Monarch Rising

By: Harper Glenn

Narrated by: Bahni Turpin, Pete Cross

In a chilling near-future New United States of America, Jo Monarch has grown up in the impoverished borderlands of New Georgia. She’s given one chance to change her fate... if she can survive a boy trained to break hearts.

Today is the day Jo Monarch has been wishing on the moon about her entire life. It's the day of the Lineup, when she could be selected to leave her life in the Ashes behind. The day she could move across the mountains to a glittering, rich future.

Once Jo is plucked from the Lineup, the real test begins. She still needs to impress the New Georgia Reps at tonight's Gala, and her path forward leads straight to Cove Wells. The damaged stepson of one of the Reps, Cove has been groomed as an emotional weapon, taught that love is a tool -- and he's set on breaking Jo's heart next.

When a riot breaks out back in the Ashes the night of the Gala, Jo's dreams might all go up in smoke. Can she really have everything she's ever wished for... when it means leaving all her loved ones behind in the fire?

Harper Glenn's debut is as gripping as it is prescient, an unflinching meditation on whether love can save us from ourselves, and what it takes to be born anew.

©2022 Harper Glenn (P)2022 Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

The Future

Very interesting. Full of thoughts. Monarch Rising makes me think about what the world could look like if we continue in this pattern of events in this country. Some parts are sad but still leave a feeling of hope.

Full range of emotions

Wow! I’m at awe at how good this book was. I had a full range of emotions which is rare for me to have when reading. I was happy, sad, angry, I laughed, I cried… I will be thinking about this story for a long time to come.