The Darkening Series

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THE LIGHTSTRUCK

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THE DARKENING

  • In this thrilling and epic YA fantasy debut, the only hope for a city trapped in the eye of a cursed storm lies with the daughter of failed revolutionaries and a prince terrified of his throne.

    Vesper Vale is the daughter of revolutionaries. Failed revolutionaries. When her mother was caught by the queen’s soldiers, they gave her a choice: death by the hangman’s axe, or death by the Storm that surrounds the city and curses anyone it touches. She chose the Storm. And when the queen’s soldiers—led by a paranoid prince—catch up to Vesper’s father after twelve years on the run, Vesper will do whatever it takes to save him from sharing that fate.

    Even arm herself with her father’s book of dangerous experimental magic.

    Even infiltrate the prince’s elite squad of soldier-sorcerers.

    Even cheat her way into his cold heart.

    But when Vesper learns that there’s more to the story of her mother’s death, she’ll have to make a choice if she wants to save her city: trust the devious prince with her family’s secrets, or follow her mother’s footsteps into the Storm.

  • In this epic sequel and conclusion to the Darkening duology, which has been called “enchanting and wildly clever” (Ayana Gray, New York Times bestselling author of Beasts of Prey), Vesper Vale, once savior to a city plagued by cursed storms, finds herself facing an even more sinister threat when an ominous light summoned by the Great King seizes control of the city.

    Vesper Vale sacrificed everything to save her city from the cursed storm. After becoming a vessel of The Great Queen, Vesper awakes from a slumber three years after her life altering choice.

    What she finds isn’t a home freed from the terror of the storm, but one where its citizens are besieged by the even more sinister force of The Great King and his growing army of the lightstruck—once regular citizens who are now controlled by the ominous light encroaching on the city. And the people are all looking to Vesper, now revered as a goddess after her sacrifice, as their city’s only hope.

    To save the rings from the Great King, Vesper must contend with the obligations of being a deity to her people and the growing chasm between her and Dalca, the prince she swore never to love. Haunted by the guilt of their past choices and faced with the pressures of a city near ruin, Vesper and Dalca find themselves torn between the growing factions within the city and the royal court.

    But in order to save her city from the light, Vesper must face the power most outside of her control—the goddess within.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

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Praise for The Darkening

  • “A world that will ensnare you from the first page. The Darkening is at once a grand epic and an intimate adventure, following a brave band of heroes fighting their innermost curses”

    Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

  • “A thrilling, fast-paced adventure by an exciting new voice. Mara has crafted a brutal, richly-woven world balanced by the most lush and beautiful prose.The Darkening is a wild and thrilling ride, with twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat and an ending that’ll have you begging for the sequel.”

    Adalyn Grace, New York Times bestselling author of Belladonna

  • “An enchanting and wildly clever debut, Mara’s The Darkening delivers on every promise. From its storm-tossed world, to its lyrical prose, to its propulsive, electrifying plot, readers will find themselves utterly ensnared by this book—it is a true masterclass in young adult fantasy.”

    Ayana Gray, New York Times-bestselling author of Beasts of Prey

  • "Sunya Mara's gripping debut is a delight: fast-paced, wildly creative and captivating. The world of The Darkening is wonderfully atmospheric - a ringed city ravaged by an endless cursed storm. It's the perfect backdrop for a brilliantly twisting plot that links the daughter of failed revolutionaries with a prince of the royal family they tried to overthrow. The Darkening is the best kind of read: a rollercoaster of adventure and romance."

    Vanessa Len, author of Only a Monster

  • "Fresh and viciously clever, Mara's debut offers a world brimming with fury, characters you'd follow into any storm, and twists that'll keep you guessing to the very last page - where you'll promptly demand the sequel."

    Kate Dylan, author of Mindwalker

  • "The Darkening is a thrilling adventure that will draw readers in like the enchanted storm threatening Vesper's world."

    Emily Thiede, author of This Vicious Grace