Creatures of the Malignant Thicket by Demetria Meltinos

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Humans and dinosaurs should have never lived at the same time, but here they are: surviving together in precarious harmony. Fara Adven is a fierce advocate for the protection of Dinosaurs—despite the fact that she is orphaned because of them. When a stampede breaches the City-State walls, Fara doesn’t think twice before stepping in to stop it. In the wake of destruction, Fara’s discovery of a dinosaur hybrid becomes a beacon of hope for her, and a target for those seeking power. The political conflict with Metanoia, a neighboring City-State coveting their land, escalates as they learn of Fara’s unique charge and her unparalleled understanding of dinosaur behavior. They aim to exploit her knowledge to domesticate dinosaurs for their own ends. As Fara raises the dinosaur hybrid, finding in it a kindred spirit and a reason to look beyond her grief, she must navigate a treacherous path between safeguarding her new companion and preventing her enemies from using her abilities to tip the balance of power. Will her determination and unique bond with the hybrid lead to a new era of coexistence, or will it ignite a war that could spell the end for both species? Echoing the emotional depth and resilience found in Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent and the complex, richly drawn conflicts of The Grey Gates series by Vanessa Nelson, The Mesozoic is an action-packed fantasy novel that delves into themes of survival, the quest for understanding, and the fight for a better future.