Author: Tirzah Price

Sister Holiday has been a nun for about a year, and she’s not your typical Catholic nun — she’s queer, in her early thirties, heavily tattooed, and she chain smokes and often has a hard time not swearing. But she’s really trying her best to fit in at the New Orleans convent, where she also teaches at St. Sebastian’s Catholic School. But one night, she’s sneaking a smoke out back when the school catches on fire, and a man dies in the flames. Deeply suspicious about who could have committed the arson, Sister Holiday begins to conduct her own investigation. And when other Catholic institutions also go up in flames, she and the New Orleans fire investigator become certain that an arson spree has just begun, and there’s no saying when it’ll stop — or who they’ll burn along the way.

I have to say, I think all I need to say to sell this book is “queer, chain-smoking, tattooed nun solves crimes,” and who wouldn’t want to read that? But I’ll go on, in case you need more prompting. I really loved Sister Holiday’s character. It’s evident from the beginning of the book that she has Gone Through Some Things before becoming a nun, and the author doles out information about her previous life in small doses, weaving it between the present day drama. But this isn’t a Sister Act situation where Holiday is running from a sad or scary past — she truly has faith. She also struggles with her faith. As someone who was brought up in a heavily Christian environment (I even went to a parochial school, what!) I really appreciated that aspect of Margot’s character and her struggle. She has a hard time with people who seem to trust easily in God, and she sometimes lashes out, struggles with patience and frustration, and lets her emotions and her thoughts get the better of her. She also has a healthy dose of contempt for Catholic leadership that rolls in driving expensive cars and makes indiscriminate budget cuts to the convent and the school without understanding their needs (a contempt I also share, Sister Holiday!). But at the end of the day, she also knows that she wants to be a force for good in her community, and she knows that she can be that force for good by serving…and by finding that arsonist.

As for the mystery element, I think it was done well. It’s not an especially twisty mystery — there are very few suspects — but what Douaihy does well is get at the essentials of character. There are so many interesting, unexpected, contradictory people in this book! I found myself reading as much for the characters as I did for the whodunnit, and the New Orleans setting felt compelling and real. The mystery concludes with a satisfying wrap-up, but Douaihy leaves it open for more Sister Holiday mysteries, and I’m happy to report that a sequel is hitting shelves in the first half of 2024: Blessed Water!

Tl;dr: Pick up this book if you like a little irreverent humor and unlikely sleuths!

Mary Craven is not a pleasant girl, but then again, her life hasn’t exactly been very pleasant despite her many privileges. Growing up unloved, unwanted, ignored, and friendless in turn-of-the-century Toronto, she spends most of her days in sullen silence. When her parents are tragically killed in an accident, her life changes forever when she’s sent to live in her uncle’s manor on the Georgian Bay. Everyone says there’s no one there but Indians and wilderness, and Mary believes that at first…but then she meets Flora, the young Métis woman employed by her uncle. Flora shows her kindness for the first time and opens her eyes to the beauty of nature and the breathtaking wonder of the Georgian Bay. And soon, Mary discovers a secret garden on the property and then a sickly cousin she never knew she had stashed in the attic. These discoveries make her feel a fierce love she’s never experienced before…but when her uncle’s new wife returns, everything and everyone that Mary now cares for could be in jeopardy.

I have to admit, The Secret Garden isn’t my most favorite of classics, but I loved this retelling. I loved that Cherie Dimaline, a Métis author, was able to take a classic story that is steeped in colonialism and give it her own twist—one where the Métis characters are portrayed respectfully and honestly, and the colonialism is confronted and talked about. I also really loved the setting of the Georgian Bay at the turn of the century and the descriptions of nature and the ways of living that persist even as white settlers encroach upon the land. There is such love and respect for the setting; it really came alive. Mary’s emotional journey was really lovely to read as well. Like in the original, Mary is quite contrary and bitter, and she echoes some of the more racist thoughts and opinions held by the white people around her. If you’re the type of reader who gets secondhand embarrassment when characters in books say or do awful or embarrassing things, this book is going to make you cringe! But Flora recognizes that Mary’s life has been small and without a lot of love, and while she refuses to take Mary’s abuse, she also gently opens Mary’s eyes, and Mary does the work to examine her own biases. Her friendship with her cousin Olive, who has been similarly lonely and mistreated, also helps as Olive is part Métis, and the girls form a really lovely bond. Mary also has a queer awakening when she meets Flora’s younger sister, which is a relationship that is so sweetly romantic that you can’t help but root for them. The challenges they face feel very real and immediate, but I loved how they came together to fight for their found family and their home.

