Welcome to “First Chapters,” Cosmo’s column where we shine a spotlight on debut authors who you are definitely going to be obsessed with. And what better way for you to get to know them and their books than with an excerpt of their new release. This round, we’re highlighting Petra Lord's Queen of Faces, a new dark fantasy debut that follows a young woman who uses magic in order to finally get the body that reflects who she is. But when she is caught by the headmaster of the most prestigious academy, she is forced to pay for her so-called crimes and gets tangled in a darker web than she ever imagined. Here’s some more info from Henry Holt and Co. BYR:
A desperate girl at a cutthroat magical academy faces a choice between life and death: become an assassin for the enchanted elite or watch her decaying body draw its last breath.
Anabelle Gage is trapped in a male body, and it’s rotting from the inside out. But Ana can’t afford to escape it, even as the wealthiest in Caimor buy and discard expensive designer bodies without a thought. When she fails to gain admittance to the prestigious Paragon Academy—and access to the healthy new forms the school provides its students—her final hope implodes. Now without options, Ana must use her illusion magic to try to steal a healthy chassis—before her own kills her.
But Ana is caught by none other than the headmaster of Paragon Academy, who poses a brutal ultimatum: face execution for her crime or become a mercenary at his command. Revolt brews in Caimor's smog-choked underworld, and the wealthy and powerful will stop at nothing to take down the rebels and the infamous dark witch at their helm, the Black Wraith.
With no choice but to accept, Ana will steal, fight, and kill her way to salvation. But her survival depends on a dangerous band of renegades: an impulsive assassin, a brooding bombmaker, and an alluring exile who might just spell her ruin. As Ana is drawn into a tangled web of secrets, the line between villain and hero shatters—and Ana must decide which side is worth dying for. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Brandon Sanderson, Lev Grossman, and R.F. Kuang.
And you can get a special look at this heart-pounding book with an incredible sneak peek below! Just make sure to pre-order Queen of Faces so you can find out what happens next when it's released on February 3, 2026!
As easy as breathing, I pinned Gage, flew up, then slammed her down on the slanted roof of the tower.
The illusions vanished. Gage lay on her back, gasping for breath. I grabbed her hair, yanking her head back and checking her clothes for hidden weapons. Her withered strands slid between my fingers. It was the real her. Even with a second branch, Rainbow Veil couldn’t fake my sense of touch. And I could feel Korin and Nima in the bedroom below, feel the edges of the interior space. If they or their weapons moved an inch, I would kill the grey girl before they even got close.
I put my sword to Gage’s throat, and a droplet of blood inched down her neck, gleaming in the moonlight. She coughed, wheezing.
Put the blade in. Be done with it. Who knew what other tricks she had?
The rage boiled inside me, making my hands shake.
Gage said nothing. For a long, excruciating moment, the two of us just stared at each other.
She patted her chest twice. Then she thumped my chest two times, slow, deliberate. The heartbeat salute.
The girl’s fist pressed to my heart. Her skin was cold, but wherever she touched, fire pumped through my veins. She stared at me, her eyes a deep, warm grey.
An ocean wind blew over us, like the sea itself was breathing down my neck. The sun rose behind me, casting orange light over the girl’s face.
Kill her. Go home and end this farce.
I willed myself to stab her, to cut her throat.
But my hand didn’t move. I clenched my teeth. Sweat trickled down my forehead. It felt like my skin was going to burst.
“Simple fool,” I muttered.
I let go of her, stretched my wings, and jumped off the roof, soaring into the shadows.
Courtesy of Henry Holt and Co. BYR, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.
Queen of Faces, by Petra Lord will be released on February 3, 2026 from Henry Holt and Co. BYR. To preorder the book, click on the retailer of your choice:
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