A Season of Sinister Dreams

Gr 7 Up–Still grieving the death of his son and heir during the Sickness years earlier, the elderly king of Tyne forces all magic workers to the capital, where they can prolong his life and protect the castle while the rest of the kingdom suffers. Annalise has spent years in the castle secretly using her unwieldy magic to weave a web of influence around the king, his grandson (and her cousin) Prince Kendrik, and the king’s advisors. Annalise hopes to exact revenge on the king for her mother’s death—a plan that is close to fruition when Annalise accidentally uses her magic on Kendrik, leaving him hidden and monstrously transformed while Annalise becomes the new heir. Meanwhile, Evra’s quiet country life is ruined when her magic manifests years later than expected, making her the first girl ever to become a Clearsee. As magical prophets, Clearsees (usually men) use their magic to interpret visions meant to guide and protect the kingdom. While Annalise prepares for her coronation, Evra reluctantly arrives at the capital where she sees cryptic visions hinting at danger. But is the danger a threat to Tyne’s rulers or is it the rulers themselves? This plot-driven standalone fantasy alternates between Annalise and Evra’s first-person perspectives. Both narrations feel claustrophobic, leaving readers and characters floundering. Themes of agency as both heroines try to defy expectations are undermined by extremely limited worldbuilding and backstories that never fully explain character motivations or actions—particularly Annalise’s. Characters are coded as white.