King of Ravens

Sager (A Promise of Lies) launches a darkly seductive romantasy series with this impressive reimagining of the Hades and Persephone myth. Thirty-something recluse Annon’s quiet seaside life is dominated by a wasting sickness, until Drystan, a cold and imperious fae king, arrives to claim her as his bride, citing a long ago bargain made with her father. Dragged to Drystan’s Underworld, Annon defies both fate and her captor, striking a new deal to win her freedom: if she can navigate—and survive—his ever-shifting labyrinth, she may return home. Along the way, however, Annon and Drystan’s collision of wills slowly reveals that Drystan’s cruelty hides an aching loneliness. As slow-burning passion ignites, Annon reconsiders her own desires. Sager’s lush prose and rich sensory detail bring the Underworld to chilling life, populated by a vibrant cast of monsters and courtiers. Annon is a refreshingly mature heroine, and readers will be enthralled by her scorching chemistry with Drystan. Carissa Broadbent fans won’t want to miss this luminous love story. Agent: Bibi Lewis, Ethan Ellenberg. (Jan.)