Hi. As this project is aimed at a different audience than my previous works, I am seeking beta readers for my YA/Adult Fantasy, THE OTHER SPIRE, a puzzle box dark academia complete at 80,000 words. It follows Neelia, a thief from the Dens of Arroka, who takes the entrance exam to the Spire, the living library and academy her city was built around, in the hopes of paying off her family’s inherited debt.
It will appeal to readers who enjoyed the teenagers’ forced ascent into adulthood through philosophical and social trials of Pierce Brown’s RED RISING, and the mysteries, puzzles, cryptic confined space, and unapologetic lead of Tamsyn Muir’s GIDEON THE NINTH.
Despite growing up in the Spire’s shadow, Neelia never considered attending its academy. No one from the dens attends the Spire; all they can hope for is a life of endless labor spent repaying their ancestors’ debt. To dodge that, she’s become a thief and a good talker; not a scholar.
On a job, she gets into a heated argument with her mark’s daughter, who challenges her to take the entrance exam to the Spire alongside her and outrank her. When Neelia dismisses the idea as a waste of her time, the girl, desperate to make Neelia eat her words, offers a wager: should Neelia succeed, her family’s debt will be repaid in full.
The exam starts the moment Neelia steps through the Spire’s towering doors: said doors disappear behind her. No instructions, no indications, no guides; only lost teenagers, bookshelves, tables, and stairways: a maze of innumerable library floors. The stories were true: the Spire is alive and it tests its own aspirants. To survive and overcome its puzzles and trials, Neelia must adapt and rely on others—the one thing she struggles with most.
THE OTHER SPIRE is a standalone novel set in the same universe as my other works with some minor crossover characters and places.
Neelia’s relationship to trust and her experience as an outsider are informed by my own life experience, constantly adapting to new social groups and environments.
My expectations for beta readers are low. I only need you to tell me where you tune out, stop caring, get confused, or realize something important is missing. I only need to know how you feel; figuring out why and addressing it is my job. Line editing and typos are a later matter, as there isn't much point to it at this stage, but feel free to let me know if you find any issues.
Please DM me if interested, and feel free to comment so to boost visibility.
Cheers.