In the Ravenous Dark

by A.M. Strickland

Overview

A pansexual bloodmage reluctantly teams up with an undead spirit to start a rebellion among the living and the dead, in this dark YA fantasy In the Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland, whom Richard Kadrey calls “a storyteller of both grace and power.”

In Thanopolis, those gifted with magic are assigned undead spirits to guard them—and control them. Ever since Rovan’s father died trying to keep her from this fate, she’s hidden her magic. But when she accidentally reveals her powers, she’s bound to a spirit and thrust into a world of palace intrigue and deception.

Desperate to escape, Rovan finds herself falling for two people she can’t fully trust: Lydea, a beguiling, rebellious princess; and Ivrilos, the handsome spirit with the ability to control Rovan, body and soul.

Together, they uncover a secret that will destroy Thanopolis. To save them all, Rovan will have to start a rebellion in both the mortal world and the underworld, and find a way to trust the princess and spirit battling for her heart—if she doesn’t betray them first.

An Imprint Book

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250833273
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	05/17/2022
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	373,621
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range:	15 - 18 Years

About the Author

A.M. Strickland was a bibliophile who wanted to be an author before she knew what either of those words meant. She splits her time between Alaska and Spain with her spouse, her pugs, and her piles of books. She loves traveling, dancing, tattoos, and writing stories about sympathetic monsters. Her books include Beyond the Black Door, In the Ravenous Dark, and Court of the Undying Seasons. She uses both she/her and they/them pronouns, and you can find her at adriannestrickland.com.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for In the Ravenous Dark:

“[A] feast of forbidden magics and deadly romances that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the last bloody page. Deliciously dark and riveting, it will leave you hungry for more. Perfect for fans of Wicked Saints and Gideon the Ninth.” —Ashley Poston, national best-selling author of Geekerella

"A deviously plotted tale of twisting complexity where diversity lives and breathes as naturally as a beating heart. It’s everything you could want in a dark fantasy." —Lisa Maxwell, New York Times-bestselling author of The Last Magician

"Blending dark blood magic with funny moments, In the Ravenous Dark is a lush, queer and intense YA fantasy that needs to be on your shelves! Rovan may or may not steal your girl but more importantly, she’s coming for your heart—and this woman always gets what she wants." —The Nerd Daily

"Rovan is a tenacious spitfire who fights for freedom and vengeance by any means necessary. Strickland’s worldbuilding is grand...dauntless and passionate." —Kirkus Reviews

"Strickland conjures a seductive world...where blood and shadow magics intertwine. [T]he fast-paced plot and romantic themes will appeal." —Publisher's Weekly

From the Publisher

04/05/2021

Ever since her blue-haired, golden-eyed father, an unregistered bloodmage, was slain for refusing to serve the king of Thanopolis, Rovan Ballacra has carefully hidden her own blue hair and powers. When Rovan, now 19, accidentally reveals her abilities more than a decade later, she’s promptly captured and soon magically bound to Ivrilos, a black-haired, long-dead 23-year-old man who serves as both Rovan’s guardian and enforcer of the king’s will. Now imbued with her family’s potent magical bloodline, Rovan becomes a pawn in a dangerous political game, expected to marry a royal to preserve the power and protect Thanopolis from an unnatural blight that has consumed most of the outside world. While fighting to save herself and those she loves, pansexual, polyamorous Rovan juggles feelings for both Ivrilos and the passionate Princess Lydea, and befriends nonbinary, asexual Japha. In this complicated dark fantasy, Strickland (Beyond the Black Door) conjures a seductive world with a largely pale-skinned cast where blood and shadow magics intertwine. At times the setting feels more atmospheric than descriptive, but the fast-paced plot and romantic themes will appeal. Ages 15–up. Agent: Hannah Bowman, Liza Dawson Assoc. (May)

Publishers Weekly

05/01/2021

Gr 10 Up—Nineteen-year-old Rovan Ballacra is a pansexual bloodmage, magical and using blood as a power source, who keeps her magic hidden. Having similar skin color to her father, much paler than most of the bronze-skinned bloodmages, she is successful in hiding her powers. Living in Thanopolis, she is assigned an undead spirit named Ivrilos after her father dies. He is to look after her and guide her. Once she accidently reveals her magic, she is forced to live in a fantasy world. She is not sure who to trust. She is controlled by Ivrilos but also swayed by Lydea, a rebel Princess. Both Lydea and Rovan are expected to marry those chosen for them. Rovan falls for Lydea but has a strong relationship with Ivrilos as well. Together, they reveal a secret that could destroy Thanopolis and must fight to save it. Strong, interesting characters and a well-developed world make this a fantastic fantasy. Rovan is cunning and not to be outrivaled by anyone. Characters have a variety of sexual orientations and Strickland doesn't shy away from sexual content: Well-written on-the-page sex scenes, as well as profanity, make this book a fit for older readers. VERDICT A sexy romance for fantasy fans looking for a suspenseful plot set in a dark world. Hand to readers who enjoyed Strickland's Beyond the Black Door.—Karen Alexander, Lake Fenton H.S., Linden, MI

School Library Journal

2021-03-13
A tale of magic, revenge, and death.

Rovan lost her father, a user of blood magic, when she was 7, on the day that the king’s bloodmages stormed her house. Twelve years later, she accidentally reveals her inherited magical power by saving her friend’s life in the middle of the town center. Taken into custody for being unregistered, Rovan unwillingly suffers a ceremony that is deemed mandatory for all bloodmages—attachment to a shade, who acts more like a personal jailer than guardian. Rovan is valuable as a potential source of magic, so she’s forced to associate with the royal family, soon to an intolerable degree. Between enduring one injury after another, she seeks to finish her father’s work by breaking her bonds and exposing the king’s unsavory secrets. Rovan is a tenacious spitfire who fights for freedom and vengeance by any means necessary. Strickland’s worldbuilding is grand; ancient Greece inspires the city’s culture, and the mechanics of blood magic parallel the diametrically opposed death magic in interesting ways. Plus, there’s a new take on a supernatural creature that slides into the story toward the end. Characters in this fantasy world have a range of skin tones and appearances that include violet and silver eyes as well as green and dark blue hair. Several queer identities are represented, including nonbinary, asexual, and polyamorous. Rovan is light-skinned and attracted to multiple genders.

Dauntless and passionate. (family tree) (Fantasy. 15-adult)

Kirkus Reviews