By Piranha T. 

Sheetal's mother is a star--and when she left Earth to return to her place in the sky, it changed Sheetal's life forever. Now, ten years later, her presence in Sheetal's life has faded to memories and oddities which make it impossible for her to fit in in modern-day New Jersey. Far more than her ethereal singing voice or the star songs she sometimes hears at night, it's Sheetal's hair that keeps her in a constant struggle to be seen as 'normal'. Sure, black dye can mask the silver, glowing hair Sheetal inherited from her mother, but it never lasts as long as it should--and lately, the silver has been showing through faster and faster than ever before. 

Oh, and of course, all the secrets she's keeping don't make anything easier, either. 

Sheetal has managed to keep her star side under control for years, but the delicate balance she used to have on her life is beginning to come undone. At first it's just the dye fading from her hair faster than ever before, and the star song becoming more and more insistent--almost as if it's calling her... But when she lashes out at her father and burns him with celestial fire, Sheetal finally has to accept that she can no longer ignore the half-star part of her--and that the only place to find something which will heal her father is the home of the stars themselves. 

But the stars have other plans for Sheetal, and no matter how much she finds herself falling in love with their sparkling, shimmering world, she's having more and more trouble reconciling it--and herself--with the Sheetal she used to be. And when the stars ask her to choose between her two worlds, she has to confront the truth about humans and stars--and to ask herself what she's willing to give up. 

Star Daughter is a fantasy novel filled with magic, mystery, and starlight helmed by a strong, relatable protagonist. Thakrar's prose is exquisite and engrossing, and carries the story to complex places and relationships with a constantly interesting tale; she manages to capture both how Sheetal speaks and thinks as a modern-day teen and the magic and uniqueness of the setting. I particularly enjoyed the layers of the supporting cast throughout the book, which helped make it a consistently captivating read. The stars' world feels complete and beautifully imagined, and Sheetal's development as she enters it was especially notable to me. I also love the cover! I recommend Star Daughter to readers ages thirteen and up who enjoy fully realized and interesting stories with unique settings and strong characters. 

By Piranha T. 

Malik is a refugee, searching for a future for himself and his sisters in the capital city of Ziran. The ruling Sultanas have exploited his conquered homeland for generations, but if Malik and his siblings--his older sister Leila, commanding and competent, and younger Nadia, naive and excitable--can find jobs in the city during the expansive festival of Solstasia, they'll be able to make a better life for themselves and their family. But as they enter Ziran, Nadia is captured by an obosom--a dangerous and powerful ancient spirit--and Malik strikes a bargain. The obosom will release Nadia, but only if Malik kills Princess Karina Alahari, the Sultana's daughter, before the conclusion of the Solstasia festival. 

Karina Alahari has always been the irresponsible princess, who all doubt will ever be equipped to become Sultana after her mother, an analysis with which she agrees. When her mother is killed, she knows she has no chance of ruling well in her stead. But then she discovers an ancient rite of resurrection, which she could use to bring her mother back to life, which requires the heart of a king. And Karina knows how she can create one: by offering her hand in marriage as the prize for the Solstasia competition. A plan which Malik has no knowledge of when he manages to enter the contest, knowing only it will help him get close enough to Karina to kill her. 

Malik and Karina are slowly drawn together over their deviant desires over the course of the festival. But there are forces at work which neither understands, and only by comprehending them can either hope to succeed. 

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is a powerfully drawn, multilayered fantasy novel full of twisting plot threads and unusual magic. Malik and Karina are wholly unique and interesting, two of the best protagonists I've met in young adult fantasy, and fall outside of cliches in this genre to propel this story forward and make it even more engrossing. The plotting is skillful and full of surprises, and although more than once I thought I knew where this story was going, I never quite did. Perhaps best of all is the atmosphere and setting of this book. Roseanne A. Brown weaves together folktales to create a distinct and magical setting, and the world she evokes in Ziran and the surrounding empire is already a favorite. I can't wait to read the sequel! I highly recommend A Song of Wraiths and Ruin to readers ages thirteen and up. 

By Piranha T.
 
