The Pledge by Kimberly Derting
Seventeen-year-old Charlaina (Charlie) has a gift that she must hide. In her country, the different classes have different languages. And lower classes are not allowed to know or speak the upper classes languages. Any sort of rebellion could mean death. So, Charlie’s ability to comprehend any language, written or spoken, is incredibly dangerous. One night, Charlie meets an intriguing young man at a club who speaks a strange language and has a mysterious air about him. Meanwhile, the queen is dying and looking for a predecessor. But the vicious queen has a secret agenda.
Derting has created a unique world with the feel of the other popular science fiction dystopias, where countries must be led by queens in order to survive, but with a twist of fantasy and magic. The characters are mysterious and completely engaging. And the mystery and intrigue make the book impossible to put down. With plenty of plot twists and surprises, the story came to a dramatic conclusion. Readers of all ages should enjoy this fantastic coming-of-age story with fast-paced adventure, drama, romance, and suspense.