Kalynn Byron

Kalynn Bayron is a New York Times bestselling American author known for her imaginative young adult fantasy novels, powerful fairy-tale retellings, and stories featuring courageous Black heroines who challenge tradition and fight to determine their own futures. Her writing blends magic, mystery, folklore, and social commentary, exploring themes of identity, freedom, courage, injustice, and self-discovery. Through richly imagined worlds and compelling characters, Bayron brings fresh perspectives to familiar stories while celebrating the strength of young people who refuse to accept the limitations placed upon them.

Bayron is best known for her debut novel, *Cinderella Is Dead*, a dark and inventive reimagining of the classic Cinderella fairy tale. Set two hundred years after Cinderella's legendary story, the novel follows Sophia, a sixteen-year-old girl living in a kingdom where young women are required to attend an annual ball to be selected for marriage. When Sophia refuses to accept the future chosen for her, she embarks on a dangerous journey that exposes the truth behind the kingdom's traditions and Cinderella's legacy. Bayron is also the author of *This Poison Heart* and *This Wicked Fate*, a fantasy duology inspired by Greek mythology that follows Briseis, a young woman with an extraordinary ability to influence plants. Her other works include *You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight*, a suspenseful young adult horror novel, and *Sleep Like Death*, a dark fantasy inspired by Snow White.

For readers who love magical adventures, bold fairy-tale retellings, mysterious kingdoms, and strong protagonists challenging oppressive systems, Bayron delivers captivating stories filled with suspense, imagination, and emotional depth. Her books are especially suited to readers who enjoy young adult fantasy, Black speculative fiction, mythology-inspired adventures, dark fairy tales, supernatural mysteries, and coming-of-age stories. Through her inventive storytelling, Bayron encourages readers to question inherited traditions, embrace their individuality, and discover the courage to write their own stories.