So, my coworker who loves sci-fi or "speculative fiction" as he calls it recommended this book to me. It was a lot of fun. There was even social commentary! A woman who's mother had been shunned from her people for falling in love with a man from another kingdom is summoned to the castle to her grandfather who is the king of all of the kingdoms. She is then named as a potential heir to his throne and thus put into a competition so fearsome only one can survive. Luckily she is helped by the gods held prisoner in the castle. And okay she falls for the darkest god (naturally, who wouldn't!). Anyway, I gave it to my sister when I was finished because I was really entertained by it. I like the whole magical world storytelling thing. I always sort of thought the place for that was in the children's section, but why limit your imagination stretchers to an age. The thing I most admire about children is their wide open wonderment and the holy unreality of play. I like that I can read books that tap into that without always starring children. Not that I am switching genres or anything, but props to Mike for making me expand. Also, this book was written by a youngish african american woman which is really rare for the genre.