Masquerade of the Heart

by Katy Rose Pool

Overview

Cursebreaker Marlow Briggs must deal with the aftermath of her fake romance with one of the most powerful nobles in the illustrious—and deadly—Evergarden society, all while uncovering the mystery behind her mother's disappearance.

The city of Caraza sits poised on the edge of chaos—and cursebreaker Marlow Briggs is at the center of a deadly struggle for power. In the tragic aftermath of the Vale-Falcrest wedding, Marlow is spurned by Adrius, who refuses to speak to her and publicly vows to find a noble wife before the year is out. Despite her heartbreak, Marlow is still intent on breaking his compulsion curse. To do so, she’ll have to play loving daughter to the man who cast it—the man who’s hellbent on reshaping Caraza in his own image, no matter the cost.

But the closer she gets to her long-lost father, the more Marlow starts to question if he’s really the villain she’s made him out to be. As the lines between enemy and ally blur, Marlow must decide if she’s willing to sacrifice her heart’s desire to save a city that wants her dead. This edge-of-your-seat finale is perfect for fans of Veronica Mars, These Violent Delights, and Chain of Iron.

“Nothing short of genius.” —Jennifer Lynn Barnes, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Inheritance Games series, on Garden of the Cursed

"A delicious read full of swoony romance." —Tricia Levenseller, New York Times–bestselling author of Blade of Secrets, on Garden of the Cursed

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250846686
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	06/18/2024
Series:	Garden of the Cursed , #2
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	131,407
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d)
Lexile:	HL770L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Katy Rose Pool, author of the Age of Darkness trilogy, was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA before graduating from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in history. Currently, she resides in Oakland, CA, where she can be found dreaming up spells and prophecies, rooting for the Golden State Warriors, and reading books that set her on fire.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Garden of the Cursed

* "High-stakes action and bureaucratic intrigue abound, but it’s Marlow and Adrius’s charged relationship that keep tensions elevated. Sumptuous worldbuilding and fully realized, intersectionally diverse characters further enhance this enticing tale." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Gasp-inducing, heart-rending, and beautifully crafted, Garden of the Cursed is nothing short of genius.” —Jennifer Lynn Barnes, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Inheritance Games series

"A delicious read full of swoony romance, dangerous gangsters, wondrous magic, and an elaborate mystery that will keep the pages flying." —Tricia Levenseller, New York Times–bestselling author of Blade of Secrets

"One of the most original fantasy novels I've read in years." —C. L. Herman, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the All of Us Villains duology

"I devoured this in a single day." —Amanda Foody, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the All of Us Villains duology

From the Publisher

2024-04-05
A satisfying sequel to 2023’s Garden of the Curse, tinged with political intrigue.

The Falcrests are one of the original Five Families—along with the Morandis, Starlings, Vales, and Delvignes—who control all the libraries and maintain control over the city of Caraza. In this duology closer, 17-year-old cursebreaker Marlow Briggs is reeling from the aftereffects of the fatal attack by Adrius Falcrest, her 18-year-old love interest, on his own father. Marlow manages to break the spell that forced Adrius to stab his father in the heart, but now she’s been falsely accused of Aurelius Falcrest’s murder. Meanwhile, she discovers that Cormorant, the head of the Vale family, cast the Compulsion spell on Adrius, forcing this patricide. Cormorant also has grand plans, supposedly for the greater good, to work from an ancient grimoire on creating a spell “that will give him ultimate power over reality itself.” Marlow, with help from her friend Swift and his lover, Silvan, conspires to stop him. This world of spellcasters, cursebreakers, and hexes provides plenty of interesting twists and turns. Marlow also solves mysteries that were introduced in the earlier volume. Action sequences and sensual (though not explicit) romantic scenes between Marlow and Adrius provide breaks from the slower-paced problem-solving explanations. Marlow is clever at finding solutions, and she’s an expert analyst of human nature who navigates the complexities of the wealthy oligarchy with confidence. Main characters read white.

Spellbinding; brings closure through solid worldbuilding featuring clever heroes and complex villains. (Fantasy mystery. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews