Hollow Magic: a Graphic Novel

 

Rating: 3 out 5 | Artwork is stunning, clean lines, animation quality and crisp text.

My Thoughts:

Rosefinch was raised in a fey world and trained by a witch whome she later realizes is her father. However, when the Dawn Queen kills him,  she is forced to flee. 

She is looking for someone to help her control her witch powers, but although there are hints along the way -- like a familiarity to a curse's magic, or the way Thierry keeps reverting to a frozen state -- Rosefinch does not realize the solution to the mystery until it is almost too late. 

I was just as surprised even if I saw it coming. The particular "aha" twist, as well as the gorgeous artwork by Mars Lauderbaugh, makes this a welcome addition to a classroom library. While it is recommended for grades 10-12 -- likely due to some mature fantasy themes or its queer romance -- the content is entirely appropriate for younger readers.  The characters are not doing anything untoward. I would add this to a middle school classroom and the student that needs to find it will find it. I think the publishing world is getting stressed and oversensitive from Americans behaving badly.

As teachers of English, it has become a dangerous world, but righteous anarchy is the only way to protect our students and keep their minds sovereign. Thank you for providing a small space for ranting into the silence.

From the Publisher:

Raised in the world of fey, seventeen-year-old Rosefinch has the ability to lift curses with nothing but a twist of her fingers. But when a witch's magic is left long enough in the fey realm, it becomes supercharged, painful to use, and potentially even dangerous.

Following a rumor that the village of Harp is home to a witch who might be able to help control her magic, Rosefinch discovers an ancient ruined castle with the inhabitants long gone; the only remaining soul a knight cursed to stand a frozen guard at the entrance. The magic she uses to free them melts more than just the ice, and soon, Rosefinch is falling for this charming stranger. But Thierry has secrets of their own, as do other members of the Harp family still hidden within the castle walls. The Harp witch’s wicked magic ripped this family apart for a reason, and Rosefinch must find a way to stop the curse or she'll lose Thierry―and the chance to learn the truth about her magic―forever.

With mesmerizing art and a sweeping queer romance, this spellbinding fairy tale shows the power of found family and love where we least expect it.

Publication Information:

• Author/Illustrator: Mars Lauderbaugh
• Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
• Publication Date: August 11, 2026
• Print Length: 240 pages
• Grade level: 10-12

The Reckoning of Roku, Book 5

Rating: 3, more if you are fans of Avatar the Last Airbender series

My Thoughts:

My Goodreads reading summary of 2025 showed me that I started the year off with Randy Ribay's Everything We Never Had, so I wanted to start with another Randy Ribay book. I can't imagine that he is still teaching based on the kinds of projects he is doing, both original work like Patron Saints and Everything as well as being a team writer for a series like this. 

I think what he brings to this series is the angsty complex "hero" voice of Roku. I have seen that same voice in Patron and as a writer he is good at showing that complexity of character. I miss the playful Aang, but I think I love Aang because he reminds me of the Japanese comic series of the monk boy Ikkyū-san. 

This is a different kind of story in a good way mostly because Roku is fairly new at this Avatar role, but he is trying (sort of). He also has a cast of characters, like his best friend Prince Sozin, as well as his airbending master who refuses to teach him any airbending because he cannot figure out how to "let go." 

I actually listened to the audiobook since I gave back my iPad which I use as a Kindle for my ebooks, so I have the information on the ebook too. The ebook narrator, Nancy Wu, is easy to listen to. That is a good thing because this is a long listen.

 This is book 1 of 2026. #2026.1

From the Publisher:

Roku never expected to be the Avatar. Even his best friend, Crown Prince Sozin of the Fire Nation, doubts the accuracy of the Fire Sages’ announcement. After all, Sozin is the strongest Firebender of their generation, while Roku struggles to grasp basic airbending principles—even after months of training under Sister Disha, his airbending master.

 
When Sozin requests the new Avatar’s aid in preventing the Earth Kingdom from claiming a remote Fire Nation island, it doesn’t surprise Roku that Sister Disha advises him to decline. Convinced the Earth King’s aggressive expansion of territory points to a more insidious agenda, Roku steals away with the help of an irritating young Airbender named Gyatso. As the reluctant companions delve deeper into their wayward mission, they realize the fog-shrouded island harbors a secret that could lead to catastrophe in the wrong hands.
 

Plagued by self-doubt but eager to confront the dangers ahead, Avatar Roku must learn where to place his trust and what it means to be a spirit of no nation . . . even if the lesson comes at a great personal cost.that makes this series entertaining. 

