Year of the Reaper: A rich and captivating YA standalone fantasy

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Description

In the aftermath of a devastating plague, a young lord is determined to discover the truth behind a mysterious attempt to assassinate the young queen.

Three years ago, young Lord Cassia disappeared in the midst of war. Since then, a devastating illness has swept the land, leaving countless dead and a kingdom forever altered. Having survived war and plague, Cas, now eighteen, wants only to return to his home in the mountains and forget past horrors. But home is not what he remembers.

His castle has become a refuge for the royal court. And they have brought their enemies with them.

An assassin targets those closest to the queen, drawing Cas into a search for a killer. With the help of a historian-in-training named Lena, he soon realizes that who is behind the attacks is far less important than why. Cas and Lena must look to the past, following the trail of a terrible secret - one that could threaten the kingdom's newfound peace and plunge it back into war.

Reviews

I love the magic Lucier weaves through this dark yet hopeful tale. I devoured it in one sitting! * Kristin Cashore, author of the New York Times bestselling Graceling Realm books *
A beautifully crafted novel containing everything I love in an epic fantasy: complex characters and relationships, excellent world building, and a compelling story full of twists and turns * Juliet Marillier, author of the Blackthorn & Grim and Warrior Bards series *
The gripping narrative glides along via Lucier's spare, deftly employed prose style, while Cas's fiercely affectionate relationship with his brother Ventillas lends the plot particular warmth, deepening its moving and thought-provoking depictions of variously traumatized characters * Publishers Weekly *

Author Bio

Makiia Lucier is the author of A Death-Struck Year, the Isle of Blood and Stone duology, and Year of the Reaper.

Her books have appeared on many notable lists, including the Kids' Indie Next, the American Booksellers Association's 'Best Books for Children,' and the American Library Association's 'Best Fiction for Young Adults.' A Death-Struck Year, her debut novel, is set in Portland, Oregon during the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. The world of St. John del Mar, in which Isle of Blood and Stone and Song of the Abyss take place, was inspired by a childhood love of the Indiana Jones movies, as well as a lifelong fascination with old, old maps.

Makiia grew up on the Pacific island of Guam and now lives with her family in North Carolina.