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• Named a Best Book of 2020 by: CBC and The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
• WINNER of the OLA White Pine Award 2021
• WINNER of the Bapsi Sidhwa Literary Prize 2022
• USBBY Outstanding International Book of 2021
• Nominated for the Snow Willow Award 2021
• OLA Best Bets of 2020

Gul has spent her life running. She has a star-shaped birthmark on her arm, and in the kingdom of Ambar, girls with such birthmarks have been disappearing for years. Gul’s mark is what caused her parents’ murder at the hand of King Lohar’s ruthless soldiers and forced her into hiding to protect her own life. So when a group of rebel women called the Sisters of the Golden Lotus rescue her, take her in, and train her in warrior magic, Gul wants only one thing: revenge.

Cavas lives in the tenements, and he’s just about ready to sign his life over to the king’s army. His father is terminally ill, and Cavas will do anything to save him. But sparks fly when he meets a mysterious girl—Gul—in the capital’s bazaar, and as the chemistry between them undeniably grows, he becomes entangled in a mission of vengeance—and discovers a magic he never expected to find.

Dangerous circumstances have brought Gul and Cavas together at the king’s domain in Ambar Fort . . . a world with secrets deadlier than their own. Exploring identity, class struggles, and high-stakes romance, Hunted by the Sky is a gripping adventure set in a world inspired by medieval India.

DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR BOOK CLUBS:

A discussion guide for the book can be found here. Created by Leigh Ann Higgins at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

REVIEWS:

★ “Hunted by the Sky is a novel of palace intrigue, supplication and resistance, romance, and betrayal…The result is an intoxicating novel that is at once leisurely and keenly enthralling.” — Quill & Quire (starred review)

★ “A breath of fresh air in the fantasy adventure genre…Readers will be mesmerized by Bhathena’s vivid storytelling.” — School Library Journal (starred review) 

“Hunted by the Sky is lush and vividly imagined, suspenseful, romantic, and adventurous.” — Teen Vogue

“Quintessential YA; another must-read for lovers of young adult fantasy…Tanaz Bhathena masters the fantastical realm and captures the vulnerability and innocence of first love.” — OLA Best Bets of 2020

“A brilliantly woven fantasy novel.” — Deccan Chronicle

“In Bhathena’s skilled hands, Hunted by the Sky feels fresh and feminist. It’s a story about women who are both prey and predator, and an exciting start to a series that’s just beginning to stretch its legs.” — BookPage

“A fast-paced romantic fantasy set in a thoughtfully built, diverse world.” — Kirkus

“This Indian- and Persian-inspired duology opener…explores questions of faith via a fully fleshed, predominantly brown-skinned cast and a thoughtfully conceived mythology.” — Publishers Weekly

“Bhathena explores class struggles and the marginalization of social groups in a fully immersive setting inspired by medieval India…the plot quickly unfolds as we alternate between the distinct voices of Gul and Cavas, whose engaging dynamic promises further development in a sure-to-be gripping sequel.” — Booklist

“Hunted by the Sky…[is]…really for anyone who’s willing to let their imagination run free and immerse themselves in a world that is both familiar yet strange.” — FEZANA Journal 

“As deeply enthralling as a dream, the world of Ambar lures you in with its rich mythology and fiercely tender romance. A story exquisitely told, with magic on every page.” — AUSMA ZEHANAT KHAN, author of The Bloodprint

“A thrilling start to an exciting new series set in a fresh, magical new world . . . I couldn’t put it down!” — S. A. CHAKRABORTY, author of The City of Brass and The Kingdom of Copper

“Hunted by the Sky  plunges readers into an original and imaginative world that is both beautifully brutal and brutally beautiful. Tanaz Bhathena’s writing crackles with visceral detail and pointed metaphor, creating an immersive reading experience. Readers are certain to fall for Gul and Cavas as they find their own value in a world that tries hard to devalue them. A fresh and intelligent fantasy.” — MEGAN BANNEN, author of The Bird and the Blade

“With Hunted by the Sky , Tanaz Bhathena pens a story that is as fierce as it is tender. Her girls are beautifully complicated. Her world is lush, intricate, and unique. This book not only left me breathless, it made my heart soar.” — KRISTEN CICCARELLI, internationally bestselling author of The Last Namsara

