Author: Tirzah Price

The lives of everyone in the small, prosperous kingdom of Lumatere are forever disrupted one fateful night when the king and his family are overthrown and murdered, and his young son disappears, presumed dead. Finnikin was a child when this happened, and a curse fell upon the kingdom, exiling half the kingdom outside of Lumatere’s walls. Finnikin has grown up with the former king’s advisor, traveling the lands trying to improve life for the exiles but he’s long given up hope that he’ll ever be able to return home…until a young novice who has taken a vow of silence communicates to him that if Finnikin can find his father, the imprisoned King’s Guard, and unite the exiles, she can produce the missing heir and bring Lumatere’s people home. Finnikin wants to believe her, but she seems to be hiding an impossible secret.

It’s no exaggeration to say that this is one of my favorite books of all time. When it comes to fantasy, I require a few things: excellent writing, great world building, incredible characters, and a fantastic plot—preferably one that explores big topics that are relatable in the real world. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m picky, but books like this are why I love this genre. Marchetta creates magic on the page, and I love how she explores the idea of displacement and what it means to belong, and how to process a collective trauma. Now, be warned—it is a slow build at the beginning as the characters are set up and the conflict is established. If you give it 50 pages, I promise you’ll be hooked by the incredible storytelling elements as Finnikin and his small band of exiles begin the arduous process of rescuing their people, uniting them, and then finding the bravery to face unbearable pain and suffering in order to take back their home. There are a few surprises along the way, although savvy readers might be able to see a few plot developments coming. But the ending? Totally worth it.

The first book has a complete arc, which is really satisfying in this world of fantasy cliffhangers and ongoing series, but if you love this book I highly recommend checking out Froi of the Exiles and Quintana of Charyn, the second and third books in the trilogy. Just be warned…if you pick up Froi, you’ll want Quintana on hand because Froi ends on a cliffhanger!

Charlie Hall is in her late twenties, and she’s spent most of her life as a thief and con artist in a world where people can manipulate their own shadows for power and status. But not anymore—after a job went wrong, she’s decided she’s on the straight and narrow path, working as a bartender and trying to see her sister through college. But then one last job reels her back into her former life, and this time she walks right into the center of a dangerous struggle for a legendary grimoire that a local billionaire is desperate to get his hands on. And unfortunately for Charlie, it turns out this mess is about to get personal, so there’s no walking away from it.

If you’re a devoted Holly Black reader, this novel (with a confirmed sequel!) is probably best described as an edgier, slightly more grown up novel that’s reminiscent of her Curseworkers series—it’s got an organized crime element, family secrets, heists, dangerous magic, and plenty of plot twists. If you’re new to Holly Black, hopefully that all sounds good to you! I really enjoyed Charlie, a character who’s never really gotten a fair start in life and grew up manipulated into conning more powerful shadow magic users in order to get ahead. We meet her at a point in her life when she’s realized the danger in her previous actions, and is trying to live a different life—but it’s incredibly hard when the world seems to be against you. You can’t help but sympathize with Charlie for her rather simple desire for a job that pays the bills, a boyfriend who is steady and kind, and a sister who is happy with going to college. Of course, nothing is that simple and Charlie realizes she’s going to have to face the darkness head on if she’s going to even survive.

I’ll be real—I didn’t 100% understand the magic system in this world, and there were many scenes where I just went with it. Luckily, Black makes it easy to do because her writing and her characters are so engaging, and I think it’s the more grounded, real-world struggles of trying to live a good life in a complicated and not-so-kind world that made the conflict so intriguing. And of course, there are some truly excellent twists in this story (some I saw coming, others I didn’t) and a brilliant heist climax that made my head spin (in a good way!), and all of that was really fun. This book is one of my favorites of Black’s work, and it’s perfect for fans of Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo!

Monique is a magazine writer going through a break up, and her career is stalled out. But then she gets an unusual request: Evelyn Hugo, the famous movie star, has agreed to be interviewed by Monique’s magazine, as long as Monique conducts the interview. Monique’s editor is annoyed but she agrees, and Monique finds herself sitting down across from the eighty-year-old legend. But Evelyn doesn’t really want an interview—she wants Monique to write her life story. Why Monique, Evelyn won’t say just yet, but she promises it will all make sense in the end. As Monique balances her own curiosity with her editor’s impatience and Evelyn’s adherence to chronological order, she settles in and listens to Evelyn’s incredible life story.

