. The writing is rich with specifically chosen details such as word choices and phrases that create a world and draw you into it. This world has vivid details subtly woven throughout the journey of a young woman finding her power in this environment. The story has a fantasy element from Wei Fang's use of amulets to gain power to smaller details such as eating dried rock lizards and fried ants and encountering sand wolves. Sting of the Scorpion is a poignant and emotional journey of magic, power, and strength that is vividly and beautifully written.
