Revenge and romance go hand in hand in Varga’s Pakistani-inspired fantasy debut. Imprisoned for a murder she did not commit, Dania, a highly skilled swordswoman trained by her renowned swordsmith father, plots vengeance. A chance meeting with fellow prisoner Noor provides both girls with an opportunity to escape, and the discovery that Dania’s father was killed for defending her renews her desire for retribution. Armed with gold, a magically altered appearance, and dangerous magic from djinn-produced seeds, Dania returns to the city of Basral with Noor. There, she aims to exact her revenge on all who’d wronged her, including the power-hungry emperor, the corrupt head of the palace guard, the greedy sword merchant who conned her father, and the emperor’s ward Mazin, the lover who betrayed her. But even as she successfully cuts down her targets, Dania finds she can’t escape her lingering feelings for Mazin. Evocative prose is punctuated by sumptuous descriptions of Pakistani food, clothing, and weaponry, creating a memorable backdrop for Dania’s retaliatory schemes and sultry encounters with Mazin, which build to a satisfying, somewhat hastily resolved denouement. Ages 13–up. Agents: Laura Rennert and Paige Terlip, Andrea Brown Literary. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/16/2024 | Details & Permalink

Orphaned and descended from a disgraced family, 16-year-old Kellan, who lives on the isle of Nanseau, is not allowed to practice makecraft, the magical art of metal-carving. But under the secret tutelage of her guardian Edgar, Kellan learns to wield her powerful skill. Following a visit to a maker’s expo where Kellan hopes to find a prototype to replace Edgar’s severed hand, she’s scouted by Master Engineer Madame Minora Mesny. Mesny takes Kellan under her wing to train for a competition against wealthy young apprentices for a chance to become a member of the Guild of Engineers. Kellan hopes to win the competition not only to make Mesny proud but to procure resources to help Edgar’s worsening condition. When the island begins experiencing threatening blackouts, however, she realizes that there might be more at stake, and soon, she’s not just fighting for Edgar but for the survival of her world. Kellan’s struggle to build confidence in herself—which she navigates alongside a budding romance with a Guild architect—drives Crittenden’s glimmering debut forward, resulting in a high-stakes story of friendship and the widespread effects of classism. Ages 13–up. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/16/2024 | Details & Permalink

Reilly (Four for the Road) dives into the multiverse, adolescent love, and grief in this upbeat time-travel tale. Having grown up together in the small town of Clawson, N.Y., teenagers Nell, Cole, and Stevie B have been each other’s lifelines, supporting one another through some of the worst events of their lives even as they constantly navigate the shifting boundaries of their own relationship as a trio. When a mysterious new girl named Charlotte, who hails from “everywhere,” arrives in Clawson, Charlotte imparts the girls with her impossible secret: she’s a time traveler from 2101, and she claims to be able to save Cole’s younger sister Finn from certain death due to a childhood health condition. But Cole must return with Charlotte to the future to set things right. Together, the group must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice. The characters’ relationships feel lived-in, thanks in part to Reilly’s snappy, free-flowing dialogue. Though occasionally uneven pacing can sometimes dampen a scene’s emotional impact, it all culminates in a gratifying gut-punch ending. Main characters cue as white. Ages 12–up. Agent: Molly O’Neill, Root Literary. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/16/2024 | Details & Permalink

High school junior Rosaline Demir feels like her reputation still hasn’t recovered from nasty rumors spread about her in eighth grade. She endeavors to change, putting into motion a yearslong plan to dazzle everyone when she returns to school in the fall. All she must do is meet a handsome guy and make him fall in love with her, thus guaranteeing her a place on the homecoming court and a fast track toward popularity. Tagging along with her kindly white-cued best friend Eleanor on her family’s vacation to the luxurious summer resort of Pine Bay, Ros determines to make her scheme a reality. Meeting handsome Turkish American Aydin gives her hope. But even as her imagined future begins coming to fruition, she realizes that getting what she wants might come at the cost of other people’s feelings. Debut author Brittan gives Ros a satisfying character arc that’s influenced by her desire to fit in and her struggles reconciling with her Scottish and Turkish ancestry as someone living in a majority-white town. Compassionate text highlights character flaws while encouraging growth and deftly tackles issues surrounding islamophobia and self-esteem. Ages 12–up. Agent: Alexander Slater, Sanford J. Greenburger Assoc. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/16/2024 | Details & Permalink

It’s the eve of her wedding night when Sorel Kalmans—the 17-year-old daughter of a wealthy Jewish merchant who, along with the Hasidic rebbe, rules her small Russian town of Esrog—heeding the advice of a mystical “shadowy reflection” in her mirror, disguises herself as a boy and flees. But Isser Jacobs, the new name she chooses for herself, is also the name of a man who printed illegal political pamphlets and had secret dealings with her father. Accompanied by a mysterious young man and Adela, Isser’s accomplice—both of whom may or may not be trustworthy—Sorel searches for her namesake, along the way uncovering more about what’s going on in her hometown. As the trio delve deeper into their investigations, Sorel also finds herself drawn to Adela. Throughout, Sorel contends with myriad personal challenges surrounding those she left in Esrog, the life she weaves as Isser, and the future she wants for herself, adding sometimes-meandering complications to her and her companions’ plight. Lamb (When the Angels Left the Old Country) packs their swift sophomore effort with adventure, folklore, and Jewish mysticism: Sorel and her companions must not only confront people who wish them ill but also face existential questions regarding angels and the future. Ages 12–up. Agent: Rena Rossner, Deborah Harris Agency. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/16/2024 | Details & Permalink

