An Absence of Artificers by Emma Bradley | BBNYA 2026 Spotlight
Welcome to the BBNYA 2026 Spotlight Tour!
Today, I'm featuring An Absence of Artificers by Emma Bradley, a young adult fantasy romance where secrets, danger, and Faerie intrigue are never far away.
Meet Molly, a workshop owner by day and a spy by night, who dreams of escaping the Faerie citadel and exploring the wider realms. Unfortunately, leaving isn't easy, and the discovery of a missing Artificers' Guild member's body makes her already dangerous world even more complicated.
A secret-filled city, a determined heroine, and a mystery with deadly consequences? That certainly sounds like an intriguing combination!
Let's take a closer look at this BBNYA 2026 semi-finalist.
About the Book: An Absence of Artificers by Emma Bradley
Title: An Absence of Artificers
Author: Emma Bradley
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Age Category: Young Adult
Length: 310 pages
Publication Date: December 6, 2024
Book Blurb
Workshop owner by day and spy for the Menagerie by night, Molly dreams of swapping the Faerie citadel for the wider realms of Faerie.
The citadel isn't safe and escaping it is rare, so when one of the recently missing Fae from the Artificers' Guild turns up dead, Molly is determined to dig right to the core of the rot infesting her home.
But in a self-contained city where the enemy knows all the same routes she does, it won't be long before they're hunting her in return.
Find the Book
Shop An Absence of Artificers on Amazon | Goodreads | The StoryGraph
Meet the Author
Emma Bradley
Emma lives on the UK south coast with her plant collection and a very lazy black Labrador who occasionally condescends to take her out for a walk. Aside from creative writing studies, an addiction to cereal and spending far too much time procrastinating on social media, Emma is still waiting for the arrival of her unicorn. Or a tank, she's not fussy.
A Little Extra from the Author
One of my favorite parts of these spotlight tours is discovering the little details authors share about their books. Emma Bradley offered a few fun tidbits about An Absence of Artificers, including a character who surprised even her creator!
What is the opening line of your book?
“The middle-aged woman slumped crying over her desk definitely didn't abduct her husband.”
Tell us a fun fact about your book
“Talie was originally meant to be an outright villain but she grew on me so much throughout edits that I had to change the arc to keep her.”
What food or drink pairs best with your book?
“The closest thing to a meat pocket (nicer than it sounds I promise) is probably a Cornish pasty, so one of those with some berry juice.”
What music pairs best with your book?
“I was going through an Einaudi phase while writing it so I always associate his music with certain scenes. That or Linkin Park.”
About BBNYA
The Book Bloggers' Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) is celebrating the books that made it to the semi-finals with a mini spotlight blitz tour for each title.
BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists (18 in 2026) and one overall winner.
If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official.
Let's Chat!
Which fantasy setting intrigues you more: a sprawling magical kingdom or a secret-filled city where escape is nearly impossible?
More Fantasy Romance to Discover: If you enjoy stories filled with magic, adventure, and strong heroines, explore my earlier BBNYA spotlight on The Sparrow and the Oak Tree by Jamie Jackson.
Thank you for joining me for this BBNYA 2026 Spotlight Tour feature, in association with TheWriteReads!
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