I loved the way this book was told, vacillating between Monique’s point of view and Evelyn’s telling. Modeled after some of the most famous actresses of Hollywood’s golden era, Evelyn’s story seems to be that of excess—she’s been married seven times, she has weathered scandals, she’s endured countless rumors, and broken many hearts. Her films have been wildly successful and total flops, but she’s always been a household name. But I truly loved the real reason behind some of her most enigmatic decisions: Evelyn was in love with a fellow famous actress for decades, and now wants to come out as bisexual. But that’s not the only surprising revelation, and things get personal the more Monique digs into her past. I thought the tension between timelines was perfectly balanced, and I am in awe of any writer who can write about a character’s life in a span of decades, and do so in a way that keeps readers invested at every turn.

This was also just a really great reflection on how we can never truly know what’s going on in other people’s lives. So many details of Evelyn’s life, as reported in the tabloids, make her look flighty and irresponsible and while she makes it abundantly clear she is a flawed person with many mistakes, the outward appearance is usually protecting secrets and those she loves. I also really enjoyed the sections in which Evelyn ruminates on what it means to leave behind a legacy, and the responsibility that entails. The lessons she imparts on Monique have a big impact on her personal perspective, and everything is on the line when the real reason Evelyn chose Monique finally comes to light. It’s a great book that might have readers divided on the characters’ decisions and motivations, but that’s what makes it such a great read!

I don’t normally go for old Hollywood stories, but I am so glad I picked this one up for the wonderful characters, the queer representation in history, the delicious tension, and the brilliant storytelling that had me sobbing at the end!

Yami is all set to follow her brother Cesar to the swanky new Catholic school he won a scholarship to, even though she has reservations about the Catholic part. She doesn’t mind that she has to come up with half the tuition money herself—anything to get away from her former best friend who outed her after she came out to her. After that experience, Yami is prepared to keep her head down and play it straight at school. That becomes pretty difficult when she meets Bo, a classmate and out lesbian who never seems to back away from proclaiming her truth and sticking to her ideals. As they slowly become friends, Yami finds it difficult to hide her attractions to Bo…but she’s not yet willing to risk rejection at school and home by living her truth.

I’ve been reading queer YA for a long time now, and around 6-7 years ago there was a big push to move queer YA beyond the coming out story, which was absolutely needed, but I also believe we absolutely need books like this one: Big-hearted, intersectional novels about queer Mexican girls struggling with their own internal homophobia, homophobia within their families, and the homophobia within institutions like the Catholic Church. Yami is such a bright and funny protagonist, and she cares deeply about her family. I found my heart breaking for her as she planned for the future, saving money for when she’ll surely be kicked out of the house while trying to figure out who her allies were. Her reality is still all too relatable for so many teens, but her strength, creativity, and love for others were also really inspiring.

This book gets messy and isn’t afraid to tackle really big issues like immigration, religion, and mental health, but it’s absolutely the type of book that everyone, especially those who don’t live in inclusive homes or communities, need to read because it empowers readers to stand up for themselves while also embracing the imperfect people who love them, and offering a hopeful look at the future. I appreciated that Yami’s story doesn’t wrap up neatly with everyone in the book suddenly becoming LGBTQ+ allies because that wouldn’t be realistic, but Reyes offers readers a slice of hope that is greatly needed and much appreciated.

Happy reading!
Tirzah

Two nameless Black teen girls have been best friends for most of their lives. Their relationship runs deep, and they count on each other for everything. It seems natural, almost inevitable when their friendship deepens into romance. But while one of them is deep, steady, and occasionally stormy like the ocean, the other burns hot and fierce as flames, and over the course of one unforgettable day, their relationship changes forever.

This is a novel in verse, told from the point of view of only one of the girls, and I was amazed by the beauty, clarity, and power of Woodfolk’s poetry. She has a gorgeous voice that flows naturally, and so many of her poems work on their own as well as functioning as chapters in this beautiful novel. She flawlessly weaves between the present day and glimpses of the past, building the girls’ relationship and their complicated, beautiful history together. And these girls are certainly not perfect. In a world where we expect queer people, and Black girls especially, to be role models or perfect in all they do, it was refreshing to read about messy relationships, bad choices, big mistakes, and attempts to do right by others, even if they don’t always hit the mark. The beauty in this book is in the central relationship, yes, but also in how the characters stumble and make mistakes and learn along the way. This is a moving novel in verse about what it means to be young and to try and figure out how to hold on to the people you love while also forging your path. Sometimes, you succeed. Sometimes you don’t. And in this book, Ashley Woodfolk reassures readers that it’s okay for relationships to fall apart, for things to end.

The TL;DR? Pick this book up for a moving exploration of a queer friendship and first romance burning out, and for reassurance that connection matters, even if it doesn’t always last.

