Heart of the Shadow King

Mercedes’s thrilling trilogy comes to an electrifying conclusion (after Vow of the Shadow King) that doubles down on adventure, romance, magic, and intrigue. As “the stirrings,” a series of earthquakes signaling the waking of a sleeping dragon, continue to rumble through Mythanar, reluctantly married rulers Vor and Faraine work side by side to save their land—while desperately trying not to invoke the magic binding them together. A chance parting from Vor gives Faraine time to explore her gods-gift and how it interacts with the sacred urzul crystals with the help of Maylin, a kindly old witch. Everything, however, is not as it seems, especially when it comes to Vor’s family and loved ones. Mercedes builds on the strength of the previous installments, loading this grand finale with twists, angst, and swoon-worthy moments. Dips into the lives of secondary characters add richness and depth—and tease a spin-off series with a different protagonist. This is an epic love story that fans will return to again and again. Agent: Amanda Jain, BookEnds Literary. (Feb.)