S. Usher Evans’s tight-woven fantasy The City of Veils focuses on a strong young woman who is determined to take care of her home and its people.

When she was young, Brynna ran away from an arranged marriage. For years she has lived on her own, working to protect the streets of Forcadel as a vigilante known as the Veil. She is determined to take down Lord Beswick, a powerful businessman and ruthless criminal.

But now her father and brother have been murdered, and the captain of the king’s guard has found her, forcing her back into a world where she will be queen.

In this intriguing world, the religious system is based around a female deity, men and women are equal, and birth order is the only determining factor in who leads the kingdom. Women are represented in business, in government, and in the royal guard. This is refreshing and changes the meaning of being a princess.

Brynna’s life is one of specific obligations and responsibility; she finds no pleasure in the luxurious trappings of royalty. She is confident, tough, and easy to like, and her story is just as appealing. It involves political maneuvering, close allies, a love story, and a possible plot against the crown. Brynna has plenty of help as she learns to be the queen the kingdom needs.

Forcadel and its inhabitants are captivating, and The City of Veils is entertaining from the first page to the last. The wait for the next book will feel interminable.