The Third Daughter

In the Kingdom of Velle, a prophecy states that Princess Brianne Warnou, the youngest of three princesses, is the long-awaited reincarnation of the New Maiden, a magically gifted prophet and now the rightful heir to the throne. Though Brianne’s station is considered a boon to the kingdom, her coronation inspires fear in eldest princess Elodie, 17, who worries that her 13-year-old sister’s appointed corrupt Queen Regent spells disaster for Velle. Desperate, Elodie visits 17-year-old apothecary Sabine to buy a sleeping potion to use on Brianne, hoping a temporary sleep will afford Elodie enough time to usurp the throne. But when Sabine, whose sadness can be used as a poisonous magical draught, accidentally mixes up the potion with a vial of her tears, Brianne is sent into an unbreakable sleep that the regent uses to cement his power. As Elodie and Sabine search for a remedy, they’re roped into a centuries-long conspiracy with horrific implications. While slight worldbuilding occasionally causes confusion, this sprawling fantasy by Tooley (Sofi and the Bone Song), told in alternating third-person narration that features excerpts from Brianne’s dreams and Velle’s historical New Maiden scriptures, features frothy romance and charismatic, take-charge heroines. Major characters read as white. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (July)