I inhaled the audiobook in a span of about 24 hours. It was narrated by Brenfy Caribou, and I highly recommend the production if you read via audiobook! But either way, don’t miss this inclusive and thought-provoking classic retelling!

Margot Murray has just broken up with her longtime girlfriend and isn’t feeling very festive this holiday season. In fact, the only thing she wants is to get away from her apartment and life and not think about her. So she agrees to do something mad: Pose as her new friend Ben’s girlfriend and go home with him for the holidays. His family owns a boutique hotel in the countryside, so it’s the perfect escape — and she’s a lesbian, so it’s not like she needs to worry about playing with Ben’s heart. Ben’s sister Ellie is home from abroad, itching to put down roots, and she wants to make a life for herself in the family business. The only problem? Her family thinks she’s flighty and rash, and she’s determined to prove them wrong this holiday season. Except, when her brother Ben brings home a girl who is clearly a gold digger who wants him for his money, she has to go about breaking them up.

This is a bonkers setup, but I was totally on board with the intriguing falling-for-your-fake-date’s-real-sister premise, and Samuels does a great job of creating a dreamy countryside getaway setting that I would definitely pack my bags to visit if it were real. This book leans heavily on mixed signals, misunderstandings, and other hijinks, and it’s a dual POV so it’s definitely funny (and occasionally cringe!) to read about how Margot selling her role as Ben’s boyfriend is just making Ellie even more suspicious and determined to expose her. I also enjoyed the supporting cast of characters, which include Ellie’s grandpa, her parents, a sister and nephews, and one very pregnant dog. This book does pack a bit of an emotional punch that I wasn’t expecting — partway through, it’s revealed that Margot’s ex, whom she loved very much, is actually emotionally abusive and manipulative, which Margot is in denial about. Ben and Ellie’s response to supporting Margot through this revelation, and giving her the tools she needs to process and space when she needs it felt very sweet and supportive, and serves as a nice way for Margot to discover what love is supposed to look like, especially as Margot tells Ellie the truth about the fake dating scheme and the women start meeting up secretly. Overall, this is a rather tame romance, but certainly sweet, and perfect if you enjoy Hallmark Christmas movies with a fabulous setting — but with a sapphic twist!

Bailey first meets Charlie while on a plane, flying solo to her new life in Omaha, where her mom has resettled after her parents’ divorce. He’s a fellow solo traveler and child of divorce, but the two do not hit it off — in fact, they spend the entire flight bickering and annoying each other. Bailey is happy to never see him again…but then they reconnect three years later as coworkers. Charlie is obnoxious and adamant that boys and girls can’t be friends. Bailey finds him annoying and wants to prove him wrong. When they bet on it — and make a few ill-advised wagers on friends and fellow coworkers — they inadvertently become conspirators as they set out to prove their points…but end up falling for each other along the way.

This is a rom-com that will genuinely make you laugh, and what I appreciate so much about Lynn Painter’s YA romances is that the characters feel believably like teens. They’re awkward and vulnerable at times; they wear glasses and braces, but they’re also very witty, and they get some really great swoony love stories. I enjoyed the dynamic between Bailey and Charlie a lot — Charlie is contrary but not obnoxious, and Bailey is uptight but able to let loose every now and then. They bring out the best in each other, and they have so much fun together they don’t realize that they’re falling until it’s already happened. They both have parental divorce trauma, and they find common ground in navigating life between households despite their apparent dislike for each other. I felt like this element really gave their characters a serious way to connect, and it will also be a lifeline to readers also dealing with that awkward dynamic. Sometimes the plot feels a little over the top, but always in a very good, fun way — moments feel like Taylor Swift verses come to life, and it’s easy for readers to get swept up in the fantasy of it all — but Painter doesn’t really push the bounds of believability, making for a fun escapist read that doesn’t require too much suspension of disbelief.

Pick this one up if you want to laugh and if you enjoy enemies to lovers! Bonus: The Do-Over by Painter is also excellent!

Catalina lives with her father and brother in the woods of Wisconsin. Life is hard for them, and it’s been especially hardscrabble since Mama died, and her father’s mind isn’t always rooted in the present. One day, a series of apples are left on their stoop, and Catalina’s father begins raving about poisoned apples. When he falls ill, he warns them about the Man of Sap…who appears soon after her father succumbs to his illness and steals Catalina’s brother away. Frightened and alone in the world, Catalina goes after this Man of Sap, determined to save her brother. Along the way, she encounters a lumberjack with his own reasons for wanting to find the Man of Sap and must rely on the stories passed down to her if she’s to survive the journey.

