Until the Ink Dries by Jordan Elizabeth

Elizabeth combines a gritty encapsulation of mundane life with a potentially unreliable narrator to create a chosen-one narrative that focuses more on the escaping a current situation than struggling with a new one. Poor and bullied, fourteen-year-old Zuby Bloom’s only escapes from life of poverty are her diary and sketchbooks. However, after years of being …

Emma and the Box of Wonder by Matthew S. Cox

Cox skilfully balances the simpler perspective of the young with the underlying complexity of realistic worlds, creating a fast-paced fantasy adventure that is accessible without sacrificing depth. This is the sixth volume in Cox’s Tales of Widowswood series. Potential spoilers for prior volumes ahead. Emma and her sister Kimber expect spending the day with their …

Tabitha’s Death by Jordan Elizabeth

Elizabeth blends the intimacy of despair with the universal resonance of fairy tales, creating a bleak yet engaging young adult fantasy novel. While Elizabeth handles the topic sympathetically rather than seeking to titillate or shock, readers should be aware this book contains overt mentions of self-harm and suicide. The death of her best friend unravels …

Tithe by Chani Lynn Feener

Feener merges the traditional myths of the fairy tithe to hell and the power of a willing sacrifice, providing a fresh and plausible reason for that competition between teenagers which defines one subgenre of young adult fiction. One of Arden Archer’s ancestors was cursed to see the Unseelie; a curse that has travelled down through …

Emma and the Silverbell Faeries by Matthew S. Cox

Cox crafts a fantasy adventure from viewpoint of a ten-year-old without losing the sense of nuance and complexity that many fans of adult fantasy seek. This is the third volume in the Tales of Widowswood series. Spoilers might lurk ahead. Emma’s parents have forgiven her for worrying them and her punishment is over, yet she …

Silver Hollow by Jennifer Silverwood

Silverwood mixes events and characters from ancient legends and fairy tales with a modern viewpoint to create romantic fantasy that both is and isn’t set in this world. Ten years ago, Amie Wentworth’s parents died. In the time since, she has managed to put aside her grief and establish herself as a fantasy novelist. So, …

Either Way, It’s Better Than Imaginary Enemies

This short film about growing up seen from the perspective of a girl's imaginary friend rather pleased me: https://youtu.be/n8OKxZtJX5M Not utterly sure whether abandoning the imaginary is a necessary part of adulthood - but then I suspect most authors would be silent without their imaginary companions - but the aesthetics are most apposite to my …

Emma and the Silk Thieves by Matthew S. Cox

Cox applies a mature grasp of storycraft to a story of childhood, creating a fairy tale that is accessible to all without being shallow. This book is the second in the Tales of Widowswood series. Spoilers await to tangle the unwary. In three weeks after the death of the Banderwigh, Emma has attempted to put …

Once in a Lifetime

“Please. My Lizzie’s dying.” Despite the stench, I kneel. Air oozes past the witch’s teeth. “I’ll grant healer’s touch. But there’s a price. You can only use it once.” Pain infests my hands. Fingers clasped, I race home. Can’t risk wasting it on the wonky door. The hinges give on the second kick. Tumbling forward, …