Tami Orendain

Children's & YAYA FictionYA

The Queen’s Spade

Review by Tami Orendain

Sarah, nicknamed Sally, is everything British society expects her to be: a polite, respectable, beautiful lady. An Egbado princess whom Queen Victoria claimed as a goddaughter, at 19 years old, Sally has learned to play the game of propriety and appearances. But it’s all in an effort to achieve her real goal: revenge against everyone who was involved with her violent removal from her homeland.

The Queen’s Spade blends fact and fiction to expand upon the heart-pounding history of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, a real historical figure. In 1862 England, amidst fraught discussions between the aristocracy about colonialism and abolition, Sally carefully makes her moves against a society that both adores and others her—one that traps everyone in webs of lies and betrayal, even those at the very top.

Intelligent and intuitive, Sally knows how to use status to her advantage. Other characters admire or envy her privileges, which include favor from the Queen, familiarity with the royal family, and financial and social support. But readers are granted a glimpse into Sally’s mind, where she feels the trauma and terror of having been ripped from her home and forced to adopt an entirely different culture, while her history as a member of the Yoruba tribe is belittled and erased.

As Sally navigates a cultural, social and economic landscape full of contradictions and double standards, The Queen’s Spade becomes an intense battle of wits. How can Sally use her environment to her advantage? What role will others play in her plan? From Rui, the mysterious leader of an underground network, to Harriet, a high-born courtier who anxiously lives in the shadow of her heritage, to Bertie, the cheeky and foolish prince, Sally is surrounded by people around whom she must maneuver to achieve her revenge. What are everyone’s motives, and who can she really trust? And, perhaps, most importantly: What is she willing to pay to achieve her revenge?

The Queen’s Spade introduces readers to an incredible true story and broadens it into a powerful tale that readers seeking historical fiction and high-stakes mystery are sure to enjoy.

The Queen’s Spade introduces readers to the incredible story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta and broadens it into a powerful tale that readers seeking historical fiction and high-stakes mystery are sure to enjoy.
Children's & YAPicture BookChildren's

Dreamover

Review by Tami Orendain

Amber can’t contain her feelings for Nico any longer. They’ve been best friends for years, and though part of her wishes they could go back to easy conversations, nights playing video games and chill hangouts with friends, she can’t hold back how she really feels. So during their eighth grade beach trip, she confesses—and he says he reciprocates! But as the new couple jumps headfirst into romance, they find that relationships can be complicated, especially when it comes to first loves, changing friendships and, of course, high school.

Dreamover is a charming and surreal exploration of young love set during the early days of the internet, when teenagers still spent their summers at the beach and talked all night over instant messaging. Filled with charming illustrations that emphasize the youthfulness of its characters, this graphic novel brings readers back to the thrill, confusion and emotion of growing up.

In many ways, Dreamover is light and silly. Its characters get into good-hearted mischief, playing games, having sleepovers and teasing each other about their crushes. But the story isn’t afraid to step into the angst and confusion of teenhood, speaking to serious issues like jealousy, bullying and growing apart from old friends. The story centers on characters who are easy to feel for, like Nico, who’s teased for his relationship with Amber, and Drew, who starts feeling left out of their trio as Nico and Amber draw closer together. Readers are bound to see themselves—or their younger selves—in these characters as they ride the waves of love and friendship.

As Nico and Amber see how their relationship impacts other people in their lives, they must learn to decide what they value—and how they can maintain what matters even as the world and the people around them are changing. Perfect for those who are grown up and those who are still growing up, Dreamover is a nostalgic and thought-provoking experience.

Perfect for those who are grown up and those who are still growing up, Dreamover is a nostalgic and thought-provoking experience.
Audio

Lightning in Her Hands

Review by Tami Orendain

Teal needs a date to an ex’s wedding, and Carter needs to be married to earn his inheritance. Even though things are now tense and awkward between the once-best friends, a fake marriage seems like the best solution for everyone. But their perfect plan is complicated by Teal’s inability to control her family gift: power over the weather. Desperate for a way to keep her emotions from throwing the atmosphere into chaos, the two seek out Teal’s missing mother—and along the way, learn more about vulnerability, family and love.

Lightning in Her Hands (9 hours), the sequel to Raquel Vasquez Gilliland’s adult romance debut, Witch of Wild Things, is told from Teal’s point of view and narrated by Marcella Black. Black gives Teal a young, charming voice—one that draws readers into her emotional inner world. She expertly captures a range of Teal’s experiences, from the story’s fiery romance to its cheeky, adult humor to its deep, emotional drama. The result is a complex story that bridges the gap between romance and speculative fiction. Perfect for fans of both genres, Lightning in Her Hands makes for a fun, engaging listen.

