Book Reviews By & For Kids - Rapunzel Reads

An Archive of Romance (companion to A Study in Drowning) by Ava Reid (2025)

11/10/2025

The enchanting world of A Study in Drowning comes to life through letters, poems, art, and more in this beautifully illustrated full-color novella from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ava Reid, featuring over forty illustrations, expanded and new text, stunning endpapers, and romantic rose gold foil for a jaw-dropping addition to the beloved dark academia series.

Effy and Preston have been torn apart by the wars of men, the power of words, and the specter of magic—but it was through stories that they found each other. Relive Effy and Preston’s love story through their own pens in this immersive collection of mementos, illustrations, maps, blueprints, diary entries, and more. Read Angharad with Effy's annotations; sneak excerpts of Preston's diary; see the architectural sketches that brought Effy to Hiraeth; get your own ticket to Saltney; and experience the never-before-seen epilogue to Effy and Preston’s romance.

An Archive of Romance will be released on December 9, 2025.

I loved A Study in Drowning and A Theory of Dreaming, and this installment reads exactly how I hoped it would: like a scrapbook Effie and Preston might have put together, or simply a bound-up version of what might be lying on their desks. Separated into three sections—two containing documents from the books of the duology, and another containing a short story that takes place afterward—it very much feels like an archive that sits perfectly alongside the previous books, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

I read an e-ARC, and I have a feeling the finished book for this one is going to be absolutely gorgeous; I already felt like I was paging through a scrapbook of Effie and Preston’s collected recollections, and I just know that it’s going to be an even more beautiful finished product. I also loved seeing Effie’s drawings. I’m always a fan of illustrations in books, and these ones truly felt like a peek into Effie’s mind at different points during the duology. Possibly the highlight of this volume for me, though, was the excerpts from Angharad, which were every bit as beautiful and immersive as I guessed from the scraps throughout the duology. While I know it’s unlikely, I would love to see Ava Reid’s take on the entire story of Angharad out in the world one day.

Highly recommended!

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 15+ / ARC / fantasy / fiction / romance / sequels / young adult

The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre by Robin Talley (2020)

11/3/2025

By Nico

High school senior Melody McIntyre has finally achieved her dream: she’s stage managing her school’s production of Les Misérables. She has the organization, the passion, the talent. What Melody doesn’t have is a history of successful relation-ships, particularly not during shows…but that was never part of the job description, anyway.

But when her fellow tech crew members point out that her every breakup has preceded theatrical disaster, Melody realizes the only way to keep Les Mis safe might be to swear off love. It’ll be easy, surely—she’s got more than enough on her plate.

But then theater protegee Odile Rose auditions for the show. And despite Melody’s best intentions, she finds herself doing exactly what she swore not to: falling in love.

I truly loved The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre! This is the perfect lesbian rom-com for anyone who’s ever even dabbled in theater—or someone simply looking for a fun contemporary story in their life. Melody is such a fabulous character—scattered and also unconfident while also having the authority and dreams she needs to be stage manager, I absolutely adore her sharp voice and hilarious insecurities. Every detail of this show and process absolutely shines, and the wider cast sparkles with realism and quirkiness. I highly recommend The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre to readers ages thirteen and up who like rom-coms or theater.

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

10/6/2025

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.

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

Muted: Volume 2 by Miranda Mundt (2025)

9/29/2025

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.

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

Costumes for Time Travelers by A. R. Capetta (2025)

9/8/2025

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.

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

A Theory of Dreaming (A Study in Drowning, Book 2) by Ava Reid (2025)

7/21/2025

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.

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

We Could Be Magic by Marissa Meyer and Joelle Murray (2025)

6/16/2025

When Tabitha Laurie was growing up, a visit to Sommerland saved her belief in true love, even as her parents’ marriage was falling apart. Now she’s landed her dream job at the theme park’s prestigious summer program, where she can make magical memories for other kids, guests, and superfans just like her. All she has to do is audition for one of the coveted princess roles, and soon her dreams will come true.

There’s just one problem. The heroes and heroines at Sommerland are all, well… thin. And no matter how much Tabi lives for the magic, she simply doesn't fit the park's idea of a princess.

