Mask of Shadows

Q: Do I have to buy the ebook to participate in a book club?

No, you don’t have to buy the ebook to participate, but we do recommend it to get the most out of your club. There are several premium social reading features that are only available when you buy the ebook, like annotations, reactions, comment threads, resources, discussion prompts, and more, all embedded right in the text. It’s a unique and immersive way to read.

Q: Why can’t I buy the ebook on the app?

It’s annoying, we know. App store rules prevent us from selling directly in the app, so for now you can only purchase ebooks on our website. Don’t worry: when you purchase an ebook on the web, it’s automatically added to your bookshelf in the app.

Q: How is Fable’s reader different from Kindle?

Kindle is a straightforward e-reader; Fable is an interactive e-reader that includes social features inside the ebooks. When you read an ebook on Fable, you can see and react to the text with others in real time. Start a discussion, share highlights and quotes, add emoji reactions—all of it lives right inside the book. It’s hard to explain and easy to see, so we recommend reading the free sample in one of our most active clubs to get a feel for it.

Q: Do you sell physical books too?

We do not sell physical books at this time. Wish we did? Let us know why here!

Q: Are book clubs free to join on Fable?

Most of our clubs are completely free to join. The only exceptions are clubs marked as “Premium” or “Career Development,” which do require a fee. You can find out more on each club’s detail page.

Q: How do I start a book club with this book on Fable?

The first step is to download the Fable app. From there, you’ll be able to create your own private or public book club and invite others to read with you. Once your club is created, click on the plus sign under “Currently reading” and search for this book to add it to your club.

By Linsey Miller

Publisher Description

"I love every aspect of this amazing book—a genderfluid hero, a deadly contest, and vicious courtly intrigue. Get! Read! Now!" —Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Times bestselling author

I needed to win. They needed to die.

Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class—and the nobles who destroyed their home.

When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand—the Queen's personal assassins, named after the rings she wears—Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge.

But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive.

This heart-pounding YA story of magic, danger, and revenge is perfect for readers looking for:

epic books for tweens and teens
gay and lesbian fantasy and science fiction
gripping stories with queer and gay magic and sorcery
gender fluid representation and gender diversity
dazzling world-building and relatable characters

Praise for Mask of Shadows:

A Bustle Most Anticipated YA of 2017!

"Compelling and relatable characters, a fascinating world with dangerous magic, and a dash of political intrigue: Mask of Shadows completely delivered. Fantasy fans will love this book."—Jodi Meadows, New York Times bestselling coauthor of My Lady Jane

"An intriguing world and a fantastically compelling main character make for a can't-miss debut. Miller's Mask of Shadows will make you glad you're not an assassin—and even gladder Sal is."—Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of And I Darken and Now I Rise

"It is fabulous. Go forth and read the Hunger Games-like craftiness and intensity, Kaz Brekker-ish determination and moral questionability, and utterly charming romance." — LGBTQ Reads

"Uber bloody and action packed, Mask of Shadows is the book for anyone who loves a heavy dose of grit and gore with their fantasy." — TeenVogue.com

Don't miss the highly anticipated second book in the Mask of Shadows duology, Ruin of Stars, and Linsey Miller's standalone YA fantasy Belle Révolte, both available now!

Download the free Fable app

Stay organized

Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.

Build a better TBR

Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building tool

Rate and review

Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tags

Curate your feed

Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communities

Stay organized

Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.

Build a better TBR

Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building tool

Rate and review

Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tags

Curate your feed

Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communities

Mask of Shadows Reviews

2.5

Holly N

Created over 7 years ago

“This might've made 5 stars if the ending didn't feel so rushed. I loved the action, and you don't see gender fluid main characters very often.”

adrienne wai

Created about 8 years ago

“This novel had such promise. I was excited to see a gender fluid main character. A strong character who would break the norms and tropes. But this book does not deliver and almost feels like they use the idea of a gender fluid main character as hook to draw in readers. Overall I found the characters bland and the plot lacking. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC”

BritReadsBooks

Created about 8 years ago

“I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review* The premise sounded intriguing, and it was promised to be perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J. Maas. It took me a while to get into the story, and while the concept of gender fluidity sounded promising, I’m not sure I understand how it adds to Sal as a character. While the concept was laid out and easy to understand (Sal likes to be called he/she/they depending on how Sal is dressed), it was definitely lost in the plot. Sal could have been any gender and it probably would not have had any impact on the character as a whole. I really liked the start of the competition because the protagonist was playing it smart and anticipating everyone's moves. There was also a lot of suspense there because it was hard to know who was going to get killed and when. Towards the second half of the book, it somehow went from being all about becoming an assassin to Sal’s love interest. Although feelings for another do humanize Sal, I wish there were more scenes of her becoming an assassin. The whole competition almost felt rushed, because a lot of it was Sal hiding away and trying not to get killed. The protagonist needed to be a part of the action more, and this is where Sal fell short. I did find this book enjoyable to read, but there were a lot of things I wish were done differently. I felt like having the other characters identified by numbers was easier than remembering names for them, but it took away from character development a bit, because most of the other competitors were lacking in depth. This made it difficult to connect to any of them besides the protagonist. There was a lack of worldbuilding and a lot of focus placed on characters and places that we don't even see in the story. Sal's character requires more background story regarding where she comes from and her family. It is strikingly similar to how tributes killed each other in The Hunger Games, with Sal as Katniss wanting to take down those who ruined her life.”

aubreyjoy

Created about 8 years ago

“I hate when books are just rip-offs, and I thought this would be interesting because it was marketed as a gender-fluid main character. Okay. A little bit about that... Read more here! https://pointextaken.wordpress.com/2017/09/14/review-mask-of-shadows-mask-of-shadows-1-linsey-miller/ Aubrey Joy”

About Linsey Miller

A wayward biologist from Arkansas, Linsey previously worked as a crime lab intern, neuroscience lab assistant, and pharmacy technician. She can be found writing about science and magic anywhere there’s coffee. She is the author of the Mask of Shadows duology, Belle Revolte, and What We Devour. Visit her online at linseymiller.com.