Among the Beasts & Briars - by Ashley Poston (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Cerys is safe in the Kingdom of Aloriya. Here there are no droughts, disease, or famine, and peace is everlasting. It has been this way for hundreds of years, since the first king made a bargain with the Lady who ruled the forest that borders the kingdom. But as Aloriya prospered, the woods grew dark, cursed, and forbidden. Cerys knows this all too well: when she was young, she barely escaped as the woods killed her friends and her mother. Now Cerys carries a small bit of the curse--the magic--in her blood, a reminder of the day she lost everything"--Publisher marketing.

Book Synopsis

Ashley Poston, acclaimed author of Heart of Iron, returns with a dark, lush fairy tale-inspired fantasy for fans of Sara Raasch and Susan Dennard.

Cerys is safe in the Kingdom of Aloriya. Here there are no droughts, disease, or famine, and peace is everlasting. It has been this way for hundreds of years, since the first king made a bargain with the Lady who ruled the forest that borders the kingdom. But as Aloriya prospered, the woods grew dark, cursed, and forbidden.

Cerys knows this all too well: When she was young, she barely escaped as the woods killed her friends and her mother. Now Cerys carries a small bit of the curse--the magic--in her blood, a reminder of the day she lost everything.

As a new queen is crowned, however, things long hidden in the woods descend on the kingdom itself. Cerys is forced on the run, her only companions a small and irritating fox from the royal garden and the magic in her veins. It's up to her to find the legendary Lady of the Wilds and beg for a way to save her home.

But the road is darker and more dangerous than she knows, and as secrets from the past are uncovered amid the teeth and roots of the forest, it's going to take everything she has just to survive.

Review Quotes

"Among the Beasts and Briars is an utterly enchanting read, brimming with wild magic, whimsy, and heart. I adored every page." -- Margaret Rogerson, New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens and Sorcery of Thorns

"Poston has created a fairy tale that blooms like a rose with soft petals, sharp thorns, and an intoxicating perfume that draws you close. Charming from curse to kiss!" -- Natalie C. Parker, author of the Seafire Trilogy

"A deliciously dark coming-of-age fairy tale brimming with magic, monsters, and hope." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Poston presents a true fairy tale, with transformations, unlikely love, and magical artifacts that are not what they seem. The pacing never lags, and readers will find themselves catching their breath as events escalate." -- ALA Booklist