Princess of Souls

Alexandra Christo

Oct 2022 · Sold by Feiwel & Friends

About this ebook

From Alexandra Christo, the author of To Kill a Kingdom, comes Princess of Souls, a Rapunzel-inspired YA fantasy romance about a teen witch groomed to steal souls for an immortal king and the reckless, rebellious boy to whom her fate is tied.

For sixteen years, Selestra has been trapped in her tower on the Floating Mountain, preparing to take her mother’s place as the King's Witch, who foretells deaths in the Festival of Predictions. Outrunning your fate earns a wish and the chance to steal the King’s immortality. But die and your soul is forfeit. And though thousands have tried, nobody has ever beaten death.

A soldier in the King's army, Nox is an unlikely candidate for the Festival, but, driven by revenge, he is determined to steal the King’s immortality and kill the entirety of his court, starting with Selestra.

Yet when Selestra touches Nox in her very first prediction, their fates become entwined, and death seeks to take both their souls. Only by working together can they survive long enough to escape the dark fate and the immortal King that now hunts them.

Ratings and reviews

Immediately from the first page I was invested in this incredible dark fantasy world. Rapunzel is one of my favorite fairy tales and even though I didn't have this in mind while reading this book, maybe the Rapunzel retelling is why I couldn't wait to get back to reading this book every day. I absolutely loved Selestra and Nox. The chemistry between them felt so natural, so real and often I found myself swooning over their interactions. The banter and sarcasm made me laugh out loud and delight

I would say this is very loosely based off the story of Rapunzel. Instead of a fragile princess locked away in a tower and sporting an extremely long hairdo, Selestra is tough, taught by a soldier in the Last Army (though she doesn't get to try that out till after she leaves the castle) with green hair that though is long, isn't long enough to climb down (no matter what Nox says). She is also a witch and heir to the only magic left in the Six Isles. This was a fun book to read.

The author uses a concise writing style - with short paragraphs and sentences - which is fast-paced and easy to engage with, while the front cover of writhing snakes and a smoky green/black background sets the scene for what is to come. However, it would probably help if you've read, or heard of, the previous book in the series in order to appreciate it more.

About the author

Alexandra Christo is a British author whose characters are always funnier and far more deadly than she is. She studied Creative Writing at university and graduated with the desire to never stop letting her imagination run wild. She currently lives in Hertfordshire with a rapidly growing garden and a never-ending stack of books. Her debut novel To Kill a Kingdom is an international bestseller and her Young Adult fantasy books have been translated into over a dozen languages worldwide.