Reading Level: Young Adult

The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II

“You are to report to Station X at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire, in four days’ time. . . That is all you need to know.” This was the terse telegram that hundreds of young women throughout the British Isles received in the spring of 1941, as World War II raged. As they arrived at Station X, a sprawling mansion in a state of disrepair surrounded by Spartan-looking huts with little chimneys coughing out thick smoke, these young people had no idea what kind of work they were stepping into. Who had recommended them? Why had they been chosen? Most would never learn all the answers to these questions.  

Bletchley Park was a well-kept secret during World War II, operating under the code name Station X. The critical work of code-cracking Nazi missives that went on behind its closed doors could determine a victory or loss against Hitler’s army. Amidst the brilliant cryptographers, flamboyant debutantes, and absent-minded professors working there, it was teenaged girls who kept Station X running. Some could do advanced math, while others spoke a second language. They ran the unwieldy bomb machines, made sense of wireless sound waves, and sorted decoded messages. They were expected to excel in their fields and most importantly: know how to keep a secret. 

The Enigma Girls explores the period between 1939 and 1945, introducing ten Enigma teens, as well as a host of other individuals and the various jobs at Bletchley Park. The author does an impressive job showing the importance of the work as well as the silliness of the girls; after all, they were teenagers. While the girls played a significant role in the war effort, their unique personalities do not stand out. However, readers will be amazed by the Enigma Girls’ abilities as well as their dedication to their jobs. Because of the work that went on at Bletchley Park, lives were saved, and Hitler was defeated. 

The book is broken into short chapters with catchy titles, and historical pictures appear every one to two pages. Since most of the girls were involved in code breaking, there are several sections titled “Top Secret” that explain how to break codes or decipher a message. Additionally, several pictures depict the complex computers used in code breaking. Although the book presents information in smaller sections, many readers may still struggle to retain all the information.  

As part of the True Stories in Focus Series, The Enigma Girls is specifically written for a middle school and high school audience, utilizing rigorous research to provide accurate and compelling content for young readers. The True Stories in Focus Series emphasizes sharing true stories and focusing on real individuals and their authentic experiences. These books aim to help young people understand the world, develop critical thinking skills, and connect historical events to the present. 

Anyone interested in World War II or code breaking will find The Enigma Girls to be a fascinating book, packed with information on how teenage girls contributed to the war effort. The different treatment between the girls and the men at Bletchley Park adds another layer of depth to the book. Readers with limited knowledge of World War II may be overwhelmed by the numerous details included in The Enigma Girls. However, the book would be immensely helpful for anyone researching World War II. Readers can learn more about code breaking by reading Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes, Ciphers, and Secret Writing by Paul B. Janeczko and The Usborne Book of Secret Codes by Eileen O’Brien & Diana Riddell. Readers interested in World War II who want a fictional account should read Resistance by Jennifer A. Nielsen and Lifeboat 5 by Susan Hood. 

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • Germany’s attacks on foreign lands are mentioned. However, most of the attacks are not described beyond listing the number of casualties. The book does include many historical pictures of the aftermath of an attack. For example, one illustration shows a Polish factory burning after “a lightning-quick Nazi air raid.” 
  • Germany attacked Poland. The battle is not described. However, after Britain declared war on Germany, British citizens were given gas masks to protect themselves. One illustration shows “a nursery school class practicing using them.” 
  • To work for the British army, Elizabeth Blandy and the other Enigma Girls had to sign the Official Secrets Act. A commander told Elizabeth, “It clearly states that if you disclose the slightest information about this place or your work. . . you will be committing treason. . . If you did, you would be liable to the most extreme penalties of the law. . . I’m not sure whether, at this moment, that’s hanging or shooting by firing squad.”
  • On Black Saturday, the Nazis attacked Britain. “Suddenly, the sky grew dark as 348 German planes began dropping high explosive bombs and incendiary devices on the city. Flames billowed. Buildings collapsed. Terrified citizens streamed toward air raid shelters. . . In just a few hours, 430 people were killed and 1,600 injured.” 
  • The British Navy attacked an Italian Fleet in the Mediterranean. Mavis wrote, “Our sailors did grand work in the battle. They sent [five ships] to the bottom of the ocean. . . and our Navy lost not a man, not a ship, and not even a square inch of paint.” An illustration shows “a scene of nighttime action as British warships bombard Italian battleships at the Cape of Matapan.” 
  • The German ship Bismarck and the British ship HMS Hood, the flagship of the Royal Navy, battled. “For four thundering minutes the two vessels pounded at each other. Shells screamed overhead. Water exploded. Then one of Bismarck’s shells ripped through Hood’s deck, piercing its ammunition storage and causing a huge explosion. Hood broke in half and sank beneath the waves. All but two of its crew members sank with it.” 
  • As Bismarck fled, the British launched an attack. “The battleship could do little to save itself. Within hours it sank, taking twenty-three hundred men to the ocean’s bottom.” A picture shows a British warship saving some of the German sailors from the ocean. 
  • One of the Enigma Girls, Gwen, was horrified when she was given a Nazi’s cipher book. “The book’s cover had a huge bloodstain on it. She discovered the inside pages did, too, once she got up the courage to open it. When she drew away her hand, it was sticky with blood.” 
  • The D-Day attack is described over three pages. On Omaha Beach, “US troops faced heavy resistance. Eventually, after a tough and bloody fight, they, too, successfully stormed the beach.” There are five illustrations of the troops who fought on D-Day. 
  • A chapter discusses the dropping of an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima and later Nagasaki. The casualties are listed, and one illustration shows the destruction in Hiroshima.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • When an admiral was arriving at Bletchley Park, a couple of girls rushed to a pub to buy some wine. Later, the admiral gives a toast. 

Language  

  • “Good God” and “good heavens” are used as exclamations. 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Before I Let Go

Corey’s best friend, Kyra, has killed herself, drowning beneath the ice of the tiny Alaskan town of Lost Creek. Corey, who had left the small town seven months earlier, returns for Kyra’s memorial service—and to find answers. She doesn’t believe Kyra would kill herself, not when Corey was already planning to return in just a few days.  

When Corey returns to Lost Creek, she finds that she has been branded an outsider and that Kyra had been embraced by the town that had hated her previously. But all is not as it seems, and in the five days, Corey will uncover both Kyra’s and the town’s mysteries.  

The story is told from Corey’s first-person perspective in the present timeline, with flashbacks woven throughout to reveal the history of Corey and Kyra’s friendship. While Corey is the narrator, Kyra is undoubtedly the center of the story. The flashbacks reveal how Corey, the scientific mind, and Kyra, the storyteller, dreamed of escaping Lost Creek together. They also show how the town shunned Kyra following her bipolar diagnosis and how this adversity strengthened the bond between the two teenage girls.  Corey’s narration in the present is heavy with guilt and grief, and the absence of Kyra is felt in every word.  

Kyra’s bipolar disorder becomes central to the story, as the town dismisses her as insane without attempting to understand her condition—until they discover she has something valuable to offer them. Before Corey’s departure, Corey’s friendship helped Kyra manage her highs and lows. But after Kyra’s death, Corey discovered that the town twisted Kyra’s mania to their benefit. When people started to believe that Kyra’s paintings told the future, they hid her away and propped her up as a symbol rather than treating her as a girl. As Corey uncovers the extent of Kyra’s isolation, she too experiences isolation as she continues to ask questions no one wants to answer.  

Before I Let Go creates a beautiful picture of friendship, self-discovery, and love. Love bonds Corey and Kyra across space and time, and their love survives through their struggles and misunderstandings. Corey and Kyra are well-developed characters, but the other characters are almost one-sided, consumed by their obsession with Kyra’s supposed psychic powers. Corey doesn’t feel a connection to the other members of Lost Creek; therefore, the readers are not given space to connect with them either. Despite the book being centered on only two characters, readers will find themselves rooting for Kyra and Corey, and grieving Kyra as Corey does.  

Nijkamp also paints a harsh picture of mental health’s importance and the detrimental effects of isolation. Readers will be simultaneously moved by Corey’s and Kyra’s friendship but frustrated by the town’s small-mindedness. Alaska’s harsh setting reflects the Lost Creek’s immovable attitude, while Corey’s narration brings the readers alongside her as she uncovers the town’s prejudices and reckons with her own. “Love me or hate me if you want, I don’t care. But do it for all that I am, with all that I am,” Kyra pleads to Corey. The readers are faced with the same task. How do we love someone when they’re going through something terrible? How do we return home when we are not welcome there, when maybe we never were?  

Ultimately a story of hope, Before I Let Go reminds readers of the importance of loving people as they are. While its story is slightly fantastical, the dangers of ignoring mental health are real, and the friendship between Corey and Kyra grounds the book in reality. Although it is too late for Corey to save Kyra, the book offers a vital message of compassion and empathy, even if you have to go against the majority mindset to be a good friend.   

Sexual Content  

  • In a flashback, Corey kisses Kyra. “I [Corey] pushed myself up on one arm, and on impulse, I reached out and wove my fingers through hers [Kyra’s]. . . I pressed my lips against hers and waited . . . When she opened her mouth and leaned in farther, she was hesitant and careful.” Corey ends the kiss because she does not feel romantic attraction toward Kyra.  
  • Corey and Kyra talk about their relationship and Corey’s sexuality. Corey says, “I’m not attracted to you. I don’t think I’ve ever been attracted to anyone . . . I love you, but I’m not in love with you.” Kyra replies, “I love you, and I am in love with you.” 
  • Corey and Kyra discover their sexual identities with articles from the library. “[The article] was the first time I’d seen asexuality spelled out, and I found myself in the description. Kyra claimed pansexual, and it fit her comfortably too.” 
  • Two residents of Lost Creek, Sam and Roshan, spend the night in the abandoned spa building with Corey, and she finds them sharing a bed. “Instead, they lie together on the raggedy bed. Roshan’s arm hangs across Sam’s shoulders, and their legs and the blanket are all tangled together.” Corey realizes that they are in a romantic relationship.  

Violence  

  • Kyra kills herself before the story begins. Corey’s mom says, “No one knows quite what happened, but they think she [Kyra] wandered across the lake and found a weak spot. They found her under the ice . . . She drowned.” Kyra’s suicide is a main part of the story and is mentioned often.  
  • One of Corey’s old friends, Piper, and Corey argue at Kyra’s memorial service. Corey slaps Piper. “I slap her before I even realize what I’m doing.”  
  • The outbuilding where Kyra lived and where Corey is now staying was set on fire. Corey has to jump out of a window to escape. “I let myself fall . . . I sliced my palm and tore open my shin, but I’m out. I gasp for air. It hurts to breathe. My throat is raw from smoke and screaming.” Corey walks away and does not receive treatment for her injuries. She has a scrape on her leg and hand, and possible smoke damage in her lungs.  
  • Kyra’s father, Mr. Henderson, wants Corey to return the letters that Kyra wrote. When Corey refuses, “He lunges at me. I dodge as he reaches out to tackle me . . . His hands clamp around my throat and I can’t breathe I can’t breathe I can’t breathe . . . I ram my knee upward and he hisses when it connects with his groin . . . He holds the knife just above my bunny boot. If he pushes any harder, it’ll slide through fabric, skin, muscle.” Roshan tackles Mr. Henderson, and eventually Corey throws Kyra’s letters into the woods so Mr. Henderson will stop attacking her. These events take place over several pages.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Kyra was taking medication to treat her bipolar disorder. Kyra says, “She [her therapist] wants me to go. To try other medications under more supervision, more intense therapy.” Later, Corey describes, “Kyra struggled with medication from the time she got her diagnosis. She responded to drugs, but marginally. They dimmed her mania for a while, but it would only come back stronger.” 

Language    

  • Profanity is used rarely. Profanity includes batshit and ass. 
  • Kyra is regularly insulted by the town’s people, who call her a freak and insane.  

Supernatural  

  • The residents of Lost Creek believed that Kyra’s paintings could predict the future. The Hendersons display a painting in which Kyra painted her death. “Kyra had painted herself floating under the translucent ice. Her brown hair is spread out around her, and her hazel eyes are open wide. Even as she sinks into the dark abyss of the lake, she smiles.” 
  • Kyra predicted that the town garden would survive through winter, and it did. “It’s another painting of Kyra’s, but one far more realistic than her usual style . . . It’s a garden that mirrors Mrs. Robinson’s garden almost exactly as it looks now.” 
  • Kyra paints a picture of two boys running, one carrying a bird. This exact scene happens a week after she paints it. “But the next Sunday, when Luke and Tobias went hiking in the woods, they returned carrying a kestrel with a broken wing.” 
  • Various residents of Lost say things like “She [Kyra] foretold it.” One resident says, “She saw a future that none of us could see yet. She believed in a future, and for that, we believed in her.”

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Abigail Clark 

Hollow Fires

Set in Chicago, Illinois, the story follows Safiya Mirza, a seventeen-year-old high school journalist on scholarship attending DuSable Prep. She is highly ambitious, runs the school newspaper, and has already committed to Northwestern’s journalism program. When a fourteen-year-old Muslim student disappears, Safiya is determined to uncover the mystery behind his vanishing. Simultaneously, her school newspaper is hacked, and racist, cryptic messages are posted, foreshadowing the extensive racism that will prevail.  

Jawad Ali, the fourteen-year-old Muslim student, created a backpack out of recycled materials for a school project. However, when one of his teachers suspected it to be a bomb, Jawad was arrested, suspended, and publicly humiliated. Although he was cleared, racist threats and comments followed him until he disappeared. When public news outlets, the police, and other students quickly forget him and overlook his case, Safiya persists. She will stop at nothing to expose the truth.  

Each chapter alternates between Safiya’s present narration and Jawad’s posthumous narration, which adds to the story’s intensity. The reader can sympathize with Jawad as he watches his family, who have questions about his death. Jawad wants his disappearance to be solved to ease their pain. So, as Safiya continues to inquire into his disappearance and her school’s racist hacker, Jawad observes over her, guiding her to the truth. Furthermore, she unearths the underlying racism that is embedded in her city, school, and the people around her. As she investigates, she also learns that familiar faces may not be as innocent as they seem, and her safety may be in jeopardy. Can she successfully catch the culprit and get justice for Jawad?   

DuSable Prep’s very handsome and highly popular senior, Richard Reynolds, is captain of both the lacrosse and swim teams. Like the majority of students attending his school, Richard’s family is quite wealthy, which undoubtedly contributes to his sense of entitlement. He is initially introduced as a potential romantic partner for Safiya, as he often flirts with her openly and even asks her to the winter ball. However, as their connection and banter build, Richard reveals his manipulation tactics, using his popularity and socio-economic status to dodge any suspicion and responsibility. So, when Safiya’s investigation leads to Richard, his deep-rooted beliefs are revealed and sadly reflect the racism that persists within society today.  

Throughout the story, there are multiple references to real-world events and offensive symbols. Some of these include 9/11, swastikas, Adolf Hitler, and Islamophobia. By including these elements, the author attempts to ground the story in reality and present harsh truths for the reader to grapple with. The author hopes that her book will inspire young readers to take action and seek out the truth, especially during a time of such drastic social division.  

Hollow Fires is based on real events, such as the murder of fourteen-year-old Bobby Franks that took place in May of 1924. The murderers were from wealthy and prominent families, similar to those depicted in this book. The author, Samira Ahmed, notes that she struggled to finish this story due to its depraved content and realistic nature. Nonetheless, she wants her readers “to keep speaking up and speaking out. . . [and] to shine light on the truth” just as Safiya does. This book is a must-read for those passionate about social justice and change. 

The author includes common themes of justice, the power of truth-telling, privilege, and courage throughout the story. In particular, Safiya’s character persevered despite racial discrimination and frightening experiences to finally expose the truth. The book encompasses the racism and bigotry that immigrants and racial minorities experience in the United States. It will open the reader’s eyes to hidden prejudice and implicit bias that occur in modern society. There is no doubt that the reader will be deeply moved and left with a strong urge for social activism.      

Sexual Content     

  • In between class periods, Richard flirts with Safiya by her locker. When Safiya turns “back to Richard, he pecked [her] on the cheek.”

Violence     

  • Safiya’s mosque receives a threatening anonymous letter. The letter reads, “Dear Muslim Scum, we will be coming to your mosque. It will be a massacre on a scale never seen. Christchurch will pale in comparison. You can pray all you want to your God. But God is dead.” No violence is brought upon their mosque.  
  • Richard and Safiya meet up in a park at night. When Safiya suspects that Richard may hurt her, she attempts to flee. “I muttered a prayer as I clenched my right hand into a fist and swung at Richard’s face.”  
  • After punching Richard, Safiya runs. “[Richard] grabbed at my collar, yanking me toward him. I slammed into him and we both fell backward onto the grassy strip by the sidewalk. I tried to scramble away . . . but Richard pulled at my leg and I went down hard on my right side . . . He grabbed after me and I kicked at him. Making contact with his shin as he dropped down closer to me. I tried to push myself off of the ground with my left hand, but Richard shoved me back, straddling me to keep me pinned down . . . I dug my nails into the cold, wet earth and grabbed a fistful of dirt and flung it into Richard’s eye. He reeled back and I pushed myself away from him. . . He lunged for me, grabbed me, shoved me against the hood of Nate’s car. There was rage in his eyes as he raised the rock [in his hands] above me.” A student at DuSable Prep, Asma, drives her car into Nate’s car, attempting to stop Richard from hurting Safiya. She succeeds, and no one was hurt.  

Drugs and Alcohol     

  • None  

Language     

  •  Language such as asshole, hell, shit, bullshit, fucking, bitch, and other offensive slurs are used often.  
  • When Safiya’s school newspaper is hacked and inappropriate articles are published, she says, “I think it’s the same assholes who put that meme on the school Facebook page.” 
  • The school’s fire alarm goes off. A student says, “What the hell? Is this a drill? It’s freezing out!” 
  • When Richard is being questioned for his involvement with Jawad’s death, he yells, “That fucking liar! That weak piece of shit. He did it! All of it! I never laid a hand on that raghead skittle.” 
  • When Nate, a fellow student at DuSable Prep, is being questioned about his involvement with Jawad’s death, he responds, “That was Asma’s fault – crazy bitch driver.” 

Supernatural     

  • Throughout the book, Safiya feels a strong spirit with her, although she cannot quite place what it is. “A crack made me jump back, startled. I thought Usman had broken the twig he was holding. But he was still rolling it between his fingers. Neither he nor Asma seemed to have heard the sound. . . I heard that voice again. So faint. But I knew what I heard. It wasn’t a delusion. Help. Safiya. Help me. I opened my eyes. There was that incense smell hanging over us like a cloud. I was the only one who noticed that, too.” There are many instances of Safiya feeling Jawad’s presence. This is just one.  
  • Jawad narrates, “She heard me. This time I’m sure of it. She. Heard. Me. My words. Help me. I tried to whisper it so many times before. But my voice sounded like the wind and the rustling leaves.” 

Spiritual Content     

  • In a threatening letter to Safiya’s mosque, God is mentioned: “You can pray all you want to your God. But God is dead.”   
  • After a heated class argument between Nate and Safiya regarding the hacker who has seemingly hacked their high school’s newspaper, Nate mutters to himself, “God is dead.” 

by Leela Kowalski 

The Ship of the Dead

Magnus Chase can’t catch a break. First, he died bravely and was reborn in Valhalla, the Norse afterlife for heroes. Soon after his death, he had to embark on a mission to stop Fenris Wolf from escaping. Shortly after this perilous quest, he had to find Thor’s missing hammer, which is much easier said than done. Now, Magnus faces his toughest challenge. The sinister trickster god Loki has broken free from his prison and is intent on starting Ragnarök, the prophesied end of the world. 

Magnus and his ragtag group of friends must sail across three worlds to intercept Loki and prevent him from wreaking havoc with his army of the undead. As the fate of the world hangs in the balance, Magnus wrestles with one question: Is he strong enough to stand against Loki?  

The Ship of the Dead is the fast-paced and engaging finale to the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard trilogy. Building upon the groundwork laid in the first two installments, this book dives further into Norse mythology while exploring themes of family, strength, and individuality. Throughout this novel, Magnus and his friends band together as they face many different foes. They support one another while embracing the unique skills and backgrounds that each character brings to the team.  

The plot is driven by the eight core characters of this novel, who are as eclectic as they are lovable. Magnus, a deeply compassionate healer, is willing to risk everything to protect his friends. Sam, one of Odin’s Valkyries, embarks on the quest while fasting for Ramadan, and utilizes this to help her stay focused and determined. Hearth, a deaf elf, is the greatest sorcerer in the Nine Worlds. Blitz, a fashionable dwarf, is a skilled designer and inventor. T.J., a Civil War soldier who died serving the Union, is as cheerful as he is brave. Mallory, a hotheaded fighter who hails from Ireland, is ready to attack any challenge that comes her way. Halfborn, a Viking warrior who died over a thousand years ago, is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Finally, Alex, the transgender and genderfluid child of Loki, unites the crew with her mischievous nature and quick wit.        

The Ship of the Dead contains Riordan’s familiar humorous writing style and well-developed plots. This story contains many characters and settings, which some readers may find confusing. However, readers do not have to be familiar with Rick Riordan’s previous works to enjoy the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Series.  

Like the previous installments in this series, The Ship of the Dead discusses serious topics such as homelessness, ableism, transphobia, child abuse, and Islamophobia. These themes will resonate with readers who relate to the struggles that the characters face and allow them to feel represented and understood. These topics are written about in a way that is suitable for young readers, and this novel offers readers a chance to consider new perspectives and learn about those who are different from them.   

The Ship of the Dead is an action-packed and touching finale to one of Rick Riordan’s greatest series. Readers will be both entertained and moved by the plot and the bonds that the characters develop with one another. This series is perfect for middle-grade readers who are eager for a fun and adventurous story.  

Sexual Content  

  • Magnus and Alex, Magnus’s friend and child of Loki, kiss as they are walking across a frozen bay. Magnus details, “Then, before I even knew what was happening, she kissed me. She could have bitten off my mouth and I would have been less surprised. Her lips were cracked and rough from the cold. Her nose fit perfectly next to mine. Our faces aligned, our breath mixed. Then she pulled away.” 
  • A giantess named Skadi says that Loki publicly “insinuated that he had shared [her] bed.”  
  • Alex and Magnus kiss after the quest is complete. Alex “clamped his hands on the sides of my face and kissed me.”  

Violence  

  • Magnus describes the accidents he had while training for his quest. He had “gotten chomped by a great white shark, strangled by a giant squid, and stung by a thousand irate moon jellyfish.” He recovers from all these injuries.  
  • Alex decapitates a wolf that had stolen a mead horn from Magnus’s uncle’s house. Alex “lashed out with his garrote like he was throwing a bowling ball. . . the golden cord wrapped around the wolf’s neck. With a yank backwards, Alex cured the wolf of any future headache problems. The decapitated carcass flopped against the carpet.” 
  • Halfborn injures his head during a shipwreck. “Halfborn Gunderson was slumped over the rudder, blood dripping from an ugly gash on his forehead.” Magnus heals Halfborn. 
  • Nine giantesses attack Magnus and his friends. “The nine sea giantesses fell upon us with a collective howl of glee. My friends were ready. Mallory Keen flipped onto [a giantess’s] back and plunged her knives into the giantess’s shoulders. Halfborn Gunderson dual-wielded mead goblets, slamming [one giantess] in the face and [another] in the gut.” This fight is described over seven pages. Nobody is seriously injured or killed.  
  • In a dream, Magnus hears Kvasir, a wise being created by the gods, being murdered. “Inside the cave, Kvasir began to scream. A few moments later, I heard the sound of a chainsaw, then liquid gurgling into a large cauldron.”  
  • In a dream, Magnus sees Alex get kicked out of her house. “A trickle of blood ran from [Alex’s] left temple. She crawled down the front walk on her hands and knees, her palms shredded from breaking her fall and leaving dabs of blood on the cement like a sponge painting.” It is implied that Alex was kicked out for being transgender. Alex leaves, and the pair do not reconcile.       
  • T.J. fights a stone giant in a duel. “With a dry crack T.J.’s rifle discharged. The giant roared in pain. He staggered backward, smoke streaming from his left eye, which was now black instead of amber.” T.J. kills the giant. The fight scene is described over 11 pages.  
  • Magnus kills a dragon by stabbing it in the heart with his sword, Jack. “Fumbling and panicked I positioned Jack’s point against the weak spot in the hide. Then, with all my strength, I drove the sword into the dragon’s chest.”  
  • Magnus kills a giant with the help of a flock of crows. “[The giant] raised his ax over his head once more. Jack pulled me into battle as the murder of crows rose from their tree and swarmed [the giant’s] face, pecking at his eyes, nose, and Frosted Flakes beard.” 
  • Magnus and his friends fight an undead army on Loki’s ship. Alex “turned into a mountain lion and lunged at the [zombie], biting his head clean off. . . Sam pulled out her Valkyrie spear. With searing light, she blasted through the undead, burning dozens at a time, but hundreds more pressed forward, their swords and spears bristling.” During this fight scene, which spans over three pages, numerous zombies are killed.      

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • The characters occasionally mention and drink mead. 
  • Magnus recalls seeing how alcohol affected people while he was homeless. “I’d been on the streets long enough to know how ‘mead’ improved people’s skills. Pick your poison: beer, wine, vodka, whiskey. Folks claimed they needed it to get through the day. They called it liquid courage. It made them funnier, smarter, more creative. Except it didn’t. It just made them less able to see how unfunny and stupid they were acting.”  

Language  

  • While kicking her out of his house, Alex’s father yells, “That’s all I want from you! To be a normal kid! Is that so damn hard?”