Read our review of the print version of Lightning in Her Hands.

Marcella Black’s charming narration expertly captures Lightning in Her Hands’ fiery romance; cheeky, adult humor; and deep, emotional drama.
Children's & YAYA FictionYA

This is the Year

Review by Tami Orendain

This is the year Julieta Villarreal will figure out how to escape from the climate disasters threatening her home, the broken friendships she’d rather leave behind, and the grief of losing her twin sister. So when the Cometa Initiative, a private space program, invites New American students to join a space mission, Juli sees a perfect way to restart her life. 

Gloria Muñoz’s This Is the Year is a story about transitions. Perhaps the biggest change for Juli is the loss of her twin, Ofe, in a hit-and-run accident, a loss that lingers over the story. Driven by Juli’s first-person narration—some of which is directly addressed to Ofe—and excerpts of her prose poetry, This Is the Year takes a creative approach to storytelling that allows readers to observe the shift in Juli’s emotions, thoughts and opinions as a teenager growing up. Finishing her senior year of high school means facing the very people, disasters and feelings she’s so afraid of, but when she does, Juli finds that maybe there are things at home worth holding on to.

The rest of the world in this book is also in transition—and it’s less than idyllic. Juli and the other characters must come to terms with the consequences of climate change and heightened socioeconomic inequality, especially as humanity looks to space as the new frontier. There is speculative local and global chaos in this book, yet the world also feels hauntingly familiar—perhaps a warning of what may be to come. However, while This Is the Year is unflinching in its portrayals of natural, social and economic disasters, it is also careful to demonstrate that healing is possible, whether it be in community, through individual effort or even within one’s own self.

Ultimately, This Is the Year is a story of hope, not destruction. Juli’s story asks readers to take an honest look at the world around them and ask: Where is my true place? What does it mean to keep dreaming here? And, as Juli must decide: How do we keep moving even when things don’t go according to plan?

 

While This Is the Year is unflinching in its portrayals of natural, social and economic disasters, it is also careful to demonstrate how healing is possible.
Children's & YAYA FictionYA

For She Is Wrath

Review by Tami Orendain

Dania is in prison for a murder she did not commit. She spends every day plotting her escape and listing off the people responsible for her imprisonment: Vahid, the cruel emperor; Darbaran, the loathsome head of the palace guards; and Mazin, Vahid’s ward and Dania’s ex-lover. After a failed attempt to break out, Dania is surprised when Noor, a fellow prisoner, tunnels into her cell. When Noor reveals that she has a plan to escape, as well as a way to access hidden djinn magic, Dania sees a clear way to get her revenge.

A fantasy-fuelled retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, For She Is Wrath takes the tension and mystery of Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel and transfers it to a lush, exuberant, Pakistan-inspired setting. Emily Varga’s narrative drops readers straight into the action from the very beginning: A prison escape, dark magic power and secret identities set up heart-pounding action that remains present throughout the entire tale.

But For She Is Wrath is not just about getting revenge. It’s also about how shaky the path to it can be. Dania’s growing desire for retribution is a force that not only drives her forward, but also compels her to look backward. As they work together to achieve revenge, Dania and Noor must come to terms with the price of vengeance—and decide whether that price is worth it. The book is not shy about the impact of Dania and Noor’s actions, asking them to sit with the repercussions of their schemes. Is violence ever warranted? Is it all right to harm others in the pursuit of justice?

This is a fresh story with bold heroines and a unique, vibrant setting. For She Is Wrath has the intrigue of The Count of Monte Cristo, but is ultimately sweeter, with wholesome characters and nuanced themes about justice, healing, and forgiveness. Readers, especially fans of Dumas, are sure to appreciate Varga’s multilayered twists and turns as Dania and Noor uncover world-altering truths about their imprisonments, their backgrounds and the empire in which they live, and learn what it is they truly stand for.

A fantasy-fuelled retelling of the Count of Monte Cristo, For She Is Wrath takes the tension and mystery of Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel and transfers it to a lush, exuberant, Pakistan-inspired setting.
Audio

Notes from an Island

Review by Tami Orendain

Tove Jansson and Tuulikki “Tooti” Pietila spent 30 years on Klovharun, an island off the Gulf of Finland, painting, writing and exploring the lush seaside. Known for her novel The Summer Book and the popular comic strip Moomin, Jansson reflects on her and Tooti’s time on Klovharun in Notes from an Island (2 hours).

