Princess of Souls

August 22, 2022
Teenagers battle a tyrannical, undying king in this starry-eyed, “Rapunzel”–inspired standalone by Christo (the Into the Crooked Place series). Pale-skinned Selestra Somniatis spends most days confined to a tower on Floating Mountain, waiting to replace her mother, Theola, as King Seryth’s witch, a position whose duties include prophesying deaths in the annual Festival of Predictions. Participants must survive three potentially fatal encounters over a fortnight, one of which Theola foretells. Should they perish, their soul will be devoured by Seryth to extend his life. Those who live, however, are granted a wish and given the opportunity to let the king and his army hunt them until month’s end. Seryth will cede his immortality to anyone who bests him—a never-before-achieved feat—but light-brown-skinned soldier Nox Laederic, hoping to avenge his father’s murder, is determined to be the first. When Selestra delivers Nox’s prediction as practice, she intertwines their fates, and the pair are forced to work together or perish. While the plot is predictable, vividly rendered backdrops and plentiful action coupled with Selestra and Nox’s alternating first-person accounts and snarky banter candidly chronicle their heady burgeoning romance. Ages 13–up. Agent: Emmanuelle Morgen, Stonesong.

October 1, 2022

Gr 8 Up-At 16, Selestra is two years away from her full powers, when her green hair, pale skin, and yellow snakelike eyes will mark her as the king's witch. But when the immortal king demands she prove herself at the Festival of Predictions, her first prophecy entwines her fate with that of the midnight-haired, brown-skinned Nox, the kingdom's best soldier who's out for vengeance. Determined to keep them both alive, Selestra agrees to help Nox, and they set off on a quest for a mythical sword that could end the king's brutal reign once and for all. Highlighted by fun, snappy banter and themes of legacy, sacrifice, parental love, and expectation, the individual growth and unwilling alliance of Selestra and Nox are the book's primary focus, albeit at the expense of more fully developing side characters. Christo's writing is evocative and propulsive, whisking characters from one heart-stopping confrontation to the next as the story builds to its final, though rushed and somewhat overstuffed, act; she showcases skillful worldbuilding with tantalizing lore and magic systems. VERDICT This novel immerses readers in a vivid world of cursed witches, ruthless kings, and unimaginable power. Fans of Christo's To Kill a Kingdom will delight in returning to this universe, and readers of fairy-tale retellings and fast-paced YA fantasy will find this a unique, compelling reimagining of the classic Rapunzel tale.-Madeline Newquist

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 23, 2022
Grades 9-12 In this reimagined Rapunzel story, set in the same world as Christo's To Kill a Kingdom (2018), pale-skinned, green-haired, snake-eyed Selestra knows that her destiny is to become the king's witch like her mother, doomed to foretell the deaths of hundreds of people, most of whom will have their souls consumed to maintain King Seryth's immortality. Selestra's reading of magnetic Last Army soldier Nox reveals that their fates are inextricably intertwined, and as they try to escape their deaths, a spark of attraction grows into something incendiary. Dual perspectives keep the narrative moving, and vibrant imagery combined with humorous banter and excellent interpersonal chemistry will make this a joy for fans of slow-burn romances. Selestra's and Nox's matching reckless, sharp-witted spirits and never-ending sarcasm, along with lovable secondary characters Irenya and Micah, prop up a somewhat lackluster plot. The romance is definitely the highlight in this epic retelling.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.