When thirteen-year-old Brianne takes the throne, her vulnerability enables the Church thirsting for ultimate power. When the fabled child is finally born to Velle’s reigning queen, the only citizen who does not rejoice is Elodie, the queen’s eldest daughter, who has lost her claim to the crown. The prophecy states she will appear as the third daughter of a third daughter. Thoughtful, ambitious, and unexpected.A sweeping YA fantasy about legacy, betrayal, sisterhood, and politicizing emotion in the quest for power-all balanced by a slow-burn LGBTQ romance.įor centuries, the country of Velle has waited for their highest deity, the New Maiden, to return. Tooley's debut skillfully and subtly emphasises the consequences of prioritising power above people and the environment while the friction between regular people and magic-bearers poignantly echoes the fear and rejection queer people, who are accepted in this world, often face in ours. 'An especially slow-burn romance, as Tamsin's curse prevents her from feeling, but the buildup allows for deeper character development and a very satisfying conclusion.

Of course, love bargains are a tricky thing, and these two have a long, perilous journey ahead of them-that is, if they don't kill each other first. To save him, Wren proposes a bargain: if Tamsin will help her catch the dark witch responsible for creating the plague, then Wren will give Tamsin her love for her father. When a magical plague ravages the queendom, Wren's father falls victim. Sources are required to train with the Coven as soon as they discover their abilities, but Wren-the only caretaker to her ailing father-has spent her life hiding her secret. Wren is a source-a rare kind of person who is made of magic, despite being unable to use it herself. The only way she can get those feelings back-even for just a little while-is to steal love from others. But after committing the worst magical sin, she's exiled by the ruling Coven and cursed with the inability to love. Tamsin is the most powerful witch of her generation. In this charming debut fantasy perfect for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Girls of Paper and Fire, a witch cursed to never love meets a girl hiding her own dangerous magic, and the two strike a dangerous bargain to save their queendom.

The third daughter adrienne tooley