The Black Fire Concerto by Mike Allen (Haunted Stars Publishing, 2013)

For several years now, twelve-year-old Erzelle has been the prisoner of the cannibal clan of the Red Empress, a riverboat full of death, misery, and degenerate ghouls, forced to play the harp during their infernal meals. This changes when the … Continue reading

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship Of Her Own Making, by Catherynne M. Valente (Feiwel and Friends,2011)

In this hypnotic, oft-dazzling homage to old-school childrens’ fantasy such as The Phantom Tollbooth, Wizard of Oz, and Alice in Wonderland, Valente both embraces and subverts genre tropes. September, a resourceful girl from Nebraska, is whisked away to Fairyland one … Continue reading

Eona, by Alison Goodman (Viking, 2011)

On the run after the death of the Emperor and the slaughter of her fellow Dragoneyes, Eona is caught in the middle of a rebellion, both figurehead and target. Only one man can teach her how to use her new … Continue reading

Huntress, by Malinda Lo (Little, Brown, 2011)

The Kingdom has been in upheaval for years, plagued by bizarre weather, failing crops, and unnatural creatures. An emissary from the Fae invites human representatives to meet with their Queen, to restore the balance. Among those who are chosen are … Continue reading

Ivy’s Ever After, by Dawn Lairamore (Holiday House, 2010)

For many years, it’s been the custom for the princesses of Ardendale to be locked up in a tower on their fourteenth birthday, guarded by a dragon. Whoever kills the dragon gets to marry the princess and become the next … Continue reading

Geektastic, edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci (Little, Brown and Company, 2009)

My name is Michael, and, to no one’s surprise, I am a geek. While the manner in which I express my geekitude has changed over the years, from theatre, to writing, to gaming, I’ve always embraced my geekdom. And so … Continue reading

The Iron Daughter, by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen, 2010)

Making good on a promise, Meghan, recently revealed as the half-human daughter of King Oberon of the Summer Fae, has become an uneasy “guest” in the Winter Court of Queen Mab, where she must deal with court politics and prejudice. … Continue reading

StarCrossed, by Elizabeth C. Bunce (Arthur A. Levine, 2010)

After her partner is killed during a hazardous assignment, thief and spy Digger finds refuge masquerading as a maidservant for a sympathetic noble family, where she can hide her ability to see magic from those who’ve outlawed all magic on … Continue reading

Perchance to Dream, by Lisa Mantchev (Feiwel and Friends, 2010)

Having come into her power as the Mistress of Revels, Bertie Smith has left the Theatre Illuminata in search of Nate, her pirate friend who was kidnapped by the sea goddess Sedna. With her as always are the alluring air … Continue reading

The Shadow Hunt, by Katherine Langrish (Harper, 2010)

When Wolf runs away from the monastery he’s called home for years in search of a more fulfilling life, he finds more than he bargained for in the forms of a feral elf-child and a local lord driven by heartbreak, … Continue reading