This is such a lovely, dark gem of a novel that infuses American folklore with a dark twist. It’s a slim volume at just over 200 pages, but each of those pages is so entrancing. Catalina has a poet’s soul and is inspired by the poetry beloved by her Mexican mother, but life has turned her hard out of necessity. As a result, she understands the darkness that lurks in the world and isn’t frightened by it, but she has to dig deep within herself to find the strength to face it. Her alliance with Paul, the lumberjack, is really lovely, and their slowly blossoming romance provides some sweetness to this darker story. Interspersed throughout the chapters are pages from the Man of Sap’s point of view, and readers learn that he is not the traditional villain and there’s so much more to this story than anyone thinks. This is a really satisfying read, and I enjoyed that it borrowed from 19th-century tall tales and folklore without ignoring the more problematic issues of American history.

In Paris, a girl named Marie-Laure loses her sight as a young child. Her father, who works for the Natural History Museum, spends hours building her a scale replica of their arrondissement so that she can learn how to navigate her way through the world. But as war with Germany looms, Marie-Laure and her father flee to Saint Malo with the museum’s most precious artifact. Meanwhile, in Germany, a young orphan named Werner and his sister tune into radio programs from France and envision a better future for themselves. At first, the war seems to offer opportunities…but at what cost?

The writing in this book is masterful. The chapters at the beginning appear at first like vignettes, giving us glimpses into the parallel lives of Marie-Laure and Werner and the very different and tragic directions that war takes them. It becomes evident that their paths will cross, and you just have to sit back and trust that you are in good hands with Doerr’s storytelling. The prose is lyrical and spare at times, but it conveys such tremendous emotion and the feeling of utter helplessness as everyone, no matter their nationality, is swept up in the madness of WWII. Doerr also creates tension by inserting interludes that tell of the destruction of Saint Malo in 1944, coaxing readers along on a suspenseful ride to the fateful day that Marie and Werner will finally meet. This book doesn’t have plot twists or gimmicks, but the characters are all richly portrayed, and the emotions are deeply felt, and you’ll find yourself racing to the end to see how it all comes together. I inhaled this book and found myself a captive audience as I waited to see how it would all turn out. This is a book that reminds us of humanity’s capacity for violence and hatred but also the capacity for love and goodness.

Ophelia is quiet, small, and peculiar. She can “read” any object she touches with her hands and know its extensive history, and she has the ability to pass through mirrors. She spends most of her days in her family’s museum of artifacts from before the world fractured, but when she learns that the matriarchs of her ark have agreed to arrange her marriage to a foreigner from another ark, her life is turned upside down. Sent away to the Pole, a frigid ark whose politics are deceptive and deadly, Ophelia isn’t thought much of by her icy new fiancé, Thorn. But he underestimates her…for Ophelia may look timid, but she’s not to be shoved into a corner.

The world-building in this book is truly remarkable, and the author throws the reader into it with little explanation or backstory, so one must read carefully to fully envision this strange world. If that’s not your preferred reading experience, I totally get it, but I do enjoy a good immersive fantasy experience, and the details were just interesting enough to pique my interest. I also liked that Ophelia is not your typical YA fantasy protagonist. She’s not outgoing, she’s not beautiful or even pretty, and she doesn’t have much in the way of physical strength. She also has zero interest in her new fiancé, but she does have a passion for her own unique abilities, and she has curiosity. This curiosity gets her in trouble…but it also saves her, too. The court intrigue that she is subjected to is dark, sometimes violent, and always very perilous as alliances are forged and broken, and you never quite know who to trust.

This is the first in a series, and I found myself absorbed by this strange world, the various odd characters within, and Ophelia’s quiet resilience. While the true motives and intentions of various characters take some time to emerge, by the end of the book, I promise you’ll be clamoring for the next volume. I’m not kidding when I say I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like it in YA, and that alone makes it worth picking up if you enjoy fantasy!

Fun fact: This book was published in the U.S. by Europa Editions (you might know them as the U.S. publisher of Elena Ferrante), and it’s the first YA book they’ve brought to the U.S.!

Ife doesn’t like her new, posh boarding school, but when she wins a place and a chance to secure a sponsor to fund her education at university, she can’t refuse. But the people are stuck up, some fellow students seem out to get her, and a recent disappearance has Ife on edge. When one of her fellow Black students changes dramatically, Ife begins to wonder if the school’s urban legend about the Changing Man is true — and when she begins to probe at the mystery, what she finds is truly terrifying.

