The Soul Mark Duology Series by J.J. Fischer

Nineteen-year-old Sela is a murderer. After being sentenced to death for the accidental killing of a wealthy, well-connected man, Sela Meriweather is offered another option—to be stripped of her soul and sentenced to lifetime exile on Azazel, the vast prison-island. There, alongside “dangerous” criminals like herself, firstborn children of the Old Town chosen by the lot are sent to atone for the sins of their families... moreNineteen-year-old Sela is a murderer. After being sentenced to death for the accidental killing of a wealthy, well-connected man, Sela Meriweather is offered another option—to be stripped of her soul and sentenced to lifetime exile on Azazel, the vast prison-island. There, alongside “dangerous” criminals like herself, firstborn children of the Old Town chosen by the lot are sent to atone for the sins of their families. As one of the elected Righteous, Caleb Alexander’s path to widespread renown is guaranteed so long as he can endure a year as an overseer on Azazel, preventing the other guards from fraternizing with the prisoners. But as he finds himself drawn to Sela, Caleb wrestles with the implications of his new role and the laws forbidding contact between jailer and prisoner. Could a woman like Sela truly be soulless? While Caleb tries to resist his growing attraction, Sela struggles with the weight of her sins and the past she has kept from Caleb. But when mutiny against the Old Town brews on Azazel, Sela and Caleb must work together to stay alive…and to uncover the truth behind the very powers that created Azazel in the first place. less

The ocean between them isn’t the only thing keeping them apart. Thanks to the machinations of the evil pirate and marauder, Uriah Smith, and Azazel’s cold-hearted leader, Lord Janus Auberon, an ocean now separates Sela from her beloved Caleb. When the unthinkable occurs, she despairs of life itself, until an act of unexpected kindness allows her to escape her captors... moreThe ocean between them isn’t the only thing keeping them apart. Thanks to the machinations of the evil pirate and marauder, Uriah Smith, and Azazel’s cold-hearted leader, Lord Janus Auberon, an ocean now separates Sela from her beloved Caleb. When the unthinkable occurs, she despairs of life itself, until an act of unexpected kindness allows her to escape her captors. Sela finds an unexpected ally in Prince Magnus Theodorus, who arrives on the island with a strange that his real identity not be revealed. Finding hope and healing along with the other members of the Remenant, Sela finally comes face to face with the Carver of Souls, learning the truth about the order of the Righteous, the lot, and Azazel itself. Meanwhile, having been betrayed by the one person he thought he could always trust, Caleb fights desperately to get back to the one place to which he never expected to return. Struggling to forgive his brother for sins past and present, Caleb confronts the ugliness of Tucker’s—and his own—soul. When he is at last reunited with Sela, he fights to reclaim a bond she fears is lost. Just when all seems restored, Caleb is offered a surprising a chance to take back what once belonged to him. What will Caleb choose? And what will his choice mean for those around him—not only for the brother who betrayed him, but the woman he loves and the newfound faith that means more to him than life itself? less