ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SPY
ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SPY: A SOLARPUNK FANTASY
The Vale Effect: Book One
Taylor Grey is the most wanted secret in the galaxy:
After years running from a group of elves that would love to dissect her, Taylor will do whatever it takes to stay free. Even if it means stealing a priceless elvish relic. Unfortunately, enemy mercenaries steal her one chance at freedom from the elvish homeworld and will only give it back if Taylor does their bidding: steal magical tech from the lab where she was held as a child. When she’s double-crossed, however, a mysterious and dangerously charming elvish spy saves her in the nick of time—forcing her to confront everything she’s been running from.
The spy, the enigmatic Eiran, has been tracking the production of the illegal tech for months. Hoping to leverage her connection to the group that created it, he recruits Taylor to help him figure out who the mercenaries are working for… and what they plan to do with a magical weapon. Reluctantly, Taylor agrees to an uneasy partnership, where fragile trust and a complicated attraction blur the lines between ally and enemy.
After traversing both Vale’s forgotten ruins and modern facilities, Taylor uncovers a perilous link between the magical tech, an ancient relic he doesn’t know she stole, and a conspiracy that threatens the balance of the galaxy. To prevent deadly forces from tipping the scales forever, she must risk everything—her freedom, her heart, and the newfound family she never expected to have—to pull off the biggest heist of her life.
ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SPY is a genre-bending sci-fi fantasy novel full of daring heists, puzzle-filled treasure hunts, and a swoon-worthy enemies-to-lovers romance reminiscent of Jessie Mihalik’s HUNT THE STARS. With a tech-meets-magic world full of unique races and complex traps, it’s perfect for fans of THE CRESCENT SERIES by Sarah J. Maas or GIDEON THE NINTH by Tamsyn Muir.
Praise for Once Bitten, Twice Spy
“With an absolutely action-packed, fast pace plus Anthony’s immersive worldbuilding and rich characters, Once Bitten, Twice Spy is an adventure you can’t put down!”
–Regina Sage, author of Ocean’s Embrace
“The characters practically jump right off the page. The dialogue is highly entertaining, and the world is very rich. Taylor is an incredible protagonist. She is feisty and sarcastic but most importantly she never lets the men in her life make decisions for her or steamroll her. She is smart and she has agency over herself. Fantastic.”
–Avery B
“Wonderful. Beautifully written. Badass and hopeful. My heart exploded. I loved it.”
–Lana W.