Supernatural  

  • Magnus has a magical sword named Jack that can talk and fly.  
  • Sam is a Valkyrie, a warrior who leads the souls of the dead heroes to Valhalla, the Norse afterlife for heroes who died bravely in battle.  
  • Magnus and his friends sail in a magical ship that can take the form of a handkerchief. Magnus “flicked the handkerchief toward the water. As soon as the cloth hit the surface, the corners unfolded and unfolded. . . In the space of two breaths a Viking longship lay at anchor in the canal, the turbulent water coursing around its stern.” 
  • Magnus and his friends encounter nine giantesses as they are sailing. “In front of us, the sea had started to churn, swirling into a downward funnel like someone had pulled the bathtub plug out of Massachusetts Bay. Rising from the maelstrom were the giant watery forms of women—nine in all, each as large as our ship, with dresses of foam and ice, and blue-green faces contorted in rage.” They fight the giantesses and escape. 
  • Magnus has healing powers that he often uses on himself and his friends when they get injured. For example, he “channeled Frey-power to heal Halfborn’s head wound.”  
  • Hearth is a sorcerer who uses runes to cast spells. “Hearth threw a runestone I hadn’t seen before. It hit [a giantess] with a bright flash, liquefying her into a large angry puddle.” The giantess recovers.  
  • Magnus possesses a magical ability known as the Peace of Frey. This power allows Magnus to “blast everyone’s weapons out of their hands.” 
  • \A stone giant appears in front of Magnus and his friends and threatens to kill them. Magnus’s “mind had to process what [he] was looking at: not a section of ruined wall, but a giant, twenty feet tall, whose appearance perfectly mimicked limestone.” Magnus and his friends fight the giant. 
  • Hearth’s dad, Mr. Alderman, is transformed into a dragon by a cursed ring. “The monster’s four feet were each the diameter of a trashcan lid. Its short thick legs dragged along a lizard-like body, maybe fifty feet from nose to tail, its spine ridged with spikes bigger than my sword. . . The new, dragonish Alderman pulled himself from his lair, muttering, grinning, then cackling hysterically—all for no apparent reason.” 
  • After Magnus accidentally tastes the blood of a dragon heart, he gains the ability to understand animals.   
  • Magnus and his friends encounter an undead army on Loki’s ship. “Taking up most of the vast deck, they stood at attention in ranks of ghostly white and blue, tens of thousands, like they were waiting for a parade review. Some were mounted on zombie horses. Others had zombie dogs or wolves by their side. A few even had zombie birds of prey perched on their skeletal arms.”   

Spiritual Content  

  • This novel is centered around Norse mythology and contains frequent depictions of and references to Norse gods. 
  • While on the quest, Sam is fasting during Ramadan. This means that she does not eat or drink during the day. 
  • Magnus prays to Frey for help when he is fighting the giantesses. Magnus says, “Okay, Frey, Dad, please. . . we’re about to die down here, so if you’ve got any help you could send me, I’d really appreciate it. Amen.” Frey sends a deity to aid Magnus. 
  • Sam prays and breaks her fast. “At sunset. . . Sam did her ritual washing. She prayed facing southwest, then sat down next to me with a satisfied sigh and unwrapped a package of dates. She passed me one, then took a bite of hers. She closed her eyes as she chewed, her face transformed by pure bliss like the fruit was a religious experience. Which I guess it was.” 

by Kelly Barker 

Court of Lions

Amani succeeded in saving Maram, but it cost her everything. Sequestered in the palace as punishment, Amani has no family and no friends. She’s also been torn away from her love, Idris—seeing him would only tempt her to take what she cannot have. That is, until Princess Maram asks Amani to take her place in her wedding to Idris.

Confused about Maram’s intentions, Amani refuses. As they talk, Amani realizes just how hurt Maram has been by everyone in her life. Amani agrees and goes to the wedding in Maram’s place. What Amani doesn’t know is that Maram has been falling in love with one of the royal falconers, Aghraas, and that Amani’s perceived betrayal cuts Maram deeper than Maram knew possible. While both young women torture themselves with love they’re unsure they can have, wedding celebrations await in Idris’s hometown, M’Gaadir.

M’Gaadir changes everything for both of them. The more time Maram and Amani spend together, the more they realize their similarities run deeper than appearances, especially as tension between the Andaalan nobles and the Vathek Empire tightens. With Aghraas’s influence and the discovery of letters containing her father’s horrible secret, Maram grows bolder and agrees to help Amani with the rebel cause. Posing as one person, Amani and Maram strengthen Maram’s political position, relying on both the rebels and the Andaalan nobles to spread word about Maram’s intention to take the throne from her father and free Andaala.

The characters face significant personal challenges alongside their political mission. Idris doesn’t approve of Amani’s rebellious activities because he’s worried she’ll get hurt. Aghraas and Maram can never be seen in public together due to their different social stations. Neither Amani nor Maram has family to rely on for advice or emotional support, forcing them to navigate their complicated feelings and dangerous political situation independently. Maram and Amani emerge as inspiring, determined, and clever protagonists who bravely confront an oppressive colonial system while wrestling with profound emotional turmoil in their personal lives.

Court of Lions focuses on two main characters who rise to face seemingly insurmountable challenges and evolve into people very different from who they were at the beginning of the series. Both Amani and Maram transform into calculating and protective leaders who lead by example, protect their loved ones at all costs, and stand by their moral principles even when doing so puts them in danger.

Somaiya Daud crafts powerful characters in Court of Lions and creates an amazingly complex and fantastical world that weaves rich culture into each poetic chapter. The novel successfully combines political intrigue with deeply personal character development, illustrating how the shaky trust established in the first book evolves into a friendship that can save the world.

Unfortunately, the book has several flaws. Maram and Aghraas’s relationship feels somewhat rushed and isn’t explored thoroughly, leaving readers wanting more depth in their romantic development. The story’s suspense could have been built more effectively. Instead, the king’s assassination is too straightforward, and the series has a disappointing conclusion that doesn’t fully match the complexity of the political maneuvering that precedes it. However, the story delivers plenty of compelling political intrigue, inspiring female characters, and a wonderful science fiction atmosphere that blends fantasy and science fiction together in this tumultuous tale of sisters, sacrifice, and resilience.

The book effectively explores themes of identity and self-acceptance that are inextricably tied to revolution and the dismantling of colonial oppression and power. Overall, Court of Lions is an engaging story with a beautiful message: nothing worthwhile ever comes easily, but what is fought for with determination and sacrifice delivers stunning rewards. The novel stands as a testament to the power of unlikely friendships, the courage required to challenge systemic oppression, and the transformative journey of young women discovering their own strength and agency in a hostile world.

Sexual Content

  • Maram is managing one of her mother’s old properties when she meets and grows close to the master falconer, Aghraas. When Maram receives important letters that change everything, she is emotionally overwhelmed, and Aghraas comforts her. “Aghraas’s mouth was soft and still for less than half a heartbeat. [Aghraas’s] fingers tightened around [Maram’s] waist, and Maram pressed back, the line of her shoulders, the length of her body. For half a heartbeat relief roared through Maram, and then a fire caught, as if it had waited all her life in the embers inside her. There was a soft cry—hers or Aghraas’s she didn’t know—and her hands clung to her shoulders as Aghraas lifted her up onto her lap.” The chapter ends before anything else happens.
  • Before the rebels try to assassinate the king, Idris apologizes to Amani, worried it may be his last chance to do so. She accepts his apology, and they kiss. “His mouth was hard on [Amani’s], and his hands tightened around [her] ribs—[she] felt as if [her] breath had been stolen from [her].”  When he kisses her neck, she pushes him away, saying she needs time.
  • In the aftermath of Maram becoming queen, Aghraas kisses her. “Aghraas bent her head to Maram’s, and her arms came around her waist, and her mouth met hers. She never ceased to be surprised by her warmth or the frisson of pleasure that shot through her from a single touch.” The book ends before anything else happens.

Violence

  • While Amani and Idris are in M’Gaadir, the Vathek government takes Idris’s relative, Adil. There is no description of the violence, but Amani and Idris discuss it. “‘Adil is dead?’ Amani whispered. ‘They sent his body to his parents’ estate—it arrived last night,’ [Idris responded].”
  • To emphasize her commitment to the rebel cause, Amani explains, “We lived in a village that was not a village. It was a kasbah, abandoned by whatever [nobles] had held it before the conquest. Nineteen families made their home there. Shortly before we left, Vath attacked. We were defenseless. Most villages have a magistrate, or a surveillance force. We were in truth homeless and trying to eke out an existence. [Everyone in the village was] slaughtered, [while the Vathek were] looking for someone.”
  • Maram starts distancing herself from Nadine, her father’s steward. Nadine blames Amani for Maram’s distance. Nadine is convinced that Amani is a negative influence on Maram. The next morning, Nadine wakes Amani with a slap. “[Amani] was roused from slumber violently, with a hand that felt like a claw around [her] arm, and pulled unceremoniously from the bed. There was no time to understand who pulled [her] from bed or why. The moment [she] stood a hand struck [her] across the face, sharp and hard. Hard enough that [she] fell again, inches from the fireplace.” Amani has a bruise, but Maram stops Nadine from inflicting more harm.
  • Later on, Nadine tries to attack Amani again. “[Nadine’s] voice did not rise, but it took on a cruel edge and her fingers gripped [Amani’s] chin like claws, as if she meant to rip [her] jaw from [her] face. [Amani] tightened [her] hold on [her] skirts. If [she] took her wrist, if [she] fought back, [she] would have lost [her] chance.”
  • Nadine confronts Amani once again, growing suspicious about the helpful information Amani has been providing about traitors to the Vathek Empire. Amani fears that Nadine has discovered the information is false and deliberately planted. However, Nadine is merely suspicious and hasn’t uncovered the deception yet. To intimidate Amani into revealing more information, Nadine uses a robot to physically threaten her. “[The robot’s] fingers wrapped around [Amani’s] throat and between one breath and the next [she] was suspended in midair. [Her] vision filled with spots, [her] throat ached, [her] heart pounded. Nadine could not kill [her]—she couldn’t. And yet [Amani] hadn’t counted on [Nadine’s] hatred of [her] and [Nadine’s] rage outweighing her sense.” Amani has bruises but is otherwise fine.
  • During the assassination attempt, the king grabs Amani. “[His] grip tightened painfully on [Amani’s] arm.” Afterwards, Amani has bruises.
  • Amani breaks herself free from the king’s grasp, but Nadine quickly grabs her. Nadine points a gun at Amani’s head, to warn the rebels away from them. Idris eventually shoots Nadine. “[Nadine] jerked, her hand still tight around [Amani’s] arm, and then released [her] and fell back.” Nadine survives.
  • While Idris saves Amani, Maram and Aghraas shoot down the king. “[The king] seemed suspended in midair for a long, agonizing moment, then fell to his knees. A moment later, he toppled forward.” The king dies from his wounds.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • When Amani realizes she needs Maram’s help to assassinate the king, she reveals her involvement with the rebels. Maram agrees to join the plot after discovering that the king—her own father—had murdered her mother. Maram says, “He poisoned her so that no one could accuse him of killing the rightful ruler of the planet. She died slowly. And her husband was executed on charges of treason.”

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • The prologue describes the magic Amani’s people believe. In the story, “a prince hunting [a magical woman, Tayreet] found her; her body had loosed its natural bird shape and taken on a human one. The prince loved her from the first, and Tayreet him.” These birds, called tesleets, exist as symbols to warn or push people towards certain events. It is implied that Aghraas is one of these birds in human form.

Spiritual Content

  • The Andaalans and people on Cadiz have a monotheistic religion. They worship the god, Dihya, and the prophetess, a Jesus-like figure, Massinia. Their religion contains many parables, stories, and prayers that Amani tells to her friends at various points. The prologue concludes with a religious saying, “And from His first creatures He made stars, glowing hot with their fire and warmth. All may see the stars, but few will see their forbears. And those whose eyes see golden fire We say heed Us and listen. For We have sent unto you a Sign. See it and take heed.”
  • After Amani’s sequestration in the palace ends, Maram asks Amani to take her place in her wedding to Idris. The wedding has some religious overtones. One wedding ritual includes people crowding around Amani as she steps into water, a baptism of sorts. “‘Be blessed,’ [Nadine and Maram’s sister, Galene] said, as Galene tipped a small vase of oil over [Amani’s] hair. ‘Be blessed’ echoed back from the crowd, reverberating and out of sync.”
  • Once the wedding is over, Maram insists that Amani also take her place in the following wedding celebrations in a city called M’Gaadir, which has a deep religious history. Amani explains that, “when at last [the tesleet eggs] landed on our planet and hatched, the first of mankind came from their hallowed shells. And because they were far from the sacred flames of their city, they never became what they ought, and remained mortal. And it was from these people that Houwa came and nursed the kernel of magic in her blood. And it was from this legacy that they chose their name—Kushaila, ‘those among the noble.’”
  • Following a busy day with Idris meeting new nobles, Idris tries to relax Amani by taking her to a religious statue. Amani describes it as “a woman sat atop the promontory outside M’Gaadir, the ocean behind her. . . Her daan [a familial tattoo] was a sharp pictograph of a feather, its end situated perfectly between her eyebrows. She cast no shadow.” The statue is of Houwa, a saint among Amani’s people.

 

by Kate Schuyler

The Woman All Spies Fear: Code Breaker Elizebeth Smith Freidman and her Hidden Life

Elizebeth Smith Friedman was born in Indiana in 1892 and was determined to attend college against her father’s wishes. She worked hard to educate herself, and this determination would shape her entire career. Later in life, she would find herself working as a code breaker for a millionaire named Fabyan. This job would lead her to her future husband, William Friedman. 

Initially, Elizebeth worked for the eccentric millionaire, Fabyan, who believed that Shakespeare’s work had hidden messages. Elizebeth and William Friedman tried to prove Fabyan’s Shakespeare theory true. However, after a while, they became restless and looked for other job opportunities. The U.S. government hired them as code breakers during World War I. During this time, spies and U.S. enemies feared her because of her unique ability to break codes and uncover secret plans.  

After completing this assignment, they returned to Riverbank, but their relationship with their employer had changed. Their boss, Fabyan, intercepted their mail, which impacted Elizebeth’s ability to secure other jobs. Eventually, William secured a position and left Riverbank. The novel includes their letters during this separation. The letters demonstrate their devotion and mutual support in their shared field, as well as Elizebeth’s feelings of being stuck while William was away.  

The novel effectively shows how Elizebeth overcame challenges, particularly in putting herself through college as a young woman during an era when this was uncommon. Elizebeth broke glass ceilings before the term was coined. She was making waves in not only a male-dominated field but also in a world that had little respect for women. Her attention to detail and courage propelled her career forward, and she would go on to establish a distinguished career as a code breaker for the Coast Guard. 

Despite compelling elements, the book reads choppy and is strangely paced, making it difficult for readers to stay engaged. There is emphasis on plot points that don’t feel important to the overall narrative. Nevertheless, readers will be inspired by Elizebeth’s story regardless of the novel’s choppy nature. Her persistence is truly inspiring, demonstrating remarkable resilience in a male-dominated field. However, some readers may need background research on World War I before starting, as the pages don’t provide much historical context. 

Overall, The Woman All Spies Fear is an inspiring novel that gives proper credit to Elizebeth’s accomplishments. Most importantly, it allows her not to be overshadowed by her husband, giving her the recognition she deserves. Still, readers may walk away wishing they knew more about Elizebeth herself, and not just her work. If readers are interested in World War I or code breaking, this book is a great option that sheds light on an important female figure during World War I and World War II.  Her story is one of persistence and the power to overcome. Her commitment to doing important work with code-breaking is inspiring. Be inspired by other women code breakers by reading Code Name Badass: The True Story of Virginia Hall and Code Breaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizebeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars. If you want to learn more about code breaking, read Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes, Ciphers, and Secret Writing, or Spy Files: Codes and Ciphers. 

Sexual Content 

  • Fabyan, Elizebeth’s boss, offers her a sexual proposition. Fabyan says, “Will you go out to Riverdale and spend the night with me?” She is shocked and refuses his request. 
  • Sex is hinted at when Elizebeth writes to William: “I am consumed with deep intimate things that burn one up with fire and longing.” 

Violence 

  • Criminal rumrunners during Prohibition used violence, and “anyone who got in their way would be gunned down.” 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • Cigarettes are mentioned. “When writing to Elizebeth, William would often use the light from his cigarette to light the way.”  
  • Elizebeth goes to work for the Navy during the “Rum War,” which is what the Coast Guard called the effort to stop smuggled alcohol during Prohibition.  
  • During Prohibition, people “would down homemade hooch and bathtub gin.” 

Language 

  • William told Elizebeth not to worry about the “damn fool Bolsheviks.”  

Supernatural Content 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

  • Both families objected to Elizebeth’s marriage to William because he was Jewish.  
  • Elizebeth’s father is a Quaker.  

by Kayleigh Doyle 

Give Me a Sign

Seventeen-year-old Lilah is stuck in the middle. At least, that’s what having a hearing loss seems like sometimes—when you don’t feel “deaf enough” to identify as deaf or hearing enough to meet the world’s expectations. She longs for a place where she truly belongs.  

The summer before her senior year, Lilah becomes a counselor at Camp Gray Wolf, a summer camp for deaf and hard-of-hearing children, as well as those who are blind or have low vision. She hopes to connect with deaf culture. While at camp, Lilah navigates friendships, her first real romance, and camp traditions, all while gaining a deeper understanding of her own identity. What begins as an ordinary summer turns into a transformative experience that pushes Lilah to embrace her identity and claim her place in the world.  

Give Me a Sign unfolds over one summer. Lilah starts as a counselor-in-training, which allows her to slowly learn more sign language, build friendships, and fall in love. One of the strongest elements of the novel is its representation of deaf culture, as Lilah learns more ASL and discovers how empowering it can be to be in a community that understands her. Lilah makes several self-discoveries as she faces microaggressions, doubts, and the fear of not being good enough. Her journey will be relatable for readers who struggle with identity or the feeling of being out of place.  

At camp, Lilah meets other deaf and hard-of-hearing counselors who help her explore what identity and belonging really mean. The most important among them is Isaac, a co-counselor and Lilah’s love interest. Their romance develops slowly as they work side by side and share parts of their lives with each other. Rather than being overly dramatic and steamy, their relationship reflects a realistic first love. Issac’s confidence and self-assurance contrast with Lilah’s doubts. Through their growing bond, Lilah learns that her hearing loss is not something that makes her less than but is an important part of who she is. 

Other counselors play a pivotal role in Lilah’s development too. Ethan, whom Lilah has known since childhood, serves as an unwavering presence, someone she can consistently turn to. His familiarity and steadfast support provide her with a sense of stability, reminding her that she is not alone in her struggles. Mackenzie, however, brings a strikingly different perspective. She often frustrates Lilah by demonstrating superior sign language skills and attempting to “teach” ASL despite never having experienced deafness herself. To Lilah, Mackenzie embodies the privilege of being hearing while inserting herself into a culture that is not her own. This tension compels Lilah to confront her own deepening feelings of inadequacy. 

The pacing of the story is steady and heartfelt, with no major plot twists or drama. Instead, it relies on a satisfying, gradual journey of growth. At first, Lilah worries about not being deaf enough, misunderstandings in her relationship with Isaac, and her fear of stepping out of her comfort zone. These conflicts are realistic and will be deeply relatable for anyone who has ever felt caught between two identities. By the end of the summer, Lilah slowly begins to embrace her deafness as a part of who she is, and she finds confidence and a sense of belonging.   

Give Me a Sign has many positive aspects, such as its representation, hopeful tone, and portrayal of identity. One of the most powerful aspects of the book is how it highlights the difference between merely surviving and truly thriving when you find a community. Ultimately, Give Me a Sign is more than just a summer romance — it’s a story about self-discovery, acceptance, and the courage to be authentic. Readers will walk away with a reminder that community can be a place of empowerment, but the real turning point comes when you allow yourself to step fully into your own identity.  

Sexual Content  

  • Lilah develops a romantic relationship with Isaac, another counselor. Their romance includes kissing and handholding. 

Violence 

  • As Lilah is swimming, a child camper named Cole jumps on her and refuses to let go. It is later explained that he did this because he has a crush on her. “I try to shrug off his hands. But Cole latches on tight, nails digging into my skin.” She tries to push him off, but he ends up ripping off her swimsuit in the process.  
  • Isaac is pushed against a car and restrained by cops after being accused of theft. They refuse to listen to Lilah as she tries to explain that he’s deaf and can’t hear their orders. “[The cop] reaches forward and pushes Isaac’s back against the patrol car, preparing to search him.”

Language  

  • There is occasional swearing, including shit, crap, and damn. 

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Rayna Burlison 

Oathbound

Bree Matthews has chosen to separate herself from her friends in more ways than one. To refine her powers, Bree chooses to go with the Shadow King himself, a shapeshifter who can move between humanity, the demon underworld, and the Legendborn secret society.  

Now isolated, Bree hopes to become more powerful. As Bree learns more about herself and her abilities, she mourns her past life and the memories she has lost.  She trains with the demon king alongside two other half-demons: twins Zoe and Elijah. Zoe, Elijah, and Bree witness a young black girl being kidnapped and discover the Shadow King feeding on her root—the same power that Bree has. The three friends must find the girl and set her free. Through this journey, Bree discovers that she can be ruthless and that demons can be more human than expected. 

Meanwhile, the other Scions must face war while their Round Table is fractured, leaderless, and missing its Kingsmage, Selwyn, who has also disappeared. When Nick invokes an ancient law that requires the High Council of Regents to grant him an audience, the Order’s Merlins imprison him. No one knows what he will demand of the Regents… or what secrets he has kept hidden from the Table.

As a string of mysterious kidnappings escalates and Merlins are found dead, it becomes clear that no matter how hard Bree tries to run from who she is, the past will always find her. 

In the third installment of the series, Bree becomes more powerful and is more motivated to save others. Even with her friends erased from her memory, she remains a selfless character, willing to make sacrifices for those in trouble. Oathbound is the first in the series to show other characters’ points of view, including healer Will, Nick, Mariah, and Selwyn’s mother Natasia. While this offers intriguing insights into the minds of other characters and provides new perspectives on the events, it can feel disorienting, and the threads are sometimes hard to follow. The new perspectives offer readers an opportunity to see relationships other than Bree’s. 

Oathbound does not have as many action-packed moments as the first books in the series. Instead, the book focuses on the characters’ development, and each character must choose with whom and what they want to align themselves. This book continues the series’ trend of addressing race, grappling with Bree’s complex ancestry, and exploring the questions of what we owe to those who came before us versus what we owe to the people in our lives now. A book about identity, power, and loyalty, fans of the first two books will not be disappointed by Oathbound, which ends with another exciting cliffhanger that sets up the fourth book in the series.  

Sexual Content  

  • Bree recalls the memory of kissing Selwyn. “My hip tingles with the memory of heated fingers pressed against my skin through a borrowed dress. Scorching palms beneath my thighs, bark scraping my spine, lips hot and burning.” 
  • A Legendborn reminds Nick that his relationship with Bree is forbidden by the Order. “The Lines cannot mix. If you and your girl get caught sparring without clothes on, the Regents will arrest you both for treason.” 
  • To avoid being suspected of being thieves, Nick kisses Bree to create a cover. “The only warning before he presses his mouth to mine—then, there is nothing to know, nothing to remember, nothing to earn or fight for, only this.” They are interrupted by a guard.  
  • Nick and Bree share a bed. “The warmth of a broad hand curled across my hip… Even through the thin layer of my pajama pants, his touch feels familiar.” 
  • Nick and Bree make out. “Now, when Nick grasps my chin, tilting it so he can kiss me more deeply, so our mouths meet more fully… When Nick’s lips coax mine open… Anticipation zips through me, my breaths turn shallow with want.” Nick stops because Bree doesn’t remember him.  
  • It is implied that Nick and Bree have sex, but it is not described. “Nick paints reverence across my throat and seals wonder to my mouth. He whispers my own magic into my skin. His hands slip down and down past the edge of my coat to grasp the long skirt of my dress. He tugs the thin fabric up and up until his fingers find my waiting skin, my arched spine, my rolling hips.” 

Violence  

  • Bree, Zoe, and Elijah fight as part of their teacher Erebus’ training plan. The three punch and kick each other. The fight ends with Zoe throwing Bree into a barrier. “Instead of smashing into the barn, my spine smacks hard into what feels like a thick concrete wall… My skull cracks against it too, and black spots dance across my vision.” The fight lasts four pages. No one is seriously injured.  
  • In Bloodmarked, Nick killed a Merlin named Max. To get revenge, a Merlin named Thompson attacks Nick. Nick “takes a flying leap at a shocked Thompson, swinging his right fist back—to land a hard, crunching blow to the Merlin’s nose…He sends a roundhouse to Thompson’s face at breakneck speed—kicking the Merlin out of the air and back down to the floor before he ever gets the chance to land.” The fight ends when Nick knocks Thompson unconscious. The fight is described over three pages.  
  • As a training exercise, Bree attacks an imp and kills it. “With a flick of my wrist, I let [the blade] fly. It hits the imp in the chest, burying itself right to the hilt.” 
  • While in a bar, Bree witnesses the kidnapping of a young black girl. Bree hears a man hit the girl. “Then a smack—fist against skin—and a body hits the floor… A bruise is already forming on her cheek.” The girl does not allow Bree to intervene.  
  • In a training session, Erebus’ aether-made animals attack Bree. Bree feels as if she is being clawed open. “The first bear’s strike rips my forearm open—and I scream. The second set of claws tears my hand down to the bone—and I whimper. The third bear digs two claws into the tops of my thighs—and drags them to my knees.” Eventually, Erebus calls them off and reveals that the attack and the pain were all in Bree’s head. 
  • Nick describes the training that his father forced him to do as a child. “Sel can hit me if it’s done in the name of ‘training’… Wait until you hear about the broken bones… Some injuries were too severe for him to risk inflicting on me, so Dad left those lessons for the Lieges… they’d leave me behind with broken bones, black eyes, cracked ribs… internal bleeding, a concussion or two. Or five.” 
  • Two of Bree’s friends, William and Lark, are standing near a car when the Mageguard blow it up. They are not injured and can fight the Mageguard. “Once we’re left to focus on the two Guards, we knock the first one out easily.” The fight is over quickly, and the Mageguards are knocked unconscious.  
  • Trying to steal the Shadow King’s crown, Bree attacks a guard. “The guard’s head rises, mouth opening to shout—then gasping in pain when he’s struck across both knees… The root expands, enclosing him in an iridescent sphere, just like the ones I’ve created to protect myself.” 
  • As Bree is looking for the crown, Nick appears. They don’t recognize each other, so they fight. Nick “groans. Twists again, this time trying to ram me into the worktable behind us. The sharp edge digs into my back… He drives an elbow down into my shin. Bone on bone, whiteout pain.” They both have bruises. The fight is described over four pages.  
  • Bree’s ancestor was raped. “What happened to Bree’s ancestor was not a ‘bad decision.’ It was rape. A violation [the rapist] should have been punished for.” 
  • At a party, a demon named Mikael interrogates the guests. Later, Lawson, one of Mikael’s employees, kills a guest named Eric, who had betrayed Mikael. “Without saying a single word, Lawson slips his hand to the back of Eric’s neck… and squeezes. Eric’s body seizes. His eyes roll back in his head—and then he’s gone.” 
  • Four warlocks attack Nick and Bree in their room. “As soon as [one of the warlocks] shifts to lift my feet up and into the waiting, empty corridor, I twist my hips and kick a foot into his face. My heel catches his nose in a satisfying crunch.” Bree is scratched by one of them. “The tail sneaks into my opening, dragging its tip along my upper arm. It leaves a trail of fire behind.” Nick and Bree knock the warlocks unconscious. The fight lasts about five pages.  
  • A Regent attacks Nick. “Nick is speeding to the outer ward… when he is thrown back by a dark green shadow. Nick flies across the lawn, hits the ground with a deep thud, and skids another twenty feet.” Nick and Bree are knocked unconscious. 
  • When Erebus threatens Bree, Selwyn cuts Erebus’ hand off. “Erebus is closer, hand outstretched—until a bolt of green aether slices through his bloodied wrist, severing his hand to the ground.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Nick orders drinks for Bree and himself. “Nick takes a sip of the golden liquid in his tumbler before he answers, wincing slightly at the burn as he sets it down.” Both Bree and Nick are underage.  

