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The Monsters We Defy
On sale
9th August 2022
Price: £8.99
Genre
‘Rich and immersive. . . full of mesmerizing magic!’ P. Djèlí Clark, author of A Master of Djinn
Clara Johnson can talk to spirits – a gift that saved her during her darkest moments, now a curse that’s left her indebted to the cunning spirit world.
So when a powerful spirit offers her an opportunity to gain her freedom, Clara seizes the chance. The task: steal a magical ring from the wealthiest woman in the District.
Clara can’t pull off this daring heist alone. She’ll need the help of an unlikely team: from a handsome jazz musician able to hypnotize with a melody, to an aging actor who can change his face.
But as conflict in the spirit world begins to leak into the human one – an insidious mystery is unfolding, one that could cost Clara her life.
Praise for The Monsters We Defy:
‘Leslye Penelope blends magic, mystery and mayhem in this deliciously complex historical fantasy’ Veronica G. Henry
‘Penelope’s blend of fantasy and history is pitch perfect. . . Readers will be wowed’ Publishers Weekly
‘A high-stakes, delightful read’ Buzzfeed
‘An enchanting adventure that weaves a spell’ Justina Ireland
‘A fresh and engaging take on historical fantasy‘ Marie Brennan
‘Masterfully crafted. This smart and entertaining magical heist novel hits all the right notes’ T. L. Huchu
‘Clara is a heroine for the ages’ Alaya Dawn Johnson
Clara Johnson can talk to spirits – a gift that saved her during her darkest moments, now a curse that’s left her indebted to the cunning spirit world.
So when a powerful spirit offers her an opportunity to gain her freedom, Clara seizes the chance. The task: steal a magical ring from the wealthiest woman in the District.
Clara can’t pull off this daring heist alone. She’ll need the help of an unlikely team: from a handsome jazz musician able to hypnotize with a melody, to an aging actor who can change his face.
But as conflict in the spirit world begins to leak into the human one – an insidious mystery is unfolding, one that could cost Clara her life.
Praise for The Monsters We Defy:
‘Leslye Penelope blends magic, mystery and mayhem in this deliciously complex historical fantasy’ Veronica G. Henry
‘Penelope’s blend of fantasy and history is pitch perfect. . . Readers will be wowed’ Publishers Weekly
‘A high-stakes, delightful read’ Buzzfeed
‘An enchanting adventure that weaves a spell’ Justina Ireland
‘A fresh and engaging take on historical fantasy‘ Marie Brennan
‘Masterfully crafted. This smart and entertaining magical heist novel hits all the right notes’ T. L. Huchu
‘Clara is a heroine for the ages’ Alaya Dawn Johnson
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Reviews
Rich and immersive. . . full of mesmerizing magic!
An enchanting adventure that weaves a spell
Stolen destinies, dubious bargains, and unlikely groups of allies, all in a city whose history deserves more fame; a fresh and engaging take on historical fantasy
Penelope's blend of fantasy and history is pitch perfect. . . Readers will be wowed
Masterfully crafted. This smart and entertaining magical heist novel hits all the right notes
A high-stakes, delightful read
A great blending of realistic characters, spiritualism and magic, fantasy, mystery, a heist story and a strong element of romance. I love it when I encounter a book of a type I don't often read and get completely carried away with. And The Monsters We Defy is such a book that draws you into a brilliantly recreated historical world
Clara is a heroine for the ages, and her 1920s Black Washington society, both the glamour and the grit, is so compellingly evoked it's as though Penelope has given us a peek behind the veil to hear the tales of our ancestors