Can I just live in this book please? A perfect book boyfriend, lovely world-building, just the right amount of spice….what more can we ask for? There is a reason it’s the most beloved book in the fantasy realm.
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas, (List Price: $19, Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781635575583, June 2020)
Reviewed by Kelley Dykes, Main Street Reads in , South Carolina
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas Read More »
This world’s people will perish by burning up in a solar flare unless the four swords that rained down from the heavens are united to open a portal to an alternate universe. Unfortunately, the owner of the sword demands to use it for revenge first and doesn’t give a rat’s behind about suns dying or oceans evaporating. A compelling read and I’m interested to see how they expand on the lore of the swords.
The Swords of Glass Vol. 1 (Oversized) by Sylvaine Corgiat, (List Price: $29.99, Humanoids Inc., 9781643375762, April 2024)
Reviewed by Lana Repic, E. Shaver Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia
The Swords of Glass Vol. 1 (Oversized) by Sylvaine Corgiat Read More »
This book is beautiful. An epic tale of everything good in fantasy. Magic, pirates , bombs and demons. This book has it all. But the best part of this book is the way the main character handles her own identity as a woman , mother and badass.
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty, (List Price: $19.99, Harper Voyager, 9780062963512, March 2024)
Reviewed by Mekhala Villegas-Rogers, Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg, Florida
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty Read More »
Meet the darker, gothier little sister of Uprooted and The Bear and the Nightingale—with a hint of Howl’s Moving Castle! Rooted in Polish folklore and set in a wickedly magical wood full of dangers and wonders alike, this grim yet romantic young adult fantasy marks the debut of a writer to watch.
Where the Dark Stands StillWhere the Dark Stands Still by A. B. Poranek, (List Price: $19.99, Margaret K. McElderry Books, 9781665936477, February 2024)
Reviewed by Megan Bell, Underground Books in Carrollton, Georgia
Where the Dark Stands Still by A. B. Poranek Read More »
I LOVED this book. It begins as a loose retelling of “Beauty and the Beast”, but you’re constantly faced with the differences between the tale as old as time and “A Court of Thorns and Roses”. Feyre is a strong, wild character. She’s willing to risk it all to save the people she loves. The ending had me on the edge of my seat!
A Court of Thorns and RosesA Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, (List Price: $18, Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781635575569, June 2020)
Reviewed by Melissa Gray, The Blytheville Book Company in Blytheville, Arkansas
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas Read More »
For the longest time, I wanted to write something dapper—crisp clothes and the cutthroat alleyways of old London— but when my protagonist set foot on the page with her brown skin and foreign roots, straightening her tweed suit and tucking her pocket watch away, she was angry. I realized, then, that I couldn’t write “something dapper” without also addressing colonialism. In my debut novel, We Hunt the Flame, we saw a girl fighting for her own kingdom. In A Tempest of Tea, we see a girl and her crew fighting for a country that isn’t theirs to save, but they’ll do it anyway. Oh, and did I mention there are vampires?
― Hafsah Faizal, Letter to readers
What booksellers are saying about A Tempest of Tea
About Hafsah Faizal
Hafsah Faizal is the New York Times bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame and We Free the Stars, and the founder of IceyDesigns, where she creates websites for authors and beauteous goodies for everyone else. When she’s not writing, she can be found designing, deciding between Assassin’s Creed and Skyrim, or traversing the world. Born in Florida and raised in California, she now resides in North Carolina with her husband and a library of books waiting to be devoured. hafsahfaizal.com
Spotlight On: A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal Read More »
What a labyrinthine book this is – over 600 pages for a very simple premise: four people return from the dead, but only two can stay. To do so, they must compete and win magical challenges. That’s the pitch, but the reality of the book is much simpler. It’s about grief and coming of age – of finding one’s place as an adult in a world that keeps trucking on despite your pain and hesitancy. I loved this book because it reminded me of all my favorite fairy tales mashed into one: it’s whimsical, funny, heart-breaking, and gorgeously written. It takes a long time to get going, but I loved every moment of subtle character work that Link did as she set up the players of this story. Fans of whimsical tales such as any of Neil Gaiman’s work or Susanna Clarke’s novels will likely find a lot to enjoy here, as I did.
Reviewed by Whitney Sheppard, The Snail On the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama
The Book of Love by Kelly Link Read More »
Originally published in Spanish under the title Estoy Fatal, Gracias, this graphic novel follows Jo, a young witch who moves from Spain to London for a dream job making potions. But for all the good things in her life, there are quite a few bad things- an abusive team leader at work, a controlling roommate at home, and a boyfriend who tells her she just needs to more positive- and soon Jo’s depression and feelings that she’s trying so hard to keep locked away explode into literal dragons. This book is a charming way to learn to deal with overwhelming emotions, as Jo starts therapy and learns how to live with her feelings. I absolutely adore the world Pickle has created!
