Of Beast and Burden

June 27, 2022
Eighteen-year-old cued-white Fayelynn has always ignored her Stillwater, Ga., town’s rules for interacting with fairy Folk (“lock the doors on solstice nights, never give your full name to strangers, and don’t walk through the woods after dark”). Having grown up on stories of Folk politics and factions, including the Seelie Court of the Light and the Unseelie’s Dark Court, Faye has always respected and been fascinated by them, even though she’s convinced they killed her mother. After two Folk—Seelie prince Kellan and Goblin King Gage—invite her to a revel, Faye discovers that she’s not human, despite her mortal upbringing. Instead, she’s the daughter of an infamous, deceased Folk king and the lost heir to the Unseelie throne, who has spent her entire life living under her father’s glamour. When her human cousin is abducted by the Seelie queen, Faye must master her newfound powers and usurp the Unseelie’s current king to rescue her. Bewitching Folk court society dynamics attend Faye’s exploration of her fairy history, and her slow-burning attraction to both Gage and her magic tutor, Isla, provides tantalizing romance. Kicklighter, making her debut, highlights traditional fairy folklore in portrayals that emphasize capricious natures and sinister magic in this darkly invigorating series opener. Ages 12–up.