Vow of the Shadow King

Picking up immediately after the events of Mercedes’s Bride of the Shadow King and paying quiet homage to the Hades and Persephone myth, this captivating romantasy brings readers to the underground kingdom of Mythanar. Still a pawn in her father’s ever-growing war with the fae, heroine Faraine finds herself both a prisoner of the shadow realm governed by her new husband, Vor, and drawn into its politics. As governmental disputes and fanatical religious movements rock the new couple’s nascent relationship, the pair must find a way to trust each other if they hope to survive the volatile court. Meanwhile, Faraine’s gods-gift, which was debilitating in the human realm, begins to evolve in her new home in ways that confound, and an unknown poison is affecting mythical creatures. Epic, bloody battles pave the way for character growth throughout, and readers will fall in love with the expanded secondary cast, including Vor’s brother, Sul, and his trusted guard, Hael. Mercedes skillfully unfolds the mysteries of Mythanar but leaves the answers to come. Readers will be on the edges of their seats. Agent: Amanda Jain, BookEnds Literary. (Jan.)