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Book review: Six Crimson Cranes

YA fiction By Elizabeth Lim Sixteen-year-old Princess Shiori has a secret. Forbidden magic runs in her veins, and if it is discovered, she’ll be exiled from Kiata, royal daughter or not. On the morning of her betrothal ceremony, she jumps out a window to avoid what she thinks will be a loveless marriage. Her would-be fiancé, Takkan, …
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Book review: City of the Plague God

Middle grade fiction by Sarwat Chadda A timely tale for our pandemic season, City of the Plague God draws on lesser-known Mesopotamian mythology to spin its tale of adventure in New York City. Thirteen-year-old Sikander “Sik” Aziz works in his Iraqi refugee parents’ deli and mourns his dead brother Mo. One night, two demons show up demanding something …
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Book Review: The Court of Miracles

THE COURT OF MIRACLES Young adult fiction by Kester Grant Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables has proven an enduring touchstone, inspiring everything from a stage musical (remember Les Miz?) to numerous movie versions. Court of Miracles puts its own fresh spin on this durable tale by setting it in an alternate Paris where the wretched poor have formed …
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How a dog gave me a book

You’ve petted your dog, you’ve walked your dog, but have you ever been inspired by your dog? I have. My newest book, Switched, is particularly close to my heart because it was inspired by my late dog, Riley. One morning when she was young, we went walking in a canyon and I let her go off-leash. …
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Book review: Lore

LORE Young adult fiction by Alexandra Bracken Alexandra Bracken’s LORE boasts a killer premise. Every seven years, as punishment for an ancient rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of Greek heroes. The seven days of hunting is known as the Agon, and whoever kills a god will …
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Where do I get my next story idea?

In the last newsletter, I shared what was going on with me as I finished a project and began to psych myself up for writing the next book. For me, it’s a sometimes-awkward process, filled with stops and starts. I wondered how it was for other writers, and my musing must have struck a nerve. …
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