In 1937, America is divided in two. Those who work with the mystical arts and those that don’t. Laura Ann Langston happens to be someone who works with the mystical arts, but has been having a difficult time landing a job to get her license. Because the country believes that the future is in mechomancy, not the mystical arts.

At her wits end, Laura applies for a position at the Bureau of the Arcane’s Conservation Corps. A Corps dedicated to everything Laura is against. A mage named Skylark takes Laura on as an apprentice, as a last resort. They embark on their first mission: fixing a dangerous Blight in Ohio. Little do they know that this mission will change the future forever.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an advanced copy of Rust in the Root to review! Justina Ireland is the queen of writing alternate history with a little bit of fantasy, and this book is no different! If you’re looking to add a little bit of magic to your history, this book is for you.

Ireland has created a very intricate world of magic for this book, and I found it fascinating. There are so many different layers, and they are revealed slowly throughout the book. There are also photos and pieces of reports included throughout the book, which give it a kind of documentary kind of feel. The overall structure and world building was spot on, and I wouldn’t expect anything less from Justina Ireland.

The pacing does lag a bit in parts of the book. It feels like there could be potential for Ireland continuing this as a series in the future. Unfortunately, it makes the end feel a little rushed in comparison to the rest of the book. Besides that, I loved everything else. The characters, especially Skylark and Laura. Their dynamic was great and really helped to make an interesting world even better.

All in all, you’ll definitely want to dive into Ireland’s latest book if you love history, magic, and maybe a little breaking the rules.
-------------
Ireland's fantasy re-imaginings of the past are always so well done. You get hints of US history filled with magic and mythical creatures, at least in this one. Stay tuned for a full review to come!

Such an important story, capturing the AIDS crisis of the 80s and 90s. I think teens who are interested in learning more about that particular time period will appreciate this story because Shaw includes a lot of details to make that aspect of the book authentic.

That being said, Shaw also includes a lot of details about the 90s in general, so much so that it sometimes overtakes the rest of the story. Both Ben and Adam didn't have disntinct enough voices for me, so their narratives often blurred together and I forgot who was who.

All in all, know this is a pretty heavy book going in, but still such an important story to tell. 

A lyrical retelling of Romeo and Juliet with Chinese mythology infused throughout. The short chapters make this book easy to read, pulling you into this mythical place. Despite there being quite a few narrators, I didn't feel like anyone character got less development than others, and the multiple narrators were important for understanding the story.

However, some of the jumping around did make it difficult to follow what was actually happening, plot wise. I think this was just part of the mythological aspect of the story, but there were times where I felt confused.

Loved learning more about Chinese mythology, though! And the central relationship was sweet and well developed. All in all, an enjoyable book.

Toma has been living separated from the turmoil currently happening in the Kosa empire. As civil war wages on, the empire is on the edge of being torn apart. She lives in the outskirts with her family of the undead. At least, she did. Until she meets Vanya, an accused witch, and Mikhail, the dethroned Tsar.

The three band together to help Mikhail to restore his magic and hopefully take back his throne. And hopefully find Toma’s sister as well. But in order to defeat the revolutionary leader, Koschei, Toma will have to dig deep in order to discover her own power. If she can’t find her power in time, the entire empire will be at the mercy of Koschei.

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for an advanced copy of Bone Weaver to review! Polydoros’ debut, The City Beautiful, was a top read for me last year, so I was excited to dig into this new fantasy. There is a lot to like about this fantasy/horror combo!

If you like your fantasy with a lot of world building, this is definitely the book for you. Polydoros based a lot of the mythology in this book on Slavic mythology. Especially religious and cultural unrest, which definitely comes through the story. I found myself looking up some of the monsters and things included in the book, and I learned a lot! Honestly, I can’t think of a lot of YA books that are based in this kind of mythology.

That being said, there were moments in time where the story itself felt a bit dragged down by the amount of world building there was. It almost felt Tolkien-esque, in a way? In that there tended to be a lot of description about things, which isn’t always a bad thing. Just not necessarily my cup of tea.

Despite this, the characters were well developed, and the different uses of magic were interesting and well done. It’s definitely a dark horror/fantasy, so I would keep that in mind when reading!

