• Age: 13 to 17
• Grade: 8 to 12

Fire, smoke, and ash consume the continent in the darkest chapter yet in The Call of the Rift series

The Battle of Tjarnnaast left its mark: Katja is adrift, haunted by her memories of the battle and dark visions of a desolate wasteland. Her only guidance is her parents’ cryptic messages from the spirit world. On their instructions, Katja goes south to track down her mercenary friend Tiernan. Maybe together, they can find the Rúonbattai’s elusive cleric leader, defeat their ranks forever, and end the war. Then Katja could finally go home — if she can decide where home is.

Yet Tiernan is missing, and Katja’s best hope of rescuing him is by striking unlikely alliances — with untrustworthy acquaintances and new allies hiding dangerous secrets. Druids whisper of dry winters and warming oceans and the war-torn nation is a tinderbox ready to ignite. Katja must use everything in her power, from her water magic to her hand in marriage, to battle the growing flames. If they erupt into a wildfire, everyone and everything she loves will burn with them.

About the Series

Set in two parallel worlds, this series follows Kateiko Rin, a headstrong teenage girl with the power to shapeshift and control water, as she grows up in the war-torn coastal rainforest. As the worlds diverge, so do the versions of herself. Orphaned Kako takes up arms to protect her people, while refugee Katja finds purpose as a healer. Each girl’s fiction is the other’s truth — in love, war, and everything in between. The prospect of a rift opening between worlds poses a question to characters and readers: if you could cross into another version of your life, would you? The Call of the Rift series has been praised for its intricate plotting, meticulous worldbuilding, and expert writing, from author Jae Waller, a talented newcomer to YA fantasy fiction. The series appeals to the mature reader of YA fantasy looking for romantic content, women-led fiction, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representation, and complex worlds and characters. It began in 2018 with The Call of the Rift: Flight and will conclude with the fifth book in the series, The Call of the Rift: Fuse, in 2025.

Jae Waller's profile page

Jae Waller grew up in Prince George, in northern British Columbia. She has a joint BFA in creative writing and fine art from the University of Northern British Columbia and Emily Carr University of Art + Design. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, and works as a novelist and freelance artist.

“Well-written, and complicated, with magical characters, villainous villains, and a growing awareness of herself, Wake is a detailed tale with a large cast and shifting motives. This book should appeal to fantasy readers who enjoy magical adventure, complicated motives, and touches of the problems of growing to an adult, all set in a complex, vividly described world.” — Canadian Review of Materials

“Knife-edge action and terrifying truths abound in Waller’s follow-up to Crest (2021).” — Kirkus Reviews