Good Reads & Views

Caraval (#1) by Stephanie Garber 
YA FIC

What it's about: Scarlett and Tella are sisters who are controlled by their cruel father. He has found a match for Scarlett which makes Tella want to kidnap her and run off. The sisters have dreamt of attending Caraval which happens once a year and is full of magic and mayhem. A chance encounter with a pirate gives the girls the opportunity to run off but Tella is soon kidnapped and the fun of Caraval goes out the door.  

Reviewers say: “Intriguing characters, an imaginative setting, and evocative writing combine to create a spellbinding tale of love, loss, sacrifice, and hope. While the search for Tella drives the narrative, Scarlett’s quest for self-empowerment is equally captivating” (Publishers Weekly).

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Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
YA Fiction

What it’s about: A fantasy romance with a setting akin to WWII-era London. The reader follows two young rival journalists who find love through magical typewriters. Iris is a young journalist who finds herself swept to the frontlines of a war between two gods in order to find her brother, a soldier at the front, and also report the truth behind the war. She soon forges a magical connection when a letter suddenly appears in response to a letter she wrote and slipped beneath her wardrobe. What soon turns into a rivals to lovers relationship ends in a beautiful and tragic romance. While the gods linger in the background the ending promises further exploration in the sequel.

Why you might like it: A strongly character-driven knowledge full of intrigue and beautiful writing. In this novel, fantasy takes more of a backseat to the romance between the two main characters, which allows for a delightful progression to their passion. Rather than a full information unload at the start, the immersion into the world and mythological themes is steady and slow, allowing you to peel back the layers of the book while the characters do the same in their relationship. 

Reviewers say: "An ardent romance and a harrowing exploration of war’s horrors and heartbreaks... with inventive worldbuilding, nuanced characterizations, and prose by turns dreamy and atmospherically tense" (Publishers Weekly).

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The Dead Romantics by Ashely Poston
Fiction

What it’s about: Florence Day is a ghost writer for an older famous author. As a failed author herself, ghost writing has allowed her to do what she loves without the fear of rejection. Moving away from home after high school to New York, Florence separated herself from her family and their funeral home business. A tragedy brings Florence home and makes her confront her past and her ability to see ghosts.

Why you might like it: If you like romance with a paranormal/fantasy twist, this book is for you. Florence is a millennial so millennials will relate to her. If you enjoy eccentric characters then Florence’s family will not disappoint.

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Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 
Fiction 

What it’s about: Enter the deadly kingdom of Navarre which lies behind protective wards and its elite dragon riders. Behind the walls of Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail has spent her life preparing to be a Scribe, until her mother and commanding general forces her to enter the Riders Quadrant. Each cadet must pass several dangerous assignments before becoming a true dragon rider. Violet must use every ounce of her intelligence and find her own ways to survive each task. This new fantasy series will have you on the edge of your seat with heart pounding action, moments brimming with tension, romance, well-crafted characters, and is bursting with magic and dragons that will leave you awestruck.  

Read this if you like: The deadly competitiveness of The Hunger Games, the wonderful array of dragons in How to Train You Dragon, and the dark fantasy academic setting of Zodiac Academy. 

Sneak Peak: “A dragon without its rider is a tragedy. A rider without their dragon is dead. Once bonded, riders can’t live without their dragons, but most dragons can live just fine after us. It’s why they choose carefully…The red dragon on the left opens its vast mouth, revealing teeth as big as I am. Fire erupts along its tongue, then shoots outward in a macabre blaze toward the fleeing cadet. He’s a pile of ash on the gravel before he can even make it to the shadow of the keep. Sixty-eight dead.”  

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Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
Fiction

Read this if you like: Genre blending, the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once, and stories about chosen family, music, and the L.A. food scene, especially donuts.

Featuring: Katrina Nguyen, a runaway trans girl who is an untrained but naturally gifted violinist; Shizuka Satomi, an infamous violin teacher--dubbed the Queen of Hell--who made a nasty bargain with a demon and is searching for a seventh soul to turn in for her own, and Lan Tran, the matriarch of a space alien family running a donut shop that's also a star gate.

