about the author

Melissa Jean Vallejos lives on the Texas Gulf Coast with her husband, her kids, and a head full of characters who refuse to be quiet.

She writes YA romantasy steeped in dark academia—dangerous magic, ruthless institutions, and secrets sealed beneath beautiful places. Her stories are layered with meaning and symbolism, where high-stakes tension meets aching emotional depth, slow-burn romance, and found family forged in fire.

She is unapologetically Texan, hopelessly romantic, and a perpetual optimist who spends most of her time in a fantasy world of her own making. When she’s not writing, she’s reading fantasy novels, drinking coffee, and trying to make the world just a little more magical for the people she loves.

She believes in found family, hard-won hope, and the kind of love that burns slow and hits hard.

As for sweet tea—the official drink of Texas—she thinks it’s just fine. Lovely, even. Absolutely no problems with it. Please don’t revoke her Texan card.

The Thirteenth Cagebreaker is her debut novel.