Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina shines as a court musician, sometimes too brightly for her own good. She knows that keeping herself out of sight, and deflecting attention are important. It isn't until that fateful day of the funeral that she realizes how important. As if things aren't bad enough with Prince Rufus being found without a head... tensions between humans and dragons are always high, but this? This could threaten the peace treaty, now approaching its' 40th year.

More than anyone else, Seraphina knows how much there is to lose. Since her most recent discovery, her otherness has truly set her apart. Without Orma, there is no way she could ever have found a way to manage it all. Ah, Orma - who is both her teacher, and her link to all things dragon.

In Goredd, there exists a peace between the two races, but it is tenuous. The humans believe themselves to have subdued the dragons, who even take human form. The dragons know they have submitted somewhat willingly. Humans fascinate them, and they wish to learn more about this race. Despite their ability to mimic technical perfection, dragons cannot seem to achieve what humans call "art." Seraphina unknowingly gives valuable insight to the Princess Glisselda as they grow closer, and through her, she meets Prince Kiggs. The two form an unlikely partnership to uncover the possible rogue dragon in their midst. Could it be who Seraphina thinks it is?

Through it all, she must maintain her secrecy surrounding her identity, and the identity of her "garden companions." As Kiggs and Seraphina grow closer, she must remind herself that a closer bond is impossible. If he knew the truth, not only would he want nothing to do with her, it could mean the end of everything, and not just for herself. Can they find the source of the conflict without throwing the entire realm into outright war?

“He did not know the truth of me, yet he had perceived something true about me that no one else had ever noticed. And in spite of that—or perhaps because of it—he believed me good, believed me worth taking seriously, and his belief, for one vertiginous moment, made me want to be better than I was,” (Hartman, 2013). 

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Hartman, Rachel. (2013). Seraphina. New York: Random House.
Hartman, Rachel & Williams, Mandy. (2013). Seraphina. New York: Listening Library.