LEAH CYPESS
Leah Cypess wrote her first short story – in which the narrator was an ice cream cone – at the age of six, and sold her first piece of fiction while in high school. She has degrees in biology, journalism, and law, and has traveled to Iceland, Israel, Jordan, and Costa Rica, among other places. She now lives with her family in Maryland. She is also the author of four young adult fantasy novels — Mistwood, Nightspell, Death Sworn, and Death Marked — and her first middle grade fantasy novel will be published in 2021. You can find out more about her at www.leahcypess.com.
THE LAST ROSE
Delacorte/RandomHouse, 2023
*An Amazon Best Book of December
The fourth book in the Sisters Ever After series of fairy tale retellings, this is the wild story of Mera, the only one who can save her beautiful older sister when she is kidnapped by the Beast who viciously rules over their small village.
For as long as Mera can remember, she and her sister Darina have feared the Beast who lurks in the castle above their village. On countless nights they have locked themselves into their home while the Beast led his hounds on the Wild Hunt, preying on anything in his path.
Now Darina has been kidnapped by the Beast, and only Mera can save her. But she soon finds that in the Beast’s eerie, magic-haunted castle, nothing is quite what it seems—including her own sister. Here, Mera will discover the dark secrets that have bound her village to the Beast for so long.
But in order to set them all free, she will have to face the most dangerous secret of all: the truth about herself.
THE PIPER'S PROMISE
Delacorte, 2023
The third book in the Sisters Ever After series of fairy tale retellings, this is the thrilling story of the Pied Piper’s little sister, Clare, who is determined to uncover the truth behind her brother’s seemingly cruel actions.
Clare’s brother, Tom, also known as the pied piper, has stolen away the children of Hamelin. But Clare knows that’s only half the story. Tom isn’t the easiest person to love, but she’s certain that he couldn’t be so cruel. There has to be a good reason why he stole the Fae Queen’s magic pipe and led the children to a faraway land, never to be seen again.
Together with Anna, the mayor of Hamelin’s daughter, Clare embarks on a journey into the Faerie Realms. In order to succeed, she will have to dodge faerie traps and stay out of the evil Rat Prince’s claws. Only she can save the children of Hamelin and clear her brother’s name.
But who will she have to betray to do it?
“The Piper’s Promise was a joyride of adventure, friendship, and some of the most creative storytelling I’ve read in a long time.”–Jennifer A. Nielsen, New York Times Bestselling Author
GLASS SLIPPERS
Delacorte/RandomHouse, 2022
The second book in the Sisters Ever After series of fairy tale retellings from the point of view of the siblings in the background, this is the thrilling story of Cinderella’s never-before-mentioned third “evil” step-sister, Tirza.
Meet Cinderella’s third “wicked” stepsister, Tirza. For years, Tirza has lived with the shame of what her family did to Cinderella. Against everyone’s advice, Cinderella—now Queen Ella—took a chance on young Tirza. She gave Tirza a home in the castle instead of banishing her. The queen told everyone Tirza was good and kind, not cruel like her older sisters.
But now Queen Ella’s famous glass slippers are missing, and there’s only one suspect. . . .
Tirza may have tried them on . . . but she didn’t steal them. Now she must find the true thief before she loses her royal home. But as Tirza gets closer to the truth, she finds herself getting closer to something else: her sisters, who might not be quite as evil as Cinderella claims.
Bookshop.org
THORNWOOD
Delacorte/RandomHouse, 2021
*A Nebula Award Finalist
*Named a best book of the month by Amazon
*A Brightly Best Book of the Month
This middle grade debut is Sleeping Beauty like you’ve never seen it before, about a girl who lives in the shadow of her older sister and the curse that has haunted her from birth.
For years, Briony has lived in the shadow of her beautiful older sister, Rosalin, and the curse that has haunted her from birth–that on the day of her sixteenth birthday she would prick her finger on a spindle and cause everyone in the castle to fall into a 100-year sleep. When the day the curse is set to fall over the kingdom finally arrives, nothing–not even Briony–can stop its evil magic.
You know the story.
But here’s something you don’t know. When Briony finally wakes up, it’s up to her to find out what’s really going on, and to save her family and friends from the murderous Thornwood. But who is going to listen to her? This is a story of sisterhood, of friendship, and of the ability of even little sisters to forge their own destiny. The first in a three-book series of fairy tale retellings, these are the stories of the siblings who never made it into the storybook.
This retelling adds an original twist to a beloved classic and gives a younger sister a chance to earn a little of the spotlight…A fun, compelling story that will keep readers engaged; recommended for younger siblings, fans of princess stories, and fantasy lovers. — School Library Journal, Starred Review