One of my absolute favorite books is Of Fire and Ash, by Gillian Bronte Adams. It is a Christian fantasy, set amid the untamed horse lands of Soldenia and the quiet Que tribes.
An Empire is slowly taking over the world. The book follows the paths of three characters—Rafi, Jakim, and Ceridwin—as they fight desperately against the Empire’s tightening grasp. As the story moves forward, each character faces life changing decisions and crucial realizations. Ceridwin must take up a crown and learn to love again. Rafi has to choose wether to flee or fight. Jakim struggles to find Aodh’s hand in all things. The end is full of cliffhanger after cliffhanger.
Of Fire and Ash is a super good book, but it’s a little gory, and I would probably recommend it for slightly older audiences. (12-13 and up)
Rafi, Jakim, and Ceridwin are great characters, with really interesting story arcs, and the book is full of good messages about courage and peace. I don’t even know how many times I’ve read it.
You can find it on Amazon and gillianbronteadams.com