Books
This YA Historical Fantasy Is For Anyone Who's A Fan Of 'And I Darken'
When it was published in 2014, Makiia Lucier's debut A Death-Struck Year swept young readers off their feet and into the past during one of the deadliest pandemics in history for a heart-pounding life-or-death adventure unlike anything else. Now, the critically acclaimed author is back with another thrilling historical journey filled with action, romance, intrigue, and even a touch of the fantastic. Isle of Blood and Stone hits shelves next April from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, but Bustle has a sneak-peak at the highly anticipated novel with an exclusive cover reveal for Lucier's upcoming novel below.
The first in a planned duology, Isle of Blood and Stone is an action-packed historical fantasy that follows the adventures of nineteen-year-old Elias, a royal mapmaker and confidant of the newly crowned king, as he sets out on an epic journey to uncover the truth about his long-lost father and two missing princes. It has been eighteen years since Elias's father Lorn Antoni, the del Marian royal navigator, and two del Marian princes were kidnapped and supposedly murdered by a rival neighboring nation. For nearly two decades, the tragedy has shaped not only Elias's life, but the lives of Ulises, the youngest and only remaining prince, and Mercedes, a half-Mondragan, half-del Marian girl forced to live in a world filled with hate for her people. When two mysterious maps that appear to have been drawn by Elias's father are discovered bearing identical riddles on them, questions about the past and what really happened to Lord Antoni and the two young princes draw Elias into a heart-pounding mission to find the truth. Accompanied by the king's beautiful cousin, Elias must race against the clock to find out what really happened all those years ago, and whether or not his father is still alive.
An exhilarating tale of fantasy, political intrigue, fearless explorers, and heart-thumping romance, Isle of Blood and Stone is perfect for fans of And I Darken and Grave Mercy. You can get a sneak-peak at the gorgeous cover for the upcoming novel below:
Isle of Blood and Stone by Makiia Lucier, $17.99, Amazon
Is the cover stunning or what? I don't know about your, but I am getting some serious Game of Thrones vibes from the fantastic design. Is that a dragon on the front, or some kind of fierce sea creature? Whatever the beast may be, readers can only assume it will play a big part in the epic adventure the heroes from Isle of Blood and Stone go on, and I for one can't wait to find out how!
Isle of Blood and Stone is the sophomore novel from Lucier, whose 2014 debut about the deadly flu pandemic of 1918 was published to critical acclaim. A Death-Struck Year was a finalist for the Georgia Peach Book Award, Japan's Sakura Medal, and the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis, Germany's top book prize for children. It was also named an ABC Best Books for Children Selection by the American Booksellers Association , and School Library Journal proclaimed it "deserves a place in all high school collections" in their starred review.
If Lucier's new series is anything like her last, readers are going to love getting lost in a riveting tale drenched in detail and bursting with heart-pounding fun. A Death-Struck Year proved the author has a flair for dramatic plotting, a knack for creating memorable characters, and true talent for worldbuilding. Fans will likely find all that and even more in Isle of Blood and Stone as Lucier launches her historical fantasy duology next year.
Are you ready to put this beautiful and exciting story on your TBR list? Isle of Blood and Stone hits store shelves April 2018.
