Violet Made of Thorns Cover Photo

Violet Made Of Thorns – Not Sharp Enough

Violet Made Of Thorns by Gina Chen appeared delectable, but when it came time for the main course, the server dropped my plate before I could enjoy the meal. The book needed more ruthlessness, more scheming, and more stakes to make the story’s dark prophecy hit where it hurts. Unfortunately for me, it missed every…

Hotel Magnifique Cover Photo

Hotel Magnifique – An Ordinary Stay

I was wary about starting Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor. I had a feeling it would be all enchantment upfront but wouldn't deliver on the magic that was promised. Especially after being marketed to fans of The Night Circus and Caraval, my expectations were not high per se, but I was ready for something…

Lost In The Never Woods Cover 2

Lost In The Never Woods – Too Old For Neverland

Aiden Thomas has been all over my feed following the success of their novel Cemetery Boys. And while I’ve been meaning to pick up that book, I decided to start with Thomas’s newest story, Lost in the Never Woods, which came out in 2021. I had high expectations for this one, primarily because I’ve only…

Star Daughter – Shine Bright, Shine Far

Shveta Thakrar’s (wait for it) stellar (I had to) debut comes from our 2020 Dark Horse list. Star Daughter journeys to the cosmos, telling a celestial coming of age story. Thakrar weaves Indian mythology and folklore with resonant characters from our world. The result? A pleasant and imaginative read. Star Daughter follows Sheetal Mistry, 16-going-on-17-year-old…

Goddess in the Machine – An Otherworldly Sci-Fi Debut

Fresh from our Dark Horse list for the first half of 2020 comes Lora Beth Johnson’s Goddess in the Machine. This YA-leaning debut hits hard with twists and turns galore, all neatly packaged in a far-future setting with a mysterious cast tangled in an intricate web of court intrigue.  Andra (short for Andromeda) wakes up…