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Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid (2025)

10/6/2025

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By encouraging massive accumulations of debt from its underclass, a single corporation, Caerus, controls all aspects of society.

Inesa lives with her brother in a half-sunken town where they scrape by running a taxidermy shop. Unbeknownst to Inesa, their cruel and indolent mother has accrued an enormous debt—enough to qualify her children for Caerus’s livestreamed assassination spectacle: the Lamb’s Gauntlet.

Melinoë is a Caerus assassin, trained to track and kill the sacrificial Lambs. The product of neural reconditioning and physiological alteration, she is a living weapon, known for her cold brutality and deadly beauty. She has never failed to assassinate one of her marks.

When Inesa learns that her mother has offered her as a sacrifice, at first she despairs. But she’s had years of practice surviving in the apocalyptic wastes, and with the help of her hunter brother, she might stand a chance of staying alive.
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For Melinoë, this is a game she can’t afford to lose. Despite her reputation for mercilessness, she is haunted by painful flashbacks. After her last Gauntlet, where she broke down on livestream, she desperately needs redemption.

As Mel pursues Inesa across the wasteland, both girls begin to question everything: Inesa wonders if there’s more to life than survival, while Mel wonders if she’s capable of more than killing.

And both wonder if, against all odds, they might be falling in love.
​Fable for the End of the World was released on March 4, 2025. 

I truly loved Fable for the End of the World! I was a huge fan of A Study in Drowning, so I leaped at the chance to read Ava Reid’s newest book, and it didn’t disappoint. 

The dystopian book is so infamous its very existence has become a trope, a set of plot points that can easily become too predictable to be engaging. Fable for the End of the World isn't afraid of these tropes, and I think that's why it pulls them off so well: rather than trying too hard to come up with something completely different from genre conventions, Reid allows herself to explore a completely new story within their bounds. It makes Fable for the End of the World at once a love letter to the dystopian stories you fell in love with when you were younger - and an entirely new book that never feels as though it's trying too hard while reminding the reader why they loved this genre in the first place. 

Reid calls out The Hunger Games ​as one of her biggest influences in the acknowledgements for this book, and in some ways it absolutely feels like a homage to the series that shaped so much of the YA genre. Perhaps the biggest shout-out, though, lies in Inesa and Melinoë's relationship, with the blend of hatred and survival that made Katniss and Peeta such an infamous couple. If you loved that series but wished for some queer rep...this is the book for you to check out! 

Fable for the End of the World is set in the future - one where climate change has gotten out of control, genetically modified creatures have driven out natural animal life, seeing a sunrise is unheard of through the air pollution, and Inesa's town exists around a layer of ungovernable water. Although presented as a background element to the story itself, there is something fascinating about seeing a world that has gone so far in the wrong direction - which leaves the reader wondering how to prevent that same future for themselves. 

I’ve read dozens of YA dystopian novels, but none is quite the same as Fable for the End of the World. Highly recommended to readers ages fifteen and up who love character-driven, immersive dystopian fiction! 

Thank you to TBR Beyond Tours and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. I first read this book as part of a tour with TBR Beyond in March; you can read my post Top 5 Reasons to Read Fable for the End of the World here!

​Book description adapted from the publisher's description. 

​ages 14+ / ARC / futuristic / fiction / LGBTQ+ / romance / science fiction / standalone / young adult
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Muted: Volume 2 by Miranda Mundt (2025)

9/29/2025

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One week into her month-long respite from her controlling Aunt Athalie, Camille receives an unsettling call blindsiding her with news of her arranged marriage. But when she stands up for herself and her freedom, she creates a rift with her beloved cousin Avaline and gains an uncontrollable new ability triggered by overwhelming emotions. Luckily, Camille has Dendro, the plant demon she summoned, to help her come to terms with her past trauma and fully embrace the beauty of her magic. But when Camille suspects that Avaline may be in danger under Aunt Athalie’s influence, she finds herself in a difficult position. With a plan to save Avaline, Camille and the increasingly charming Nyra embark on a mission to face the unpredictable dangers and painful secrets that await in New Orleans.

Muted is a lush, magical coming-of-age story, with joyful streaks of found family and polyamorous sapphic romance. 
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Muted: Volume 2 will be released on October 14, 2025. 

