by R. M. Gray
First published 2025
Seventeen-year-old pirate Aster Oberon faces a deadly countdown. A curse threatens to transform both her and Will Castor, the Shadowtamer she loves, into inferos, evil creatures enslaved to Queen Morana. Aster must master her newly awakened powers while searching for a way to break the spell. She joins forces with Will and Titus Anteres, an attractive prince secretly plotting to overthrow his own tyrannical royal family. The trio boards the Starchaser ship and ventures to Grima Castle, where danger lurks around every corner. Nothing appears as it seems in this treacherous place. Aster navigates deadly dinner parties and elaborate balls while torn between her feelings for Will and growing attraction to Titus. She keeps her daggers ready and searches for allies she can trust. Time runs short as the curse tightens its grip. Aster must discover the truth about her identity and destiny before the transformation becomes permanent.
Genres: romance, adventure, fantasy, action
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Grima Castle, Starchaser Ship
Period: Seventeen-Year-Old
448 pages · Hardcover · Little, Brown Books for Young Readers