Action, adventure, betrayal, and poison add up to a winner. —BooklistNew York Times–bestselling author Rae Carson returns to the world of her award-winning Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy in this extraordinary stand-alone fantasy-adventure starring an iconic heroine who fights for her family, her friends, and a place where she will belong. Fans of Leigh Bardugo, Sarah J. Maas, and Tahereh Mafi won’t want to put this book down. Red is a foundling orphan with an odd name, a veiled past, and a mark of magic in her hair. But finally—after years and years of running, of fighting—she is about to be adopted into the royal family by Empress Elisa herself. She’ll have a home, a family. Sixteen-year-old Red can hardly believe her luck. Then, in a stunning political masterstroke, the empress’s greatest rival blocks the adoption, and everything Red has worked for crumbles before her eyes. Determined to prove her worth and protect her chosen family, she joins the Royal Guard, the world’s most elite fighting force. Someone at court has shadowy agenda that puts everything—and everyone—she loves at risk. As danger closes in, it will be up to Red to save the empire. The series includes:The Girl of Fire and ThornsThe Crown of EmbersThe Bitter KingdomThe Empire of Dreams, a stand-alone companion novel | Empire of Dreams The by Rae Carson, Paperback | Indigo Chapters