Exclusive: See the cover and read the first chapter of Relic and Ruin

Whether you call them zombies, walkers, shamblers, or revenants, as a general rule, society is fascinated with the undead. (I mean, how many The Walking Dead series are there now?) So a story about a seemingly neverending battle between supernatural beings that can raise the dead and those charged with cutting the undead down seems like an automatic winner in my book. If you feel the same way, make sure you mark your calendars for the release of Wendii McIver’s upcoming novel Relic and Ruin next year.

The book, which is described as perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone, is a dark YA fantasy with a premise that’s quite unlike almost anything else you’ll see on shelves right now. In the world of Relic and Ruin, the Necromancers and the Reapers have been at war for thousands of years. The Necromancers raise the dead, ripping the earth apart to bring armies back to life. The Reapers are their counterparts, scythe-wielding warriors whose weapons cut down their both evil counterparts and their undead progeny.

The infamous Lahey family, who have been tasked again and again with keeping a balance between both worlds, is stuck somewhere in the middle. Technically Necromancers, their ancestors switched sides hundreds of years prior, making them Reapers in name, if not always ability. Relic and Ruin ostensibly follows the story of Nyx Lahey, a girl who was born a Necromancer but raised a Reaper, and who must struggle to figure out which of her identities is her true self.

While hunting a creature that’s preying upon young girls, Nyx meets Erebus Salem, a shapeshifting hunter who also has a dangerous secret: He’s not alive. Erebus exists trapped in an in-between realm of the dead which has robbed him of most of his memories.  But neither of them are aware that they share a dangerous and even more important destiny: They are the Relics, two mysterious and prophesied beings with the power to destroy the greatest evil in existence. And their newfound powers have made them a target – to virtually every dark supernatural being there is.

Though Relic and Ruin won’t officially hit shelves until next summer (June 7, 2022, to be exact), we’ve got a couple of treats for those who are interested in the story, including a first look at its gorgeous cover, which is all kinds of dark and creepy.

(Given the whole skull motif, I’m assuming this has to be a Necromancer, right? Maybe?)

We’ve also got an exclusive first look at the entire first chapter from McIver’s upcoming novel, which should give you a solid taste of the series’ worldbuilding, as well as a proper introduction to its heroine, Nyx. Enjoy!