Notes from an Island is a sweeping, meditative exploration of time spent in nature. Orlagh Cassidy’s narration is emotive, taking a knowing, buoyant tone for everyday events, laughing during funny moments and dipping into a reflective murmur when Jansson is introspective. A relatively short listen, the audiobook comes with a downloadable file of personal photographs, paintings by Tooti and a map created by Jansson’s mother, Signe Hammarsten Jansson. Listeners will be immersed in the story of how these women loved, created art and built a life together.

Listeners will be immersed in this meditative exploration of time spent in nature—the story of Moomin creator Tove Jansson and her partner Tooti Pietila’s life together on an island off the Gulf of Finland.
Children's & YAYA FictionYA

Visitations

Review by Tami Orendain

Corey Egbert grew up believing his mother wanted the best for him and his sister, Sarah. After suspecting their father of molesting Sarah, she divorced him immediately and moved their family to Lehi, a small town in Utah with Mormon roots. There, Corey dutifully attends seminary and protects his sister, while his mother urges him not to speak to his father, even during visitations. 

In his new home, Corey encounters a variety of responses to his Mormon faith, from people who ridicule him, to those who are themselves devout followers. As a preteen in a school where other students are openly curious about sex, smoking and other taboos, Corey comes across thoughts and ideas beyond his sheltered upbringing. It’s hard not to sympathize: Corey is a young boy who wants new friends, is curious about romance and isn’t exactly sure how faith works. 

At the beginning of the story, Corey is anchored by his unwavering trust in his mother. When his father reveals during one visitation that Corey’s maternal grandmother—whose letters Corey’s mother has been throwing away for years—has died, Corey struggles with understanding the loss, while his mother begins to further isolate the children. Is Corey’s mother faithfully protective, or is she oppressive and self-righteous? Is his father wrongfully accused of crimes he didn’t commit, or is he a deceitful predator? As Corey learns more about his family and compares their beliefs with his own expanding worldview, he must ultimately decide what he believes himself. 

Visitations is a haunting, complex memoir about religion, mental illness and broken families, told through the eyes of a young boy as he sorts through what’s true and what isn’t—a task that’s incredibly difficult for a child. The book’s illustrations are beautifully simple, highlighting the vastness and complexity of the questions the story asks readers to consider. How do we know who to trust? Why do bad things happen? And what does it really mean to do the right thing?

Visitations is a haunting, complex memoir about religion, mental illness and broken families, told through the eyes of a young boy.

Dust

Review by Tami Orendain

After a flood wipes out her family’s Ohio farm, Thea’s father decides to move them to Bloodless Valley, Colorado, where they spend every day trying to coax life from the dry ground. Struggling with her father’s strict rules and her undiagnosed partial deafness, 16-year-old Thea’s world is limited to her half-built home and the small cafe in town where she’s allowed to work. But as she gets to know other residents of the valley, including Louisa, the kind cafe owner; Sam, a community advocate; and Ray, a boy her age who’s deaf too, Thea starts to consider if the valley could come to feel like home. But the dust storms outside are getting worse, and Thea starts having strange dreams—ones that tell of a huge disaster coming her family’s way.

Dust tells Thea’s story, which is one of change and transition as she learns to see the world beyond her tight family unit. Her father’s rigid view of the world grows even more strange to Thea as she meets new people: Louisa shows her incredible generosity, Sam introduces her to different people in the community, and Ray is the first person she’s met who relates to her experience with deafness. Through these relationships, Thea experiences lifestyles vastly different from her own. Her world widens, asking her to question what she really believes about relationships, love, education and who she wants to be.

Dust takes a stark, honest look at the valley’s barrenness: Thea and her family struggle to grow their usual crops from the dry, dusty ground, and resources like water start to dwindle. But Stine also displays the vibrancy of desert life, not only in its unique floral and fauna but also in the community built by its dynamic cast of characters. From Helen, the artist who finds inspiration in light, to Elmer, the mysterious writer who sleeps in the community library, Thea’s surrounded by new perspectives. The book makes no judgment on the various ways characters choose to make a life in the desert, instead showing the importance of community and cooperation, even and especially between people who are different.

Dust is a thoughtful, sincere exploration of climate change and disability, one which captures the longing, confusion and hope of the teenage experience in a realistic and heartwarming way.

Dust captures teenage longing, confusion and hope in a realistic and heartwarming way.
Audio

The Modern Fairies

Review by Tami Orendain

Clare Pollard’s The Modern Fairies (8 hours) transports listeners to a high-class Paris salon where socialites gather to do what they do best: tell stories. A work of historical fiction that features real famous writers Marie D’Aulnoy and Charles Perrault, The Modern Fairies is a sensual, clever reimagining of France during the reign of Louis XIV.

