A Song of Wraiths & Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown
For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts Malik’s younger sister, Nadia, as payment into the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal—kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom.
But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic . . . requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.
Goodreads • The Story Graph
Trigger & Content Warnings:
- Ableism & ableist language
- Racism and racial slurs
- Colonialism themes
- Refugee experiences
- Riots and stampede
- Police brutality
- Emotional & physical child abuse
- Cheating mentioned
- Anxiety
- Panic attack, described in detail on-page
- Hallucinations
- Depersonalisation & derealization
- Self-harm & self-harm ideation
- Alcohol consumption
- Emesis
- Blood depiction
- Grief & loss depiction (theme)
- Death of a father recounted
- Death of a mother, on-page
- Death of a sister recounted
- Death in a fire recounted
- Hostage situation
- Kidnapping & attempted kidnapping
- Knife violence & stabbing
- Murder & attempted murder
- Regicide
- Whipping of feet mentioned
- Animal cruelty
- Animal death, including animal sacrifice