A dark and captivating new take on the beloved Nutcracker story, Z. R. Ellor's YA fantasy debut, No Better Than Beasts, is a perfect standalone...

A dark and captivating new take on the beloved Nutcracker story, Z. R. Ellor's YA fantasy debut, No Better Than Beasts, is a perfect standalone novel for fans of folklore, cursed kingdoms, fraught romance, and fairy tales with sharp teeth.

Nabik, a soldier, owes his loyalty to his elder brother Fydir, who lifted him and their sister, Drakne, from poverty. But when Fydir orders him to quell unrest among the city's beastfolk, the magic Nabik had long buried begins to stir. A wintery voice urges Nabik to desert his post--and his brother's watchful eye --to journey north into Kolznechia, a frozen, enchanted kingdom ruled by the mercurial Rat King. His power may hold the key to breaking an ancient curse and ending the Rat King's terrible reign.

Drakne will do whatever it takes to break free of Fydir. As Nabik follows all of their eldest brother's commands, her best hope of escaping is to seek the protection of the Rat King. And the tyrant king has been looking for Drakne too. She has a gift that can help him find and kill the missing nutcracker prince, rightful heir to his stolen throne.

When the nutcracker prince emerges, Nabik and Drakne take opposite sides of a centuries-old conflict--him to save a kingdom, her to save herself. Then Fydir marches into the growing war, hungry to claim power of his own, and if Nabik and Drakne can't fix their broken bond, Kolznechia may be torn apart by tooth and claw...

Author: Z. R. Ellor
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Published: 10/15/2024
Pages: 352
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.91lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.78w x 1.16d
ISBN: 9781250866998
Audience: Young Adult


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 08/15/2024

About the Author
Z. R. Ellor wrote their first novel when they were twelve years old and never put down their pen. They are the author of young adult and adult novels including May the Best Man Win, Acting the Part, and Silk Fire. Their non-literary interests include running, travel, and global cuisine. No Better Than Beasts is their YA fantasy debut. Z. R. lives in Long Beach, CA. zrellorbooks.com