A River Enchanted

Staff Top Fives

Our booksellers' favorite books of the year!

#1 International Bestseller

"With lush world building and lyrical prose, A River Enchanted feels like the echo of a folktale from a world right next to our own." — Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf

House of Earth and Blood meets The Witch's Heart in Rebecca Ross's brilliant first adult fantasy, set on the magical isle of Cadence where two childhood enemies must team up to discover why girls are going missing from their clan.

Jack Tamerlaine hasn't stepped foot on Cadence in ten long years, content to study music at the mainland university. But when young girls start disappearing from the isle, Jack is summoned home to help find them. Enchantments run deep on Cadence: gossip is carried by the wind, plaid shawls can be as strong as armor, and the smallest cut of a knife can instill fathomless fear. The capricious spirits that rule the isle by fire, water, earth, and wind find mirth in the lives of the humans who call the land home. Adaira, heiress of the east and Jack's childhood enemy, knows the spirits only answer to a bard's music, and she hopes Jack can draw them forth by song, enticing them to return the missing girls.

As Jack and Adaira reluctantly work together, they find they make better allies than rivals as their partnership turns into something more. But with each passing song, it becomes apparent the trouble with the spirits is far more sinister than they first expected, and an older, darker secret about Cadence lurks beneath the surface, threatening to undo them all.

With unforgettable characters, a fast-paced plot, and compelling world building, A River Enchanted is a stirring story of duty, love, and the power of true partnership, and marks Rebecca Ross's brilliant entry on the adult fantasy stage.

"A vivid fantasy that is impossible to put down." Booklist, starred review

"A tale that blends political intrigue with elements of a fantasy thriller. . . Ross has built a fully realized world clearly inspired by Scottish myth and legend and thick with heroes. . . A rich fantasy of bards and bairns in which the magical island setting becomes the main character." Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Missing girls, an enchanted island, two enemies forced to work together — I was hooked from the first page. Rebecca Ross's debut adult novel does not disappoint!" Shea Ernshaw, New York Times bestselling author of A History of Wild Places

"Reading A River Enchanted is like being swept away by a song. The novel is exquisitely crafted and rich with emotion. I loved every word of it!" Danielle L. Jensen, USA Today bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom

"Riveting and richly imagined, A River Enchanted flows like a song you cannot forget. Rebecca Ross has crafted a tale as tricksy and elemental as the human — and inhuman — heart." A.G. Slatter, award-winning author of All the Murmuring Bones

Rebecca Ross writes fantasy novels for teens and adults. She lives in the Appalachian foothills of Northeast Georgia with her husband, a lively Australian Shepherd, and an endless pile of books. When not writing, she can be found reading or in her garden, where she grows wildflowers and story ideas. Find her on Instagram @beccajross.