Shielded

July 27, 2020
When 17-year-old Princess Jennesara of Hálendi learns she’s been betrothed to Prince Enzo of Turia to secure an alliance for her beleaguered land, which is under attack by outside forces and dark magic, she reluctantly agrees. However, on the way to Turia, a mage attacks her entourage, and she alone escapes; simultaneously, her father and brother are slain. After surviving a harrowing ordeal in the sorcerous Wild, Jennesara takes refuge under an assumed identity in the court of Turia, where she befriends Prince Enzo and his family. Even as she researches how to defeat her enemies and avenge her loved ones, Jennesara strives to master the magic she’s been forced to hide. But with traitors in court, she’s not sure who to trust. In this ambitious but complicated debut, Flanders pits her resourceful heroine against myriad threats, weaving action, intrigue, and romance into a fast-paced tale. With so many elements at play, some aspects feel underdeveloped—Jennesara careens from one crisis to the next with little recovery time, and her foes are more ciphers than fully fleshed characters. Nevertheless, there’s plenty to enjoy in this series opener. Ages 12–up. Agent: Laura Crockett, Triada US Literary.