This third volume of the Temeraire series sees Laurence, Temeraire, and their crew setting out on the hazardous flight from Macao to Istanbul. Their orders are to collect three dragon eggs purchased by Britain from the Turkish Empire for half a million pounds. Their route takes them through feral dragon territory following the advice of a mysterious and possibly traitorous guide, Tharkay. This man becomes the least of their problems when they do finally reach the Turkish capital to find the British ambassador dead and the British payment missing. I am so impressed by the scope and inventiveness of these books. This is the first long fantasy series I've been really invested in in a long time- I read nothing but fantasy for approximately five years and for a while was really burned out on the whole genre. The way these stories are woven in with well-researched history, the dirt and grit of travel and war, and the growing political awareness of Temeraire and Laurence have me hooked. I'm so glad there are six more books to go!

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I know it's only February, but I can already tell that this one is going to be a strong contender for my favorite book of the year.

The story starts when Elliot, a red headed, smart-mouthed, lonely 13 year old is taken to the middle of a field were his ability to see a magic wall grants him access to the Boarderlands- a Narnia-like world of elves, dwarves, harpies, trolls and mermaids. He is enrolled in the fantasy version of a military academy where most students via for prowess at archery, javelin throwing, and sword fighting. Elliot's many years of being bullied have given him a defiant pacifist stance. He refuses all weapons classes and dives instead into map-making, history, languages and cultural studies. He falls in love with the magic of this new world and with one manifestation of this magic in particular- fellow student Serene-Heart-in-the-Chaos-of-Battle, a badass, and the only elf currently enrolled. When Serene clashes with the school administration because she wants to take more courses than are allowed for one student, Elliot immediately volunteers to tutor her on the academic subjects. Unfortunately, his least favorite classmate, Luke Sunborn, volunteers to tutor Serene in all the sporty subjects. Luke Sunborn is a golden boy, heir to the most famous human family, tall, handsome, good at everything. Naturally, Elliot thinks he is the worst. But Luke and Elliot agree to a one year truce as they both strive to help Serene.

And so begins a beautiful, funny, fierce coming of age fantasy story with elements that made me curl my toes in delight. Elliot is bisexual, and his crushes and romantic mishaps form the emotional core of this story. The other major theme is his deep commitment to nonviolence and peace building. His goal is to use sass, subterfuge, blackmail, and manipulation to build a web of treaties between all of the peoples of the Borderlands. It's the only way he knows to keep the people he loves safe from the world and it's constant wars.

I have a strong lingering fondness for Garth Nix based on the Sabriel series, and I grabbed this standalone fairy tale-influenced book on CD for a car long ride. The story is about Princess Anya, a responsible younger sibling to her spoiled older sister and heir apparent, Morven. These two have an evil Step-step-father, Duke Rikard, a powerful sorcerer who consistently turns Morven's suitors into frogs. Anya sets out on a quest to gather the ingredients for an anti-transmogrifying lip-palm, to aid in kissing frogs back into princes in the absence of true love. With her goes Ardent, one of the royal talking dogs. Soon they have collected more followers: a young thief who has been turned into a newt, and a young otter who has been turned into a girl. As they gather allies, they also gather enemies. In the end Anya's quest isn't just for the lives of a few, but for the safety of her entire kingdom. It's a sweet story, but it has some pacing issues that bothered me more in the audio than they might have in print. (Things like conversations oddly placed in the middle of action scenes). However, if you know a 6 to 12 year old who wanted a princess-saves-the-day tale, they would probably love this.

An extremely charming all-ages comic set in a neighborhood full of creative kids, whose vivid imaginations turn paint and cardboard into a magical realm. Each chapter introduces a new kid or set of kids who each develop a character which fit into a cohesive shared universe. The stories also show glimpses of the pressures and stresses of childhood- divorcing or absent parents, the policing of authentic queer/non-normative self-expression, bullies. Imaginative play doesn't make these problems go away, but it does bring joy and build friendships which will last long after the summer is over. The stories have different authors, but are all illustrated by the very talented Chad Sell.

This comic has been on my list since it won a Prism Queer Comics award back in 2017, and I'm very glad I finally picked it up! It starts with Jory, a new transfer student at an all-boys private school, very timidly poking his head into the after-school drama club. The club is full of mean drama queens who barely stoop to noticing him, except to send him on an errand backstage. That is were Jory finds a whole new world- literally- opening in front of him. The space under the stage is full of a maze of haunted tunnels, mythical rooms full of magic paint, mutant rats, glowing crystals, endless props and ghost stories. The boys who work in this realm enthusiastically welcome Jory as one of their own, just as the theater department gears up for a big production of Les Terribles. Jory feels like he has found his true crew, but there are dangers lurking the tunnels, more terrifying that any freshman could know.