Publication Information:

Author: Randy Ribay

Publisher for print book: Amulet Books (July 23, 2024)

Print length: 368 pages

Audiobook narrator: Nancy Wu

Publisher audio: Blackstone Publishing

Listening length: 11 hours, 27 minutes

Source: Hawaiʻi Public Library, Libby app

 

Dragonfruit (audiobook)

 Stars: 5 for must have lit in the classroom. 

My Thoughts:

I am excited about this Pasi fika, girl-power fantasy. Finally, a "Moana" for the YA crowd. It is so difficult to find the right fit for middle level and high school students in Pasifika literature, but this is it. Buy this. Read this. Create curriculum around this. Add this to dystopian literature circles. This reminded me of The Golden Compass His Dark Materials in the use of a daemon. This reminded me of Moana in the appearance of a tattoo. There are just too many things that I loved about this book. I cannot give away too much. Suffice it to say, this is a must buy. 

In addition, if you get the audiobook, read by Mapuana Makia, the Hawaiian/Polynesian names, even some of the creole is spot on, which is why I am highlighting the audiobook rather than the written book. 

From the Publisher:

In the old tales, it is written that the egg of a seadragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person’s greatest sorrow. But as with all things that offer hope when hope had gone, the tale came with a warning.

Every wish demands a price.

Hanalei of Tamarind is the cherished daughter of an old island family. But when her father steals a seadragon egg meant for an ailing princess, she is forced into a life of exile. In the years that follow, Hanalei finds solace in studying the majestic seadragons that roam the Nominomi Sea. Until, one day, an encounter with a female dragon offers her what she desires most. A chance to return home, and to right a terrible wrong.

Samahtitamahenele, Sam, is the last remaining prince of Tamarind. But he can never inherit the throne, for Tamarind is a matriarchal society. With his mother ill and his grandmother nearing the end of her reign. Sam is left with two choices: to marry, or to find a cure for the sickness that has plagued his mother for ten long years. When a childhood companion returns from exile, she brings with her something he has not felt in a very long time—hope.

But Hanalei and Sam are not the only ones searching for the dragonfruit. And as they battle enemies both near and far, there is another danger they cannot escape…that of the dragonfruit itself.

Publication Information:

Author: Makiia Lucier

Narrator: Mapuana Makia

Publisher: Audible.com (April 9, 2024)

Listening length: 8 hours 12 minutes

The Sunbearer Trials (Book 1)

 

Stars: 4 for fast moving fantasy, world building extraordinaire and an end too soon.

My Thoughts:

I was a little slow to pick up this fantasy book, but it is magical and fast paced. The storytelling and world building is refreshingly exotic. The trials are out of our best dystopian stories like Hunger Games and Maze Runner. Add in different classes of beings, from teenage gods to half deities, everyone with strengths and weaknesses in a trial where the loser is the ultimate sacrifices and you have the start of this fabulous book. Inspired by Mexican culture, this is an exciting and fast read. Don't forget to get book 2 before you get to the end. Otherwise, it will be a very frustrating wait. 

When book talking this book, in this political climate, you have to reveal that the main character as well as other characters are trans. Although this is a LGBTQIA+ book, that is not the theme of the book and I don't think it should be a hindrance, however, in full transparency, it is present. For students that enjoyed Percy Jackson and other Rick Riordan Presents books like Tristan Strong books or Pahua, this is an older version of their same comfortable genre. Give them these next step books. 

From the Publisher:

“Only the most powerful and honorable semidioses get chosen. I’m just a Jade. I’m not a real hero.”


As each new decade begins, the Sun’s power must be replenished so that Sol can keep traveling along the sky and keep the chaotic Obsidian gods at bay. Sol selects ten of the most worthy semidioses to compete in the Sunbearer Trials. The winner carries light and life to all the temples of Reino del Sol, but the loser has the greatest honor of all—they will be sacrificed to Sol, their body melted down to refuel the Sun Stones, protecting the world for another ten years.

Teo, a seventeen-year-old Jade semidiós and the trans son of the goddess of birds, isn't worried about the Trials . . . at least, not for himself. His best friend, Niya is a Gold semidiós and a shoo-in for the Trials, and while he trusts her abilities, the odds of becoming the sacrifice is one-in-ten.

But then, for the first time in over a century, the impossible happens. Sol chooses not one, but two Jade competitors. Teo, and Xio, the thirteen-year-old child of the god of bad luck. Now they must compete in five trials against Gold opponents who are more powerful and better trained. Worst of all, Teo’s annoyingly handsome ex-best friend and famous semidiós Hero, Aurelio is favored to win. Teo is determined to get himself and his friends through the trials unscathed—for fame, glory, and their own survival.

Publication Information:

Author: Aiden Thomas

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (September 6, 2022)

Print length: 413 pages

Raybearer: Audiobook

 

4 stars: Good if you like fantasy, magic, a different kind of world building, afrofuturism.

