Shifting Sands: A Fantasy Fiction Series

by Melanie Bokstad Horev

As the relentless storm ravages the desert lands of Aridex, Nour and her remaining people seek refuge deep within Mount Everglace. Battling starvation, cold, and despair, Nour undertakes a journey to the Glass Home of the Others to ensure their survival. There, she finds the place empty and desolate, or at least to the eye…Meanwhile, Derry struggles to unlock his power, strange visions from the past haunt Gerda, and relationships strain under the weight of starvation, including Nour's bond with Yegie.

Can Nour trust her companions and the New Council? What led the once-respected scientist Saiko to madness? As the storm intensifies, time dwindles, and Nour's decisions hold the key to the fate of all.

Prepare for the conclusion to the trilogy of the Desert Shadows Saga, Shifting Sands, a tale of loyalty, sacrifice, betrayal, sibling bonds, and the resilience of the human spirit against impending darkness.

“Wow, one of the best dystopian/post-apocalyptic books I’ve ever read." - Goodreads reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This epic trilogy is set in a post-apocalyptic world, woven with fantasy elements, and centered around a resilient and determined female protagonist. Brace yourself for heart-wrenching plot twists that will leave you reeling long after the final page.

Genres: Dystopia

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 20, 2024

About the author

Beware!
I read AND write everything dystopian and post-apocalyptic.

If you are still here.
I am a molecular biologist with a Ph.D. who likes to write down the stories that form in my head. The stories are mainly in the realm of dystopia and science fiction. On a personal level, I love all things space, coffee, travel, and sports.
My family is everything to me.

I'll be thrilled if you would subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter:
https://www.melaniebokstadhorev.com/s...

Link to pre-order my newest book:
https://www.amazon.com/Female-Breeder...

Reviews

[Kez Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epic conclusion to this dystopian trilogy. Nour continues to fight for her people, faces the destruction from the storms, and had to desperately find a place where they can survive. As they venture in the ruins of the old world they uncover more secrets about the past.
The characters are driven, resilient and brave, and embrace the loyalty and sacrifices needed to ensure survival of the many.
This is action packed, fast paced, filled with twists, and is an intense finale to the trilogy, explaining how the apocalypse came to be.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shifting Sands is the third and final book in the Desert Shadows Saga by Melanie Bokstad Horev. Shifting Sands like the first two books pulled me in from the first page and never let go. I will be thinking about this series for a long time. The title Shifting Sands fits so well. Love it.

A storm is raging across the lands of Desert Shadows. Everyone has taken refuge in Mount Everglace and the mountains are about to come down on top of them. They must find a safe place for everyone before it is too late.

The storms keep raging on, food is slowly dwindling away, people are starving, tempers are flaring, and nerves are on edge causing fighting among the people.

Can they find a safe place in time with the storm raging outside? Can they get out of the caves in time? Another question what is waiting for them on the outside? What kind of dangers are out there?

Some dangers lie within the land while others lie within the human variety. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat biting my nails as Nour braved the outside putting herself in danger to save the others left behind in the mountain.

Just like the first two books Shifting Sands is filled with many twists and turns that helped to keep me on the edge of my seat racing to the end. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough as I wanted to know it all and I wanted to know it now. I am sad that Shifting Sands is the last book in the Desert Shadows Saga.

I loved the characters and the many twists that kept the story flowing from the first page of the first book until the last page of the last book.

I highly recommend Shifting Sands to all fans of dystopia and post-apocalyptic books. Grab a copy of Shifting Sands today!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great fun to read

Really enjoyed this whole series. This is not my normal reading material, but I'm glad I gave it a chance. Two thumbs up.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a nice but quite sudden ending to the trilogy.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nour is our heroine, she has been fighting to save her own people but also all the other people of the sand. She has a big heart and is impulsive and she gets into some close shaves in the final installment of this series. Can Nour keep herself, her loved ones and everyone else alive long enough to uncover the mystery and save them all? Well written, keeps you on the edge of your seat!!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Chad Barrus · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a continuous howling sandstorm driving the survivors of the people of the sands, Nour leads the group to Mount Everglace but the fierce storm seems to be tearing the mountain apart as well. With food and supplies almost gone, she knows they need to go try and get supplies from “ the others” to survive.
However, betrayal by one of their group and another who was a former enemy almost doomed Nourie and her people until she was saved at the last possible moment by someone she hadn’t counted on. She also finds and thaws others like her youngest brother who have been kept to be experimented on and witnessed a vision of where she needs to take the people to be safe.

Unfortunately it seems to be almost impossible but thanks to a new girl they brought back from being thawed and her youngest brother’s new powers and the driving need for Nour to get everyone to work together the impossible became possible and the
goal was realized.

