When Madeline, a teen with terminal lung disease, accepts healing in exchange for a year of service in the Sunlit Lands, she and her friend Jason enjoy being privileged members of Elenil society, until they learn that magic carries a high price.

When Madeline, a teen with terminal lung disease, accepts healing in exchange for a year of service in the Sunlit Lands, she and her friend Jason enjoy being privileged members of Elenil society, until they learn that magic carries a high price.

Taylor discovers something mysterious in the bottom of the lake and her life quickly takes a turn for the worst. As the powers of the stone entangle her into a battle between light and dark, her rebellious life as a foster kid is flushed away. Both love and betrayal tear her into pieces and send her shattered soul into a new time. Confusion and anger guide her toward the dark, but something else is drawing her into the light. Will the power of the stone destroy her or will it make her stronger than ever?

Taylor wishes for nothing more than to run away from her backwoods town and free herself from the controlling grasps of her constantly-changing foster parents. But the unexpected discovery of a mysterious stone makes her wish she could have her old life back. After moving across the country to a new home with her loving grandparents, she begins to gain unexplainable, mysterious powers from the stone. She is soon pinned in a battle between a power-hungry, war-mongering Major, and a cold Professor with his alienated gargoyle orphans. Struggling with her own morality, Taylor must now decide the fate of mankind.

A cursed heir with a privileged past . . . A runaway prankster wanted dead or alive . . . A daredevil warrior called Black Skull . . . Join a diverse cast of characters, led by Madeline, Jason, and Darius, as they are thrust into a thrilling adventure in the Sunlit Lands, an epic fantasy world brimming with magical cures and granted wishes. Soon they’ll discover that even in this safe haven, power has its price. Unravel the dark secrets and soul-searing revelations in this war-torn land wrestling with social justice, racial justice, and elitism. How far will they go for power? The Sunlit Lands books engage timely themes of racism, injustice, prejudice, power, and the importance of knowing our history. The writing is witty, which makes the challenging themes feel accessible and not too heavy. The characters are diverse in personality, ethnicity, and areas for personal growth and provide lots of different connection points for readers. It asks the questions: How far would you be willing to go for power? Who decides what justice is and how it is carried out? And don’t miss these short stories from the Sunlit Lands series: Our Last Christmas Together and Jason Wu and the Kidnapped Stories—each available separately (e-book only).