Given a not-so-regal position at a nacho food stand instead, Tabi is going to need the support of new friends, a new crush, and a whole lot of magic if she’s going to devise her own happily ever after. . . without getting herself fired in the process.

We Could Be Magic is, quite simply, delightful!

I loved Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles and Renegades trilogy, so I knew I was a fan of her style of storytelling, but I was initially leery of this book because it seemed so much more romance-focused than her usual fare. However, I decided to request it anyway, and I’m so glad I did.

Yes, We Could Be Magic has romantic elements, but the core plot is far more about learning to love who you are and believing in yourself than solely falling into rom-com territory. Meyer crafts a setting as vibrant as any sci-fi world, Joelle Murray’s art bringing to life this hyper-fandom setting with all its flaws, strange personalities, and magic.

I ADORED Tabi as the protagonist here—she is so incredibly authentic and lovely, and I was quite literally cheering her on the whole time while I read. We Could Be Magic is simultaneously a celebration of fandoms like this one and a critique of the way too many argue there’s only one ‘right’ way to be a princess, blending into an unputdownable and beautiful story.

If you’re a fan of graphic novels, fairy tales, fandoms, Marissa Meyer, or all of the above, I highly recommend We Could Be Magic!

We Could Be Magic was released on June 3, 2025.
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 13 + / ARC / book group pick / fiction / graphic novel / romance / standalone / young adult

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson (2023)

11/25/2024

By Nico

Growing up on a tiny island in the midst of a green-spore sea, Tress has no plans to leave her home. Everything she wishes for is here: the people she’s grown up with, her beloved collection of cups from across the spore seas, and her closest friend, Charlie, the duke’s son, who she’s always cared for a little more than a peasant girl should.

But when Charlie is kidnapped by the Sorceress of the Midnight Sea, Tress has no choice but to follow him across the perilous, beautiful spore seas. Braving deceptions, pirates, talking rats, dangerous spores, interplanetary visitors, dragons, and more, it will take all of Tress’s skills to find Charlie – skills she never would’ve even dreamed of possessing back home. But to succeed, she must not only discover Charlie’s location—she’ll have to discover herself, too.

This is the first book I’ve read by Brandon Sanderson, and Tress of the Emerald Sea made it certain beyond all doubt that it wouldn’t be the last. Tress’s simple yet incredibly relatable story pulled me in from the first page, into an enthralling world utterly unlike any I’ve read before. The worldbuilding was gorgeous and fascinating but never heavy-handed, making the setting feel utterly realistic, despite being so wildly different than Earth. Watching Tress grow and change over the course of this book felt equally natural, and never did the story arc feel contrived or unrealistic, instead possessing an organic quality that made me fall in love with Tress even more. There is so much that happens in this book, and yet its simplicity is part of its charm, giving it an almost old-fashioned feel that grounds even the most fantastical events. I adored all of the characters, whose lives I grew almost inordinately invested in, and the quirky, wry narrative voice of Hoid made this book decidedly a favorite. I also appreciated, as someone new to Brandon Sanderson’s books, that you didn’t need to have any prior understanding of his Cosmere universe to fall in love with it; Tress is an independent story. I highly recommend Tress of the Emerald Sea to readers ages twelve and up, whether you’re a longtime Brandon Sanderson fan or someone who’s never previously entered the world of Cosmere.

The Ghostkeeper by Johanna Taylor (2024)

7/15/2024

The Ghostkeeper will be released on July 23, 2024.

Ever since Dorian Leith very nearly died—and gained the unexpected ability to see ghosts as a result—he’s dedicated himself to helping ghosts find peace and enter the afterlife. Sure, his job doesn’t make him very popular, particularly since most people would rather pay ghastly exorcists to destroy household ghosts than a ghost therapist to help their hauntings work through their problems, but every time Dorian teaches a ghost new coping skills or helps another client move on into the afterlife, it brings him such satisfaction that he can’t imagine doing anything else.

