When my girls were young, we read many fantasy kingdom tales, including these:
- Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix, a novel spinoff of Cinderella
- Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, another spinoff of Cinderella
- The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale, Books of Bayern series, a novel based on the folktale by the same name
- The Two Princesses of Barmarre by Gail Carson Levine
- The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale, Princess Academy series
I’ve even read them on my own, after my girls grew up.
I guess I’m a sucker for fairy tales and their adaptations as novels, plus castle settings with kings, queens, princes, and princesses and all the mystery and intrigue that goes with running a kingdom. In fact, I’ve written a few such tales of my own that I hope to publish someday.
So, today I’m shaking things up a bit by detouring into the Christian Young Adult (YA) fantasy of Candice Pedraza Yamnitz. Her stories have a flavor all their own, for her kingdom near the Agata Sea has a Latin twist.
- Ruthless—an Agata Sea Novella, Assassins Rise, Book 1, March 14, 2024
- Restless—an Agata Sea Novella, Assassins Rise, Book 2, April 10, 2025
- Unbetrothed—The Agata Sea Duology, Book 1, Oct 1, 2024
- Untamed—The Agata Sea Duology, Book 2, Feb 13, 2025
Incidentally, I’ve shared one other fantasy on this blog: Nightfall in the Garden of Deep Time by Tracy Higley. This is inspirational fiction for anyone struggling with discouragement while pursuing the creative dream. You don’t have to be a fan of fantasy to appreciate this novel.
Concepcion Press LLC; 1st edition (October 1, 2024)
Concepcion Press LLC; 1st edition (March 14, 2024)
BLURB for Ruthless
Perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, Wishtress’ magical redemptive arc, and Encanto’s Latin vibe.
Seventeen-year-old assassin Cottia is desperate to leave behind the work she’s been forced into.
Her lord offers freedom in exchange for one last hit. The assignment is to start a war by killing a target during the Giddelian prince’s betrothal selection ceremony.
When the prince uncovers her identity, he offers her a new opportunity. Will his invitation grant her freedom from the notorious underlord?
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My thoughts on Ruthless
Cottia feels trapped, forced to use her gift of healing for evil and destruction. She’s an assassin, doing the bidding of an oppressive, evil man, Whyzer Patro. Cottia has to perform one last assassination to gain her freedom. But if she fails, her friend Gema will pay the price. Gema, another captive, is gifted with fire magic.
Some people still believe in the Ancient One, but is he really more powerful than Patro? Can the Ancient One be trusted? Prince Ever seems to think so, and his actions challenge Cottia to make hard choices.
There’s plenty of risk-taking, high stakes, clean romance, and adventure packed into this 160-page novella, its world spiced with Latin flavor. Themes of forgiveness and hope are woven throughout.
Ruthless is a prequel to Unbetrothed (below), about Cottia’s daughter Beatriz.
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Blurb for Unbetrothed
Around Agatha Sea, princesses are poised, magically gifted, and betrothed.
So, when seventeen-year-old Princess Beatriz still fails to secure a betrothal, her parents hold a ball. Forming an alliance could mean the difference between peace and war, but Beatriz doesn’t want just any suitor. She’s in love with her best friend, Prince Lux. Marrying Prince Lux will always be a silly dream as long as she has no magical gift.
Princess Beatriz will do whatever it takes to obtain a touch of magic, including making a deadly oath to go on a quest to Valle de Los Fantasmas. A valley where no one comes out alive.
If she can manage to succeed, Princess Beatriz could have everything she desires and secure peace for her kingdom. If she fails, she’ll lose not only her greatest dream but also her kingdom, and maybe even her own life.
Join me for some Q & A with Candice Pedraza Yamnitz.
Questions about Ruthless and Unbetrothed
What led you to writing YA fantasy? Did you consider other genres?
I fell in love with YA fantasy and loved the quick pacing and deadly odds. I have written only in the fantasy genre and have considered Rom Coms.
What was your inspiration for writing Ruthless? What’s your personal connection to the story?
My inspiration was Unbetrothed. While I was writing Unbetrothed, I wanted to know the mom’s backstory and fell in love with the premise.
What was your inspiration for writing Unbetrothed? What’s your personal connection to the story?
Unbetrothed came while I was mentoring teens. I saw a real life Beatriz in action and had to write about the girl I didn’t see in books.
How did you develop your heroines Cottia and Beatriz? Did they hijack the story or did you have full rein?
I don’t think any author has full reign over their stories. Beatriz stubbornly led the way and Cottia was slightly easier to manage because she had one goal in mind and would falter from it.
How do you want your stories to resonate with your young readers?
I want young readers to feel seen and swept into a whirlwind of emotions and thrilling situations.
How do you go about world building? Do you plan the world and setting details first or is it part of the writing process?
I planned out some details but have been in the Agata Sea world for years so the land has taken a life of its own. It took time to settle on all the rules. I wrote the rules down over and over again at first.
What is your biggest challenge in writing YA fantasy?
