Alright, gather 'round fantasy fans, because guess who's conjuring up another literary gem? That's right, it's none other than Leigh Bardugo, the reigning queen of fantasy fiction, back again with a standalone adventure that's guaranteed to cast a spell on your imagination. Brace yourselves for The Familiar folks—a tale where magic and fate do a wild tango, where deals can bite back harder than a grumpy dragon, and where words hold enough power to make even Merlin do a double take. Seamlessly blending elements of new-wave fantasy with the allure of historical fiction, Bardugo's latest masterpiece has ignited a fervor among early readers across diverse literary spheres, promising to emerge as a standout sensation in 2024's literary landscape.

Now, let's talk Bardugo. This is the literary powerhouse behind hits like Six of Crows, Shadow and Bone, and Ninth House. Her style? Think gritty adventures meets characters so complex they could probably outsmart the Sphinx. Oh, and did I mention Netflix scooped up her stories for adaptation? Yeah, that's the kind of magic Bardugo's weaving—stories so captivating, they leap off the page and onto your screen without skipping a beat.

So, when I heard Bardugo was diving into historical fantasy, I'll admit, I was intrigued. But come on, this is Leigh Bardugo we're talking about. The woman could probably spin gold from straw if she put her mind to it. Her track record speaks for itself—she's conquered high fantasy and urban escapades with the finesse of a seasoned bard. And in a realm where many fantasy romance authors falter, Bardugo effortlessly navigates the delicate balance between romance and plot, crafting epic sagas that captivate readers with their intricate storylines and masterful prose. Her narratives exude a sophistication seldom paralleled in contemporary fantasy literature, particularly in her worldbuilding and sentence-level craft, setting her apart as a true luminary in the genre.

So, grab your quills and your sense of adventure, because Bardugo's about to whisk us away on another wild ride through the corridors of her imagination. And trust me, it's bound to be one for the books!

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo released on April 9, 2024, and is available on all platform. Keep reading for a synopsis from the publishers.

In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family's social position.

What begins as simple amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain's king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England's heretic queen—and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king's favor.

Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the line between magic, science, and fraud is never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition's wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santangel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.