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The Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean

Each generation, a competition is held to find the next empress of Honoku. The rules are simple. Survive the palace's enchanted seasonal rooms. Conquer Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Marry the prince. All are eligible to compete--all except yokai, supernatural monsters and spirits whom the human emperor is determined to enslave and destroy. Mari has spent a lifetime training to become empress. Winning should be easy. And it would be, if she weren't hiding a dangerous secret. Mari is a yokai with the ability to transform into a terrifying monster. If discovered, her life will be forfeit. As she struggles to keep her true identity hidden, Mari's fate collides with that of Taro, the prince who has no desire to inherit the imperial throne, and Akira, a half-human, half-yokai outcast. Torn between duty and love, loyalty and betrayal, vengeance and forgiveness, the choices of Mari, Taro, and Akira will decide the fate of Honoku in this beautifully written, edge-of-your-seat YA...
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Clear Your Shit: Dead (Conclusion)

The journey home is peaceful. Heather and I chat excitedly about the trip. And what a trip! My pack is weighed down by all the new books I've accumulated along the way and I can't wait to get home and catalog them. The sun is sinking lower in the horizon when Heather pats her grumbling stomach. I happily agree with her. I could really use a quick snack too. We find a cluster of tree stumps off the main path in a clearing and decide this would be the perfect spot for an impromptu picnic. I still have a few rations I scavenged along the way. We munch for a bit, enjoying the perfect weather and knowledge that no one else will have to hide from the falling books around the kingdom soon enough. I feel my eyes dropping in contentment when a familiar sensation starts crawling across my skin. My eyes snap open just before the pressure in the air around us thickens. I jump up, taking hold of my club just as the Wizard appears in a cloud of smoke. And he looks MAD. I guess he wasn't as out cold as I had thought. That's fine with me. I would love another go at the guy who sent us on a bogus quest. I raise my tooth club but before I can take a swing, the Wizard flicks his wrist and my club is suddenly across the clearing. I glance at Heather who looks equally as stunned before turning back to him. Clearly, he's not playing around anymore. Slowly I beginning backing up, never taking my eyes from him but hoping Heather catches on and follows my lead. I do not like the smile he's suddenly flashing in our direction. But he doesn't come after us, just as we step into the brush on the edge of the clearing the Wizard lifts a hand with his fingers pressed together. A snap echoes in the clearing, somehow loud enough to set my ears ringing. I see Heather fall limp to the ground, but before I can check on her my vision blurs. I can't breathe. Am I on my knees? When did this happen? The last thing that passes through my mind is how soft the grass under my cheek is before the whole world goes black.

Narrated by Alu. Follow her on Twitter and check out her website: Tome Reader Reviews.


A pink line-drawing of an open book with flames over words in teal reading "Clear Ur Shit 2020" with "Survivor" below it crossed out.


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