Briarheart by Mercedes Lackey

Briarheart

From beloved fantasy author Mercedes Lackey comes a fresh and feminist reinterpretation of Sleeping Beauty.

Miriam may be the daughter of Queen Alethia of Tirendell, but she's not a princess. She's the child of Alethia and her previous husband, the King's Champion, who died fighting for the king, and she has no ambitions to rule. When her new baby sister Aurora, heir to the throne, is born, she's ecstatic. She adores the baby, who seems perfect in every way. But on the day of Aurora's christening, an uninvited Dark Fae arrives, prepared to curse her, and Miriam discovers she possesses impossible power.

Soon, Miriam is charged with being trained in both magic and combat to act as chief protector to her sister. But shadowy threats are moving closer and closer to their kingdom, and Miriam's dark power may not be enough to save everyone she loves, let alone herself.

About the Author

Mercedes Lackey is the acclaimed author of over fifty novels and many works of short fiction. In her "spare" time she is also a professional lyricist and a licensed wild bird rehabilitator. Mercedes lives in Oklahoma with her husband and frequent collaborator, artist Larry Dixon, and their flock of parrots.

From NOVL Nation

“BRIARHEART is a must-read for any Disney fairytale fan. It’s the fairytale we always wanted: Women finally take charge, Working their bums off to do it.”

– Katie, @niftyreads

“I appreciated the fairytale twist in the story as well as the intricate rules around the fae in the book. Miriam is a really fun character, and I loved seeing her passion and sisterly love that drive her to excel.”

– Olivia, @onemused

Praise

"Readers will be spellbound by Miri’s misadventures and her relatable coming-of-age . . . strongly recommended for upper middle grade/YA fans of the genre who prefer magical solutions over weapons and violence."

—School Library Journal, starred review

"Lackey gives Miri’s narration a light, contemporary voice that harmonizes with a plethora of realistic detail about daily life in the pseudo-medieval-European setting."—BCCB

"A gentle “Sleeping Beauty”–inspired tale of teens training to defend a baby princess."—Kirkus Reviews

Praise for the Hunter Series:

* "Joyeaux's narration is spellbinding, the prose easily balancing the technology of the future with the tradition of the past. Captivating, dynamic, well-paced, and thrilling."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Spirituality, psychic abilities, propaganda, magic, monsters, and mayhem make this a book with a dozen hooks to snag readers and win Lackey even more fans."—Booklist

"Lackey successfully mixes dystopia and fantasy in this series opener . . . The novel is exciting, entirely entertaining, and sure to please her fans."—Publishers Weekly