My Thoughts:

“You don’t have to help me change the world. But you mark my words; when I get going, this world will change. And you can be a part of that...or you can stand back and watch.”

16 year old Tarisai wants a family, wants to love and be loved. But the Lady, her mother, who for some reason I thought was a figment of her imagination, has other ideas for Tarisai. When Tarisai tries to kill the crown prince who she actually loves, she has to do what she needs to do to actually stop being a pawn and remove herself from all hope of family, love and goodness. Readers will feel for her as she fights for love. It is more than a 16 year old should bear.

The storytelling is lush and diverse for YA readers who are used to reading western centered novels. I think that is why I say it is a kind of world building. As our own country is in turmoil and unrecognizable as a civilization and nation of dreamers, it is good to be in a different culture and world to escape. This is a good escape. 

As far as the narrator, this was an easy listen, even at 13  plus hours. 

From the Publisher:

Nothing is more important than loyalty. But what if you’ve sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy?

Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as the Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the crown prince’s Council of Eleven. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But the Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: kill the crown prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn - but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself?

With extraordinary world-building and breathtaking prose, Raybearer is the story of loyalty, fate, and the lengths we’re willing to go for the ones we love.

Publication Information:

Author: Jordan Ifueko

Narrator: Joniece Abbott-Pratt

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing (August 18, 2020)

Listening Length: 13 hours, 48 minutes

Sound the Gong (Kingdom of Three, Book 2)

My Thoughts:

This is the conclusion to the duology The Kingdom of  Three, following the first book, Strike the Zither. You don’t need to know that this is based on a classic Chinese text. After all, it is thoroughly Americanized-ish to be led by women and sword sisters. You do, however, need to spend from now to this release in April to read the first book Strike the Zither. In fact, if you haven’t started the first book, read them closer to the April release date so that you can more easily keep track of all the characters. This is especially true because there are so many characters and connections to keep track of. It reads like a Russian novel/tome. 

The main character keeps changing bodies too, so I would appreciate a little character list like a play.

The one thing I want to talk about without giving away anything is the fact that this is American-ish. What that means is that the feminism is American. The filial piety is very Asian. In addition, the concept of deity is very non-American , especially Christian. This is not the all seeing, all knowing deity. Think Greek and Roman gods and goddesses with their loyalty and bickering. Also, they mess up and try to manipulate fate. 

What to read more like this? Check out other YA Asian fantasy books by Joan He (Descendant of the Crane), or Xiran Jay Zhao Iron Widow  for older YA or Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor for younger YA.

From the Publisher:

All her life, Zephyr has tried to rise above her humble origins as a no-name orphan. Now she is a god in a warrior’s body, and never has she felt more powerless.

The warlordess Xin Ren holds the Westlands, but her position is tenuous. In the north, the empress remains a puppet under Miasma’s thumb. In the south, the alliance with Cicada is in pieces.

Fate has a winner in mind for the three kingdoms, but Zephyr has no intentions of respecting it. She will pay any price to see Ren succeed—and she will make her enemies pay, especially the enigmatic Crow. What she’ll do when she finds out the truth. . . Only the heavens know.

Featuring gorgeous map art by Anna Frohmann and black-and-white portraits by Tida Kietsungden, Sound the Gong is the second book in Joan He's riveting Kindgom of Three duology.

Publication Informaton:

Author: Joan He

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (April 30, 2024)

Print length: 320 pages

The Battle Drum

 

My Thoughts:

This is book 2 of the Ending Fire Trilogy. The first book The Final Strife had so much potential, but the problem with trilogies is that the second book has to act like a bridge so basically nothing really happens except building the bridge between the first and last book. 

It bring in new elements, new worlds, new issues. There is death, murder, separation, large surprises, but Sylah and Jond are the main characters. Without Sylah, Anoor as a character cannot hold the story line with the people left behind. Those characters that are left behind, minus Anoor (specifically Kwame, the Wife and Hassan) really kept me invested in the Empire. This book could have done without Anoor, although she promises to be a large part in book three. I hope as a character she becomes more investment-worthy, but I really do not see the relationship with Sylah as anything beyond lust. Even Sylah's last decision in this book is disappointing and immature. 

If like me, you really understand the deep love and hurt between Sylah and Jond, then Battle Drum keeps things exciting for a little bit. It has nothing to do with the non-cis, gender or pronoun issue, although there is a glossary of pronouns for characters at the end of this book.  It really has to do with the maturity of the relationship. For example, I think the relationship between Loot and his husband Fayl was very deep. Loot's actions may be messed up, however, it is Fayl's compassion as well as his fierce loyalty despite his own misgivings that gives depth to this relationship. 