Narrator Kathryn Drysdale takes on the complex challenge of not only voicing a cast of dynamic characters, but also performing the fairy tales that they recite for one another. Energetic and enthusiastic, Drysdale expertly captures the bawdiness of these salons—as well as the darkness that dwells underneath.

Witty and sly, the audiobook edition of The Modern Fairies asks listeners to lean in to scandal, debauchery and deception, inviting us to be part of the gossip and in on the joke. Listening will make you feel like you’re in the salon yourself, allowing you to be a wary observer of the upper class, and giving you a front-row seat to the glittering origins of the fairy tale genre.

Read our starred review of the print version of The Modern Fairies.

Listening to Kathryn Drysdale read The Modern Fairies will make you feel like you’re in a 17th-century Paris salon yourself, with a front-row seat to the glittering origins of the fairy tale genre.
Children's & YAYA FictionYA

The Forbidden Book

Review by Tami Orendain

Seventeen-year-old Sorel’s arranged marriage is meant to unify two powerful Jewish families in her community in the Russian Empire’s Pale of Settlement. But when 17-year-old Sorel hears a voice in her head urging her to run on the eve of her wedding, she doesn’t think twice. Determined to leave her old life behind, she jumps from her bedroom window and disguises herself as a young man, taking the name Isser Jacobs. However, as she tries to flee the city, she is recognized—not as Sorel, but as an actual boy named Isser Jacobs, who apparently has many enemies. To leave for good, she must figure out how to separate herself from his identity without getting caught by the many people hunting her down.

Steeped in Jewish folklore and culture, The Forbidden Book is a fantastic tale with resonant political themes. Based on mythology concerning the dybbuk, a disembodied spirit that inhabits the body of a living person, this novel flows between the supernatural and the concrete in order to ask powerful questions about identity and beliefs. From the very beginning, The Forbidden Book blurs the line between fantasy and reality: Is the voice in Sorel’s head real? If so, whose voice is it, and why is she the only one who can hear it? From there, the story becomes more and more surreal, taking readers on a wild ride through dreams and visions that seep into reality.

Author Sacha Lamb uses the magical aspects of the story to highlight and tackle serious cultural and political issues. Sorel doesn’t know much about the voice in her head, but it drives her to question her place, power and identity as the betrothed daughter of a wealthy merchant. The disappearance of the real Isser Jacobs is shrouded in mystery, but it seems connected to his passion for printing and distributing illegal political pamphlets about Jewish Emancipation. As Sorel and the other characters work out what’s real and what’s not, they also explore themes around community, government and freedom.

At the heart of this story is Sorel, who spends the majority of the book trying to establish herself as an individual. As she uncovers the lies and truths around her, she must question every facet of her identity, including her family, community, faith and gender. Sorel’s nuanced and complex coming-of-age shows how developing an identity takes time, thought and care. Through all its twists and turns, The Forbidden Book ultimately remains centered around hope and how it can be a powerful catalyst for change—both for an individual and a whole community.

Based on Jewish mythology concerning the dybbuk, a disembodied spirit that inhabits the body of a living person, The Forbidden Book is a fantastic coming-of-age tale with resonant political themes.
Children's & YAYA FictionYA

The Dark We Know

Review by Tami Orendain

The back-to-back deaths of two childhood friends push Isadora Chang to leave her hometown for a life in the city—until her own abusive father dies, and she is brought back into the restrictive, judgmental community of Slater. Haunted by memories of her lost friends, Zach and Wren, Isadora is desperate to escape Slater again, but she’s stopped by Mason, the other survivor from their childhood friend group. He shares that he suspects that Zach and Wren’s deaths were actually caused by a sinister supernatural force plaguing the community. Isa faces a crossroads: leave everything behind, or stay and try to stop the force from claiming more lives. 

Wen-yi Lee’s debut novel, The Dark We Know, is a raw, poignant exploration of grief and growing up. Lee paints a picture of ruined innocence: Isa and Mason are dealing with the loss of not only Zach and Wren, but also their shared childhood and the close friendship they once had. While Mason is determined to reinvestigate their past, Isa wants nothing more than to run away. Lee fully explores the messy, complicated experience of grieving, and as Isa and Mason work through their pain, they find there’s no clear path forward: Sometimes healing looks like remembering a happy memory, at other times like having a terrifying nightmare.

