No one looks kindly on the killer of a king. “Fast-paced and refreshing.” – SLJ, starred review “The perfect blend of history and dark fantasy.” – Mary Taranta, author of Shimmer and Burn “Thrilling, romantic, and addictive.” – Rosalyn Eves, author of Blood Rose Rebellion “The only cure is to finish it.” – Lyndsay Ely, author of Gunslinger Girl After unwittingly helping her mother poison King Louis XIV, seventeen-year-old alchemist Mirabelle Monvoisin is forced to see her mother’s Shadow Society in a horrifying new light: they’re not heroes of the people, as they’ve always claimed to be, but murderers. Herself included. Mira tries to ease her guilt by brewing helpful curatives, but her hunger tonics and headache remedies cannot right past wrongs or save the dissenters her mother vows to purge. Royal bastard Josse de Bourbon is more kitchen boy than fils de France . But when the Shadow Society assassinates the Sun King and half of the royal court, he must become the prince he was never meant to be in order to save his injured sisters and the petulant dauphin. Forced to hide in the sewers beneath the city, Josse’s hope of reclaiming Paris seems impossible―until his path collides with Mirabelle’s. She’s a deadly poisoner. He’s a bastard prince. They are sworn enemies, yet they form a tenuous pact to unite the commoners and former nobility against the Shadow Society. But can a rebellion built on mistrust ever hope to succeed? Gr 9 Up{amp}mdash;This debut novelist manages to set the tone, introduce the characters, and kill the King of France all in the first chapter. Seventeen-year-old Mirabelle has followed in her father's footsteps, as the Alchemist for the Shadow Society (a group led by her mother that brews curatives for the people of France). But when Mirabelle is tricked into making a deadly poison for King Louis XIV, her world is turned upside down as her mother makes a play for the throne. After his father is poisoned, Josse, the king's bastard son manages to help his siblings escape and go into hiding. In alternating chapters, readers follow Mirabelle's journey to righting the wrong she never meant to commit and Josse's path to finding out where he fits into the royal family. Teens will appreciate this historical novel with a hint of magic about a time period that has not been overly explored. Though a bit gory at times, Thorley's descriptions do not go over the top, but leave readers with just enough detail to set the scene. Even the obvious romance that develops manages to add to the plot and doesn't overpower it. VERDICT This fast-paced and refreshing page-turner is recommended as a first purchase for all libraries serving teens.{amp}mdash;Elizabeth Portillo, Easton Public Library, CT * " This debut novelist manages to set the tone, introduce the characters, and kill the King of France all in the first chapter... [A] fast-paced and refreshing page-turner." – School Library Journal , starred review "An Affair of Poisons is beautifully written; like one of Mirabelle's potions, it's the perfect blend of history and dark fantasy, with a tasteful splash of blood, a simmering romance, and an ending that leaves you wanting more." – Mary Taranta, author of Shimmer and Burn "A rich immersion into a dangerous, alternative world of seventeenth century France… Thrilling, romantic, and addictive." – Rosalyn Eaves, author of the Blood Rose Rebellion trilogy "An indulgent and exhilarating adventure, Thorley takes an extravagant historical setting and infuses it with a lusciously dark dose of magic and alchemy. An Affair of Poisons takes hold of the reader immediately and refuses to let go. The only cure is to finish it." – Lyndsay Ely, author of Gunslinger Girl "A stunning, immersive adventure, filled with magic, self-discovery and sumptuous period detail. I fell in love with An Affair of Poisons !" – Lee Kelly, A Criminal Magic Addie Thorley spent her childhood playing soccer, riding horses, and scribbling stories. After graduating from the University of Utah with a degree in journalism, she decided “hard news” didn’t contain enough magic and kissing, so she flung herself into the land of fiction and never looked back. When she’s not writing, she can be found galloping around the barn where she works as a horse trainer and exercise rider. She currently lives in Princeton, New Jersey with her husband, daughter, and wolf dog. An Affair of Poisons is her debut novel. You can find her online at www.addiethorley.com or on Twitter @addiethorley.