The Thirteenth Child

  

The Thirteenth Child
by Erin Craig
 
Book: Stand Alone
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pub Date: September 24, 2024
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Gothic
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon  Bookshop
 
This is the story of Hazel, a young healer navigating a ruthless court to save the life of the king, grappling with a pantheon of gods with questionable agendas as she fights for agency and true love in her own life as the goddaughter of none other than Death himself.

All gifts come with a price.

Hazel Trépas has always known she wasn’t like the rest of her siblings. A thirteenth child, promised away to one of the gods, she spends her childhood waiting for her godfather—Merrick, the Dreaded End—to arrive.

When he does, he lays out exactly how he’s planned Hazel’s future. She will become a great healer, known throughout the kingdom for her precision and skill. To aid her endeavors, Merrick blesses Hazel with a gift, the ability to instantly deduce the exact cure needed to treat the sick.

But all gifts come with a price. Hazel can see when Death has claimed a patient—when all hope is gone—and is tasked to end their suffering, permanently. Haunted by the ghosts of those she’s killed, Hazel longs to run. But destiny brings her to the royal court, where she meets Leo, a rakish prince with a disdain for everything and everyone. And it’s where Hazel faces her biggest dilemma yet—to save the life of a king marked to die. Hazel knows what she is meant to do and knows what her heart is urging her toward, but what will happen if she goes against the will of Death?

From the astonishing mind of Erin A. Craig comes the breathtaking fairy tale retelling readers have been waiting for— what does a life well-lived mean, and how do we justify the impossible choices we make for the ones we love?

 
My Review: WOAH! I've read a few books by Erin but this book is IT. This is her masterpiece for me. I couldn't put this book down at all.
 
Hazel is  a lovely girl. She doesn't have the best life or circumstances right now, but she can handle it. It's okay she doesn't get a lice of cake or even a cake on her birthday. It's okay she lives out in the barn.
 
It's all okay because her godfather is going to come for her one day and give her this wonderful life she's both been promised and dreamed about.

When that day finally comes, everything is going to change.
Hazel is given a gift from her Godfather, who is death himself. She is promised to be a great haler and live a long full life. So, he leaves her to read books upon books of medial knowledge. A cozy cabin all to herself with everything she could need.

 
The biggest issue was he left her there alone for the whole year. She was lonely and despite reading all the books and gaining the skills and knowledge she needed to become this great healer, it doesn't change that Hazel was just a child still.

But it's not all bad the whole time. He does return and understands more of who she is and what she wants and so they do end up spending more time together and it ends up not being so bad after all. Especailly when they leave to her new home and she given a lovely home, lots of land, and even a puppy! 

Hazel's work starts right away when she's brought to her new home and things start right off the bat with someone needing her help not even 5 min being there. 

After that, things just keep going for her. Lots of healing, time at home, gardening, raising her puppy and even falling in love. But the biggest and true test is when she is carried off to court to heal the King. From there, this book somehow got even better and I couldn't stand when it was over. I wanted so much more. 
 

My Rating:

✪✪✪✪✪