The Queen's Assassin
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
A New York Times and Indie Bestseller!
Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Red Queen, this is the first novel in a sweeping YA fantasy-romance duet about a deadly assassin, his mysterious apprentice, and the country they are sworn to protect from #1 NYT bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.
Caledon Holt is the kingdom's deadliest weapon. No one alive can best him in speed, strength, or brains, which is why he's the Hearthstone Guild's most dangerous member. Cal is also the Queen's Assassin, bound to her by magic and unable to leave her service until the task she's set for him is fulfilled.
Shadow of the Honey Glade has been training all her life to join the Guild, hoping that one day she'll become an assassin as feared and revered as Cal. But Shadow's mother and aunts expect her to serve the crown as a lady of the Renovian Court.
When a surprise attack brings Shadow and Cal together, they're forced to team up as assassin and apprentice. Even though Shadow's life belongs to the court and Cal's belongs to the queen, they cannot deny their attraction to each other. But now, with war on the horizon and true love at risk, Shadow and Cal will uncover a shocking web of lies that will change their paths forever.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Renovia's King Esban believes the contents of the Deian Scrolls, which hold all written magical knowledge, should be made public. The monks who benefit from and guard them, however, aim to monopolize magic, take out Renovia's royals, and commandeer the throne. When Esban perishes while attempting to liberate the scrolls, his advisor, Queen's Assassin Cordyn Holt, swears a blood vow to finish the task. Regrettably, Cordyn dies before doing so, which means that his 19-year-old son, Caledon, must fulfill the promise. Meanwhile, Shadow, 18, who yearns for adventure and life as an assassin, receives orders to join the Queen at court. When Cal's crusade lands him in prison, Shadow runs away, hoping to stage a jailbreak and become Cal's apprentice. But, as Cal can attest, fate resists circumvention. After a dense, mythology-rich setup, de la Cruz (The Birthday Girl) shifts the tale's focus to Cal and Shadow's developing romance and their action-packed quest. Alternating narratives keep the pace zippy, and though the conclusion is abrupt and somewhat arbitrary, it neatly sets the scene for book two of this planned duology. Ages 14 up.)