If I were to "sell" this book to students, I will probably wait until the last one comes out. This book cannot be a stand alone and it does not end in a way that would sustain reluctant readers to wait for the third book. 

From the Publisher:

Anoor is the first blue-blooded ruler of the Wardens’ Empire. But when she is accused of a murder she didn’t commit, her reign is thrown into turmoil. She must solve the mystery and clear her name without the support of her beloved, Sylah.

Sylah braves new lands to find a solution for the hurricane that threatens to destroy her home. But in finding answers, she must make a decision: Should she sacrifice her old life in order to raise up her sword once more?

Hassa’s web of secrets grows ever thicker as she finds herself on the trail of crimes in the city. Her search uncovers the extent of the atrocities of the empire’s past and present. Now she must guard both her heart and her land.

The three women find their answers, but not the answers they wanted. The drumbeat of change thrums throughout the world.

And it sings a song of war.

Ready we will be, when the Ending Fire comes,
When the Child of Fire brings the Battle Drum,
The Battle Drum,
The Battle Drum.
Ready we will be, for war will come.

Publication Information:

Author: Saara El-Arifi

Publisher: Del Ray (May 23, 2023)

Bio: Saara El-Arifi is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Final Strife, the first part of a trilogy inspired by her Ghanaian and Sudanese heritage. She has lived in many countries, had many jobs and owned many more cats. El-Arifi knew she was a storyteller from the moment she told her first lie. Over the years she has perfected her tall tales into epic ones. She currently resides in London, UK, as a full-time procrastinator.

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night (Song of the Last Kingdom Book 1)

 My Thoughts:

This beautiful cover is powerful because as the story of Lan and Zen pulled me in, I forgot about this huge clue that is the cover. By the time I got to the clue, I was not only hooked on the story, but it was nearing the end of book 1. 

This is a story of two very broken characters, Lan and Zen. They have lost their families to the Elantian colonizers. They carry scars and power that they either don't know about or that they are struggling to control. They are practitioners from long clan lines of practitioners. They are both the last in their line. On their way to try to outrun the winter magician and the large army of Elantian soldiers,  the two young people are directly or indirectly responsible for hundreds of deaths, even some of the innocents that they are supposed to be protecting. Carve out time to finish this book. At 467 pages, you will need more than just a night. 

This story is complicated because the two characters live on to fight another day, but there is no happy ending in sight. Perhaps that is the key to book 1s, which is to crush hope and bring readers back. 

If so, I'm reluctantly in. 

From the Publisher:

Once, Lan had a different name. Now she goes by the one the Elantian colonizers gave her when they invaded her kingdom, killed her mother, and outlawed her people’s magic. She spends her nights as a songgirl in Haak’gong, a city transformed by the conquerors, and her days scavenging for what she can find of the past. Anything to understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother in her last act before she died.

The mark is mysterious—an untranslatable Hin character—and no one but Lan can see it. Until the night a boy appears at her teahouse and saves her life.

Zen is a practitioner—one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom. Their magic was rumored to have been drawn from the demons they communed with. Magic believed to be long lost. Now it must be hidden from the Elantians at all costs.

When Zen comes across Lan, he recognizes what she is: a practitioner with a powerful ability hidden in the mark on her arm. He’s never seen anything like it—but he knows that if there are answers, they lie deep in the pine forests and misty mountains of the Last Kingdom, with an order of practitioning masters planning to overthrow the Elantian regime.

Both Lan and Zen have secrets buried deep within—secrets they must hide from others, and secrets that they themselves have yet to discover. Fate has connected them, but their destiny remains unwritten. Both hold the power to liberate their land. And both hold the power to destroy the world. 

Now the battle for the Last Kingdom begins.

Publication information:

Author: Amélie Wen Zao

Publisher: Delacorte Press (January 3, 2023)

Strike The Zither (Kingdom of Three, Book 1)

 

From the Publisher:

The year is 414 of the Xin Dynasty, and chaos abounds. A puppet empress is on the throne. The realm has fractured into three factions and three warlordesses hoping to claim the continent for themselves.

But Zephyr knows it’s no contest.

Orphaned at a young age, Zephyr took control of her fate by becoming the best strategist of the land and serving under Xin Ren, a warlordess whose loyalty to the empress is double-edged—while Ren’s honor draws Zephyr to her cause, it also jeopardizes their survival in a war where one must betray or be betrayed. When Zephyr is forced to infiltrate an enemy camp to keep Ren’s followers from being slaughtered, she encounters the enigmatic Crow, an opposing strategist who is finally her match. But there are more enemies than one—and not all of them are human

My Thoughts:

I sat on this book prior to its release in October 2022 because the cover, and the girl on the cover, did not grab me as a devour worthy tale of Asian female bad assery. However, I was looking through this blog and was reminded that He's first novel, Descendent of the Crane also did not have a cover that I liked, but her power to build worlds and plot twists in that book was phenomenal. 