I loved the first volume of Muted, so when I saw the second one on NetGalley, I leaped at the chance to check it out. It didn’t disappoint. Muted: Volume 2 has everything that made me love the first book, complete with an eerie cliff-hanger at the conclusion. Camille’s story continues to unfold at a fast, expert pace, as full as ever of unexpected twists and vivid storytelling. Once more, I adore the artwork; it feels as though it perfectly encapsulates the world and tone of this story, and adds so much to the characters, which is the best sort of graphic novel! On the character side, Mundt continues to develop Camille and the supporting cast in a way that feels organic and vibrant, guided always by their choices and history rather than an artificial construction of what they ‘should’ do next. I truly can’t wait to read Volume 3—this is an enthralling story and a fast read, and I’m so curious about where Mundt will take it next! 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. 

​Book description credited to the publisher. ​


ages 14+ / ARC / fairy tales / fantasy / fiction / graphic novel / LGBTQ+ / romance / series / young adult
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The Grimoire of Grave Fates created by Hanna Alkaf and Margaret Owen (2023)

9/22/2025

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By Nico

At the Galileo Academy for the Extraordinary, magic is for everyone. Or, at least, that's how it's supposed to be since Galileo recently went through an intensive reorganization to change its discriminatory stance on magic, but while it has a more global and diverse student body than ever before, the dust is yet to settle on the changes. And some people, like Professor Septimius Dropwort, make it known that they aren't thrilled with the updates.

So when Dropwort turns up dead, the potential motives are numerous...whereas evidence for the truth is far less widespread.

With twenty chapters, each narrated by a different student searching for answers, The Grimoire of Grave Fates brings to life a vibrant, detailed magical academy where murder might be only one of several crimes that have been taking place within its walls.

​The format of this book—essentially interconnected short stories written by a wide range of authors that give life to a wider plot and idea—has always been one that fascinates me, so I knew as soon as I encountered The Grimoire of Grave Fates that I had to read it. Each chapter brings a different and quirky perspective to the main plot, and I loved getting to know so many characters and their unique forms of magic, struggles, relationships, and more. Since there are so many threads and characters in this story—and it delights in debunking many common tropes—I particularly recommend it to readers who read widely in the fantasy genre. If you’re someone who enjoys short stories or just likes a good ensemble cast, I recommend The Grimoire of Grave Fates to readers ages fourteen and up. 

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On Starlit Shores by Bex Glendining (2025)

9/15/2025

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In this YA urban fantasy graphic novel, Alex must return to the town where she was born to unravel the magical mysteries her late grandmother left behind

Alex Wilson hasn’t been back to Indigo Harbor, the seaside village where she grew up, in years. In fact, she can barely remember anything about it. But when her grandmother dies unexpectedly, Alex will have to return to her childhood home to say goodbye.

Accompanied by her best friend, Grim, Alex travels back to her hometown and begins cleaning out her grandmother’s house, but the longer they stay, the stranger things get. Indigo Harbor isn’t your average town—there are falling stars, witches running tea shops, and a name that comes up again and again: Elizabeth. Who was this woman, and how did she know Alex’s grandmother?
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On Starlit Shores will be released on September 30, 2025.

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On Starlit Shores can only be described as luminous. There’s a sense of gorgeous completeness to this story that left me fully immersed in it from beginning to end. I loved the threads of magic and belonging that weave through this story. The worldbuilding is fantastic - there’s such a strong sense of place from the very first page, and the thin line between what’s real and what’s remembered caught my attention and refused to let it go.

Alex is a strong protagonist, with the right blend of drive and grief, and I was more than glad to follow her through the beats of On Starlit Shores. The way her grandmother and Elizabeth are characterized is also more than worth a shout-out; Glendining does a fantastic job of giving characters depth and rendering them relatable even without their physical presence on the page, which helped give this book the feel of something between a mystery, a coming-of-age novel, a fantasy story, and a story of grief.

I love the illustrations, which are the perfect blend of vibrant and otherworldly, grounding the reader while having the fanciful edge that perfectly captures the tone and arc of the story.

I highly recommend On Starlit Shores to readers who want to immerse themself in a layered, vibrant town where memory is not an easily categorized thing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. 