I was really intrigued by the setup of this book and the details that made the Changing Man so shiver-inducing. He comes at night, he has magenta eyes, and he leaves the smell of wet pavement wherever he goes. The menace of this story lingers in the background at first as Ife goes about her day, trying to keep her head up and not get ground down by the oppressive rules and classism that are rife at the school.

The more obvious horror of her day-to-day life is the unfair way she’s treated by the white teachers at her school and their contempt for her presence among them. Ife doesn’t always treat her fellow classmates the best in her desperate attempt to stay connected to her old life, and she seems oblivious to the ways that she shuts out another student, Bijal, also hoping for connection amidst the tough and pressurized academic setting. Her actions feel immature but realistic, and as she slowly becomes more aware of the danger of the Changing Man —who is very real but not at all what she imagines — Ife learns that the only way to survive at Nithercott is to embrace the friendships she’s been resisting.

This story has some tense moments and high stakes, and the Changing Man legend had some nice twists that I didn’t see coming. Definitely pick this one up if you want a dark academia read with a supernatural bent!

When Louise gets the news that her parents are killed in a car accident in her hometown, she’s devastated. She makes the long journey from San Francisco to Charleston in order to sort out her parents’ affairs, but she dreads the entire process. Most of all, she dreads seeing her brother Mark, who was coddled by her parents and never forced to grow up and take responsibility. Now, he’s a grown man who acts like a teenager, and Louise dreads having to take care of him, too. Then, settling their parents’ estate proves to be more complicated than they expect, and Louise is faced with the prospect of cleaning out a house stuffed to the rafters with her mother’s dolls, puppets, and deranged artwork. Dealing with Mark is the least of her worries because it’s becoming clear that there’s something inside the house that doesn’t want to leave.

I loved Louise’s character, and I think a lot of readers can relate to her—she’s grieving the loss of her parents, she’s upset and angry with her younger brother and his approach to the funeral and arrangements, and she’s at a loss as to how to help her young daughter process the loss. The last thing she needs is evidence that her parents’ house is haunted. The clues and signs are subtle at first, but as soon as Louise discovers what’s really going on in her parents’ house, things escalate dramatically and take some sharp and scary turns. Louise and Mark are forced to confront their childhood animosities, secrets, and half-buried memories and face the truth before it destroys them all. I love how Hendrix’s setups are always a bit weird and wacky but downright creepy, and this one is no exception. If you hate dolls, this storyline will give you nightmares! I also love how the horror of this book is wrapped up in shared experiences with siblings you don’t really relate to or understand, and Louise and Mark are forced to face the truth of a past they weren’t fully capable of comprehending at the time. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll shiver in terror—but you won’t want to miss this one!

Bonus: The audiobook narrated by Jay Aaseng and Mikhaila Aaseng is excellent!

Rory has a career, apartment, and fantastic life in New York City, but when her twin sister Scarlet calls and says she’s pregnant and alone, Rory leaves it all behind to be with her sister in their hometown until the birth. Returning to the place she gleefully left behind is a trip—but things get weird when Rory is in a car accident and winds up in the hospital after an animal attack. While she’s trying to recover and move past the bizarre event, she starts to notice changes in her body, and her wounds bleed silver. As the next full moon approaches, Rory starts to contemplate the impossible: Is she a werewolf now?

Out of all of Rachel Harrison’s books, this one might be my favorite because I absolutely adored the characters, and I found Rory to be a really relatable character, even if she doesn’t always make the best of choices. Her devotion to her twin is great, and I loved Rory and Scarlet’s banter and their steadfast but complex relationship. Rory may put on a free-wheeling front, but the reality is she’s afraid of romantic attachments, and while she’s devoted to her job and loves her sister, she doesn’t always find contentment in her life, and she’s got tons of issues with her mom. But her time in her hometown forces her to face these issues once and for all, including her anger about an incident of sexual harassment and assault when she was a young teen that no one fully believed in the moment. Rory’s transformation into a werewolf is an exploration of that anger and the helplessness women often feel about circumstances beyond their control, things that are done to them without their consent. But her story is far from sad. It’s a little dark, very funny, and pretty cathartic to read as Rory goes from reacting to taking control of her life and the unexpected changes she undergoes, and I was rooting for her all the way.

Bonus: The audiobook narrated by Kristen Sieh is excellent!