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Get Genrefied: YA Urban Fantasy

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Introduction

Urban fantasy is one of the easiest (sub)genres to define: it’s fantasy in an urban setting. While it has other common features, the setting is what makes the genre what it is. Some might say that the urban setting must be one from our own world, thus distinguishing it from high fantasy, but I hesitate to even put that restriction on it. I think it’s entirely possible to write an urban fantasy novel set in a fictional city in a made-up world, and it would have a lot of the same appeal to readers as a book set in our own. That said, most urban fantasy is set in our own world in our own time in a recognizable city – just with the major addition of a little magic.

Urban fantasy has a lot of crossover with paranormal fantasy, since urban fantasy often involves magical creatures like werewolves, fairies, vampires, angels, and so on. Often, there is no distinction between urban fantasy and paranormal fantasy. Author Jeannie Holmes does make a distinction between urban fantasy and paranormal romance, however, which I think is interesting to consider. This is a bit of a hot topic among uberfans of both genres. Megan McArdle at Genrify has a fantastic chart that depicts 100 popular series (mostly adult) on a spectrum, showing the fluidity of the definitions. The two genres are not mutually exclusive, though it’s important to consider whether the reader you’re talking to will want a book heavy or light on romance (or if they don’t care!). Like many of the other genres we cover, a book can be urban fantasy and historical fiction and a mystery and a romance.

While not a requirement, urban fantasy is often grittier than other fantasy novels, much like what you’d find in general urban fiction. It features teens on their own a lot, navigating more adult situations than they would in non-urban fantasy. It can also be more accessible than other fantasy, since the setting is usually something most readers will already recognize; there won’t be a lot of world-building to absorb and get lost in.

Resources

On the Web:

Popular Authors:

  • Kelley Armstrong
  • Holly Black
  • Rachel Caine
  • Cassandra Clare
  • Michael Grant
  • Sherrilyn Kenyon
  • Melissa Marr
  • Richelle Mead
  • Cynthia Leitich Smith
  • LJ Smith

Books

Below are a few books published within the last five years, a few forthcoming titles, and a few that are a bit older but still circulate well among teens. Descriptions are from WorldCat and links lead to our reviews when applicable. Any we missed? Any diverse titles in particular to add to the list? Let us know in the comments.

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
After fifteen-year-old Chloe starts seeing ghosts and is sent to Lyle
House, a mysterious group home for mentally disturbed teenagers, she
soon discovers that neither Lyle House nor its inhabitants are exactly
what they seem, and that she and her new friends are in danger. | Sequels: The Awakening, The Reckoning

Manifest by Artist Arthur
Krystal Bentley is an outsider at her new high school in a small
Connecticut town since she hears the voice in her head of a dead teenage
boy who becomes her confidant, so she joins two other teens with
unusual powers to solve his killing. | Sequels: Mystify, Mutiny, Mayhem, Mesmerize

Tithe by Holly Black
After returning home from a tour with her mother’s rock band,
sixteen-year-old Kaye, who has been visited by faeries since childhood,
discovers that she herself is a magical faerie creature with a special
destiny. | Sequels: Valiant, Ironside

White Cat by Holly Black
When Cassel Sharpe discovers that his older brothers have used him to
carry out their criminal schemes and then stolen his memories, he
figures out a way to turn their evil machinations against them. | Sequels: Red Glove, Black Heart

The Demon’s Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
Sixteen-year-old Nick and his family have battled magicians and demons
for most of his life, but when his brother, Alan, is marked for death
while helping new friends Jamie and Mae, Nick’s determination to save
Alan leads him to uncover a devastating secret. | Sequels: The Demon’s Covenant, The Demon’s Surrender

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
When 15-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New
York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder — much less a murder
committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and
brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air.
It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to
everyone else and when there is nothing — not even a smear of blood —
to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy? | Sequels: City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls, City of Heavenly Fire

Angelfall by Susan Ee
It’s been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish
the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition
rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little
girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her
back. Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel. | Sequels: World After, End of Days (forthcoming)

Gone by Michael Grant
In the blink of an eye, everyone disappears. Gone. Except for the young.
There are teens, but not one single adult. Just as suddenly, there are
no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to
figure out what’s happened. Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister
creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are
changing, developing new talents — unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers — that grow stronger by the day. | Sequels: Hunger, Lies, Plague, Fear, Light

Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton
Soon after the mysterious and alluring Finn arrives at her family’s
home, sixteen-year-old Teagan Wylltson and her disabled brother are
drawn into the battle Finn’s family has fought since the thirteenth
century, when Fionn MacCumhaill angered the goblin king. | Sequels: In the Forests of the Night, When the Stars Threw Down Their Spears

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey
Eighteen-year-old New Zealand boarding school student Ellie Spencer must
use her rusty tae kwon do skills and new-found magic to try to stop a
fairy-like race of creatures from Maori myth and legend that is plotting
to kill millions of humans in order to regain their lost immortality.

The Chaos by Nalo Hopkinson
Toronto sixteen-year-old Scotch may have to acknowledge her own
limitations and come to terms with her mixed Jamaican, white, and black
heritage if she is to stop the Chaos that has claimed her brother and
made much of the world crazy.

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
Seventeen-year-old Aislinn, who has the rare ability to see faeries, is
drawn against her will into a centuries-old battle between the Summer
King and the Winter Queen, and the survival of her life, her love, and
summer all hang in the balance. | Sequels:

Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older (June 30)
When the murals painted on the walls of her Brooklyn neighborhood start
to change and fade in front of her, Sierra Santiago realizes that
something strange is going on–then she discovers her Puerto Rican
family are shadowshapers and finds herself in a battle with an evil
anthropologist for the lives of her family and friends.

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
After a Fenris, or werewolf, killed their grandmother and almost killed
them, sisters Scarlett and Rosie March devote themselves to hunting and
killing the beasts that prey on teenaged girls, learning how to lure
them with red cloaks and occasionally using the help of their old
friend, Silas, the woodsman’s son.

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves
Portero, Texas, teens Kit and Fancy Cordelle share their infamous
father’s fascination with killing, and despite their tendency to shun
others they bring two boys with similar tendencies to a world of endless
possibilities they have discovered behind a mysterious door.