That is, until the key to Death’s Door vanishes—and the town is suddenly plagued by an influx of angry ghosts who can’t find their way into the afterlife, no matter how many times Dorian helps them reframe their struggles. Dorian knows he’s the only one who’s able to help the ghosts, not to mention the only one who cares. But finding the key means risking the first true relationship with a living human he’s had in years—and any sense of self he has beyond the ghosts he cares for.

I did not expect to love a graphic novel about a queer ghost therapist to be this awesome and endearing, but The Ghostkeeper seemed determined to exceed my expectations from the first page. To begin with, I loved the art style, and in particular how the ghosts were portrayed; the blue-tinged characters and in particular the clearly different speech bubbles helped keep the story clear and moving at a fast pace, and made the dialogue easier to follow than most other graphic novels I've read. The use of color schemes and panel shapes created a fabulous sense of atmosphere, and worked together with the quirky characters and fast-paced plot to create a story I couldn't put down.

But I'd be remiss if I didn't mention one of my favorite aspects of the story - Dorian himself. I connected with him so deeply - his internal struggles, his determination to help ghosts, his self-sacrificing propensity, his insecurity, and the depth of his friendships. The ghost therapist concept is brilliant to begin with, but The Ghostkeeper brings it alive, and the incredibly realistic (but also hilarious) strategies that Dorian uses to counsel the ghosts grounded the premise and made it utterly believable. I was particularly drawn to the way Dorian struggles to separate what he needs from what the ghosts need, a thread of realism that helped wholeheartedly sell me on the entire story.

I highly recommend The Ghostkeeper to readers ages eleven and up, particularly those who enjoy gorgeously illustrated graphic novels, brilliant characters, and a touch of ghostly horror.

An e-ARC of this book was provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz (2023)

6/17/2024

By Nico

When Princess Brie meets Count Camembert, full of quirky dress sense and appreciation for Brie’s often unorthodox activism, it’s love at first sight.

There’s just one problem—Count Camembert is really Lady Camembert, disguised as a man so she can still inherit her father’s money after refusing to marry a man. She’s supposed to be keeping a low profile so no one can discover her secret…but after meeting Brie, she’s not so sure that’ll be possible.

Camembert knows her love can’t go anywhere. After all, Brie is a princess destined for a diplomatic marriage, and she has no idea Camembert isn’t a man. But could there still be room for a happily ever?

With queer romance, bright illustrations, and lots of cheese puns, I read The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich in one sitting. Muniz’s artwork is expressive and quirky, and I liked the fast-paced plot and characters, particularly Zola, who was both humorous and deeper than I initially expected. Definitely check this one out if you love graphic novels and grilled cheese sandwiches! I recommend The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich to readers ages twelve and up.

Sweet & Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley (2022)

6/10/2024

By Nico

Wren has always dreamed of joining the Coven, where every witch and magical source train together to protect the land. But despite her magical gifts, that’s never been an option; her brother died years ago from a witch’s spell gone wrong, and her ailing father can’t handle the truth about what she is. So she cares for him as he gets sicker and hides her magic instead. Surely, it’s a small price to pay for keeping him alive.

But Wren’s life is shattered when her father falls victim to a deadly magical plague. Desperate, she seeks out the only person who might be able to help her: Tamsin, the village witch.

Tamsin used to be the Coven’s most powerful witch. Now, though, what remains of her life after breaking the Coven’s most sacred rule has been consumed by their punishing curse: she can no longer experience love or joy unless she steals it from those around her. She has no good reason to work with dreamy, inexperienced Wren, or meddle again in the kind of magic that left her cursed in the first place. But she agrees to help Wren hunt down the witch responsible for the plague anyway, and as they search for the culprit—a search that brings them dangerously close to Tamsin’s own past—she begins to feel something for Wren that she was certain was impossible: love.

