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Readers of Roald Dahl and Rick Riordan will likely enjoy The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes, a mixture of Mayan mythology, adventure, and magic featuring Zane Obispo and his three-legged dog Rosie.  Rosie is a half-boxer, half Dalmatian who is Zane’s best friend, loyal companion, and kindred spirit.  Together, the two explore the mesas in New Mexico, but their favorite turf is the volcano—aka the Beast—in their backyard. Thirteen-year-old Zane has one leg shorter than the other, so he walks with his warrior dragon cane, a gift from his mom to give him confidence.  Although his bum leg is a medical mystery that makes himRead More →

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In my reading of the first three chapters of book one in Julie Kagawa’s newest trilogy, Shadow of the Fox, I knew immediately that I was not from this discourse community.  Many of the Japanese words—such as shinobi, daimyo, oni, and kodama—were beyond my linguistic experience, so their meanings eluded me.  I would have appreciated a glossary, although other terms—such as tetsubo, Jigoku, kami, and yokai were translatable from context clues or were clarified through a character’s explanation, although some of these explanations occurred more than a hundred pages in. Adding to my frustration, I felt like I was reading three separate stories, until theRead More →

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Ellen Goodlett’s debut novel Rule is a fantasy-adventure story that recounts the tale of three sisters, each hiding a dangerous and treasonous secret.  When King Andros of Kolonya announces that these girls from vastly different backgrounds are his daughters, each struggles to adapt to new circumstances and expectations but eventually all three come to see being a bastard daughter of King Andros as an opportunity to make a difference and to change conditions for their people. Zofi, a Traveler from the North with a battle-ready stance, is built for a life on the move, not for one cooped up with haughty nobles. She has masteredRead More →

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As its title conveys, Smoke in the Sun by Renée Ahdieh swirls with mystery and pulses with energy in equal measure.  A sequel to Flame in the Mist, this companion novel completes the stories of Yumi and Mariko, fiercely independent and competent women with formidable intelligence in a world that expects its females to be submissive, obedient, and coy. Set in Japan at a time when samurai, daiyo, and shōguns defended with honor, this fantasy-adventure focuses not only on the shifting allegiances and political intrigue of the Emperor’s court, but also on other social issues troubling the kingdom.   As a member of the BlackRead More →

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Readers of epic medieval fantasies and fans of the Game of Thrones will likely revel in The Smoke Thieves, the inaugural book in a new trilogy by Sally Green whose signature style features vivid action and unflinching violence.  Her characters are also well-drawn, with each chapter being designated to an individual character’s life and perspectives.  As the web of fate would have it, their five lives intersect, despite the differences in their statuses. In the novel’s imagined world with its unique geography, customs, and languages, no one is safe from exploitation or execution.  Green seems acutely aware that people in positions of political power don’tRead More →

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At seventeen years old, the protagonist in The Fall of Grace by Amy Fellner Dominy, Grace Marie Pierce, is living the life of a privileged girl, the pure embodiment of the American dream with money, security, friends, and hope for a golden future.  Hardly ever angry, Grace has been sheltered by wealth and fame as the daughter of Janelle Pierce, an investment broker who swaddles herself in luxury: exotic travel, expensive clothes, and other unlimited material comforts.  Janelle occasionally escapes the heat of Phoenix, Arizona, and the stress of the financial world by visiting her favorite place, Blue Lakes in Ridgway, Colorado, where the serenity and theRead More →

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Forced to kill or die, Archer Aurontas has a history of horror as a cage fighter for the impressors.  Wishing to be whole again, he looks to Sefia, a girl who is focused, determined, and daring.  The daughter of Lon and Mareah who were hoping to shape the future, Sefia is known as the traitors’ child and as a girl whose life is illuminated by magic. Hoping to atone for what Sefia sees as the sins of her parents, people who helped to set in motion the prophesy for the Red War, Sefia steals the Guard’s greatest weapon, a weapon of paper and ink.  ThisRead More →

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With tears in her eyes and her best friend’s blood on her hands, at age 14, Androma Racella is banished from her home planet, Arcadius.  Although a freak accident accounted for Kalee’s death, Andi had taken a vow to protect General Cortas’ daughter, a vow that she failed to keep. While alone and fighting to survive, Andi meets Dextro Arez, a Tenebran Guardian and the most notorious bounty hunter in the Mirabel Galaxy who teaches her the art of combat.  When Dex chooses duty over his heart, Andi steals his starship in an act of revenge.  Living for the thrill of a life dangling on theRead More →

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After The Wrath and the Dawn, it’s obvious that Renee Ahdieh has a talent for illustrating beautiful worlds. In Flame in the Mist, she once more delivers a setting that sucks the reader in from the very first page. The setting this time is ancient Japan, a land full of fallen Samurai, bloodsucking trees, and powerful alchemists. The protagonist, Mariko, is drawn into this world after her convoy is attacked in the depths of Jukai forest. As the betrothed to a prince, Mariko doesn’t expect to be threatened by a band of mercenaries, but she soon realizes that everything she’s grown to expect no longerRead More →