Misfit by Jon Skovron
Seattle sixteen-year-old Jael must negotiate normal life in Catholic
school while learning to control the abilities she inherited from her
mother, a demon, and protect those she loves from Belial, the Duke of
Hell.

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith
When multiple murders in Austin, Texas, threaten the grand re-opening of
her family’s vampire-themed restaurant, seventeen-year-old, orphaned
Quincie worries that her best friend-turned-love interest, Kieren, a
werewolf-in-training, may be the prime suspect. | Sequels: Eternal, Blessed, Diabolical

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Seventeen-year-old Karou, a lovely, enigmatic art student in a Prague
boarding school, carries a sketchbook of hideous, frightening
monsters–the chimaerae who form the only family she has ever known. | Sequels: Days of Blood and Starlight, Dreams of Gods and Monsters

The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent (June 9)
In a world ruled by the brutally puritanical Church and its army of
black-robed exorcists, sixteen-year-old Nina tries to save her pregnant
younger sister from the Church’s wrath and discovers that not only is
the Church run by demons but that Nina herself is one of the very few
who can genuinely exorcise them.

Get Genrefied: Christian Fiction

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This month, we’re tackling Christian fiction. For most of the genre guides, I’ve stuck to stuff I know really well, but I don’t read much Christian fiction myself, so I’m branching out a bit for this one. It’s an important genre to know about and helps fill a niche for many teen readers.

Introduction

In general, Christian fiction encompasses those stories that present a Christian worldview. This definition is really broad, but deliberately so. Often there will be explicit mention of God, Jesus, the Bible, sin and redemption, and so on, and the protagonist’s journey will be overtly spiritual. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes the focus is more allegorical (think Narnia) or the Christian ideology is subtler and conveyed more through character actions rather than deliberate mention of religious tenets. It can also be any genre under the sun: realistic, contemporary, historical, fantasy, science fiction, and so on. Because Christian fiction can be done with such a light touch, sometimes it’s unclear whether a certain book should truly be called “Christian fiction.” For example, there’s a lot of debate over whether Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings is Christian fiction. This also makes it really important to be able to recognize Christian fiction by its publishing house or author, since it’s not always apparent from the book blurb.

Christian fiction is huge in the adult market. If you work in a public library, you’ve no doubt seen the hordes of Amish fiction that readers can’t seem to get enough of (referred to as the “bonnet brigade” by one of my co-workers). It’s not just Amish fiction though; it’s also books like Left Behind or Karen Kingsbury’s hugely popular novels. Christian fiction also encompasses some specific subgenres such as
Catholic or Mormon fiction, which can be hugely popular among their
intended audience. Christian adult fiction is sometimes referred to as “inspirational fiction,” but I haven’t seen that term used as much for teen novels. It does give a good idea of some of the appeal behind these books though: they’re meant to uplift and inspire. Christian fiction in general also doesn’t seem to be as widespread in the teen realm, but there’s a definite readership for it. 

In my experience, the teens who seek out Christian fiction are those who want to see their Christian values reflected in the books they read. Often, these values are quite conservative – socially, politically, and religiously – but not always. Christian fiction reads tend to be gentler reads, with less violence, sex, and foul language – but again, not always. Often the assumption is that the parents foist these books on their kids, but I find that teens also want them without any prompting from their parents. Christian teens whose religion is a big part of their lives are drawn to stories featuring protagonists whose religious beliefs mirror their own. I’m reminded of this piece written a few years ago about the seeming lack of religion or religious protagonists in YA. Christian fiction helps fill this gap.

Because Christian fiction ranges from very message-heavy to very subtly religious, it has the ability to attract a wide range of readers, and publishers are trying to capitalize on that. Blink, a new imprint of Zondervan launched in 2013, aims to publish YA Christian fiction “for anyone, regardless of faith.” Their About page on their website doesn’t even mention the word Christian anywhere. The YA bloggers at Redeemed Reader discussed a few of Blink’s first titles (part one, part two), giving their opinions on the stories as Christian fiction and whether they thought the books would appeal to non-Christians. Those two posts are also a great way to get an idea of what Christian fiction means to teens who read it regularly.

Resources

As I mentioned above, recognizing Christian fiction from a book blurb isn’t always easy. Look for specific publishers/imprints and authors to clue you in.

Publishers/Imprints:

Popular YA Christian Fiction Authors:

  • Ted Dekker
  • Melody Carlson
  • Donita K. Paul
  • Melanie Dickerson
  • G. P. Taylor
  • Andrew Klavan
  • Jenny B. Jones
  • Robin Jones Gunn
  • Stephanie Perry Moore
  • Adult author Beverly Lewis has also written some YA Christian fiction.

Of course, the above list is only a few of the authors writing YA Christian fiction today. Many of these authors have compiled much larger, more exhaustive lists, some of which I’ve linked to below.

On the Web:

  • Author Jill Williamson maintains a website called Novel Teen that aims to help YA readers find great Christian fiction books. She also has a huge list of recommended authors.
  • Similarly, popular adult author Karen Kingsbury has a great list of YA Christian fiction authors at a website she runs called Family Fiction.
  • On the blog front, Redeemed Reader is a great resource, as is Sherry Early’s blog, Semicolon. (Sherry is a Cybils panelist this year in the Elementary/Middle Grade speculative fiction category.)
  • The Christy Awards give annual awards to Christian books in a variety of categories. They do have a YA category, though it’s not always awarded (presumably because it doesn’t get the required ten entries).

Books

The books on the list below have all been published within the last five years or so and are generally regarded as Christian fiction. Descriptions are from WorldCat. A lot of YA publishing is very white and straight, but Christian fiction seems to be even more so. See this blog post on the topic. LGBT Christian fiction, in particular, is tough to find, and that is no doubt due – at least in part – to the more conservative type of Christian fiction that dominates the market. LGBT-friendly Christian fiction may be best found outside the genre – in books that may not explicitly state they’re Christian, but still have a Christian feel. If you know of some titles that would help diversify this list, please let us know in the comments.

