Book Review: Olivetti

Publisher Summary

A heartfelt debut middle-grade novel told from the unique vantage points of a witty typewriter and an introverted boy—for fans of Wishtree and A Rover’s Story.

Being a typewriter is not as easy as it looks. Surrounded by books (notorious attention hogs) and recently replaced by a computer, Olivetti has been forgotten by the Brindle family—the humans he’s lived with for years. The Brindles are busy: Dad and Mom work constantly, three of their children put the extra in extra-curriculars, and Ernest, their shy twelve-year-old, goes off alone to read.

When Olivetti learns Mom has mysteriously gone missing, he believes he can help find her. He breaks the only rule of his ‘kind’ and types back to Ernest, who must face what he and his family have been running from, The Everything That Happened. Only by working together will they find the parts of themselves they’ve lost.

Bookseller Review

This bookseller devoured Olivetti in one sitting. I was in awe of the beautiful cover and whimsical summary, but this beautiful book was not at all what I have come to expect of Middle Grade Fiction; and it was magical. Millington writes the kind of hope and heartbreak and love that gets you in the corners of your heart and makes you want to laugh and cry and hug someone (or your book) all at once. Shy Ernest and opinionated Olivetti will capture your imagination and you will fall in love with the community that Millington has created. A truly enchanted tale of a boy, a typewriter, and becoming more than you thought you could be.

“A wonderful story that encourages the reader to use their imagination and solve a sweet mystery. Most importantly: the typewriter that witnesses it all; can it pull the family together?”

— Kristina Webb

Book Review: Our Divine Mischief

Publisher Summary

A sweeping YA fantasy inspired by Scottish history and folklore, Our Divine Mischief takes readers on a journey told in three voices: a determined heroine, an outcast young man, and a wish-granting canine. Their adventure spans an island fishing village to the king’s court in a story about identity, belonging, and the love between a human and her dog.

The Goddess Trial is designed to push young people to their edge and mark their coming of age, but Áila LacInis is ready for whatever it brings. She sets sail from her small fishing village to the island of the goddess Yslet, fully expecting a divine encounter, but what she finds is … nothing at all. The goddess is completely absent, and the only thing on the island is a dirty, mangy dog. Suddenly, everything Áila has ever known and believed is upended and her future becomes shrouded in uncertainty.

Hew already completed the Goddess Trial and received the designation of Unblessed. He is an outcast in the village, until he is tasked with assisting Áila through a series of Ordeals the town elders designed to compensate for her failed Trial. For the first time, he has hope he can make something of his life.

Orail isn’t quite sure who or what she is. She remembers little before Áila’s arrival on the island, and now all she knows is that she’ll never leave Áila’s side. But as she begins to realize and remember, she discovers powers—and an identity—she never could have imagined.

Told from three perspectives, Our Divine Mischief is an epic fantasy inspired by Scottish history and mythology that includes political intrigue, a sweeping love story, and an exploration of the powerful bond between dogs and humans.

Bookseller Review

WARNING: this will be the quirky book you never knew you needed but will be in your top favorites before you can say Yslet.

“Golden light and thistle, O!
Golden light and thistle, O!
The pipe and drum begin to hum
of golden light and thistle, O!”

— Folksong within Our Divine Mischief

Howard’s prose (and verse) is captivating from beginning to end: the thickness of the atmosphere, the endearing and delightful details, the heart, the fun, the Trials and Ordeals (as well as the trials and ordeals), the characters, the fabulous twists. All of it is the stuff that makes up a Top 10 read of the year at the least and one that you will carry with you forever at the most. Howard especially excels with glorious complexities in her characters in ways that cause the reader to reflect on belonging, worth, integrity, home, and love within imperfection.

Worthy of note: the audio is fire. Stumbling over the names? Hear the lilt and the charm of the Scottish accent. And actually hear the song’s tune! It will be stuck in your head. You're welcome. Listen to it here.

BONUS: No content caveats. A clean read for precocious readers from 13 to 103.

Book Review: The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams

Publisher Summary

A new all-ages adventure tale from Printz Medal Winner, Daniel Nayeri!

This is the tale of an exciting journey along the Silk Road with a young Monk and his newfound guardian, Samir, a larger than life character and the so-called “Seller of Dreams.” The man is a scammer; his biggest skill being the ability to talk his way into getting what he wants. While that talking did save Monkey’s life, it has left a lot of people furious with Samir—furious enough to hire assassins. Monkey decides to try and save Samir from the attempts on his life—as a way to pay off his debt! If he can save Samir six times, he’ll be a free man...but will they all survive that long?

For fans of The Little Prince and Salman Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories.

Bookseller Review

Nayeri, true to character, brings us storytelling gold in The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams.

Read it in physical copy and enjoy the fabulous illustrations.

Or, this bookseller’s personal favorite, listen to Nayeri read it and bring the tale alive with his personal storytelling flair.

Either option is a home run.

The wit and humor in The Many Assassinations of Samir, The Seller of Dreams is reminiscent of The Princess Bride. Together with delicious elements of mystery, intrigue, found family, and the wisdom of experience help make this book a winner for read-alouds or independent reading alike. All-in-all, it is one for any reader in need of a literary adventure.

