The Sphinx's Speechwriter by Melissa Navarro

Isabelle "Izzy" Grant, a speechwriter weary of crafting empty words for hollow politicians, receives an offer too bizarre to refuse: write speeches for Amara, a sphinx running for mayor of Aris, a city where words quite literally shape reality. Intrigued, Izzy steps into a world where slogans become incantations, and a simple promise of "No More Potholes" can erase history itself.  Her carefully crafted narratives take on a life of their own, transforming Aris’s skyline into a perpetual sunrise – breathtaking, yet disorienting.

Aris pulses with ancient magic, a vibrant tapestry of humans and mythical creatures captivated by Amara’s enigmatic charisma.  But Izzy’s awe soon turns to terror as she grapples with the unintended consequences of her word-magic. The unending golden light unsettles the city, and a shrewd human opponent, Rebecca Cruz, fans the flames of fear, painting Amara as a dangerous outsider.

Caught between loyalty and unease, Izzy seeks guidance from Evan McKinney, a historian who reveals the secrets of Aris’s word-magic and the existence of the Keepers of the Word, a council tasked with maintaining balance.  Meanwhile, a charismatic journalist, Theron, challenges Izzy’s ethics, forcing her to confront the true weight of her power.  As the election intensifies, Izzy must navigate a high-stakes game of linguistic chess, where every word is a strategic gambit, every metaphor a potential curse or blessing.  Can she master this power before her well-intentioned words unravel the very fabric of Aris?

With the city teetering on the brink of chaos and Cruz’s manipulative rhetoric gaining traction, Izzy must learn to wield her word-magic with precision and foresight.  The fate of Aris, and her own redemption, rests on her ability to craft a message of unity, a spell potent enough to restore balance and silence the whispers of fear.