In Regency-esque Whimsy, where time seems suspended and it’s always summer, humans practice Craft (making) for the pleasure of the capricious fair folk. Fair-skinned human Isobel, 17, is a portrait painter of unsurpassed talent who has mastered the art of wrangling practical enchantments from her clients. When she paints sorrow into the eyes of the autumn prince, she becomes embroiled in a complex web of fairy-court intrigues. Golden-brown, beautiful Rook (autumn and summer folk are darker skinned; spring and winter lighter) kidnaps her in retaliation; in their uncomfortable flight they fall for each other, dooming themselves to death. The occasionally busy first-person narration blossoms with unexpected humor (appealing-but-alien Rook consider tears “leaks”); rich, detailed descriptions of the beautiful but dangerous world of the folk will seduce readers, while the unexpectedly action-filled flight (there’s a wild hunt, a ball, magic battles, and extreme painting) keeps the pages turning. Rogerson draws on fairy lore while changing myriad details to suit her story, and in Isobel she provides a strong, confident heroine who may lose her heart but never her head.

No glamour is needed to make readers fall for this one. (Fantasy. 12-adult)

Olivia Prior has always hoped for a place to belong and a family that cares for her. Instead, she’s isolated at Merilance School for Independent Girls, with its strict matrons, shunned by students who ostracize and torment her for being mute. Olivia uses sign language, taught to her by a now-departed matron (although nobody else signs); treasures the journal belonging to the mother she doesn’t remember; and can see ghouls. When she receives a letter from her uncle, Arthur Prior, inviting her to live at his manor, Olivia leaps at the chance. However, instead of the big, welcoming family she imagined, the opulent yet run-down Gallant only holds Matthew, her irritable cousin, and kindly caretakers Hannah and Edgar. Olivia unravels the ominous secrets of both her family and the house, where ghouls lurk around every corner and the dilapidated garden gate calls to her. The evolving relationships between Olivia and her found family shine, and themes of freedom, the self, and belonging are well depicted. The gripping writing and effective incorporation of horror elements, including haunting, inky artwork, are satisfyingly spine-tingling. Olivia’s use of sign language and her artistic talents, part of the exploration of the importance of communication, are skillfully incorporated into the overall story. Olivia and the main cast are White.

Will hook readers with its gripping worldbuilding, well-rounded characters, and fantastic horror. (Fantasy. 12-adult)

Set in the world of TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this first installment in a new series focuses on a new generation. Frankie Rosenberg’s mom is the powerful witch Willow, friend to famed slayer Buffy. Frankie’s own minimal powers are mostly used for ecological purposes until there’s an explosion at a slayers’ meeting, leading Frankie to become the first ever slayer-witch. A slayer needs her crew of Scoobies, and under the guidance of Watcher Spike, Frankie is assisted by Hailey, half sister of missing slayer Vi; werewolf lacrosse player Jake; and Sigmund, a Sage demon. Frankie may be new to the gig, but she has to learn quickly because there’s a new Big Bad in Sunnydale who is out for blood. The book provides enough information for patient newcomers to the Buffyverse to enjoy the story, but it will be most appealing to those with at least some background knowledge who will appreciate the references. Though the pacing is inconsistent, exciting action scenes abound, and the villain is intriguing and delightfully vicious. The characters’ banter and observations are often cheeky and funny but sometimes fall flat, as when they are based on gender stereotypes. The abrupt ending satisfyingly wraps up some plots, but there are plenty left open for future entries. Most characters are White; Hailey’s mom was Saulteaux First Nations, and Sigmund is Black.

Enjoyable for Buffy fans and general paranormal enthusiasts. (Paranormal. 14-adult)

In the small town of Mauveton, 11 teenagers have disappeared in the past six months. The police seem to be writing them off as runaways, but introverted 16-year-old crime enthusiast Piper and her friend Hazel believe there is more to the story. The girls decide to investigate the disappearances by following in the footsteps of the missing teens right before they supposedly ran away. While hanging out at the local lake where most of the town’s teens spend their free time during the summer, they run into a couple of wealthy local college boys. They soon discover the truth: Locked away in a hidden compound filled with horrific surprises, Piper has to find the will to survive and make it back to her parents alive, especially since they already lost one daughter. Preston (You Will Be Mine, 2018, etc.) weaves a terrifying tale with unexpected friendships, romance, and surprising twists. 

