Books

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The CROWN OF FEATHERS Trilogy

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I am a daughter of death
From the ashes I rose
Like a phoenix from the pyre

I had a sister, once…

In a world ruled by fierce warrior queens, a grand empire was built upon the backs of Phoenix Riders—legendary warriors who soared through the sky on wings of fire—until a war between two sisters ripped it all apart.

I promised her the throne would not come between us.

Sixteen years later, Veronyka is a war orphan who dreams of becoming a Phoenix Rider like the heroes of old. After a shocking betrayal from her controlling sister, Veronyka strikes out alone to find the Riders—even if that means disguising herself as a boy to join their ranks.

But it is a fact of life that one must kill or be killed. Rule or be ruled.

Just as Veronyka finally feels like she belongs, her sister turns up and reveals a tangled web of lies between them that will change everything. And meanwhile, the new empire has learned of the Riders’ return and intends to destroy them once and for all.

Sometimes the title of queen is given. Sometimes it must be taken.

Crown of Feathers is an epic fantasy about love’s incredible power to save—or to destroy. Interspersed throughout is the story of Avalkyra Ashfire, the last Rider queen, who would rather see her empire burn than fall into her sister’s hands.

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Praise for CROWN OF FEATHERS

“Debut author Pau Preto’s series opener steadily gathers steam before closing with a pulse-pounding crescendo.” – Publisher’s Weekly

“The well-paced plot is chock-full of shocking revelations, betrayals, and moments of empowerment in the face of adversity that give this novel an epic scope and set up the beginning of a promising book series.” – BCCB

“Crown of Feathers is epic in the truest sense; it draws on Game of Thrones-worthy military history and political machinations, weaving letters and historical documents into the narrative… it’s the perfect series kickoff.” – Quill & Quire

“An action-packed adventure that will leave fans of epic fantasies eager to find out more. The ending is the perfect setup for a sequel.” – School Library Journal

“This is a new twist on fantasy favorites, and Pau Preto’s first novel is as ambitious as it is lyrical.” – Booklist

“A beautifully told story about justice, sisterhood, and warrior women. This richly woven world had me turning pages well into the night. Nicki Pau Preto is one to watch!” – Shea Ernshaw, New York Times bestselling author of THE WICKED DEEP

“Set in a world of warrior queens and their fierce phoenixes, Nicki Pau Preto’s CROWN OF FEATHERS is absolutely unforgettable. It draws you in with the first flaming feather, and doesn’t let go. Fans of magical creatures, get in line, because I haven’t loved a phoenix this much since Dumbledore’s Fawkes. This is an instant favorite.” – Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series

“A fierce and incendiary tale of warrior women, sisterhood, and the choices that define us, all set in a soaring new world that readers will fall in love with. I couldn’t put it down.” – Lisa Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author of the Last Magician series

“For readers who crave vivid world building and nuanced characters, CROWN OF FEATHERS is a feast of magic, action, and romance! An immersive, deeply satisfying fantasy that will stay with you long after the story is finished.” – Elly Blake, New York Times Bestselling author of the Frostblood Saga

“The unique and imaginative world of the Phoenix Riders had my rapt attention from the first sentence. Nicki Pau Preto is a bright new talent, and I can’t wait to read more!” – Morgan Rhodes, New York Times Bestselling author of the Falling Kingdoms series

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You are a daughter of queens.

The world is balanced on the edge of a knife, and war is almost certain between the empire and the Phoenix Riders.

Like Nefyra before you, your life will be a trial by fire.

Veronyka finally got her wish to join the Riders, but while she’s supposed to be in training, all she really wants to do is fly out to defend the villages of Pyra from the advancing empire. Tristan has been promoted to Master Rider, but he has very different ideas about the best way to protect their people than his father, the commander. Sev has been sent to spy on the empire, but maintaining his cover may force him to fight on the wrong side of the war. And Veronyka’s sister, Val, is determined to regain the empire she lost—even if it means inciting the war herself.

Such is your inheritance. A name. A legacy. An empire in ruin.

As tensions reach a boiling point, the characters all find themselves drawn together into a fight that will shape the course of the empire—and determine the future of the Phoenix Riders. Each must decide how far they’re willing to go—and what they’re willing to lose in the process.

I pray you are able to pass through the flames.

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I had a sister, once…

Veronyka is no longer an orphaned stable boy or a nameless Phoenix Rider apprentice: she is the daughter of Pheronia Ashfire, the last queen of the Golden Empire…and the niece of Avalkyra Ashfire, the resurrected rebel queen who tore the empire apart.