Remants: Season of Wonder by Lisa T. Bergren
The year is 2095. Gifted teens known as Remnants have been chosen and
trained to act as humanity’s last hope to rectify the horrors that are
now part of everyday life. But the Sons of Sheol are determined to stop
them. | Sequel: Season of Fire

Halflings by Heather Burch
When Nikki is targeted by an evil intent on harming her, she finds
herself under the guardianship of three young men who call themselves
Halflings. | Sequels: Guardian, Avenger

Premiere by Melody Carlson (On the Runway series)
When two sisters get their own fashion-focused reality television show,
vivacious Paige is excited, but Erin, a Christian who is more interested
in being behind the camera than in front of it, has problems with some
of the things they are asked to do. | Sequels: Catwalk, Rendezvous, Spotlight, Glamour, Ciao

Trading Secrets by Melody Carlson

Back in fifth grade, Micah Knight got an Amish pen pal, and over the
years, they’ve exchanged many letters–and many secrets. At age
seventeen, Micah finally has the chance to meet her pen pal
face-to-face. The only problem is that because of confusion about her
name when the pen pals were assigned, her pen pal was a boy, Zach
Miller. And all this time, Micah’s never told Zach that she’s actually a
girl. While she
wants nothing more than to experience life on Zach’s Amish farm, she’s
afraid he’ll hate her for deceiving him all these years. But she makes
up her mind to face the music–and that’s where the fun really begins.

So Not Happening by Jenny B. Jones
Forced to move from Manhattan to an Oklahoma farm when her mother
remarries, sixteen-year-old Bella relies on her faith while
investigating a deadly, secret organization for the school newspaper, as
she slowly realizes how shallow and spoiled she has been. | Sequels: I’m So Sure, So Over My Head

Nightmare City by Andrew Klavan
Tom Harding only wants the truth. But the truth is becoming more
dangerous with every passing minute. As a reporter for his high school
newspaper, Tom Harding was tracking the best story of his life when,
suddenly, his life turned very, very weird. He woke up one morning to
find his house empty, his street empty, his whole town empty. Empty
except for an eerie, creeping fog; and whatever creatures were slowly moving toward him through the fog. Now Tom’s once-ordinary world has become something out of a horror movie.

 

Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon
Embarking on a summer adventure in Scotland, best friends Veronica and
Mackenna find romance and danger when they are transported to the
kingdom of Doon, a hidden village that appears once every 100 years.
Inspired by the musical Brigadoon. | Sequel: Destined for Doon

The Healer’s Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson

In this story loosely based on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale,
seventeen-year-old Rose, a healer’s apprentice, falls in love with the
betrothed Lord Hamlin, who is seeking the sorcerer who cursed his future
bride. | Sequels: The Fairest Beauty, The Merchant’s Daughter, The Captive Maiden, The Princess Spy

Aquifer by Jonathan Friesen

In 2250, water is scarce and controlled by tyrants, but when
sixteen-year-old Luca descends to the domain of the Water Rats, he meets
one who captures his heart and leads him to secrets about a vast
conspiracy, and about himself.

A Girl Named Mister by Nikki Grimes
A pregnant teenager finds support and forgiveness from God through a
book of poetry presented from the Virgin Mary’s perspective.

Hit by Lorie Ann Grover
High school senior Sarah takes a poetry class led by Mr. Haddings, a
student teacher from the nearby University of Washington, and finds
herself using her poetry journal to subtly declare her feelings for him,
but everything changes when she is hit by a car.

Black, White, Other by Joan Steinau Lester
Twenty miles from Oakland, California, where fires have led to racial
tension, multi-racial fifteen-year-old Nina faces the bigotry of
long-time friends, her parents’ divorce, and her brother’s misbehavior,
while learning of her great-great grandmother Sarah’s escape from
slavery.

Finding Your Faith by Stephanie Perry Moore
Thirteen-year-old triplet Yasmin tries to find solace in prayer while
helping her family recover from her older brother’s suicide, as well as
dealing with all of the drama of middle school and life in the projects. | Sequels: Believing in Hope, Experiencing the Joy, Learning to Love, Enjoying True Peace

Me, Just Different by Stephanie Morrill
An incident at a summer party and major family crises have high school
senior Skylar Hoyt rethinking her way of life, and with the help of a
new boy at school and a youth coach at church, she begins to find her
true self.

Like Moonlight at Low Tide by Nicole Quigley
When high school junior Melissa Keiser returns to her hometown of Anna
Maria Island, Florida, she has one goal, to hide from the bullies who
had convinced her she was the ugliest girl in school. But when she is
caught sneaking into a neighbor’s pool at night, everything changes.

Running Lean by Diana Sharples
Told from their separate viewpoints, Calvin Greenlee copes with grief
over his brother’s recent death by racing his vintage Yamaha on rural
North Carolina streets while his girlfriend, Stacey Youngblood, battles
anexoria, and their relationship may not survive the strain.

Simply Divine by Jacquelin Thomas
After a family catastrophe, glamorous Hollywood teenager Divine goes to
live with devout relatives in Georgia, where she learns the importance
of family and finds strength by turning to God. | Sequels: Divine Confidential, Divine Secrets, Divine Match-Up

Merlin’s Blade by Robert Treskillard
When a meteorite crashes near a small village in fifth-century Britain,
it brings with it a mysterious black stone that bewitches anyone who
comes in contact with its glow—a power the druids hope to use to
destroy King Uthur’s kingdom, as well as the new Christian faith. The
only person who seems immune is a young, shy, half-blind swordsmith’s
son named Merlin. As his family, village, and even the young Arthur,
are placed in danger, Merlin must face his fears and his blindness to
take hold of the role God ordained for him. | Sequels: Merlin’s Shadow,
Merlin’s Nightmare

The Summer of Cotton Candy by Debbie Viguie
Forced by her father to get a summer job, seventeen-year-old Candace
makes the most of selling cotton candy in an amusement park, despite a
botched nametag, vindictive co-workers, lewd patrons, and growing
distant from her best friend. | Sequels: The Fall of Candy Corn, The Winter of Candy Canes, The Spring of Candy Apples

Captives by Jill Williamson
In a dystopian future, most of the population is infected with a plague.
The exceptions are those who live outside the Safe Land’s city walls.
When a mutation in the plague sends city enforcers looking for the
uninfected, Levi’s village is raided. While the attack leaves many dead,
Levi’s fiancee is being held captive. Levi launches a war against the
city in an attempt to free her before it’s too late. | Sequels: Outcasts, Rebels

Get Genrefied: Gothic Fiction

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For October’s genre guide, we wanted to tackle something horror-related, and we settled on gothic fiction. This is one of those genres that I think everyone recognizes when they read it, but it’s difficult to say just what it is that makes it gothic. It’s tricky to define.

