The Encanto’s Daughter by Melissa De La Cruz

The Encanto’s Daughter has potential with its magical, Filipino-mythology plot, but the execution falls short. The narrative is weighed down by irrelevant details and sluggish pacing, making it difficult to recommend for a high school audience. While the main character is likable, the book needed more focus and stronger character development.

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House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

Bryce Quinlan works hard and parties harder until a demon destroys her world. When new murders echo the past, she is pulled into a dangerous investigation with Hunt Athalar, a deadly angel seeking his freedom. As they uncover hidden powers and buried truths in Crescent City, Bryce must confront grief, loyalty, and a threat greater than anything she imagined.

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Evil-ish by Kennedy Tarrell

In Evil-ish, Kennedy Tarrell blends humor, fantasy, and heart to tell the story of Hawthorne, a nonbinary teen who dreams of villainy but finds something much greater: belonging. When Hawthorne accidentally becomes the leader of a band of misfits, they discover that evil and good are not as simple as they seem. A fast-paced, funny, and affirming graphic novel that celebrates self-discovery and friendship.

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A Thousand Steps into the Night by Traci Chee

In the realm of Awara, where gods, monsters, and humans exist side by side, Miuko is an ordinary girl resigned to a safe, if uneventful, existence as an innkeeper’s daughter. But when she is cursed and begins to transform into a demon, she must decide if saving her soul is worth returning to an ordinary life that no longer fits her.

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