Bestselling Fantasy Author Returns With Dark, Action-Packed Romantasy That Will Cure Your ACOTAR 6 Hangover
Amanda Kay Oaks is a writer and lifelong book nerd. She has been writing about books on the internet for over 10 years, with prior bylines at Book Riot and ComicBook.com. Though she reads across most genres, Amanda Kay is particularly fond of romance, cozy fantasy, and books with strong female characters.
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For romantasy readers who devoured A Court of Splintered Harmony the moment it released, the wait for ACOTAR book 7 feels far too long. Thankfully, the next few months are treating us to an impressive number of romantasy sequels and first books in brand-new series alike. That includes some promising new debuts alongside exciting new books from more established names like Danielle L. Jensen.
Known for balancing slow-burn romance and high-stakes political machinations, Jensen is the bestselling author of the Bridge Kingdom series and, more recently, the New York Times bestseller A Fate Inked in Blood. Now, a little over a year after the epic conclusion to the Saga of the Unfated duology, Jensen is back with the first book in her next high-stakes fantasy series. Defy the Dusk, which released on November 3rd, kicks off the new Sundering Duet series. Steeped in harsh, post-apocalyptic vibes and magic, it sounds like the perfect new romantasy read for fans of Fourth Wing and ACOTAR.
Available in a limited-edition sprayed-edge, foiled-stamp hardcover for its first print run, Defy the Dusk is practically begging for a spot on romantasy readers' bookshelves. Its stunning cover artwork shows off the kind of dark, gritty vibes that the book's synopsis promises. For those who prefer to read digitally, Defy the Dusk is also available as an eBook or audiobook, with dual narration from Jay Myers and Emily Shaffer.
Defy the Dusk centers on Lirien, a woman whose magic once fractured the world and opened it up to the creatures of darkness. The most powerful of the survivors escaped aboard Dawnrider, while the rest remained to deal with a world plagued by dangerous and deadly monsters. Aboard the Dawnrider, Lirien has spent 20 years honing her magic and plotting to overthrow the ship's tyrant king. But her plans are thwarted when an unexpected foe kidnaps her and forces her to join his fight against the very darkness Lirien herself unleashed. Soon, her loyalties and her very purpose are brought into question... as are her feelings for her captor.
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Described by publisher Del Rey as a, "gritty post-apocalyptic fantasy," this story is packed with magic and danger thanks to Lirien's powers and the creatures of night she unwittingly let loose. From the sound of it, Defy the Dusk will also deliver on the kind of intense, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers vibes her readers have come to expect. Readers will be treated to scheming, seduction, and moral questions as Lirien debates her place in the war against the night.
Defy the Dusk is just the beginning of the two-part Sundering Duet series. But there's plenty for readers to sink their teeth into, as book one clocks in at just under 700 pages. We don't yet have an official title or release window for the second book, but if this new series is anything like Jensen's prior works, readers will be ready and waiting to see what happens next. And unlike long-running series with multiple books still to come, a duology comes with the promise that we'll be able to see the story's epic conclusion when the next book arrives.
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