by Jessica Flory (Author)
Winner of the 2023 Readers' Favorite book awards for young adult epic fantasy.
Love weakens his magic, and survival is far from guaranteed.
"Exquisite." - Indies Today
"A journey you won't want to return from." - Readers' Favorite
One girl. Her boat. An ocean of sand to cross.
Norah's desert world has always been treacherous, with the roiling ocean of sand, giant scorpions, and brutal sandstorms-but now an unnatural famine plagues the desert nations and threatens to destroy all.
Despite being the only one in her village without a sand gift, Norah is chosen with her best friend, Zadock, to sail across the ocean of sand in search of the legendary moonstone, an artifact that could end the famine.
As Norah and Zadock set off on their journey, secret romantic feelings each has suppressed for years rise to the surface. Love weakens sand gifts, and if they act on their feelings, Zadock's sand gift will disappear.
Caught in a crossfire between forbidden feelings, an unforgiving desert, and starving nations willing to do anything to survive, Norah and Zadock discover the true meaning of sacrifice-and the power that love has to heal the world.