About the Book
From the NYT-bestselling author of Dreadful, Big Little Lies goes to magic school, cozy fantasy perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, Olivia Atwater and Heather Fawcett. Featuring orange sprayed and stencilled edges, with magic symbols, unicorns and baked goods from the book.
Two parents and their recently-bitten-werewolf daughter try to fit into a privileged New England society of magic aristocracy. But deadly terrors await them ancient prophecies, remorseless magical trials, hidden conspiracies and the PTA bake sale.
When Vivian's kindergartner, Aria, gets bitten by a werewolf, she is rapidly inducted into the hidden community of magical schools. Reeling from their sudden cross-country move, Vivian finds herself having to pick the right sacrificial dagger for Aria, keep stocked up on chew toys and play PTA politics with sirens and chthonic nymphs and people who literally can set her hair on fire.
As Vivian reels from hellhounds in the school corridors and demons at the talent show, she races to keep up with all the arcane secrets of her new society shops only accessible by magic portal, the brutal Trials to enter high school, and the eternal inferno that is the parents' WhatsApp group.
And looming over everything is a prophecy of doom that sounds suspiciously like it's about Aria. Vivian might be facing the end of days, just as soon as she can get her daughter dressed and out of the door...
About the Author :
Caitlin Rozakis has had too many career changes, including mechanical engineering (cut short after the murderous robot incident), finance (amortising tequila receivables is not as fun as drinking tequila), and the American Museum of Natural History (who knew emus had birth certificates?). Now she specialises in tech marketing and lives in Jersey City with her husband and son. Her short fiction has been featured in multiple anthologies and publications including Cast of Wonders, Aurealis, Daily Science Fiction, Weirdbook, and Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine. She was nominated for a Pushcart Prize and won LUMINA's 2018 Speculative Fiction contest. Dreadful was her first novel. Visit her online at www.caitlinrozakis.com.
Review :
PRAISE FOR DREADFUL
"An absolutely magnificent comedic fantasy with a hint of bite. This book was a witty, empathetic, and genuinely funny meditation on the nature of good and evil. It was easily one of the best books I've read this year."
Olivia Atwater
"DREADFUL is pure fun. Caitlin Rozakis delivers a (loving) send up of classic fantasy tropes alongside a compelling redemption story and plenty of quirky humour. The Dread Lord Gavrax (or Gav, as his memoryless alter ego prefers) is a fantastic character, alternately chilling and sympathetic, and readers will also love the cast of seemingly stock fantasy characters with endearing hidden depths. Highly recommended."
Heather Fawcett, bestselling author of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
"It was very kind of Caitlin Rozakis to write this book for me. Sure, the rest of you should like it too, but it was clearly written for me, with all the elements I love: fun and humor, breaking fantasy tropes, interesting and complex questions about identity and redemption, and some delightful goblins!" -Jim C. Hines, author of Goblin Quest
"A spellbinding (literally) massacre of all our favourite tropes, underscored with a pleasing dry wit."
Tom Holt
"Caitlin Rozakis cleverly takes the tropes of a fantasy story and upends them in creative and entertaining ways, freshening the genre."
Robert Greenberger, Editor, Thrilling Adventure Yarns
"With a unique and razor-sharp voice, Rozakis cleverly flips the script on your typical swords-and-sorcery fantasy in Dreadful, with a bumbling dark wizard, a grumpy kidnapped princess, and a crew of smarter-than-they-seem sycophants and goblins who actually run the place. Magic and adventure meet absurdity in a tale that turns tropes on their heads while delivering unexpected twists, clever banter, and irreverent humor. Readers will tear through this quick-witted and fast-paced novel and search eagerly for Rozakis's next creation."
Mary Fan
"Outrageously funny and self aware, Dreadful is perfect for fans of The Princess Bride. Rozakis blends wit and whimsy with a deft hand in this charming debut that had me laughing with every page-turn. A vital addition to the cozy fantasy genre"
Rosiee Thor, author of Tarnished are the Stars
"Caitlin Rozakis's debut novel, Dreadful, is an absolute delight. Her characters, from the conflicted Gav to the supporting cast, are fully realized and believable beings within their fantastical world. The plot is fast-paced and by turns funny, horrifying, and utterly relatable. I didn't want it to end, even as I kept reading "just one more page" because I couldn't wait to find out what happened next."
Hildy SIlverman
"Rozakis has conjured a spellbinding debut that is just what it seems to be: clever, whimsical, and a little spicy." - E.C. Myers, Nebula Award-winning author
"Dreadful is magnificent! Fun, funny, and brilliantly insightful, this book is such a joy! I absolutely loved every second of it!" - Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Bone Maker
