14 must-read SFF releases that will make your September magical
By Lacy Baugher
Night Shine – Tessa Gratton
An orphan girl must face untold danger and an ancient evil to save her kingdom’s prince in this new romantic fantasy from author Tessa Gratton. The author herself describes the story as “a queer, dark Howl’s Moving Castle”, which would honestly be enough to get me to rid it on its own if we’re honest.
Night Shine follows the story of an orphan girl named Nothing, who must save the day when her kingdom’s heir is kidnapped by the Sorceress Who Eats Girls, a powerful being who has plagued their people for decades. Why the Sorceress has suddenly decided to bother with boys after so long is a secret Nothing can only guess at. But with the help of Prince Kirin’s faithful bodyguard Sky, she will depart on a dangerous journey to rescue him and save their kingdom.
The official synopsis offers more detail on the novel’s story.
"In the vast palace of the empress lives an orphan girl called Nothing. She slips within the shadows of the Court, unseen except by the Great Demon of the palace and her true friend, Prince Kirin, heir to the throne. When Kirin is kidnapped, only Nothing and the prince’s bodyguard suspect that Kirin may have been taken by the Sorceress Who Eats Girls, a powerful woman who has plagued the land for decades. The sorceress has never bothered with boys before, but Nothing has uncovered many secrets in her sixteen years in the palace, including a few about the prince. As the empress’s army searches fruitlessly, Nothing and the bodyguard set out on a rescue mission, through demon-filled rain forests and past crossroads guarded by spirits. Their journey takes them to the gates of the Fifth Mountain, where the sorceress wields her power. There, Nothing will discover that all magic is a bargain, and she may be more powerful than she ever imagined. But the price the Sorceress demands for Kirin may very well cost Nothing her heart."
Night Shine is available on September 8