Language  

  • Profanity is used regularly and includes damn, hell, shit, fuck, and ass/asshole. 

Supernatural  

  • Bree is learning how to summon and seal her root. Erebus warns her, “Because if you don’t [seal your power], you’ll be devoured or destroyed before your real training can begin.” 
  • Erebus uses magic to erase Bree’s memory of her friends.  
  • One character, Valechaz, is a crossroads demon that makes deals to give humans magic, making them warlocks. “He’s a two-hundred-and-five-year-old half-human, half-demon cambion.” 
  • Bree’s best friend, Alice, is in a coma caused by magic. Hazel, a rootcrafter, explains, “My theory is that Alice is trapped between two worlds… My diagnosis is that she is in limbo.” 
  • Both Bree and Erebus use magic to create physical beings or items made of aether. “My right foot slides back once, then again, to create space between me and the living constructs… each is made of crystalline aether.” 
  • Nick allows a piece of the Shadow King’s crown to be embedded in his chest to give him Morgaine’s power. “Morgaine’s daughter embedded a shard of the crown into her own chest and touched her mother as she died, expecting to receive her mother’s abilities—but Morgaine’s spirit transferred instead… Morgaine lived on within her daughter, and that’s how her daughter was able to wield her powers.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Abigail Clark 

American Wings: Chicago’s Pioneering Black Aviators and the Race for Equality in the Sky

In 1903, the Wright brothers made history with the first powered, sustained, and controlled flight. Sixteen years later, a teenage Black boy named Cornelius Coffey’s world changed forever when he was given the opportunity to be a passenger in a barnstormer’s airplane. The white barnstormer did everything in his power to scare Coffey, performing rolls and spins, but this failed. After the flight, Coffey was determined to become a pilot, and he wasn’t alone in his dream. American Wings tells the true story of the Black Chicago aviators who fought for progress both on the ground and in the sky. 

American Wings chronicles the stories of Cornelius Coffey and Johnny Robinson, who first met in 1927 at a Detroit auto mechanic’s shop. Discovering a mutual fascination for aviation, they decide to team up and find a flight school that would accept them, opting for Chicago’s Curtiss-Wright School. Despite acing the application process, they were denied enrollment when they visited the school. Eventually, after the threat of a lawsuit from Coffey’s white boss, the school relented and allowed the two men to attend classes. Despite harassment from their white classmates, Coffey and Robinson excelled in their classes, completing their aviation mechanics course in May 1931. They soon began teaching at the Curtiss-Wright School, where Black enrollment skyrocketed.  

Coffey and Robinson were just getting started. Empowered by their passion for flight, especially as a means of progress, they founded what would become the Challenger Aero Club and constructed their first airfield in nearby Robbins, Illinois. As the Challenger Aero Club expanded, they would be joined by Willa Brown, a former student who would become the first Black woman to earn both a pilot and mechanic’s license in the US, and Janet Harmon Bragg, a nurse who rekindled her childhood fascination with flight after reading an article about Coffey and Robinson’s classes in The Chicago Defender. Together, they built a powerful, resilient, and historic community in Chicago in the tumultuous years between World War I and World War II. 

Authors Sherri L. Smith and Elizabeth Wein tell a compelling true story consisting of twelve chapters, beginning in 1919 with Coffey’s first flight and ending with an exploration of the Challenger pilots’ lives after the war. Smith and Wein weave the perspectives of Coffey, Johnny, Willa, and Janet into the story, which adds valuable historical context. The writers use clear and concise language that is easy to understand. There are also several photographs, documents, and newspaper clippings included that immerse the reader in the era of the Challenger Aero Club; these appear every five to ten pages. Smith and Wein’s research is so extensive that nearly 100 pages are dedicated to sources, citations, and resources, allowing for further exploration and research.  

Their struggles are not sanitized and instances of racism, segregation, and hostility that the pilots faced are far from sugarcoated. Readers will discover that the Challenger pilots were more than just talented aviators — they were teachers, innovators, and leaders. They built the Challenger Aero Club’s Robbins airfield, where Black pilots could train to fly and excel without fear. They were pioneers who helped lay the foundation for integration in the U.S. Air Force, the iconic Tuskegee Airmen of World War II, and for every Black person who dreamed of flying. Overall, American Wings is an exceptionally well-written and thoroughly researched book that tells an important, lesser-told story of the Challenger Aero Club’s fight for equality in the skies. To learn more about the history of flight, take a nose-dive into history by reading The Wright Brothers: Nose-Diving into History. 

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • The opening chapter discusses the history of Black men serving in the United States military before World War II. Segregation and general hostility were the norm. Smith and Wein cite a specific incident in August 1917 in Houston, when the “city erupted in rioting as Black soldiers, white policemen, and local citizens shot and bayoneted one another.”  
  • After World War I, eleven Black veterans were targeted by white supremacists and, along with sixty-seven other African Americans, were “lynched by white mobs. Horrifically, some people were even burned alive.”  
  • In September 1919, a Black man named William Brown was arrested on trumped-up charges in Coffey’s native Omaha. “A lawless mob set fire to the courthouse where Brown was being held, before dragging him out and hanging him. It took military intervention to disperse the crowd; two white civilians were killed in the riot. No one was ever found guilty.” 
  • In 1922, while Johnny was at college, “a Black man was lynched by a white mob in his hometown of Gulfport.” 
  • In May 1934, Willa Brown and her boyfriend, John B. McClellan, Jr., got into a tragic car accident, the exact cause of which isn’t stated. “A local boy watched screaming in horror as Willa’s car vaulted and rammed a tree. John was hurled fifteen feet into the air, landing hard and rolling another twenty feet before limping to rest.” John died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Willa suffered a broken arm, broken ribs, and a fractured vertebra, but would ultimately survive. 
  • In 1935, Johnny arrived in Ethiopia to train fighter pilots for the nation’s fledgling air force. In October, Johnny was in the town of Adwa when “four large Italian planes flew over the town and started to drop bombs. . . The image of Ethiopian soldiers attacking modern Italian armaments with their traditional weaponry of swords and spears would become symbols of the devastating war that was to follow.” 
  • Years later, in May 1954, Johnny took off on a trainer plane with an aircraft engineer. As they lifted off, the engine failed, and the plane crashed. “Johnny’s passenger was killed in the crash that followed, and Johnny himself suffered severe burns . . . two weeks later, Johnny died of his injuries.” 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • During the war, Janet Harmon Bragg made money as an amateur bootlegger, flying alcohol into the dry Macon County, Alabama. 

Language  

  • On their way to the Tuskegee Institute, Janet and her flight instructor, Walter Robinson, had to land in a field in Boaz, Alabama. Looking for a place to spend the night, Janet and Walter went to a local gas station and asked a young white man if any Black people were living nearby. The man replied, “Naw, we are pretty tough on [n-words] around here.” Deciding to brave a night flight instead of staying in Boaz any longer, Walter asks Janet, “Are we going to take off?” Janet replies, “Hell, yes!” 

Supernatural Content  

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Nicholas Paragano 

That’s Not What Happened

Three years ago, Leanne (Lee) Bauer, a high school senior, survived the Virgil County High School massacre. Lee was one of six survivors, and ever since the tragedy, a story has been going around that her best friend, Sarah, died while declaring her faith. But that story isn’t true, and Lee knows it. The main conflict arises from Lee’s dilemma: whether to remain silent for the sake of others’ comfort or to tell the truth about what really happened, even if it means angering her community and losing people she cares about. Her desire to set the record straight shows her quiet courage and need for justice, even as she wrestles with guilt, isolation, and the weight of being a survivor. This conflict forces readers to think about how far they’d go to speak the truth in a world full of falsehoods. 

That’s Not What Happened has a powerful and emotionally driven plot that focuses on Lee’s wish for all survivors to write letters about their experiences in order to keep the truth of the events alive. The story is told entirely from Lee’s point of view, but she includes the letters of the other survivors to provide a more in-depth look at their perspectives. This structure emphasizes how the truth is often fragmented and how every perspective adds complexity.   

Lee is an emotionally complex character, and her desire to tell the truth makes her admirable. She hopes to keep an honest record, rather than letting myths spread through the public. This journey causes her to face ridicule, as well as her own pain and trauma. She risks losing friends, facing violence, and reliving the death of her best friend. She struggles with guilt, isolation, and the pressure of being one of the survivors, making her voice personal and grounded.  

The other survivors include Miles, Denny, Ashley, Eden, and Kellie. Each brings a unique perspective to the event. Kellie, who was in the bathroom with Lee and Sarah during the shooting, is the one who professed her faith to the shooter. Because of her dark and edgy style, no one believed her. Instead, the public assumed it was Sarah and idolized her for it, leaving Kellie to deal with ridicule and hate for “lying.”    

Ashley, another upperclassman, was left paralyzed and in a wheelchair after the shooting. She became extremely religious and defended the story of Sarah. She was the one who started the story in the first place. She swears she heard Sarah declaring her faith. Kellie and Ashley don’t interact in the present or much in the past, but their conflicting truths create tension throughout the novel. Readers can sympathize with Kellie for being ridiculed by her community and for telling the truth. They can also sympathize with Ashley for clinging to a story that gives her pain meaning.  

Before the shooting, Miles was about to be expelled for constantly fighting and breaking rules, but now he’s seen as a hero for covering Ashley’s body and keeping her from being shot again. Despite his rough edges, he’s compassionate and brave. Throughout the story, he begins to form a romantic relationship with Lee. This romance is significant because it demonstrates that healing can enable one to start loving again. Their relationship adds a quiet hope and calmness to the otherwise heavy narrative, reminding readers that life continues even in the wake of tragedy.  

Now in college, Eden has become a powerful advocate, giving speeches about gun safety. Behind this, however, she struggles with alcoholism, using it to cope with the pain and memories. Denny, a blind student, experienced the shooting differently from everyone due to his lack of sight. His trauma is uniquely portrayed because he heard the terror around him but did not see anything, showing that trauma is not just visual and that disability shapes, but does not lessen, a person’s experience or strength.  

By showing each character’s unique perspective, That’s Not What Happened demonstrates that, no matter how simple the truth may be, telling it can come at a great cost. Together, these characters illustrate how people can experience the same event in vastly different ways and how trauma can profoundly shape someone’s life. This diverse cast allows readers to see the far-reaching impact of violence from multiple perspectives, fostering empathy and understanding.  

That’s Not What Happened deals with the harsh aftermath of a school shooting. It’s worth reading for any teens and adults who want a deeper exploration of grief, trauma, identity, and courage. The journey and characters are powerful and realistic. The book also examines the influence of public perceptions on survivors, faith, and identity, as well as the emotional consequences of a tragedy. Its main message is that truth matters, and courage isn’t always based on physical heroism; sometimes it’s just telling your story. That’s Not What Happened challenges readers to examine how narratives are shaped, and consider who has the right to speak them into existence.  

Sexual Content 

  • Lee is asexual. “I’ve known for a while that I’m on the asexual spectrum. . . There are boys I’ve had romantic feelings for, but I’ve never had any desire to do more than hold hands or maybe kiss.”  
  • Lee tries to explain being asexual in terms of food, and Miles replies, “So . . . sex is eating.” 
  • On the day of the shooting, Sarah and Lee were in the bathroom. Sarah was attempting to cover the hickeys left by her boyfriend. “If [Sarah’s parents] found out I got a hickey behind the shop building when I was supposed to be at an FCS meeting. . . ” 
  • Eden has a girlfriend named Jenny, and they’re affectionate towards each other. “Jenny kissed her on the cheek.” 
  • Lee teases Miles after she accepts his prom proposal. Lee said, “Don’t put down my truck just because you’re sad about not getting laid.” 
  • Miles and Lee kiss. “I stepped closer to him again and then slowly, gently, pressed a kiss to his lips.” 

Violence 

  • The story focuses on the aftermath of the events of the Virgil County High School massacre, a school shooting that took nine lives. It is consistently referenced throughout the novel. “I was one of the girls in the bathroom with [Sarah] the day she was murdered. And I–Leanne Bauer–am one of the six witnesses who survived the shooting.”  
  • In a scholarship essay, Denny recounts his experience of the shooting. “I didn’t know what the popping sound was. I just knew it was loud. . . Even when the bullet went through my arm, just below my elbow, it didn’t register. I felt the pain and knew I was bleeding, but still couldn’t connect the dots.” 
  • When visiting the school with detectives, Lee recounts the shooting. Lee “kept picturing the inside, the light tiles darkened with blood. Gunshots and screams. They were like sounds, but I knew I wasn’t hearing them.”  
  • Lee attempts to tell Sarah’s parents the truth about what occurred during the shooting. She describes how she and Sarah “were in the stall, and she was holding my hand, and he just. . . he shot her. He didn’t talk to her.” 
  • Ashley recounts her experience of the shooting while outside the bathroom. “Not until I looked down at the sliver of the classroom visible between [the shooter’s] feet. And saw blood spreading across the carpet . . . I felt something hit me–hard–in my lower back.” She was shot in her spine, paralyzing her legs. 
  • Tara grabs Lee’s wrist while at prom and tells her, “It should’ve been you who died in the bathroom that day, Lee.” 
  • Lee recounts Sarah’s death. “The short version is that he found us and shot twice over the edge of the stall. One bullet hit the wall, near my head, and the other hit Sarah, who was killed instantly, her limp body collapsing into my arms.” 
  • Random students confront Lee while at a party and corner her, causing her to have a panic attack. The students, including Peter, were shouting at her for the “lies” she was spreading. Lee “tried to rush forward, but Peter caught [her] by the shoulders and shoved [her] back against the wall.”  
  • Miles recounts a fight he had with another student after the student brought up Miles’ dad’s mugshot: “I jumped out of my seat and threw a punch right at his face. He ducked, and I missed, but I tried again.” The fight doesn’t escalate due to Coach Nolan stepping in.  
  • Miles talks about watching Coach Nolan be shot and killed while trying to talk down the shooter. “Before Coach Nolan could even finish that sentence, there were two bullet holes in his chest.” 
  • Kellie talks about the shooting from her point of view. “I heard the gunshots. It only took me a second to know what I was hearing. The screams made it abundantly clear.” 

Language  

  • Denny tells Lee, “You look like crap.” 
  • Miles tells Lee, “I kicked his ass.” 
  • During an argument, Jenny tells a guy, “My mom’s white, dumb-ass.” 
  • A random student calls Lee a “bitch.”  
  • Several times, someone is called a bitch.  
  • When talking about the shooter, Kellie says, “I am the one who talked to the asshole.” 
  • Other profanity is occasionally used, including crap, damn, and hell. 

Supernatural Content 

  • The fictional game Dungeons and Dragons, which contains supernatural beings, is mentioned. “[Jenny] had no idea [her] mom was such a nerd, but it turns out she grew up playing Dungeons and Dragons and is a bit of a snob about fantasy.” 
  • Jenny and Eden write a fictional comic that features magic. “Calliope is our baby. Our weird witch baby.”

Spiritual Content 

  • The central conflict is the false story that Sarah declared her faith before dying. Sarah’s mother said, “She was here to remind us all of what a good Christian should be. Her story will inspire so many people.” 
  • God and Jesus are referenced multiple times by various characters. For example, Sarah’s mother uses God as a comfort, saying, “I just have to keep reminding myself that God has a plan.” 
  • Miles and Lee discuss heaven. Miles asks, “You don’t believe in heaven?” Lee replies by saying, “I mean, I want to. Most people around here do.” 
  • The Virgil County Baptist Church is mentioned a few times. 
  • Ashley discusses her complicated relationship with God. Before the shooting, she was going through a rough patch, and she didn’t understand why God wasn’t helping. “I saw my friends and classmates and even my own family not being as good as I was, not being the kind of Christians I thought they ought to be, but that didn’t seem to matter. They seemed happy, and I wasn’t.” 
  • A priest confronts Lee, trying to get her to stop talking about Sarah. The priest says, “I hope you change your mind, but in the meantime, my congregation will be praying for you.” 
  • Another student at Virgil County High School named Tara tells Lee, “Hell is exactly where [Lee’s] going.” 
  • Lee and her mother are openly anti-religion. Lee says, “My lack of religious inclination comes from my mom. She was raised Baptist, but after the way her congregation treated her when she got pregnant at 16, she lost interest in organized religion.” 
  • Kellie discusses her religion. Kellie went to “the tiny little Methodist church in the next town over. . . no one from school went there. I thought that it was safe.” She believed she wouldn’t face more ridicule than she already had, since no one from her school attended that church. 

by Rayna Burlison 

Heist Royale

After surviving and almost winning the entire Thieves Gambit game, where she competed against other teenage mastermind criminals, Rosalyn can’t seem to escape this life. As a result of her loss, Rosalyn had to give up a year of her life to save the lives of her entire family. She has been forced to work with her ex-lover turned enemy, Devroe Kenzie, whom she hates, after he blindsided and betrayed her during the previous Gambit game. For six months, they have been traveling the world, completing mission after mission for the organization that runs the elite game.  

When the current leader of the organization faces doubt about Rosalyn’s capability to run it, a new Gambit game erupts. Two teams are formed, one in alliance with the current leader, Count, and the opposition team eager for fresh leadership. Rosalyn is dragged back into competing, only this time with a much higher personal stake. Whoever wins two out of three missions gets to decide who will be the future leader of the organization, and thus, if Rosalyn’s family will be protected from execution. However, she is also competing against the one person who despises her family more than anything: Diane Kenzie, Devroe’s mother.  

Diane proves to be a ruthless adversary, not only sabotaging Rosalyn’s team’s success but also directly threatening Rosalyn’s safety by targeting her personally. Can Rosalyn beat Diane’s team and protect her family’s lives?  

Heist Royale is the sequel to Thieves’ Gambit and continues Rosalyn’s story after her experience competing in the Gambit. Rosalyn’s character continues to evolve as she develops new friendships and learns how to navigate them. New tensions also form between her and her mother, and her connection with Devroe becomes more complicated as the story unfolds. Her struggles with these changing relationships can be relatable to any reader facing similar situations, especially those learning how to practice loyalty and awareness in friendships.  

Diane Kenzie is a relentless woman who will stop at nothing to destroy the Quest family. Her hatred began after Rhiannon Quest not only beat her during the Thieves Gambit game but also betrayed her. Years later, when Devroe and Rosalyn competed against each other in the Gambit, they seemed to form a connection. Despite his relationship with Rosalyn, Diane uses Devroe to hurt the Quest family, proving just how manipulative she is. Furthermore, her calculated plotting against Rosalyn throughout the missions displays her lingering grudge and pain.  

For those interested in an action-packed and fast-paced story, the Thieves’ Gambit Series is the perfect book for you. The author maintains the suspense and thrill that can be seen throughout the first book, Thieves’ Gambit. In this story, the author includes romance between two different couples, their love stories consisting of high tensions and many arcs. In addition, common themes of trust, betrayal, and personal growth are prevalent throughout. Thus far, there are only two books published in the Thieves Gambit series, but there is word that Lewis is working on a third book.  

Sexual Content   

  • Taiyo and Mylo, members of Rosalyn’s team, must make a scene to escape getting caught during one of their missions. They pretend to have a fight and to really sell it, “Taiyo closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to Mylo’s.” 
  • Rosalyn and Devroe share a passionate moment in a private room in the casino. Rosalyn describes, “Before I could stop myself, I slipped into his lap. He jumped, sitting up as I fully straddled him. . . his hands settled on my hips. . . His lips crashed into mine. . . He devoured me, and I devoured him, drinking every drop I could get. He tasted like champagne and mint and everything I remembered from our airport kiss all those months ago. . . His hands on my hips pulled me even closer, like he was having the same thought as me, a perfect synchronicity.”  
  • Rosalyn and Devroe are relaxing on a beach after all of their missions have been completed, and they sit together on a lounge chair. “I shifted around. Devroe’s arm stayed snug around me. I drew him in for a soft kiss and slid a pair of Ray-Bans I’d stolen for him over his eyes.” 

Violence     

  • A mysterious group chases Rosalyn on the streets of Brazil, and she has to fight them off. “I grabbed [the woman who was following me by her] scarf and yanked hard, pulling her totally off-balance. She crashed to the ground. . . Fast steps crunched over the sidewalk. . . The link of my meteor ball unraveled. The weighted ball at the end cracked right into [another man’s] nose, drawing a splatter of blood. With him distracted, I sent an aggressive kick into his knee. He screamed. A bone cracked, and he dropped to a broken knee. I sent another kick into his chin, keeling him over.” 
  • Diane, Devroe’s mother, has a heated exchange with Rosalyn in New Orleans, as Rosalyn is trying to steal the very object that Diane has been hired to protect. Rosalyn explains, “I tried to shove [Diane] back. She grabbed my hand and twisted. I winced. My breath caught as she grabbed me by the braids and tugged so hard, she might have ripped some out.” Although no one is injured, Rosalyn realizes that Diane had chained her to the fireplace so that Diane could have a head start.   
  • Rosalyn and Diane have another tense confrontation. “[Diane] twisted my arm behind my shoulders and pulled me away. . . Diane parried my fist away, then executed a well-placed kick behind my knee. I doubled over, and she yanked me back into the curtained space.” While no one is injured, both Rosalyn and Diane are determined to complete their mission.  
  • Rosalyn and her team, including one member named Kyung-soon, seemingly win the game when Diane appears out of nowhere and grabs hold of Rosalyn. “My head snapped around as something cut Kyung-soon off. A hand covered her mouth and a snap sounded before a stick was pushed under Kyung-soon’s nose. Quicker than I could push the assaulting hand way, Kyung-soon was knocked out cold. On instinct, I dropped to catch her, but an arm snaked around my neck, pulling me in tight. Yelling, I clawed my nails in the arm. Until the all-too-familiar feeling of a chilly barrel [of a gun] dug into my side.” Diane had Rosalyn in a chokehold, threatening to hurt her. She does not hurt her but uses Rosalyn’s life as a bargaining chip. 

Drugs and Alcohol     

  • Rosalyn stumbles into Baron, one of her opponents, at the casino. “Baron [was] sipping a fruity margarita, legs crossed on a suede bench.” 

Language     

  • Profanity is used occasionally. Words such as bitch, asshole, bastard, pissed, and prick are used.  
  • Noelia, one of Rosalyn’s friends and teammates, explains her brother’s anger towards her, saying, “he’s still calling me Witch Bitch.” 
  • Deep in the mountains, Rosalyn is on her next mission. “I was unreasonably pissed at whatever asshole architect dropped this lab at the edge of the water.” 
  • Kiah, the casino owner, suspects Rosalyn of cheating and thus challenges her to a game. “Instead of [using] the glass elevators, he opted for the curving glass staircase, much to the woe of my feet, dying inside these heeled boots. The bastard probably did so on purpose.” 
  • As Noelia’s dad scolds her over FaceTime, Rosalyn inserts herself into the conversation and stands up for Noelia. Afterwards, Rosalyn says, “Sorry. I should have asked before butting in, but your dad was being a prick, and I’ve really had it up to here.” 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Leela Kowalski    

Book of a Thousand Days

Dashti is not afraid of being locked in a tower for seven years. As a mucker and member of the lower class, she is simply content to have a stable food supply. Besides, Dashti swore an oath to serve Lady Saren, the youngest daughter of the Lord of Titor’s Garden (the name of their realm). So, when Lady Saren refused the proposal of Lord Khasar, leader of Thoughts of Under, and was imprisoned by her father for treachery, Dashti had no choice but to follow her.

But being trapped in a sunless, rat-infested, and highly guarded tower takes its toll on Dashti and Lady Saren. Dashti tries to use mucker healing songs to soothe her lady, but nothing seems to help Saren.

Khan Tegus of Song for Evela, Lady Saren’s chosen betrothed, visits the pair, but Saren cannot bring herself to speak to him through the small hatch in the tower. Instead, she calls upon her maid, Dashti, to speak in her place, and Dashti is forced to commit the grave sin of impersonating a member of the gentry. Her talks with Khan Tegus are soothing, but he soon stops visiting. Instead, Lord Khasar visits the tower and threatens Saren and Dashti. He says that Saren can either agree to marry him and be rescued, or she can wait out the seven years of imprisonment. Saren chooses the tower.

Thanks to Dashti’s resourcefulness as a mucker, the pair eventually escapes. However, the world they return to is not the one they left behind: Lord Khasar has completely destroyed Titor’s Garden. Dashti must find a way to save Lady Saren from Lord Khasar’s dark intentions and reunite her with her love, Khan Tegus. The two of them hide their identities and work as servants in Khan Tegus’ castle. Dashti’s healing songs soon earn her a higher position as the Khan’s scribe. As she takes control of their desperate situation, Dashti begins to understand her own astonishing talents and comes to believe that even a low-born maid can find true love.