Goodreads says that gothic fiction “combines elements of both the uncanny and romance” and is a “parent genre” for horror and mystery. While I think the former is true (and it encompasses books that are gothic in feel but aren’t necessarily horror), I don’t quite agree with the latter. I doubt many readers would say that all horror novels are gothic, but the opposite is mostly true – most gothic novels are horror.

The good ol’ dictionary (Random House 2014) gives us a better working definition, I think. Entry seven says that the word gothic means “noting or pertaining to a style of literature characterized by a gloomy setting, grotesque, mysterious, or violent events, and an atmosphere of degeneration and decay.” Entry nine is similar but a bit more specific (and kind of amusing): “being of a genre of contemporary fiction typically relating the experiences of an often ingenuous heroine imperiled, as at an old mansion, where she typically becomes involved with a stern or mysterious but attractive man.” The first definition is used more frequently with the 19th century classic novels, whereas the second one is reserved for more modern novels, but they certainly evoke the same feel.

And this is where I think the true definition lies – it’s the feeling of the novel that makes it gothic. The word brings to mind old castles and churches (built in the Gothic style from which the term for this fiction derives), ghosts, atmospherically foggy nights, monsters (or humans appearing as monsters), tortured heroes and heroines, dangerous secrets, romance, strong emotion. The setting is paramount and is practically a character unto itself. All of these things are hallmarks of modern gothic fiction.

Classic examples of the genre include Frankenstein, Dracula, and of course my favorite, Jane Eyre. The three books are quite different from each other, the former two falling squarely in the horror genre and the latter being spooky at times but not really terrifying like we think horror should be. (Furthermore, Jane Eyre is strictly realistic while Frankenstein and Dracula are science fiction and fantasy, respectively). Gothic fiction of today runs the gamut from terrifying to almost benign, too, though the moody feel of the stories is something they all have in common.

Below are a few worthwhile resources to enhance your knowledge.

  • YA Books Central has a massive list of 102 gothic books, though they use the term “gothic” pretty loosely for some of the selections.
  • Lancaster University in the UK hosted a Young Adult Gothic Fiction Symposium in September of 2013 (Marcus Sedgwick was one of the authors who spoke), and they have a lot of great resources at their website. The blog is of particular interest; check out the entry on what teen readers think of gothic fiction for a good discussion of appeal factors.
  • Southern gothic is a popular subsection of this genre/subgenre (we’ve included a few Southern gothic titles in our booklist below). This thread at Absolute Write talks more about it and offers some reading suggestions.

Below are several recent (within the last five years or so) books published that could be called gothic fiction. Descriptions are from Worldcat. Did we leave off any of your favorites?

Dark Companion by Marta Acosta
Brought back to life and orphaned at the age of six, Jane Williams grows
up in a series of foster homes and wins a scholarship to the exclusive
Birch Grove Academy, where dark secrets abound.

The Twin’s Daughter by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
In Victorian London, thirteen-year-old Lucy’s comfortable world with her
loving parents begins slowly to unravel the day that a bedraggled woman
who looks exactly like her mother appears at their door. | Kelly’s review

Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough
When Cora and her younger sister, Mimi, are sent to stay with their
great Auntie Ida in an isolated village in 1958, they discover that they
are in danger from a centuries-old evil and, along with village boys
Roger and Peter, strive to uncover the horrifying truth before it is too
late. | Kelly’s review

Servants of the Storm by Delilah S. Dawson
After her best friend dies in a hurricane, high schooler Dovey discovers
something even more devastating–demons in her hometown of Savannah.

Of Metal and Wishes by Sarah Fine
After a Noor humiliates her and a ghost grants an impulsive wish of hers
— brutally — sixteen-year-old Wen befriends the Noor, including the
outspoken leader, a young man named Melik, leading Wen to appease the
ghost, who is determined to protect her against any threat–real or
imagined.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
In a small South Carolina town, where it seems little has changed since
the Civil War, sixteen-year-old Ethan is powerfully drawn to Lena, a new
classmate with whom he shares a psychic connection and whose family
hides a dark secret that may be revealed on her sixteenth birthday. | Sequels: Beautiful Darkness, Beautiful Chaos, Beautiful Redemption

Blythewood by Carol Goodman
After a summer locked away in a mental institution, seventeen-year-old
orphan Ava Hall is sent to Blythewood, a finishing school for young
ladies that is anything but ordinary. | Sequel: Ravencliffe (December 2014)

Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge
When Triss wakes up
after an accident, she knows that something is very wrong. She is
insatiably hungry; her sister seems scared of her and her parents
whisper behind closed doors. She looks through her diary to try to
remember, but the pages have been ripped out. Soon Triss
discovers that what happened to her is more strange and terrible than
she could ever have imagined, and that she is quite literally not
herself. In a quest find the truth she must travel into the terrifying
Underbelly of the city to meet a twisted architect who has dark designs
on her family – before it’s too late.

Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

In post-apocalyptic New Orleans, now a sanctuary for supernatural
beings, a hardened teenager on the run searches for the truth about her
monstrous heritage and discovers a curse that could ignite the ancient
war between gods and monsters. | Sequels: A Beautiful Evil, The Wicked Within

The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan
Residing in a desolate abbey protected by gargoyles, two beautiful
teenaged sisters in turn-of-the-twentieth-century Paris discover deadly
and otherworldly truths as they search for their missing brother. | Sequels: The Lovely and the Lost, The Wondrous and the Wicked

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson
After the death of her father in 1855, seventeen-year-old Sophia goes to
live with her wealthy and mysterious godfather at his gothic mansion,
Wyndriven Abbey, in Mississippi, where many secrets lie hidden. | Kimberly’s review

Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales edited by Deborah Noyes
Drawing on dark fantasy and the fairy tale as well as horror and wild
humor, ten acclaimed authors pay homage to the gothic tale in
wide-ranging stories of the supernatural and surreal.

