by Jordan Gray
First published 2025
Vanessa Hart's seventeenth birthday party ends in horror when werewolves attack, killing her father and best friend. The creatures bite Vanessa and drag her away from her destroyed home. She transforms into a werewolf during an excruciating process while imprisoned by her captors. The Wolf Queen's Court gives Vanessa an ultimatum: pledge loyalty or die. She chooses survival and enters Castle Severi, where vines bloom through stone walls and starlight grants magical abilities. Vanessa plots revenge against those who murdered her family while navigating the castle's deadly politics. She finds herself drawn to two cousins who complicate her mission. Sinclair Severi, the golden prince, captivates her despite his engagement to her enemy. His disgraced cousin Calix watches her with intense eyes that conceal dangerous secrets. Vanessa discovers the Court fights a hidden war as she learns their magical customs. She realizes she might be nothing more than a playing piece in their brutal conflict, but her desire for vengeance burns stronger than ever.
Genres: romance, fantasy, young-adult, paranormal
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: chosen-one, enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Castle Severi, Wolf Queen's Court
Period: 17th Birthday
384 pages · Hardcover · Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Content warnings: death, violence