Masks have been fascinating to me for a long time, in both the literal and metaphorical sense. Whether by choice or not, the masks we wear say a lot about us. It’s also interesting to me how they can represent freedom or captivity, depending on context. At a masquerade, that anonymity provides a sense of freedom, a chance to act like someone you’re not, or the courage to act braver. But when forced into a role or status that comes with certain masks, you can be trapped, forced to act a certain way. The range gives us so much to work with.
Ella Enchanted was my introduction to fairy tale retellings. I clearly remember loving it so much that I took it to school one day, and when I pulled it out of my locker at the end of the day, the paperback cover caught and ripped. I was devastated. But I kept that copy and still have it today, well-worn and later signed by the author. It’s a charming story about Ella, a girl cursed with the gift of obedience, who falls in love with her prince. The story culminates with the classic three masquerade balls that Ella attends in secret, unable to resist seeing the prince again even though it may put them both in danger.
ELLA ENCHANTED is a witty, refreshing take on the popular fairytale, Cinderella which preserves the spirit of the original but adds plenty of humorous twists and a spunky, intelligent female protagonist. "If you've read HARRY POTTER, try ELLA ENCHANTED" Publishers Weekly
Ella is given a blessing at birth by a very stupid fairy: She gets the gift of obedience! but the blessing turns into a horror for Ella who literally has to do what anyone and everyone tells her, from sweeping the floor to giving up a prrecious necklace! She has to battle with ogres and wicked stepsisters, make friends…
Set in 1882 England, These Vicious Masks has so many tropes I love in a book. Evelyn’s dry wit and sarcasm are exactly my sense of humor and she’s an intelligent character I enjoyed following. She travels to London to find her missing sister, discovers a society of individuals with X-Men-like abilities, and must use both literal and metaphorical masks to achieve her goals. It’s these metaphorical masks that interest me, how we act differently in different situations, and how we remove them as we grow closer to one another.
Jane Austen meets X-Men in this thrilling Victorian adventure full of magic and mysticism, perfect for anyone who loves a confident, rebellious heroine, snappy dialogue, and a hint of romance.
England, 1882. Evelyn is bored with society and its expectations. So when her beloved sister, Rose, mysteriously vanishes, she ignores her parents and travels to London to find her, accompanied by the dashing Mr. Kent. But they're not the only ones looking for Rose. The reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock is also searching for her, claiming that both sisters have special healing powers. Evelyn is convinced that Sebastian must be…
The Gilded Ones begins in a community where women wear masks after going through a coming-of-age ritual to show their purity and dedication. Deka wants nothing more than to complete the ritual and be found pure. However, when the village is attacked and Deka learns she is one of the impure and therefore cannot die, she is recruited into the emperor’s army of impure girls. Then, after 20 years of service, she will be made pure and will be able to wear a mask like any other woman. This opportunity is what drives her, and watching her goals change as she learns more about herself and the unique world around her made this read so interesting.
The must-read new bold and immersive West African-inspired fantasy series, as featured on Cosmo, Bustle, Book Riot and Refinery 29. In this world, girls are outcasts by blood and warriors by choice, perfect for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Panther.
Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in Otera, a deeply patriarchal ancient kingdom, where a woman's worth is tied to her purity, and she must bleed to prove it. But when Deka bleeds gold - the colour of impurity, of a demon - she faces a consequence worse than death. She is saved…
It is the backstory of this high fantasy world of angels and demons where masks play a critical role. Two star-crossed lovers meet at a masquerade, their actions rippling into a future on the brink of a supernatural war. The beautiful writing, interesting characters, and complex world-building drew me in and I couldn’t put it down.
The 10th anniversary edition of the first in Laini Taylor's breathtaking fantasy trilogy
'Remarkable and beautifully written . . . The opening volume of a truly original trilogy.' GUARDIAN
Errand requiring immediate attention. Come.
The note was on vellum, pierced by the talons of the almost-crow that delivered it. Karou read the message. 'He never says please', she sighed, but she gathered up her things.
When Brimstone called, she always came.
In general, Karou has managed to keep her two lives in balance. On the one hand, she's a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to a…
One of the main characters in The Young Elites is a girl named Adelina, who is flawed, complex, and has a growing darkness inside of her. She joins a group of revolutionaries with special powers with the hopes of learning how to control her own powers and find her place in the world. These Elites wear silver masks to conceal their identities, and Adelina finds refuge at a brothel where the consorts wear masks like works of art. This book has a lot of interesting dynamics between characters, including a platonic friendship between Adelina and a male consort that I rarely see in novels and really enjoyed.
Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood plague: marked by a jagged scar, snow-white hair and lashes. Cast out by her family, Adelina has finally found a place to belong within the secret society of Young Elites. To some, the Elites are heroes, here to save innocents in desperate situations. But to the Inquisition Axis, the white-robed soldiers of Kenettra, they are monsters with demonic powers who must be brought to justice. As Adelina learns more about this perilous world where politics and magic clash, she soon realizes that her own powers may be in danger of bringing on…
Evie is a mask maker in Venesia, where masks are worn daily to represent rank and identity. When a cryptic bandit strips away Evie’s mask and destroys her home, she goes into hiding at the palace to find both a new identity—and revenge.
A fast-paced literary thriller with a strong sci-fi element and loaded with existential questions. Beyond the entertainment value, this book takes a hard look at the perilous world of publishing, which is on a crash course to meet the nascent, no-holds-barred world of AI. Could these worlds co-exist, or will they destroy each other? And more importantly, how will humans tolerate their own creations, the robots, on this planet?
In this, his latest speculative fiction novel, Shane Joseph, returns to the “what if” questions facing humanity that he raised in After the Flood, a book that won him the…
With Chatbots and Large Language Models changing the world of writing and publishing dramatically, what happens when we introduce a sentient robot capable of feelings into the mix?
Phil Kruger, inventor, and serial womanizer, believes he has the answer in his creation, Victoria, the first sentient robot in the world, imbued with beauty, knowledge, and strength and on a crash course to acquire human feelings through massive infusions of data. Arrayed against him are independent trade publisher Artemius (Art) Jones and his rebellious and sexually starved daughter, Paula, an editor herself, who is determined to take her father's failing press,…
