Heartseeker

In an elegantly written debut filled with adventure and coming-of-age challenges, Beatty introduces readers to a fraught new world. From the time she was seven, Only Fallow has known she was different. She can see the lies people tell as colors, an ability her grandmother begs her to keep hidden. After her two new friends are kidnapped by the king’s men, Only’s protected life begins to unravel, beginning with the disappearance of her eldest brother and culminating in her summons to the capital to serve as a royal Mayquin, or truth seeker. The journey to the king is fraught with danger, betrayal, and an introduction to a world far bigger and more interesting than Only’s family farm. Only’s transition from a pampered younger daughter to a young woman, newly aware of discrimination and injustice, is conveyed with persuasive nuance. Beatty creates a cast of memorable characters and entrancingly vivid settings, immersing readers in a magical realm worth revisiting. Ages 8–up. [em]Agent: Jen Linnan, Linnan Literary Management (June) [/em]