This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel
When his twin brother falls ill in the family’s chateau in the
independent republic of Geneva in the eighteenth century,
sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein embarks on a dangerous and
uncertain quest to create the forbidden Elixir of Life described in an
ancient text in the family’s secret Biblioteka Obscura. | Sequel: Such Wicked Intent

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
After a family tragedy, Jacob feels compelled to explore an abandoned
orphanage on an island off the coast of Wales, discovering disturbing
facts about the children who were kept there. | Sequel: Hollow City

Asylum by Madeleine Roux
Three teens at a summer program for gifted students uncover shocking
secets in the sanatorium-turned-dorm where they’re staying–secrets that
link them all to the asylum’s dark past

White Crow by Marcus Sedgwick
Sixteen-year-old Rebecca moves with her father from London to a small,
seaside village, where she befriends another motherless girl and they
spend the summer together exploring the village’s sinister history.

The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd
Dr. Moreau’s daughter, Juliet, travels to her estranged father’s island,
only to encounter murder, medical horrors, and a love triangle.

In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters
In San Diego in 1918, as deadly influenza and World War I take their
toll, sixteen-year-old Mary Shelley Black watches desperate mourners
flock to séances and spirit photographers for comfort and, despite her
scientific leanings, must consider if ghosts are real when her first
love, killed in battle, returns. | Kimberly’s review

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

In 1888, twelve-year-old Will Henry chronicles his apprenticeship
with Dr. Warthrop, a New Escientist who hunts and studies real-life
monsters, as they discover and attempt to destroy a pod of
Anthropophagi. | Sequels: The Curse of the Wendigo, The Isle of Blood, The Final Descent

Get Genrefied: Mythology

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For this month’s genre guide, we’re tackling mythology, which actually crosses genres. Though it’s most often associated with fantasy (the myths themselves are full of what modern readers would call magic), there are also some intriguing mythology-inspired stories that are strictly realistic, plus some historical fiction and science fiction too. Part of the appeal of mythology, much like with fairy tale re-tellings, is its ability to recall familiar stories while simultaneously making them new again.

In this guide, we use the word “mythology” to mean a collection of traditional or legendary stories, often involving gods and goddesses. Usually, myths are created to explain phenomena that can’t be explained using natural or scientific means (how the earth and humanity came to be, for example). We focus mainly on ancient mythology here: the religious and spiritual beliefs of peoples long-dead that are generally considered untrue – therefore mythical – by modern humans. That said, it’s certainly possible to call more modern religious or spiritual beliefs “mythical” – and some people do. I took a class in college where the professor stated the only difference between mythology and modern religion is that no one believes in the myths anymore. (Not all of you may agree with this, but it’s interesting to think about.)

This is important to consider when choosing the right term for a particular book inspired by a traditional story – is the story a myth or a religious parable? The word “myth” is heavily loaded and implies untruth. This might be more of a challenge for Western librarians who come across non-Western stories featuring gods and goddesses about which they know very little. (All the more reason to become acquainted with the beliefs of all peoples across the world and know which beliefs are mythical and which remain a part of the living religion.)

Mythology is ripe for re-imaginings since it’s already full of action, war, love, and betrayal – the stuff of any good story. It’s a perennially popular topic for kids and teens and will often lead them to check out some nonfiction on their favorite gods, goddesses, or creatures. (Edith Hamilton’s Mythology is the classic work, and younger kids at my library have loved the Mythlopedia books from Scholastic.) Greek mythology reigns; this was true even before Percy Jackson conquered the shelves. Still, the success of Rick Riordan’s novels has given rise to mythology-inspired stories from many different pantheons, including Norse, Japanese, and Korean.

Before we get to the booklist, here are a few resources of interest:

  • The Mythopoeic Society gives out an annual award for books in the fields of myth and fantasy. They have an adult category as well as a children’s (including YA) category. You won’t find a lot of Greek or Egyptian mythology-inspired winners here. Instead, the society focuses on recognizing books that best exemplify the spirit of the Inklings (a group of Oxford academics and writers which included J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis). The mythology recognized in the Mythopoeic Award is usually that of the writers’ own making, meaning honored books will often have interesting, detailed world-building. They also honor nonfiction work in the field – in Inklings studies as well as myth & fantasy studies. Recent winners and finalists include Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst, The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner, and Graceling by Kristin Cashore.
  • The Encyclopedia Mythica is an online treasure trove of myths and folklore from all parts of the world. It currently has over 7,000 entries, plus a bestiary, image gallery, and genealogical tables.
  • Epic Reads’ chart of 162 YA Retellings is worth revisiting since they include mythology. They even break down Greco-Roman mythology by myth – Hades/Persephone, Cupid/Psyche, Helen of Troy, and everything else.
  • This post from Brittany at the Book Addicts’ Guide is about a project where participating bloggers wrote about various classics retold during September of 2013. Brittany was in charge of mythology, so her introductory post features a lot of great examples.

A lot of mythology-inspired stories being published today are more middle grade than YA, probably due to Percy Jackson’s influence (think of Loki’s Wolves or The Savage Fortress). Riordan’s stories have good crossover appeal to teens, though, and I wouldn’t be surprised if other middle grade mythology stories do as well. That said, there are plenty of solidly teen stories about mythology out there, and we’ve compiled a list for you below. They’re mainly broken down by pantheon, though those with only one or two books have been combined by region.

If you know of any others, particularly realistic or Asian or African-inspired, please let us know in the comments.

