Snow Like Ashes (HarperCollins Publishers Inc)

Game of Thrones meets Graceling in this striking fantasy tale of dark magic, dangerous politics, and discovering your true self. Sara Raasch's debut fantasy is a lightning-fast story of loyalty, love, and controlling one's destiny.Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. The Winterians' only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been searching for the opportunity to steal back Winter's magic and rebuild their kingdom ever since.Orphaned as an infant during Winter's defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee. Training to be a warrior--and desperately in love with her best friend, Winter's future king--she would do anything to help Winter rise to power again. So when scouts discover the location of half of the ancient locket that can restore their magic, Meira decides to go after it herself--only to find herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics, and to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.