Books of Wonder

A Cruel and Fated Light

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Half-fae Arlo becomes entangled in the courtly intrigue at the Seelie Summer palace as danger for ironborns mounts in this gripping sequel to A Dark and Hollow Star that’s The Cruel Prince meets City of Bones.


After thwarting the man behind the gruesome ironborn murders—and breaking several fae laws to do so—all Arlo wants is a quiet summer. As the deity of luck’s Hollow Star, capable of bringing about endless possibilities, this shouldn’t be too much to ask, right?

But someone is still trying to summon the mythical Seven Deadly Sins. All signs point to immortal meddling, and if this is the gods’ attempt at returning to the Mortal Realm, it’s Arlo they’re going to use to do it.

When Queen Riadne offers to host Arlo at the Seelie Summer palace, she jumps at the chance. She’ll get to see more of Vehan and Aurelian and perhaps even work out her complicated feelings for the gorgeous ex-Fury, Nausicaä. But no one trusts the infamous Queen of Light, even as Arlo wonders if she’s just been greatly misunderstood.

With the Summer Solstice quickly approaching, everyone expects Riadne to finally challenge the High King for his crown. And as Arlo struggles to get control of her powers and take charge of her destiny, she’ll soon be faced with a choice that won’t only change the fate of the Mortal Realm forever but could condemn it to a cruelty the likes of which the Courts have never known.

Customer Reviews (4.4 / 5 · 19 reviews)

Robert O. ★★★★★

I stayed up way too late finishing this one because the courtly intrigue at the Seelie Summer palace just pulls you in, and Arlo's half-fae perspective makes every political move feel personal. The tension for ironborns ramps up beautifully from the first book, and the ending left me desperate for t

Claire Y. ★★★★★

I tore through this in two sittings, the Seelie palace politics and Arlo’s half-fae struggles are even more gripping than the first book. The pacing is relentless and that “The Cruel Prince meets City” vibe really delivers.

Richard ★★★★★

The half-fae court intrigue at the Seelie Summer palace really ramps up the tension here, and I loved watching Arlo navigate all the backstabbing. If you enjoyed the first book’s dark fairy politics, this sequel dives even deeper, and the pacing kept me flipping pages past midnight.