By Ella

​In the Martial Empire, there is no true justice, only the bleak ruthlessness served on its enemies and even its own people by its highly trained soldiers--or, even more feared, by the brutal, elite warriors known only as Masks. Laia knows the Empire's destructiveness well--its soldiers killed her parents and sister years before. Now she lives with her grandparents and older brother, Darin. But Darin has been acting strangely lately, and when he's imprisoned for treason, shattering her life, the charges do not surprise her: joining the Scholar's Resistance, which seeks to topple the Empire. With her little family gone and determined to help Darin, Laia goes to the one group of people she is certain will help her: the Scholar's Resistance. If he was working with them, she reasons, they will surely be willing to break her out of prison.

And they agree--for a price. Laia must go to spy on Blackcliff, the training academy for Masks, for the Resistance. Not only that, but she must do so as a slave for the Commandant, Blackcliff's notorious, perceptive leader--a mission which is, by all accounts, impossible to survive.

Meanwhile, Elias is Blackcliff's best student, hailed by many as on a path to greatness. But all he wants is to escape the brutal world he has grown up in, deserting the Empire for one of the better, kinder surrounding countries. When Elias is chosen as one of four contestants to compete to be the Martial Empire's next ruler, however, all those options slip away. And as the competition unfolds and Elias realizes truly how much more death his life is primed to entail, he must ask himself: which future, of all the possibilities, is he willing to live?

As Laia and Elias cross paths and their actions unfold, they realize their choices will determine far more than just their own lives. They will determine the fate of the Scholar's Resistance, the Emperor, and even the Martial Empire itself.

An Ember in the Ashes is an riveting novel full of intricately drawn settings and startling twists, blended together into a series opener so deftly imagined and skillfully written that I will literally follow its characters wherever they go next. Sabaa Tahir's detailed worldbuilding was one of the highlights of this novel for me; her Martial Empire, often echoing ancient Rome, feels fully imagined and well-drawn. Elias and Laia are both deeply strong and sympathetic protagonists, fully fleshed out and interesting, who, when faced with even the hardest choices, always felt as though they were making good decisions, something I always appreciate. I also feel the need to mention Helene, one of the supporting characters, who constantly surprised me and was one of the best characters in this book. Tahir's writing pulled me in from the first pages and kept me reading throughout, always with the right mix of suspense, plot twists, and difficult choices. I highly recommend An Ember in the Ashes to readers ages fourteen and up who love intense, layered high fantasy.

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.

Sabriel is hardly like the other girls at her boarding school in the modern realm of Ancelstierre. She was born in the magical and mysterious Old Kingdom, where her father, the necromancer Abhorsen, still dwells. He has taught her how to use the seven bells which are the root of the craft of necromancers, journey through Death, and bind the creatures who lurk there. And when Abhorsen disappears, Sabriel finds herself in need of all these skills as she is pulled into an ancient conflict in the Old Kingdom--and discovers a plan more nefarious than she ever could have imagined. 
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Sabriel is an engrossing read, starring a capable, clever, and believable heroine. This book, widely acknowledged as a modern classic, is set in a well-developed fantasy world with intricate, dangerous magic and a plot with mysteries that keep you wondering at the ending. This is the first book in Garth Nix's Old Kingdom series (Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen, Clariel and Goldenhand), all of which are excellent. I highly recommend Sabriel and the entire Old Kingdom Series to readers ages twelve and up. 

Note: This review is adapted from our original, posted on our fiction page several years ago. Sabriel ​remains one of our favorite books! You can read the original review here. 

By SK

​Arthur's soon-to-be-bride Guinevere travels toward Camelot, accompanied through the unfamiliar landscape by a group of the new king's best knights, as all of Camelot eagerly awaits her arrival and the coming wedding. 

But the approaching wild-haired girl is not the real Guinevere--and being queen is the least of her worries.

When Guinevere-not-Guinevere arrives in Came-lot, she has no idea where to begin. There is the blur of the wedding and feasts and celebrations, of course, and an endless stream of new people whose names she immediately forgets. She has never seen so many people. But she did not come for them--she came for Arthur. Merlin's warning was vague (well, when isn't he vague?) but his message was clear--the king is in grave danger, and he needs someone beside him who is powerful and willing to bend the rules. 

Of course, Merlin didn't say what the threat actually is. He just sent her here, equipped only with the magic of a forest witch. And somehow simple knot magic doesn't seem like it'll be enough. 

As Guinevere begins to uncover a web of secrecy in Camelot's walls and beyond, she discovers a web of deceptions hiding far below the surface, and a plot which could destroy Arthur's fledgling rule. 

But how do you stop a gathering storm of secrets when you might be the biggest one of all?

I always enjoy reading retellings of classic stories and myths, especially ones like the Arthurian legends which I've read many versions of, and The Guinevere Deception didn't disappoint. White's Guinevere is intriguingly mysterious, but also resourceful and funny, and her magic is quite interesting. The portrayals of other central characters are also excellent, and I especially liked Lancelot--the characters feel unique, yet still fit with the impressions of them which I've gotten from other versions. And the plot reimagines many elements of the original stories as well, leading to some excellent twists. I would recommend The Guinevere Deception to readers ages twelve and up who enjoy magic, action, and court intrigue, and I'm looking forward to the next two books in the Camelot Rising trilogy!

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.