Book of a Thousand Days is based on the Grimm fairy tale, Maid Maleen, and is loosely inspired by the culture and customs of medieval Mongolia.  Told through Dashti’s diary entries, the book is filled with reflections on her time as a maid, which makes the story immersive and realistic. Dashti’s voice is strong, unique, and exemplifies her era and class. Her narration offers just enough explanation of her world’s rules and customs to keep readers informed while omitting enough to prevent the diary entries from becoming too expositional. Readers will learn a lot about the muckers, the gentry, Ancestors, and the traditions that connect all three.

 One of the most interesting elements is Dashti’s character growth. She begins as a meek and obedient member of the lower class who wholeheartedly believes in the superiority of the “gentry.” However, as she spends more time with Lady Saren, Dashti gains confidence and self-respect. Since Dashti is a compassionate, determined, and very likable narrator, readers will find her growth deeply rewarding.

Book of a Thousand Days also includes small illustrations of Dashti’s doodles. Not only are the illustrations well-crafted, but they also allow readers to see the world more closely through Dashti’s eyes. Additionally, a hand-drawn map of “The Eight Realms” is included to help with worldbuilding.

Split into two parts – life during the tower and after – Book of a Thousand Days teaches about resilience, resourcefulness, and the strength of the human will. True power comes not from being born rich but from having the determination to survive.

Sexual Content

  • Dashti is not conventionally attractive due to birthmarks on her face, and her mother raised her to believe that her ugliness kept her safe from men. Her mother told her the story of Bayar, a beautiful woman from her village: “A lord fell for her beauty, got her with child, then left both girl and baby in the mud and never returned.”
  • While in the tower with Saren, Dashti says that they often hear voices outside, “shouting saucy things at [them].”
  • Dashti and Lady Saren hear men’s voices from outside their tower talking about Lady Saren. One stranger says that the imprisoned lady is, “Just ripe for the picking,” and they begin trying to break in. Dashti and Saren remain silent in fear, hoping the men will leave, and they eventually do.
  • After leaving the tower, Dashti leads Lady Saren away from Titor’s Garden and into Song for Evela. In the streets of Song for Evela, Dashti comments, “There were people everywhere. . . fighting and kissing and eating and just talk, talk, talking.”
  • When Khan Tegus is wounded in battle, Dashti is called in to sing healing songs for him, and the two of them have a tense moment. “He watched me while I sang. He looked at my eyes. My heart felt so big, it hurt against my ribs. At last I felt some shame and started to pull away, but he put his hand over mine on his chest to hold me there longer.” This romantic scene lasts for about two pages.
  • To ensure Lady Saren’s continued safety, Dashti tells Khan Tegus and other leaders that she is the lost Lady Saren. After she “reveals” her identity, Dashti and Khan Tegus share a tender moment. “And all the while, Tegus held my hands to his face. I didn’t mean to stroke his cheek—my thumb moved of its own accord, I swear. He smiled up at me, and my face felt hot.”
  • Nudity is mentioned multiple times as the most extreme act of vulnerability. To convince Lord Khasar to trust her, Dashti approaches him on the battlefield completely nude.
  • While Dashti is pretending to be Lady Saren, Khan Tegus proposes to her. “His cheek was next to mine. He pulled me closer, his warmth so wonderful, my skin stung against his touch. And he kissed my neck, behind my ear.” In a lovestruck daze, Dashti agrees to marry him.
  • Khan Tegus clandestinely kisses Dashti (whom he still believes is Lady Saren) after they are engaged. “He looked to see if we were alone, picked me up, hurried around a corner, and kissed me. Kissed me long.” This scene ends with them kissing once more and lasts for a page and a half.
  • Khan Tegus and Dashti are wed. They kiss before their vows: “Then he kissed me on the mouth, though there were five chiefs in the room. . . I put my arms around his neck and kissed him back.” Later, after the ceremony, Dashti excitedly thinks of the rest of the night and the future of their marriage. “I plan to laugh and laugh and dance and maybe I’ll kiss him again, kiss my khan, right in front of the whole world.”

Violence

  • When Lady Saren’s father locks her and Dashti in the tower for seven years, he tells them, “And if you try to break your way out, I’ve told the guards to kill you on sight.”
  • Dashti’s old literacy teacher used to throw candlesticks at his students “when his back pinched him sour.”
  • Dashti ritually cut her finger while taking “the oath of a lady’s maid,” a ceremony that certified her to serve Lady Saren.
  • The day that Dashti met Lady Saren and learned that she would be locked in a tower, she witnessed Lady Saren’s father slapping her. The lord slapped his daughter twice unprovoked, and when Dashti agreed to join Saren in the tower, Saren’s father slapped Dashti, too. Reflections on this event last for five and a half pages.
  • In the tower, Dashti makes a rat trap using cheese, paper, and nails. The next morning, she finds a rat’s “body stuck inside the spikes with one nail up through its chin.”
  • Lady Saren expresses her terror towards Lord Khasar, the man her father wants her to marry: “In this tower, I’m a tethered goat left out for the wolf, and now he’ll take me and marry me and kill me.”
  • When Lord Khasar visits the tower, Dashti does not pretend to be Lady Saren. Lord Khasar takes Dashti’s hand through the small hatch and slaps it against the wall three times. Dashti describes, “It stung like a log full of hornets.”
  • Dashti speaks to a tower guard, and he tells her, “You’re not coming out of that tower, miss, not unless that lord from Thoughts of Under breaks you out, and then he’d snap a maid’s neck and toss her to the dogs, more than like.”
  • Lord Khasar decides to “burn” Lady Saren out of the tower, and he sends burning chips of fire into her prison. Over two pages, Dashti and Saren frightfully stomp out the fires that Lord Khasar gleefully sets. Saren is eventually reduced to “hysterics,” and Dashti is left to fight the fires on her own.
  • As vengeance for the fires, Lady Saren dumps her and Dashti’s full chamber pot down the hatch and onto Lord Khasar.
  • A giant wolf attacks Dashti through the tower’s hatch. Its mouth is “smeared with blood,” and it snaps at her from the opening. My Lord, Dashti’s pet cat, jumps at the wolf and attacks it. Dashti hears “horrible growls from the beast, and a yelp from the cat,” but she does not see what happens. She later learns that the wolf was Lord Khasar himself, and she sees “three thin white scars down his cheek, like the marks a cat might leave.”
  • After My Lord the cat leaves the tower, Dashti reflects on his hunting abilities. “When he attacked a rat, he was deadly fast, going straight for a fatal bite on the back of the neck.”
  • Dashti and Lady Saren hear men outside the tower plotting to break in and assault Saren. Dashti makes a plan to defend her lady and herself against the men using a broken shard of a kitchen knife: “I will find their pig parts and cut them out before they touch me!”
  • Dashti and Lady Saren walk through desolate villages, and they later learn that Lord Khasar is responsible for murdering many citizens of Titor’s Garden and causing others to flee. Traders tell them that Lord Khasar “[w]iped [Titor’s Garden] out entirely” and is advancing on other kingdoms.
  • Qacha, a mucker who is employed in Khan Tegus’ kitchen alongside Saren and Dashti, “laughs when Cook knocks her head with a spoon.”
  • Khan Tegus called Dashti into his chambers to help his chief of war survive a fatal wound. “The first thing I noticed was a man lying on the floor and bleeding, bleeding fast.” The man, Batu, was wounded by an assassin, sent by Lord Khasar, who was trying to kill Khan Tegus. Batu loses a lot of blood over multiple days, but Dashti manages to save him with her healing songs.
  • Saren asks Dashti to kill her. She says, “Please, I can’t do it myself, I’ve tried. I’m too afraid and I’ll do it wrong.” Dashti refuses.
  • A servant named Osol gets angry at the chief of animals, pushes her to the ground, and kicks her. For this, he is hanged.
  • Khan Tegus leaves the palace and returns “wounded, a tenth of his warriors dead.” Dashti is able to help him with her songs.
  • Lady Vachir, ruler of Beloved of Ris, who becomes Khan Tegus’ betrothed in Saren’s absence, asks Dashti to use her songs to help with her back pain. When it does not work, Dashti blames Lady Vachir, and the lady slaps her.
  • Saren discusses her father’s abuse with Dashti. She says, “He might slap me, just for show. He never slapped me when we were alone, only in front of people.”
  • When Saren first visited Lord Khasar as a child, he shapeshifted into a wolf in front of her and killed a goat. “[Lord Khasar’s war chief] held my head and made me watch while the wolf devoured the animal.”
  • Dashti’s “song of the wolf” forces Lord Khasar to shapeshift in broad daylight, and the wolf attacks her. “He pounced, landing on my leg, and I heard a crunch before I felt pain. . . I turned my head as he lunged. The sides of our skulls collided. I could taste blood.” Her ankle is broken.
  • Lord Khasar’s warriors turn against him when he becomes the wolf. They shoot him with arrows, and he begins “tearing out the throats” of the soldiers. Several men die trying to stop the wolf, but Lord Khasar eventually sustains enough arrow injuries to kill him. His corpse falls on Dashti and further wounds her broken ankle. This fight scene lasts for two pages.
  • Dashti is caught attempting to escape the castle, and she is arrested for impersonating Lady Saren. “Hands were on my arms and legs, pulling me to a chopping block in the center of the yard, and they were none too gentle with my broken ankle.”
  • Lady Vachir declares, “By the ancient law of the Ancestors. . . it’s my right to take the life of anyone who interferes with my lawful betrothal.” She later yells, “I demand [Dashti’s] blood!”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • In the tower, Dashti and Lady Saren consume bad grain and begin seeing things that aren’t there, like wolves and orange fire. Dashti reflects, “My mama warned me once that if eating stored grain makes you see things that aren’t really there, then it’s gone bad, touched by Under, god of tricks.”
  • On their journey towards Song for Evela, her surroundings make Dashti homesick for her life as a mucker, and she calls herself “drunk with wishes.”
  • Dashti explores a market in Song for Evela and sees “skins of wine.”

Language

  • The word hell is used once. Lady Saren’s father tells Dashti, “What a hell you walked into, though it can’t be worse than your own home.”
  • Rather than referring to a god, people refer to Ancestors, either as a whole or individually. Dashti does this frequently in her writing. For example, Dashti blesses Lady Saren for protecting her from Lord Khasar, saying, “the Ancestors bless her.” Dashti also writes, “He watched her for a moment, and I swear by Titor and his dogs. . .”
  • When Dashti walks into Khan Tegus’ chambers, he exclaims, “Lord Under but you startled me.” This phrasing is used frequently.
  • After slapping his daughter, Lady Saren’s father calls her a “wench.”

Supernatural

  • Muckers like Dashti sing “healing songs” and other mystical tunes that can affect the people around them. Songs exist for nearly any ailment, and even Dashti, said to be especially effective with them, does not know every song. Whatever impact the songs have relies on the singer’s ability to visualize the songs working and the recipients’ willingness to be affected. Healing songs for specific body parts often require physical contact.
  • Dashti sings a healing song for Khan Tegus that alleviates the pain from an old leg injury. She thinks afterwards, “Some say hearing the songs makes them tickle inside, some say they feel as if they’ve suddenly gone hot to cold or cold to hot. Some say it’s like dreaming while awake, or swimming while dry.”
  • Dashti remembers when a “travelling shaman” visited her family. Shamans are religious and mystical beings who sometimes serve as healers. Dashti writes, “If he turned into a fox, as I’d always heard shamans can, I was determined not to miss the sight.”
  • Dashti sings “the song for stone hearts” to encourage the tower guards to have some kindness towards her and Lady Saren.
  • Unsure of what makes Lady Saren so depressed in the tower, Dashti continuously tries many healing songs on her. She records, “I try new songs on her, I combine songs.”
  • While listening to a storyteller in Song for Evela, Dashti recalls “the story of the skinwalkers” that she had heard during her time as a mucker on the steppes. She writes, “First, a skinwalker offers his spirit as barter to a desert shaman, then he must kill a close relative—the more he loves the person he kills, the greater his power will be.” After the murder, the skinwalker obtains a “predator spirit” from the shaman and is granted the ability to shapeshift into that predator/animal.
  • Dashti uses her songs on Cook, her superior in Khan Tegus’ kitchen, to ease the pain that she can sense within her. Dashti combines “the tune for body aches” and “the words for common pain,” and she eventually adds in “the song for heartache” as well. Cook is deeply calmed by Dashti’s abilities.
  • After Dashti helps Cook, her fellow servants and she talk about the mucker songs. Qacha, another mucker, tells her friend Gal, “The songs nudge things to be what they really are—a healthy body, a heart as calm as a baby’s in the womb.” Dashti says that there is no real power in the songs, but Qacha disagrees.
  • Not knowing she is the servant from the tower, Khan Tegus calls upon Dashti to use her mucker songs on his wounded leg. While working, Dashti can “sense the pain lifting from him fast.” She writes, “The more I work his leg, the better it remembers what it felt like to be whole and uninjured.” She heals him again later when he is wounded in battle.
  • Qacha tells Dashti about when an assassin threatened the life of Khan Tegus and a shaman “took fox form and leaped between the khan and the assassin.”
  • Khan Tegus calls Dashti into his chambers to encourage his injured chief of war’s soul to keep living. Dashti does not sing a healing song but rather “a play song, one the mucker children sing in the spring, racing in a circle.” She sings more happy songs to remind the chief of war of joyous life, and the man gradually gets better.
  • Lady Saren tells Dashti that Lord Khasar is a skinwalker who can shapeshift into a wolf. Lord Khasar’s chief of war, Chinua, once told Saren that Lord Khasar “had made quite a bargain with the desert shamans and now was the greatest hunter in all the realms.” Khasar keeps his shapeshifting a secret and only does it at night.
  • Dashti decides to bring forth Lord Khasar’s wolf persona during the day to reveal his secret powers to his troops. On the battlefield, she sings to him “the song of the wolf,” which can encourage the wolf within him to emerge. Dashti touches his boots to make the song more powerful, and it works. As Dashti is singing, Khasar is slowly forced into his wolf form. “I can say that his face thrust out, his back hunched with fur, his clothing tore, his armor bent and groaned before popping off. He dropped down on all fours, and where Khasar had stood, a wolf now growled.”

Spiritual Content

  • People of the Eight Realms worship the “eight Ancestors” and the “Eternal Blue Sky.” This group is called “the sacred nine.” Each of The Eight Realms is named to honor an Ancestor, and each Ancestor is a god/goddess of a different physical thing or concept. Each of the Eight Realms has eight chiefs for the eight Ancestors, though one ancestor, Under’s, has chiefs that are invisible and never seen.
  • The realm “Vera’s Blessing” is named for Vera, goddess of food. Dashti prays to Vera to thank her for their tower’s food storage and to help keep them fed.
  • The realm “Beloved of Ris” is named for Ris, god of roads and towns. Dashti prays to him to help her and Lady Saren “find home.”
  • The realm “Song for Evela” is named for Evela, goddess of sunlight. Dashti prays to her while in the sunless tower to return her to the sunlight.
  • The realm “Carthen’s Prayer” is named for Carthen, goddess of strength. Dashti prays for Carthen to make her and Lady Saren strong enough to break down the walls of their tower.
  • The realm “Pride of Nibus” is named for Nibus, god of order. Dashti appeals to Nibus regarding her status as Lady Saren’s loyal maid.
  • The realm “Goda’s Second Gift” is named for Goda, goddess of sleep. Dashti prays that Goda will keep Under asleep so that he does not threaten their chances of survival in the tower.
  • The realm “Titor’s Garden” is named for Titor, god of animals. Dashti remarks that even Titor “can’t force a cat to change his mind.”
  • The realm “Thoughts of Under” is named for Under, god of tricks. Dashti blames Under for their rat infestation in the tower.
  • When Dashti and Lady Saren are locked in the tower, Dashti quickly works her prayers into her morning routine. “First thing, I splash a drop of milk in the north corner, facing the direction of the Sacred Mountain, and say my prayers. By tradition, I should dribble the milk on the soil, not stones, but it’ll have to do since the metal flap faces south.” Dashti also prays to her mother at night.
  • Dashti believes that, when a person dies, their “soul climbs the Sacred Mountain.” They join the “Ancestors’ Realm,” a version of heaven.
  • Dashti has been taught that the power imbalance between the gentry and the common folk is sacred. The gentry themselves are said to be descendants of “divine ancestors” and favorable in the eyes of the gods. Dashti closely follows the rules laid out for her as a lady’s maid so that she can appease the Ancestors.
  • When Dashti and Lady Saren find other people for the first time since leaving the tower, Dashti calls it a “heavenly sight.”
  • Certain sins make one unable to join the Ancestors’ Realm. When Lady Saren asks Dashti to kill her, Dashti responds, “If I did such a thing, there’d be no place for me in the Ancestors’ Realm, nor for you either. We’d wander in the gray beyond the borders forever, with nowhere to sit and no milk to drink, and I’d never see my mama again.”
  • Lord Khasar lays siege to Titor’s Garden and Goda’s Second Gift, and he changes the name of Thoughts of Under to “Carthen’s Glory” to appeal to the goddess of strength. Lord Khasar’s indiscretions against the Ancestors lead Dashti to think that, “Animals, sleep, and trickery will not be his friends” on the battlefield.
  • When Lord Khasar “offered his soul to the desert shamans” to obtain the powers of a shapeshifter, he barred himself from the Realm of the Ancestors. Dashti writes that his soul “can never climb the Sacred Mountain.”
  • When Dashti is in prison for impersonating a gentry, she thinks of the Eternal Blue Sky instead of praying. She reflects, “How can a body be too sad with the highest sky blue?”

by Gabrielle Barke

Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix

Between tight corsets, expectations of marriage, and the crushing weight of being misunderstood, Oliver Bennet feels trapped in his 1813 London life. While the rest of the world believes he is a young woman by the name of Elizabeth, he is actually a boy who wants nothing more than to be accepted as himself. To make matters worse, his mother pressures Oliver to find a husband and become the perfect wife—a prospect that makes Oliver’s stomach churn. When he meets Mr. Darcy, a harsh but intriguing young man who is rude to “Elizabeth” yet charmed by Oliver, he develops confusing feelings that may be the push he needs to live as his authentic self.  

Oliver begins to get to know Darcy by living a double life. As his true self, Oliver feels a growing attraction to Darcy and the world of men, which he is finally able to enter. While playing the part of “Elizabeth,” Oliver increasingly worries that his identity will be discovered, particularly with the mounting aggression of his male suitors. As the two young men grow closer, Oliver considers the complexities of two men falling in love and begins to imagine something beyond his wildest dreams: could he find love not as an obedient wife, but as himself?  

In this thought-provoking twist on Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride & Prejudice, the character of Lizzie Bennet is filled by a young transgender man fighting for freedom from the constraints of being labeled a woman. Oliver’s two identities make for a fascinating and complicated dynamic between him and Darcy, particularly because Darcy does not know the two are one and the same. Oliver and Darcy form an endearing bond based on respect and admiration, which soon grows into something deeper and more passionate.  

Oliver’s friend Charlotte and sister Jane, two of the few people who know about his true self, become important confidantes, along with Oliver’s father. As a woman who loves women, Charlotte is able to relate to Oliver’s difficulty fitting into the rest of society. Oliver’s close relationships with his sister and father mirror the close relationships from Austen’s original novel. The two are able to help support Oliver in his difficult journey of revealing himself to his family, and especially his mother, who puts a lot of pressure on him to be a proper lady. Fans of Pride & Prejudice will find these background characters familiar enough to be comforting, yet different enough to be interesting.  

Novoa certainly takes liberties with the story in terms of adaptation. The way he writes a trans character in a Victorian setting feels rather contemporary, particularly knowing there are so few records of real transgender people from the time period. What the story lacks in faithfulness, though, it makes up for in queer representation and joy. Reading about Oliver’s experience is a great way for readers to gain a deeper understanding of the trans experience. His struggles with gender dysphoria, fear of coming out, and leading a double life are struggles that are also relevant in today’s world. This gives an already romantic and delightful read a deeper layer of importance.  

Sexual Content  

  • Though not explicitly sexual in nature, there are several references to parts of Oliver’s body that make him feel dysphoric—particularly his chest. For example, “Mrs. Bennet yanked on the lacing of the stay pressed tight beneath his breasts” and Oliver “gritted his teeth as the cinching fabric pushed his chest up and forward—accentuating a shape that made him utterly nauseous.”  
  • There are a few references to Molly Houses, or places for non-traditional people like Oliver to gather and be authentic. Though they are harmless in reality, Oliver says they have a reputation of being “scandalous sex dens.”  
  • While dancing together at a Molly House, Darcy kisses Oliver, “a taste at first, then again with slightly more pressure.”  
  • A later kiss is described as follows: “Oliver pulled away, just slightly, the warmth of Darcy’s breath spreading over his nose and mouth. Darcy opened his eyes, his heated gaze searching Oliver’s.”  

Violence  

  • While considering having to marry a man who would treat him as a wife, Oliver makes a vague reference to harming himself. He thinks that “he would prefer far darker ends” to marrying Mr. Collins, one of his suitors.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Occasional profanity is used. Profanity includes arse, bastard, and hell.  
  • Oh God and similar phrases are used as exclamations occasionally.  

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • While walking through thick mud, Oliver “swore at the heavens above and hells below.” 

by Edie Meehan 

The Samurai’s Assassin

Trapped in their great-grandfather’s museum and visited by restless ghosts of the past, Arthur and Finn must travel back in time and rewrite history to set the ghosts free. Travel back in time with brothers Arthur and Finn to prevent Tatsushi, a brave Samurai warrior, from making a fatal mistake. After warlord Kenji Kuroda kills Tatsushi’s father, Tatsushi is determined to get revenge. Will the boys convince Tatsushi to choose a different path in life and escape the clutches of the deadly tyrant Kuroda in time to make it back to the present?   

In this installment of the Warrior Heroes Series, Finn and Arthur meet the siblings Mayuko and Tatsushi. After witnessing his father’s murder and his sister’s kidnapping, Tatsushi vows to save his sister and kill Lord Kuroda. The three boys follow the enemy samurai on a perilous journey. Along the way, they are joined by a mysterious monk. The monk, Finn, and Arthur are determined to keep Tatsushi from reacting in anger. Tatsushi is reminded often: “We should only kill them if it will help us achieve what we are here for. . . You may desire revenge but you must never act on it.”   

The Samurai’s Assassin is an action-packed adventure that teaches about the samurai’s ways. Most of the book focuses on the journey to Lord Kuroda’s castle. As they travel, the group faces numerous dangers, making the story fast-paced. However, there is very little character development. Instead, the focus is on Tatsushi’s desire for revenge and everyone’s desire to keep Tatsushi’s anger under control.   

Even though The Samurai’s Assassin is part of a series, the books do not have to be read in order because each book focuses on Arthur and Finn going back to a different time period and wraps up the storyline. Each book in the series follows a familiar pattern, but there are enough differences to make each story unique and exciting.  

The historical facts of The Samurai Assassin highlight the samurai’s hope to solve problems peacefully and dispel any falsehoods portrayed in modern media. The brothers face dangers but engage in battle only when necessary. The appearance of a monk adds a mysterious element to the story. However, the monk often takes over, leaving the boys to follow his lead; this makes the victory hollow. In addition, Arthur and Finn do little to help Tatsushi other than shoot arrows at the enemy. Given the brothers’ insignificant role, readers may wonder whether their presence was necessary. 

Even though the character development is lacking, readers will still enjoy stepping into the world of the samurai. Readers will appreciate Finn’s role in helping Tatsushi as well as his knowledge of the samurai’s ways. The story emphasizes the importance of avoiding hasty decisions made out of anger, as well as the value of using nonlethal force when possible. Even though Lord Kuroda is killed, his men are allowed to retreat without the threat of retaliation. The Samurai’s Assassin delivers an entertaining story that reflects the samurai’s beliefs and culture. 

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • Samurai believed ritual suicide was honorable. “They’d slit their own bellies open rather than face dishonor.”  
  • During a ritual suicide, “you sit down in front of a crowd, take a dagger, grit your teeth and cut your own belly open. . . If it hurts too much the samurai has someone standing behind them ready to chop off their head and put them out of their misery.” 
  • The samurai Hanzo Uchida died an unjust death. His son “wanted to avenge [his] death, but he acted rashly,” causing the villagers to be massacred. Hanzo Uchida wants Finn and Arthur to go back in time and keep his son from killing in anger. 
  • Finn befriends Mayuko and Tatsushi, two Japanese teens. When the three friends get to the village, they find Mayuko and Tatsushi’s father dead. “Face down in the mud lay a simply-dressed samurai, his long hair streaking out into a growing pool of blood.” 
  • Samurai used many weapons, including a sword, spear, bow, and kusari-fundo. The book explains the weapons and their use. For example, “you can use the weight on one of the ends of the [kusari-fundo] chain to crush your enemy’s skull.”  
  • Mayuko is kidnapped. Finn, Arthur, and Tatsushi follow the enemy. Tatsushi frees Mayuko. Afterwards, “at Tatsushi’s feet lay two bodies.”  
  • The enemies attack the four friends. “Two of [the enemy samurai] fell as they ran, Finn and Arthur both finding their mark. The larger mob of Kuroda. . . bellowed in rage and began running towards them, brandishing swords and spears. . .” The four friends run as “spears hissed into the ground around them.” The teens escape without injury.  
  • The four teens, a servant named Ryu, and a monk are traveling when Ryu sat bolt upright. His eyes rolled up in his head and he fell forward to reveal the shaft of an arrow thrusting up from his back.” The teens hide, but Ryu is dead. 
  • The monk confronts the men who killed Ryu. “Then in a flash of impossibly quick motion he crouched down, grabbed the end of his staff and drove the other end up in the air to connect with one of the horsemen’s faces. . . He gave two more swift thrusts and all three men toppled to the ground.” The men are knocked unconscious.   
  • While scaling a castle wall, a man looks out the window. The monk “brought his staff down off the roof and jabbed the tip down. It connected with the base of the man’s neck, and the immediate danger was over.” 
  • Finn and five others scale the castle. When they reach the top, a man comes out of a roof hatch. Tatsushi “sprinted across the roof towards the guard, parrying the man’s vicious spear-thrust and charging into his chest. The guard stumbled backwards, tripping. . . and with a terrified shriek, toppled sideways over the edge of the castle.” 
  • Another man comes out of the roof hatch. “Finn’s arrow was lodged in his chest before he could move any further.” 
  • The enemy, Lord Kuroda, agrees to fight the monk, Akira. Akira “crouched, twisted his staff to vertical and thrust powerfully upwards into Kuroda’s chest. The warlord grunted, his eyes wide with shock as he was propelled backwards through the air, and with a final roar of rage, soared over the edge of the roof and down into the darkness below.” Lord Kuroda’s men flee.  
  • One page describes the clever ways an enemy would be killed if they attacked a castle. For example, “pouring hot sand out of windows onto your attackers.”