We shone brightly, burned fiercely.

Now that the secret is out, everyone at the Eyrie treats Veronyka differently, and with Tristan still a hostage of the scheming Lord Rolan—and Sev with him as a spy—Veronyka feels very much alone. Except for her beloved phoenix, Xephyra, of course, and her new friend, Kade, who has his own reasons for wanting to save Tristan.

Was it always going to come down to this? Sister against sister? Darkness against light?

Veronyka is determined to do whatever it takes to get Tristan back, even if that means revealing her identity to the world and inheriting a throne she’s not sure she wants. But when she discovers that Avalkyra has bonded with a strix—a legendary creature of darkness that feeds off the life force of others—Veronyka realizes she has more to deal with than an encroaching war with the empire. Val is willing to destroy everything to get her revenge on a world that rejected her, and if Veronyka wants to bring peace to the empire and Pyra alike, she must face down her sister once and for all.

The world began with Ashfire queens…perhaps they will also be its destruction.

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The House of the Dead Duology

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Ready your blade. Defeat the undead.

In the Dominions, the dead linger, violent and unpredictable, unless a bonesmith severs the ghost from its earthly remains. For bonesmith Wren, becoming a valkyr—a ghost-fighting warrior—is a chance to solidify her place in the noble House of Bone and impress her frequently absent father. But when sabotage causes Wren to fail her qualifying trial, she is banished to the Border Wall, the last line of defense against a wasteland called the Breach where the vicious dead roam unchecked.

Determined to reclaim her family’s respect, Wren gets her chance when a House of Gold prince is kidnapped and taken beyond the Wall. To prove she has what it takes to be a valkyr, Wren vows to cross the Breach and rescue the prince. But to do so, she’s forced into an uneasy alliance with one of the kidnappers—a fierce ironsmith called Julian from the exiled House of Iron, the very people who caused the Breach in the first place…and the House of Bone’s sworn enemy.

As they travel, Wren and Julian spend as much time fighting each other as they do the undead, but when they discover there’s more behind the kidnapping than either of them knew, they’ll need to work together to combat the real danger: a dark alliance that is brewing between the living and the undead.

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Praise for BONESMITH

“Pau Preto’s kaleidoscopic close-third-person narrative complements the swiftly paced, bombshell-strewn plot, which crescendos to an explosive finish.” – Publishers Weekly

“The actual world is unusual and memorable, with layers of horrific decisions compounding to have built a grim place where innocents are threatened by vicious undead and political machinations alike. Wren herself is headstrong and brave, driven first by a desperation to please her cold family but nonetheless obviously suited for the heroic role of valkyr. As the first volume of an intended duology, this will have readers eagerly awaiting the second installment for a chance to dive back into this haunted world and see how Wren finds her own place within it.” – BCCB

“Wren’s impetuous personality carries readers through the opening chapters to the Breachfort and beyond, where mysteries about Wren’s family and birth begin to reveal themselves on an action-packed mission. Game of Thrones fans will see a number of plot points line up between Wren’s House of Bone and the Stark family. The romantic tension between Wren and Julian raises the stakes of the adventure, as does Wren’s growing friendship with the prince. Pau Preto’s character arcs are as carefully plotted as her adventures, exploring privilege, filial piety, and generational trauma.” – School Library Journal

“Filled with magic, betrayal, and undead horrors, Bonesmith will keep you turning pages as fast as you can––and sharpen your hunger for the next book. Wren’s journey through the dead-infested Breachlands is a thrilling adventure, one you don’t want to miss.” – Jodi Meadows, New York Times bestselling coauthor of MY LADY JANE and MY PLAIN JANE, author of NIGHTRENDER and THE ORPHAN QUEEN

“I’ve been dying for a YA novel with unique magic, and Bonesmith delivered it on a ghostly-green platter. With a fascinating world, absolutely delightful characters, and enemies-to-lovers romance—this book is one readers will devour before begging for more.” – Tricia Levenseller, New York Times bestselling author of Blade of Secrets

“Gripping and action-packed in its plot, tender yet fierce in its romance, haunting and gritty in its worldbuilding, Bonesmith is a dark fantasy thrillride from start to finish. Wren Graven is the perfectly stubborn, witty, and courageous heroine to navigate a world of ghosts and undead that will remain with readers long after the last page.” – Amélie Wen Zhao, author of Song of Silver, Flame like Night and the Blood Heir trilogy

“[An] eerie atmospheric read packed with action and betrayal.” – Rebecca Schaeffer, author of the critically acclaimed Market of Monsters series

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Wren is still reeling from the revelation that the mother she thought was dead is actually the Corpse Queen, a ghostsmith with the terrifying power to control the undead. It was Wren’s own mother who created the iron revenants—an army of near unbeatable undead soldiers. When the iron revenants attack, no one in the Dominions will have the strength to stand in their way.