Book description credited to the publisher.

ages 14+ / ARC / family / fantasy / fiction / graphic novel / magic / standalone / young adult
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​Costumes for Time Travelers by A. R. Capetta (2025)

9/8/2025

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Anyone who has hiked through time knows the town of Pocket. It’s the place travelers first reach after they stumble away from their hometime, passing through on their way to any other when. To Calisto, Pocket is home. They love their grandmother’s shop, which is filled with clothes from every era that are used to make costumes for time travelers. Calisto has no intention of traveling—it’s too dangerous.

For Fawkes, traveling is life. He put on time boots when he was young and has been stumbling through eras ever since. When he floats into Pocket, Calisto meets him for the first time, though Fawkes has seen Calisto—in glimpses of what hasn’t happened yet. He’s also seen the villains chasing them both.

​Now Calisto and Fawkes must rush—from Shakespeare’s London to ancient Crete to California on the eve of a millennium—to save Pocket, and travelers, from being erased. 
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Costumes for Time Travelers was released on May 27, 2025. 

I’ve loved several of A. R. Capetta’s previous books, and so when I saw this one, I knew I had to check it out. I absolutely loved it! The world of Pocket is fascinating; the idea of a waystation for time travelers immediately grabbed my attention, and it doesn’t disappoint. The descriptions throughout are so vivid, and I felt incredibly grounded throughout the twisting plot of this story. Calisto and Fawkes’s relationship is fascinating and engrossing, even as someone who doesn’t typically like romance. For fans of YA stories that play with time, space, and your very conceptions of what a queer, romantic fantasy novel can be, I’d highly recommend Costumes for Time Travelers! 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. 

​​Book description credited to the publisher. ​

ages 14+ / ARC / fantasy / fiction / historical fantasy / LGBTQ+ / romance / standalone / young adult
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I Am the Swarm by Hayley Chewins (2025)

8/18/2025

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As far back as anyone can remember, the women of the Strand family have been magical. Their gifts manifest when they each turn fifteen, always in different ways. But Nell Strand knows that her family's magic is a curse. Her mother’s age changes every day; she's often too young to be the mother Nell needs. Her older sister bleeds music and will do anything to release the songs inside her. Nell sees the way magic rips her family apart again and again.

When Nell’s own magic arrives in the form of ladybugs alighting on the keys of her beloved piano, the first thing she feels is joy. The ladybugs are a piece of her, a harmless and delicate manifestation of her creativity. But soon enough, the rest come. Thick-shelled glossy beetles that creep along her collarbone when her piano teacher stares at her. Soft gray moths that appear and die alongside a rush of disappointment. Worst of all are the wasps. It doesn’t matter how deep she buries her rage, the wasps always come. Nell will have to decide just how much of herself she’s willing to lock away to stop them—or if she can find the strength to feel, no matter the consequences.
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I Am the Swarm was released on March 25, 2025. 

I first encountered Hayley Chewins's gorgeous prose in The Turnaway Girls; I thoroughly fell in love with it while reading The Sisters of Straygarden Place. Chewins is that rare writer whose prose possesses the rhythmic, uncanny quality of dark fantasy poetry, and so when I learned she was coming out with a novel in verse, I knew immediately that I had to read it. I Am the Swarm was every bit the evocative, powerful, razor-sharp story I hoped it would be. 

Chewins's command of language and rhythm is impeccable. Every line break, every turn of phrase, every evocative word, feels chosen by some unseeable algorithm that blends into something truly remarkable. Nell’s character is impeccable, as wild and relatable as the creatures she conjures, and her emotions leap out from the page as fiercely as any butterfly. 

Although set within the confines of the real world, I Am the Swarm contains some of the most unique magic I’ve ever read. I can’t recall a secondary-world fantasy that was more original and uncanny than the magic contained by the Strand family. Insects, music contained inside one’s body, age ephemerality…every beat of this story, every character, and every word thrums with individuality, authenticity, and mystery. I truly can’t recommend I Am the Swarm enough! 

​Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. 

​Book description credited to the publisher. ​


ages 14+ / ARC / book group pick / family / fantasy / fiction / in verse / magic / standalone / young adult
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A Theory of Dreaming (A Study in Drowning, Book 2) by Ava Reid (2025)

7/21/2025

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​A Theory of Dreaming will be released on July 29, 2025. It is the sequel to A Study in Drowning, and the conclusion to the duology. 

The Fairy King has been defeated. Effy and Preston returned from Hiraeth to share the truth about the beloved story Angharad, earning Effy a hard-won place as the literature college's first female student. In the stories that raised Effy far more surely than her parents, this would be the happily ever after. 

