The Voice in All (The Artifex and the Muse) by Audrey Auden

A fast-paced new adult romantic fantasy set in a richly imagined world of myth and mystery ... with a metaphysical twist First Place Winner for Visionary Fiction — Speak Up Talk Radio 2022 Firebird Book Awards Gold Tier — The Review Curmudgeon Best of 2022 List "Wow, this book was phenomenal! A five-star read, for sure! ... The main characters, Dom and Ava, are insightful, utterly human, apologetic, and open to change/expanding and exploring differences in worldview. It was so refreshing to read ... The writing was exquisite ... I deeply enjoyed reading its philosophical and theoretical components ... This book was truly excellent and I commend the author for writing an exceptional book that resists compartmentalization. It was brilliant, show-stopping, and spectacular, as Lady Gaga would say; and it was by far the best book I've read all year." — The N in NYA Sixteen-year-old thief Ava must set sail tonight to escape the life of servitude that awaits every child who comes of age. All that stands between her and a life of freedom is one last job: stealing the pharmaka to pay for her passage. She’s stolen from the temple priestesses countless times before. What could go wrong? On the other side of the temple city, sixteen-year-old field hand Dom bids a final farewell to his childhood home. The priestesses say he’ll find purpose in the life of hard labor that lies ahead. He hopes they’re right. What other choice does he have? When their paths collide in the dark forest, Dom and Ava discover the stolen pharmaka has some unfortunate side effects. Like it or not, they’re stuck with each other now. But what possible future could exist for a girl who’s determined to escape her bondage and a boy who’s never imagined the possibility of freedom? On the eve of their Calling Day, Dom and Ava’s first meeting sets in motion an adventure of mythic proportions, spanning millennia and bridging worlds. The Voice in All is Book One in the fantasy saga The Artifex and the Muse.