A young woman with a dangerous power she barely understands. A smuggler with secrets of his own. A country torn between a merciless colonial army, a terrifying tyrant, and a feared rebel leader. The first book in acclaimed author Heidi Heilig’s Shadow Players trilogy blends traditional storytelling with ephemera for a lush, page-turning tale of escape and rebellion. For a Muse of Fire will captivate fans of Sabaa Tahir, Leigh Bardugo, and Renée Ahdieh.
Jetta’s family is famed as the most talented troupe of shadow players in the land. With Jetta behind the scrim, their puppets seem to move without string or stick—a trade secret, they say. In truth, Jetta can see the souls of the recently departed and bind them to the puppets with her blood. But ever since the colonizing army conquered their country, the old ways are forbidden. Jetta must never show, never tell. Her skill and fame are her family’s way to earn a spot aboard the royal ship to Aquitan, where shadow plays are the latest rage, and where rumor has it the Mad King has a spring that cures his ills. Because seeing spirits is not the only thing that plagues Jetta. But as rebellion seethes and as Jetta meets a young smuggler, she will face truths and decisions that she never imagined—and safety will never seem so far away.
Heidi Heilig creates a vivid, rich world inspired by Southeast Asian cultures and French colonialism. Told from Jetta’s first-person point-of-view, as well as chapters written as play scripts and ephemera such as telegrams and letters, For a Muse of Fire is an engrossing journey that weaves magic, simmering romance, and the deep bonds of family with the high stakes of epic adventure.
For a Muse of Fire. Her debut novel, The Girl from Everywhere, was an Indie Next Pick and was also named a Best Book of the Year by NPR. Heidi Heilig holds an MFA from New York University in musical theatre writing, and she’s written the book and lyrics for several shows. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family. www.heidiheilig.com
French culture lends itself beautifully to fantasy stories. The rich, decadent world, the lingering desire to behead royal families, the delicious food…what’s not to love? So it’s no surprise that it has influenced so many new and upcoming YA books. How many of these French-inspired YA fantasies will you be reading?
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Can you feel it? That sheer glow of so many favorite authors converging on a single month in ac plot to empty our wallets? This September’s releases bring together authors who haven’t published YA in years, highly anticipated sequels, sophomores from some of the most notable debuts in years, and brand-new voices guaranteed to change the way […]