Greek & Roman

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
When shy sixteen-year-old Helen Hamilton starts having vivid dreams
about three ancient, hideous women and suddenly tries to kill a new
student at her Nantucket high school, she discovers that she is playing
out some version of an old tale involving Helen of Troy, the Three
Furies, and a mythic battle. Sequels: Dreamless, Goddess

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Regretting her decision to forfeit her life on Earth to become an
immortal on Everneath, a world between Earth and Hell, teenaged Nikki is
given the chance to return to the Surface for six months, in this story
loosely based on the “Hades and Persephone” myth. Sequels: Everbound, Evertrue

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
Galen, prince of the Syrena, is sent to land to find a girl he’s heard
can communicate with fish. He finds Emma and after several encounters,
including a deadly one with a shark, Galen becomes convinced Emma holds
the key to his kingdom. Sequels: Of Triton, Of Neptune

Antigoddess by Kendare Blake
Athena and Hermes’ search for the cause of their unexpected,
life-threatening illnesses leads them to Cassandra, a former prophetess,
who may be key to a war started by Hera and other Olympians who have
become corrupt anti-gods determined to destroy their rivals. Sequels: Mortal Gods (October), Ungodly (2015)

Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block
After a devastating earthquake destroys the West Coast, causing
seventeen-year-old Penelope to lose her home, her parents, and her
ten-year-old brother, she navigates a dark world, holding hope and love
in her hands and refusing to be defeated. [Based on the Odyssey] Sequel: The Island of Excess Love

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
Eden, Michigan, high school student Kate Winters strikes a bargain with
Henry, Greek god of the underworld, if he’ll cure her dying mother of
cancer. The bargain she strikes with him is a grim one, but the full
enormity of what she has undertaken–“live forever or die trying”–Is
not revealed until it’s too late to recant. Sequels: Goddess Interrupted, The Goddess Inheritance

Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs
When her mother suddenly decides to marry a near-stranger, Phoebe, whose
passion is running, soon finds herself living on a remote Greek island,
completing her senior year at an ancient high school where the students
and teachers are all descended from gods or goddesses. Sequel: Goddess Boot Camp

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Betrothed to the demon who rules her country and trained all her life
to kill him, seventeen-year-old Nyx Triskelion must now fulfill her
destiny and move to the castle to be his wife. [There are elements of a number of myths here, including Hades/Persephone and Pandora’s box.] Kimberly’s review

Solstice by P. J. Hoover
Eighteen-year-old Piper lives with her controlling mother amid a Global
Heating Crisis, but when she gets her first taste of freedom she
discovers a universe of gods and monsters where her true identity, kept
secret from her birth, could make all the difference in the world.

Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

In post-apocalyptic New Orleans, now a sanctuary for supernatural
beings, a hardened teenager on the run searches for the truth about her
monstrous heritage and discovers a curse that could ignite the ancient
war between gods and monsters. Sequels: A Beautiful Evil, The Wicked Within

All Our Pretty Songs by Sarah McCarry

In the Pacific Northwest, the bond between two best friends is
challenged when a mysterious and gifted musician comes between them and
awakens an ancient evil. [Inspired by the Orpheus myth] Sequel: Dirty Wings, inspired by the Persephone/Hades myth

Over You by Amy Reed
A novel about two girls on the run from their problems, their pasts, and
themselves. Max and Sadie are escaping to Nebraska, but they’ll soon
learn they can’t escape the truth. [Inspired by a number of Greek myths presented as chapter introductions] Kelly’s review

Radiant Darkness by Emily Whitman
Persephone runs off to the Underworld with Hades, with whom she has
fallen in love, but when her mother Demeter threatens to destroy the
earth to save her, Persephone finds a way to come back once a year,
bringing spring.

Egyptian

Sphinx’s Princess by Esther Friesner
Although she is a dutiful daughter, Nefertiti’s dancing abilities,
remarkable beauty, and intelligence garner attention near and far, so
much so that her family is summoned to the Egyptian royal court, where
Nefertiti becomes a pawn in the power play of her scheming aunt, Queen
Tiye. Sequel: Sphinx’s Queen

Cleopatra Confesses by Carolyn Meyer
Princess Cleopatra, the third (and favorite) daughter of King Ptolemy
XII, comes of age in ancient Egypt, accumulating power and discovering
love.

Cleopatra’s Moon by Vicky Alvear Shecter
Cleopatra Selene, the only surviving daughter of Cleopatra and Marc
Antony, recalls her life of pomp and splendor in Egypt and, after her
parents’ deaths, captivity and treachery in Rome.

The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White
Sixteen-year-old Isadora, the mortal daughter of Isis and Osiris, is
sick of being in the middle of family drama so she jumps at the chance
to leave Egypt and start a new life in San Diego with her brother.

Norse

Stork by Wendy Delsol
After her parents’ divorce, Katla and her mother move from Los Angeles
to Norse Falls, Minnesota, where Kat immediately alienates two boys at
her high school and, improbably, discovers a kinship with a mysterious
group of elderly women–the Icelandic Stork Society–who “deliver
souls.” Sequels: Frost, Flock

The Lost Sun by Tessa Gratton
In an alternate U.S.A. (the United States of Asgard), Soren Bearskin,
the son of an infamous beserker, and Astrid Glyn, daughter of a renowned
seer, embark on a road trip to find Baldur, the missing god whose
absence has caused panic throughout the country. Sequel: The Strange Maid

Starling by Lesley Livingston
Mason Starling, a champion fencer at Gosforth Academy, finds her school
overrun with terrifying creatures after a mysterious, ferocious storm
falls on Manhattan and the mysterious stranger who saves her life
becomes her only ally as they work together to discover his past and
learn of Mason’s family’s dark allegiance to ancient Norse gods. Sequels: Descendant, Transcendent

Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson
While visiting Norway, sixteen-year-old Ellie must step out of the
shadow of her popular older brother, join forces with his infuriating
best friend, and embrace her Valkyrie heritage to rescue teen boys
kidnapped to join the undead army of the ancient god, Odin.

