The Poet Empress

<p><b>DELUXE EDITION―featuring gorgeous gilded edges, detailed endpapers, and beautiful case art under the book jacket!<br><br>Debut author Shen Tao introduces readers to the lush, deadly world of <i>The Poet Empress, </i>a sweeping, epic and intimate fantasy perfect for fans of </b><b><i>The Serpent & the Wings of Night, The Song of Achilles </i>and<i> She Who Became the Sun</i>.</b><br><br>In the waning years of the Azalea Dynasty, the emperor is dying, the land consumed by famine, and poetry magic lost to all except the powerful.<br><br>Wei Yin is desperate. After the fifth death of a sibling, with her family and village on the brink of starvation, she will do anything to save those she loves.<br><br>Even offer herself as concubine to the cruel heir of the beautiful and brutal Azalea House.<br><br>But in a twist of fate, the palace stands on the knife-edge of civil war with Wei trapped in its center...at the side of a violent prince.<br><br>To survive, Wei must harden her heart, rely on her wit, and become dangerous herself. Even if it means becoming a poet in a world where women are forbidden to read—and composing the most powerful spell of all. A ballad of death...and love.<br><br>The Poet Empress<i> is an epic fantasy that explores darker themes, subjects, and scenes that may not be suitable for all readers. Please see the author's content note at the beginning of the book.</i></p>