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Mayuko and Tatsushi’s father, Lord Kuruyama, was killed by poison.  
  • While outside a village, Finn and his companions hear “raucous laughter of drunk men.” 

Language  

  • None

Supernatural 

  • Arthur and Finn’s grandfather created a museum about warriors throughout history. The museum is haunted, and when the grandfather died, “he started haunting the place too. He felt guilty about the trapped ghost warriors and vowed he would not rest in peace until all the other ghosts were laid to rest first.” 
  • When one of the ghost warriors touches the boys, we get transported to the time and place where the ghost lived and died. And we can’t get back until we’ve fixed whatever it is that keeps the ghost from resting in peace.”

Spiritual Content  

  • When Finn time-travels, he ends up in the ocean. He prays “he would see some way out of this nightmare that he had swapped for the Professor’s study.”  
  • While talking about avenging the death of Tatsushi’s father, Finn “prayed that his brother had something that would keep their friend in check.” 
  • When Tatsushi frees is sister, five men give chase. Finn and Arthur prepare to help. Finn prays “that their enemies would have all eyes on Tatsushi’s band.” 
  • While Finn is scaling a castle wall, a man looks out the window. Finn “looked up at the roof above, praying that one of the others would see the predicament he was in.”  

Retro

Luna Iglesias didn’t mean to create a social media firestorm by posting a nasty video of her ex-friend Samantha, but she did and cruel comments from across the internet drove Samantha to attempt suicide. Luna feels absolutely horrible. And apparently, so does Limbo, the social media company on which the comment was posted. To set things right and teach about the dangers of social media, Limbo creates a competition for Luna and her classmates to compete in—the Retro Challenge. The idea is simple: students give up all electronics made post-2000 and embrace a “retro” lifestyle. If students can manage to go retro for the whole school year, they get a full-ride college scholarship.

Luna joins the challenge, hoping to redeem herself and make it up to Samantha. And things seem to be looking up after Luna goes retro. She develops tight bonds with some of the other retros, people she otherwise would never have befriended. She enjoys attending retro events and dressing in vintage clothing. Maybe being unplugged was exactly what her life needed, because without her phone, she feels alive.

As Luna traverses the Retro Challenge, the good times are disrupted by suspicious events. A stalker leaves Luna threatening messages. The popular kids, the Goldens, try to sabotage the challengers. The students who fail the challenge disappear. Clusters of dead animals appear in the woods. Soon, Luna realizes that Limbo’s challenge may not be what it seems. Suddenly, it’s up to Luna and the retros that are still left to figure out what’s really going on and determine if Limbo is a friend or a foe.

Luna is a bold, bright main character who realistically embodies teenage spunk. Her unique voice provides eccentric and often meta commentary about how fictional teenagers are portrayed in media, making her an interesting narrator. She’s also a realistic narrator, as she faces realistic teenage issues, like the mishandling of social media. Her youthful recklessness is a deliberate character flaw that makes her feel like an authentic teenager who isn’t malicious but makes a mistake that has serious consequences. Despite this flaw, Luna is a caring and loyal character who forgives others. She believes in redemption, and that gives her a lot of power as a protagonist.

Retro’s array of side characters brings a lot of flair, and all of them have side stories that are easy to get invested in. Luna’s crew is a sweet example of the found family trope, giving a safe space to characters who are all struggling with different things such as clinical anger management, the loss of parents, and the inability to go to college. One of them, Kilo, the mysterious, punky loner, is a standout, with a gut-wrenching backstory that concludes with a serious tug at the heartstrings. Aside from Luna’s friends, the popular bullies known as the Goldens are also given a surprising amount of depth that humanizes them and reminds readers that teenagers often struggle with hidden issues.

The most unique element of Retro is that it’s set to a playlist of old songs—each chapter set in the past is named after a song that is supposed to fit the vibe of the chapter. Readers can access the playlist created for the book on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Music. This is a genuinely enjoyable gag that makes the read more exciting and will likely introduce younger readers to new music.

The “pause” chapters are set in the present and don’t have a song attached to them. They disrupt the book’s flow with an off-putting change in writing style. In general, Retro’s biggest flaw is that it continuously spoils itself by outright telling readers that something bad is going to happen soon. For example, Luna tells the reader that one of her friends is going to disappear before they do. This tactic doesn’t allow suspense to build, and readers are never truly surprised.

The “retro” aesthetic of the props, events, parties, and settings of the book makes for a fun, sometimes cheesy, read. Readers won’t have a hard time having fun alongside the characters. The book starts slowly, but when things get going, they zoom. The action scenes towards the book’s end are a lovely thrill, and the ending manages to be satisfying while still maintaining an element of realism. The only unrealistic element is that Luna and her friends don’t have any symptoms of withdrawal after giving up technology, making it too easy for them to ditch social media.

Retro confronts modern-day issues, using not just the characters and plot but also the flashy retro settings to emphasize and strengthen the book’s messages. The book’s main purpose is to warn about the dangers of social media. It tackles cyberbullying and highlights how the companies behind media platforms can be problematic because they encourage bad behavior and objectify people. But Retro doesn’t just cover social media problems—it addresses the concepts of intention vs. impact, body image issues, the danger of secrets, and even immigration, as Luna’s mother is on a work visa that gets threatened. The book ultimately takes an optimistic approach to the future, demonstrating that younger generations can change things for the better if they band together.

Retro is a bright, entertaining blast from the past with lovable characters, colorful settings, and action scenes that enhance the reading experience. That said, the book struggles to generate suspense due to a spoiler-prone narration style, its slow start, and jarring perspective changes. Still, the positive elements of the book outweigh the flaws to provide readers an entertaining—though at times rocky—read.

Sexual Content

  • While shopping, Luna is trying on a pin-up girl Halloween costume and catches her crush Axel staring. “As I slipped into a skintight corset, I caught Axel staring from the next aisle over.” She admits that she likes his gaze. “I pulled my top down a little more. Maybe I wanted him to keep staring. Maybe I liked it.”
  • At the Halloween party, Axel and Luna dance, and Axel touches Luna’s body romantically. “I felt his hands and how they advanced—touching my body, gripping my waist, controlling the tempo entirely. . . His chest was pressed close to mine. Our lips were getting closer.”
  • Axel and Luna have their first kiss in the movie theater. “I pulled away. He pulled me back. He pulled me in for a kiss. And what a kiss.”
  • A Golden’s member, Jade, sexually blackmails Luna with a video of her kissing Axel. Jade narrates what happens in the video. “You and him, getting hot and steamy in the projector. The lights go out. He pushes you against the wall. Bodily fluids are exchanged.”
  • Luna’s close friend Mimi casually kisses their other friend Nika.
  • While on the bus, Luna kisses Axel. “Just touching him made adrenaline course through my body. . . Then I grabbed his face, pulling him for a kiss.”
  • Axel and Luna dance and kiss at a house party. “He touched my hips. Caressed my neck. I smelled his cologne. He spun me to face him, and when the beat dropped, he kissed me. Intense, hot, sweet. That kiss was everything and more.” The scene lasts two pages.
  • In Axel’s bedroom, Axel and Luna make out. “I pulled off his shirt. . . My heart pounded. My forehead pressed against his. The only way to fuse with everything he was. . . I wanted all of it.” It’s implied that they have sex. The scene lasts two pages.
  • Luna and Axel make out in their school’s darkroom. “Axel pulled me up onto one of the tables and slowly caressed my hips. I put my wrists around his shoulders in the dark. I kissed him hard. Red heat pounded against our bodies.”
  • Axel surprises Luna by taking her to a drive-in movie theater, and she kisses him. “I grab Axel by the face and pull him in for a kiss. A kiss that has been building up inside me for so long, one that makes me lose track of time.”

 

Violence

  • The book begins with Luna locked in a room, covered in blood for unknown reasons. “But here I stand, soaked in mud, blood stained across my diamond disco dress . . . And the blood is dried on my hands.” This scene lasts two pages.
  • When she was younger, Mimi recalls, “[she] almost drowned” at a waterpark.
  • Luna’s close friend, Samantha, attempts suicide by eating pills. “After her mom fell asleep, Samantha would take a pill for every [mean] message she’d seen that day. Finishing the entire bottle — of thirty-seven pills.” Samantha spends time in the hospital and an outpatient psych program and makes a full recovery.
  • Jade thinks Axel cheated on her, so she throws a rock at him. “Axel dodged it in the nick of time. It collided with the windshield.” Axel did not cheat on Jade.
  • Axel instigates a fight with Vince, a Goldens member, after Vince joins Jade in accusing Axel of cheating on her. “Axel’s hand pulled back and curled into a fist. The blow connected with Vince’s nose, a shot so heavy that it sent him to his knees.” Vince’s nose is injured.
  • Luna and her retro friend Kilo discover dead animals littering the woods. “They lay in a small field of grass. Lifeless animals — a family of deer, sprawled in the woodlands, slain. We got closer. There was no blood, and their eyes were still open.” Luna later discovers other dead animals and figures out they’d been electrocuted.
  • Vince gropes Mimi at a party. “Vince bumped into Mimi, doing one of the lowest things you could do to someone. Because his hand drifted to the butt of her dress.” She then pushes him into the pool.
  • While trying to escape imprisonment, Luna punches one of her captors. “I throw out an elbow, connecting with a guard’s face. I hit him so hard.” It’s unclear if the guard is injured.
  • Luna notices “lacerations” on Kilo’s hands. “When his palms turned upward, I saw that the skin was all cut up and dried with blood.” He tries to hide this. Later, it’s revealed that the cuts are from burying the dead animals they found.
  • Kilo reveals that his “parents died in a car accident. We were hit by a drunk truck driver, and I was the only one who survived.”
  • Luna discovers that Vince has body dysmorphia and has been starving himself/throwing up food to lose weight for his wrestling goals. “‘I have to lose weight to qualify for the next wrestling tournament.’ Vince gagged, coughed, and suddenly threw up.” Axel knows about Vince’s issues and softly chides, “Maybe that’s true. . . but you’ve been purging yourself again, and it’s not only for wrestling.”
  • Jade tries to drug Luna in order to stop Luna from having fun at Axel’s house party because Axel started dating Luna after he broke up with Jade. When Luna finds out, she “slapped her across the face. With such force that she stumbled back and her cheek pulsed red.”
  • To help Luna escape, a character hits her captors. “And that’s when they’re both clocked over the head. With a cane. The guards stumble to the ground, knocked out cold.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Alcohol is present at many parties that are thrown and consumed by underage individuals. Drugs are used in a number of contexts, including for medicinal and harmful purposes.
  • Samantha attempts suicide via overdose by “finishing the entire bottle—of thirty-seven pills.”
  • Luna finds a video on her phone of a very drunk Samantha, which she posts on the internet. “[Samantha] was dressed like a Disney princess, but drinking like it was Pirates of Caribbean. . . I had never in my life seen a princess so wasted.”
  • Kilo throws a bottle of whiskey into the fire, but it’s unclear if he had drank from it or not. “[Kilo] approached slowly, his hands shaking with fear, holding a brown paper bag—and from it he pulled out a bottle of whiskey. . . Kilo threw the bottle into the fire.”
  • At a house party, tons of students are drinking, including Luna and her friends. When they first arrived, Luna’s retro friend, Darnell, brought them alcohol. “Darnell came flying down the spiral staircase, handing us red cups filled to the brim. ‘Some naughty hydration for my ladies,’ [Darnell said].” This party scene lasts seven pages.
  • At the house party, Samantha declines a drink because of the medication she’s taking as part of her recovery from her suicide attempt. “If I mix booze and all these pills I’m taking, I’ll probably turn into a leprechaun.”
  • When Luna heads to the Goldens’ hangout, she sees “bottles of booze” on the ground.
  • Vince cruelly jokes about Samantha’s overdose, saying, “We don’t sell pills here. At least not your type.” Samantha responds, saying, “Xanax. . . that’s what I took that night. Thirty-seven pills.”
  • At the Winter Formal Dance, a female student sneakily drinks from an alcohol flask and admits she’s tipsy before offering Luna a swing. Luna declines.
  • Jade reveals she tried to drug Luna by putting something in her drink, though Mimi ended up getting drugged because she swapped cups with Luna. “I was trying to drug Luna. . . It wasn’t a date-rape drug or anything. . . I just wanted to scare you and ruin your night.” She eventually apologizes, and Luna forgives her.

Language

  • Profanity is used rarely. The profanity includes hell, ass, damn, and bitch.
  • Bodily vulgarity is used on occasion, including the words genitalia, vagina, and penis. Ass is mostly used in this context.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Luna describes the creepy woods using a biblical comparison. “The abandoned forest was like a twisted Garden of Eden.”
  • Luna discusses the concept of Limbo in relation to the afterlife. “Traditionally, [Limbo’s] the place where souls are trapped before getting assigned to heaven or hell.”

by Sarah Leberknight

The Inexplicable Logic of My Life

Seventeen-year-old Salvador Silva enters his senior year overwhelmed by anxiety about the future. He faces typical teenage pressures—graduation, college application essays, and choosing where to attend school—but also grapples with deeper questions about his identity and growing anger at the world around him.   

His unique family situation complicates Salvador’s internal struggles. As a white teenager adopted by his gay Mexican father, he often feels caught between worlds, never quite fitting in. When classmates remind him he’s not “really” Mexican, the pain of not belonging cuts deep. This alienation intensifies when a bully named Enrique targets him, making cruel jokes about his father’s sexuality. 

The novel is written from Salvador’s point of view, allowing readers to understand his inner thoughts and struggles. This point of view also provides context about the secrets he is keeping from his friends and his dad. Although Salvador’s adoptive family’s dynamic is stable and supportive, he still struggles to control his fear and anger.  

Despite these challenges, Salvador isn’t alone. His close friends, Sam and Fito, provide crucial support, though they’re fighting their own battles with difficult family situations. The three teenagers find strength in their friendship and in Salvador’s father, who serves as a stable, caring presence in their lives. 

With guidance from his dad and his beloved grandmother, Mima, Salvador learns to navigate the transition to adulthood while processing his complex emotions about identity, belonging, and family. Together, this unconventional support system helps him and his friends find healthy ways to cope with change and discover who they want to become.  

Salvador is a relatable character who realizes that bad things happen in his life, and he must be prepared to face difficulties. This includes the death of a loved one, learning to regulate his emotions, and making choices. Salvador’s friends deal with similar issues as they struggle with dysfunctional and abusive families. Despite their difficulties, the three teenagers lean on each other for support and help one another in times of need.   

The plot of the novel is not overly complex, but it tackles very serious and heavy topics such as love, death, and identity. The Inexplicable Logic of My Life highlights the complexities of relationships between parents and their children, as well as the dynamics between friends. It also showcases the many forms of love, whether it be familial or friendship. However, the overarching theme is that family can come in many forms.   

Sexual Content  

  • Salvador’s friend Sam has an argument with her mom where her mom says, “If you don’t watch yourself, little girl, you’re going to wind up dancing around a pole, half-naked, surrounded by salivating dirty old men.”

Violence  

  • While walking home after school, Enrique approaches Salvador and says, “Your dad’s a faggot.” Salvador hits him. Salvador describes, “I remember feeling the pain in my own fist just after it hit Enrique Infante’s face. . . seeing all that blood gush from another guy’s nose made me feel alive.” Enrique has a broken nose after the incident. 
  • While getting a Coke at a gas station before school, a guy calls Salvador a “pinche gringo.” This results in another fight. Salvador “punched him. No thinking involved, just a reflex. Punched him right in the stomach. . .” There are no grave injuries. 
  • A boy calls Sam a “bitch” while Salvador is with her. “And just like that, I took a swing at him. He fell back, but my punch didn’t stop him. He put up his fists and started going for me.”  
  • Salvador witnesses a group of boys bullying a classmate and intervenes. “. . . I had this guy by the collar and was shoving him against a chain-link fence. I was right in his face and I was telling him, ‘I’m gonna kick your ass from here to Canada.’” 
  • Salvador’s friend, Fito, gets kicked out of his home after not allowing his mom to steal his money. He says, “[My mother] had this demonic look on her face, and then she just starts hitting me and saying all sorts of shit.” 
  • Salvador threatens Sam’s ex-boyfriend after seeing them speaking post-breakup. Sam slaps Salvador to get him to back off. “That’s when I felt Sam’s slap. She slapped me so hard I fell back.” 
  • Upon hearing the news of his mom’s death, “Fito started hitting himself. I mean, he was punching the hell out of his chest . . . and he wouldn’t stop hitting himself.” 
  • During Fito’s mom’s funeral service, Fito and Salvador get into a violent fight with Fito’s brothers after they insult Salvador’s dad. “Fito had his brother on the floor and was punching his lights out. And then his two other brothers jumped in. . . next thing I knew, I’d joined the fight, and I was pulling one of Fito’s brothers off him and I was punching him in the stomach – then in the face. . .” Fito has to go to the ER for his injuries afterward, but no one else is seriously injured. 
  • In a letter left for Salvador by his late biological mother, she states, “[Your biological father] slapped me with the back of his hand and sent me flying.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Fito’s mom and brothers struggle with drug addiction. “[They] had all dropped out of school in favor of mood-altering substances, following in their mother’s footsteps. When I met [Fito’s] mother, her eyes had been bloodshot and glazed over, and her hair was all stringy and she smelled bad.” 
  • Salvador’s dad smokes on their back porch multiple times.  
  • Sam’s mother dies in a car accident because she drove under the influence. 
  • Salvador’s father tells Sam, “When you and [Salvador] were about six years old, your mother got arrested for driving while intoxicated.”  
  • Salvador remarks that “Fito lives in a crack house.” 
  • Sam and Salvador drink two bottles of wine while his dad is away. Salvador says, “I wanted to know what it felt like to be drunk.” 
  • Salvador’s uncle offers Fito and Sam beer. Sam and Fito drink it, but Salvador does not. 
  • Fito’s mom dies, and the newspaper reports it as “an apparent drug overdose.”  
  • At his grandmother’s funeral, Salvador drinks, “chugging three beers on an empty stomach . . . no bueno.”  
  • In a letter left for Salvador by his late mother, she describes her younger days. “I was an incredibly self-destructive young woman. I loved to party, I loved to drink, and I loved drugs.” She also states, “I got hooked on alcohol and cocaine.”

Language  

  • There is heavy cursing in both English and Spanish, as well as the use of homophobic slurs. Profanity includes faggot, fuck, fucking, shit, puto, pinche, bitch, cabrón, maricón, pocho, etc. 

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Salvador, his dad, and Sam state they are attending Mass to appease Salvador’s dying grandmother.  
  • Salvador mentions that his grandmother is Catholic. He says, “I didn’t consider myself a very serious Catholic. I mean, my dad was gay, and the Catholic Church was not big on gay people.” 
  • When his grandmother is sick, Salvador “took out my rosary and prayed. Mima had given it to me when I made my First Communion.” 
  • Salvador thinks about religion, but “I didn’t care about sin or about God.” 

by Gabie Rivas

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

As a member of one of the wealthiest families in the Capitol, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is destined for greatness. At the top of his class, Coriolanus excels in his studies at the Academy, charming students and faculty alike. But underneath this guise of wealth and class, Coriolanus hides a shocking secret. The Snows are broke; their fortune lost due to the war that plagued Coriolanus’s childhood. If anyone discovered the Snows’s true financial situation, they would be disgraced. But Coriolanus sees a path to success. The 10th annual Hunger Games, a televised competition in which children from the twelve districts that serve the Capitol are selected to fight to the death, is approaching. If Coriolanus successfully mentors the winning tribute in the Games, he will win a prize great enough to pay his university tuition.  

When Coriolanus is assigned to mentor the female tribute from District 12, his hopes of winning the prize diminish. Nobody from District 12, the poorest and most downtrodden of the districts, has ever won the Games. But when Coriolanus’s tribute, Lucy Gray, enthralls the audience by serenading them shortly after being selected to compete in the Games, Coriolanus holds out hope that he can put her on a path to victory. As affections grow between Lucy Gray and Coriolanus, Coriolanus must decide how far he is willing to go to protect her and win the prize. Despite the bloodshed and brutality, will the Hunger Games offer Coriolanus a chance at power, wealth, and love? Or will the pressure send Coriolanus down a path of destruction? 

Coriolanus is a deeply complex character that will have readers rooting for him against their better judgment, as fans know that this character will grow up to be the main villain in the Hunger Games trilogy. Initially, Coriolanus is motivated by a desire to provide for his family and have a successful career. He is shown as being caring toward his cousin and grandmother, although there are hints that a darker side to him lurks beneath the surface. As the story progresses, this darkness becomes more apparent as Coriolanus reveals himself to be callous, calculated, and manipulative. Behind his generous acts lies a calculated effort to cultivate his public persona and climb the ladder of success. Eventually, Coriolanus has fallen so far that he kills and betrays his own loved ones to benefit himself. Readers will find themselves disturbed by Coriolanus but will be interested in seeing this gifted boy with great potential transform into a corrupt and cruel man. 

The story of Coriolanus’s fall from grace and rise to power is driven by interesting supporting characters. Coriolanus is drawn to Lucy Gray, who looms large at the center of this tale, showcasing her talents, wit, and will to survive through her actions both within and outside the Hunger Games arena. Lucy Gray serves as a foil to Coriolanus, as her free spirit and creativity contrast with his rigidity and reliance on order. Coriolanus’s treatment of Lucy Gray reveals flaws within his character, such as how he treats her as a means to an end and believes that he can control her. Much like the fictional audiences within the book, readers will be charmed by Lucy Gray. 

Coriolanus is often irritated by his classmate Sejanus Plinth, a rebellious and emotional boy who, much to Coriolanus’s dismay, is characterized by his sympathy for the tributes and the districts, and his anti-Capitol ideals. At the Academy, Coriolanus is tormented by the jaded Dean Highbottom, who seems to be the only faculty member not to have fallen for Coriolanus’s charms, and the sinister Dr. Gaul, who delights in creating mutated animals. These characters help to drive Coriolanus’s decisions and behavior, while serving as a unique contrast to Coriolanus himself.   

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is centered around human nature and asks if humanity is inherently good or inherently evil. Opposing viewpoints are presented, as Sejanus believes that the tributes behave brutally in the arena due to their circumstances, while Dr. Gaul insists that mankind is inherently violent. Coriolanus’s opinion on this matter shifts as Dr. Gaul mentors him. This debate relates to questions about whether the Capitol should exercise the amount of power it currently holds. Sejanus believes that the Capitol is cruel and oppressive to the districts, while Dr. Gaul believes the people living in the districts are naturally brutal and must be controlled. While reading this novel, readers will consider both viewpoints and explore why each character has certain beliefs.  

While The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes can be read independently, fans of The Hunger Games trilogy will appreciate familiar surnames and settings like the Capitol and District 12. Set 64 years before the original series, this prequel introduces new characters while maintaining Suzanne Collins’s distinctive style—though uniquely written in third person rather than first. Unlike the survival-focused original trilogy, this novel centers on power and perception as Coriolanus obsesses over his family’s reputation and control. The book matches the trilogy’s tone and maturity level, though its large cast of characters may challenge some readers.  

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is an entertaining and shocking novel that promotes introspection. The moral and philosophical questions raised in this novel will stick with readers, as will the engaging plot and characters. Longtime fans will be interested to see the nefarious President Snow, portrayed as a young protagonist, rise to power. At the same time, new readers will be enthralled with this fast-paced plunge into the Hunger Games universe. This is a must-read novel that teaches important lessons about the dangers of complicity, violence, and selfishness. It encourages readers to think outside their comfort zone and consider new perspectives. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is an interesting, memorable, and important installment in the Hunger Games series. 

Sexual Content  

  • Before Lucy Gray goes into the arena, Coriolanus and Lucy Gray say goodbye. They share a kiss. Coriolanus describes it as “a real kiss on the lips, with hints of peaches and powder. The feel of her mouth, soft and warm against his own, sent sensations surging through his body.” 
  • After Coriolanus and Lucy Gray reunite in District 12, they kiss. “Then, almost shyly, she kissed him, sending shock waves through his body.”
  • Lucy Gray and Coriolanus kiss a few more times during scenes they share together. The kisses are described simply. For example, “She greeted him at the back door with a kiss.”