Suffice it to say, I came to the Strike the Zither party unfashionably late, however, I'm glad I came. Unlike Descendent (2019) that has no sequel (which is quite maddening, I must say), Zither  is part of a duology titled (ironically) Kingdom of Three. Yes, I know there are three warlordessʻ, but it is still funny. 

This story is not helmed by any of the three warlordesses. In fact, after getting through 45% of the book according to my e-reader, and without giving anything away, something very Game of Thrones-ish happens. Gah!!!!

He's talent as an author is her ability to drop surprises and twists in her novels, and then move on from those twists in a way that does not break the flow of the story, even for the other characters. The twists are dealt with almost with a sense of stoicism or even Zen. I donʻt know how to explain it without giving too much away. If you love plot twists and Chinese classics turned into tales that imagine a world where of course women are stronger, smarter and more badass than many of the male characters, then this will strike your fancy. 

Middle grade readers or YA readers who read Asian fantasy retellings like The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh need to read this next. This book will get readers to YA fantasy authors like Elizabeth Lim and Xiran Jay Zhao. 

Publication Details:

Author: Joan He

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (October 25, 2022)

The Dragon's Promise (Six Crimson Cranes)

Publication date: August 30, 2022 by Elizabeth Lim

An ARC provided by Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers and Net Galley for an honest revew.

My Thoughts:

In a duology, it is difficult to talk about the book without spoiler alerts, so just know that there are spoiler alerts! If you want to read the book based on the strength of reading Six Crimson Cranes, by all means STOP READING. One last thing - this is a great book for middle grades, YA and fans of fantasy and Asian mythology. 5 stars.

A Magic Steeped in Poison (The Book of Tea, 1)

 

Publication date: March 29, 2022

My Thoughts:

This debut Asian fantasy book by Judy I. Lin just adds magic and world building to the other Asian fantasy books making a mark on the YA scene. In this year of the water tiger, arts will be strong, and I find that Magic can hold up along with other strong YA Asian fantasy books that are also getting lots of love. 

Ning, the main character, may not be ready to take her mother's place in the shennong-shi competition, and her sister Shu is supposed to be her mother's apprentice, but when her mother and sister fall victim to poisoned tea, like Maia from Spin the Dawn, Ning must win a competition to save her family.  Shennong-shi are magic tea makers, but each person has magic in different areas. Some are healers, like Ning and her mother. Some wield magic in tea that can give strength to the drinker. Although Ning has not officially trained with her mother, she must rely on her gift for plants, her ability to speak to flowers and her training with her father, a physician. 

Like Mina, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh, Nng is headstrong and brash. She often acts first without thinking through consequences which makes this first of two books twisty and exacerbating, packed with action, high court intrigue, revolution and espionage. 

This book is going to be another hit. I am just loving these beautiful covers and the devour worthy AAPI fantasy books coming out. This one is good for YA and middle grades if readers are ok with the violence and death.

From the Publisher:

I used to look at my hands with pride. Now all I can think is, "These are the hands that buried my mother."

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it's her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her―the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.

When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom's greatest shennong-shi―masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making―she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning's only chance to save her sister's life.

But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.

Six Crimson Cranes (book 1 of 2)

 

My Thoughts:

Ms. Lim does a mash up of European and East Asian fairy tales to create a magical girl power, love triangle, dragons, demons and curse adventure story that was a devour worthy book on a cold winter evening. I just love how these authors of color are pushing their way into fantasy while also privileging their own cultural stories and mythologies. I have nothing against the fey, and TLOTR is always going to be the gold standard in fantasy and world building, but face it, these characters, even if not human are white. Their culture, their values. . .white. Julie Kagawa has opened up the door for more #AAPI fantasy writers and I love it!!

Shiori, later known as Lina when she is cursed by her step mother, is a spoiled, head strong, but beloved princess who finds that she has magic in a kingdom where magic has died. Yes, nothing novel about that. But what makes Six Crimson Cranes so fabulous is that Lina loves strong. She takes abuse and hardship with humility. Her brothers love and protect her as much as she loves and protects them. She is an unabashed lover of food. Most importantly, she is lovable and she learns and reflects like someone much older than her 17 years. 

Finally, a sign of a well written book is that when I look at the % number at the bottom of my Kindle and see that I am over halfway to the end, I already start getting frustrated and sad because I know that book 2 by Ms. Lim is not coming out yet. I start slowing down my reading even if I want to tear through to the end. What makes it good is that although I start to slow down by putting the book down, five minutes later, I have to pick it up. The twists and turns, as well as the surprises again, are not novel, but appreciated all the same. That is a sign of a great fantasy book. 