I think the biggest challenge is finishing and continuing even when I’m discouraged.
Questions about writing
What books have been most influential for you as an author?
Lord of the Rings, The Kiss of Deceptions, Jeff Wheeler’s Kingfountain series and Muirwood series, and A Voice in the Wind are huge inspirations.
Where do your story ideas usually originate from—character, plot, setting, theme, or a combination?
They come from me toying with “what if” ideas and combining concepts until a character screams for me to write about them.
Please share something about a current project or the direction you want to go as an author.
I will most likely stay indie and write more overt Christian fantasy because that is what publishers don’t want to publish. I guess there isn’t a big enough audience according to publishers. I don’t know all the reasons, but I think Christian YA fantasy is wanted and needed. It’s also what God has placed on my heart.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
It would be to write the next story. A lot of time we get stuck in perfection or in needing all the books to release right now. It’s better to have a complete draft than it is to have a perfect draft.
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Back to Laura . . . On a similar note . . .
Though historical fiction, my latest novel features ones of the great names in fantasy: L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
A Hundred Magical Reasons (launched January 2025) spotlights Mr. Baum’s friendship with a young girl and his impact through the decades. Set in Holland, Michigan, this dual timeline novel alternates between 1980 and the early 1900s. Read more and watch the book trailer here.
A Hundred Magical Reasons awards:
- First Place in The BookFest for Literary Historical Fiction (April 2025)
- First Place in the Firebird Book Awards for Biographical Fiction (April 2025)
- Literary Titan Gold Book Award for Fiction (March 2025)
- Bronze Medal for the Illumination Book Awards for General Fiction (February 2025)
- 3 five-star Readers’ Favorite reviews
I invite you to join my monthly newsletter for writing updates, freebies, and giveaways. Sign up and I’ll send you 7 Oz-inspired recipes: A-Taste-Of-Oz-Cookbook-Sampler.com
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Candice Pedraza Yamnitz bio
Candice Pedraza Yamnitz fell in love with The Lord of the Rings and Pride and Prejudice in high school and hasn’t stopped reading since. She taught in a dual-language elementary classroom for years until she decided to stay at home, teaching a crew of imaginative children. In between reading lessons and converting cardboard boxes into pirate ships, she writes YA novels with a Latin twist. She lives in her native Chicagoland. Learn more on her website.
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Join me next time for a visit with author Lana Christian.
Meanwhile, have you read any YA fantasy or books by Candice Pedraza Yamnitz? Any favorites? Answer in the comments below.
Ever reading,
Laura
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Yes, I think there is a need for Christian YA fantasy! My kids love fantasy. But so much of the dystopian/utopian novels out there have a strong nihilistic theme–not good for young minds. No wonder our society is so anxious. So each year when the Carol finalists come out, I share the authors with my kids to introduce them to new books. 🙂 It’s been a wonderful resource. After reading the blurb and then hearing that Candice saw a “real life Beatriz in action,” I’m intrigued. Yet another for the TBR pile!
Sharing the Carol Award fantasy winners is a great starting point for sharing fantasy titles with your kids. I agree–Christian YA fantasy is vital in this day and age. Fantasy can accomplish unique things that other genres can’t, and it can positively impact those who prefer reading fantasy over other genres.
There are so many good Christian YA authors trying to produce God-honoring work. I try to highlight that in my newsletter and on my social media page if you ever would like more recommendations. Thank you for adding my books to my TBR. 🙂
I haven’t read a YA book since my kids were younger. These books convince me I should venture back into the genre. I’m attracted by the quick-pacing, adventure, emotions, high-stakes, and thrilling situations you’re describing in Unbetrothed and Ruthless. An added plus is that one features the mother’s story while the other’s is the daughter’s life. The cover designs are magical.
I’d like to read these stories.
Yes, the mother-daughter aspect is intriguing. And I’m certainly drawn to the cover artwork–especially Unbetrothed!
I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to grab a free copy of Ruthless on my website. https://candiceyamnitz.com. I love generational stories!
YA is fascinating to me. I do read YA. The variety available is amazing. It can make finding a book you want to read a bit challenging. These two look like great books. Reading YA Fantasy with a Christian world view makes these stories all the more inviting.
Yes, there is a variety of YA out there!
I hope you enjoy them! Honestly, I was told to keep the Christian out of my YA fantasy, but I can’t help myself. I even got a negative review saying my Unbetrothed was too morally Christian. It’s kind of a badge of honor now. This is why I’ve leaned more into indie publishing so that there can be more overt Christian YA out there.
I’m not typically a YA or Fantasy reader but I did read Nightfall in the Garden of Deep Time by Tracy Higley and absolutely loved it! I haven’t read any of Candice’s books, but she’s an amazing person, and I’m sure a fantastic author as well.
I’m glad to hear you loved Nightfall in the Garden of Deep Time even though you don’t normally read fantasy. That is an amazing book that most creatives could appreciate!
Aww…thank you, Deena!