This was a very intense series but very satisfying in the end! I mourned the loss of friends throughout the series who I grew to like and wished they had lived but life is like that and life goes on. I recommend you get this entire series not just this book because this final book won’t mean much to you unless you haven’t read the first two books and know what’s gone on before!

Mel has written a deeply moving saga that will have you weeping on occasion and cheering at the same time at the grim determination and grittiness of Nour and her band of survivors against insurmountable odds against nature and enemies with weapons more advanced than they possessed.

I know once you start this series you’ll be hooked on it like I was and you’ll have to see it through to the end! Believe me-it’s well worth the time!!

[Bethany Cousins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shifting Sands by Melanie Bokstad Horev delivers a gripping conclusion to the saga. In the midst of a relentless desert storm, Nour and her people seek sanctuary within Mount Everglace, facing starvation, cold, and internal strife. Nour's quest to the desolate Glass Home of the Others unveils unsettling truths, while Derry grapples with unlocking his power and Gerda is haunted by visions of the past. Tensions rise as relationships strain under the weight of despair, challenging Nour's trust in her companions and the New Council. As time dwindles and the storm escalates, Nour's choices become paramount in determining the fate of all. Horev masterfully weaves themes of loyalty, sacrifice, betrayal, and resilience, making Shifting Sands a captivating post-apocalyptic read that concludes the trilogy with finesse.

[Sentinelle23 · Rating 5 out of 5]

😰🌄🌬A surprising ending.


In the cold and cluttered cave, Nour woke up with a start to someone's screams.
It was Gerda who was having a nightmare...

They had all fled through the desert and the storm.
Nour had guided the survivors to the cave.

And now what were they going to do?...

**********

A new ordeal awaits Nour and her group, with twists and turns, disappointments and betrayals.

We don't see how she's going to get out of this.
Will she be able to save them?

An astonishing ending for this captivating dystopia, with a moving and courageous main character, Nour.

To discover !

[Bruce Tamanaha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the series end and it was a winner.
Nour believed in the unity of the Sand People. No matter what the obstacles, Nour continued to move forward. Nour knew it was right, though the doubts were always there.
Yegie,Malik, Derry, Finn, James, Reck, Virgil, Lion, and Gerda stood with Nour until the end, and what an ending it was!!
The book is entertaining and enjoyable.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A grand finale for this post-apocalyptic saga and it does not disappoint. You are reeled in right from the start, journeying hand in hand with Nour as she continues to keep her people alive. She doubts her leadership and feels like a failure, but her commitment to saving everyone surpasses all. Starvation, betrayal, rescue, danger, loss and so much more, fills the pages from start to finish. A must read trilogy. I received an ARC copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sharon Hendrix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ending!

What a finish! Slowly starving inside the mountain, Nour knows they must make an effort to gain entry into the place of the Others. James only has a day or two left before the battery for his environmental suit gives out. Plus they need food! The storm is getting worse and to top it all off, earthquakes start tearing apart their shelter.
Nothing has come easy for Nour for a long time. And this will be no different.
You can’t miss this finale to their journey!

[Kris Cobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nour has chosen the path of avoiding blood, of attempting to unite the various Peoples of the Sand. She foregoes sleep in her drive to lead them to safety from the storm and find food and water sources for them.

The storm increases its rage; Nour increases her efforts.

Will the storm or Nour win?

Will she ever get a chance to sleep?

[Logan Brice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shifting Sands
The third and final book of the desert shadows saga was an Intense Race Against Time! I thought that this book had a great pace filled with action and suspense through the dystopian post apocalypse world!Will Nour and Company make it out alive? Or will twisted betrayal seal their fate? This was a masterful ending to such a great series!

[Big Fat Hairy Man · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nour steadfastly leads the remaining members of her people through the ravages of the desert, fighting all kinds of hardships along the way. This is an intense tale with plenty of suspense and action along the way and an interesting ending.

I'm a member of the ARC team and have left an honest review voluntarily.

[Jo-Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice conclusion to the story. A lot of action and trouble, thoughts of despair. Nour has doubts she can do the right thing. The tribes have come together, but the alliance is on shaky ground. Survival is becoming more unsure. The writing certainly conveys all of the anxiety these situations would cause. I enjoyed the whole series.

[Sam]

A really great third part to this interesting post apocalyptic series! I did also enjoy this story, a great idea, a good mix of characters, quite high levels of angst but overall a really good fun read!

[Laurie Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent conclusion to this epic saga. Everything finally explained. I'm not saying more about the novel. Just make sure you read the full series in order.