As When the Empire Began to Fall
Being neurodivergent, maybe, kind-of queer (she doesn't know yet), and adopted without a single other girl in her house, fifteen year old Star has enough problems on her plate. Being in high school is hard enough, but when she starts displaying freakishly supernatural strength, it gets a lot worse.
Then, right at the epitome of a prevailing identity crisis, shit hits the fan, and Star's country is invaded by a violent, weirdly religious nation called Callila, who seems particularly hellbent on taking over the entire continent for their god. Star and her friends are dragged out of their safe, loving world by their ankles and thrust into one full of deceit, barely concealed sexism and homophobia, and superiority complexes rooted in classism. Star learns that she has an alleged relation to a long dead court noble she couldn't care less about and meets Arlen, an enigmatic, if slightly annoying, prince who seems hellbent on protecting her from the true evilness that lurks around her while helping her hone her new found strength, which is slowly but steadily creeping out of control.
But as time continues to pass and tensions grow higher, Star hears whispers about a growing rebellion that could dissolve the current monarchy and bring her back home. She decides to help, along with her friends, and begins to realize that being young does not exclude her from the horrors of war, and she is faced with the fact that even if she is able to return home, nothing-not even her-will ever be the same.
*Basically, a YA novel with teenagers being teenagers, more gay, more diversity, a lot more swearing, and darker humor. Something I'm writing for fun. Give it a shot if you so wish.