Book Review: The Color of Dragons

Publisher Summary

A sweeping, action-packed, romantic pre-Arthurian tale of the origins of magic (and Merlin) by powerhouse adult fantasy author R. A. Salvatore and Erika Lewis, perfect for fans of The Falling Kingdoms and Seraphina.

Magic needs a spark.

And Maggie’s powers are especially fickle. With no one to help her learn to control her magic, the life debt that she owes stretches eternally over her head, with no way to repay it.

Until she meets Griffin, the king’s champion infamous for hunting down the draignochs that plague their kingdom.

Neither has any idea of the destiny that they both carry, or that their meeting will set off a chain of events that will alter every aspect of the life they know—and all of history thereafter.

Perfect for fans of Goldenhand and The Girl of Fire and Thorns, this epic, romantic tale from New York Times bestselling author R. A. Salvatore and debut author Erika Lewis will enchant readers and draw them into a thrilling world of star-crossed lovers, magic, destiny, and the paths we choose.

Bookseller Review

I absolutely inhaled this book! (Seriously, I read almost all 400ish pages in one sitting. I only did not complete it because my 15 month old woke up at 2am, I realized what time it was, and practiced some serious self-control by not picking it right back up but went to bed instead.)

A loose nod to the legend of King Arthur, the story is glorious, heart rending, and full of hope. It has elements of everything fantasy readers love: power, who has it and who doesn’t; betrayal, who can you trust; world building, the authors put you in the arena with the draignochs; well-crafted twists and turns; love, who do you fight for; magic, what’s real and who’s faking it; and so much more!

Into The Heartless Wood: A Review & An Event

Bookseller Review:

A witch. A king. A tree siren. A boy.

A thrilling read from the start, Meyer’s newest novel is fantastic!

Atmospheric and earthy, it’s perfect for a reader who loves complex characters who are both thoughtful and impulsive. Owen and Seren are characters to root for, even or especially in their contrasting ordinariness and otherworldliness.

Meyer’s storytelling will cut right to your soul and is perfect for fans of myth and fairytale.

Get cozy, you’ll want to read it in one sitting!

Publisher’s Summary:

The forest is a dangerous place, where siren song lures men and women to their deaths.

Deep in the wood lives a witch queen and her eight tree siren daughters. For centuries, they have harvested souls to feed the heartless tree, using its power to grow their ever reaching kingdom of ash, birch, and oak.

Owen Merrick lives at the edge of the forest, mapping the stars for the king in his father's observatory. For years, he has resisted venturing over the garden wall, until one day he must enter the woods to find his missing sister. But one of the witch's tree siren daughters, Seren, decides to save his life instead of end it. Now, no matter how hard he tries, he can't stop thinking about her -- the birch-bright hue of her skin and the way violets bloom in her hair. Every night, he goes into the wood to meet her, and their love for each other grows.

But when the constellations shift, the stars foretell an inevitable war between the witch queen and the king. With Seren compelled to fight for her mother, and Owen forced to join the king's army, they are plunged into the heart of a conflict that seemingly no one can win and that might destroy both their kingdoms forever.

“A luminous, impassioned fairytale, alternately dark as choking briars and shot through with pulsing starlight. You may enter the Heartless Wood with your soul intact, but you'll surely leave a piece of it behind.” --Laura E. Weymouth, author of The Light Between Worlds, A Treason of Thorns, and A Rush of Wings

Joanna will be in conversation with Hanna C. Howard for our event. Learn more about Hanna’s book, Ignite the Sun!

Publisher Summary:

Once upon a time, there was something called the sun... In a kingdom ruled by a witch, the sun is just part of a legend about Light-filled days of old. But now Siria Nightingale is headed to the heart of the darkness to try and restore the Light--or lose everything trying.

Sixteen-year-old Siria Nightingale has never seen the sun. That's because Queen Iyzabel shrouded the kingdom in shadow upon her ascent to the throne, with claims it would protect her subjects from the dangerous Light.

The Darkness has always left Siria uneasy, and part of her still longs for the stories of the Light-filled days she once listened to alongside her best friend Linden, told in secret by Linden's grandfather. But Siria's need to please her strict and demanding parents means embracing the dark and heading to the royal city--the very center of Queen Izybel's power--for a chance at a coveted placement at court. And what Siria discovers at the Choosing Ball sends her on a quest toward the last vestiges of Light, alongside a ragtag group of rebels who could help her restore the sun...or doom the kingdom to shadow forever.

---

Virtual Author Event:

Interested in Meyer’s work or a fan of fantasy young adult books?

Join us for a virtual event with Joanna Ruth Meyer and Hanna C. Howard in conversation about Joanna's newest book, Into the Heartless Wood on January 22 starting at 8:00pm!

Tickets include a copy of Into the Heartless Wood and some fun themed goodies. Add on Meyer’s other titles or Howard’s book for the full reading experience!

Order by January 6th for personalized bookplates. Make the note of who you would like the book(s) inscribed to in the Review Section of checkout!

Festival Visiting Young Adult Authors

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.