Kristin Jacques Knihy

In his pursuit of the occult, the Third Reich opened the Gate to a realm of magic and brought the world to ruin. The Gate was eventually closed, but They were already in our world and They were hungry.'-The Lost History, Library of AvergardAzure 'Azzy' Brimvine lives in a world decimated by magic, where humans have retreated underground from the overwhelming dangers of the surface. But Below is no safer than Above.Magic borne plagues continue to eat away at the remaining human cities, a sickness that doesn't merely kill, but creates aberrations from the stricken: people twisted by magic into something dark, dangerous, and powerful. It is an existence of fear and constant dread. When Azzy's brother, Armin, is infected and cast out into the Above, she sets out after him, determined to be there for him no matter what he becomes.The world Above is full of monsters, both wild and cunning, some more human than Azzy was led to believe. Armin is captured and bound for the Auction block of Avergard, a ruthless city of inhuman lords and twisted creatures. To reach him, Azzy must brave the perils of the Above and the chaotic life forms created by the Gate. To reach him, she must find allies and forge new bonds in this broken world.And Azzy must reach him before Armin's new power is used to open the Gate once more.

The Cycle continues in the sequel to Marrow Charm. Perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson's MISTBORN and Leigh Bardugo's SHADOW AND BONE. The Children of the Gate wait for the call to Rise. Azzy Brimvine knows her brother is in the vast city of Avergard. She must find him, but time is not on her side. In the House of Seven Smiles, Azzy struggles to understand the constraints and limits of her power. She finds the whispering voices that guided her for so long suddenly silent. The enigmatic Lord Wallach is both a frustrating ally and a dangerous mystery, and a strange entity lurks among the household servants. The haven Azzy sought may not be as safe as she believed, but is anywhere in the Above truly safe? The city of Avergard is full of monsters and secrets, and a dark history festers at its root. A yawning pit nestles in the house of a scheming lord, and he will use Armin's dangerous gifts to raise a deadly history... and raze the city to the ground. As Azzy finds herself and her brother pulled into these machinations, she must navigate the politics and society of Avergard's brutal ruling class to save her family and friends before the Gate consumes them all. The Gate Cycle Series in order: 1. Marrow Charm 2. Skin Curse