What happens? Shizuka discovers Katrina and becomes her mentor with the intention of using Katrina as her final sacrificial soul. But Shizuka’s heart is softened when she develops a crush on Lan, who is simply trying to protect her children from the ravages of a galactic war. Katrina wants to be safe, play her violin, and be herself. An adventurous blend of science fiction and fantasy that’s a hopeful story about identity, acceptance, and understanding.

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Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
Fiction

What is it? This fairy tale with a feminist twist features all the required elements: three princesses ripe for marrying off to the nearest prince; three impossible tasks; a witch, a fairy godmother, and an errant knight, and like all fairy tales it has a sliver of darkness running through it.

What happens? Princess Marra is content to work and learn in the convent, but when her two older sisters suffer at the hands of a powerful and abusive prince, she sets out on a journey of revenge and rescue. Along the way she assembles a rag tag crew to aid her mission—a bone dog, a grave witch and her demonically possessed chicken, a disgraced ex-knight, and a reluctant fairy godmother whose wishes sometimes become deadly curses. A funny, sweet, and deeply satisfying romp.

Critics say: “The plot snaps along as quickly as a good joke, and beneath the whimsy, there’s an underlying sympathy and sincerity that enables Kingfisher to handle tricky issues like domestic violence with great compassion and care” (Publishers Weekly); “…clever and bold-hearted...Marra's hard-fought journey from third-string princess to hero will delight fantasy readers” (Jaclyn Fulwood, Shelf Awareness).

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Fairy Tale: A Novel by Stephen King
Fiction 

What it’s about: 17-yr. old Charlie befriends an elderly recluse and his dog. When the recluse dies, Charlie inherits the dog, Radar, and the house, including a shed that is the portal to another world. It is into this world Charlie needs to travel to turn back the clock on the life of the dying Radar. And what a magical - but dangerous - world it turns out to be...

Reviewers say: “Narnia on the Penobscot: a grand, and naturally strange, entertainment from the ever prolific King…A tale that's at once familiar and full of odd and unexpected twists--vintage King, in other words” (Kirkus Reviews).

Good to know: Excellent on audio. Seth Numrich won the 2023 Audie award for Best Male Narrator for Fairy Tale.

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The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
Fiction

What it’s about:  The notorious pirate of the Indian Ocean, Amina al-Sirafi, has retired and wants to raise her daughter in peace. Then someone connected to her piratical past appears and demands Amina rescue her kidnapped granddaughter. Amina reluctantly agrees, and in quick succession is rounding up members of her old crew and gaining a ship. The kidnapper is a sorcerer, so the battles that follow are not your usual sea epic!   

Reviewers say: “If readers are not won over by the playful plot twists and thrilling action sequences, they will fall for the charmingly crooked cast and dry humor” (Publishers Weekly); “Chakraborty creates a world of high stakes and action, enhanced by its excellent representation of Southwest Asian and North African culture, as well as its challenge to gender roles” (Booklist).

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From Blood and Ash  by Jennifer Armentrout
YA Fiction

What it’s about: The Maiden is revered and hidden from society before her Ascension, the most important day of her life. Her every move is controlled by the Duke and Duchess, even her own powers. Aching for freedom and excitement she sneaks away and comes face to face with a handsome young guard, little does she know he will eventually change her entire course and everything she was taught to believe. Meanwhile, rumblings of unrest in the Kingdom and the constant threat of The Dark One loom and threaten the lives of everyone.  

Tell me more: The first book in this on-going fantasy series provides subtle tension and suspense to propel the storyline with a wonderful slow burn romance that creates a delectable mix. It provides a unique twist on the usual vampire and werewolf paranormal, making this a layered and unexpected fantasy.  

For fans of: Sarah J Maas and Laura Thalassa. 

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The House of Dragon Blood by B.C. Fajohn
Fiction

What it’s about: This is an epic tale with high fantasy. I enjoyed seeing the different facets of the various lands and characters and how they view and interact with magic as well as non-humans. There was a lot of secrecy and hidden truths in this book as well! I loved every part of it!

Why you might like it: It is an adventure of fantasy, mystery, and magical combat.

You might also like: Fire and Blood by George R. R. Martin.

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