Annie is a happily anti-social teen lesbian who feels cornered when her mom and principal team up and force her to join an extracurricular activity, then not-so-gently push her in the direction of the cheer squad. Annie is not the cheerleading type, but she’s pleasantly surprised when she heads to tryouts and finds that cheer is…not so bad? And the cheer captain is none other than Beatrice, aka Bebe, who was once Annie’s friend before they drifted apart and is now the squad’s first openly transgender cheer captain. Bebe convinces her squad to give Annie a chance and it’s not long before Bebe and Annie reconnect over early morning workouts and a true friendship is rekindled…that might evolve into something more.

I tend to care little for sports stories, so when I love one you know that it’s well-written and the characters are top notch! I fell in love with Annie’s sarcastic, intelligent voice and also her vulnerability around connecting with people her own age. I also loved Bebe—she’s sweet and kind, a little insecure in the spotlight, and genuinely happy to strike up friendship with Annie again. Their solo morning workouts are adorable, and it gives them a genuine connection and understanding for confronting some bigger issues amongst the squad. While on the surface the squad is the opposite of many cheerleader caricatures—they’re inclusive, excited to appoint Bebe as captain—they also have their own issues. Namely, they tend to tokenize Bebe in an effort to show just how inclusive they are, and while they always have her back, they don’t always check in with what she wants. The story also explores the inverse of many issues that get lots of attention in books about queer and trans folks—mainly, rather than having unsupportive parents, Bebe’s parents are so supportive they become overprotective.

The illustrations are bright and peppy, and the romantic storyline is sweet, making this a great read for all ages! I definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a lovely story about what it means to listen to the queer and trans folks in their lives, and how be a good ally!

Evelyn Caldwell is an award-winning researcher whose scientific breakthroughs on genetics and cloning are cutting edge. So when she discovers that her husband has used her research to clone her—or rather, a more docile version of her—she’s livid. But there’s nothing she can do to stop him from leaving her for Martine, because exposing him could cost her the funding she desperately needs for her lab. When he ends up dead, both Evelyn and Martine find that they’ve got to work together in order to not arouse suspicions.

I really loved the idea of a sci-fi take on the domestic thriller genre, and this book doesn’t disappoint. Evelyn is a driven character who cares deeply about her work, and her relationship with her husband has all the hallmarks of a man who can’t stand to be second-best next a brilliant wife. The twist of him cloning her, and using her research to neatly trap her into silence, was maddeningly brilliant, and I really enjoyed the fascinating world building Gailey sets up in a world that seems very similar to our own, but with more advanced genetic discoveries. There are limitations to cloning, naturally, but the more that Evelyn and Martine get to know each other, the more Martine seems to defy these limitations. At times, the tension in this book was so thick I could barely stand to put the book down and there are enough twists to satisfy even the most well-read thriller reader. I also really enjoyed that Gailey dug into some big ethical questions about cloning, and forced Evelyn to really consider her own morals. This is a unique take on some well-trod genres, and nearly impossible to put down!

In 1955, hundreds of thousands of women across the United States spontaneously turned into dragons in a three hour period, setting fire to countless homes and businesses and devouring more than one philandering husband. Then they took to the skies and disappeared. Alex was only a child when the mass dragoning occurred and while her mother stayed, her beloved Aunt Marla left. Her cousin Beatrice became her sister, and Alex learned after that to never speak of the dragoning, or of dragons in general. But as she grows up and begins to learn more about her mother and aunt and the injustices of the world, and as Beatrice becomes perilously fascinated with that which should not be named, Alex must confront all of the anger and secrets that society would keep hidden.

I adored this book. The premise alone had me hooked from the get-go, but the actual writing is incredibly beautiful and fairy tale-like, yet grounded in wonderfully real and tangible details. Barnhill is a Newbery Medal winning children’s writer and you can see that in how deftly she writes about Alex’s childhood, but this is also very clearly a book written for grown ups. It probes into the injustices women face and the ways that society expects everyone to keep quiet about the obvious, and how we suppress knowledge if it doesn’t conform to the conclusions we’ve already drawn. These ideas can be explored at any point in American history, but I loved how it was set in the ’50s and ’60s, as women who found freedom during WWII were suddenly forced back into stifling gender roles and change was brewing. The book is written in the style of a memoir, interspersed with various reports, witness statements, studies, and other ephemera that help expand the world and give context to Alex’s story. Her own account is a beautiful memoir of love, acceptance, queerness, found family, and self-determination that spans years and had me crying and laughing and crying again. I inhaled this book—it’s a truly magical gem.