Lady Smoke - (Ash Princess) by Laura Sebastian

About the Book

Sebastian delivers the sequel to her acclaimed, instant "New York Times" bestseller "Ash Princess." After fleeing Astrea and regaining her freedom, Theo searches for new allies to help her reclaim her throneEalthough that comes at a steep price. 5/16.

Book Synopsis

The second installment in the New York Times bestselling series made for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Sabaa Tahir (Bustle), Lady Smoke is an epic new fantasy about a throne cruelly stolen and a girl who must fight to take it back for her people.

The Kaiser murdered Theodosia's mother, the Fire Queen, when Theo was only six. He took Theo's country and kept her prisoner, crowning her Ash Princess--a pet to toy with and humiliate for ten long years. That era has ended. The Kaiser thought his prisoner weak and defenseless. He didn't realize that a sharp mind is the deadliest weapon.

Theo no longer wears a crown of ashes. She has taken back her rightful title, and a hostage--Prinz Soren. But her people remain enslaved under the Kaiser's rule, and now she is thousands of miles away from them and her throne.

To get them back, she will need an army. Only, securing an army means she must trust her aunt, the dreaded pirate Dragonsbane. And according to Dragonsbane, an army can only be produced if Theo takes a husband. Something an Astrean Queen has never done.

Theo knows that freedom comes at a price, but she is determined to find a way to save her country without losing herself.

Praise for the Ash Princess Series:

A darkly enchanting page-turner you won't be able to put down.--Bustle

A smart, feminist twist on a traditional tale of a fallen heroine, with plenty of court intrigue, love, and lies to sweeten the deal. Good luck putting this one down. --Virginia Boecker, author of The Witch Hunter series

This searing page-turner is a compelling examination of the complexities of both evil and resistance.--Sarah Porter, author of Vassa in the Night

A dark and spellbinding epic. --Sara Holland, New York Times bestselling author of Everless

A rebel queen fans the sparks of revolution...[and] Theo's first-person narration remains enthralling with emotional immediacy...[while] packed to the brim with intrigue and the promise.-Kirkus Reviews

Review Quotes

Praise for the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series:

"Sure to be one of the summer's most talked about YAs. . . . A darkly enchanting page-turner you won't be able to put down." -Bustle

"Tense and imaginative, this story of a diminished yet vengeful princess inciting a rebellion to recapture her rightful place of power strikes a timely chord. Ash Princess is a smart, feminist twist on a traditional tale of a fallen heroine, with plenty of court intrigue, love, and lies to sweeten the deal. Good luck putting this one down." --Virginia Boecker, author of The Witch Hunter series

"The story leaps and twists like a swordswoman, and its blade carves the characters anew and divides them against themselves. This searing page-turner is a compelling examination of the complexities of both evil and resistance."--Sarah Porter, author of Vassa in the Night

Laura Sebastian has created a dark and spellbinding epic in Ash Princess. Brace yourself, because Theodosia Houzzara--wounded, driven, and deadly--is going to carve out a place for herself in your heart. --Sara Holland, New York Times bestselling author of Everless

Emotionally complex, breathtakingly suspenseful-Booklist

For fantasy fans, especially those who enjoy strong female protagonists, this book will be an easy sell. Theo is tough, honorable, and relatable in her emotions [and] Sebastian has built a beautiful and complex world.-VOYA

A rebel queen fans the sparks of revolution...[and] Theo's first-person narration remains enthralling with emotional immediacy...[while] packed to the brim with intrigue.-Kirkus Reviews

Through unexpected allies and daring escape plans, [Theodosia's] trip from downtrodden princess to queen is an engaging one that fantasy fans will enjoy...[as well as] fans of The Selection series by Kiera Cass and The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins.-SLJ

[Ash Princess] provides a window into the complexities of human interaction and emotion, familial tensions, and the false public face that is sometimes required in politics and at court...culminating in a climactic ending ripe for a sequel.-Publishers Weekly

Sebastian brings interest to Theodosia's character through her internal battle...and the threats she must navigate provide nail-biting tension....Readers will want to follow her into the coming revolution in a promised sequel.-Bulletin

About The Author

Laura Sebastian grew up in South Florida and attended Savannah College of Art and Design. She now lives and writes in New York City. Laura is the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series Ash Princess, Lady Smoke and Ember Queen. To learn more about Laura and her book, follow @sebastian_lk on Twitter.