In the magical city of Oluwan, Small Sade, an orphaned Curse Eater with the unique ability to eat others fates, accidentally binds herself to a powerful god known as the Crocodile, leading to a series of events that could spark a revolution and change the fate of everyone in the city. - (Baker & Taylor)

Accidentally binding herself to a powerful being known only as the Crocodile, Small Sade, a Curse Eater gifted with the ability to alter people’s fates by cleaning their houses, must stay one step ahead of the handsome god while trying to earn her place in Oluwan City. - (Baker & Taylor)

A romantic standalone fantasy set in the world of Raybearer, from New York Times bestselling author Jordan Ifueko—winner of multiple awards

The smallest spark can bind two hearts . . . or start a revolution.

In the magic-soaked capital city of Oluwan, Small Sade needs a job—preferably as a maid, with employers who don’t mind her unique appearance and unlucky foot. But before she can be hired, she accidentally binds herself to a powerful being known only as the Crocodile, a god rumored to devour pretty girls.

Small Sade entrances the Crocodile with her secret: she is a Curse Eater, gifted with the ability to alter people’s fates by cleaning their houses.

The handsome god warns that their fates are bound, but Small Sade evades him, launching herself into a new career as the Curse Eater of a swanky inn. She is determined to impress the wealthy inhabitants and earn her place in Oluwan City . . . assuming her secret-filled past—and the revolutionary ambitions of the Crocodile God—don’t catch up with her.

But maybe there is more to Small Sade. And maybe everyone in Oluwan City deserves more, too, from the maids all the way to the Anointed Ones.

• Hugo Awards Lodestar Nominee
• Children's Africana Award Winner
• Pedro and Daniel Award Winner

A romantic standalone fantasy set in the world of Raybearer, from New York Times bestselling author Jordan Ifueko—winner of multiple awards
 
The smallest spark can bind two hearts . . . or start a revolution.

In the magic-soaked capital city of Oluwan, Small Sade needs a job—preferably as a maid, with employers who don’t mind her unique appearance and unlucky foot. But before she can be hired, she accidentally binds herself to a powerful being known only as the Crocodile, a god rumored to devour pretty girls.

Small Sade entrances the Crocodile with her secret: she is a Curse Eater, gifted with the ability to alter people’s fates by cleaning their houses.

The handsome god warns that their fates are bound, but Small Sade evades him, launching herself into a new career as the Curse Eater of a swanky inn. She is determined to impress the wealthy inhabitants and earn her place in Oluwan City . . . assuming her secret-filled past—and the revolutionary ambitions of the Crocodile God—don’t catch up with her.

But maybe there is more to Small Sade. And maybe everyone in Oluwan City deserves more, too, from the maids all the way to the Anointed Ones.

• Hugo Awards Lodestar Nominee
• Children's Africana Award Winner
• Pedro and Daniel Award Winner

Jordan Ifueko is the New York Times bestselling author of the Raybearer series. She’s a Nebula Award, Ignyte Award, Audie Award, and Hugo Lodestar finalist, and she’s been featured in People magazine, NPR Best Books, NPR Pop Culture Hour, and ALA Top Ten. She writes about magical Black girls who aren’t magic all the time, because honestly, they deserve a vacation. Follow Jordan on Instagram and Tiktok @jordanifueko. - (Harry N. Abrams, Inc.)

Booklist Reviews

After aging out of her orphanage, Small Sade, a Curse-Eater who works her magic through song, sets off to find work as a maid. Along the way, she accidentally binds herself to the Crocodile, a god who appears more boy than divine creature. Their fates become inextricably linked and as Sade navigates this unfamiliar territory, she finds herself drawn to this god she so hopes to avoid. While he claims to have her best interests at heart, how is Sade supposed to trust a being who can influence her feelings? Fans of Ifueko's Raybearer series will enjoy this stand-alone novel set in the world of Aritsar, but anyone who's a fan of fantasy inspired by West African culture would find delight in this encapsulated, yet fully-realized world. Readers are immediately placed in Oluwan City with Small Sade narrating as if she's speaking directly to them, weaving her own myth. Fraught with classism, politics, and magical intervention, Sade's narration is elevated by Ifueko's mellifluous prose. Other themes include disability discrimination, reproductive abuse, and familial death. Grades 9-12. Copyright 2025 Booklist Reviews.