Thalia Cutler has no magic of her own, but under her stage name, the Lady of the Lake, she performs miraculous feats and imagines the day when she is a famous magician, just like her father. Swanlike and serene, no matter the impossible situation facing the Lady of the Lake, she pulls off her tricks with ease—but offstage, Thalia’s life is becoming more and more difficult.

When work grows scares, Thalia travels to New York City, hoping for full theaters and good pay. Instead, she finds herself out of work because of a rival magician, alone in a city full of danger and subterfuge, where nothing and no one is as it seems. Not even Thalia herself.

For when Thalia discovers a magic within her much powerful than the tricks she’s performed all her life, it’s up to her to master it before it leads to her destruction.
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Set in an alternate 1950s New York City, The Glass Magician is one of the most detailed historical fantasy novels I’ve read. Carole Stevermer constructs a complicated three-tiered society based on magic and class, then seamlessly incorporates it into a real setting, creating an intricate, unusual world. The events of this story, especially surrounding Thalia’s character and the intricacies of her career as a stage magician, feel very true to this setting. Somewhere between typical fantasy and murder mystery, the plot is twisting and interesting, helmed by an interesting and determined main character. There was also not much romance, which I appreciated. I highly recommend The Glass Magician to historical fantasy fans ages thirteen and up. 

By Piranha T.

Noor is a city of trade, where people of all religions and ethnicities live side by side. But not long ago, it was nearly destroyed by a tribe of warlike djinn, against whom the human rulers of Noor and the fiery race of Ifrit djinn allied themselves to defeat them. Eight years have passed since this tragedy, but Noor is still rebuilding itself, with the help of immigrants from all over the world seeking its promises of peace and harmony. And the rulership of Noor is still shared between the human maharajah and the Ifrit djinn, who protect the city and its people.

Eighteen-year-old Fatima is a human girl who lives on the edges of Noor, away from the opulence of its rulers, where she and her adoptive sister work hard to buy food and get by. She has nothing to do with the affairs of the Ifrit or the human rulers. But when a powerful Ifrit dies and their power—impossibly—is passed to Fatima, she becomes entangled in the complicated affairs of the court of Noor, among both humans and djinn. She meets Zulfikar, the commander of Noor’s Ifrit; his advisor Anwar, who takes more interest in Fatima than she would prefer; and the princess Bhavya, who struggles to escape the social confines imposed by her station. As she learns more about the conflicts of the court and the Ifrit fire she carries within her, Fatima must uncover the truth of the growing dissent against the Ifrit and the return of the same djinn who attacked Noor eight years ago before not even her newfound power can stop the growing flame.

The Candle and the Flame is a multilayered fantasy novel full of diverse worldbuilding and intriguing characters. Fatima, and her development, is well-done and interesting; I like her character and the way she handles situations. The rest of the cast, including a handful of other characters who have point of view sections (including Zulfikar and Bhavya), is also excellent, and I particularly loved reading scenes where they interact, as I had a sense of what all of them are thinking; all of them are very real. The plot is well-written and complex; for this reason, I think this book would be enjoyed by fans of books like Seraphina, Nameless Queen, and Shadow and Bone.

Initially when I started The Candle and the Flame, I was a little confused—Nafiza Azad uses a number of words from other languages. However, I discovered there’s a guide to the most major terms in the back of the book, which helped clarify much of this. As I continued reading, they added significantly to the book, making the setting, and the book as a whole, feel vivid and real. Noor is fascinating and well-developed, distinct from other fantasy novel’s I’ve read, and I liked the magic of the different djinn as well.

Overall, I would highly recommend The Candle and the Flame to readers ages thirteen and up who enjoy intricate plots, multilayered worlds, and distinct characters. 

By Piranha T.

Zuhra can barely remember the night everything changed, when her sister was born, her father disappeared, and the hedge surrounding her home, the ancient Citadel of the Paladin, grew to imprison herself, her newborn sister, their mother and their close friend Sami within its walls. Her mother never discusses their father—she’s convinced he abandoned them—but Zuhra knows he must have been Paladin. After all, they live in their citadel. And Inara, her sister, has inherited the powerful magic of these mythical warriors—and the glowing blue eyes which show this to the world.

