Mask of Shadows (Mask of Shadows, Book #1) by Linsey Miller
"I love every aspect of this amazing book--a genderfluid hero, a deadly contest, and vicious courtly intrigue." --Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Times bestselling author
I needed to win. They needed to die.
Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class--and the nobles who destroyed their home.
When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand--the Queen's personal assassins, named after the rings she wears--Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge.
But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive.
This heart-pounding YA story of magic, danger, and revenge is perfect for readers looking for:
- epic books for tweens and teens
- gay and lesbian fantasy and science fiction
- gripping stories with queer and gay magic and sorcery
- gender fluid representation and gender diversity
- dazzling world-building and relatable characters