Synopses & Reviews
From New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston comes this remarkable first book in a spellbinding new series about the dawn of a new kind of magic. Welcome to New Vegas, a city once covered in bling, now blanketed in ice. Like much of the destroyed planet, the place knows only one temperaturefreezing. But some things never change. The diamond in the ice desert is still a 24-hour hedonistic playground and nothing keeps the crowds away from the casino floors, never mind the rumors about sinister sorcery in its shadows.
At the heart of this city is Natasha Kestal, a young blackjack dealer looking for a way out. Like many, she's heard of a mythical land simply called the Blue.” They say its a paradise, where the sun still shines and the waters are turquoise. More importantly, its a place where Nat wont be persecuted, even if her darkest secret comes to light.
But passage to the Blue is treacherous, if not impossible, and her only shot is to bet on a ragtag crew of mercenaries led by a cocky runner named Ryan Wesson to take her there. Danger and deceit await on every corner, even as Nat and Wes find themselves inexorably drawn to each other. But can true love survive the lies? Fiery hearts collide in this fantastic tale of the evil men do and the awesome power within us all.
The mix of adventure and fantasy will have you addicted!”
Seventeen.com
A one-sitting read. The world-building in Frozen is absolutely addictive. You'll really feel like you're traveling through this frozen, post-apocalyptic country (with) the setting, the realistic characters and the fast pace.”
Romantic Times
Fans of The Hunger Games will no doubt enjoy sinking their teeth into this exciting book.”
SLJ
Review
* “A story that transcends the genre with its emotional and philosophical weight.”—
BCCB (starred review)
* “Devastating and heartbreaking.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* “Brilliantly detailed and brimming with vibrant and dynamic characters.”—SLJ, starred review
* “Fans of . . .intricate political fantasies will relish this novel of palace intrigue.”— Publishers Weekly, starred review
“An exceptional book: heartbreaking, deep, and beautiful.”—wandsandworlds.com
“Cashore is wonderful, tough and nuanced—everything you could want from a writer.”—Junot Díaz, author of This is How You Lose Her
Review
Praise for Heart of Dread Book 1: Frozen: “The mix of adventure and fantasy will have you addicted!” —Seventeen.com
“A one-sitting read. The world-building in Frozen is absolutely addictive. You'll really feel like you're traveling through this frozen, post-apocalyptic country (with) the setting, the realistic characters and the fast pace.” —Romantic Times
“The well-paced action is taut, the characters diverse and finely drawn. And while this is a multiple book series, the ending of this first story is fully satisfying and doesn't leave the reader dangling until the sequel comes out.” —New York Journal of Books
“Fans of The Hunger Games will no doubt enjoy sinking their teeth into this exciting book.”
—School Library Journal
“De la Cruz and Johnston score a hit. The action soon accelerates and readers will find themselves completely immersed in the authors dangerous world. Lots of fun.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
Incarceron is a prison so vast that it contains not only cells, but also metal forests, dilapidated cities, and vast wilderness. Finn, a 17-year-old prisoner, has no memory of his childhood and is sure that he came from Outside Incarceron. And then Finn finds a crystal key that allows him to communicate with a girl who claims to live on the Outside.
Synopsis
Incarceron is a prison so vast that it contains not only cells and corridors, but metal forests, dilapidated cities, and wilderness. It has been sealed for centuries, and only one man has ever escaped. Finn has always been a prisoner here. Although he has no memory of his childhood, he is sure he came from Outside. His link to the Outside, his chance to break free, is Claudia, the warden's daughter, herself determined to escape an arranged marriage. They are up against impossible odds, but one thing looms above all: Incarceron itself is alive . . .
Synopsis
Enter the Graceling Realm and let it work its magic . . . When Queen Bitterblue took the throne of Monsea, she was a child, and her advisers ran the kngdom for her. Now she is beginning to question their decisions, especially how they handle the legacy of her father Leck, who who ruled through his Gracea special talent for mind-alteringand his taste for darkness and violence. Bitterblue needs to know Monseas past to lead it into the future, so she begins exploring the city sreets at night, disguised and alone. As she does, she meets two thieves, who hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.
Bitterblue is unforgettablea gateway to the Graceling Realm that braids together magic, memory, and romance.
Synopsis
The powerful conclusion to Robin LaFever's New York Times bestselling His Fair Assassins trilogy.
Synopsis
A supernatural coming of age novel—the first book in a dynamic and dramatic new series—about the shy Celia Balaustine and a mysterious group of misfits at her new high school, Suburban High.
Synopsis
Shy Celia Balaustine is new to Suburban High, but a mysterious clique of students called the Rosary has befriended her. Celia soon discovers something is not quite right at Suburban. Girls at the school begin having near-fatal accidents on the eve of their sixteenth birthdays. As Celias own birthday approaches, she is drawn into an underground conflict between the Kind and the Unkind that bubbles beneath Suburban High. References to music, art, and intriguing underworld mythology make this series debut a page-turner.
Synopsis
Incarceron is a prison so vast that it contains not only cells and corridors, but metal forests, dilapidated cities, and wilderness. It has been sealed for centuries, and only one man has ever escaped. Finn has always been a prisoner here. Although he has no memory of his childhood, he is sure he came from Outside. His link to the Outside, his chance to break free, is Claudia, the warden's daughter, herself determined to escape an arranged marriage. They are up against impossible odds, but one thing looms above all: Incarceron itself is alive . . .
Synopsis
Enter the Graceling Realm and let it work its magic . . . When Queen Bitterblue took the throne of Monsea, she was a child, and her advisers ran the kngdom for her. Now she is beginning to question their decisions, especially how they handle the legacy of her father Leck, who who ruled through his Gracea special talent for mind-alteringand his taste for darkness and violence. Bitterblue needs to know Monseas past to lead it into the future, so she begins exploring the city sreets at night, disguised and alone. As she does, she meets two thieves, who hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.
Bitterblue is unforgettablea gateway to the Graceling Realm that braids together magic, memory, and romance.
Synopsis
In the powerful conclusion to Robin LaFever's New York Times bestselling His Fair Assassins trilogy, Annith has watched her gifted sisters at the convent come and go, carrying out their dark dealings in the name of St. Mortain, patiently awaiting her own turn to serve Death. But her worst fears are realized when she discovers she is being groomed by the abbess as a Seeress, to be forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent. Feeling sorely betrayed, Annith decides to strike out on her own. She has spent her whole life training to be an assassin. Just because the convent has changed its mind, doesn’t mean she has.
About the Author
Kristin Cashore grew up in the northern Pennsylvania countryside, the second of four daughters. She received a bachelors degree from Williams College and a masters from the Center of the Study of Childrens Literature at Simmons College, and she has worked as a dog runner, a packer in a candy factory, an editorial assistant, a legal assistant, and a freelance writer. She has lived in many places (including Sydney, New York City, Boston, London, Austin, and Jacksonville, Florida), and she currently lives in the Boston area.
Her interntaionally best-selling novels, Graceling and Fire, have received multiple starred reviews. Their awards and citations include being named ALA Best Books for Young Adults, Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, Booklist Editors Choices, an Andre Norton Award Finalist (Graceling), and winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award (Fire).
Kristin Cashore can be found online at kristincashore.blogspot.com, and on Twitter as @kristincashore.