Sinner’s Isle

For the past 11 years, 18-year-old Rosalinda—one of the Majestics, witches who are both revered and feared by citizens of the Kingdom of Coronado—has been confined on Sinner’s Isle with other Majestics. She is dreading the upcoming Offering, an auction in which witches are sold to men in power who aim to use the girls’ gifts for their own gain. Unwilling to use her magic for evil and refusing to be bound to a man she hasn’t chosen, Rosa plots to escape the island. When her plans take a disheartening turn, she enlists the help of Mariano, the brooding “Prince of Pirates” who recently washed ashore and is fleeing his own demons. With only seven days before Rosa is sold to the highest bidder, the two—accompanied by Mariano’s mischievous best friend Santiago—tenaciously fight to free her from the isle and the kingdom’s sinister clutches. Debut author Montoya skillfully steeps this meticulously built mythical world in Latin American folklore and amorous atmosphere, making for a hopeful and deeply romantic adventure following one courageous girl’s fight to choose her own path. Characters read as Latinx. Ages 12–up. Agent: Larissa Melo Pienkow, Jill Grinberg Literary. (Oct.)