But the burgeoning war between Argant and Llyr is at odds with Effy's peaceful dream. Preston is branded as a liar and sabouter for his efforts to discredit Myrddin; Effy is hated enough just for being the girl who called a national epic into question. In the past, times like these are when Effy retreated into the dark solace of the Fairy King... but she can't escape the real world anymore through magic. 

Instead, it's Preston who finds his dreams drawn into an underwater castle ringing with the bells that have haunted him since leaving Hiraeth... a world in which he is the king. 

I read and loved A Study in Drowning last year, and so I jumped at the chance to review an advance copy of the sequel. Still, I admit I had my misgivings. A Study in Drowning's magic lay in its ethereal, uncanny tone; I wasn't sure if a sequel could possibly replicate that in a way that felt anything other than contrived. Ava Reid, however, is a far too skilled writer than that. A Theory of Dreaming is very different from the first book, but that's as it should be; while still straddling the real and unknown, this book anchors itself more in the present, focusing on the aftermath and consequences of earlier events. It also places its focus on Preston rather than Effy, though it largely splits page time between their points of view, and Preston's very different voice and background shines through. 
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In a word: gorgeous. A Theory of Dreaming is a romance, and yet far more than that; it is a war story, but without dramatic battles or conflicts; it’s about the remaking of a country, but no revolution is ever staged. As a reader who’s long wished for more character-driven high fantasy books whose driving force is personal stakes over apocalyptic consequences, this book was a gentle breath of air featuring characters and a setting I’d already fallen in love with. This incredibly rich, nuanced, and thoughtful story that delves into the story of after and the story of now, allowing Effy and Preston’s characters to truly flower. Reid’s writing is, as always, beautiful, and her ability to effortlessly weave together dreams, belief, mental health, and strong relationships in this book was truly amazing. 

My only real complaint with this book was not truly the content of the book itself, but with the lack of content warnings. This book is incredibly focused on misogyny, xenophobia, grief, and mental health, as well as containing an on-page suicide attempt. If any of these topics are even remotely triggering to you, I encourage you to check out my Goodreads review, where I’ve done my best to include a more thorough summary of these triggers under the spoiler functionality. 

Overall, I highly recommend A Theory of Dreaming to readers ages fourteen and up looking for a complex and thought-provoking sequel that truly couldn’t have been more satisfying. 

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

​ages 14+ / ARC / dark academia / fantasy / fiction / myths and legends / romance / sequels / series / young adult

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Muted: Volume 1 by Miranda Mundt (2025)

7/7/2025

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It has been thirteen years since the mysterious fire at the Severin family manor that killed Camille’s mother and twin sister, and the last thing Camille wants to do is return to her old home deep in the swamps of Louisiana. But deeply ingrained family tradition and Matriarch Athalie—Camille’s coldhearted aunt and head of the Severin household—demand it so she can perform the ritual of every prospective Severin matriarch.

No matter how hard she tries to be a witch worthy of the Severin name, nothing is ever good enough for her aunt. And when her ritual goes awry, she's given something precious: time away from Aunt Athalie. Time to spend with her beloved familiar Toben and kindly cousin Silvia. And—unbeknownst to her—time to fall in love, discover the truth of her magic, reunite with long lost family, work through her grief, and solve the mystery of who killed her mother and sister.
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Muted will be released on July 8, 2025. 

Muted reads like an original fairytale, carrying an immersive sense of magic that flows through every page and illustration. Mundt’s art possesses the lush, atmospheric intensity of some of my favorite graphic novel illustrations, calling to mind the intense, dark art of Molly Knox Ostertag’s The Witch Boy, and with all of the complex characters. Camille is a truly wonderful protagonist who I couldn’t help but root for—her genuine heart and desire to find somewhere she belongs made me immediately like her, and she propels this story forward. She’s often flawed and confused, but that makes her even better, making her someone I don’t just want to succeed, but can empathize with myself. I also love this entire world, augmented by the illustrations—it feels so close to ours and yet utterly more magical. This series is definitely one I’ll want to be keeping an eye on! 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. 

​​Book description credited to the publisher. ​

ages 14+ / ARC / fairy tales / family / fantasy / fiction / graphic novel / LGBTQ+ / series / young adult
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Promotional Tour: The Assassin's Guide to Babysitting by Natalie C. Parker

1/11/2025

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Superheroes. Queer romance. Babysitting? 