Mild blood and gore, several almost kisses makes this appropriate for middle grades as well as YA (and adults). Now to wait until August for The Dragon's Promise.

From the Publisher:

Shiori'anma, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted. But it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.

A sorceress in her own right, Raikama banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes. She warns Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.

Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and uncovers a dark conspiracy to seize the throne. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in a paper bird, a mercurial dragon, and the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she's been taught all her life to forswear--no matter what the cost.
 
Weaving together elements of The Wild Swans, Cinderella, the legend of Chang E, and the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, Elizabeth Lim has crafted a fantasy like no other, and one that will stay with readers long after they've turned the last page.
 

Beasts of Prey

 

My Thoughts:

This was a FABULOUS book to start 2022. After a stressful end of 2021, I wanted to start the year with fantasy and magic with grabbing prose action and betrayal. This debut novel by Ayana Gray fit all my wants and desires for a first of the year book. I was hungry for girl magic and danger. This is it. Carve out some time to read it all at once. This Pan-African story with two girl magic queens and lots of back stabbing and intrigue will keep you reading late into the night and into the early morning. And no spoiler alert, but this is a series, so when you get to the end, you are going to want to scream. I mean, don't say that was a spoiler alert. If you know the genre, you know you are going to be frustrated and looking up the publication date of book 2 of 3 (July 26, 2022). 

The strength of this novel is really the strong character development, including characters that are complex enough to break your heart, cry over or want to stab in the eyeballs. I also think the prose itself is aesthetically pleasing to read. The author spends time crafting this world and crafting her words, which is always appreciated. I really think in this time of world upheaval and pandemonium, the rules, even in reading have changed, so I appreciate that this is not another fay/vampire/alien white dominant fantasy. I appreciate that the mythos is decidedly not white-centric. In other words, yes for black girl magic!

Finally, the posters on Amazon are just beautiful so I am including them here. Also, for students who are inspired, Ms. Gray has a very stunning website with curated resources for writers. 

From the Publisher:

In this blockbuster fantasy series, perfect for fans of Kingdom of the Wicked and Iron Widow, fate binds two Black teenagers together as they journey into a magical jungle to hunt down a vicious monster.

“Rich in magic and mythos, Beasts of Prey is a feast for all the senses.” —Renée Ahdieh, New York Times bestselling author of The Beautiful

An Instant New York Times and Indie Bestseller

There’s no such thing as magic in the broken city of Lkossa, especially for sixteen-year-old Koffi, who indentured to the notorious Night Zoo, knows the fearsome creatures in her care and paying off her family's debts to secure their eventual freedom can be her only focus. But the night those she loves are gravely threatened by the Zoo’s cruel master, Koffi unleashes a power she doesn’t fully understand, upending her life completely.
 
As the second son of a decorated hero, Ekon is all but destined to become a Son of the Six—an elite warrior—and uphold a family legacy. But on the night of his final rite of passage, Ekon encounters not only the Shetani—a vicious monster that has plagued the city for nearly a century and stalks his nightmares—but Koffi who seems to have the power to ward off the beast. Koffi’s power ultimately saves Ekon, but his choice to let her flee dooms his hopes of becoming a warrior.

Desperate to redeem himself, Ekon vows to hunt the Shetani and end its reign of terror, but he can’t do it alone. Koffi and Ekon form a tentative alliance and together enter the Greater Jungle, a world steeped in wild, frightening magic and untold dangers. The hunt begins. But it quickly becomes unclear whether they are the hunters or the hunted.

Walking in Two Worlds

 

My Thoughts:

This YA fantasy takes place after the current pandemic on an Anishinaabe reservation as well as in the "Floraverse." The two worlds that Bagonegiizhigok, "Bugz" and Feng walk are both in real life as well as in the virtual world. Like Ready Player One, life in the virtual or "Floraverse," is an ideal creation of the players where they can change skins, change identities, find clan and get followers even if in real life, they do not have friends.

For Bugz, she has found a way to give life to her culture and gain energy from sacred places both in the real world as well as in her created world. As the internationally top ranked warrior in the Floraverse, she is able to bring the creatures of her cultural stories to life like the Thunderbirds and Mishi-pizhiw, the underwater panther. Although the natural enemy of the Thunderbird, although these creatures try to fight with each other, Bugz is able to use them as her warriors against the Clan:LESS, an all male "misogynistic neo-alt-right mob" of warriors led by Alpha who want to find her power source and take her down. The fact that Feng, who is moved from China to live with his aunt on the same reservation is a member of Clan:LESS is the source of friction that is his own "two worlds" that he has to navigate.

