What is Kingdom of Souls about?
A girl with no gifts must bargain for the power to fight her own mother’s dark schemes—even if the price is her life.
Crackling with dark magic, unspeakable betrayal, and daring twists you won’t see coming, this explosive YA fantasy debut is a can’t-miss, high-stakes epic perfect for fans of Legendborn, Strange the Dreamer, and Children of Blood and Bone.
“Magnetic and addictive. This book is black girl magic at its finest.”—New York Times bestselling author Dhonielle Clayton
Heir to two lines of powerful witchdoctors, Arrah yearns for magic of her own. Yet she fails at bone magic, fails to call upon her ancestors, and fails to live up to her family’s legacy. Under the disapproving eye of her mother, the Kingdom’s most powerful priestess and seer, she fears she may never be good enough.
But when the Kingdom’s children begin to disappear, Arrah is desperate enough to turn to a forbidden, dangerous ritual. If she has no magic of her own, she’ll have to buy it—by trading away years of her own life.
Arrah’s borrowed power reveals a nightmarish betrayal, and on its heels, a rising tide of darkness that threatens to consume her and all those she loves. She must race to unravel a twisted and deadly scheme… before the fight costs more than she can afford.
Set in a richly imagined world inspired by whispered tales of voodoo and folk magic, Rena Barron’s captivating debut is the beginning of a thrilling saga about a girl caught between gods, monsters, and the gift and the curse of power.
“Masterful.” —SLJ (starred review)
What happens when the only way to save your people is to bargain with your own soul?
- A Desperate Bargain: Heir to a line of powerful witchdoctors, Arrah has no magic of her own. To stop the children of her kingdom from disappearing, she must perform a forbidden ritual and trade years of her life for power.
- Mother-Daughter Conflict: Arrah’s newfound power reveals a conspiracy led by the one person she should be able to trust: her own mother, the Kingdom’s most powerful and ruthless priestess.
- African-Inspired Magic: Immerse yourself in a world of witchdoctors, orishas, and folk magic drawn from whispered tales of voodoo and West African mythology.
- Gods and Demons: Caught between warring gods, ancient demons, and her mother’s dark schemes, Arrah must unravel a plot that could consume everything she loves.