The Dark We Know pulls no punches with its incredibly visceral supernatural elements. The novel opens with Isa drawing gruesome portraits of dying people—drawings she has no memory of creating. She’s haunted, literally and emotionally. These horrors center on Slater, an isolated former mining town whose restrictive culture rejects anyone who questions the community’s strict views on religion, sexuality and lifestyle. From Trish, Isa’s older sister who acts more like her mother, to Otto Vandersteen, the mysterious but compelling heir to the family who founded the town, the cast is full of multifaceted characters, each with secrets of their own. Unraveling the mysteries of the town means Isa has to come to terms with being truly vulnerable—and learn how to handle the vulnerability of others, too.

Not for the faint of heart, this book draws a profound connection between supernatural forces and the terrors of grief and dishonesty. Isa and the other characters fight to stay hopeful about the world, even when it’s crumbling around them. Amid intense sadness, they grow and learn how to genuinely lean on each other, creating a story that, despite its dark imagery and heavy subject matter, feels truly resonant and uplifting.

Not for the faint of heart, The Dark We Know draws a profound connection between supernatural forces and the terrors of grief and dishonesty.
AudioScience Fiction

The Ministry of Time

Review by Tami Orendain

Kaliane Bradley’s The Ministry of Time proposes a world in which the U.K. government has started collecting people across time and space to test the feasibility of time travel. An unnamed narrator begins work as an assistant for these “expats”—including former spies, WWI captains and explorers from the 1800s—helping them adapt to modern culture.

Audiobook readers George Weightman and Katie Leung use their voices to depict the diverse characters in the audiobook. Leung’s excellent narration covers events in the present, demonstrating a deft ability to recreate the cadences of different time periods for different expats. Weightman narrates moments from the characters’ pasts, giving these reflections a solemn, nostalgic tone. Together, their complementary narrative styles reflect the time-twisting, culture-crossing nature of this book.

Weightman and Leung bring the many histories and personalities of this time-travel adventure to life, making The Ministry of Time a uniquely immersive listening experience.

Read our starred review of the print version of The Ministry of Time.

Audiobook narrators George Weightman and Katie Leung bring the many histories and personalities of this time-travel adventure to life, making The Ministry of Time a uniquely immersive listening experience.
Children's & YAYA FictionYA

Time and Time Again

Review by Tami Orendain

For weeks, Phoebe Mendel has woken up, eaten pancakes with her mom, played Scrabble with her dad and gone to bed hoping the next day will come. It never does. Phoebe’s stuck in a time loop—one that keeps her trapped in the same dry summer day, alone in the repetitions. That is, until her old friend Jess Friedman accidentally hits her with their car and becomes aware of the loop too, urging Phoebe to use the extra time to let loose and have fun. As they spend their repeating days together, feelings grow and secrets are revealed, but ultimately, their hopes for the future depend on escaping the time loop once and for all.

Chatham Greenfield’s debut novel, Time and Time Again throws a new twist into the age-old time loop scenario: What if you had to experience with your childhood friend and crush to whom you haven’t spoken in years? For Phoebe and Jess, the loop is a supernatural way to figure out their relationships—with each other, their loved ones and themselves.

While the speculative aspects may grab readers’ interests, the characters drive the heart of this book. Both Phoebe and Jess, whose families initially bonded over shared Jewish identity, also both have chronic illnesses that impact every decision they make, granting glimpses into life with irritable bowel syndrome and oligoarthritis. Phoebe is reflective and self-aware, but often has trouble standing up for herself, whether that means demanding that a fatphobic doctor take her IBS seriously or acknowledging her feelings toward Jess. Jess, on the other hand, is bubbly and brash, but they tend to retreat into secrecy, making Phoebe wonder who they really are and how they really feel.

In fact, the entire cast of this time-bending story is vibrantly multidimensional. Phoebe’s parents are divorced and co-parent their daughter along with the help of her uncles Gabe and Adrian. Jess’ brother Zahir is part of a rowdy band with friends from different classes, backgrounds and identities—all of whom amaze Phoebe with their kindness. Their small town is full of characters with real-feeling histories, preferences and hopes.

Time and Time Again is about being honest with others and with yourself, and finding the courage to dream for your future—and work for it, too. As Phoebe and Jess are given the chance to work on their most important relationships, readers may reflect on what they might do with the same opportunities. Readers looking for a sweet, moving love story will enjoy getting to know Phoebe and Jess in this fun, speculative queer romance.

Readers looking for a sweet, moving love story will enjoy getting to know Phoebe and Jess in Time and Time Again, a fun, speculative queer romance.

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