Girls of Storm and Shadow - (Girls of Paper and Fire) by Natasha Ngan

About the Book

"[T]his book contains scenes of violence and self-harm, and references to sexual abuse and trauma recovery"--Preliminary pages.

Book Synopsis

In this mesmerizing sequel to the New York Times bestseller Girls of Paper and Fire, Lei and Wren have escaped the oppression of the Hidden Palace, but their freedom comes at a terrible cost. Lei, the naive country girl who became a royal courtesan, is now known as the Moonchosen, the commoner who managed to do what no one else could. But slaying the cruel monarch wasn't the culmination of her destiny -- it was just the beginning. Now Lei, with a massive bounty on her head, must travel the kingdom with her warrior love Wren to gain support from the far-flung rebel clans.

Meanwhile, a plot to eliminate the rebel uprising is taking shape, fueled by dark magic and vengeance. Will Lei succeed in her quest to overthrow the monarchy, or will she succumb to the sinister magic that seeks to destroy her bond with Wren, and their very lives? The explosive Girls of Paper and Fire was named:

• A 10-week New York Times bestseller
• #1 on the Indie Kids Next List
• B&N's Most Anticipated LGBTQAP Books of 2018
• Buzzfeed's Books You Need to Pick Up This Fall
• Goodread's Ultimate Fall YA Reading List
• Shondaland's Fantasy Novels You Need to Read
• Bookriot's Must Read Asian Releases
• Bookish's Most Anticipated YA SFF List

Review Quotes

Praise for GIRLS OF PAPER AND FIRE:
-B&N's Most Anticipated LGBTQAP Books of 2018-Buzzfeed's Books You Need to Pick Up This Fall-Goodread's Ultimate Fall YA Reading List -Shondaland's Fantasy Novels You Need to Read-Bookriot's Must Read Asian Releases-Bookish's Most Anticipated YA SFF List

Praise for GIRLS OF STORM AND SHADOW:

Girls of Paper and Fire is as lush--and brutal--as the Demon King's own court. Ngan is a stunning new talent.--Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of And I Darken

*Ngan's plot is tense and tight, her action sequences are elegant and adrenaline-soaked, and her story's stakes increase exponentially through the pulse-pounding conclusion. What most distinguishes this book, though, is how incisively and intoxicatingly Ngan writes about love.
--Publisher's Weekly, *starred review*

Get ready to be pulled into a lush, magical world, where two concubines must hide their forbidden love if they want to survive the Demon King's treacherous court. A fiery, spellbinding read.--Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

Lei and Wren's romance unfolds tenderly... and their wonder at finding love in such a terrible place rings true... [All] lead[s] to a terrifically nail-biting cliffhanger, setting all the pieces in play for a combustible sequel.--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Ngan's demonic world is sharp and compelling, and her Lei is my sort of heroine, attacking her (steep!) learning curve teeth-first.--E.K. Johnston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Story of Owen and Star Wars: Ahsoka

This glittering commercial romance has real stakes, and the lavish, intriguingly conceptualized world will capture readers. Love stories between women are still disappointingly few in fantasy, and romance and action fans alike will find much to savor here.--Booklist

This gorgeous book is everything I want in a fantasy. Beautiful, lush, lyrical with fantastic world building and an epic forbidden romance, I devoured every word and was left desperately wanting more.--Ellen Oh, author of the Prophecy series and co-founder of We Need Diverse Books

This is a worthy follow-up that will satisfy fans. A solid fantasy pick with a strong LGBTQ pairing.--Kirkus Reviews

Thrust into the beauty and horror of the Hidden Palace, will this Paper Girl survive? Ideal for those seeking diverse LGBTQ fantasy stories.--Kirkus Reviews

With deliciously deep world-building and a cast of fierce young women fighting to take charge of their own story, Girls of Paper and Fire cuts you deep and leaves you breathless for more.--Ashley Poston, author of Heart of Iron and Geekerella

About The Author

Natasha Ngan is part young-adult author, part yoga teacher, part habitual nap-taker. She grew up between Malaysia and the UK, speaking Chinese with her mother mainly as a way to talk about people without them understanding. She studied Geography at the University of Cambridge and later worked as a fashion blogger, social media consultant and freelance writer. Natasha recently moved to Paris, where she likes to imagine she drifts stylishly from brasserie to brasserie, notepad in one hand and wineglass in the other, but in reality she mostly spends her time lost on the metro and offending locals with her French. Her novel Girls of Paper and Fire was a New York Times bestseller.