Asian

Ink by Amanda Sun (Japanese)
Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka,
Japan, Katie feels lost. When Katie meets
aloof but gorgeous Tomohiro, the star of the school’s kendo team,
she is intrigued by him…and a little scared. His tough attitude seems
meant to keep her at a distance, and when they’re near each other,
strange things happen. And unless
Katie is seeing things, drawings come to life. Somehow Tomo is connected
to the kami, powerful ancient beings who once ruled Japan–and as
feelings develop between Katie and Tomo, things begin to spiral out of
control. The wrong people are starting to ask questions, and if they
discover the truth, no one will be safe. Sequel: Rain

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff (Japanese)
In this dystopian steampunk fantasy set against a backdrop of feudal
Japan, warrior Yukiko captures a supposedly extinct (but crippled)
griffin for the Shogun, then learns — after meeting secretive Kin and
the rebel Kage cabal — of the horrifying extent of the Shogun’s crimes,
both against her country and her family. Returning to the city, Yukiko
is determined to make the Shogun pay — but what can one girl and a flightless griffin do against the might of an empire? Sequels: Kinslayer, Endsinger (November)

Prophecy by Ellen Oh (Korean)
A demon slayer, the only female warrior in the King’s army, must battle
demon soldiers, an evil shaman, and the Demon Lord to find the lost ruby
of the Dragon King’s prophecy and save her kingdom. Sequels: Warrior, King (2015) | Kimberly’s review

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon (Chinese)
With her father long overdue from his journey and a lecherous merchant
blackmailing her into marriage, seventeen-year-old Ai Ling becomes aware
of a strange power within her as she goes in search of her parent. Sequel: Fury of the Phoenix

Other

The Woken Gods by Gwenda Bond (multi-pantheon)
This morning, seventeen-year-old Kyra Locke was late for school. But
that’s not out of the ordinary in a transformed Washington, D.C.,
dominated by the embassies of divine pantheons and watched over by the
mysterious Society of the Sun that governs mankind’s relations with the
gods. What is unusual is Kyra’s encounter with two trickster gods on her
way home, one offering a threat, and the other a warning. 

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey (Maori)
Eighteen-year-old New Zealand boarding school student Ellie Spencer must
use her rusty tae kwon do skills and new-found magic to try to stop a
fairy-like race of creatures from Maori myth and legend that is plotting
to kill millions of humans in order to regain their lost immortality.

Get Genrefied: Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi)

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Every month, we’ve been highlighting a genre or subgenre within YA and offering up a definition, a discussion, and a thick reading list featuring titles that fit. All of the guides can be found here under the tag genre fiction.

This month, rather than tackle a traditional genre or subgenre, I thought it would be worthwhile to tackle an emerging theme in YA fiction that could easily become a category, if not a full-blown genre within itself: climate fiction. Climate fiction, or cli-fi for short, has been making waves throughout the adult literary world. What is cli-fi? It’s exactly what it sounds like — fiction that features climate change at the core of the story. The events within the story are caused by or impacted profoundly by the changing climate on Earth. It’s meant to be both a key component of the story, as well as offer a bigger message about the impact we’re leaving on the planet now. Over the last few years, it’s hard to ignore the number of YA titles that could be classified as cli-fi.  

The term cli-fi was coined by a climate activist in 2007 named Dan Bloom. You can read a bit about how the term arose and the history behind it here. It’s noted there that Bloom believes, at least at this point, it’s best a subgenre of science fiction. But because it’s an evolving idea and one that could easily play out beyond science fiction, there’s still growth and change to happen with it. He notes, too, that it’s up to those outside the science fiction sphere to see whether it’s got a lasting power or not. 

What makes cli-fi different from other genres, and why it may not even be a traditional genre at all, is that titles which fit the category — or may fit the category in the future — fall across a range of genres and subgenres. Climate fiction could easily include appropriate contemporary realistic fiction, fantasy, and, as has been seen most frequently within YA, dystopia (which we know is a subgenre of science fiction but which seems to operate in YA as its own genre). I haven’t seen it, but I suspect there could be an argument that a historical novel could also be cli-fi, and perhaps there already is but it hasn’t popped up in my searching. No doubt horror is a ripe arena for cli-fi, too.

The discussion of cli-fi as a genre exploded in the last year and a half, but the bulk of writing about it so far has focused on adult fiction, rather than YA. Although Bloom noted in the article above he was disappointed that major outlets who talked about cli-fi didn’t credit him appropriately as the term’s creator, he thinks that the fact it’s out there and people are talking about what it is and what it could be really important. Here’s a look at some further reading on the topic: 

  • VOYA Magazine did a feature on cli-fi in February of this year, and though the magazine focuses on youth topics, the bulk of the piece featured adult titles with teen crossover appeal. You can access it as a .pdf here. 
Because this is such a new area of fiction — or at least the term we used to describe this kind of fiction is so new — there aren’t many dedicated sites to these books. But the one that does exist is constantly growing and expanding: Nature Fiction and Cli-Fi Books. Keep this one on your radar if this is a genre that interests you. I think that as we think more about how we label and discuss books, cli-fi is going to become a really worthwhile term and concept to have in mind. Less from the standpoint of organizing books but more from the standpoint of how to recommend and connect different books to one another. If cli-fi is a wider swath of books beyond science fiction — and I think it is — it’s a really valuable means of offering new books to readers hungry for books that explore the effect climate has on not just the globe, but the people living on it. 

Here’s a look at a pile of YA titles that could easily be categorized (or genrefied!) as cli-fi. The bulk have published in the last couple of years, though a few come before that. Any additional titles you can think of that would fit, I’d love to hear about, especially if it’s something outside of science fiction or dystopia. All descriptions are via WorldCat. 

Not A Drop To Drink by Mindy McGinnis: Sixteen-year-old Lynn will do anything to protect her valuable water source, but the arrival of new neighbors forces her to reconsider her attitudes.

H2O by Virginia Bergin (October 7): When a strange rain falls bearing a fatal, contagious disease, Ruby finds herself alone with the only drinkable water quickly running out. 

Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block: After a devastating earthquake destroys the West Coast, causing seventeen-year-old Penelope to lose her home, her parents, and her ten-year-old brother, she navigates a dark world, holding hope and love in her hands and refusing to be defeated.