After losing his family to “the greatest flood Rome has ever known,” skilled white Italian swimmer Leo Danieli would never have expected that in his darkest moment he would be drafted by the European Space Agency to attend the International Space Training Camp, where teens will train to terraform and colonize Jupiter’s moon Europa for human settlement. California native Naomi Ardalan, a second-generation Iranian-American, has also been chosen for her expertise in science and technology. During a period of violent climate change worldwide, Earth’s governments are desperate to draft teens for a space mission for which they have only a few weeks in which to prepare. Twenty-four teen finalists, many orphaned by cataclysmic natural disasters, have been chosen from all over the world to compete for this space colonization mission. Warnings come to Leo and Naomi that there is a more sinister aspect to this mission, especially after things go tragically awry with other candidates during the training. 

In the kingdom of Aryd, 18-year-old Meren is Princess Tabra’s twin. As the second-born of the pair, she must live outside the palace as a peasant with Omma, her caretaker. Should anything happen to her sister, Meren would take her place permanently in the public’s eye. The main threat comes from King Eidolon of Tyndra, an immortal with a penchant for murdering Aryd’s female rulers. Meren finds her primary relief from her drab life in sneaking outside the walls of the city of Enora to the desert. Even as the second-born she has special powers over sand, and she uses them there to sculpt glass flowers for Tabra. Meren also meets with Cain, a handsome desert Wanderer who expects to become the next “zariph” of his “zariphate.” Cain asks Meren to join his Wanderers and travel to Aryd’s Sacred Tree, but she’s kidnapped by a shadowy figure who takes her through a portal to the region called Wildernyss. The coldly attractive man is Reven, a Shadowraith who can manipulate darkness. When he claims to need Tabra’s help, Meren pretends to be her sister and learns Reven’s secrets, which both terrify her and draw her to him. The author playfully leads readers through sharp fantasy twists as Meren and Reven travel together, encountering a petrified dragon skeleton and a harpy eagle that mimics the sound of a woman climaxing. Owen adds modern phrases to keep things fresh (Meren calls herself a “total bitch”) and a bit of political commentary in lines like: “People...don't want to acknowledge a problem exists unless it affects them personally. And leaders, once they gain power, don’t want to risk losing it again.” Reven turns out to have a shocking connection to King Eidolon that further complicates his entanglement with Meren. The finale rattles the status quo enough to pique interest in future installments.

A sexy YA fantasy that creates a deep bedrock for sequels.

In gaslit Garner County, women and girls are said to harbor diabolical magic capable of manipulating men. Dreaming, among other things, is forbidden, and before girls embark on their grace year, they hope to receive a veil, which promises marriage. Otherwise, it’s life in a labor house—or worse. Strong, outdoorsy, skeptical Tierney James doesn’t want to be married, but a shocking twist leaves her with a veil—and a dangerous enemy in the vindictive Kiersten. Thirty-three girls with red ribbons symbolizing sin woven into their braids set out to survive the island, but it won’t be easy. Poachers, who trade in the body parts of grace-year girls, surround the camp, and paranoia, superstition, and mistrust rule. Not everyone will make it home alive. The bones of Liggett’s (The Unfortunates, 2018, etc.) tale of female repression are familiar ones, but her immersive storytelling effortlessly weaves horror elements with a harrowing and surprising survival story. Profound moments lie in small details, and readers’ hearts will race and break right along with the brave, capable Tierney’s. The biggest changes often begin with the smallest rebellions, and the emotional conclusion will resonate.

 (Dystopian. 14-18)

Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-250-14544-4

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Wednesday Books

This dark fantasy duology opener has a magic school, a death, and five students who find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Ren Monroe is a promising student wizard at Balmerick, a private school in the city of Kathor. Along with her best friend, Timmons, Ren is one of the few welfare students attending on a scholarship, and despite being one of the most accomplished people at the school, finding a placement in one of the top houses is proving difficult and is a hurdle in the way of the secret mission Ren has set out to accomplish. When a portal spell goes awry and Ren, Timmons, and four other students from different walks of life are thrown together into the Dires, an uncharted land where the last dragons lived, one of them ends up dead and the rest need to learn to work together to make their way back home before they succumb to the harsh environment or the terrifying revenant following them. This may well be the chance Ren was looking for to prove her worth. Placing elements of a locked-room mystery and an original magic system within the familiar trappings of a school for magic, this is a no-holds-barred tale of revenge, atonement, and the pursuit of justice set in a world diverse in skin color and social classes. Ren is a protagonist for the ages: equal parts smart, calculating, and ruthless, forming a lethal package as an avenging angel. Truly fantastic. (Fantasy. 14-18)