May 1, 2022
Exiled immortals and treacherous fae vie for power and dominance over the mortal world in this second installment of the Hollow Star Saga. Arlo Jarsdel, an ironborn on the cusp of Maturity, cast aside her fate, claiming the mantle of the Hollow Star to save herself and her friends from the machinations of Hieronymus Aurum, a practitioner of dark magic. Now, with the secret power to manipulate events through a magical 20-sided die, Arlo approaches a crossroads of possibilities. With an invitation from Riadne Lysterne--Seelie Queen of Summer, longtime enemy of Arlo's family, and mother of her new friend, Prince Vehan--Arlo finds herself thrust into high-stakes political intrigue and has an unprecedented opportunity to learn alchemy. Meanwhile, mysterious evidence suggests that the work of Hieronymus Aurum was only a small part of a much larger plot. Tension and suspense escalate as the chapters alternate between flashbacks and the perspectives of a cast of predominately White, queer characters with conventionally attractive muscular or thin bodies. A trail of clues tightly intertwines the world's history with the present conflict between the fae courts, ironborn alchemists, and immortals. The exploration of trauma and recovery is as significant as the overarching fantasy plot. Casual, affirming representation of queerness--as well as of the process of questioning sexuality--adds to the high appeal of the fraught, romantic drama. The villain is deliciously ruthless in her charisma and cruelty. A ferocious fantasy. (content warnings) (Fantasy. 14-18)
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