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…
Tag: Young Adult
Aurora Rising – Rocket-Fueled Fun
Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff are back at it again with Aurora Rising, the first in a new young adult (YA) sci-fi series titled The Aurora Cycle. I’m a sucker for ragtag groups of unlikely heroes coming together, especially when it’s executed brilliantly. Most times it can be a recipe for disaster. Things can go…
A Far Wilder Magic – Perfect Alchemy
You know that scene in Jerry Maguire when he looks at Dorothy and says, “I love you. You complete me”? I sincerely hope no one is too young for that reference because that scene captures exactly how I feel when I look at A Far Wilder Magic. Margaret Welty has been abandoned once again by…
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…
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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…
Continue reading ➞ Goddess in the Machine – An Otherworldly Sci-Fi Debut