Description:
"Wonderfully lush and enthralling." --Erin A. Craig, New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows
From the author of Crown of Coral and Pearl comes an immersive new fantasy about a witch who must learn to harness her power--or risk losing her loved ones forever.
Liora has spent her life in hiding, knowing discovery could mean falling prey to the king's warlock, Darius, who uses mages' magic to grow his own power. But when her worst nightmare comes to pass, Darius doesn't take her. Instead, he demands that her younger sister return to the capital with him. To make matters worse, Evran, Liora's childhood friend and the only one who knows her secret, goes missing following Darius's visit, leaving her without anyone to turn to.
To find Evran and to save her sister, Liora must embrace the power she has always feared. But the greatest danger she'll face is yet to come, for Darius has plans in motion that will cause the world to fall into chaos--and Liora and Evran may be the only ones who can stop him.
"A beautiful, enchanting tale of a young woman coming into her own powers. Luminous shines as brightly as its heroine." --Joan He, New York Times bestselling author of The Ones We're Meant to Find
"Shining prose, radiant characters, and a love story that burns bright." --Elly Blake, New York Times bestselling author of the Frostblood Saga
Brief description:
Mara Rutherford began her writing career as a journalist but quickly discovered she far preferred fantasy to reality. Originally from California, Mara has since lived all over the world with her Marine-turned-diplomat husband. A triplet born on Leap Day, Mara holds a master''s degree in cultural studies from the University of London. When she''s not writing or chasing after her two sons, she can usually be found pushing the boundaries of her comfort zone, whether at a traditional Russian banya or an Incan archaeological site.
Mara Rutherford resides in Rome, Italy
Review Quotes:
"Narrator Amanda Dolan shows Liora's transition from ignorance to discovery of her magical powers. Narrating from Liora's point of view, Dolan adopts a fast pace that is consistent with the girl's impatience to grow up. Dolan starts by portraying Liora as terribly naïve, but she soon gains maturity in this coming-of-age story full of young love, adventure, and monsters. There is no doubt that Darius, the king's magician, is the personification of evil. Yet Dolan is able to bring the listener glimpses of his humanity."
-- "AudioFile"