His Face Is the Sun (Throne of Khetara, #1) by Michelle Jabès Corpora

Young Adult Book of the Month for January 2026

Princess. Priestess. Rebel. Thief.

The kingdom of Khetara awaits an uncertain future . . .
As the gilded royal court revels in decadence, turning a blind eye to the civil unrest threatening to overspill the rural southern lands, an inescapable storm of change is brewing. For the pharaoh is dying and fate will come for them all.

In the golden capital, the royal princess, SITA, is caught in a web of sensuality, deceit and murder as her older brother lusts for power and excess. Meanwhile her younger brother, rejects his royal heritage to find refuge in the sacred temple and the ancient knowledge it holds.

Unbeknownst to the royal heirs, Neff, a young girl haunted by prophetic blood-drenched dreams, holds the key to their destinies.

To the south, the flames of rebellion ignite as Rae, a farmer's daughter, resists the pharaoh's oppressive rule and inspires an army.

And in the depths of the desert, tomb-raider Karim stumbles upon a long-buried secret and awakens the monster within . . .

Who will sit on the throne when the bloodshed is done?

A scintillating, explosive, richly layered lush fantasy told in multiple viewpoints - this is the start of a must-read epic trilogy!