By Eira Morgan-Jones (author)
"Melding mystery, myth and Welsh-laced magic, this unique YA fantasy novel sees a formidable young woman caught up in ageless elemental forces."
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May 2026 Debut of the Month
“You’re not like the others and you never could be… You’re not meant for a life of submission…You’re meant for something more, my wild bird”. Such is seventeen-year-old Alexis described by her mother near the start of Sentinel of the Sun , Eira Morgan-Jones’ unique YA fantasy debut, which is driven by its protagonist’s fierce fight to survive and fathom who she really is.
Alexis has always been an outcast in her rural valley home: “Since her earliest childhood she had felt like a solitary question mark in a row of full stops.” Born with mysterious markings on her forearms, she lives in a strict religious community that’s all-but decimated by a ferocious tidal wave. While trying to survive in the wilderness beyond her ruined home, she finds out about the sentinels, and ancient forces that are struggling to maintain the balance of nature, and then comes the earth-shattering moment Alexis discovers where she fits into this strange order of things.
Intricately woven with potent themes, among them identity, environmentalism, patriarchy, state control, and religious totalitarianism, Sentinel of the Sun is also radiant with emotion and the power of female friendship through a fast-paced, thought-provoking story.
Since the very earliest civilisation sentinels have watched over humanity, protecting the balance of nature from afar. The assassination of one of their number triggers a cascade of increasingly fierce natural disasters, the latest of which wipes out the rural valley home of seventeen-year-old Alexis, an introverted teenager struggling to find her place in an overbearing religious society.
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That is, until she learns of the sentinels and that she might just be the murdered sentinel returned.
With the help of a mysterious stranger, Alexis must leave the ruins of her home and discover the truth behind her own murder.
A fast-paced, epic fantasy novel set in an original world with a unique magic system, but with a distinctively Welsh flavour, Sentinel of the Sun deals with LGBTQ+ issues, class struggles, environmentalism and patriarchy making this not only an interesting and captivating read but also an incredibly powerful one.
The perfect fantasy novel for fans of The Hunger Games, Sentinel of the Sun is also a celebration of female friendship, with Alexis serving as a strong, female lead character who, as Eira says, ‘is the strong female lead I craved as a young person – a girl with dirt under her nails who isn’t afraid to break rules to get things done .'
Curently working as Digital Content and Marketing Manager for NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, Eira Morgan-Jones has previously published three children's books: Tales from Cardinham Woods, A Christmas Tale from Cardinham Woods and Ella and the Beast . She has also worked as the ghost-writer of a regular doctor's column for the Basingstoke Gazette. Eira has a Bachelors Degree in English Literature from the University of Glamorgan and a Masters Degree in Professional Writing from Falmouth University. Eira is based in Southampton.
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The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Sentinel of the Sun and determined it is suitable for children aged 13-18 years old
Sentinel of the Sun features in the following genres: Featured Books for 13+ readers, Featured Books for Young Adults, Debuts of the Month, Recommendations, Adventure Stories, Fantasy / Magical, Thrillers, PSHE: Sexuality, Gender and Relationships, Ecological and Environmental Interest - Non Fiction, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s / Teenage: Social issues / topics, Relating to LGBTQ+ people, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: LGBTQ+, Relating to specific groups and cultures or social and cultural interests, Interest qualifiers
Paperback. £8.99, down from the £9.99 cover price. In Stock.
Sentinel of the Sun was written by Eira Morgan-Jones and published by Graffeg
Sentinel of the Sun has 432 pages
£8.99, reduced from £9.99. In Stock.
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