A captivating nautical fantasy opens with an ancient human sacrifice to the gods, serving as warning that in this imaginary kingdom, the gods must be remembered. Fast forward 501 years: A key ritual has been overlooked, leaving dashing Prince Leander of Alinor (brown-skinned) fumbling to make up for his forgotten royal duty. Selly (white), a whip-smart sailor who has no time for the entitled class, is determined to prove her sea captain abilities. When Prince Leander commandeers her boat for secret passage to complete his sacrificial task, Selly is not having it. But before she can resist his arrogant maneuver, a deadly explosion rocks the harbor and they barely escape with their lives. The brisk pace of this richly written fantasy is fueled by treason plans and political power grabs. Multidimensional secondary characters, each with their own secrets, add to the drama of the seafaring quest. Magic and romance are also at play, adding to the suspense of this race-against-time novel, the first in a series. (Age 12 and older)

Looking for a sweeping summer read? Magic, romance, and slumbering gods clash in this riveting romantasy about a seafaring girl and a playboy prince who band together in a precarious journey. From the New York Times bestselling author of the Aurora Cycle and the Illuminae Files.

Selly has salt water in her veins. So when her father leaves her high and dry in the port of Kirkpool, she has no intention of riding out the winter at home while he sails off to adventure. But any plans to follow him are dashed when a handsome stranger with tell-tale magician's marks on his arm commandeers her ship. He is Prince Leander of Alinor and he needs to cross the Crescent Sea without detection so he can complete a ritual on the sacred Isles of the Gods. Selly has no desire to escort a spoiled prince anywhere, and no time for his entitled demands or his good looks. But what starts as a leisure cruise will lead to acts of treason and sheer terror on the high seas, bringing two countries to the brink of war, two strangers closer than they ever thought possible and stirring two dangerous gods from centuries of slumber...