Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
Reimagining the legendary Baba Yaga as an immortal half-goddess healer, Olesya Salnikova Gilmore’s The Witch and the Tsar plunges readers into a spellbinding historical fantasy set in 16th-century Russia. Striking an unlikely alliance to save her land from the dark forces manipulating Ivan the Terrible, Yaga battles political intrigue and age-old tyrants. A richly atmospheric, captivating read that provides a refreshing exploration of early Russian history for high school collections.
True royalty isn’t defined by a glass slipper. When Cinderella is unable to prove her identity to the Grand Duke, she flees her abusive home to work as a humble palace seamstress. Stepping straight into a dangerous political conspiracy against the crown, this resilient heroine must use her wits and strength to save an entire kingdom.
A darker, breathtaking twist on a classic tale! What if Rapunzel’s mother drank from the destructive Moondrop flower instead of the healing Sundrop? Stranded in her tower with silver-gray hair that possesses the terrifying power to hurt rather than heal, this Rapunzel must overcome Mother Gothel’s severe psychological gaslighting to reclaim her autonomy and true strength.
A haunting symphony of memory and myth! Set against the enchanted backdrop of Prague, this magical realist tale follows a young biracial violinist who discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery and risks everything to save a trapped ghost from a shadowless monster.
Rare-book dealer Ashlyn Greer’s affinity for books extends beyond the intoxicating scent of old paper, ink, and leather. She can feel the echoes of the books’ previous owners—an emotional fingerprint only she can read. When Ashlyn discovers a pair of beautifully bound volumes that appear to have never been published, her gift quickly becomes an obsession. Not only is each inscribed with a startling incrimination, but the authors, Hemi and Belle, tell conflicting sides of a tragic romance.