I Feel Awful, ThanksI Feel Awful, Thanks by Lara Pickle, (List Price: $17.99, Oni Press, 9781637153000, March 2024)
Reviewed by Kate Towery, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia
I Feel Awful, Thanks by Lara Pickle Read More »
Fans of heist stories with a supernatural twist will adore this new novel by Katherine Harbour! Evie is just getting by, holding down three jobs and squatting in the attic of a boarding house. But when she’s working as a cater waiter at an auction, and the prime item is stolen, she finds herself being recruited by an elite group of thieves known as The Dark Fable. Eager for the family she’s missing, she joins up but soon finds more than she anticipated. This was a great story that kept me turning the pages long after I should have gone to bed!
The Dark Fable by Harbour, Katherine, (List Price: $19.99, Bloomsbury YA, 9781547613748, January 2024)
Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia
The Dark Fable by Harbour, Katherine Read More »
Tales is the perfect, sweet wrap-up for the beautiful world Sue Lynn Tan welcomed us into with Daughter of the Moon Goddess. With stunning art, and little tidbits that explain so much of the story we didn’t know before, it’s everything we readers could have asked for and more. A gift to treasure.
Tales of the Celestial Kingdom by Sue Lynn Tan, (List Price: $24.99, Harper Voyager, 9780063326699, February 2024)
Reviewed by Caitlyn Vanorder, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Tales of the Celestial Kingdom by Sue Lynn Tan Read More »
Ink Girls is a beautifully illustrated, sweet story about a group of girls in a Renaissance-inspired word who are determined to fight for truth. It shows firsthand how deeply important it is that truth comes first, above the discomfort of change. Everything else will fall into place, and friends deserving of you will flock to you. I can’t wait to push this graphic novel into everyone\’s hands!
Ink Girls by Marieke Nijkamp, (List Price: $15.99, Greenwillow Books, 9780063027107, November 2023)
Reviewed by Caitlyn Vanorder, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Ink Girls by Marieke Nijkamp Read More »
This adorable graphic novel about a shape-shifting selkie and a teen lesbian who hasn’t fully accepted her queerness is heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time. This is a great book for young queer people with a diverse cast of characters and a lovely sapphic romance that you can easily devour in one sitting. Can’t wait to get this into the hands of young readers!
The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag, (List Price: $24.99, Graphix, 9781338540574, June 2021)
Reviewed by Candice Huber, Tubby & Coo’s Traveling Book Shop in New Orleans, Louisiana
The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag Read More »
This was one of the most unique magic systems I have ever read. I thoroughly enjoyed this, especially the development in the characters and the emotion with which they were written. I am already anxiously awaiting the next book as I now want to understand the concept of Lore being a deathwitch more. This was the perfect mix of fantasy, romance, and gothic for my taste, and I got completely lost in the story wishing I could jump into the world and adventure through it myself – regardless of the dangers it held.
The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten, (List Price: $19.99, Orbit, 9780316435093, December 2023)
Reviewed by Charlotte Beck, Main Street Reads in Summerville, South Carolina
The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten Read More »
A Fragile Enchantment bloomed after a long creative fallow period. It was a book I wrote in pursuit of joy, and through Niamh and all her starry-eyed, scatterbrained whimsy, I found it. I loved researching the Regency era and all the time I spent trawling through fashion prints and recipes. I loved writing about candlelit ballrooms and emotion-fueled magic and the seething iniquity that the Regency’s glittery facade tries and fails to conceal. I especially loved the banter between Kit and Niamh and their ruinous, forbidden love.
― Allison Saft, A letter to readers
What booksellers are saying about A Fragile Enchantment
About Allison Saft
Allison Saft is the New York Times and indie bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic and Down Comes the Night. After receiving her MA in English Literature from Tulane University, she moved from the Gulf Coast to the West Coast, where she spends her time rolling on eight wheels and practicing aerial silks.
Spotlight On: A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft Read More »
The Flying Ship is the irreverent, hilarious, and pertinent graphic novel of my dreams- How Jem managed to shove absolutely everything I love into one story, I do not know, but the fact that it’s also beautifully illustrated is my favorite thing in the entire world. If you love familial curses, cracking open the gender binary, and political intrigue, I could not be more excited to put this book into your hands.
The Flying Ship Volume 1 by Jem Milton, (List Price: $24.99, Dark Horse Comics, 9781506738444, November 2023)
Reviewed by Caitlyn Vanorder, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
The Flying Ship Volume 1 by Jem Milton Read More »
