New Ya Trilogy Explores An Enchanting Dreamland That Erases Self-Doubt In First Book Of The Series
Have you ever been haunted by a dream? One that felt so real, you wonder why you didn’t give in to your subconscious and live in it forever? Have you ever experienced déjà vu so intense, you knew it was your purpose to follow it to the ends of the Earth, so it can show you what is destined to happen?
Band of Shadows: The Scarlet Onyx Saga by H.P. Waitt [April 8, 2019] follows seventeen-year-old Scarlet, who never felt a part of this world after bouncing between foster homes her entire life. She feels safer in her dreams, where she keeps trying to reach a mysterious door but always wakes up before she sees what’s on the other side. When she encounters the door in real life, she opens it and is transported to the island of Avalon, soon discovering the reason why she’s always felt different: she’s not from this world—she’s a Faye.
What follows are her adventures into handling her new-found powers with care, all the while being on the lookout for the Band of Shadows: the Fayes who caused the biggest rebellion in Faye history, leading to their most deadly war. As the threat of war looms ominously on the horizon, Scarlet remains in Avalon learning what it truly means to be a Faye—not just a supernatural being who can move objects with her mind and detect someone’s true intentions by instinct—but by refusing to see her weaknesses as shortcomings, and instead turning them into her strongest powers.
In Band of Shadows, the first book in The Scarlet Onyx Saga, Waitt uses Scarlet’s desire of finding a place to call home to express that “home” is not a place where you are born or where you live, but rather a place where you belong. Waitt also addressed many relevant issues such as mental illness, authoritarianism, and how friendship can help overcome the issues that most coming-of-age teens deal with before they realize their purpose.
“All the strength you need in life lies within you, all you need are the tools and the confidence to utilize it,” says Waitt. “Band of Shadows shows readers that the things you believed would hold you back are actually the things that set you apart, that make you who you are, and they’re both powerful and beautiful.”
Other elements featured in Band of Shadows that Waitt invites readers to learn alongside Scarlet and discuss include:
Why the most valuable thing in life is a real and true friendship that can make you a better version of yourself
The importance of addressing mental health issues: why you shouldn’t look at your illness as a character flaw, and knowing when to talk with someone about your feelings so you never suffer alone
Why you should not blindly follow what someone tells you to do, as you should always make decisions for yourself and stand for what you believe in
How elements of Young Adult and fantasy fiction can relate to everyday life at any age group, proving that you can always be the hero in your own story.
HAILEY “H.P.” WAITT currently serves as a board member of the Waitt Foundation, which supports government efforts to restore our neighboring oceans. Her passions lie in supporting families in the foster care system and raising awareness about mental illness, as both issues are addressed in the first book of her debut YA series, Band of Shadows: The Scarlet Onyx Saga. A South Dakota Native, Waitt now resides in San Diego after getting her degree in history and psychology at the University of Southern California. Connect with Waitt through Facebook and Instagram.
For more information about Band of Shadows, visit band-of-shadows.squarespace.com
Band of Shadows will be available for purchase via Amazon and other booksellers on April 8, 2019.
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