But Inara is lost to what she calls the ‘roar’—an endless noise in her mind which she’s rarely free of, which keeps her eternally distant from Zuhra. Zuhra is certain that it has something to do with her sister’s magic, but she doesn’t know enough about the Paladin to help her. But that changes when a scholar of the Paladin arrives at the citadel—and Zuhra learns that the world is much more dangerous than she ever could have imagined.

Sisters of Shadow of Light is a fantasy novel with an excellently developed world. I loved the many layers of the setting and the Paladin history and culture, as well as the interesting magic in this land. Zuhra and Inara, both of whom narrated chapters, were both different and interesting. There were also a number of plot twists I hadn’t expected! I think this book would appeal to fans of epic fantasy novels with unusual worlds such as Shadow and Bone and Seraphina. There was some romance in Sisters of Shadow and Light, which constitutes it being places on the ‘For Older Readers’ page; therefore, I believe it would be most enjoyed by readers ages thirteen and up. 

By Piranha T.

Seventeen-year-old Echo has lived for years among the Avicen—mysterious creatures with powerful magic and feathers instead of hair. They’ve lived hidden for centuries beneath the streets of New York, and Echo is the only human ever to have learned of their existence. Despite the discord this difference brings, the Avicen are Echo’s home.

But her serenity shatters when she steals a music box and discovers a centuries-old secret hidden within it. And because of it, she’s sent on a mission to retrieve a mythical firebird and bring an ancient war to a close. Echo has only ever been a thief—finding something this complex is beyond her area of expertise. Only with the help of a group of unlikely friends can she begin to draw close to discovering it. And even then, there are difficult secrets to uncover. This mystery has lain hidden for centuries, and as she uncovers more of the secrets which lead her along the firebird’s trail, the truths which have always governed her world begin to fall apart.

The Girl at Midnight is one of the best books I’ve read for a long time. Melissa Grey expertly creates a world born from this one fraught with danger and war, with unusual magic and dark secrets. Simultaneously, this book is completely fantasy, and could be occurring under our very noses. Echo is an incredible main character with complicated thoughts and desires, fierce loyalty, a brilliant sense of humor, and an awesome attitude. All the supporting characters (many of whom I adore!) have complex relationships and unusual, often unconventional, personalities, ranging from a disgraced guard to a flamboyant thief. And there were many points where I was literally blown away by a plot twist which I had never expected. It’s action-packed, fast-paced and unique (and great for fans of Six of Crows). The Girl at Midnight has a number of thematic elements, including mild romance and violence, which categorizes this as YA—in this case, ages 13+. For those readers, however, I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves sophisticated, well-plotted fantasy novels with unforgettable characters. 

By Super Kitty

Aibileen Clark has spent her whole life playing by the rules. She's raised dozens of white children, but the pain of seeing them grow up to become as racist as their parents has never faded away. And now that her only son has been killed in an accident, she's beginning to wonder if silence isn't her only option.

Skeeter Phelan has come back home to Jackson, Mississippi with a college degree and dreams of becoming a writer, but all her mother cares about is finding her a husband, and even spending time with her high school friends doesn't feel natural anymore. Maybe they're growing apart--or maybe Skeeter's the only one who notices the discrimination that seems to be everywhere.

Minny Jackson has never had a problem with telling people what she thinks, be they black or white, friend or employer. She's been fired plenty of times, but as the best cook in Jackson, it's never been too hard to find another job. Until now. Desperate for a job, she accepts a position with a woman too new to town to know about her sarcastic reputation--a position which involves keeping far more secrets than she wants to be involved in.

When the three women unite to write about the experiences of African American maids in their town, they know that they could be risking everything they care about. But each knows that it's time that change came to Jackson. And once you see injustice, you can't ignore it anymore.

​The Help is gorgeously written, and the characters all feel incredibly real. The three perspectives balance and contrast each other, creating a stunning narrative. Also, the audiobook narration is outstanding--if you enjoy audiobooks, I would highly recommend listening to it! Overall, an excellent book for readers ages 13 and up.