I'm super excited to be hosting a stop on the book tour for The Assassin's Guide for Babysitting, hosted by Colored Pages Book Tours! 

This book came out on January 7th, so you can read it now! 
This riveting, superpowered adventure unveils a shadow world of Talented bounty hunters—and plumbs the nature of identity, deadly secrets, and found family.

Tru has been hiding all her life. Her parents taught her to conceal her bastion Talent: indestructible skin, muscles, and bones. In a world where Talents are common and varied, no one trusts a bastion—they’re too powerful.

Hiding failed to keep Tru’s parents alive, but moments before their murder, Tru’s mom pointed her to Logan Dire, a famed recluse assassin who adopted and trained orphaned Tru. And at seventeen, she’s still hiding. Not even her closest friends know her true name or Talent, or that she’s balancing high school with knife and stealth training (while crushing on her BFF’s older sister).

When assassins interrupt a mundane babysitting job booked through BountyApp—where lethal hunters find work and babysitters for their kids—Tru flees with a one-year-old strapped to her chest and spiraling questions: Who killed her parents? Whom can she trust? What does it mean to be a bastion? And is it ever OK to kiss a girl who’s trying to hunt you down?

​From an award-winning author comes a masterfully plotted thriller that holds character and relationship on a par with action and nail-biting suspense
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My Review! 

In one word—delightful! The Assassin’s Guide to Babysitting is the superhero/villain lesbian sci-fi book I had no idea I needed, but I’m so profoundly glad that I got the chance to read it. If you loved Not Your Sidekick or Renegades, you have to check this one out immediately—I’ll be recommending this book for years to come!

Tru is a truly fantastic protagonist. Whether mourning, pining, plotting, or fighting, she has a sharp, witty voice that propels the story at a fast pace and a caring heart that made me fall in love with her and this story from page one. Parker is truly a master at crafting well-drawn and relatable characters in even the most minute details, and Tru is exactly that, made even more multidimensional by the relationships she has with the supporting cast. This book has both a brilliant friend group and one of the most caring father-daughter relationships I’ve read in years,

There are plenty of books starring supervillains or superheroes, but The Assassin’s Guide to Babysitting makes every detail feel new through its madcap execution and brilliant twists. Whatever impression of this book you have from the title is spot-on—Parker throws together the most unlikely scenarios and pulls them off with commendable ease, making even the most outrageous scenarios as natural and believable as Tru’s love of baking. The sheer normalcy and bureaucracy associated with superpowers was spot-on, and though this was a pitch-perfect standalone, I found myself wishing for a sequel to spend more time with these characters and world.

I can’t recommend The Assassin’s Guide to Babysitting highly enough—five extremely well-deserved stars! 


​Special thanks to Colored Pages Book Tours and Candlewick Press for the gifted copy of The Assassin’s Guide to Babysitting! All opinions expressed here are my own.

​Natalie C. Parker is the author and editor of several books for young adults among them the acclaimed Seafire trilogy. Her work has been included on the NPR Best Books list, the Indie Next List, and the TAYSHAS Reading List, and in Junior Library Guild selections. Natalie grew up in a navy family finding home in coastal cities from Virginia to Japan. Now, she lives with her wife on the Kansas prairie.
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Promotional Tour: The Devourer by Alison Ames

1/8/2025

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Queer pirates? Dark YA fantasy? I'm super excited to be hosting a stop today on the book tour for The Devourer by Alison Ames, hosted by Colored Pages Book Tours! 

The Devourer was released on January 7th, so you can read it now! 
When Adra Dantes’ half-brother Cameron attacks their father and robs him of a priceless treasure map, he leaves him a shell of the pirate captain he once was. Now Adra’s only aim in life is to kill Cameron, retrieve her father's map, and claim the treasure herself.

But her plans are thwarted. A sudden surplus of magic in the world is causing ancient sea monsters to awaken. Worse yet, Adra discovers that the ship she's been chasing for almost a year now is captained by a girl who’s been impersonating Cameron, while Cameron himself is missing.

The two pirate captains will have to work together if they are to find Cameron, but before they can do so, they must vanquish the beast―known as The Devourer―that is sinking ships and causing so much fear. Adra will have to descend leagues beneath the sea to the creature’s lair to strike a deal with her, but she’ll discover she isn’t the only one looking for her brother―and what he stole
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My review!

