Set after Kemmerer's Cursebreaker books, this captivating series launch finds enemy realms Syhl Shallow and Emberfell united by the marriage of Syhl Shallow's queen to Emberfell's magesmith king. Though magic is now legal in Syhl Shallow, many citizens still distrust it--particularly rebel Truthbringers, who are planning regicide to restore the status quo. In the remote Syhl Shallow town of Briarlock, teenage friends Jax and Callyn have little time for such concerns; blacksmith Jax, who lost his foot in an accident, works endlessly to pay his abusive, alcohol-reliant father's debts, and baker Callyn, whose parents were killed by magic, minds her younger sister while trying to keep the family business afloat. When Truthbringers Lady Karyl and Lord Alek offer the teens money to pass sealed messages among their cohort, they accept, figuring the reward outweighs the risk. Then the King's Courier, 19-year-old Tycho, comes to town, searching for traitors. While Kemmerer's latest boasts propulsive, intricate plotting and intimate first-person-present narration by protagonists Jax, Callyn, and Tycho (all of whom cue as white), it's Jax and Tycho's gentle budding romance amid their respective past traumas that truly distinguishes this tale. Characters of varying abilities are featured throughout. Ages 13--up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary & Media. (June)

Here begins a new series from Kemmerer, set four years after the final installment of her Cursebreakers books. This alluring tale of magic and romance is told from the perspectives of three characters: Tycho, a former stable boy, now a 19-year-old soldier in service to the king; Callyn, an 18-year-old baker; and Jax, an 18-year-old blacksmith. Magic has been banned from Syhl Shallow, for good reason, and best-friend duo Jax and Callyn must navigate a shift in their homeland as new leadership reverses this rule and lore of the ancient magesmiths begins to circulate once more, with dangerous powers rising. When Jax and Callyn join the anti-magic groups in Syhl Shallow to protest this change, a handsome and mysterious royal messenger, Tycho, throws a wrench into their plans as he tries to find out who is betraying the throne. With fresh takes on familiar fantasy tropes, plus gorgeous world building, this book spins one intriguing mystery after another as these three memorable voices fight to follow their hearts, despite the odds.

Gr 9 Up--This spinoff of the "Cursebreakers" series is the first in a trilogy set four years later, introducing new characters and bringing back old favorites in the Royal Courts of the Allied Nations of Syhl Shallow and Emberfall. Callyn lost her parents to magic and is trying to take care of her little sister by living up to their memory and maintaining the family bakery. Callyn's best friend, Jax, works with his father as a blacksmith, believing he is cursed with "misfortune" as his drunk father often tells him. One of Jax's misfortunes resulted in a crushed foot, so he relies on crutches to get around. The pair are struggling to get by when the tax collector threatens their homes and livelihood unless they pay their steep taxes. Against his better judgment, Jax agrees to hold papers for the Truthbringers, a group who claim to be in support of Queen Lia Maria, but against her husband King Grey who they mistrust for having magic. Tycho, first introduced in "Cursebreakers," is now the King's Courier, on the surface delivering important messages, but beyond that looking into plots against the King. Main characters are presumed white with several across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. The creation of original characters will help introduce new readers to this world, although reading the previous series will help to flesh out background of well-known characters. VERDICT This robustly crafted story is a must purchase anywhere fantasy is popular.--Rebecca Greer

As Emberfall and Syhl Shallow prepare a Royal Challenge to promote unity between their countries, the vocally anti-magic Truthbringers conspire to turn public favor against King Grey. Set four years after Kemmerer's Cursebreaker trilogy, this timely, nuanced series opener introduces teen narrators Callyn, Jax, and Tycho, whose alternating perspectives navigate moral ambiguities and confront past and present traumas. Baker Callyn and blacksmith Jax have supported one another through many hardships: the accident that claimed one of Jax's feet, the loss of Callyn's parents, and the ongoing physical abuse Jax sustains from his father. Pushed to the point of desperation, Jax and Callyn accept a dangerous but well-paid job conveying potentially treasonous messages for the Truthbringers--but after a chance encounter with Tycho, the King's Courier, the friends realize they're in way over their heads. Notably, despite widespread distrust of magic, Tycho and others in Grey's inner circle wear rings of Iishellasan steel that allow them to borrow his power, foreshadowing further revelations about how the magic functions. Tycho also faces scrutiny for his growing friendship with Jax and Callyn, and as the first Royal Challenge approaches, political and romantic intrigue abound. Both primary romances offer a masterclass in organic yet explicit depictions of consent, including a smoldering queer romance that's profound in its treatment of intimacy with a sexual assault survivor. Major characters default to White. A fiercely hopeful exploration of loyalty, perception, and agency in the face of fear, misinformation, and violence. (map, character list) (Fantasy. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.