CASTERS AND CROWNS, by Elizabeth Lowham, Shadow Mountain, Oct. 1, 2024, Hardcover, $20.99 (young adult)
A princess sets out to negotiate peace and ends up cursed instead in Casters and Crowns, a young adult fantasy by Elizabeth Lowham.
When Crown Princess Aria sees her kingdom on the brink of war with the magic-wielding Casters, she takes it upon herself to speak with the Widow Morton, the most dangerous Caster in the realm. If successful, Aria will not only ensure peace but also prove to her father that she is a worthy heir. But when her negotiations fail, Aria is dealt a terrible curse: Over the course of one hundred days, she will be unable to sleep, her body and mind doomed to waste away. And then the curse will pass to her sister, until every member of the king’s line is dead.
Aria’s best hope for breaking her curse is to seek help from another Caster—the handsome and charming Baron Reeves. He may be entitled to a place at the court, but as a magic user, can he truly be trusted? She vows not be fooled by his dimpled smiles or his devotion to his brothers, but as she spends more time with him, she discovers that her heart has other ideas.
Baron has no desire to see the princess suffer—especially since she might be the key to changing the king’s opinion on Casters—but he has secrets to protect and ghosts of his own. The last person he tried to save using his magic died, and he’s not willing to risk harming someone he loves again.
As the curse continues its deadly countdown, both Aria and Baron must risk their lives and their hearts to save each other and unite a kingdom. —Synopsis provided by Shadow Mountain
Casters and Crowns is a slow-burn romantic fantasy.
At the center of the story are Aria and Baron. Both are facing futures they weren’t expecting, and it’s only when they learn to trust each other that they are able to turn things around.
In Casters and Crowns, Author Elizabeth Lowham has crafted a compelling plot and a complex, but accessible, magic system. Her main characters are well developed, and her supporting cast, though not as well considered, are interesting and help fill out the story.
Casters and Crowns is a standalone read that readers will find satisfying.
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