by Elly Blake
First published 2018
Ruby has toppled the Frost King and destroyed his throne, but victory came with a terrible price. The Minax, a bloodthirsty entity once imprisoned within the ice, now runs free across her kingdom. Ruby believes the answer to stopping this creature lies in Sudesia, the homeland of the Firebloods and the key to her own mysterious origins. She sets out for the southern lands with Kai, a rebellious Fireblood who challenges everything she thinks she knows about herself. In Sudesia, Ruby faces the Fire Queen's trials, tests designed to prove her mastery over flame and earn the trust of a people who view outsiders with suspicion. Each trial pushes her abilities further while the Minax grows stronger and draws closer to those she loves. Meanwhile, her relationship with Arcus, the former Frost King, strains under the distance and her growing connection to Kai. Ruby must navigate political intrigue, master powers she barely understands, and choose between two very different futures. The fate of both fire and ice kingdoms rests on her decisions.
Genres: romance, adventure, fantasy, young-adult
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: chosen-one, enemies-to-lovers
Setting: Frost Kingdom, Sudesia, Fire Kingdom
432 pages · Paperback · Little, Brown Books for Young Readers