Lee and Annie have been friends since they were sent to the same orphanage in the fractured aftermath of a revolution which overthrew the tyrannical ruling Dragonlords. Now, years later, they’re part of the new leader’s plan to train dragonriders based on merit, not class, and they’re two of the best in the program. Annie’s background lends its own challenges—her family was killed by dragonfire before the revolution, and despite the new regime’s rulings, not everyone is happy to have a former serf in the government. But Lee’s past is more dangerous still. He’s never told anyone, but his family members were Dragonlords, murdered in the last days of the revolt. And if anyone learns the truth of his ancestry, he’ll be killed, too.

Then news comes. Lee isn’t the only Dragonlord who survived the rebellion, and the others are ready to retake their old land, Callipolis. As war mounts and Annie and Lee are faced with new challenges, Annie must decide whether she trusts Lee, or believes he is working with the dragonlords. And Lee must choose between the family he was born into and the one he’s made during the new regime.

​Fireborne was a book I didn’t know what to expect from, but is an outstanding new favorite. Annie and Lee are both strong and fiercely unique characters with intricately woven personalities and conflicts, and their alternating perspectives make this story much deeper and more interesting. The supporting cast is also full of excellent characters (I especially love Power and Julia!), who all have an interesting multidimensionality. The plot is fast-paced and full of twists; I particularly like how Rosaria Munda takes elements like dragonriding, rebellions, and characters with family working against the protagonist and uses them in a fully new way, twisting clichés into something much more interesting and skillfully overthrowing beliefs and assumptions. Even if this sounds like a story you’ve read before, trust me: it isn’t. This is a book I’m going to reread many times, and I’m looking forward to the release of the sequel, Flamefall. I highly recommend Fireborne to readers ages twelve and up who love fantasy novels with strong characters and multilayered plots. 

Note: Check out our interview with Fireborne's author, Rosaria Munda! 

By Piranha T.
 
I’ve heard it said that girls can’t keep secrets. That’s wrong: we’ve proved it. We’ve kept ours for years and years, ever since we came to Piscul Dracului and stumbled on the way into the Other Kingdom…We’d been going out and coming in nearly every month since then: nine whole years of Full Moons.
                              -Excerpt from Wildwood Dancing
                                                          by Juliet Marillier
 
Nine years ago, Jenica and her four sisters discovered the portal into the Other Kingdom, a place of magic, danger and mystery which exists at the edges of the Transylvanian town they live in. Their home, a crumbling castle called Piscul Dracului, is perched on the edges of the myth-ridden Wildwood, and is rumored to be as full of magic as the trees it lies on the skirts of.

In this, the tales are true. Every Full Moon, a portal opens there for Jena and her sisters which brings them to a midnight world of perilous magic and strange creatures, and Dancing Glade, where they spend the night among beings told of in whispered legends, as full of magic as the Wildwood itself. It’s always been dangerous—but one night, when the Night People, subjects of many dark and terrible stories, appear, it becomes much more so. Especially as one of them appears to take a particular interest in Jena’s elder sister.

As the Night People make the visits to Dancing Glade more perilous, the world Jena returns to after each monthly escapade into the Wildwood is growing worse and worse as well. Jena’s father, a merchant, has grown deeply ill, and he leaves Jena and her sisters in the care of their tyrannical cousin, Cezar, who is intent to destroy the Wildwood in revenge for his brother’s death years before, and constrict the sisters’ independence as much as possible. As both the Other Kingdom and the land Jena and her sisters inhabit grow more dangerous, she must confront those in both worlds if she is to protect not only the Wildwood, but the freedom of her and her sisters.
 
Deeply based in both Transylvanian folklore and the fairytale ‘The Twelve Dancing Princesses’, Wildwood Dancing is a story full of mystery and magic. Juliet Marillier’s writing effortlessly conjures a fairytale-like feeling, and the strange and dangerous setting of the Wildwood, which feels very real. Jena and her sisters are very interesting and multifaceted characters, especially Jena—I love her determination, stubborn nature, and protectiveness of her sisters. There is some romance in it, which is the major reason we've categorized this book as young adult. Overall, I recommend Wildwood Dancing to readers ages twelve 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.
​
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 Super Kitty

​Nannerl Mozart is an exceptional musician. A miracle. Destined for greatness. She can lose herself in music, find freedom in the pages which her father teaches her to play. But one day, her little brother Wolfgang copies her movements when she plays the clavier. And everything changes. 

Nannerl longs to be great. Loved and remembered always. But as she grows into a young woman and the already limited opportunities available for a young child fade away, she truly begins to feel the suffocating restrictions of being a woman in Europe in the 1700s. Desperate not to fade out of memory and lose any hope of a future beyond marriage, she strikes a bargain with a wild, mysterious boy from another world. At first, her dreams seem to indeed be coming true. But his help is not simply a gift, and she begins to wonder: what exactly will he require in return? 

As Nannerl and Wolfgang grow older, they travel Europe with their parents, performing for royalty and earning praise from some of the greatest rulers of the time. And they are pulled ever deeper into the world of the Kingdom of Back, where secrets rule like queens and enchantment goes far below the surface.

Marie Lu's luminous, evocative writing is stunning, and she blends fairy tale elements, historical settings and characters, and original fantasy ideas seamlessly. I was especially struck by the unique, deft transitions and connection between our world and that of the Kingdom of Back, and the contrast between our world and the ethereal Kingdom. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Kingdom of Back the first time, but it was only after I read the Author's Note that I fully understood the brilliance of it. Apparently, Nannerl was a real person, a musical prodigy who toured Europe with Wolfgang when they were children. And on the lengthy carriage rides between performances, the siblings would make up stories about an enchanted land they named the Kingdom of Back....

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.