The Essence

Marc Notes: Seventeen-year-old Charlaina Charlie Hart has defeated the tyrant Queen Sabara and taken control of Ludania, only to have Sabara's soul fuse itself with her own. Publisher Marketing: Danger, dread, mystery, and romance (Booklist) continue in the second book of The Pledge trilogy, as Charlie s reign is under siege from the most unusual of enemies. At the luminous conclusion of The Pledge, Charlaina defeated the tyrant Sabara and took her place as Queen of Ludania. But Charlie knows that Sabara has not disappeared: The evil queen s Essence is fused to Charlie s psyche, ready to arise at the first sign of weakness. Charlie is not weak, but she s being pushed to the brink. In addition to suppressing the ever-present influence of Sabara, she s busy being queen and battling a growing resistance determined to return Ludania to its discriminatory caste system. Charlie wants to be the same girl Max loves, who Brook trusts, but she s Your Majesty now, and she feels torn in two. As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with leaders of nearby Queendoms an event where her ability to understand all languages will be the utmost asset she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within. Review Citations: Kirkus Reviews 11/01/2012 (EAN 9781442445598, Hardcover) Romantic Times 01/01/2013 pg. 59 (EAN 9781442445598, Hardcover) Voice of Youth Advocates 02/01/2013 (EAN 9781442445598, Hardcover) School Library Journal 05/01/2013 pg. 106 (EAN 9781442445598, Hardcover) Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2013 (EAN 9781442445598, Hardcover) Contributor Bio:  Derting, Kimberly Kimberly Derting is the author of the Body Finder series, the Pledge trilogy, and the Taking series. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, where the gloomy weather is ideal for writing anything dark and creepy. Her three beautiful (and often mouthy) children serve as an endless source of inspiration and frequently find things they say buried in the pages of their mother's books.