★ 10/05/2015
This intense sequel to The Young Elites begins with Dagger Society outcast Adelina and her equally gifted sister, Violetta, seeking other powerful Elites in the city-state of Merroutas after escaping from Teren and the Inquisition Axis's clutches. After acquiring new allies, Adelina heads back to Estenzia to seek revenge. Adelina has learned the hard way that "not all Elites can be allies," and Raffaele and his Daggers have formed their own alliance with Maeve, the northern queen of Beldain, whose dark Elite power can help them seize the Kenettran throne. Lu constructs a fascinating triangle of opposing forces seeking power, and the ensuing twists and epic battles leave many dead, broken, or forever changed. The novel is much darker than its predecessor, largely because its focus remains on the complex Adelina, more villain than hero. As her Elite strength grows, Adelina struggles to control her illusions, and the escalating whispers of fear in her head fuel her mistrust. "What is so great about being good?" she wonders as revenge becomes not about love or justice, but winning. Ages 12–up. Agent: Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary Agency. (Oct.)
In Robert L. Anderson’s intriguing, crazy inventive debut, Dreamland, Dea, like her eccentric mother, needs to walk people’s dreams to stay healthy. There are rules a dreamwalker must follow—never visit the same dreamer twice, never interfere—but when a crush on new friend Connor causes Dea to ignore those rules, there are dire consequences. The dream monsters who’ve […]
This is a month of thrilling returns: Stephenie Meyer is back, Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl spinoff is FINALLY here, and Miss Peregrine fans can now read her peculiar children’s story in one week-long binge. Other exciting new reads include a Victorian murder mystery and a futuristic invasion story told entirely in classified documents and other “found” ephemera. Here […]
October means mellowcreme pumpkins, finding five bucks in the pocket of last year’s coat (and spending it on more mellowcreme pumpkins), and BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS! From the first fantasy YA of a favorite author to a Gilded Age thriller to retellings of “The Wild Swans” and the Orpheus myth, here are 20 of the month’s most exciting […]
This week’s most exciting new releases will take you behind the Hollywood scenes, on a Marvelous journey, and into the dark mind of a twisted villainess. Here are the books worth skipping dinner, the gym, and sleep for right now.
You know the age-old tale: girl discovers she has powers, girl is ostracized, girl…uses her powers for darkness and becomes a glorious villainess? Let’s just say Marie Lu’s Young Elites series isn’t exactly your typical fantasy, and Adelina is not your typical heroine. She is, however, one of the “young elites,” a group of people […]