Listeners follow matchmaker’s apprentice, Sage Fowler, as she spends her days shepherding young ladies, and collecting information from their military escorts. As the kingdom falls into turmoil, Sage is recruited as a spy by a handsome soldier—but can she trust him to keep her, and her secrets, safe? Though this story is uneven in its focus at times, narrator Kathleen McInerney keeps the plot moving and the tension high, balancing the personal and political elements with energy and subtle characterizations. Her skill is especially apparent in her depiction of Sage, whose fierce determination and insecurities both shine through. All the relationships, particularly Sage’s budding romance, are infused with emotional depth and urgency, making them as visceral as the action and intrigue. B.E.K. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
Walk through a book that feels like a ballad, return to the word-drunk world of Weep, discover new tales set in beloved fantasy realms, and dive into retellings that feel completely new. These are the fantasy books we’ll be building cottages in the woods out of this late summer and beyond, to lure in readers […]
Spaceships, body swaps, quests for missing family members, remakes of Wuthering Heights and The Tempest, and some seriously twisted horror stories have us jonesing for July. Whether you’re into contemporary murder mysteries, spy games, Zen Buddhism, or unconventional bucket lists, this month delivers introspective takes on a variety of genres, not to mention the highly anticipated conclusion to Kiersten […]
The sun may be shining, but the YA books out this week—including the comedies—are dark, dangerous, and deserving of your heart. Whether these stories take you to H-E-double hockey sticks, an isolated cabin in the Siberian wilderness, 1600s London, a blood-soaked battlefield with Lady Dracul, or a secret military training facility for outcasts and delinquents, […]