“A mythical tale of love, sisterhood, vengeance, and hope, Hunted by the Sky  is an epic adventure you don’t want to miss.” — TASHA SURI, author of Empire of Sand

“Filled with magic, prophecy, and ancient goddesses, Hunted by the Sky  is an engrossing novel that will keep the reader up long past bedtime. Tanaz Bhathena’s fantasy is perfect for fans of thoughtful world-building and fantastical mirrors to our own reality. A whirlwind of heartfelt storytelling.” — JODI MEADOWS, New York Times–bestselling co-author of My Plain Jane and author of the Fallen Isles Trilogy

“Captivating . . . Steeped in medieval Indian magic, Hunted by the Sky  is a breathtaking adventure of a book that draws you in from page one.” — SUKANYA VENKATRAGHAVAN, editor of Magical Women and author of Dark Things

“Hunted by the Sky  offers YA fantasy readers something deliciously fresh, while giving us everything we love: a richly imagined landscape, fascinating magic, and a tenacious young heroine pitted against impossible odds.” — ELLY BLAKE, New York Times–bestselling author of the Frostblood Saga

“A dazzling, rich story with a complex heroine, intricate magic, and bone-sharp prose, Hunted by the Sky is the fantasy novel I’ve been waiting for all year.” — SWATI TEERDHALA, author of The Tiger at Midnight Series

 

SELECTED MEDIA:

Students across Canada chose these 9 books as the 2021 Forest of Reading Award winners, CBC

2021 Snow Willow Finalists, The Willow Awards

Outstanding International Books List 2021, USBBY 

The best Canadian YA and middle-grade books of 2020, CBC

12 Books To Help You Escape the News Cycle, Kirkus

8 2020 YA releases with BIPOC facing down the world from the cover, BookRiot

Five Asian SFF Authors Who Write About Asia, Tor.com

Summer Author Spotlight: Three Books For My Teen Self, RecitRachel

11 Canadian science fiction, speculative fiction and fantasy books to read this summer, CBC

8 new epic fantasy debuts for 2020, Book Riot

12 middle-grade and YA books to read this summer, CBC

10 JUICY, JOY-SOAKED BOOKS TO DEVOUR THIS SUMMER, The Kit

Must-Read YA Romances by Authors of Color, Frolic

Five Books With Fantasy Worlds Inspired by India, Tor.com

Books of the week, FirstPost

Identity, class-struggle and diversity meet romance in Tanaz Bhathena’s lush fantasy novel, Scroll

12 Canadian books coming out in June to check out, CBC

15 YA Books We Can’t Wait For This Summer, Buzzfeed

All the New Young Adult SFF Books Arriving in June, Tor.com

5 Fantasy Books Coming Out This Month, Bookstr

10 Great June 2020 YA Releases to TBR, Book Riot

On the Radar: Our June entertainment picks, Global News

30 June 2020 YA Releases You Need This Summer, United by Pop

New Young Adult Speculative Fiction for June & July 2020, Tor.com

Most anticipated YA books of the Summer, BookPage

The 20 Most Anticipated YA Books to Read in June, EpicReads

Five of the biggest book launches to look forward to this summer, The Hindu Business Line

25 Books by Asian Authors to Read in 2020, Bookish

5 binge worthy books to look forward to in 2020 during the lockdown, India Today

Read an excerpt from Hunted by the Sky, Tor.com

Hunted by the Sky: Exclusive Chapter Excerpt, Den of Geek

The Ultimate Guide to Spring 2020 YA Books for your TBR, Book Riot

29 YA Fantasy Books We Can’t Wait To Read In 2020, Buzzfeed

10 Books With South Asian Characters You Should Read in 2020, Teen Vogue

Books By Women Authors To Look Out For In 2020, She The People

48 YA Book Releases To Look Out For In 2020, The Nerd Daily

2020: Turning a new page, Deccan Herald

50 Books To Look Forward To In 2020, HuffPost India

150+ YA Book Releases Coming Out In 2020, United by Pop

YA 2019–2020 Booklist: The Big Picture, Publishers Weekly

Exclusive Cover Reveal: Tanaz Bhathena’s Hunted by the Sky, Barnes & Noble Teen Blog

AUDIO/FOREIGN RIGHTS:

Audio: Recorded Books

Canada: Penguin Random House Canada

India: Penguin Random House India