YA Author Review
The Queen’s Rising: In this epic debut fantasy, inspired by Renaissance France, an outcast finds herself bound to a disgraced lord & entangled in his plot to overthrow the king.
Brienna desires only two things: to master her passion & to be chosen by a patron. Growing up in Valenia at the renowned Magnalia House should have prepared her. While some are born with a talent for one of the five passions—art, music, dramatics, wit, & knowledge—Brienna struggled to find hers until she chose knowledge. However, Brienna’s greatest fear comes true: she is left without a patron.
Months later, her life takes an unexpected turn when a disgraced lord offers her patronage. Suspicious of his intent, she reluctantly accepts. But there is much more to his story, for there is a dangerous plot to overthrow the king of Maevana—the rival kingdom of Valenia—& restore the rightful queen, & her magic, to the throne.
With war brewing, Brienna must choose which side she will remain loyal to: passion or blood.
The Queen’s Resistance: The newest chapter in Brienna’s story, just out this past March!
Why pick the series up? So many secrets! Ross creates such a rich world, one full of intrigue, surprises, the bonds of chosen family, & becoming who you were born to be. A perfect tapestry of a novel. The sequel does not disappoint!
Echo North: Echo Alkaev's safe & carefully structured world falls apart when her father leaves for the city & mysteriously disappears.
Believing her father is lost forever, Echo is shocked to find him half-frozen in the winter forest six months later, guarded by a strange talking wolf - the same creature who attacked her as a child. The wolf presents Echo with an ultimatum: if she lives with him for one year, he will ensure her father makes it home safely. But there is more to the wolf than Echo realizes.
In his enchanted house beneath a mountain, each room must be sewn together to keep the home from unraveling, & something new & dark & strange lies behind every door. When centuries-old secrets unfold, Echo discovers a magical library full of books-turned-mirrors, & a young man named Hal who is trapped inside of them. As the year ticks by, the rooms begin to disappear & Echo must solve the mystery of the wolf's enchantment before her time is up otherwise Echo, the wolf, & Hal will be lost forever.
Why pick up? Magical in every sense, this book is perfect for bibliophiles & fans of fairy tale retellings. Meyer’s retelling follows in the vein of the master Robin McKinley, with it’s own kind of magic to boot. True love, betrayal, & the most amazing library of all time.
The Light Between Worlds: What happens when you return to the real world after being in a fantastical one like Narnia?
Six years ago, sisters Evelyn & Philippa Hapwell were swept away to a strange & beautiful kingdom called the Woodlands, where they lived for years. But ever since they returned to their lives in post-WWII England, they have struggled to adjust.
Ev desperately wants to return to the Woodlands, & Philippa just wants to move on. When Ev goes missing, Philippa must confront the depth of her sister’s despair & the painful truths they’ve been running from. As the weeks unfold, Philippa wonders if Ev truly did find a way home, or if the weight of their worlds pulled her under.
Walking the line between where fantasy & reality meet, this lyrical & magical novel is, above all else, an exploration of loss & healing, & what it means to find where you belong.
Why pick it up? Weymouth really captures the ache of needing to belong to a greater world. Perfect for those who wished for Narnia to be real as children (or, let’s be honest, yesterday). A lyrical portrayal of grief, sisterhood, & what it means to be home. Trigger warnings: Depression & suicide.
The Reinhold Chronicles: It's been twelve years since the volcano drove young Arliss & her clan from their island home. Now, things are changing in their newfound kingdom. Princess Arliss is almost sixteen. Her father, King Kenton, urges her to take more responsibility--& to find a young man to carry on the line. But Arliss begins to question the class boundaries that divide her city on a hill. When her father forbids her friendship with the young peasant swordsman, Philip, Arliss sets off on a defiant quest to the heart of the land. Little does she know that she will discover an evil more threatening & ancient than she could imagine--& a prophecy that speaks of a fiery arrow.
Why pick up the series? Headstrong princess out to have an adventure & prove herself all at once, while shenanigans & complications ensue. For the reader who loves action and vibrant prose.