Memory of Water by Emmi Itaranta: In the far north of the Scandinavian Union, now occupied by the power state of New Qian, seventeen-year-old Noria Kaitio studies to become a tea master like her father. It is a position that holds great responsibility and a dangerous secret. Tea masters alone know the location of hidden water sources, including the natural spring that once provided water for her whole village. When Noria’s father dies, the secret of the spring reaches the new military commander. and the power of the army is vast indeed. But the precious water reserve is not the only forbidden knowledge Noria possesses, and resistance is a fine line. Threatened with imprisonment, and with her life at stake, Noria must make an excruciating, dangerous choice between knowledge and freedom.

The Carbon Diaries 2015 (and its sequel, The Carbon Diaries 2017) by Saci Lloyd: In 2015, when England becomes the first nation to introduce carbon dioxide rationing in a drastic bid to combat climate change, sixteen-year-old Laura documents the first year of rationing as her family spirals out of control.

Exodus by Julie Bertagna: In the year 2100, as the island of Wing is about to be covered by water, fifteen-year-old Mara discovers the existence of New World sky cities that are safe from the storms and rising waters, and convinces her people to travel to one of these cities in order to save themselves.

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi: In a futuristic world, teenaged Nailer scavenges copper wiring from grounded oil tankers for a living, but when he finds a beached clipper ship with a girl in the wreckage, he has to decide if he should strip the ship for its wealth or rescue the girl.

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher: In a world where water has become a precious resource, Vera and her brother befriend a boy who seems to have unlimited access to water and who suspiciously disappears, prompting a dangerous search challenged by pirates, a paramilitary group, and corporations.

Aquifer by Jonathan Friesen: In 2250, water is scarce and controlled by tyrants, but when sixteen-year-old Luca descends to the domain of the Water Rats, he meets one who captures his heart and leads him to secrets about a vast conspiracy, and about himself.

The White Horse Trick by Kate Thompson: In the late twenty-first century, dramatic climate change has made life in Ireland almost impossible, and soon Tir na n’Og is faced with a refugee problem, partly because of a warlord who is a member of the Liddy family.

 

Ashfall by Mike Mullin (series): After the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano destroys his city and its surroundings, fifteen-year-old Alex must journey from Cedar Falls, Iowa, to Illinois to find his parents and sister, trying to survive in a transformed landscape and a new society in which all the old rules of living have vanished.

Survival Colony 9 by Joshua Bellin: In a future world of dust and ruin, fourteen-year-old Querry Genn struggles to recover the lost memory that might save the human race.Querry is a member of Survival Colony Nine, one of the small, roving groups of people who outlived the wars and environmental catastrophes that destroyed the old world. The commander of Survival Colony Nine is his father, Laman Genn, who runs the camp with an iron will. He has to–because heat, dust, and starvation aren’t the only threats in this ruined world. There are also the Skaldi. Monsters with the ability to infect and mimic human hosts, the Skaldi appeared on the planet shortly after the wars of destruction. No one knows where they came from or what they are. But if they’re not stopped, it might mean the end of humanity. Six months ago, Querry had an encounter with the Skaldi–and now he can’t remember anything that happened before then. If he can recall his past, he might be able to find the key to defeat the Skaldi. If he can’t, he’s their next victim. (Description via Goodreads) 

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith: Set in a futuristic, hostile Orleans landscape, Fen de la Guerre must deliver her tribe leader’s baby over the Wall into the Outer States before her blood becomes tainted with Delta Fever.

Some Fine Day by Kat Ross: Sixteen-year-old Jansin Nordqvist is on the verge of graduating from the black ops factory known as the Academy. She’s smart and deadly, and knows three things with absolute certainty: 1. When the world flooded and civilization retreated deep underground, there was no one left on the surface. 2. The only species to thrive there are the toads, a primate/amphibian hybrid with a serious mean streak. 3. There’s no place on Earth where you can hide from the hypercanes, continent-sized storms that have raged for decades. Jansin has been lied to. On all counts. (Description via Goodreads). 

After the Snow by S. D. Crockett: Fifteen-year-old Willo Blake, born after the 2059 snows that ushered in a new ice age, encounters outlaws, halfmen, and an abandoned girl as he journeys in search of his family, who mysteriously disappeared from the freezing mountain that was their home.

Wasteland by Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan: In a post-apocalyptic world where everyone dies at age nineteen and rainwater contains a killer virus, loners Esther and Eli band together with a group of mutant, hermaphroditic outsiders to fight a corrupt ruler and save the town of Prin.

 

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O’Brien (series): In a future world baked dry by the sun and divided into those who live inside the wall and those who live outside it, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone is forced into a difficult choice when her parents are arrested and taken into the city.

Breathe by Sarah Crossan (series)In a barren land, a shimmering glass dome houses the survivors of the Switch, the period when oxygen levels plunged and the green world withered. A state lottery meant a lucky few won safety, while the rest suffocated in the thin air. And now Alina, Quinn, and Bea–an unlikely trio, each with their own agendas, their own longings and fears–walk straight into the heart of danger. With two days’ worth of oxygen in their tanks, they leave the dome. What will happen on the third day?: 

Dark Life by Kat Falls: When fifteen-year-old Ty, who has always lived on the ocean floor, joins Topside girl Gemma in the frontier’s underworld to seek and stop outlaws who threaten his home, they learn that the government may pose an even greater threat.

Drowned by Nichola Reilly: Coe is one of the few remaining teenagers on the island of Tides. Deformed and weak, she is constantly reminded that in a world where dry land dwindles at every high tide, she is not welcome. The only bright spot in her harsh and difficult life is the strong, capable Tiam– but love has long ago been forgotten by her society. The only priority is survival. Until the day their King falls ill, leaving no male heir to take his place. Unrest grows, and for reasons Coe cannot comprehend, she is invited into the privileged circle of royal aides. She soon learns that the dying royal is keeping a secret that will change their world forever. Is there an escape from the horrific nightmare that their island home has become? Coe must race to find the answers and save the people she cares about, before their world and everything they know is lost to the waters.

The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson: In a Brazil of the distant future, June Costa falls in love with Enki, a fellow artist and rebel against the strict limits of the legendary pyramid city of Palmares Três’ matriarchal government, knowing that, like all Summer Kings before him, Enki is destined to die.