Winter Newsletter 2023 YA Fiction

After the violent death of her family, Reed was taken in by a mysterious order of women who help uplift heroes through magic and battle. In order to gain her full powers, Reed must mentor her first hero to glory, but the Elders are keeping secrets that could upend her whole world. With her excellent world building plus her utterly compelling and complex protagonist, Kendare Blake does not disappoint. I devoured this series opener. 

—Ivy

A unique setting, a doomed love, and a deeply Frankensteinian golem: Wrath Becomes Her provides all this and more, perfect for historical fantasy enjoyers looking for their next great read! Vera struggles to distinguish the victims from the collaborators in Nazi-occupied Lithuania and discovers the true purpose of her creation. Aden Polydoros’s world building with Jewish magic is sublime and makes this book an instant standout in its genre.  —Yves

Get ready for The Mummy crossed with Agatha Christie! Inez dreams of Egypt, the country her parents spend half their lives in (leaving her behind). But when her parents are declared dead, Inez travels there alone in search of answers. Set in the Victorian era, this magical and heartrending book paints a rich picture of Egypt and its antiquities. It kept me guessing up to the last line, and then hungering for more.

—Ivy

Let the tide whisk you away in this enchanting novel that brims with moon-and-tide magic, dark mysteries, and secret societies. Emory, the only survivor of a mass drowning accident, must solve the mystery behind her classmates’ deaths while navigating her new, unusual powers (which a New Moon healer is forbidden from possessing). Plus, who can resist a good love triangle? Pascale Lacelle’s intricate world building and beautiful lyrical writing will carry you through this cleverly crafted maritime fantasy.

—Taylor

Twelve-year-old Sage dreams of becoming a 6-foot-tall NBA player, and the local guys are amazed by her ability on the court. Houses in the Bushwick neighborhood are burning down, and Freddy, new to the neighborhood, helps Sage keep her dream alive as they shoot baskets and share what it means to miss things and people that get left behind. Another great story from Jacqueline Woodson about memories, dreams, and knowing who you are.  

—Noreen

Omid has a lot going on, between starting at a very competitive prep school, his Iranian grandparents moving to the US, and a blossoming crush. Oh, and it’s 2001. He finds solace in his journal and dreams of becoming a rapper, but he struggles to make his voice heard above the rising fear and Islamophobia. This novel-in-verse highlights the turmoil teens feel on an individual level as the world shakes around them.

—Ivy