Myra Whitlock has a gift. One many would kill for.
She’s an artist whose portraits alter people’s real-life bodies, a talent she must hide from those who would kidnap, blackmail, and worse in order to control it. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone.
But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor’s dead son. Desperate, Myra ventures to his legendary stone mansion.
Once she arrives, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. Someone dangerous lurks within these glittering halls. Someone harboring a disturbing obsession with portrait magic.
Myra cannot do the painting until she knows what really happened, so she turns to the governor’s older son, a captivating redheaded poet. Together, they delve into the family’s most shadowed affairs, racing to uncover the truth before the secret Myra spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.
YA
[Caitlyn’s Review:] Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye
Blood Scion is a dark-as-they-come YA fantasy novel filled with detailed and developed world building and a similarly complex heroine, Sloan. Sloan is 15 years old with magic running through her veins. As a Scion, Sloan is a gifted with magic from the Orisha gods and has the power to call forth fire and flame. […]
[Diane’s Review]: A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft
A Magic Alchemical Fox Hunt? Why Yes, Very Much So! A Far Wilder Magic has undoubtedly been one of my favourite reads of 2022. Allison never ceases to create real, beautifully flawed, relatable characters who make you laugh and cry all in one paragraph. Margaret is an aloof outcast who prefers guns and her dog […]
[Caitlyn’s Review]: From Dust, a Flame by Rebecca Podos
What I truly love about fantasy at any level is its ability to invite readers into various cultures, seeped in ethnic and religious symbolism. I love books that introduce me to the pagan rituals of medieval Russia and the godly war of ancient Greece; they invite a new perspective, a new nuance to a tried-and-true […]
[Emily’s Review]: Escaping Eleven by Jerri Chisholm
In Compound Eleven, the hierarchy of the floors is everything.
My name is Eve Hamilton, and on my floor, we fight.
Which at least is better than the bottom floor, where they toil away in misery. Only the top floor has any ease in this harsh world; they rule from their gilded offices.
Because four generations ago, Earth was rendered uninhabitable—the sun too hot, the land too barren. Those who remained were forced underground. While not a perfect life down here, I’ve learned to survive as a fighter.
Except my latest match is different. Instead of someone from the circuit, my opponent is a mysterious boy from the top floor. And the look in his eyes tells me he’s different… maybe even kind.
Right before he kicks my ass.
Still, there’s something about him—something that says he could be my salvation… or my undoing. Because I’m no longer content to just survive in Eleven. Today, I’m ready to fight for more than my next meal: I’m fighting for my freedom. And this boy may just be the edge I’ve been waiting on.
[Caitlyn’s Review]: Once More Upon a Time by Roshani Chokshi
Here is how I imagine you will read this book: its a Saturday, maybe its raining or, if you’re lucky, its snowing. You curl up on your sofa or in your favorite reading chair, blanket and tea at the ready, cat optional, and you read this book cover to cover in one afternoon. It is […]
[Emily’s Review]: That Dark Infinity by Kate Pentecost
By night, the Ankou is a legendary, permanently young mercenary. By day, a witch’s curse leaves him no more than bones. Caught in an unending cycle of death and resurrection, the Ankou wants only to find the death that has been prophesied for him, especially once he begins to rot while he’s still alive….
After the kingdom of Kaer-Ise is sacked, Flora, loyal handmaiden to the princess, is assaulted and left for dead. As the sole survivor of the massacre, Flora wants desperately to find the princess she served. When the Ankou agrees to help her find the princess, and to train her in exchange for her help in breaking his curse, she accepts. But how can she kill an immortal? Especially one whom she is slowly growing to understand—and maybe even to love?
Together, they will solve mysteries, battle monsters, break curses, and race not only against time, but against fate itself.
[Diane’s Review]: The Last Beautiful Girl by Nina Laurin
Perfect for fans of Black Mirror! What starts out as your typical “teenage girl moves to a new town outside of the city” quickly morphs into a suspenseful story of social media and the unceasing urge to remain relevant. The Last Beautiful Girl accurately depicts the struggle of competing for popularity and individuality in a […]