Burning Glass - by Kathryn Purdie (Paperback)

About the Book

Tasked with sensing the intentions of would-be assassins, Sonya is under constant pressure to protect the emperor of Riaznin. But in a palace of warring emotions and looming darkness, Sonya fears that the biggest danger to the empire may be herself. When threats of revolution pit Emperor Valko against his younger brother Prince Anton, Sonya must choose which brother to trust.

Book Synopsis

Red Queen meets Shadow and Bone in this #1 New York Times bestselling debut about a girl forced to use her gift for sensing--and absorbing--other people's feelings to protect the empire from assassins.

Steeped in intrigue and betrayal, Burning Glass captivates with heartrending romance, dangerous magic, and one girl's quest for redemption.

In Riaznin, it's considered an honor for Auraseers like Sonya--girls with a rare form of synesthesia--to serve as the emperor's personal protector, constantly scanning for feelings of malice and bloodlust in the court. But Sonya would rather be free.

After the queen's murder and a tragic accident, Sonya is hauled off to the palace to guard a charming yet volatile new ruler. But Sonya's power is reckless and hard to control. She's often carried away by the intense passion of others.

And when a growing rebellion forces Sonya to side with either the emperor who trusts her or his mysterious brother, the crown prince, Sonya realizes she may be the key to saving the empire--or its greatest threat.

From the Back Cover

Sonya was born with the rare gift to feel what those around her feel, both physically and emotionally--a gift she's kept hidden from the empire for seventeen long years. But when a tragic accident pushes her into the spotlight, Sonya is hauled off to the palace and forced to serve the emperor as his sovereign Auraseer.

Tasked with sensing the intentions of would-be assassins, Sonya is under constant pressure to protect the emperor. But Sonya's power is untamed and reckless, and she can't always decipher where other people's impulses end and her own begin. In a palace full of warring emotions and looming darkness, Sonya fears that the biggest danger to the empire may be herself.

As she struggles to wrangle her abilities, Sonya seeks refuge in her tenuous alliances with the charming-yet-volatile Emperor Valko and his idealistic younger brother, Prince Anton. But when threats of revolution pit the two brothers against each other, Sonya must choose which brother to trust--and which to betray.

Steeped in intrigue and treachery, debut author Kathryn Purdie's stunning new fantasy trilogy captivates with heartrending romance, dangerous magic, and one girl's quest for redemption.

I couldn't say what urged me to show this stranger I was more than the pitiful girl staring back at him. I was. At least as far as he should believe. I pulled my spine erect, elongated my neck, and met his stare with every ember of fire burning within me.

Dare to think of me what you will, I hoped the look I gave him said. I am Sonya Petrova. And I am not broken.

"Dark, intricate, and utterly immersive, Burning Glass will draw you deep inside a world full of complex questions, heart-pounding action, and aching romance."--Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling coauthor of the award-winning These Broken Stars and Illuminae

"Richly imagined and darkly romantic."--Sara B. Larson, author of the Defy novels

Review Quotes

"Filled with mystery and intrigue, betrayal and passion, Purdie's political debut will sweep readers away to a world that is not that different from their own." -- School Library Journal

"Dark, intricate and utterly immersive, Burning Glass will take you on a journey you'll never forget. Heart-pounding action meets deadly intrigue and aching romance, drawing you deep inside a story full of complex questions." -- Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling co-author of the award-winning These Broken Stars, This Shattered World and Illuminae.

"Richly imagined, compelling, and darkly romantic, this book will leave you begging for more!" -- Sara B. Larson, author of the Defy trilogy

"I feel like BURNING GLASS has catered to all of my YA book needs: Russian-flavored fantasy, a neat but not overly complicated magic system, a flawed but wonderful heroine, and the only kind of love triangle I can enjoy (one involving competing brothers!)" -- Allison Senecal, Old Firehouse Books