Violence  

  • The mayor of District 12 hits Lucy Gray in the face after she slips a snake down his daughter’s dress. The mayor “made a beeline for [Lucy Gray], and struck her in the face so powerfully that she was knocked to her knees.” The mayor attempts to hit her again, but is stopped, and Lucy Gray recovers. 
  • During the war, Coriolanus witnessed his neighbor cut the leg off a maid’s corpse. Coriolanus watched as his neighbor “carved the leg from the maid, sawing back and forth with a terrifying knife until the limb came free. He wrapped it in the skirt he ripped from her waist and then bolted down the street that led to the back of his townhouse.” The neighbor and his family ate the leg. 
  • Coriolanus gets into a fight with a boy as they are riding in a truck together. “The boy’s hands came up fast, encircling Coriolanus’s throat with his long, scarred fingers and slamming him back. His forearms pinned Coriolanus’s body against the bars. Overpowered, Coriolanus resorted to the one move that had yet to fail him in schoolyard scuffles, driving his knee up hard into his opponent’s crotch.” The boy releases Coriolanus, and the fight stops. Both boys are unharmed.   
  • Coriolanus’s classmate, Arachne, taunts the tribute with food, so the tribute kills her. “Coriolanus could see the tribute’s face darkening, the muscles tightening in her neck. He could see something else, too. Her fingers sliding down the bar, darting out, circling the handle of the knife . . . In one movement, the tribute yanked Arachne forward and slit her throat.”  
  • After a tribute kills Arachne, Peacekeepers shoot the tribute. “The bullets pierced her body, slamming her into the bars. She slipped into a heap as her blood commingled with Arachne’s.” 
  • Coriolanus’s friend, Clemensia, is bitten many times after she is asked to retrieve papers from a tank full of snakes. Clemensia “yanked her hand from the tank, but not before half a dozen neon snakes sank their fangs into her flesh.” The venom from the snakes makes Clemensia very ill, but after several weeks, she recovers. 
  • While the mentors and tributes are touring the arena where the Hunger Games will take place, bombs go off. “Burning debris rained down on [Coriolanus]. Something struck his head hard, and the heavy weight of the beam landed diagonally across his back, pinning him to the ground.” Lucy Gray helps free Coriolanus from under the beam, and he recovers from his injuries.  The bombs kill several people. 
  • Marcus, a tribute who escaped from captivity before the Hunger Games began, is recaptured and beaten. He is chained to a beam in the arena, visible to viewers before the start of the Games. “At the center of the structure, Marcus hung from manacled wrists, so battered and bloody that at first Coriolanus thought they were displaying his corpse. Then Marcus’s swollen lips began to move, showing his broken teeth and leaving little doubt he was still alive.” He remains chained to the beam as the Games begin.  
  • A tribute named Lamina kills Marcus, presumably out of mercy. Lamina “swung down, and drove the ax blade into the curved side of Marcus’s neck. Once. Twice. And on the third time, in a spray of blood, she succeeded in killing him.”  
  • A tribute named Dill dies of tuberculosis. “Dill’s body convulsed with a final, violent bout of coughing, and a gush of blood soaked her filthy dress.” 
  • Sejanus, upset with Marcus’s death, goes into the arena. Coriolanus is sent in to retrieve Sejanus. While in the arena, Bobbin, a tribute, attacks Coriolanus. Coriolanus “spun around just in time to see Bobbin bringing down his knife. The blade glanced off his body armor and sliced his left upper arm.” Coriolanus retaliates: “Coriolanus’s fingers closed around a two-by-four, and he brought it up, catching Bobbin in the temple hard, sending him to his knees. And then he was on his feet, using the board like a club, bringing it down again and again without being sure where it made contact.” Coriolanus beats Bobbin to death with the board, and he and Sejanus escape the arena. 
  • A tribute named Coral kills another tribute with a trident. “After a brief chase along the bleachers . . . Coral killed her with a trident to the throat.” 
  • A tribute named Jessup contracts rabies and attacks Lucy Gray. To deter him, Coriolanus and his friend send bottles of water into the arena using drones. “Jessup froze, and his eyes bulged with fear. As the drones closed in on him, he pawed at them but failed to connect. When they started releasing the bottles of water, he lost all control. Explosive devices could not have elicited a stronger response, and the impact of the bottles smacking into the seats whipped him into a frenzy.” As Jessup tries to evade the bottles, he falls over the edge of a wall. “The sound of snapping bones that accompanied his landing surprised the audience, as Jessup had landed in a rare pocket of the arena with good audio.” The fall kills Jessup. 
  • Coral kills Lamina during a fight. “After Lamina managed to block the first few jabs with her ax, Coral wove the trident in a twisting move that distracted the eye before it plunged into her opponent’s abdomen.”  
  • Coral kills a tribute by stabbing him in the back with a trident. “Coral drove the second trident into his back.” 
  • A tribute named Wovey dies after drinking a poisoned bottle of water. “After a few gulps she sank back against the wall and gave a small belch. A thin stream of silverish liquid trickled out the side of her mouth and then she went still.  
  • Venomous snakes bite a tribute named Circ. “Circ stumbled over a rusty, old spear and the snakes overtook him. A dozen pairs of fangs pierced his body. . . Circ struggled to breathe for about ten seconds before he died.” 
  • A tribute named Mizzen is swarmed by malfunctioning drones while he stands on a beam high above the ground. Because of this, “he lost his balance and plummeted toward the ground, snapping his neck sideways on contact.” Mizzen dies from the fall. 
  • A tribute named Teslee is killed by another tribute that sneaks up on her with an ax. Teslee’s attacker “seemed to appear out of thin air, making a gigantic leap into the frame and bringing his ax down on Teslee in one fell swoop. She had barely taken a step when the blade connected with her skull, splitting it open and killing her instantly.” 
  • A tribute attacks Lucy Gray with an ax, and she defends herself by putting a venomous snake on him. When the tribute noticed the snake, he “tore something from the back of his neck. His hand shot into the air, fingers gripped tightly around the bright pink snake. Then he collapsed to his knees and smashed it into the ground, again and again, until he fell dead in the dirt, the lifeless snake still clutched in his fist.” Lucy Gray escapes unharmed. The tribute and the snake die.    
  • A man named Arlo was hanged because he killed three people. “The clap of the trapdoor release and subsequent twang of the rope cut him off mid-word, drawing a gasp from the crowd. Arlo dropped fifteen feet and seemed to die instantly.” 
  • The mayor of District 12’s daughter, Mayfair, overhears a group of people conspiring to run away with stolen weapons. Thinking that she will turn the group in, Coriolanus shoots and kills Mayfair. “Coriolanus reflexively reached for the Peacekeeper rifle and fired toward Mayfair’s voice. She gave a cry, and there was the sound of her collapsing to the floor.” 
  • After Mayfair is killed, her boyfriend, Billy Taupe, becomes violent. . . “Without hesitating, Spruce shot Billy Taupe through the chest. The blast carried him backward, and he crumpled to the floor.” 
  • It is discovered that Sejanus was conspiring to free a woman from prison. “As the drumroll began, Coriolanus squeezed his eyes shut, wishing he could block out the sound as well. But he heard it all. Sejanus’s cry, the bang of the trapdoors, and the [birds] picking up Sejanus’s last word, screaming it over and over into the dazzling sun.” 
  • Snakes bite Coriolanus. “He’d just registered the snake when it struck, uncoiling like a spring and digging its teeth into [his] forearm.” Coriolanus recovers from the snakebite. 
  • Coriolanus, thinking that Lucy Gray is going to kill him, tries to shoot her. “He estimated her to be about ten yards away, lifted the rifle to his shoulder, and released a spray of bullets in her direction.” Her fate is left ambiguous, and both the reader and Coriolanus are unsure if she is alive or dead after this attack. 
  • Coriolanus kills Dean Highbottom by mixing rat poison in a painkiller called morphling and leaving it for Highbottom to use. “There was nothing to make Dean Highbottom suspicious of [the morphling] when he pulled it from the trash and slipped it into his pocket. Nothing when he unscrewed the dropper and dripped the morphling onto his tongue.”    

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Coriolanus drinks a sip of posca at a school banquet. Posca is “a concoction of watery wine laced with honey and herbs.”  
  • Dean Highbottom is addicted to morphling. Coriolanus notices that Highbottom is under the influence of the drug at a school banquet. Coriolanus says Highbottom “presented himself to the students with all the verve of a sleepwalker, dreamy-eyed and, as usual, doped up with morphling.” 
  • Coriolanus and his friends trade baked goods for a bottle of moonshine. “They ended up in possession of a quart bottle of clear liquid so potent the stuff made their eyes water.” 
  • Lucy Gray and her band play in the market, and the audience is described as “companionably drunk.” 

Language    

  • After she is selected to compete in the Hunger Games, Lucy Gray sings a song that includes the line “you can kiss my ass.” 

Supernatural  

  • Lucy Gray and her band perform a song about a girl, and it is ambiguous if the girl is alive, dead, or a ghost. After Coriolanus hears this song, he thinks, “Oh, a ghost story.”

Spiritual Content  

  • None

by Kelly Barker 

Roomies

Senior year is over, and Elizabeth is more than ready to leave her New Jersey town behind for Berkeley. When she receives an email from Berkeley Housing with her roommate assignment, she immediately reaches out to introduce herself to Lauren. Lauren is just as eager to escape—in her case, from the stress and chaos of her large family. But Elizabeth’s enthusiastic message lands poorly because Lauren had been hoping for a single room where she could finally have some peace and quiet. 

The two girls get off to a rocky start, but their emails gradually become more personal. Lauren reveals she’s the eldest of six, while Elizabeth shares that her parents are divorced and her father left her and her mother to live in San Francisco. Over the summer, as their worlds shift rapidly with new boyfriends and goodbyes to old friends, they begin to realize they’ll need to rely on each other through this pivotal transition. 

Lauren and Elizabeth are extremely relatable protagonists, as Zarr captures the complexity of the emotions surrounding the end of high school and the first time leaving the nest. For example, Lauren is desperate for her own life after helping parent her five siblings, yet she’s afraid of change. She’s afraid to leave her family, and she’ll miss being part of their daily lives. Elizabeth is unhappy with her life because of the growing distance between her and her friends and boyfriend. Additionally, Elizabeth has a complicated relationship with her mother, who often behaves in an immature way. Lauren and Elizabeth are flawed characters who make plenty of mistakes and struggle to communicate. However, they remain endearing because the strife they endure is part of growing up, which readers will relate to.    

Much of the emotional conflict and fear about change that Lauren and Elizabeth experience stems from the new men in their lives, Keyon and Mark. When Lauren meets Keyon, she’s unsure whether to start a relationship. But Keyon is sweet and confident, and the two slowly fall in love. Mark enters Elizabeth’s life and becomes a steadying presence, though his and Elizabeth’s love seems too fast to be real. He also has a strained relationship with his father, which allows him to give Elizabeth an outside perspective on her parental issues. Zarr accurately captures the emotional turmoil of eighteen-year-olds navigating new experiences.   

Roomies is a fantastic story about growing pains from two different perspectives and environments. Lauren and Elizabeth experience first love at the same time their other friendships are drifting apart. They’re afraid to be vulnerable with each other, but soon learn they can lean on each other to get through the last summer before college. Lauren discovers she can spread her wings without fear of leaving her family behind, while Elizabeth learns to appreciate her mother. Zarr emphasizes the importance of understanding different cultures and views, as Lauren and Elizabeth initially misunderstand each other, but eventually expand their worldviews and find acceptance in one another. 

Zarr’s ending is one of hope and excitement for the roommates’ futures. Lauren and Elizabeth have issues throughout the book that escalate to Elizabeth requesting a roommate change. However, the two girls resolve their conflict and become honest about their feelings. This exchange solidifies their friendship and their desire to live together through the ups and downs of freshman year. They leave their families behind, knowing they will always be there to support them, freeing them both to live their own lives. Roomies explores the complexities of growing up, including making friends and leaving others behind. It teaches those transitioning to college that all their complicated feelings are normal and that the right “path” is to trust themselves and their decisions. 

Sexual Content  

  • After seeing a red lipstick mark on a cup, Lauren’s dad jokes that the Garfield on his mug “has been violated.”  
  • While hanging with her friends and their boyfriends, Elizabeth decides to “kiss [her boyfriend] right there on the beach.” 
  • Lauren’s coworker, Keyon, stretches, and his shirt rises. Lauren tries not to “ogle his abs, regardless of their excellent condition.” 
  • Elizabeth’s boyfriend jokes that she “doesn’t put out that easily.”  
  • Elizabeth meets Mark at work, and she notices “the way his shorts hang a little bit too low on his hips.” Elizabeth also notices that Mark’s lip “sort of puckers when he talks and for sure when he kisses, too.” 
  • At the party, Elizabeth’s friends only talk about sex. “Justine was thinking of doing it with Danny that night, and Morgan and Mitch, who’ve already done it, kept talking about how it wasn’t a big deal.” 
  • Elizabeth calls her friend Justine a “lush who is hell-bent on losing her virginity.” 
  • Lauren is at a party where she gets really close to Keyon, and they kiss. Lauren describes it as “lusty. . . sometimes you want to make out with someone, anyone.” 
  • Elizabeth is worried about what Lauren will think because “I kissed a guy I barely know even though I already have a boyfriend.” 
  • Lauren is responding to Elizabeth’s email about pressure to have sex and thinks, “I can keep taking care of my own needs the few times I have the interest and the privacy.” 
  • Elizabeth and a boy she’s been dating, Alex, talk about their relationship, but Alex wants to give a “last-pitch plea for me to sleep with him to ‘deepen’ and ‘solidify’ our relationship,” which results in them breaking up. 
  • Mark comes over to Elizabeth’s house after the breakup, and Elizabeth is wearing a “tank [that] is sort of loose and I’m not wearing a bra and he seems incapable of not noticing.” 
  • While Mark is visiting, he and Elizabeth end up “kissing and our arms are entangled and we’re moving toward the wall.” They eventually stop so that Mark can run an errand for his mother, but he assures her they can meet up later. 
  • Elizabeth is nervous about a swim park date with Mark because they have been “kissing a lot, but always with clothes on. Lifted and pushed aside some but still on.” 
  • While driving and talking about the future of their relationship, Mark says he wants to “pull over and kiss some sense into [Elizabeth].” 
  • After a successful dinner with Keyon’s parents, “he kisses [Lauren] like [she’s] never been kissed before.” 
  • Elizabeth and Mark are about to have sex, but they are both nervous. “I ask, ‘Have you ever… before?’ ‘Once.’ He takes my hand. ‘For the wrong reasons. And it was pretty bad and I didn’t handle it all especially well so I decided to wait for the right reasons.’ ‘What if it’s bad again?’ I ask, looking at him. ‘Well, we’ll be bad together.’” They reassure each other of their feelings and walk into the motel together.  
  • Elizabeth tells her friend Justine about giving her virginity to Mark and how she “did it again, too. The other night. Under the boardwalk!” 
  • Mark comes over while Elizabeth is packing for college and “slides his arms around me and kisses me and kisses me.” They stop, and Mark helps her pack. 
  • Elizabeth jokes that she might bring “birth control” to college.

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Elizabeth goes to a party where “everyone but [her] got annoyingly drunk.” 
  • Elizabeth ends up at the party alone, “holding a beer [she] wasn’t even drinking.” 
  • Mark comes to visit Elizabeth and offers her a beer, which she wants to drink to “feel loose and free.”

Language  

  • Profanity is used frequently. Profanity includes shit, fuck, hell, and bitch.

Supernatural  

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • Elizabeth believes in signs and thinks they could come from “fate, or the universe or God, if there is one.” 
  • Elizabeth thinks that “someone, some power” must have seen that she needed help because “he (or she or it) takes it upon himself (or herself or itself)” to decide her roommate placement. 
  • Elizabeth “hope[s] to God” that the kid she babysits didn’t pick her nose. 
  • Lauren “thank[s] God” that her little sister is behaving because her other siblings are not. 
  • The Ten Commandments are on Lauren’s mind after she learned from Elizabeth’s email that her mother is having an affair. 
  • Lauren says that being “Catholic must be in [her] blood because [she] feel[s] sort of judge-y” about Elizabeth’s mother’s actions. 

by Annamaria Lund

Rule of Wolves

The cursed king of Ravka, Nikolai Lantsov, is preparing for war against Fjerda’s massive artillery and an army of Grisha (magic-users) addicted to the drug jurda parem. Disputing Nikolai’s right to the Lantsov throne, the Fjerdans seem to outmatch the Ravkans on all fronts. To make matters worse, Nikolai is holding hostages—a Shu Han princess, Ehri, and a member of her guard named Mayu Kir-Kaat. He plans to marry Ehri and forge an alliance between Shu Han and Ravka. But the princess’s sister, Queen Makhi, would prefer to see Nikolai dead. Trapped between Fjerdan bombers and Shu assassins, Nikolai wonders if his time as king is coming to an end. 

Recently gifted the powers of Sankt Juris, Zoya is struggling with the death of her mentor. As a blight of darkness threatens to engulf her world, Zoya turns to the newly resurrected Darkling for answers. When the Darkling escapes from her grasp, she must divert her attention to the war brewing between Ravka and Fjerda. Nikolai and Zoya make their final stand to protect Nikolai’s throne and the kingdom of Ravka. Can they protect their people and all they hold dear without sacrificing the relationship between them? 

Grisha Nina Zenik and her Fjerdan companion Hanne Brum are fighting a different kind of war—one of espionage and trickery. Still undercover as the Fjerdan widow Mila Jandersdat, Nina must use her powers over the dead to gain intel on Fjerda’s plans while protecting the persecuted Grisha of Fjerda. Because of Nina, followers of the “New Saints” (in reality, Grisha spies) have emerged throughout the country. She and Hanne form a relationship with Prince Rasmus, the heir to the Fjerdan throne. With him, they hope to sway the Fjerdan government towards peace, even if it means giving up the relationship that they have formed together. 

Like its predecessor, King of Scars, Rule of Wolves has a constantly changing perspective. Every chapter features a new third-person narrator, whose name is announced in the chapter’s title. Perspectives include Nikolai, Zoya, Nina, Mayu (a Shu soldier), Queen Makhi, and “The Monk.” Each narrator focuses on their plot thread, making it challenging to follow their stories, which are interrupted every time a new chapter begins. While Nikolai is perhaps the central figure of the book, the wide cast of narrators expands the already vast world of the “Grishaverse” and encourages the audience to understand previously dismissed perspectives. Bardugo’s writing treats both the commoner and the royal with the same level of respect, and every character feels important to the story. Rule of Wolves reintroduces many figures from previous “Grishaverse” series, such as Malyen Oretsev from Shadow and Bone and Kaz Brekker from Six of Crows. Ample exposition is offered, but audiences who have not read the previous books will miss much of their backstory and characterization. 

The duology’s message of resilience remains present in this sequel, and each character faces challenges that they must overcome, utilizing both mental and physical strength. With the overarching threat of war, Rule of Wolves shows the multi-faceted impact of international conflict. Innocents die, malicious parties go free, and the protagonists are repeatedly forced to decide between mercy and vengeance. These issues make Rule of Wolves an extremely pertinent book for our modern era, as it combines fantasy elements with universal lessons of compassion in the face of brutality and open-mindedness amidst chaos. 

Sexual Content  

  • The Shu royal leader, Queen Makhi, remarks that her grandmother is free to “rusticate with a series of wildly handsome lovers.” 
  • The Ravkan Count Kirgin is infatuated by Zoya, and she feels “his eagerness, his longing” and imagines that his goals for their relationship “involv[e] bodies entwined.” 
  • Nina mentions having spent time in the “brothels of Ketterdam.” What occurs in the brothels is not described. 
  • Nina notices Jarl Brum’s (a Fjerdan military commander) eyes looking “lower” than her neck. She later fakes an affair with him, and the Fjerdan guard Joran asks her, “You did not want to be his whore?” Nina and Joran’s conversation regarding her affair takes place over two pages. 
  • Zoya “place[s] a kiss on [Nikolai’s] forehead” and expresses her desire to stay with him in his room. 
  • David kisses his wife Genya’s knuckles, and “Genya’s cheeks flus[h] pink with pleasure.” They later kiss at the altar during their wedding. 
  • Nikolai wonders if Zoya has “a lover,” and her romantic life is further alluded to. 
  • Nikolai jokes that Zoya is trying to get him “into bed.” 
  • Nikolai and Zoya’s romantic tension builds throughout the book. Nikolai’s guard, Tamar, tells him, “Your heart is in your eyes, Your Highness.” He thinks, “I am greedy for the sight of you [Zoya].” Later, Nikolai confesses to Zoya, “I would make you my queen because I want you. I want you all the time.” This confession scene lasts four pages. 
  • The Fjerdan royal guard to Prince Rasmus, Joran, pretends to have “presumed upon” the Grisha spy Nina. Prince Rasmus remarks, “It’s not as if he put her up against the wall and lifted her skirts.” 
  • The undercover Fjerdan Grisha, Hanne Brum, and Nina kiss in Nina’s bed. The scene picks up again, chapters later, when Hanne’s mother, Ylva, finds them, “gowns half on, a rumple of silk and mouths bruised from kissing.” 
  • Nikolai and Zoya kiss after she admits her love for him. “And she did, drawing him up to her, feeling the stubble at his jaw, the soft curl of his hair behind his ear, and at last, after all these long days of wanting, his witty, brilliant, perfect mouth.” After this, they kiss again several times. 
  • Nikolai says to Zoya regarding his alter-ego sending a message to Ketterdam, “If it involves you out of that dress, I have no doubt I can convince him.” 

Violence  

  • Since the book contains a substantial amount of violence, not all of it is detailed below.  
  • Queen Makhi planned to have her royal guards kill Nikolai: “Mayu’s task was to get close to King Nikolai, murder him, then take her own life.” The Queen also planned for her sister, Ehri, to be murdered by her royal guards in the ensuing Shu invasion that would cause many casualties. 
  • A blight of darkness is engulfing the world and causing everything in its path to die. Queen Makhi’s niece, Akeni, dies after being caught in the path of the “shadow. . . spreading like a stain.” 
  • Fjerda trains soldiers called drüskelle to “merrily go to murder Grisha.” 
  • Nikolai reflects on how Mayu is “the girl who had driven a knife into Isaak’s heart,” killing him. 
  • Nina has a nightmare that the wolf Trassel is “covered in blood . . . feasting on a corpse.” 
  • Zoya recalls how she “murdered a Saint bent on destruction, driven a blade into the heart of a dragon . . .” These events occur in the previous novel. 
  • Zoya and the Ravkan Count Kirgin’s meeting is interrupted by an assassination attempt. Zoya uses her powers to knock the first attacker into the wall “with a bone-breaking crunch” and kill him. The second assassin is knocked unconscious. 
  • The first battle of the Ravkan-Fjerdan war takes place over eight pages. Ravka places mines in Fjerda’s path, causing tanks to “burst into flames” and burning many soldiers alive. Grisha and non-Grisha soldiers fight the Fjerdans on the ground, and Zemeni airships join to fight on the Ravkan side. 
  • The previous king of Ravka was banished after being ousted for assaulting Genya Safin. 
  • Following their queen’s orders, the Shu royal guard “burst into flame” and died in the self-inflicted fire. They severely burn Ehri in the process, but she survives. 
  • Prince Rasmus hits his guard, Joran, with a riding crop. Joran is left with a bleeding cheek. This repeats for over a page. 
  • Zoya and an army of Sun Summoners fight the Darkling and his shadow soldiers. Shadows grab hold of Ravkan flyers and cause them to “plumme[t] toward the earth.” Zoya saves her allies and slightly wounds the Darkling. This is described over two pages. 
  • Ravka is bombed during David and Genya’s wedding. Nikolai sees “burning in the lower and upper towns” of the capital, and the castle is partially destroyed. Nikolai takes a flyer and uses his demon to attack the Fjerdan bomber. “Blood poured over the demon’s mouth—his mouth—hot and salty with iron.” The explosions kill David. This fight occurs over four pages. 
  • The stories of the Saints are filled with bloodshed. For example, Sankt Ilya was “thrown to his death” from a bridge. 
  • Mayu’s brainwashed twin, Reyem, “br[eaks] every bone in her hand” by crushing it. This scene evolves into a fight in which Tamar, a Shu Grisha loyal to Nikolai, and Mayu struggle against Reyem and the Tavgharad (the Shu Han royal guard). This battle spans two pages and concludes with Reyem joining his sister’s side. 
  • Nina reflects on Matthias’ (her late Fjerdan lover) murder, saying that Joran “shot an unarmed man and left him . . . to die.” 
  • The final fight between Ravka and Fjerda occurs over several chapters. It begins with the Fjerdans approaching by sea and Zoya and her fellow Grisha Squallers sending lightning into the water. “Nina could not hear the men in the shallows scream, but she could see their mouths open wide, their bodies shaking as current passed through them.” The result is a massive death toll. 
  • Nikolai, with the help of Ravkan Grisha, fights the Fjerdans. Fjerda attacks with drugged Grisha and large bells that incapacitate the Ravkans with a “horrifying, paralyzing sound.” Nikolai uses his demon to destroy the bells. 
  • Nina is sedated by the spiritual leader of Ravka, the Apparat, and kidnapped. He threatens to have a Heartrender “take the skin from her body inch by inch.” Zoya rescues her by “burning [the Apparat’s guards] from the inside,” creating corpses that Nina uses to escape. 
  • The khergud, mechanically altered Shu soldiers, join the battle between Ravka and Fjerda, flying onto the battlefield and ripping the arms off of Fjerdan soldiers. 
  • Zoya uses her dragon powers to scorch the Fjerdan tanks. She saves Nikolai and his soldiers from certain death. Nina is wounded by a bullet while riding on her back.  
  • Nina finds a “broken body” bent and bleeding beneath the observation tower. Later, it’s discovered that this is Prince Rasmus’ body. After Prince Rasmus slapped her, Hanne accidentally crushed his heart with her powers. 
  • Jarl Brum is shot after pointing a gun at Prince Rasmus. Joran shoots him thrice: “once in the leg, twice in the arm.” 
  • The Darkling’s final martyrdom is violent. “The thorn pierced the Darkling’s chest and he screamed, his head thrown back, the sound pure, human, and terrible.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Alcohol is used and referenced frequently. 
  • Nina expresses a desire to drink wine, but she laments that “Fjerdan women weren’t permitted alcohol, certainly not in public.” 
  • Jurda parem is a synthetic drug used to enhance a Grisha’s powers. It is highly addictive and usually deadly. Nina is a recovering parem addict, and she reflects on how the drug nearly ended her life. Fjerda weaponizes parem and bombs Ravkan armies with the substance. 
  • Nikolai tells his guard, Tolya, that he has faith in “Good engineering and better whiskey.” Nikolai frequently drinks at political and social gatherings as well as before battle. Drinks mentioned include wine and brandy. 
  • Count Kirgin pours Hiram Schenck, a Kerch member of the Merchant Council, an “extraordinary vintage that had come straight from Kirgin’s legendary cellars.” 
  • While in the Brum parlor, Nina mentions “a bottle of brännvin.” 
  • Vadik Demidov, a member of the Lantsov family who is vying for Nikolai’s throne, “does not partake of spirits” due to his religion. 
  • Genya and David hold a wedding where alcohol is served. 
  • “The Monk” finds his way to “a beer hall in Shura” and drinks “sour beer.” Later, while preparing for battle, he desires whiskey. 
  • Nikolai reflects on how he and David did not spend any “raucous nights . . . singing dirty drinking songs.”