As a middle grades YA fantasy, it is a fast read and I appreciate the resources at the back of the book for Indigenous youth to find mental health services. I wanted to see more of Bugz' older brother Waawaate and have his story more developed as well as the relationship between Bugz and her parents, but perhaps another story.

 If students like this book, and want books for older YA, give them books by other Indigenous YA authors like Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger, Firekeeperʻs Daughter by Angeline Boulley and Huting by Stars Cherie Dimaline. If they are looking for younger or more middle grades, try Ancestor Approved by Cynthia Leitich Smith or Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac. For a nonfiction book, I like Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians but Were Afraid to Ask: Young Reader's Edition by Anton Treuer.  For adult fiction, definitely There, There by Tommy Orange. I am still processing that read. 

From the Publisher:

An Indigenous teen girl is caught between two worlds, both real and virtual, in the YA fantasy debut from bestselling Indigenous author Wab Kinew. Perfect for fans of Ready Player One and the Otherworld series.

Bugz is caught between two worlds. In the real world, she's a shy and self-conscious Indigenous teen who faces the stresses of teenage angst and life on the Rez. But in the virtual world, her alter ego is not just confident but dominant in a massively multiplayer video game universe.
     Feng is a teen boy who has been sent from China to live with his aunt, a doctor on the Rez, after his online activity suggests he may be developing extremist sympathies. Meeting each other in real life, as well as in the virtual world, Bugz and Feng immediately relate to each other as outsiders and as avid gamers. And as their connection is strengthened through their virtual adventures, they find that they have much in common in the real world, too: both must decide what to do in the face of temptations and pitfalls, and both must grapple with the impacts of family challenges and community trauma.
     But betrayal threatens everything Bugz has built in the virtual world, as well as her relationships in the real world, and it will take all her newfound strength to restore her friendship with Feng and reconcile the parallel aspects of her life: the traditional and the mainstream, the east and the west, the real and the virtual.

Graceling: Graphic Novel

 

My Thoughts:

This graphic novel by Kristin Cashore and illustrator Gareth Hinds is an adaptation of Cashore's already successful YA fantasy series. What makes these novel to graphic novel YA fantasy projects so successful is that it takes the best of fantasy storytelling and packages it in a more accessible size and format for readers that are intimidated by the 500+ page count of Cashore's original novel. It does not water down the magic, the fantasy, or the relationships between characters. Instead, I think it adds to the appeal by infusing the story with very engaging comic book style visuals.  This is a great way to keep this fantasy world alive for more middle grades and YA readers. If they are hooked, they will pick up the larger originals.

From the Publisher:

Katsa is a Graceling, one of the rare people born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she lived a life of privilege until the day her ability to kill a man with her bare hands revealed itself during a royal banquet. Now she acts as her uncle’s enforcer, traveling the kingdom and threatening those who dare oppose him.
 
But everything changes when she meets Po, a foreign prince Graced with combat skills who is searching for the truth about his grandfather’s disappearance. When Katsa agrees to help him, she never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that could destroy them all.

The Wild Ones

 

My Thoughts:

This fantasy, just released this month, is more than a girl power YA fantasy book. This is a feminist roar. These characters, including the boy with stars in his eyes, come together in brokenness and betrayal, apoplectic fury.  But still they are trying to be strong for each other. They are eager to be kind. They are hungry for love. Magic, international travel, chase, corruption, power, food. This book for older teens has it all. It is about resilience and power. It is about love, is love, is love. 

In the end, there is no happy ending, per se, and that is what makes this story so memorable.

From the end:

Who knows what the future holds? What we have is our anger and each other. Aren't you angry, sisters? At being treated the way we are? At having to pick up the pieces of what remains after the world is through with us? At being silenced and abused? At being denied our dignity, our bodies, our voices, and our right to justice? Aren't you angry? Embrace this anger. Let it fuel your everydays. Defy everyone who tells you that you can't. Be wild.

From the Publisher: 

We are the Wild Ones, and we will not be silenced.

We are girls who have tasted the worst this world can offer. Our story begins with Paheli, who was once betrayed by her mother, sold to a man in exchange for a favor. When Paheli escaped, she ran headlong into Taraana—a boy with stars in his eyes, a boy as battered as she was. He tossed Paheli a box of stars before disappearing. With the stars, Paheli gained access to the Between, a place of pure magic and mystery. Now, Paheli collects girls like us, and we use our magic to travel the world, helping to save other girls from our pain, our scars.

When Taraana reappears, he asks for our help. Dangerous magical forces are chasing him, and they will destroy him to get his powers. We will do everything to save him—if we can. For if Taraana is no longer safe and free, neither are the Wild Ones. And that...is a fate that we refuse to accept. Ever again. 

