By D.J. Panec

Coming Soon!
Pub Date: June 1, 2024

Offering heart-stopping adventure and forbidden romance, this break-out young adult novel delivers a story as shocking as The Hunger Games with a thought-provoking allegory about the casual acceptance of slaughtering animals for food.

The book alternates in perspectives between Hawk, an 18-year-old boy, who lives in a human village deep in the forest, hidden from the giant ones, and Mira, a 17-year-old girl, whose people came to this land several generations ago and were told by their gods that hunting the small human animals would save them from starvation.

Mira has grown up in a medieval town in this new land, and she is now at an age when she is being pressured to find a boy to marry.

However, when she learns that the human animals in the forest are rapidly being hunted to extinction, she sets aside any thoughts of settling down and becomes determined to save the wild humans from the hunters—and the butchers.

Her resolve is tested when she comes face to face with Hawk, who has secretly entered Mira’s town on a terrifying mission. Mira’s involvement with this wild human boy could have far-reaching consequences—it could help save humanity . . . or end it.

Trigger warnings:
Violence: includes some violence and death, as well as giants eating human meat
Sex: no sex, but does include forbidden romance
Drugs: no drug use, but does include one scene of teen boys drinking beer
Language: no foul language

For some thoughtful perspectives on the human consumption of plants and animals, you may want to check out these books:

• Eating Animals
• The Omnivore’s Dilemma
• The Omnivore’s Dilemma – Young Readers Edition

For information on animal welfare, you may want to check out these websites:

• The Humane Society: humanesociety.org
• World Wildlife Fund: worldwildlife.org
• Animal Defense League: aldf.org/about-us
• Good Food Institute (information on plant-based meat): gfi.org
• Farm Forward Project: farmforward.com/eating-animals
• PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals): peta.org (Trigger Alert: While PETA is one of the leading supporters of animal welfare, please be aware that this website includes disturbing images of suffering animals.)