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The Dagger and the Flame

ebook
0 of 1 copy available
Wait time: At least 6 months
0 of 1 copy available
Wait time: At least 6 months
"Sizzling romance, stunning worldbuilding, spectacular writing." —Lauren Roberts, New York Times bestselling author of Powerless

In the dark underbelly of a beautiful city, two rival assassins are pitted against each other in a deadly game of revenge, where the most dangerous mistake of all is falling in love in this "steamy" (Publishers Weekly) young adult fantasy.
In Fantome, a kingdom of cobbled streets, flickering lamplight, beautiful buildings, and secret catacombs, Shade-magic is a scarce and deadly commodity controlled by two enemy guilds: the Cloaks and the Daggers—the thieves and the assassins. On the night of her mother's murder, eighteen-year-old Seraphine runs for her life. Seeking sanctuary with the Cloaks, Sera's heart is set on revenge. But are her secret abilities a match for the dark-haired boy whose quicksilver eyes follow her around the city?

Nothing can prepare Sera for the moment she finally comes face-to-face with Ransom, heir to the Order of Daggers. And Ransom is shocked to discover that this unassuming farm girl wields a strange and blazing magic he has never seen before. As the Cloaks and the Daggers grapple for control of Fantome's underworld, Sera and Ransom are consumed by the push and pull of their magic...and the deadly spark and terrible vengeance that keeps drawing them back together.
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    • Publisher's Weekly

      July 29, 2024
      Upon finding her mother murdered and her farmhouse set ablaze, 18-year-old Seraphine Marchant seeks asylum in the city of Fantome with the Order of Cloaks, one of the two feuding guilds that rule the city using Shade, a dangerous and contraband magical powder. As Seraphine settles into her new life, she plots to avenge her mother by deposing Gaspard Dufort, the power-hungry leader of the Daggers and her mother’s assumed murderer. This quest is complicated by 19-year-old Ransom Hale, the attractive heir apparent of the Daggers who has been tasked with killing Seraphine. Sparks fly throughout as Seraphine and Ransom clash in a cat-and-mouse chase across the city and as threads connect a spate of Shade-powered monster attacks, buried family secrets, and an unprecedented magic that could change Fantome forever. Using alternating third-person perspectives, Doyle (Pirates of Darksea) kicks off a steamy enemies-to-lovers romance set in an intricate world full of magic and mystery that checks all the boxes for romantasy lovers looking for the next series to sink their teeth into. Seraphine has tan skin and Ransom has olive skin. Ages 14–up. Agent: Claire Wilson, Rogers, Coleridge & White.

    • Kirkus

      August 15, 2024
      A forbidden attraction and explosive secrets set a city aflame. Eighteen-year-old Seraphine Marchant's mother manufactures Shade, a dust sourced from the boneshade plant that's imbued with the power to manipulate shadows. Shade magic is used by the rival guilds that rule the city of Fantome's underworld--Cloaks swathed in Shade-infused garments blend into the shadows to commit thievery while Daggers ingest it and acquire the ability to kill with a single touch. When her mother is murdered, Seraphine flees from the countryside to Fantome, seeking sanctuary among the Cloaks. But she's the Daggers' newest mark, tailed by talented Ransom. The two are recklessly drawn to one another as a new danger emerges from the darkness and surprising discoveries upend the rules of Shade and shadows. The lush worldbuilding of cobblestones, catacombs, and saints includes a richly crafted history that's deftly introduced and ripe for continued exploration in the next installment. While the first third of the novel is well paced and tenderly developed, the quality of the remainder is uneven. The juvenile, innuendo-filled taunts lack charisma, although the more sincere exchanges and reflections achieve sultry depths. The repetitive overuse of expletives becomes tiresome, cheapening the dialogue. A steamy encounter that lacks verbal consent and contains power dynamic-coded language feels reminiscent of romances written for adults. Main characters are cued white; the strong supporting characters add racial diversity and elevate the narrative development. A promising series opener that's sure to please adult readers of young adult novels. (map, character list)(Fantasy. 16-adult)

      COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Booklist

      September 13, 2024
      Grades 8-11 In the city of Fantome, there are Cloaks, and there are Daggers--Cloaks are a quiet organization of thieves, and Daggers are assassins for hire. Both guilds keep their sneaky businesses alive with a magical chemical called Shade, an illegal substance that gives the user power over darkness and shadows. When Seraphine's mother, a well-known Shade smuggler, is murdered in a massive house fire, Sera must seek out the thieves' guild for her own safety. Meanwhile, Ransom, initiated into the Daggers at the age of nine, toes the precarious line between being a murderer for hire and slowly rotting away due to ingesting the magic of Shade. When Gaspard Dufort, head of the Daggers and the man who called for Sera's mother's death, commands Ransom to kill Sera, he's forced to reckon with the facts: she's much younger than his previous targets, and he's inexplicably drawn to her. Doyle, best known for her Twin Crowns trilogy, is at her epic best here, crafting a thoughtful city and culture as the backdrop. Recommended for any library experiencing the YA romantasy boom.

      COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • School Library Journal

      Starred review from December 6, 2024

      Gr 9 Up-In the picturesque kingdom of Fantome, every shadow crawls with danger. Two rival factions control the city through their use of Shade. The thieving Cloaks dust themselves in it to creep through shadows, vowing to steal from all but harm no one. The Daggers, however, have no such qualms. As paid assassins, they ingest the substance, slowly poisoning themselves and killing those they touch in just 10 heartbeats. However, when Seraphine's Shade-smuggling mother is murdered by a Dagger, she risks everything to join the Cloaks. Her secret plan to use them for vengeance is just the spark to ignite a larger war between factions. But with mysterious shadow monsters raging upon the city, she just might have to work with a Dagger to save the kingdom. Dripping with tension, this series opener follows equally compelling main characters Seraphine and Ransom as they fight each other and their undeniable chemistry. Readers will be transported back to a time of cobblestones and catacombs as the underlying religion and history of Fantome hints at larger battles to come. While some secondary characters edge close to being caricatures, they nevertheless lighten the heavy tone with plenty of banter and charm. Seraphine and Ransom's cycle between lethal battles and steamy romance is sure to delight adult and teen romantasy fans alike. VERDICT A series opener that will leave readers aching for the next installment. Not to be missed, this is one enemies-to-lovers trope that lives up to the name.-Elisha Sheffer

      Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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