The Witch King (The Witch King Duology Book 1)

 

My Thoughts:

From the Pride Month TBR list, this novel combines LGBTQIA characters with fantasy (fae and wtiches) as well as social justice issues. 

I have noticed that  BIPOC and AAPI YA novels have started to shift in content and context. For example,  instead of being about culture and the challenges of culture or the stereotypes based on culture (urban black youth in the inner city battling gangs, drugs, cops, for example), the new BIPOC and AAPI books either play with other types of genre or context, or the content is not centered on culture. For example, being Asian and dating a non-Asian is not the center of the novel's conflict. 

The Witch King, by switching to fantasy and fae culture is also able to acknowledge the trauma of queer youth when they are not accepted by their own parents and community, but the author actually focuses on Wyatt being a witch in a family of fae as the major issue rather than being trans. In fact, once Wyatt returns to Asalin, he sees that not only is the prince, his fiancee not fazed by his identity but that the issue has nothing to do with Wyatt being trans at all (again, it is the witch thing). 

Finally, since I do not want to give too much away, like all good YA fantasy novels, it ends before you are ready. 

This is a YA, maybe 9th grade, based on the book I just reviewed on Growing Up Trans, trans youth identify earlier than 9th grade, so some issues to acknowledge if book talking this to younger middles: some violence, abuse, and assault, murder by magic and fire, heavy making out, but no explicit sex. I think when teachers read the books themselves, then they can make the decision on who to book talk this book to. It really is not about the presence or absence of any of these things, but really about whether the abuse is gratuitous or not. In this case, it is not. For example, when Wyatt's sister Tessa is able to acknowledge the abuse of his parents toward him as a witch born of fae parents, and how she was complacent in not standing up for him, the abuse is used as a way to heal for both of them. If people do not read something because it has sexual assault and physical abuse, then they miss the opportunity to see the characters grow. 

From the Publisher:

To save a fae kingdom, a trans witch must face his traumatic past and the royal fiancé he left behind. This debut YA fantasy will leave you spellbound.

Wyatt would give anything to forget where he came from—but a kingdom demands its king.

In Asalin, fae rule and witches like Wyatt Croft…don’t. Wyatt’s betrothal to his best friend, fae prince Emyr North, was supposed to change that. But when Wyatt lost control of his magic one devastating night, he fled to the human world.

Now a coldly distant Emyr has hunted him down. Despite transgender Wyatt’s newfound identity and troubling past, Emyr has no intention of dissolving their engagement. In fact, he claims they must marry now or risk losing the throne. Jaded, Wyatt strikes a deal with the enemy, hoping to escape Asalin forever. But as he gets to know Emyr, Wyatt realizes the boy he once loved may still exist. And as the witches face worsening conditions, he must decide once and for all what’s more important—his people or his freedom.

Review: The Iron Raven (Book 1 Everfall)

 

My Thoughts:

Fantasy, fey, girl power author Julie Kagawa is the Danielle Steel of YA fantasy books. In the Iron Series, Kagawa has created a formula that will work every time for her in the same way that Ms. Steel has figured out the formula for adult romance. First, Kagawa creates a world, or series of worlds that will continue to provide enough conflict and intrigue to keep the long living fey in business for a long time (think Lord of the Rings). Second, her characters are flawed in the best way. They are both powerful and vulnerable, loving and petty. They make the best heroes because they are also at times villains. 
This particular book follows Puck, or Robin Goodfellow of Shakespeare fame and enemy and bromance companion to Ash, son of Mab and prince consort of Megan, the Iron Queen. We also get to root for Megan and Ash's son Kieran, King of the Forgotten as Kieran, Puck and Kieran's silent assassin Nyx fight an evil that seems unbeatable. 
Fantasy readers know that Kagawa will weave a great adventure and then leave just when another somewhat larger problems comes up. I think that Kagawa uses Grimalken as her own voice of the narrator interjecting and moving the story along just enough before the narrator fades back into the background. 
Readers of Kagawa will not be disappointed, but if you are restless for Everfall Book 2, then hold off on reading this, or read it and go to other YA fantasy authors. There are many in this blog alone. 

From the Publisher:

“YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF ME…”
Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Prankster, joker, raven, fool… King Oberon’s right-hand jester from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The legends are many, but the truth will now be known, as Puck finally tells his own story and faces a threat from a time before Faery began. A threat that brings him face-to-face with a new enemy…himself.
With the Iron Queen Meghan Chase and her prince consort, Puck’s longtime rival Ash, and allies old and new by his side, Puck begins a fantastical and dangerous adventure not to be missed or forgotten. Evenfall is coming, and with it a reckoning that even their combined powers and wits may not vanquish, as a shadow falls over the lands of Faery and the world slips into chaos.