The Beckoning Shadow - by Katharyn Blair (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From debut author Katharyn Blair comes a heart-stopping fantasy novel, perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare and The Young Elites, about a teenage runaway who enters a dangerous tournament with an impossible prize.

Vesper Montgomery can summon your worst fear and turn it into a reality--but she's learned the hard way that it's an addicting and dangerous power. One wrong move and you could hurt someone you love.

But when she earns a spot in the Tournament of the Unraveling, where competitors battle it out for a chance to rewrite the past, Vesper finally has a shot to reverse the mistakes that have changed her forever.

She turns to Sam Hardy, a former MMA fighter who's also carrying a tragedy he desperately wants to undo. However, helping heal Sam's heart will mean breaking her own, and the competition forces her to master her powers--powers she has been terrified of since they destroyed her life.

Review Quotes

★"An extraordinary debut packed with richly drawn characters in a sure-to-entertain storyline." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

★"Interweaving excellent worldbuilding with the uncertainties of discipline, friendship, and taking ownership of one's decisions, Blair's debut will entrance and delight in equal measure." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"This story of magic, hope, death, friendship, and family...offer[s] a taste of the mystical, a great voice and dialogue, and well-written questions that address teen angst." -- School Library Journal

"Blair provides plenty of action, twists, and duplicity as the story unfolds, incorporating a complicated romance and even discussion of religion along the way." -- ALA Booklist

"Part fantasy, part battle royale, this gripping novel builds on the well-loved trope of mutant outcasts with unexplained powers but adds a worthy gladiatorial spin." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The Beckoning Shadow is a fast-paced, exciting debut with an awesome girl protagonist! I rooted for Vesper as she smashed her way through this vividly imagined story, and was left hoping for more!" -- S.J. Kincaid, New York Times bestselling author of The Diabolic

"An absolutely riveting, supercharged story set against a world of secretive and thoroughly badass magic-wielders. I adored Vesper for her toughness and vulnerable heart--I dare you not to fall for her, too." -- Lana Popoviç, author of Fierce like a Firestorm