Now Wren, Leo, and Julian find themselves once more in the Breach, this time on the run from Wren’s father, who is determined to secure more power for himself and the House of Bone. The three are desperate to stop the upcoming war, but working together is easier said than done with Julian still furious about Wren double-crossing him. And to make matters worse, Wren is plagued by powerful new abilities that force her to reassess everything she knows about being a bonesmith.

When Wren’s long-lost twin brother shows up and vows to help her destroy the well of magic that feeds the iron revenants, she must decide if trusting him is worth potentially playing right into their mother’s hands.

After all, the dead might be dangerous, but it’s the living who can betray you.

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The LAST HOPE SCHOOL FOR MAGICAL DELINQUENTS Series

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Lavinia “Vin” Lucas is out of control and out of options. Stranded by parents who would rather use their average magical abilities to study dung beetles than raise her, Vin’s been on her own for years. But she’s never been able to corral her own powerful, unpredictable magic. After years of detention, suspension, and expulsion from magic schools far and wide, she’s now being sent to the Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents. If she gets expelled, it’s the end of the line.

Now, Vin is determined to behave. Except no one at Last Hope seems to want her to. Her new teachers—particularly the school’s kind headmistress—push her to explore her magic, and her mischievous classmates delight in every accident. And all the while, a mysterious fire sprite, a suspicious instructor, and her overwhelming abilities might just sabotage Vin. But for the first time, she is not alone.

So when a former student begins attacking the school, Vin must question just how much she knows about the headmistress and her new home. Is this place worth saving? And are her budding abilities—and every trick, trap, and deception in her friends’ delinquent arsenal—enough to protect Last Hope?

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Praise for THE LAST HOPE SCHOOL FOR MAGICAL DELINQUENTS

“The heart, humor, and hijinks of middle grade are at their best in The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents. A story full of found family, magic, and learning to believe in yourself, it’s sure to appeal to fans of Jessica Townsend’s Nevermoor series.” – Kalyn Josephson, New York Times bestselling author of the Ravenfall series

“An absolute masterpiece full of breathless magic and charming characters. Readers will find the pages all but turning on their own as Nicki Pau Preto leads us from wonder to mystery and everything in between.” – Scott Reintgen, New York Times bestselling author of A Door in the Dark

“Brimming with magic, mystery, and heart, this story was an action-packed delight from start to finish. Vin is a lovable heroine worth rooting for, and Nicki Pau Preto delivers a fresh, fascinating new world that any reader—delinquent or not—would want to belong to.” – Jessica Khoury, Author of The Mystwick School of Musicraft and the Skyborn series

“This engaging magic school story has hijinks, humor, mystery, and action . . . An absorbing, mischief-filled fantasy” – Kirkus Reviews

[An] empowering fantasy…Propulsive pacing and a mischievous sense of humor characterize…Pau Preto’s high-spirited middle grade debut.” – Publisher’s Weekly

“The perfect book (and new series) for middle-grade readers who love series like The School for Good and Evil and Harry Potter.” – Booklist

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Lavinia “Vin” Lucas has finally found a home. At Last Hope School, she’s made friends (including a magical fire sprite!) who love her for who she is, and gifted headmistress Ava Hope is guiding her in her newfound abilities as a Chameleon. But after the chaos and danger of last year, and the attack on the school, the eye of the Magical School Board is trained on Last Hope, and they are desperate to get Ava Hope and her unconventional methods removed from the school for good.

Meanwhile, beyond the magical wards of Last Hope, the Free Mages grow ever stronger, and their enigmatic new leader will do anything to get his hands on the increasingly powerful Vin. It’s going to take every ounce of cunning Vin and her friends have to send the crooked school board packing while warding off the looming threat of the Free Mages.

With family secrets swirling, a mysterious new student with mind-reading powers entering the picture, and even a water sprite joining the crew, year two is more surprising and difficult than ever. And when the world of magic faces destruction, Vin must use her powers—no matter how dangerous—and do whatever she can to save her friends and Last Hope School once and for all.