magic Archives

What the River Knows

“In Egypt? We’re all looking for something.” Author: Isabel Ibañez A plucky young heroine, willing to risk life and reputation for answers. An embittered man with a shady past and the capability to fight crocodiles in the Nile. A mysterious, underground artifact stealing ring. Pyramids and magic and Cleopatra. Secrets and betrayal. Forbidden love and broken families. Death, disaster, and hope. It’s all here. I first encountered Isabel Ibanez in Woven in Moonlight, another YA novel where she blends magical realism with fairy-tale like worlds, plucky heroines, danger, and betrayal. I fell in love, so when my beloved Book of the [...]

Crown of Wishes, A

Be Careful What You Dream Author: Roshani Chokshi While A Crown of Wishes is ostensibly the sequel to The Star-Touched Queen, it is truly a separate tale. Maya and Amar and their deadly kingdom with its interwoven threads of fate; its sardonic, flesh-eating horses; and its tree of deception, are a backdrop, and their roles here are minimal. Instead, this is Maya’s sister’s, Gauri’s, story about her hard-won journey to freedom. While Maya’s prophecy leads her into the underworld, Gauri’s story takes her from princess to prisoner, awaiting her death sentence. Like her sister, though, Gauri has a certain toughness. When [...]