The Devourer
weaves together piratical adventure and revenge into a high seas adventure. With plenty of plot twists and a story core founded on Adra’s determination and drive, I definitely recommend The Devourer to fans of dark fantasy with queer characters.

The worldbuilding of The Devourer was one of the highlights for me—as someone who loves complex, well-thought-out worlds, this one pulled me in immediately. The palpable sense of magic being disturbed and out of equilibrium formed a powerful backbone, and I was drawn profoundly in to even its most minute details. The very setting of this book treads the careful line between fantasy and horror, leaning in the latter direction with the feel of uncanny Irish mythology rather than horror for horror’s sake, making it accessible to fans of both genres.

As someone who prefers fantasy with a romance subplot rather than romance with a side of fantasy, I really enjoyed how Ames balanced the developing relationship between Adra and Quinn with the adventure/revenge plot at the heart of this story, never overtaking the latter. I also appreciated the bevy of strong platonic friendships in this book, particularly those between Adra, Merrin and Diana. I would’ve loved spending more time getting to know Adra at the start of this book, but the strength of the relationships she had with other members of the crew allowed my understanding of her to become stronger as the book moved forward,

4/5 stars

​Special thanks to Colored Pages Book Tours and Page Street YA for the gifted copy of The Devourer! All opinions expressed here are my own.


Alison Ames is the author of horror novels for adults and teens. To Break a Covenant, her first novel, was nominated for a Colorado Book Award. Her second novel It Looks Like Us is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection pick. You can find more information and other books on her website.
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Website | Goodreads | Instagram | X

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A Door in the Dark (Waxways, Book 1) by Scott Reintgen (2023)

5/6/2024

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By Nico

A Door in the Dark is definitely more YA than most of the books we review—I would place it firmly for ages fourteen and up. However, for high schoolers who enjoy high-tension, dark fantasy, I highly recommend it.

Ren Monroe is a survivor.

Hers is the most unlikely story: a girl from the Lower Quarter chosen to attend the prestigious Balmerick University on scholarship, where the best wizards in Kathor learn their craft. A girl who not only survived, but excelled, beating out the scions of Kathor’s wealthiest families to become one of Balmerick’s top students. And all her hard work will be worth it if Ren earns a position among Kathor’s elite, and a recruitment from one of the richest houses. That’s been her goal ever since her father’s death, since she understood what she needed to do for there to be justice in the world.

Survival. That’s why, when a spell gone wrong dumps Ren and two of Kathor’s wealthiest scions—along with three other scholarship kids like Ren—in the middle of the wilderness, she doesn’t panic and doesn’t scream. Not even with one of their number already dead.

After excelling in advanced magical theory, leading them back to civilization should hardly be a challenge for Ren. But that’s not taking into account the group’s painful secrets, particularly Ren’s own—or the creature hunting them through the most dangerous place in Kathor.

In the end, there’s only one thing Ren wants more than survival.

Revenge.

A Door in the Dark was a book I honestly didn’t see coming. I knew I wanted to read it as soon as I saw the book announcement--Scott Reintgen is one of my favorite writers—and after starting it, I found myself enjoying the book for all the right reasons: interesting characters, tension, an incredibly strong world… Then, about a third of the way in, the pace suddenly picked up, and I went from ‘enjoying’ to ‘engrossed’ in the space of just a few pages. I devoured the rest of the book in about twenty-four hours, reading a few pages whenever I had a moment to spare; it was a book that refused to let me put it down. Even now, the ending seems to have rented permanent real estate in the corner of my brain.

To begin with, the worldbuilding is amazing. I can’t think of another book that nails the theory piece of magic the way A Door in the Dark does—one of my favorite parts was how Ren was able to discuss crafting spells in such an analytical, scientific way, using different theories and principals that made it truly feel like a highly academic course of study. The tension and layered class relationships also added another dimension to the world—Kathor’s flaws and history truly brought it to life.

​The other highlight is the characters. There are few authors who can truly pull off morally grey characters this well, but Reintgen gives everyone a realism and punch that makes their decisions both devastating and incredibly believable. Ren was probably my favorite; her fierceness and intelligence blended to create a wholly unique character who stood out from page one. Intense, atmospheric, and powerfully dark, I highly recommend A Door in the Dark to readers ages fourteen and up who have ever wondered what would happen if you dropped the characters from Six of Crows or All of Us Villains into the middle of the wilderness. 