I went into this story all but certain that it wouldn’t surprise me. The heartless witch, the idealistic newbie, a shared quest that becomes a burgeoning romance—although I was looking forward to digging into Sweet and Bitter Magic, since it came highly recommended, I didn’t truly expect it to be anything I hadn’t read before. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Yes, all these tropes are present in the story, but they take an almost unrecognizable form beneath Tooley’s deft pen, weaving two characters I couldn’t help but fall in love with even as they fell in love with each other. Wren’s conflict is infinitely relatable; the conflict she feels between what she wants and what she feels is right, and the guilt she feels when pursuing her own dreams, made her instantly leap off the page. Tamsin, too, felt completely real. Where many characters like her are just canonically impartial and heartless, the fact that she quite literally cannot feel love—and her longing to—made her far more complex than others like her, and that combined with her spectacular backstory gave her character incredible depth. Tooley’s writing was absorbing from the very first page, and I didn’t want to leave behind the fascinating world and spectacular cast when the book came to a close. I highly recommend Sweet and Bitter Magic to fans of queer romance, superb characters, and engrossing storylines ages twelve and up.

Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa (2024)

4/22/2024

By Nico

Oliver Bennet’s life does not seem too promising. With the impending threat of marriage only the latest reminder that the world still thinks he’s the girl he’s never been, his current solace—slipping out at night dressed in boy’s clothes, getting to be himself after pretending all day—looks on the verge of slipping out of reach. How can he hope to survive in a world, let alone in a marriage, that denies his very existence?

But Oliver meets Darcy, who not just treats him cordially, but seeks out his friendship. At first, Oliver is just glad that Darcy sees him as the boy he truly is. He never would’ve imagined that their friendship could become something more—or that someone could love the real Oliver.

Stuck between a false life, where he’s forced to wear petticoats and respond to a name that’s never been his, and a real one where he slips out at night to meet Darcy and discover the path he’s always dreamed of, Oliver knows that this precarious balancing act can’t last forever. With his family on the verge of learning the truth about him, Oliver must decide on his own terms how he wants to live his life, even if that means risking the only family he’s ever known.

I loved both The Wicked Bargain and Pride and Prejudice, so I knew going into Most Ardently book that it probably wouldn’t meet my extraordinarily high expectations. I was absolutely wrong. Gabe Cole Novoa delivers one of the best books I’ve read in a long time, which brought me several times to tears of joy (not something that often happens!) and, to be honest, gave me hope for the future.

To begin with, Oliver is absolutely fantastic. I immediately fell in love with his palpable longing, his strong friendships, and his worldview, all combined in a character who spoke to me so deeply that I struggled to put Most Ardently down. Due to the book’s short length, there were certainly characters I would’ve loved to see played with more (Mr. Collins and Wickam are the most obvious ones that jump out at me), but the flipside of this meant getting to spend the majority of the book with a smaller cast of characters, allowing me to get to know each of them incredibly well. I particularly loved how Gabe Cole Novoa created Darcy’s character, which felt incredibly true to the original while also gaining its own spark.

Novoa sticks to the original story but is never afraid to branch out to create a book that truly feels like it could’ve existed behind Pride and Prejudice all these years. The plotlines with Mr. Bennet and Wickam particularly leaps to mind, but honestly there wasn’t a single point in this book where my absorption in the story and suspension of belief were broken—something I very rarely see in a retelling, and yet was executed so flawlessly I didn’t even register it until the end.

The only place that might’ve felt a little too perfect was the ending, but honestly, I was so happy for all the characters that I couldn’t bring myself to mind! I highly recommend Most Ardently to readers ages twelve and up, particularly those who love historical fiction or feel-good trans romance.

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

1/22/2024

By Lina

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.

Valiant Ladies by Melissa Grey (2022)

10/23/2023

By Nico

Potosí, 1600s. Spain has established a viceroyalty in one of its newest colonies, Peru. The streets of the city are full of beauty and chaos and danger, hardly the place for two young ladies from the upper class.

But at night, Kiki de Sonza and Ana Lezama de Urinza, daughter and ward of one of Peru’s wealthiest men, trade their voluminous skirts and amenable smiles for daggers wielded with the upmost precision, and venture into the streets—to explore, to protect those who can’t protect themselves, and to experience the brilliant, forbidden love that’s long burgeoned between them.

These two parts of their lives have long been separate: streets by night, skirts by day. But when Kiki’s brother is murdered the night of her engagement announcement, their only hope of finding answers lies on the winding streets of Potosí—where they will either find the truth, or become the murderer’s next victims.

