A War of Fractured Souls (on sub)
Mulan meets Hannah Kaner’s GODKILLER in A WAR OF FRACTURED SOULS, an adult romantic fantasy, complete at 115k words, the first book of a proposed trilogy.
Twenty-five-year-old Sascha Willard would do anything to keep her family together in the midst of a protracted war. When all military age-males are conscripted to serve at the behest of the crown, Sascha makes a drunken bargain with Zafira, the Goddess of Death to ensure their protection and flees their hometown, joining the army in place of her younger brother, but for a price—kill the king. As Sascha is honed into a tool of the crown, her training is derailed by the interference of gods’ blessed humans and a secret society—the New Age—who may have motivations of their own, but are united in one cause: to deter her kingdom's victory. As Sascha struggles to survive—and maintain her disguise—with her handsome commanding officer tugging at her heartstrings, proof of her king’s villainous plans come to light, and, the even more nefarious machinations of her deal with Zafira: that she, like the other gods’ blessed humans, will perish if they do not fulfill the terms of their deals struck with the gods. Sascha, with the help of one of Zafira’s defected minions, must risk everything—even her allegiances—for her freedom, her life, and peace.
Notable elements, tropes, tags: Magic that exacts a toll, manipulative gods, high stakes, Lovers-to-Enemies, Only One Bed
Shattering Infinity (edits)
Freya Marske’s A MARVELLOUS LIGHT meets V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic series in SHATTERING INFINITY, a new adult romantasy standalone at 97k words, with potential for an optional sequel.
In a world where magic is rare, people (the Many) are categorized into two groups: the Magical Few, and the Without. The Magical Few are ‘welcomed’ into a royally subsidized organization—The Order of Mages—that molds its members to serve the crown, and its interests, above all. But for all that the Order provides, it takes in equal measure, and Lorcan, the unofficial ‘shining star’ of his generation, feels this pressure more than anyone else. When Lorcan’s mentor, Diana, is on the cusp of creating an invention to give the king’s Without son, Henry, the ability to access magic at his fingertips, her negligence causes the death of Lorcan’s friend at a demonstration to the king. This, along with the Order’s unreasonable expectations, prompts Lorcan to leave the Order. Years later, with Diana imprisoned for her crimes, Lorcan is suddenly whisked back to the royal capital by the king after Diana has escaped prison and trapped one of her inventions on Henry. They hope, with Lorcan’s knowledge of Diana’s inventions, that they can remove the ring and save Henry, but as Lorcan tries to break the binding spell on Henry’s ring, it becomes clear that Diana not has higher motives outside of revenge, but also a very powerful Order mage in her corner, helping her actualize their plans to seize the throne, and plunge the kingdom into a darker, solely Magicked future.
Notable elements, tropes, tags: High stakes, cursed objects, toxic work culture and professional burnout, new beginnings