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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (2012)

1/22/2024

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By Lina
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Ari Mendoza - Aristotle, if you want to annoy him - is fifteen. A fifteen-year-old boy, in summer, with a father who holds the Vietnam war silent inside him and an irritatingly perceptive mother who adores him. One with a brother in prison, leaving him with questions his parents will never answer, and two grown-up sisters, making him a sort of fake only child, which is pretty depressing, when you think about it. 

Ari’s not particularly interested in making friends - most people know to leave him alone, and that’s just fine with him. But then he meets Dante Quintana, an irrepressible, erudite boy who appears at the local pool and offers to teach him to swim. Ari doesn’t like accepting help. But for whatever reason, he says yes to Dante. 

Ari is moody rain and fierce loyalty, a self-professed expert loner. Dante is sunlight and poetry and smart-aleck comebacks. They’re utterly different. They’re remarkably alike. 

Together, they might discover the secrets of the universe. 

By the time I read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, not only did I have high expectations, I felt I had a pretty good sense of the overall trajectory of the story. Historical queer romance? Coming-of-age tale? When you read a lot, you often go into books with a decent sense of what they’ll be like based on the loose sketch you’ve gotten from the flap and - when they’re as acclaimed and successful as this one - the reviews and recommendations. While each is unique, they often fit semiconscious, overall molds. 

Not this one. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe was entirely different than I was expecting, carrying on in its own way, politely brushing my expectations aside each time I thought I knew what was going to happen next. Instead of the standard three-act love story I was expecting, I was launched into a stunning meditation on growing up, on figuring out who you are, and on the complexity of families and secrets and being a teenager, all while remaining unwaveringly fresh and authentic. Some books - just a few - capture that ineffable essence of growing up, of hovering on that border between childhood and adulthood; The Perks of Being a Wallflower comes to mind. This is one of them. 

It’s rare for me to fall in love with an entire cast of characters, but it happened here. All the characters, including both sets of parents, are complex and flawed and effortlessly human, and all felt real; their dialogue is particularly strong and believable. Ari is a captivating protagonist, messy, witty, wickedly smart and surprisingly introspective, while Dante’s brilliance, quirkiness, and indescribable individuality shine. I was especially struck by Sáenz’s remarkable ability to tell readers a great deal without outright saying anything of the sort, particularly concerning Ari himself: one is so deeply enmeshed in his mind, his life, and his feelings that one often viscerally understands his emotions and thoughts without his actually admitting to them. 

A tale of family, friendship, secrets, love, growing up, and, at its very heart, being human, I would highly recommend this raw, thoughtful, beautiful story to readers ages 14 and up. It’s also excellent on audio.

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All of Us Villains (All of Us Villains, Book 1) by Amanda Foody and C. L. Herman (2021)

8/7/2023

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Picture
By Nico

​The remote city of Ilvernath is known for little more than being ordinary. With quaint shops, dense forests, and talented spellmakers, it’s little-known and little-noticed, unassuming, perhaps, to a fault.

But every generation, with the rise of the Blood Moon, each of Ilvernath’s seven most powerful families sends one of its children into a cursed duel to the death. The victor’s family controls the city’s high magic reserves until the next Tournament. The other children put forward as potential champions by their families are just more sacrifices to the brutal curse they put in place centuries ago.

For centuries, the tournament, along with Ilvernath’s high magic itself—a dangerous and incredibly powerful natural resource believed to be depleted from the world—has been a carefully kept secret. But ever since the publication of a tell-all book, A Tradition of Tragedy, which bears all Ilvernath’s secrets to the world, newspapers throughout the country have been plastered with headlines about this unassuming city that sends its children to their deaths. For the first time, as each family declares their champion, the world is watching with revolution and fascination as this centuries-old story unfolds, and the seven champions of Ilvernath battle for their families, survival, and glory.

Alistair Lowe has been raised on monster stories by his family, the undisputed villains of Ilvernath, but he wants to win not for them, but for his beloved brother. Isobel Macaslan was thrust accidentally into the spotlight as the first champion revealed, and a desperate attempt to survive might cost her her life. Briony Thorburn has wanted all her life to be her family’s champion, but the meddling of external powers might not give her that chance. And even though Gavin Greive’s family has never won the tournament—or perhaps because of it—he’s willing to sacrifice anything to survive, even the very force that keeps him alive.