When Florida eighth grader Savannah becomes an eco-warrior on behalf of sharks, she finds herself at odds with her human community. Sav has just moved from Orlando to the fictional ocean town of Sandy Dune. Because she has cochlear implants, she’s nervous about venturing underwater, much less swimming with sharks on an outing arranged by her father. After she hits it off with flirty classmate Tanner and his friends, her social circle takes shape. But those friendships are in jeopardy when, at Tanner’s family’s fancy seafood restaurant, she unwittingly tastes an off-menu “delicacy,” shark fin soup, and throws up in disgust. Sav’s impassioned research into illegal shark finning compels her into radical action: releasing roaches at the restaurant, posting photos on social media (which authorities construe as bullying), and damaging a yacht to halt fishing charters. Via empathetic depictions of her actions—through which Sav makes more than a little wave—O’Malley Cerra (Just a Drop of Water) illustrates how diplomacy and team-building get the job done. Characters read as white. Ample back matter, including more about sharks by the author’s marine biologist daughter, concludes. Ages 11–14. Agent: Janine Le, Janine Le Literary. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/16/2024 | Details & Permalink

A wily border collie shakes up a boy’s quiet life in this finely tuned, heartfelt novel by Hautman (The Rat Queen). Eighth grader Evan and his distracted parents lead a monotonous existence following a daily routine that includes a strictly regimented dinner menu and not much fun. He finds release in running, something that feels “effortless” to him, but when a white dog with two different-colored eyes and one black ear starts joining in his after-school jogs, Evan’s world expands in a multitude of memorable ways. Via Evan and the pup’s alternating POVs, Hautman weaves a slice-of-life tale populated by distinctively rendered characters living in a vividly described semi-rural backdrop. As the scrappy dog journeys through farm and wood, bolts across highways, and escapes capture by an animal control officer, Evan helps shut down an abusive, disreputable dog breeder, makes a new pooch-obsessed friend, and learns more about his mother and father as they rediscover their zest for living. True-to-life moments of humor and pathos further ground a story that’s sure to win attention from misfits and dog people of all stripes. Main characters read as white. Ages 9–12. Agent: Jennifer Flannery, Flannery Literary. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/16/2024 | Details & Permalink

With her friends Brooklyn, who is Black, and white-cued Rex, Filipino American Thea Torres is attending Junior Stunt Warrior Camp, which is sponsored by the athletic competition show Stunt Warrior. When her former friend, Mexican American Evan, arrives, Thea is embarrassed by his lack of awareness surrounding social cues. At camp, she’s one of the popular kids, and being around Evan is affecting her reputation. Yet his presence might be the least of her worries; unfortunately for Thea—and her street cred—she isn’t very good at the Stunt Warrior challenges. At home, her father warns her about creatures called duwendes that live in trees. But Thea ignores his warning and cuts down the calamansi tree in their backyard to build a Stunt Warrior practice course. Soon, she’s approached by duwendes Dante and Dora, who give Thea one week to come up with a genuine apology or they will destroy her neighborhood. Desperate, Thea enlists Evan to help her stop the creatures. Both Thea and Evan’s personal insecurities surrounding their respective eagerness to fit in or be themselves are palpable throughout Thea’s sensitively wrought first-person narration. Badua (The Cookie Crumbles) elevates an otherwise staid tale by infusing it with Filipino myth, making for an uplifting fantasy adventure. Ages 8–12. Agent: Natalie Lakosil, Looking Glass Literary. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/16/2024 | Details & Permalink

When Nazis begin bombing 15-year-old Bess’s East London neighborhood, she persuades her parents to apply for the opportunity for Bess and her younger brother Louis to escape on one of the children’s evacuations to Canada. Bess, Louis, and 88 other children ages five to 15 are cosseted by the kind crew of the SS City of Benares, where she befriends Beth, also 15 and from Liverpool. On their fifth day at sea, the ship is torpedoed by a Nazi U-boat; separated from Louis, Beth and Bess rush to their assigned lifeboat, which overturns upon hitting the water. For the next 19 hours, the white-cued girls clutch to the side of the vessel, holding hands and refusing to give up, on rescue or each other. Beth and Bess—who are based on real-life survivors of the same name, two of only 13 children who lived through the ordeal, as addressed in an author’s note—would forever credit their unshakable friendship for saving their lives. In this gripping, harrowing novel by the author of Lifeboat 12, Hood uses thrilling first-person verse to entrance young readers and deliver a tale of perseverance, fortitude, hope, and companionship. Ages 8–12. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Book Group. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/16/2024 | Details & Permalink

Black middle schooler Zariah runs a friendship bracelet-making business with the goal of cementing friendships with clientele via her one-of-a-kind designs. When she’s asked to make a bracelet for her former best friend, Zariah is conflicted. Once inspiration strikes, however, she produces her best bracelet yet using special beads from her favorite shop—and it seems different from the rest. Zariah excitedly showcases her new piece on social media, and when the creation goes viral, students are eager to know who will receive the extravagant gift. But after a classmate touches the bracelet and suddenly insists that Zariah is her bestie, Zariah wonders if the accessory can magically turn people into her BFF. Not everyone is as entranced by her creations, though, and when her parents set an ultimatum—improve her grades or shut down her business—Zariah’s growing popularity is put in jeopardy. In this sentimental and kindhearted novel, Collier (The Many Fortunes of Maya) realistically presents adolescent angst as viewed through a thoughtfully realized protagonist whose avid internal reflection—influenced by a mite of magic—will inspire readers’ own path toward personal introspection. Ages 8–12. Agent: Danielle Chiotti, Upstart Crow Literary. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 08/16/2024 | Details & Permalink