All in all, this is going to make a great book to have on any fall TBR!
-----
I'm finding that I enjoyed Polydoros' debut more than I enjoyed this one. The mythology was fascinating and the horror fantasy was done well. Stay tuned for a full review to come soon!

Margot and Elena don't meet on the best of terms. After just getting rejected for her potions business, Margot visits Elena's doughnut shop. Of course, they are out of the best doughnut flavor (chocolate), causing Margot to lose it. And maybe, possibly leave a curse behind. A curse that Elena accidentally consumes.

That night, Elena is knocked out by the curse. Determined to make things better, Margot seeks her out. But as they work together to solve the curse, sparks fly between the two of them. They find that they might have more in common than they originally thought. Maybe a negative event can bring them together after all.

Thanks to NetGalley and Top Shelf for an advanced copy of Doughnuts and Doom to review! I am always up for new graphic novels, and this one did not disappoint! Apparently I've been on a witch kick lately, and I was happy to continue it with this book. It will make a great spooky season read!

Graphic novels with very specific color palettes are a weakness of mine. This one is mostly blues with pops of pink and it works so well for the story. Lorinczi highlights anything to do with the curse, adding a whimsical quality to the story overall. I would read more stories set in this world!

Outside of the art, I enjoyed the way that the relationship evolved between Margot and Elena throughout the book. It's kind of an enemies to lovers story, in a way? The curse, something negative, is what brings them together. Working through it helps to bring them closer, plus doughnuts! And music! It's just a really fun read, and I can't wait to flip through a physical copy.

All in all, if you're into witchy graphic novels, you'll definitely want to check it out when it comes out in September!

Well, the casual inclusion of queer characters was a delight for me that I wasn't expecting! Overall, I enjoyed this; it was atmospheric, the magic system was fascinating, and the heist parts of the plot were engaging. The stakes were high, there's a great little group going after the treasure, and the mythology aspects were just really well done.

I do think occasionally, some of the characters fall flat at the expense of the plot, but it wasn't too terrible. Doesn't turn me off of Emily Lloyd-Jones in the future.

Jewish rep (I don't think I've ever seen a middle grade book where they spoke Hebrew), queer rep, and autistic rep, all done fabuously. Elle felt like such a real, authentic character, going through things that every middle schooler goes through: changing friend groups. At least, that seems like a pretty universal thing to me.

I basically read this book in one sitting because it was paced so well, and I was so engaged by the characters. This is AJ Sass's second book, but you can bet that I will be on the lookout for what he writes in the future. I've thoroughly enjoyed both books so far!

A great middle grade graphic novel memoir in the vein of Raina Telgemeier. Kathryn Ormsbee hits on a lot of topics that middle grade readers will relate to and feel less alone. It can also help them know when it might be time to get help. The art was also great, making this something middle grade readeres will be drawn to on the shelf.

Atmospheric, witchy, and such a quick read! You get pulled in from the beginning, and the plot overall is pretty fast-paced. I basically almost read the entire book in one sitting! I enjoyed the way that the relationship evolved throughout the book; it felt realistic and believable. And not too heavy on the romance, which I especially appreciated.

The magic system was interesting, I just wish we got to see a bit more of it? We get bits and pieces throughout, I think I just wanted a little more magic. Give me more books set in this world because I'd love to see the different ways witches use magic. Maybe we'll get something in the future!

Oh I am so glad Fence is back! The novels just didn't seem to cut it. And also don't seem to be canon? They don't quite fit with what's happening in the comics. But they're fun additions! 

I forgot how much I love the art style in these, with some manga/anime style mixed in. Nick and Senji are my favorites and I just want them to realize they might like each other. Reading this has made me want to go back and read the previous volumes again, so maybe I will do just that! They're great for something fun to read.

Outside of the art, I enjoyed the way this volume extended the story. We obviously get more fencing, but we get more backstory from some characters and the overall relationships are expanded upon. This is one of my favorite groups of characters to read about, and it looks like we'll be getting more in the future. If you have teens reading things like Haikyu!!, definitely give this as a read-a-like!