Shades of Rust and Ruin by A.G. Howard (Bk. 1)
Shades of Rust and Ruin by A. G. Howard (Gently used)
Genre: YA Fantasy | Dark Fantasy | Gothic Fantasy
Some curses are inherited. Others are waiting to be awakened.
Phoenix “Nix” Loring has always believed her family is cursed.
Her parents died on Halloween when she was just three years old. Eleven years later, her twin sister, Lark, suffered a similar fate.
Now seventeen, Nix struggles with grief, guilt, and feelings she cannot explain—especially her growing attraction to Clarey, her late sister's boyfriend.
Her only escape has been the fantastical world of Mystiquel, a magical realm filled with goblins and faeries that she once brought to life through her artwork.
But when her uncle mysteriously disappears on Halloween, Nix discovers that the world she imagined may be more real than she ever believed.
Following clues with Clarey, she steps through a portal into a twisted, decaying version of her hometown, where her drawings have come to life.
With dangerous creatures lurking around every corner and the Goblin King's mysterious maze standing between her and the truth, Nix must uncover the secrets of her family's curse before midnight.
Because this Halloween, the curse may claim another life.
Perfect for readers who love:
Dark and atmospheric fantasy
Goblins, faeries, and magical creatures
Cursed families and hidden secrets
Mysterious portals to other worlds
Gothic fairy-tale settings
Forbidden romantic feelings
Strong heroines facing impossible odds
Magical mazes, riddles, and dangerous bargains
Book Fanatics Pick: A beautifully eerie fantasy adventure filled with haunting magic, complicated emotions, and a richly imagined world where art becomes reality.
Series Note: Book 1 of the Shades of Rust and Ruin duology. Continue the adventure with Seasons of Flesh and Flame.
Content Advisory: Grief, family deaths, depression, anxiety, frightening fantasy imagery, and peril.
Individual book purchase only. No subscription required.
ADDITIONAL INFO:
Publisher Bloomsbury YA
ISBN-13 9781547612734 9781547608089
Pages 400

