Of Princes and Poisons

Once there were ten.

Ten goddess-touched girls were born. Each was blessed--or cursed--with a unique power that set them apart. As part of an ancient ritual called the Culling, they were supposed to fight to the death in the arena until only one survived. That girl would marry the prince and ascend to the throne. Now only four girls remain.

Power in her blood.

Monroe Benson is one of the lucky ones. With fire at her fingertips, she survived the arena and the intrigues of the palace. Now she’s turned her back on her destiny, choosing to throw in her lot with the rebellion seeking to overturn the Erydian rulers. Monroe has never wanted the throne. She knows that her future lies elsewhere, but first she’ll have to convince the rebels to believe her.

A traitorous heart.

Hearts, however, cannot always be trusted. Cohen was one of the few good things about the Culling. Monroe believed that he would have made a good ruler, but that doesn’t mean that she wanted to sit beside him on the throne. And now, she finds herself drawn to a rebel leader. A man with secrets of his own. In the end, Monroe will have to trust in more than her power or even her heart if she’s to forge her own path and find her freedom.

Brianna Joy Crump grew up with a big imagination and a love for telling stories. She has a BA in creative writing and an MA in English both from Gardner-Webb University. So far she has taught middle school, worked as a barista, managed two different college dorms, and lived all over her home state of North Carolina. Her favorite job is the one she has currently: taking care of her memaw and spending her days writing books. Of Cages and Crowns was her debut novel. You can follow Brianna’s writing journey and learn more about her books on Instagram at @briannajoyc and TikTok @briannajoycrump.