I received an ebook version of this soon to be released book in exchange for an honest review.

After starting this book by Holly Bodger I couldn't put it down.

This was something that I wasn't expecting and am so glad that I requested this copy.

The story is told in dual perspective in a near future India in which the males outnumber the females 5 to 1.

This near future supposes that the city in which the book takes place has built up it's walls and changed it's government in a way that views women of marrying age as the most precious commodity because in the past a law was enacted that allowed each family only have one child and most parents choose to have a boy that could carry on the name and bloodlines.

Now because girls are so rare each boy of marrying age must compete in a series of tests to win the hand of an available girl.

The first perspective is Sudasa, the girl waiting to choose a husband from a set of 8 suitors one of which has been hand selected despite the tests supposedly being "fair."

The second perspective is one of the boys competing and he doesn't want to be there, he wants to escape the competition and the city.

The female perspective is told in a type of verse that also has broken words, symbols, and poetic phrases. It was mesmerizing to read. So unique, complex, and emotional in a new way.

The male POV, although written in a standard writing style is still beautifully written.

This story is dynamic, entertaining, fast paced and the characters are very well developed.

I can't imagine that this is a stand alone and I really hope that it is not because I can NOT wait to continue with these characters on their journey.