A Cast of Shadows

by Hailey Edwards, Mary Pochatko (Read by)

Overview

The strongest net is no match for destiny.

Daraja has grown up watching her brothers journey down the river on the traditional Deinopidae rite of passage. Each returned with riches from their travels, and lovers with whom to share their lives.

Now she has reached the age where she would strike out on her own to seek her fortune—if she were male. Instead, she is expected to sit patiently, weave her nets, and wait for the river to bring a husband to her.

Patience, however, has never been her strong suit.

Brynmor haunts the forest surrounding the city of Cathis, his disembodied spirit inextricably bound to the wild canis roaming his lands. Until the day he stumbles across a brazen trespasser in his woods.

Compelled to step in when the canis suspect her of poaching one of their own, Brynmor fears he has lost a piece of his ragged soul to the feisty, adventure-seeking female. And when the canis confront the real poachers, he is forced to choose which life to sacrifice. Hers . . . or his own.

Contains mature themes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798228301696
Publisher:	Tantor
Publication date:	11/05/2024
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 5.70(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Hailey Edwards writes about questionable applications of otherwise perfectly good magic, the transformative power of love, the family you choose for yourself, and blowing stuff up. Not necessarily all at once. That could get messy. She lives in Alabama with her husband, their daughter, and a herd of dachshunds.

Mary Pochatko has been a lover of audio and storytelling since checking out books on tape from the library as a child. A voracious reader and spotlight stealing performer from a young age, she's always known that she was destined to use her talents to bring stories to life. With a degree in English literature and an extensive professional acting resume, she knows good writing, storytelling, character building, and collaboration. Most of all, she loves putting all of these things together to create art.

Editorial Reviews

Daraja has set out down the river to find her heart, a clan tradition normally reserved for men. Yet Daraja is determined to prove to her father and eight brothers that she, too, can return with spoils and a companion to support her family. Her trip is quickly interrupted when hunters attempt to frame her in the forbidden poaching of the protected canis. A mysterious stranger, who seems to have an otherworldly connection with the animals, attempts to help her, and Daraja realizes there is more to this world—and her quest—than she suspected.

Verdict Edwards delivers in her new novella from the “Araneae Nation” series (after A Hint of Frost and A Feast of Souls). She embraces the short story format and deftly manages to pack a handful of intriguing characters, including a few of the four-legged variety, two battles, and a love story into just over 100 pages. The writing is lush and allows the reader to become immersed in the new world immediately. A Cast of Shadows will likely send readers searching for more from this series and its author.—Kellie Tilton, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks Lib.

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