The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for himself, his mother, and his sister Mari. Ironically, the only thing of value he has is something he can't sell. For as long as Han can remember, he's worn thick silver cuffs engraved with runes. They're clearly magicked-as he grows, they grow, and he's never been able to get them off.

While out hunting one day, Han and his Clan friend, Dancer catch three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. After a confrontation, Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to ensure the boy won't use it against them. Han soon learns that the amulet has an evil history-it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Raisa ana'Marianna, Princess Heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She's just returned to court after three years of relative freedom with her father's family at Demonai camp - riding, hunting, and working the famous Clan markets. Although Raisa will become eligible for marriage after her sixteenth name-day, she isn't looking forward to trading in her common sense and new skills for etiquette tutors and stuffy parties.

Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea-the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems like her mother has other plans for her--plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the Queendom stands for.

Have you ever had a book highly recommended to you by many people and it didn't live up to your expectaions? That, unfortunately, was this book for me. I've had quite a few people tell me this was one of their favorites of the entire year. It took me awhile to read it-- about a week. It was quite slow. The funny thing is (and by funny I mean ironic), since I finished it, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I didn't love this book by any stretch of the imagination, but I did like it. I am just dying to know what happens between Raisa and a certain someone. Out of a 500 page novel, I really didn't have the strong desire to read more until about 400 pages in. Then, the book ends without tying up anything! It was frustrating, to say the least, and now I have to wait to get book two, The Exiled Queen (set to be released next month), so I can find out what happens. I would recommend this, but just know that it is S.L.O.W. Still worth reading though since it was VERY WELL written, just wordy! Good luck!