Language  

  • Profanity is rarely used. Profanity includes bastard, damn, hell, ass, shat, and whore. 
  • Nikolai is repeatedly called the “bastard king.” One Ravkan says to him, “I said you are a bastard and not fit to sit that fancy horse.” 
  • Damn is used most frequently. Nikolai lists his enemies, thinking, “the Darkling, the Fjerdans, the Shu, jurda parem, the damned demon living inside him.” 
  • In Fjerda, “Djel” is used in place of “god”. Hanne says to Nina, “Sweet Djel, put a robe on.” 
  • Ravkans substitute “oh my god” with “All Saints” and similar phrases. During a meeting, Zoya thinks, “All Saints, how did [Nikolai] meet with these spineless, self-satisfied toads without committing murder once a day?” 
  • Nikolai thanks the Zemeni Kalem Kerko for his help in battle, saying, “You just saved our asses.” 
  • The Fjerdan soldier Redvin says of Prince Rasmus, “Only Djel knows how they shat out a weakling like that.” 
  • Jarl Brum calls someone a “whore mother” and another person a “Grisha whore.” 

Supernatural  

  • The Grisha are individuals born with special powers. There are three categories of Grisha: Corporalki, Etherealki, and Materialki. Ravkan Grisha are recruited into the Second Army, using their abilities in battle. David explains that Grisha’s power is linked to “the making at the heart of the world.” 
  • Nina is a Corporalnik whose powers over the living were altered after an experience with jurda parem. She now has control over the dead, and she uses her powers to hear the voices of the deceased while in the presence of the Fjerdan queen. “Kings and queens and favored retainers had been buried on the White Island since before the Ice Court had been built around it, and Nina could hear their whispers. An army awaiting her command.” 
  • Adrik Zhabin is a Grisha Squaller (order Etherealki) who can control wind. Zoya has similar abilities. 
  • Leoni Hilli is a Grisha Alkemi (order Materialki) who can control poisons. 
  • Nina’s appearance was altered by Genya, a Grisha Tailor. Nina is now “in Mila Jandersdat’s body, her face and form tailored to keep her true identity secret.” 
  • Hanne is a Corporalnik who can tailor appearances and manipulate the living. She repeatedly uses her powers to ease Prince Rasmus’ ailments, but she eventually accidentally kills him by crushing his heart. She later alters his corpse to look like her and changes her own appearance to mimic his. 
  • A vendor in Fjerda is a Grisha Tidemaker who creates “a wall of seething water” that drenches Brum’s soldiers. 
  • Nikolai is “host to a demon,” a winged creature linked to the Darkling’s power. It is attached to his soul, but he learns to control its powers. He uses the demon during a heist: “He was seeing through the demon’s eyes. He felt its arms—his arms—extend, muscles flexing, claws reaching.” 
  • The Darkling was resurrected in King of Scars, and he now inhabits the body of the monk Yuri Vedenen. He later regains his powers by driving a “piece of the thorn wood” through the hands of Alina and Mal and summons “nichevo’ya,” shadow soldiers, to defend himself. 
  • The blight of darkness comes from the Fold, a magic wasteland created by the Darkling’s abuse of Grisha power. People call the blight “Kilyklava. . . vampire, after a creature from myth.” 
  • After slaying a dragon, Zoya gains the power to see into other people’s minds and feel their emotions. She calls this a “sudden drop into someone else’s pain or joy.” 
  • Grisha infantry divisions use their powers to fight off the Fjerdans: “The Squallers drove back the Fjerdan tanks as the Heartrenders gave them cover. A squad of Inferni used the burning remnants of the tanks to create a wall of flame, another barrier the Fjerdan troops would have to breach.” 
  • The Sun Soldiers are special Grisha, who are “heirs to Alina Starkov’s power.” They control light and are able to defeat the Darkling’s shadows. 
  • After being burned, Ehri is saved by Grisha healers, “who had restored her body and kept her pain in check as they did it.” 
  • Zoya learns to harness the talents of other Grisha orders, using not only her abilities as a Squallor but also manipulating water as a Tidemaker. 
  • The Darkling, Aleksander, uses his powers on the statue of a Saint to gather followers. “Slowly, shadows curled from Sankt Ilya’s open hands; they began to bleed from his mouth.” 
  • Zoya unlocks the ability to shapeshift into a dragon. She is bulletproof with the power to breathe “silver lightning.” 
  • The Darkling is sealed into Sankt Felix’s thorn wood with a branch piercing his heart, sacrificing himself in a magic ritual that stops the blight of darkness and reverses its impact. 

Spiritual Content  

  • The royalty of Shu Han is referred to as “born of heaven.” 
  • The god of Fjerda is called Djel. Fjerdan soldiers are said to “hea[r] the words of Djel” at their initiation ceremony. Some Fjerdans claim that the Grisha are “the favored children of Djel. That their powers are actually a sign of his blessing.” 
  • People outside Fjerda worship the Saints, martyred figures who supposedly had otherworldly abilities. Saints have their own fables, temples, and monks. 
  • Cult followings of “the Sun Saint” and “Leoni of the Waters” appear in Fjerda, and Jarl Brum calls Saint worship “Corruption. Heresy.” 
  • Living Grisha also have religious followers. Zoya is worshiped as “Sankta Zoya” (Saint Zoya), and she gains a significant following after using her dragon form to save the Ravkans from Fjerda. 
  • The Apparat is the spiritual leader of Ravka. He defects to Fjerda, and, according to Brum, “He says the Ravkan king is possessed by demons, that Vadik Demidov was anointed by the Saints themselves to rule.” The Wellmother, leader of a Fjerdan convent to Djel, calls him “a heathen priest.” 
  • The Darkling is worshipped as “The Starless Saint” by a cult referred to as “The Starless.” After his “martyrdom,” he is recognized as a Saint by the Ravkan government. 
  • Nikolai calls the Tula Valley “the site of some of the holiest land in Ravka.” 
  • Nikolai is not religious but prays for help: “Right now, though, he hoped that each Ravkan Saint, Kaelish sprite, and all-powerful deity was looking down with some fondness in their hearts for his country.” 
  • The Lantsov family is considered “divinely chosen to lead Ravka.” 
  • Nina claims to have been “blessed by Djel” and pretends to be his prophet.  
  • The Darkling explains the history of the Grisha and Saints: “You know as well as I that the line between Saint and Grisha was once blurred. It was a time of miracles.” 
  • Genya says in her speech at David’s funeral, “May the Saints receive him on a brighter shore.” The Ravkan belief in an afterlife is never explained further. 

by Gabrielle Barke 

H.P. Lovecraft: Gothic Tales

In this collection of short horror stories, H.P. Lovecraft weaves three unsettling tales that question the very nature of our reality.

The Outsider is a first-person story told by a nameless figure reflecting on his upbringing. He was raised alone in a large, empty, and dark castle. The outside was surrounded by trees, and “the outsider” doesn’t recall ever seeing sunlight. He grew up reading a lot of books, so in the absence of other people, mirrors, or any sense of the outside world, “the outsider” formed his understanding of himself and his surroundings based on the books he read. One day, he decided to climb to the top of the tallest tower in the castle to get a better grasp of what lay beyond the dark forest. What he finds, however, changes his views on his life and his world forever.

The Music of Erich Zann is about a man who moves into a scarcely occupied building on a street called “the Rue d’Auseil.” The man, the first-person narrator, begins hearing strange music from a room above him, and he soon discovers his viol-playing neighbor Erich Zann. Zann’s music is both odd and entrancing, and the protagonist eventually asks Zann if he can watch him play. But as the man spends more time with Zann, the musician and his music seem to grow stranger and stranger.

Finally, The Terrible Old Man is the shortest of the three stories and the only one told via third-person narration. It follows three men, Angelo Ricci, Joe Czanek, and Manuel Silva, as they attempt to rob the titular Terrible Old Man. The man lives as a hermit in “a very ancient house on Water Street” and is the focal point of many rumors and mysteries amongst his neighbors. The robbers hear that the Terrible Old Man is supposedly rich, old, and weak, so they devise a plan to steal his wealth. Their plan goes awry very quickly in the most unexplainable of ways.

Gothic Tales is quintessential Gothic horror. Each story contains the eeriness, uncertainty, and romantic grandeur familiar to the genre. Questions about the supernatural and otherworldly are asked but never answered, leading to the overarching sense of existential helplessness that Lovecraft was perhaps best known for. First-person narration adds a layer of complexity to the first two tales, as the events are described within the unreliable prism of memory.

Grouped, these tales ultimately share a very similar structure: a mysterious man is introduced, strange things occur in his presence, and witnesses are left feeling confused and scared. Due to the formulaic nature of this collection, the strength of these stories lies not in their plot but in their descriptions. The elegant language that Lovecraft uses to describe everything, from the beautiful to the grotesque and frightening, is interesting to read. A dictionary may be helpful in deciphering the meaning of many out-of-fashion words that Lovecraft uses.

The thrill of these stories is meant to be derived from suspense, mystery, and fear of the unknown, but the formulaic tales are ultimately predictable and thus lack suspense. Lovecraft’s signature tone is present, but his “Lovecraftian” monsters (i.e., the infamous Cthulu) are not.  Nevertheless, the tales in this collection are a good introduction to Gothic horror and Lovecraft’s works.

Sexual Content

  • In The Music of Erich Zann, Erich Zann’s frantic viol playing is described as “a blind, mechanical, unrecognizable orgy that no pen could even suggest.”

Violence

  • In The Outsider, when “the outsider” intrudes upon a party, the guests immediately run away screaming in a frightening display of chaos. “Scarcely had I crossed the sill when there descended upon the whole company a sudden and unheralded fear of hideous intensity, distorting every face and evoking the most horrible screams from nearly every throat.”
  • In The Terrible Old Man, Angelo Ricci, Joe Czanek, and Manuel Silva plan to violently force the Terrible Old Man to reveal the location of his riches (a supply of “Spanish gold and silver”). They assume that “the screams of a weak and exceptionally venerable [sic] man can be easily muffled.”
  • Czanek stays behind and keeps watch while his fellow robbers attack the Terrible Old Man. He hears “hideous screams” coming from the abode. The next day, the bodies of the three robbers, Czanek included, are found “horribly slashed as with many cutlasses, and horribly mangled as by the tread of many cruel boot-heels.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • In The Outsider, “the outsider” mentions “nepenthe,” a drug from Homer’s Odyssey that alters memory.

Language

  • In The Outsider, the word hell is used once.
  • When “the outsider” sees a monster at the party, it is in reality his own reflection in a mirror. He reaches out his hand and accidentally touches it. He narrates, “When in one cataclysmic second of cosmic nightmarishness and hellish accident my fingers touched the rotting outstretched paw of the monster beneath the golden arch.”

Supernatural

  • In The Outsider, “the outsider’s” appearance and backstory are unusual and unexplained, but it is never specified whether he is a supernatural being or a human. Upon seeing himself in a mirror, “the outsider” describes the sight as “not of this world—or no longer of this world.”
  • When “the outsider” realizes that he is the ghastly being in the mirror, he resigns himself to the life of a monster. He writes, “Now I ride with the mocking and friendly ghouls on the night-wind, and play by day amongst the catacombs of Nephren-Ka in the sealed and unknown valley of Hadoth by the Nile.” Nephren-Ka is a fictional pharaoh and sorcerer created by Lovecraft.
  • In The Music of Erich Zann, Erich Zann’s music has an otherworldly quality: “It was not that the sounds were hideous, for they were not; but that they held vibrations suggesting nothing on this globe of earth.”
  • In Zann’s apartment, just as Zann is attempting to write down an explanation for his strange music and activities for the narrator, the two of them hear a far-off music note coming from outside. Zann wordlessly and frightfully responds by picking up his “viol” and playing music “more horrible than anything” the narrator had ever heard.
  • While Zann is frantically playing towards the noise coming from the window, the narrator describes almost seeing “shadowy satyrs and Bacchanals dancing and whirling insanely through seething abysses of clouds and smoke and lightning.”
  • Zann’s strange back-and-forth with the music coming from his window is followed by intense wind that breaks the windowpanes and blows through the room. The narrator looks outside and sees “no city spread below, and no friendly lights gleaming from remembered streets, but only the blackness of space illimitable.” It seems as though the entire world has disappeared except for Zann’s apartment.
  • The narrator hurriedly leaves Zann’s apartment after being unable to snap the musician out of his viol-playing trance. He exits the building and finds that the outside world is exactly as it had been. “There was no wind, and. . . the moon was out.” The supernatural occurrences seen from Zann’s room were gone.
  • The narrator of The Music of Erich Zann ends his tale by stating that Zann’s apartment, “the Rue d’Auseil,” does not appear on any map, and no one has ever heard of it.
  • In The Terrible Old Man, the supernatural qualities of the titular character are never specified. He does, however, have yellow eyes and unexplainable strength.

Spiritual Content

  • In The Outsider, while reflecting on the wretchedness of his life, “the outsider” remarks, “Such a lot the gods gave to me.”
  • “The outsider” sees a reflection of his horrifying appearance in a mirror, and he remarks, “God knows it was not of this world.”
  • “The outsider” references “the rock tombs of Neb” in his final reflections on his life. Neb is a deity that Lovecraft created.
  • In The Terrible Old Man, the Terrible Old Man has a collection of stones in his front yard that “resemble the idols in some obscure Eastern temple.”

by Gabrielle Barke

The Demon Tide

Newly exposed as the Black Witch of Prophecy, Elloren Gardner Grey is on the run. She has finally made it to the Eastern Realm, but the Eastern authorities are convinced the Black Witch has arrived to kill them all as the Prophecy foretells. If there’s any chance of defeating High Mage Marcus Vogel, Elloren must find her friends and make new allies. As Elloren hides from the Eastern authorities, she learns more than ever about different cultures and what’s truly at stake if the Eastern Realm were to fall to Gardneria. With her magic bound, her fastmate captured, and a bounty on her head, Elloren battles intolerance as fierce as she battles Vogel, and uncovers secrets all countries have long since buried.  

The Demon Tide oscillates between the perspectives of Elloren’s friends, building them up as individual characters with distinct loves, fears, and ambitions. Elloren’s brother, Trystan Gardner, and her friend, Tierney Calix, are two prominent perspectives explored. Trystan’s and Tierney’s points of view allow readers to see the war from two fronts. Trystan is reviled because of his Gardnerian heritage, and Tierney is ostracized for befriending him. When Elloren arrives, they do everything in their power to protect her, which is difficult because they have their own romantic lives to distract them. Overall, the author explores twenty perspectives; this overload of perspectives makes things confusing at times and slows the story’s pacing, making the novel seem less eventful.  

Cornered and afraid, Elloren proves herself to be an empowering and intelligent protagonist. She tries to navigate the customs and traditions of the Eastern Realm. Plus, she has strange visions of death and destruction that are seemingly delivering vague warnings she cannot decipher. She grapples with a complicated love that haunts her dreams and distracts her from the waking world. With love at the forefront of everyone’s minds, Elloren and her friends learn how to multitask and see beyond the veil of intolerance and ignorance that seems to exist in every culture.  

Like many long fantasy series, the intricate worldbuilding can be overwhelming at times, with numerous events, characters, and details to track. There is also a lot of exposition required for each character’s background. This bogs down the story and makes it drag. However, the story is powerful and moving, and each character has depth. Many of the characters have been developed over the entire series, delivering potent and thorough perspectives. The author has successfully created a complex fantasy world, complete with diverse cultures, despicable villains, and intricate magic systems to match.  

The series has been building up to the explosive battles and new, official romantic relationships found in The Demon Tide. Readers who love digging into intricate political dilemmas and a kaleidoscope of characters fighting for a good cause will love Forest’s direction in The Demon Tide. Elloren and her friends teach their audience that intolerance is beatable and the best way to fight it is to love yourself and others. Elloren and her friends teach that bravery in the face of fear is necessary and achievable, especially if you rely on your loved ones to support you and ask for help.  

Sexual Content  

  • Freyja, an Amaz soldier, reminisces about a past encounter with her old boyfriend, Clive. “Freyja’s heart twisted as she held Clive’s impassioned stare and remembered. . . sneaking off into the woods. . . falling into each other’s arms. . . and taking each other with an intensity that stole Freyja’s breath and ignited that familiar, piercing yearning to be with Clive always.” 
  • While Trystan, Elloren’s brother, is training in the East, he starts crushing on his guard, Vothe. At one point, he watches Vothe and Basyl (Vothe’s current friend with benefits). Basyl “reaches up, threads his fingers through Vothe’s silver-tipped hair, and pulls him into a sultry, farewell kiss.” Later, Vothe runs his “tongue just below Basyl’s ear as Basyl slithers against [him] enticingly” to provoke Trystan and make him jealous. 
  • While Elloren’s friends, Thierren and Sparrow, are escaping East through the desert, they grow more attracted to one another. One morning, while asleep, Sparrow “presses her lips to the warm nape of [Thierren’s] neck, a thrill singing through her as Thierren shivers against her.” Thierren returns the affection but then realizes that she’s dreaming. He wakes her up, and they’re both embarrassed.  
  • Safe in the East, Elloren has a vision of Vogel’s prisoner, Lukas. His “lips press down on [hers], sending a tight shiver through [her], the kiss suffused with breathless hunger. . . strong hands grip [her] arms, a hard male body fitted to [hers]. An aroused male body.” Elloren realizes that they’re psychically linked and quickly breaks away from Lukas. 
  • While exploring an Eastern market, Elloren witnesses two women “fall into each other, laughing, as if in the midst of some private joke, and the spike-haired woman pulls the flowery woman into an embrace, kissing her deeply.” Elloren moves on without seeing more. 
  • Authorities find Elloren and chase her through the market streets. Elloren runs into her mate, Yvan, and they “kiss like [they’ll] merge straight into each other, [her] fingers knotting in his hair.” They break the passionate kiss to discuss Resistance business. 
  • Similar to Valentine’s Day but more magically induced, the East celebrates a holiday of love that heightens emotions for one evening, complete with a purple moon. Nearly every one of Elloren’s friends kisses or has sex with their partner, crush, or significant other. As the moon settles into effect, Elloren has a “vivid remembrance of Lukas’s lips on [hers], the two of [them] entwined in the forest . . . the memory shifts to a flush-deepening recollection of Yvan’s heated embrace in the North Tower, that night in [her] bed.” 
  • During the purple moon, Elloren’s friend, Tierney, kisses Elloren’s cousin, Or’myr. Tierney “makes an irresistible little sound of surprised pleasure, her full breasts soft against [Or’myr’s] chest, her hand coming up to caress his neck with unmistakable want.” However, the encounter ends quickly, and both decide they do not want to date each other. Later that night, Tierney kisses her friend, Viger, and “her lips meet his in a swirl of darkness.” 
  • To cool down from an argument in the mess hall, Trystan walks to the water, followed by Vothe. While having an emotional conversation, “Trystan grabs hold of him, his lips coming to Vothe’s.” They kiss a bit until Vogel’s forces suddenly arrive at their city. 
  • Elloren’s old professors, Jules Kristian and Lucretia Quillan, are also in the East on holiday. They decide to have their first date. Tired of waiting, Lucretia shows him her Sanjire root (a birth control method) and says, “I’m asking you to kiss me whenever you want from here on in.” They kiss but are interrupted by Vogel’s forces breaching the city. 
  • Elloren’s old friends, Aislinn and Jarod, are in the forest of the East’s capital city during the purple moon. Aislinn asks Jarod to “take [her] to mate.” They go into the woods, and it is implied that they have sex. 
  • Thierren and Sparrow, finally in the East, celebrate this holiday by kissing. “Sparrow falls into [Thierren’s] loving, passionate kiss.” They are interrupted by Vogel’s forces arriving at the city. 
  • Mora, the woman who volunteered to house Elloren in the East, and Elloren’s old professor Fyon, are trying to celebrate the holiday at Mora’s house. Fyon’s hands “slide around her waist and up through her braided hair, his honeyed kiss deepening as Mora traces her fingers down the long column of his neck.” They are kissing when Vogel’s forces arrive and interrupt them.  
  • Vogel gains a form of mind control over Elloren, and Yvan attempts to break it by kissing her. His “mouth claims [hers] once more, forcing a stream of power into [her] that drives Vogel’s hold on [her] back a fraction further.” He is successful and frees her.  
  • Elloren escapes from Vogel into the forest and becomes a Dryad. Yvan and Elloren choose to renew their mating bond by kissing again. Yvan “leans down, eyes molten, and brings his lips to [hers].” They kiss, and then the book ends. 

Violence  

  • In the prologue, Marcus Vogel finds the Shadow Wand and takes it from a Death Fae in the forest. He murders the Fae in the process. He “draws his iron blade and hurls it across the table. The knife slams into [the Fae’s] chest, a look of shock passing over the young man’s face as he falls to the ground.” 
  • Vogel has flashbacks of being abused as a child. “Blows rain on the priest’s face, his small shoulders as he cowers and curls into a pathetic ball, pleading in a child’s voice, Momma, stop. . . no! I repent! I vow to repent!” 
  • At the end of the previous book, Elloren teleports to the East and immediately encounters a creature attacking a family and promptly defeats it. In this book, the teenage girl of the family attacks Elloren. “Her knife finds its mark above [Elloren] with a dull thwack.” However, they make peace, and no harm is done. 
  • As Trystan trains in the East, he’s unpopular because of the color of his skin. Everyone thinks he’s trying to sabotage them from within. An assassin attacks him during training. “She draws back her arm and hurls a silver rune star at Trystan.” He is unscathed, and the assassin is arrested.  
  • Aislinn has successfully escaped from her abusive husband, but Sparrow watches as Aislinn undresses, noting “lash marks all over her form and bruising on her breasts. And bite marks.” 
  • As Trystan tries to save refugees from the river’s current, one of the refugees is suspicious of him because he’s Gardnerian. Once everyone is safe on the boat, the teenage refugee “surges forward and pushes Trystan clear off the boat.” Trystan has recovered safely.  
  • When Aislinn reunites with her crush, Jarod, she tells him about the abuse. Jarod offers to kill her ex-husband, but Aislinn replies, “No, I’ll be the one to kill him.” 
  • Over the course of fourteen pages, the country of the Amaz is attacked and razed to the ground. The Gardnerians surprise the Amaz and storm into the capital city, killing and wounding thousands with enslaved dragons. As an example of the violence, during the battle, “a Mage’s neck snaps back as [a] dragon’s head bursts into a ball of emerald flame, the dark creature’s flight pattern chaotic as the Mage’s wand falls from his hand.” The Mage and the dragon are attacked and killed by the head of the Amaz queen’s guard, Valasca.  
  • Lukas Grey is Vogel’s prisoner, and Vogel sporadically tortures him. “Pain strafes through Lukas’s [magic] lines as he’s hit by a blast of Shadow, a guttural cry escaping his throat as his body spasms.” Lukas’s magic is depleted, and his body is left sore and aching. 
  • During the purple moon, one of Elloren’s friends, Nym’ellia, is attacked by citizens of the East. She cries while saying, “One of them threw a rock at me and it hurt.”  
  • One hundred pages of the novel consist of Vogel’s forces attacking the capital city of the East, and each of Elloren’s friends fighting them off. It starts with the Death Fae, Viger, announcing that he “can sense impending death,” and there’s a loud noise as a mountain in the distance explodes. This starts Vogel’s onslaught, which hurts and kills many citizens of the East. Elloren and Vogel battle, but she escapes in the last thirty pages of the book.  
  • At one point during Elloren’s battle with Vogel, he brings Lukas Grey in front of her and transfers Elloren and Lukas’s marriage-binding magic to himself. Vogel is magically bound to Elloren in marriage and hurts Lukas in the process. Elloren’s “heart tightens with agony” and soldiers “grab hold of Lukas’s bindings, dragging him away.” 
  • As Elloren communes with the trees in the forest, they show her images of the Shadow Wand’s historical destruction. She watches as “an army of grey-eyed Keltish soldiers amassing around the king as they advance on the city. Death everywhere.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • On a national holiday, a friend of the Resistance, Thierren, suggests to Elloren’s friend, Sparrow, that they “start [celebrating] with some forbidden wine.” As the night drags on, the two have a conversation while drunk; Sparrow is “seeming[ly] entranced by the glowing beauty of the rose-flavored spirits.” 
  • While confronting Vogel, Elloren and her old roommate, Ariel, are threatened by him. Ariel has a history of forced addiction; she had been kept in prison and force-fed an opiate-like substance called nilantyr. In this confrontation, Vogel threatens to “shove nilantyr down [Ariel’s] throat until [she] begs for more.” This doesn’t actually happen, and Ariel is now addiction free. 

Language    

  • Language such as stupid, idiot, and hell appear frequently. 
  • The word whore is used three times. 
  • Bitch is used twice, and ass is used once. 

Supernatural  

  • This series contains all manner of supernatural creatures, including magic spiders, horrifying monsters, Fae, demons, Kelpies, Lupines, witches, dragons, Dryads, Amazonian warrior women, Icarals, lizard people, wyverns, Selkies, and people with skin of all colors of the rainbow. 
  • Most of the magic appears in magical battles in two ways. The first is Marcus Vogel’s magical creation of shadow monsters that attack Elloren and her friends. “In unison, the Marfoir grin. Their legs click outward as one, extending then drawing inward once more toward the shield, almost touching it. Curling shadow begins to rise from the tip of each pale spider limb to flow over the [Amaz capital city’s protective] dome, hugging its surface and spreading out, the Marfoir’s forms darkening as the fog of Shadow advances. . . the insectile eyes of the Marfoir directly before [Freyja], a terrifying smile on his bone white lips.”  
  • The second way magic is used in battle is through wand magic and spells. When trying to unbind Elloren’s magic from the forest, “Trystan and Lucretia bring the tips of their wands close to Or’myr’s stone and murmur spells.” They are attacked by the forest and use wands and spells to protect themselves.  

