Cruel Blood (Vol. 2 Immortals)

In the highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling book "Golden Blood ," Deka grows increasingly powerful, but before she can wield any superpowers, she'll need to learn who to trust. Ideal for fans of Black Panther, NK Jemisin, and Octavia Butler.

It's been six months since Deka freed the Golden Ones and discovered not only who she truly is, but also her purpose in the world. Now, the entire kingdom is at war. The Oterians view all of Deka's allies as traitors. And she herself is called a monster.

But the real battle is just beginning. Tasked with freeing the remaining goddesses' army, Deka encounters a strange symbol as soon as she begins her task, and it's everywhere, even on her enemies' armor. There's something unusual about the symbol, making Deka feel nauseous just looking at it. And to make matters worse, the symbol seems to block her powers. She can't command or communicate with the new death howlers. In fact, she can't even understand what they're saying.

There's something sinister connected to the symbol, something cruel that threatens all of humanity. She and her army will need to discover what it is and stop it as quickly as possible. Otherwise, even as she grows stronger, Deka may not be able to lead Otera to the time of peace and equality she so desperately dreams of.

“This book shines like gold.” – School Library Journal (starred review)