I read and loved the Girl at Midnight series by Melissa Grey years ago, so when I discovered she had a new series, featuring historical adventure, sword-wielding lesbians, and a murder mystery, I immediately knew I had to check it out. Valiant Ladies certainly didn’t disappoint! I loved Kiki and Ana—although I don’t always love books with a prominent romance plotline, both characters were so brilliant that I couldn’t resist rooting for them. With witty dialogue, righteous determination, and an absolutely fabulous dynamic, I didn’t want to put this book down. The historical aspect of Valiant Ladies was also excellent, and I love how the characters never felt like they were solely reflecting modern sensibilities about queer characters or feminism; instead, they all felt wholly alive in the historical setting. I didn’t go into this story expecting its twisting, complex plot, but it more than delivered. Melissa Grey weaves a multilayered, clever mystery full of surprises and quirks that propelled the story forward at a swift and ever-engaging pace. Full of vibrance, fire, and action, I highly recommend Valiant Ladies to lovers of queer romance and historical fiction ages thirteen and up.

Lakelore by Anna-Marie McLemore (2022)

8/28/2023

By Nico

There are stories about the lake, about a world that exists beneath it, about ghosts and odd happenings and mysteries that can’t be solved. No one believes them anymore, of course—the old sign detailing the lakelore is barely legible, and the old tales have become things to laugh at, not to believe. Only Bastián Silvano can find the world under the lake anymore, find the place where water lifts from the surface like butterfly’s wings and reveals a path to the depths below. And Lore Garcia is the only one they’ve ever managed to show it to, though they met so briefly they never even learned each other’s names.

It's been years since they met for the first time—time enough for Bastián to begin sending their worst moments beneath the lake’s surface in paper-mâché alebrijes, and for Lore to do something so terrible they have to leave their old town—even if that doesn’t keep away the memories intent on reminding Lore of all their worst mistakes. But when Lore moves into Bastián’s town and lakelore slips out from beneath the surface of the lake, they must each trust each other with the parts of themselves they’ve worked the hardest to hide.

Having written hundreds of reviews, I have a running shortlist of ones that were nearly impossible to describe—books like Raybearer and Daughter of Smoke and Bone, which I absolutely love but struggle to find words to summarize the plots of. Lakelore surpasses all of them. Encapsulating Anna-Marie McLemore’s gorgeous magical realism at its finest, Lakelore is the story of two nonbinary teens navigating the dangerous, complicated, multifaceted world of their own minds and histories, all while coming to terms with what it means to love yourself. At once ethereal and impossibly grounded in reality, there is so much of this story nearly impossible to put into words—and yet it’s so utterly amazing that I feel like I do it a disservice by not attempting to.

Lakelore is, in one word, stunning. McLemore (who is also the author of some of my other absolute favorite books, such as Blanca and Roja, Wild Beauty, and When the Moon Was Ours) weaves realism and magic together so smoothly with their beautiful writing that the two flow into one another so naturally they feel inseparable; the world they draw with relatively straightforward language is so evocative and gorgeous that I couldn’t help but be absorbed by it. Always thoughtful, reflective, and intentional, the many threads of Lakelore became something incredibly deep beneath McLemore’s deft pen. This book made me feel utterly heard to a degree few others ever have through the power and authenticity of its protagonists’ struggles, and the beauty of their evolving awarenesses of themselves.

Far too many books become ‘single-issue’; Lore and Bastián, instead, lie at the intersection of many identities—neurodivergence, race, gender—and yet this story never becomes ‘about’ any one of these. Instead, it focuses on the two people behind them, whose nuanced and complex narratives are built far more around who they are, their experiences, and how the world has treated them because of their identities—and, particularly, how they intersect—than simply using those identities as checked-off diversity boxes, creating a pair of protagonists who are refreshingly, beautifully, and sometimes devastatingly real. I can’t think of another book starring two characters who are as complex and human as these two, or who I love quite this much. Deft, magical, and truly incredible, I highly recommend Lakelore to readers ages twelve and up, particularly those who love magical realism and queer, diverse fantasy.