Spiritual Content  

  • The book opens in a prologue from Priest Apprentice Alaric Fynnes’s point of view. In the name of their religion, he “accompanies his mentor, Priest Vogel” to the Lost Islands, where Vogel finds the Shadow Wand and kills a Death Fae.  
  • As Vogel’s forces surround the Amaz capital city, Vogel says to a random soldier, “It is the Ancient One’s will [that the Icaral of prophecy stays alive]. So, let the Prophecy come to completion. The Holy Magedom will soon have possession of Erthia’s most dangerous weapon, and she will smite the Icaral demon without mercy.” 
  • Elloren’s friend, Wynter, is under the influence of the Zalyn’or necklace—the religious brainwashing instrument used by the Elves to enslave people. “The Zalyn’or necklace tightens and Wynter’s head arches back, a strangled cry torn from her throat. She shudders as she’s swept up in a new, overpowering Zalyn’or yearning, the old yearning to be purely [Elven] stripped away. Yes, she still wishes with everything in her for her demonic wings to be torn from her back. But there’s a staggeringly fierce, new longing in her now—to have black hair, glimmering green skin, and black clothing. . . not the path of the [Elven] fate at all, but the [Gardnerian] religion.” 
  • The Gardnerian religion discriminates against non-heterosexual sexual orientations, and Vothe comments, “such a bizarre thing for a religion to hate. But [he’s] heard that there are whole passages in the Gardnerian religious book that condemn anyone who loves another of the same gender.”  
  • While in the Eastern Realm, Trystan discovers that the Eastern religion is more peaceful. “The Way of Vo. The prayer text practically everyone raised in [the East] knows by heart, and Vothe can tell that there is something new in it for Trystan.” Trystan begs Vothe to teach him his religion. This religion is not based on a god but on nature and meditation, more similar to Buddhism.  
  • As Elloren and Vogel fight, and Vogel strips Lukas and Elloren of their marriage and transfers it to himself, Elloren tells him that he can’t marry since he’s a priest. Vogel says he “relinquished [his] priestly role before [he] took hold of this fasting, as is allowed by the Blessed Book. Elloren, the Ancient One has made it clear to me. We are each other’s destiny.” 

by Kate Schuyler 

Best Friends Forever

The Runaways are a family again! But a family needs a guardian, and the only Runaway who’s got her life together is in middle school. And, even for a kid like Molly who likes her classes, that can be fraught with peril. Meanwhile, there’s a new arrival as the gang welcomes Karolina’s girlfriend, Julie Power of Power Pack! Having an experienced adventurer around will be useful when one of the universe’s most fearsome villains invades the hostel! But some of the Runaways have mixed feelings about Julie’s arrival. As Molly contemplates a supernatural deal that must have a downside, one of the team suffers a fate worse than death. Really! And will the Runaways’ greatest foe be. . . well-meaning outsiders who want to help them?!  

The Runaways have just finished reuniting their family, but there’s still work to be done. They have forgotten how to act as a team. To top it off, now that most of them are adults, they have responsibilities and need an income to afford the expensive equipment necessary to repair their technologically advanced robot friend, Victor. Most importantly, they need to maintain peace among themselves if they want to remain a family. 

Maintaining a superhero lifestyle is challenging for everyone. Chase needs to get a job, no matter how tedious, or else they’ll go broke. Thirteen-year-old Molly, the youngest member of the Runaways, needs a legal guardian, so the Runaways must contend with Child Services. Gert, recently resurrected by time travel and now younger than her friends, is struggling with the disconnect she feels between her body and her mind. Victor knows the person he aspires to be, and while he’s currently without a body, he doesn’t want anyone building him a new one, for fear of what he could become. Karolina has a lovely girlfriend, Julie, whom she cares for, but it doesn’t seem as though Julie feels the same way. Even though Nico rebuffed Karolina two years ago, and Karolina has a girlfriend, Nico must contend with growing feelings for Karolina and how it will affect the fragile dynamics of the group.  

The Runaways are an inspiring and relatable group of teenagers struggling to find their way in the world. The characters continue to be uniquely brave, and all are dealing with different dilemmas. Rowell takes equal time to develop each character and how their superpowers grow and change. The story is entertaining and endearing, with twists at every turn and a sweet ending.  

The Runaways is a graphic novel divided into six main parts, each focusing on a different team member. At times, the panels are disorganized, making it difficult to know which panel to read next. This makes it easy to read the panels out of order, negatively affecting the flow of the story. Additionally, since the story is part of the Marvel universe, the beginning of the story has exposition dumps. However, this still leaves a gap in the context, which will make the story confusing for those unfamiliar with Marvel.  

This graphic novel is filled with beautiful illustrations that highlight the characters’ best features and fantastical, magical battles. The panels vary between close-up and wide shots, designed to capture the scene and the expressions of the characters perfectly. The dialogue and sound effects are engaging, emerging from their own panels and overlaid onto others. Although events that occur simultaneously are depicted, they can occasionally be confusing when determining where to look based on the page layout. However, this doesn’t distract from the wonderful and detailed artwork on each page.  

Readers who enjoy ragtag teams, wholesome family connections, and creatively strange conflicts will love the deep emotions, magical spells, and comedic mistakes in the second volume of The Runaways. This graphic novel teaches independence, hope, and love in a relatable, extraordinary, teenage language. The Runaways are all trying to figure out how to define home when they’ve never had a good example of one, but they need to figure out who they are as people first. Overall, this is a beautiful story with a sweet message: growing up is a part of life, and while it’s overwhelming, it’s also quite marvelous.  

Sexual Content  

  • In a flashback, Karolina attempts to kiss Nico, but she rebuffs her. Their lips get close, but they never actually touch.   
  • After Victor confesses dark secrets to Gert, they kiss. Gert is illustrated gripping his neck, with her hand in his hair, and Victor is blushing as their lips touch. The story moves on without any more panels dedicated to them. 
  • About to leave for a charity ball, Nico pulls Karolina in for a kiss. Nico’s hand is in Karolina’s hair, and Karolina’s hands are on Nico’s waist. Pink stars are drawn around them. One larger panel shows their whole bodies, and a panel below zooms in on their faces, highlighting where their lips touch. The story ends before they go any further.  

Violence  

  • While at home, a villain attacks the Runaways’ house, causing it to shake and dust to drop from the ceiling. The Runaways are depicted in motion, some flying to face the threat outside while Gert protects Old Lace and Victor from any debris.  
  • Dr. Doom wants Victor’s head, and the Runaways defend him. Punches are thrown, and some of the kids are hit by Dr. Doom and fly backwards. Ultimately, no one is hurt, and the whole thing is a misunderstanding that they solve.  
  • After Julie, Karolina’s girlfriend, accidentally eats a magical cupcake intended for Molly, the Runaways go to confront the culprit. Molly’s friend, Abigail, gave Molly the cupcake so they could be friends forever, but it de-aged Julie instead! When the Runaways go to Abigail’s house, Abigail reveals her true colors as a morally ambiguous immortal who appears to be thirteen.  
  • Angry that the wrong person ate the cupcake, Abigail throws a tantrum and attacks the Runaways with her martial arts skills. Punches are thrown, and at one point, Abigail finds a fencing sword, but no blood is drawn, and no one is hurt.  
  • Victor travels back in time with Gert for some rest and relaxation. He confesses that he “murdered Vision’s son.” Confused, Gert asks him why, and he explains that his robotic body was malfunctioning. They only talk about it, and there are no illustrations of the death or violence.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Language is tame, but words like stupid, idiot, and hell appear frequently. 

Supernatural  

  • This is a graphic novel about superheroes, most of whom have supernatural powers. There is magic or mentions of magic on nearly every page. For example, one of the main characters, Nico, is a witch.  
  • After rescuing Molly from her mad scientist grandmother, the Runaways need to find a way to keep Child Services off their backs. Nico casts a “legal adoption” spell. Her staff glows golden, and sparks shoot towards Molly. Molly glows pink for one panel, and then it fades. It is assumed that the spell worked. 
  • Karolina is an alien with powers. “She has abilities she still doesn’t understand — but she knows she needs sunshine to stay powered up.” When she uses her abilities, she glows all colors of the rainbow and can fly.  
  • Julie “can fly faster than the speed of sound.” When the Runaways think they are under attack by Dr. Doom, Julie flies to the rescue. It is unclear if she has other powers. 
  • When Molly’s on a playdate, her best friend, Abigail, reveals that she’s “thirteen, [she’s] always been thirteen.” Abigail offers Molly a magical cupcake that would prevent her from growing up. The cupcake looks completely normal, so when Molly brings it home and leaves it out, Julie eats it and turns into a thirteen-year-old. There is no illustration of the change. The Runaways return home to find Julie, and they eventually reverse the cupcake’s effects. 
  • In a flashback, Abigail is playing in a park in 1964 when a goddess appears. Touched by Abigail’s innocence, the goddess creates the cupcake to give to Abigail and disappears by conjuring a rainbow road and running off. There is no depiction of the spell.  
  • Stressed out about their present and needing a vacation, Gert and Victor hijack the time machine and go to California in 1868. The only indication that they did time travel occurs in two panels: the first, a field with nothing in it, and the second, where the time machine appears with white lines around it and lands on the grass.  

Spiritual Content  

  • None  

by Kate Schuyler 

White Smoke

Last year, Marigold almost died of an overdose. To get a fresh start, her family—mother Raquel, stepdad Alec, brother Sam, and stepsister Piper—is moving to the Midwest town of Cedarville. They move into a newly renovated house, but the rest of Maple Street is full of burnt, abandoned houses. As if that wasn’t unsettling enough, weird things begin to happen inside their home. Doors opening and closing, lights flickering, items moving around, and going missing. Weird smells and creepy noises. Marigold starts to suspect that they aren’t welcome in Cedarville, or in this house.

Marigold is the first-person narrator, and her honest, confessional tone sets the mood for this haunting tale. She reveals her past slowly, her narration mimicking her reluctance to get close to anyone after her ex-boyfriend’s betrayal led to her overdose. She struggles with past addiction, adjusting to a new place, making friends, and dealing with lasting anxiety and paranoia caused by a bedbug infestation. As she navigates these challenges, Marigold is also trying to reinvent herself. Though she can be selfish at times, she is ultimately a deeply relatable teenage girl, and through her narration, readers will feel her anxiety as if it were their own.

Marigold works with her brother Sam to uncover who is haunting their house. She cares deeply for him, and their relationship is at the heart of the story. Sam is the only one in the family who truly understands her, and Marigold learns to apply the care that he gives her to the people around her. The difficult process of Marigold connecting with her stepdad and stepsister creates a story about a flawed family that must rediscover how to care for one another.

Marigold also forms connections with Yusef and Erika. Yusef, her neighbor and reluctant crush, tells her of the town’s history, revealing that white families came in and drove out the Black community, sending fathers and brothers to prison on made-up drug charges. His optimism in the face of terrible circumstances forces Marigold to realize how lucky she is to have her family, even if she doesn’t like them all the time. Marigold receives a cold shoulder as the new girl, but Erika helps her settle into high school. Erika also has a painful past, but her humor and lighthearted perspective balance out Marigold’s pessimism. Marigold remains reluctant to create deep connections with anyone but is won over by Yusef and Erika’s friendship.

Trying to balance normal teenage problems with her increasingly unsettling house, Marigold discovers that this haunting might be a sign of deep-seated corruption within Cedarville’s leadership, one that threatens to eradicate what is left of the Black community. While eerie and suspenseful, White Smoke is not a typical ghost story. The connections made between the threats to the Black community and the haunting of Marigold’s home reveal the harm of prejudices, especially when intolerant people are in power. Marigold learns the importance of family and community, as well as the strength that people can achieve when they work together, whether for harm or for good.

White Smoke is a thrilling page-turner, but at times it moves too fast, leaving these connections feeling surface-level and resulting in a conclusion that feels rushed. Despite this, Jackson’s use of language to create a horror story, which vividly conjures images of a haunted house, is impressive and engaging.  Readers interested in racism and its impact on individuals should also consider reading Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi.

 Sexual Content

  • When Marigold meets Yusef, she notices how attractive he is. “He’s a rich mocha brown. The hot chocolate with coconut milk on a chilly day by the beach type of brown. God, I hope these stupid flowery words dancing around in my head aren’t leaking out my mouth.”
  • Tamara, Marigold’s best friend, teases Marigold about Yusef’s flirting. “Dude, he was totally hitting on you, literally. I mean, he talked gardening, that’s practically foreplay.”
  • Marigold jokes with Erika about the town speculating that they are in a relationship. “Well, you ain’t bad looking. I’d smash.”
  • Marigold and Yusef talk about the girls who are attracted to Yusef. He reveals that he hasn’t had sex. Marigold says, “Well, anything is possible, especially when you’re having sex. . . Wait, are you seriously telling me you’re a virgin?”

Violence

  • When Marigold and Yusef first meet, he accidentally punches her in the face. As she’s leaving her house, Marigold “throw[s] the door open, running right into a fist.” She ices her head, but she isn’t injured, just bruised.
  • Marigold has a nightmare where her stepsister Piper attacks her. “[Piper’s] little hands tighten around my throat, thumbs pressing against my voice box. . . I strain, unable to feel my legs, my arms, or anything.” She wakes up right after this.
  • Another mother accuses Marigold’s mother of allowing Piper to hang out in abandoned houses. “Do y’all know how dangerous them houses are? Besides them falling apart, you know what kind of people be in there squatting, smoking, and shooting up drugs? These girls could get raped and we’d be none the wiser!” There’s not actually anyone squatting in the houses, but Piper stops going there after this.
  • Yusef tells Marigold the story of the first Devil’s Night (or Halloween) fire when Seth Reed, a white boy, went missing. “Then, after Devil’s Night, after they found Seth Reed. . . some folks from the Wood . . . they cornered Jon Jon and set his house on fire. [Jon Jon’s mother,] Ms. Suga, living next door, ran inside to save him. They never came out. Burned alive in the house.” Jon Jon and his mother are black, highlighting the race-based history of the town.
  • Jon Jon and Ms. Suga, who are alive and have been living in Marigold’s basement, attack Marigold. Jon Jon chokes her. “Something ropes around my throat, yoking me, and I catch air before landing on my back.” He also punches her in the stomach before Yusef tackles him.
  • Suga hits Marigold with a broom. “The broom whacks me in the face, and I fly backward down the stairs with a scream. My head bangs against the hardwood floor, tailbone hitting the bottom step.” She is seriously concussed and passes out.
  • During the fight, Ms. Suga attacks Marigold and bites her. “The old woman burst out of the closet, screeching, her arms flailing. Stunned by the sight, I’m frozen in place until she leaps, sinking two sharp teeth into my shoulder.” Marigold’s injuries are treated by EMTs.
  • Suga kidnaps Piper and ties her up in one of the abandoned houses. “Wrists and ankles bound, mouth gagged. Her eyes bulge as she screams through the dirty rag.” Marigold and Jon Jon rescue her; Piper is uninjured.
  • The town, incited into a mob, sets the house that Marigold, Piper, and Jon Jon are in on fire. Marigold’s ankle is injured while trying to get out. “I kick furiously. . . my ankle covered in blood where the wood sliced into me.” Jon Jon bandages it. Then, Piper and Marigold escape to Yusef’s house, where they clean her wounds.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Before the story, Marigold was struggling with addiction to Percocet and overdosed on fentanyl-laced weed. “Last thing I really remember was walking into my room. [My brother] found me foaming at the mouth. Turns out the weed was laced with fentanyl . . . OD’ing is the type of mistake you never shake.”
  • Marigold struggles with her cravings for weed. “I need a blunt, a brownie, a gummy. . . hell, I’d take a contact high right about now, I’m so desperate for numbness.”
  • Marigold mentions her addiction to Percocet throughout the book. For example, when she starts hearing strange noises and smelling strange scents, she thinks: “If I were still on the Percs, I could’ve blamed it on a crazy trip.”
  • At a party, Yusef and Marigold drink. They are both underage. “Yusef pours [them] two vodkas and orange juices. . . [Marigold’s] not used to being at parties sober.”
  • At the same party, Marigold smokes weed that Erika gives her. “I grab the spliff, inhale hard, letting the smoke take up every corner of my lungs before exhaling with an ‘ahhh.’” She gets high.
  • Marigold’s mother forces her to take a drug test. “With a sigh, I grab the cup and head for the bathroom. The test is going to be negative, but just the thought that Mom felt she had to give it to me cuts deeper than a knife.”
  • Marigold is growing weed for herself in the backyard of one of the abandoned houses. She gets Tamara to send her the seeds. “I’m not asking you to send me a pack of blunts. Just some seeds! . . . Tamara, I need this.” Eventually, Yusef finds the garden and forces Marigold to remove it.

Language

  • Profanity is used regularly. Profanity includes hella, damn, shit, bitch, tit, ass, fuck, and dick.

Supernatural

  • There is a town legend that Ms. Suga haunts the house where Marigold’s family lives. Yusef says, “It’s just that everyone is surprised you’re still alive, with your house being haunted and everything. . . It’s this creature, a demon woman, who comes in the middle of the night while you’re sleeping, cast some type of spell on you.”
  • Marigold wakes up to a shadowy figure in her room. She calls Yusef, thinking it’s a demon. Marigold says, “Maybe a demon. It’s in the corner, holding my blanket.” The shadow turns out to be Jon Jon sleepwalking, but Marigold doesn’t find this out until the end of the book.
  • Marigold lists out the proof that her house is haunted. “Well, except for the whole basement door incident. And the wrinkled hand reaching into the shower. And the lights going out . . . That funky stench is not just coming from the basement. . . Doors opening and slamming on their own, the cabinets in the kitchen.” Marigold and Sam both believe that their house is haunted. At one point, they hear what they believe is a ghost, mimicking Sam’s voice.
  • Marigold and Sam believe that Piper is possessed because she has been acting strangely and getting angry often. Sam says, “We’ll need proof Piper’s possessed or the church won’t perform an exorcism on her.”

Spiritual Content

  • There is a pastor, Scott Clark, who preaches on television, and passages from his sermons are regularly interspersed throughout the novel. “And so I say to you, cast the wickedness out of your heart for the good of thy neighbor, cleanse thy soul with fire!”
  • At times, the passages are connected with the story but are more often used to represent the corruption of the town leaders that seeps into the church as well. For example, one of the longer passages reads, “. . . And children of God, I’m to provide the seeds that you will plant, and you will do the watering. Do not forsake his words. For the devil is among you! He has poisoned your minds, makes you feel you can’t trust the very people he put to care for you. . . ” This refers to the scam seeds Scott Clark sells that never grow.
  • Marigold’s family are “spiritualists” who “just believe in a higher power.”

 

by Abigail Clark

Reckless

Reckless follows the shocking events of the previous book, Powerless. In an act of self-defense and revenge, rebel traitor Paedyn Gray kills the King. To escape punishment, Paedyn flees Ilya, leaving the kingdom — and its princes — reeling in her wake. Crown Prince Kitt, shaken by his friend’s betrayal, becomes increasingly paranoid and withdrawn, refusing to leave his room. Prince Kai, Ilya’s Enforcer, swears to hunt Paedyn down, even if he once loved her.   

Kai tracks Paedyn to the nearby kingdom, Dor, where she has become an underground fighter. With his men, Kai captures Paedyn and forces her to hike through barren desert land to return to Ilya. However, a group of rebels captures them, hoping to trade Kai’s release for Paedyn’s pardon. Their plans are subverted when Rafael, Paedyn’s old boss at the fighting ring, captures her and Kai. To escape, Paedyn and Kai must set aside their differences and work together. In the process, forbidden feelings threaten to return, forcing the ultimate choice between old duty and new love.  

Paedyn is an underdog, relying on her wits to stay one step ahead of an entire government that is calling for her arrest, dead or alive. She often prioritizes survival over morality, though not without guilt. For example, she hesitates to steal from the hardworking people of Dor, yet ultimately does, lacking any other means to support herself. While Paedyn is dedicated to the rebel cause of seeking to uplift Ordinaries from Elite oppression, her lack of resolve may frustrate some readers. Despite swearing multiple times that she will kill Prince Kai, Paedyn does not do so. On an emotional level, readers will sympathize with Paedyn’s inability to harm someone she once cared deeply for. However, considering the greater good, Paedyn’s choices unintentionally come off as selfish, prioritizing her personal feelings over the survival of her people.   

Likewise, Kai’s charming and witty nature often clashes with the grim reality of his mission, which he rarely takes seriously. For example, Kai often flirts with Paedyn, which diminishes both the severity of his objective and his relationship with his late father. Readers looking for a fun enemies-to-lovers story, in which characters claim murderous intent but instead reignite their romance with a passionate kiss, will find much to appreciate in Kai’s character and his romance with Paedyn. While Kai often falls on the wrong side of the conflict, siding with the Elite, readers will understand that he is not an inherently bad person, but rather forced into a morally compromising position by his family. Readers will root for him to break free of his late father’s corrosive influence. However, a more cynical eye will question whether Kai can truly love the same person who killed his father, traumatized his brother, and threw his kingdom into chaos.  

Reckless focuses on the progression of Kai and Paedyn’s relationship as they fluctuate between enemies and lovers, against the backdrop of a country on the brink of revolution and ruin. In the kingdom of Dor, where the people do not have supernatural abilities, Ordinary Paedyn and Elite Kai are finally on even footing. In captivity, faced with a more pressing threat than their mutual animosity, Paedyn and Kai become reluctant allies with the potential for romance. While the conflict between the rebels and the established hierarchy provides thrilling action sequences, it contributes more to the development of Kai and Paedyn’s relationship than to the advancement of the plot. Large portions of the plot are repetitive and do not further the story, instead falling into a cycle of capture, escape, capture, escape, capture, escape – thereby negating any significance of the capture or the escape.  

This story is told from the dual points of view of Paedyn and Kai. Both rehash the major conflict of the previous book — the struggle between duty and love. They are forced to ask themselves if pursuing a romance is worth jeopardizing their worldviews, morals, familial obligations, and the future of their kingdom. Readers who instantly answer no will not enjoy this book. Due to the lack of stakes and consequences – unlike the major character deaths and world-shaking revelations featured in the previous book – Reckless ultimately feels like a placeholder for the conclusion of the series, Fearless.  

Sexual Content   

  • After agreeing to a temporary alliance, Kai and Paedyn share an angsty, yet steamy kiss. Kai describes, “Our mouths crash together. I can taste the loathing on her lips, the anger in each swipe of her tongue. She kisses me hard, biting my lip to draw blood… Her fingers are buried in my hair while mine dig into her hips. This kiss is deep and anything but tender.”  On the brink of death, Kai and Paedyn share another passionate kiss. Kai describes, “I kiss her frantically, memorizing the feel of her lips against mine. . . Her arms slide from my wrists to wrap around my neck. She’s clinging to me as though I’m an anchor she’s willing to sink with.”  
  • The kiss is then described from Paedyn’s perspective. “I sigh against his mouth when his tongue meets mine… His teeth pull at my bottom lip… The action sets my body ablaze, spreading fire through every vein. My mouth moves in time with his, matching every swipe of his tongue, every move of his lips.” The scene lasts two pages. 
  • Kai’s inner monologue frequently emphasizes his attraction to Paedyn; however, he is often tormented by it. For example, he thinks, “She’s unbearable, really. But not in the way that makes it any easier to look away. No, everything about her is a bold sort of beauty, like a rose proudly displaying its thorns. She’s alluring in the way that most deadly things are. It’s captivating.” Paedyn is more reluctant to admit her feelings, though her heart often “beats hard” in Kai’s presence.     

Violence   

  • Kai and Paedyn falsely promise to kill each other. Upon gaining an opportunity to kill Kai, Paedyn thinks, “I could kill him… I’m hesitating… he makes his way out of the alley… I won’t hesitate again.”  
  • When pressed on whether he will complete his mission, which will presumably result in Paedyn’s execution, considering the severity of her crime, Kai sincerely replies, “Of course. It’s my duty.”  
  • To prevent Paedyn from running away, Kai throws a dagger at her. He describes, “with the flick of my wrist, I send the knife flying toward her… it meets its mark, slicing through her thigh as she leaps. Her cry of pain makes me flinch… she staggers to her feet, blood streaming down her leg.” The wound is superficial, leading to no serious long-term injury. 
  • In self-defense, Paedyn kills a guard attempting to collect her bounty. During a brief, yet bloody fight, “the back of his skull collides with my [Paedyn’s] nose. I cry out, already feeling blood… The guard throws me onto my back, his weight pressing down on me nearly as hard as his hands crushing my windpipe… I can barely see what it is I do next. The blade slides easily into his heart.”  
  • Kai and Paedyn attempt to escape Rafael, Paedyn’s ex-boss. After getting trapped in a tunnel filling with water, Kai and Paedyn believe they will drown. However, at the last moment, they escape into an alley.  
  • While working as an underground fighter, Paedyn fights. For example, during a match against a fan favorite, Slick, Paedyn describes, “Slick is persistent, raining down… He blocks my jab before barreling into me, pushing me hard against the cage… my foot finds the inside of his knee, kicking hard… Slick bites down a scream… [he is] clutching what is likely a dislocated kneecap… His elbow strains as I pull his arm down unnaturally, hyperextending the joint.” Paedyn wins the fight, which lasts around three pages. The gory action is interwoven with descriptions and brief flashbacks of her friendship with Adena, a character who died in the previous book.  
  • Ambushed by bandits while traveling through the desert, Paedyn witnesses an arrow strike Kai’s arm. He “slowly sinks to his knees, displaying the deep gash stretching across the length of his shoulder. I saw the flash of an arrow before it tore through his skin, splitting flesh in an instant.” Kai makes a full recovery, although he is left with a scar. 

Drugs and Alcohol   

  • After Kai and Paedyn are unable to remember important details of their capture, Kai speculates that “they may have drugged us.”  

Language  

  • Profanity is used often. Profanity includes damn, hell, ass, shit, and bitch. For example, before Paedyn kills a guard, he calls her a “crazy bitch.”   
  • As a result of getting back together, Kai tells Paedyn he now “believe[s] in a God” because she is “paradise.”  

Supernatural  

  • The Elites have superhuman abilities. For example, a “brawny” is an Elite with superhuman strength, depicted as smashing through a door.  

Spiritual Content   

  • None  

by Kerry Lum  

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