House of Flame and Shadow

The primary protagonist of the series, Bryce Quinlan, is a half-human, half-Fae woman in her mid-20s described as beautiful, with a curvy figure, long red hair, and subtly pointed ears. She is mated to Hunt Athalar, whom she’s recently married. Bryce is the offspring of a human mother, Ember, and a full-Fae father, the Autumn King of the Valbaran Fae. Passed down through her lineage is a rare Starborn magic—the gift of pure starlight—inherited from her ancestor Theia. Bryce also has the ground-up particles of the Horn of Luna tattooed onto her back, which grant her the ability to Worldwalk—open portals to other dimensions. These abilities make Bryce a powerful foe to the Asteri who rule her world.

Throughout the novel, Bryce learns The Fallibility of History; the noble history of the Fae is a lie and her ancestors were actually cruel, power-greedy conquerors just like the Asteri they’ve come to oppose. The discovery causes Bryce to abhor the power she’d formerly treasured; she even entertains thoughts of “carv[ing the star] out of herself, the connection to these two-faced hypocrites, and walk[ing] away from it forever” (209).

Bryce’s newfound understanding of the past colors the characteristic snark and arrogance of her