Warlord by Elizabeth Vaughan

Lara of Xy and her Warlord, Keir of the Cat, have been through much together. Lara abandoned her lands and people for love of him. She adopted his ways and learned of his tribe. Together they have faced plague and insurgency -- and despite these struggles, they have known happiness and joy.

Now they face their most arduous task: Keir must take Lara into the Heart of the Plains, and introduce her as the Warprize to the warrior-priests. She must be tested--questioned, examined, watched--and must find favor with the warrior-priests and the tribe’s elders before they will confirm her as a true Warprize.

But in Lara's heart there are doubts--for what if she is found wanting? Will Keir give up everything he knows to be with his Warprize?

I am sooooo tired, and it's all Ana's fault!

Actually that's probably a little unfair, but only a little. In the last few days Ana has posted her reviews of the first two books in this series. As I was reading her review of Warprize, I was reminded that despite the fact that I really enjoyed the first two books in the series myself, I hadn't yet got around to reading the third and final book, Warlord. Forty five minutes of unpacking and repacking the bookcase (I really need a new bookcase!) and I had Warlord in my hands. I read a little bit of it on Saturday night, but it was really Sunday night that I lost lots of sleep - I just could not put the book down until I was finished...which happened to be well after 1am in the morning...on a school night!

I guess that it's pretty easy to tell that I enjoyed this book!

If Warprize is the story of Keir coming to Lara's homeland and claiming her, and Warsworn is the story of their journey towards Fireland and with each other, then this book is about Lara's struggle to be accepted as Warprize, because not only does she have to be claimed by Keir, there is also the not so small matter of being accept by the Elders Council.

Keir and Lara are separated as Lara travels to the Heart of the Plains where she must face the elders and answer their questions. This will be her last chance to return to her homeland, and be free of this situation that she was basically forced into if she wants to. Unfortunately though, some of the events of their journey have already reached the ears of the elders on the winds, and her welcome is far from warm. Lara must convince them of her suitability and her willingness to be the Warprize, and both Keir and Lara must try to figure out what will happen if she is not accepted, or if Keir is deemed to have failed in his role of Warlord. Along the way there is danger, discovery and romance.

I cannot tell you enough how much I enjoyed this whole series. I am definitely going to be reading more from this author! Dagger-star...here I come!