Horn Book Guide Reviews

After seventeen-year-old Small Sade ages out of her orphanage, her primary goal is to discover a home where she truly belongs. However, her physical appearance, marked by vitiligo and a maimed foot from a childhood accident that requires her to use a cane, sets her apart in a fantasy world that, like many societies, looks upon difference cruelly. But Sade possesses a unique gift -- the ability to perceive and cleanse malevolent spiritual energies. That gift leads her to unexpected encounters, including one with the enigmatic Crocodile God, who is afflicted by a seemingly unbreakable curse. Prophesied as his deliverer, Sade initially chooses her own path in Oluwan City, impressing the wealthy elite with her spiritual powers. However, her course pivots when she confronts the darker realities lurking beneath the surface of the city. Awakening to these realities and deepening ties with the Crocodile God, Sade realizes the imperative for social change not just for herself but for all who are marginalized and oppressed. This standalone novel, set within the same universe as Ifueko's Raybearer duology, offers a fresh narrative lens within that universe by prioritizing the perspectives of commoners over royalty. While familiar characters and settings are present, Sade's narrative enriches them, offering deeper insights into their complexities. First-person narrator Sade's distinct voice and her journey of discovery and transformation are likely to captivate readers. Copyright 2025 Horn Book Guide Reviews.

Horn Book Magazine Reviews

After seventeen-year-old Small Sade ages out of her orphanage, her primary goal is to discover a home where she truly belongs. However, her physical appearance, marked by vitiligo and a maimed foot from a childhood accident that requires her to use a cane, sets her apart in a fantasy world that, like many societies, looks upon difference cruelly. But Sade possesses a unique gift -- the ability to perceive and cleanse malevolent spiritual energies. That gift leads her to unexpected encounters, including one with the enigmatic Crocodile God, who is afflicted by a seemingly unbreakable curse. Prophesied as his deliverer, Sade initially chooses her own path in Oluwan City, impressing the wealthy elite with her spiritual powers. However, her course pivots when she confronts the darker realities lurking beneath the surface of the city. Awakening to these realities and deepening ties with the Crocodile God, Sade realizes the imperative for social change not just for herself but for all who are marginalized and oppressed. This standalone novel, set within the same universe as Ifueko's Raybearer duology, offers a fresh narrative lens within that universe by prioritizing the perspectives of commoners over royalty. While familiar characters and settings are present, Sade's narrative enriches them, offering deeper insights into their complexities. First-person narrator Sade's distinct voice and her journey of discovery and transformation are likely to captivate readers. S. R. Toliver September/October 2024 p.77 Copyright 2024 Horn Book Magazine Reviews.

PW Annex Reviews

Beauty and the Beast meets Howl's Moving Castle in this exquisitely crafted standalone romance set some time after the events of Ifueko's Raybearer series. Orphaned 17-year-old Sade, who has vitiligo and walks with a cane, is a Curse-Eater—someone born with the rare ability to not only see the mysterious "spirit silt" that coats everything like "cotton lining their throats," but also cleanse its lingering effects. When an offering to an enchanted gecko accidentally bonds her to the strikingly handsome Crocodile God, she attempts to heal him from the curse slowly transforming him into his namesake. Despite the Crocodile God's informing her of their connected fates, Sade leaves to work as the official Curse-Eater at an inn located in one of the city's affluent districts. But the more Sade uses her abilities, the greater the cost, forcing her to choose between the security that being employed offers and the threat of becoming once again unhoused. Via Sade's first-person POV, Ifueko delivers a complex and nuanced exploration of intersections between disability, economic inequity, and abuse of power. Sade's relationship with the Crocodile God presents a thoughtful examination of power and consent without sacrificing tenderness or chemistry. Ages 12–up. Agent: Kim-Mei Kirtland, Howard Morhaim Literary. (Aug.)