Descended

Nominated for Victorian Premier's Literary Award 2024, and State Library of Queensland Literary Award 2023. For fans of Stephenie Meyer, Gabrielle Zevin, and Matt Haig, DESCENDED ponders whether love can endure, life after life. FOR SOME, THE MEMBRANE BETWEEN REALMS IS STRETCHED THIN... An imaginative tour-de-force debut about the big and small decisions we make every day and the ripple effect they have on the rest of time - even if they were celestially pre-determined. Set in Australia in the early 90s, this enthralling tale follows Indigo Wolfe, the mysterious high school heartthrob that everybody wants to be or be with, as he descends to the depths of darkness. Indigo is barely holding on by a thread. Because he isn't what he seems. He has secrets - secrets that consume him: pain, emptiness, a relentless din of voices shouting their sins at him, mocking his very existence. Why is he cursed by abilities others are not? When he meets the ethereal Cordelia Carlisle, he's hit with a sense of recognition that traverses lifetimes. As they grow closer he lets her see the parts of him he keeps hidden. The only thing he can't show her is that she's everything to him. When they're torn apart, Indigo has to find it within the depths of his soul - and his powers - to choose whether to give up, or to fight: for himself, for answers, and for Cordelia, the girl he seems destined to love and to lose over and over, life after life... Unless this time, he can get it right. Fresh, masterfully written, and deeply moving, this award-nominated debut is the first in a gripping four-book series that crosses paranormal romance with magical realism. "If you're looking for a bingeable book with all the 'hit you in the feels' vibes of reading Stephenie Meyer for the first time, this is it!" hauntedhousebooks on BookTok "...this is a book I CANNOT stop thinking about!... DESCENDED is unlike any fantasy book I've ever read and I absolutely loved it." sealaurenread on Bookstagram "A hauntingly beautiful YA fantasy story with so much love and hurt. This book was captivating from the first line and I found myself devouring every page." avahreads on Bookstagram "Tantalising love story that brings in all the mystery of fantasy and the supernatural. Phenomenal read, can't wait for the next instalment!" Alice, Indie Book Reviewer "Ever felt a love so deep, it hurts? This book is a reminder that true loves and true friendships transcend across time and a place between here and a parallel universe... a place where fantasy and reality are one and the same... this book captured my curious young foolish heart!" Lorelie, Indie Book Reviewer "If you get the feeling you don't quite fit the mold this life is pushing you into, read this book. It will shine a light on a new perspective, and encourage you to look a little deeper. What you do from there is up to you... your own fork in the road." Kari, Indie Book Reviewer