A Shadow Bright and Burning
Books | Juvenile Fiction / Fantasy & Magic
3.5
(146)
Jessica Cluess
'Vivid characters, terrifying monsters, and world building as deep and dark as the ocean.' Victoria Aveyard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Red Queen I am Henrietta Howel. The first female sorcerer in ages. The prophesied one. Or am I? Henrietta can burst into flames. Forced to reveal her power to save a friend, she’s shocked when, instead of being executed, she’s invited to train as one of Her Majesty’s royal sorcerers. Thrust into the glamour of Victorian London, Henrietta is declared the girl who will defeat the Ancients, bloodthirsty demons terrorising humanity. Her fellow trainees are handsome young men, eager to test her power and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. But Henrietta Howel is not the chosen one. As she plays a dangerous game of deception, she discovers the sorcerers have their own secrets to protect. With battle looming, how much will she risk to save the city – and the one she loves?Exhilarating and gripping, Jessica Cluess's spellbinding fantasy introduces a powerful, unforgettable heroine, and a world filled with magic, romance, and betrayal. 'Unputdownable. I loved the monsters, the magic, and the teen warriors who are their world's best hope! Jessica Cluess is an awesome storyteller!' Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author 'A fun, inventive fantasy. I totally have a book crush on Rook.' Sarah Rees Brennan, New York Times bestselling author 'Pure enchantment. I love how Cluess turned the "chosen one" archetype on its head. With the emotional intensity of my favorite fantasy books, this is the kind of story that makes you forget yourself.' Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen 'A glorious, fast-paced romp of an adventure. Jessica Cluess has built her story out of my favorite ingredients: sorcery, demons, romance, and danger.' Kelly Link, author of Pretty Monsters 'Henrietta is pragmatic and bitingly funny, and she more than holds her own in a man's world. Cluess gamely turns the chosen-one trope upside down in this smashing dark fantasy.' Publishers Weekly, Starred Review '[Cluess's] gaslit world besieged by Lovecraft-ian horrors possesses vivid life . . . an elegantly addictive read.' Kirkus Reviews
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More Details:
Author
Jessica Cluess
Pages
416
Publisher
Penguin Random House Australia
Published Date
2016-10-30
ISBN
0143784749 9780143784746
Community ReviewsSee all
"DNF at about 50%-I was intrigued by how the MCs magic differs from the sorcerer men, but other than that... It was all just very predictable. I wasn’t invested in the characters and just felt like I didn’t want to suffer the precocious high school aged boys and blatantly sexist older men in this book that the main character unfortunately had to suffer!"
Reading into the Void
"Cluess book is enchanting to say the least. I thoroughly enjoyed losing myself in the creative and thought provoking storyline. I had originally picked up book to realizing right away that I was missing part of the story. I'm glad i paused to start the story from the beginning. A great YA reward."
Tanya Grayson Andoniadis
"It was good, very YA. This series shows a woman in the face of sexism as she learns to kick ass and build relationships while protecting life altering secrets. This book is a easy read. "
Jessica Young
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