A fierce young female adventurer battles time itself to claim her destiny in a sweeping new fantasy saga from the author of the Hundredth Queen series.

Everley Donovan is living on borrowed time. The lone survivor of her family’s unexplained assassination, she was saved by an ingeniously crafted clockwork heart. But the time she was given won’t last forever. Now, every tick-tock reminds her how fragile her existence is and hastens her quest to expose Killian Markham, the navy admiral who shattered her world and left her for dead. But Everley’s hunt for justice will be a long and hard-won voyage.

Her journey takes her to a penal colony on a cursed isle, where she will be married off and charged to build the new world. It is here, and beyond, that hidden realms hide, treasures are unearthed, her family secrets are buried, and young love will test the strength of her makeshift heart. When Everley discovers Markham may not be who he seems, her pursuit for truth is bound to his redemption, her tragic history, and her astonishing destiny.

Emily R. King is a writer of fantasy and the author of The Hundredth Queen. Born in Canada and raised in the United States, she has perfected the use of eh and y’all and uses both interchangeably. Shark advocate, consumer of gummy bears, and islander at heart, Emily’s greatest interests are her four children. She’s a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and an active participant in her local writers’ community. She lives in Northern Utah with her family and their cantankerous cat. Visit her at www.emilyrking.com.

Emily R. King's profile page

“Readers will be drawn to this first in a new series from King (The Hundredth Queen Series) for the extensive mythology and the quickly paced adventures. Despite her delicate ticker, Everley herself is anything but fragile: her acerbic wit and single-minded focus on avenging her family will endear her to readers eager for a heroine neither perfect nor nice.” —Booklist

“Readers who enjoy plot-driven narratives will eagerly look forward to the second book in the series.” —Kirkus Reviews

“An inherently engaging read from cover to cover, Emily R. King’s Before the Broken Star is a riveting and original novel by an author with a natural flair for an entertaining narrative storytelling style.” —Midwest Book Review

“An exceptionally entertaining and epic story…Before The Broken Star will have its riveted readers looking eagerly toward the next installment of this original and wonderfully scripted novel.” —Midwest Book Review

“Filled with action, romance, and female friendships, this story is perfect for those looking for high seas adventure, mythical creatures, and a villain who is just as brutal as he is cunning. With masterful plotting and beautiful writing, Before the Broken Star is a high-concept idea wonderfully executed.” —Tricia Levenseller, author of the Daughter of the Pirate King duology

“An epic quest for revenge tests the limits of Everley’s mysterious clock heart and her dauntless spirit in this wildly imaginative adventure story. A pulse-pounding read that gripped me on every page.” —Kathryn Purdie, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Burning Glass