The Dark Tide
The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska is a young adult fantasy novel published by Sourcebooks in July 2021. This edition spans 336 pages and is written in English. The story centers around two girls navigating a dark enemies-to-lovers romance while facing the dire threat of their sinking island home. As the Witch Queen of Caldella prepares to claim a sacrifice on St. Walpurga’s Eve, Lina Kirk must confront her feelings for Thomas Lin, the boy she secretly loves, and make a desperate choice to save him.
Readers will find a gripping narrative that intertwines elements of fairy tales and folklore with themes of family and sacrifice. As Lina offers herself to the queen in exchange for Thomas’s freedom, both girls are drawn into a complex relationship that challenges their expectations. The novel explores dark fantasy elements, wizards and witches, and LGBTQ themes, all while building tension as the full moon approaches and the island’s fate hangs in the balance.
Official synopsis Publisher
A gripping, dark enemies to lovers LGBTQ+ YA fantasy about two girls who must choose between saving themselves, each other, or their sinking island home.
Every year on St. Walpurga’s Eve, Caldella’s Witch Queen lures a boy back to her palace. An innocent life to be sacrificed on the full moon to keep the island city from sinking.
Lina Kirk is convinced her brother is going to be taken this year. To save him, she enlists the help of Thomas Lin, the boy she secretly loves, and the only person to ever escape from the palace. But they draw the queen’s attention, and Thomas is chosen as the sacrifice.
Queen Eva watched her sister die to save the boy she loved. Now as queen, she won’t make the same mistake. She’s willing to sacrifice anyone if it means saving herself and her city.
When Lina offers herself to the queen in exchange for Thomas’s freedom, the two girls await the full moon together. But Lina is not at all what Eva expected, and the queen is nothing like Lina envisioned. Against their will, they find themselves falling for each other as water floods Caldella’s streets and the dark tide demands its sacrifice.
Perfect for fans of:
- The Wicked Deep and A Curse So Dark and Lonely
- Witchy tales
- Dark fantasy fiction
- LGBTQ books
- Enemies to lovers romance
Praise for The Dark Tide:
“Striking the perfect balance, The Dark Tide demands to be read in one held breath as its tide bears down on all.”–Foreword, Starred Review
“A dark scenic adventure, sensitively written for romantics, Jasinska’s debut novel is a fantasy of promises, betrayal, unrequited love, and black magic.”–School Library Journal, Starred Review
“The Dark Tide is the dark, queer fantasy of your dreams that’s part beauty and the beast, part something entirely new and original… a lush world that begs to be lived in… It’s beautiful, and fast paced, and everything I ever want from a fairy tale.”–Cat VanOrder, Bookmarks (Winston-Salem, NC)
“Fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope will be ecstatic with this book…The Dark Tide offers an exciting and immersive story with a strong feminist slant that subverts common YA tropes and forges its own original path.”–The Nerd Daily
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