But maybe this time, Ilvernath’s ancient story will end a little differently.

With the atmospheric writing of Where Dreams Descend and the emotional ambiguity and intensity of Six of Crows and An Ember in the Ashes, I knew as soon as I started reading that All of Us Villains was going to become an instant favorite. This is one of those brilliant books with an amazing premise that not only lived up to everything I was hoping it would be, but far surpassed it. Complex, intense, and sometimes brutally honest, the intertwined stories of Alistair, Isobel, Briony, and Gavin wove one of the most complicated and multifaceted stories I’ve had the pleasure to read, going far beyond subverting traditional notions of heroism and what makes a villain into a tale so morally ambiguous that the term moral ambiguity barely begins to cover it. Alistair was my favorite character—he’s a character for anyone who has ever loved a villain—but it was a narrow win; all four of the narrators are utterly spectacular, with such nuance and realism that each utterly leapt off the page into my mind. Their struggles and distinct personalities were so vibrant, and the conflicts both between them and inside themselves propelled the story forward at an electric pace. The worldbuilding was stunning; I’ve never read a book with a world quite like All of Us Villain’s, a modern-ish world where magic is carried in spellstones and bought and sold like any other every-day tool. Every inch of it felt fresh and different; even the tournament, a familiar trope in YA literature, was unlike any I’ve ever read. Fast-paced, twisty, intense, and spectacular, I highly recommend All of Us Villains (and the AMAZING sequel!) to readers ages fourteen and up.  

Note: All of Us Villains is stunning on audio--highly recommended! 

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Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin (2008)

12/12/2022

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Picture
By Lina 

The princess with flaming hair, signifying war; the coveted bride with blushing cheeks, representing bloodshed; the girl who, despite the battles fought over her hand in marriage, never speaks a single line---who really is Lavinia of Virgil's epic The Aeneid? In Le Guin's imagination, she is thoughtful, caring, quiet, fiercely intelligent: a leader in her own right, who loves her people and her freedom, and refuses to be bound to the future others choose for her.

In Lavinia, the titular character traces the story of her life, one ignored or overlooked for centuries. She tells of a happy childhood, the only daughter of King Latinus, wandering the forests and fields of Latium with her best friend; of the sudden arrival of suitors vying for her hand in marriage, and thus the end of her freedom; of the Trojan stranger, foretold of in omens, who arrives on their shore; of the fated war fought with her own future as its prize. And she tells the story that comes after, of her happiness and heartbreak, victories and betrayals, and of her fierce, unyielding determination to protect her people and those she loves. 

Lavinia can certainly be enjoyed by those who haven't read The Aeneid---it's a great story, beautifully told, either way---but for those who have, it's simply stunning, a retelling of a classic tale that faithfully follows the threads and characters of the original while deftly smoothing out its inconsistencies, frustrations, and occasional illogicality. I felt as though I was not so much reading a new version of an ancient epic as experiencing Virgil's story through different, perhaps more thoughtful eyes, making it equal parts fascinating and delightful to follow Lavinia's classic tale: or, perhaps more accurately, to discover it. Given the casual misogyny of the original, it's immensely satisfying to read feminist Le Guin's take on The Aeneid, which, while faithful to the original, often approaches its content in a markedly different way. Lavinia is a compelling, independent character who never falls into the trap of some modern historical fiction which grafts modern opinions onto historical characters; even her cruel mother Amata, it is gently suggested, has suffered at the hands of patriarchy perhaps more than Virgil was willing to admit---or able to notice. 

Le Guin's mastery of building fantasy worlds is well-suited to evoking the still-rustic land of Latium before it was Rome, a place steeped in ancient tradition and folklore, guided by fate and strange omens as much as political strategy; she leaves the lines between history, ancient invention, and modern interpretation delightfully opaque. The final touch is the introduction of Virgil himself as a character, which, rather than detracting from the main story, enhances it with quiet questions of fate and perspective and who tells enduring tales, and gently reminds readers---and Lavinia herself---of the many layers of existence and opinion needed to tell a tale. Riveting and evocative, I would highly recommend Lavinia to readers ages fourteen and up. 

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