She Who Became the Sun, by Shelley Parker-Chan

In the waning days of the Yuan Empire, a girl whose original name we never learn takes her dead brother’s …

The Hidden Palace, by Helene Wecker

The Hidden Palace, by Helene Wecker, is not the book I was expecting. I think it might not be the …

Within Without, by Jeff Noon

John Nyquist returns for a fourth outing in Jeff Noon’s surreal, layered novel, Within Without. These mysteries are not for …

A Master of Djinn, by P. Djèlí Clark

A Master of Djinn, by P. Djèlí Clark, was a completely enchanting novel. I was instantly hooked on this adventurous …

The Once and Future Witches, by Alix E. Harrow

When you think about it, we rarely see good anger. Literature is full of annoyance, frustration, rage, and wrath—but it’s …

Mexican Gothic, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

No good deed goes unpunished. Fortunately, most people’s good deeds don’t involve the harrowing, strange things that Noemí’s does. In …

Crossings, by Alex Landragin

Alex Landragin’s Crossings is the kind of book that I’ve been waiting for, but not because of its content. With …

The Heavens, by Sandra Newman

A while back—I’m not sure when exactly—a student asked me why Shakespeare was such a big deal. The student said …

The Library of Legends, by Janie Chang

After a lifetime of hiding under an assumed name, Hu Lian’s life has turned around with a full scholarship to …

The Lost Future of Pepperharrow, by Natasha Pulley

I’ve been waiting impatiently for Natasha Pulley to write another book featuring the all-knowing Keita Mori and synesthetic Thaniel Steepleman, …