Double Fall Middle Grade & YA Book Spotlights: The Restless Dark by Erica Waters & Monster Club by Darren Aronofsky & Ari Handel

Today I wanted to make a special post to highlight two fall releases that I'm really excited about: The Restless Dark by Erica Waters and Monster Club by Darrren Aronofsky (yes, that Darren Aronofsky of Requiem for a Dream, one of my favorite movies!) and Ari Handel! I've just finished Monster Club and thought it was such a fun read, overflowing with imagination really great storytelling. It's an amazing Halloween for middle grade readers and adult readers alike. I'll definitely be recommending it to some middle grade readers that I know. :) The Restless Dark is up next!

I'll be sharing some general information about the books below, so be sure to check them out if you're looking for an MG and/or YA spooky fall read! Huge thanks to Leilani Fitzpatrick for sending me copies of these to read! 

THE RESTLESS DARK:

Author:  Erica Waters
Pub. Date: October 4th, 2022
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 400
Find it: Amazon | Bookshop.org  

SYNOPSIS:

“Enter Cloudkiss Canyon at your own risk. 

The Cloudkiss Killer is dead. Now a true-crime podcast is hosting a contest to find his bones. 

Lucy was almost the serial killer’s final victim. Carolina is a true-crime fan who fears her own rage. Maggie is a psychology student with a little too much to hide. 

All of them are looking for answers, for a new identity, for a place to bury their secrets. 

But there are more than bones hiding in the shadows…sometimes the darkness inside is more frightening than anything the dead leave behind. 

Perfect for fans of Sadie and Wilder Girls, this newest novel from Erica Waters follows three girls at a true-crime contest to find the bones of a lost killer—even as a mysterious force pulls at the contestants’ darkest desires."

MONSTER CLUB:

Author:  Darren Aronofsky & Ari Handel
Pub. Date: September 13th, 2022
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 352
Find it: Amazon | Bookshop.org  

SYNOPSIS:

“From the award-winning screenwriter-director Darren Aronofsky and his screenwriting partner, Ari Handel, comes Monster Club. Their debut novel is the first book in a thrilling, new adventure series about growing up, letting go, and facing down your monsters. 

Like almost everything in eleven-year-old Eric "Doodles" King's life, King's Wonderland--the amusement park his great-great grandfather founded--was seriously damaged when a hurricane hit his beloved Coney Island neighborhood. Now hungry property developers are circling the wreckage of the once-awesome King's Wonderland, and Eric's family is falling apart from the threat of losing it all. 

If it weren't for Monster Club--the epic roleplaying game that Eric and his friends created--Eric's life would be pretty terrible. Drawing his favorite monster battling with his best friends' creations is the one thing that still gets Eric excited. So when his friends start to think of Monster Club as a kid's game and get more interested in other things, Eric just can't deal. But then Eric happens across a long-lost vial of magic ink that brings their monster drawings to life, and suddenly, Monster Club isn't just for fun anymore. 

The monsters Eric and his friends created are wreaking havoc across Coney, and it's on the Monster Club to save their city, the amusement park, and maybe, just maybe, Eric's family, too. It's a hilarious, heartfelt adventure from the creative minds of Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel that fans of Last Kids on Earth and Spy School are sure to love."

Blog Tour - New Release Spotlight: The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore

 

Today I'm sharing my stop on the blog tour for the highly anticipated new release The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore! This story takes place in 16th century Russia and follows a version of the folkloric figure of Baba Yaga like I'd never quite seen her before. Gilmore's writing in this book shines and really makes this a historical fantasy you won't want to miss–and it's out today! The setting, prose, and atmosphere all make this book a perfect fall read.

Below you will find some information about The Witch and the Tsar, early praise from talented authors, and some additional information about the author herself.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: THE WITCH AND THE TSAR
Author:  Olesya Salnikova Gilmore
Pub. Date: September 20th, 2022
Publisher: Ace
Pages: 432
Find it: Bookshop.org | B&N | Amazon | Books-A-Million 

SYNOPSIS:

“In this stunning historical fantasy debut, an isolated witch will risk all that she has to save her country and her people from dangerous gods and the twisted hearts of men. 

As a half goddess possessing magic, Yaga is used to living on her own, her prior entanglements with mortals having led to heartbreak. She mostly keeps to her hut in the woods, where those in need of healing seek her out, even as they spread rumors about her supposed cruelty and wicked spells. But when her old friend Anastasia—now the wife of the tsar, and suffering from a mysterious illness—arrives in her forest desperate for her protection, Yaga realizes the fate of all of Russia is tied to Anastasia’s. Yaga must step out of the shadows to protect the land she loves. 

As she travels to Moscow, Yaga witnesses a sixteenth-century Russia on the brink of chaos. Tsar Ivan—soon to become Ivan the Terrible—grows more volatile and tyrannical by the day, and Yaga believes the tsaritsa is being poisoned by an unknown enemy. But what Yaga cannot know is that Ivan is being manipulated by powers far older and more fearsome than anyone can imagine."

