• Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2023 May #2
  Prince Leander of Alinor is late making a sacrifice to the gods that has the power to stop a war. It's because he was partying, or so everyone assumes. That's certainly what Selly—a sailor on the cruise the prince has crashed—thinks happened. But as she gets to know the handsome stranger, along with a scholar who was definitely not the prince's friend back in school, she learns two things: the prince has hidden depths, and his mission is more dangerous than anyone knows. After an incident leaves the trio without a ship, they begin a perilous journey to the Isles of the Gods so that Leander can make his sacrifice, before a rival god awakens and triggers a war. Although the book is somewhat slow to start and keeping track of the five point-of-view characters can be confusing at times, the high-stakes quest and romance at the heart of the story make up for it. Kaufman's YA fantasy has sweeping adventure, sleeping gods, magic, and heartwarming love and friendship—a winner. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: With Jay Kristoff, Kaufman has penned multiple blockbuster series (the Illuminae Files; the Aurora Cycle). Kaufman's solo series starter should lure the same crowd. Grades 10-12. Copyright 2023 Booklist Reviews.

Amie Kaufman is the New York Times bestselling co-author of the Illuminae Files and the Aurora Cycle, with Jay Kristoff, and the Starbound, Unearthed, and Other Side of the Sky series with Meagan Spooner. Raised in Australia and occasionally Ireland, Amie has degrees in history, literature, law and conflict resolution, and is currently undertaking a PhD in Creative Writing. She lives in Melbourne with her husband, daughter and rescue dog, and an extremely large personal library.You can learn more about Amie at amiekaufman.com, on social, or via her podcast.