The Poet Empress by Shen Tao Genres: Adult, AAPI, Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Magic Published by Gollancz on January 19, 2026 Format: Hardcover, Special Edition Pages: 390 Source: Illumicrate In the waning years of the Azalea Dynasty, the emperor is dying, the land consumed by famine, and poetry magic lost to all except the powerful.  Wei Yin is desperate. After the fifth death of a sibling, with her family and village on the brink of starvation, she will do anything to save those she loves.  Even offer herself as concubine to the cruel heir of the beautiful and brutal Azalea House.  But in a twist of fate, the palace stands on the knife-edge of civil war with Wei trapped in its center…at the side of a violent prince.  To survive, Wei must harden her heart, rely on her wit, and become dangerous herself. Even if it means becoming a poet in a world where women are forbidden to read—and composing the most powerful spell of all. A ballad of death…and love. This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence. A story of …