        Early Praise for The Witch and the Tsar:  

“An utterly enchanting, wholly immersive debut that deftly reimagines the legend of Baba Yaga. This one is unmissable.”—Alexis Henderson, Author of The Year of the Witching 

“A rich and vivid tapestry of old Russia in an age when Tsar Ivan the Terrible grappled not only with political foes but with the legendary witch Baba Yaga and her command of magic and pagan gods.  An evocative journey into old Russian myth and history, and a poignant exploration of what it means to be both human and immortal.”– Margaret George, New York Times bestselling author of The Splendor Before the Dark 

“Weaves myth and history into a poignant tale of love and war and gods in the flesh, with impeccable imagery and a heroine whose strength and courage stayed with me long after the final page. Fans of The Witch’s Heart, Circe and The Bear and the Nightingale are sure to fall in love with Gilmore’s compelling debut.” – H.M. Long, Author of Hall of Smoke

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Olesya Salnikova Gilmore was born in Moscow, Russia, raised in the U.S., and graduated from Pepperdine University with a BA in English/political science, and from Northwestern School of Law with a JD. She practiced litigation at a large law firm for several years before pursuing her dream of becoming an author. She is most happy writing historical fiction and fantasy inspired by Eastern European folklore. She lives in a wooded, lakeside suburb of Chicago with her husband and daughter. The Witch and the Tsar is her debut novel. Learn more online at www.olesyagilmore.com.

Author photo credit: Nicola Levine Photography, LLC 2021

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

New Release Spotlight + Mini-Review: Moon Dark Smile by Tessa Gratton

Today, I'm happy to share a new release spotlight and short review for Tessa Gratton's latest release, Moon Dark Smile! This is a dazzling and beautiful fantasy story of a girl on a journey that takes place in a truly incredible world with plenty of magic and characters to meet. 

Below, you'll find some general information about Moon Dark Smile and a review from me! 

ABOUT MOON DARK SMILE:

Author:  Tessa Gratton - Website
Pub. Date: August 30th, 2022
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Pages: 432
Find it: Amazon | Bookshop.org  

SYNOPSIS:

“Ever since she was a girl, Raliel Dark-Smile’s best friend has been the great demon that lives in the palace. As the daughter of the Emperor, Raliel appears cold and distant to those around her, but what no one understands is that she and the great demon, Moon, have a close and unbreakable bond and are together at all times. Moon is bound to the Emperor and his two consorts, Raliel’s parents, and when Raliel comes of age, she will be bound to Moon as well, constrained to live in the Palace for the rest of her days. 

Raliel is desperate to see the Empire Between Five Mountains, and she feels a deep kinship with Moon, who longs to break free of its bonds. When the time finally arrives for Raliel’s coming of age journey, she discovers a dangerous way to take Moon with her, even as she hides this truth from her travel companion, the beautiful, demon-kissed bodyguard Osian Redpop. But Osian is hiding secrets of his own, and when a plot surfaces that threatens the Empire, Raliel will have to decide who she can trust and what she’ll sacrifice for the power to protect all that she loves."

Review:

Moon Dark Smile is a standalone sequel to Tessa Gratton's Night Shine. You do not have to have read the first book in order to enjoy this one, though I'm sure reading Moon Dark Smile will be a richer reading experience for those who have. 

Moon Dark Smile follows Raliel, daughter of the Emperor, and Moon, great demon of the palace as they embark on a journey to figure out how to free Moon from its binding to the palace. They are joined on this journey by Osian, a demon-kissed bodyguard who is full of secrets. I really enjoyed following this group of characters on this somewhat meandering journey, and Raliel and Moon in particular stood out as two characters that I really liked learning more about and following along on this adventure. 

I love Tessa Gratton's writing and find that all of her books have some of the most beautifully written prose, and Moon Dark Smile is no exception. I also really liked Gratton's exploration of gender expression and fluidity in Moon Dark Smile and how it was so effortlessly woven right into the plot and magic system. I felt that the plot itself was actually rather slow-moving at times and sometimes even felt as though there was no clear direction the characters were moving, but I found myself continuously captivated by this book anyway because of Gratton's writing and skillful ability to develop a beautiful world and intriguing characters. 

Overall, if you're looking for a fantasy filled with a great journey, exploration, and beautiful writing, then you should definitely check out a copy of Moon Dark Smile. Since I unfortunately had not had a chance to read Night Shine before this one, I will definitely be going out and picking up a copy to read more from this world! Huge thanks to the publisher and Lindsey Ferris for gifting me a copy to share this spotlight and review!

About the Author:

(bio from publisher)

Tessa Gratton is genderfluid and hangry. She is the author of The Queens of Innis Lear and Lady Hotspur, as well as several YA series and short stories which have been translated into twenty-two languages. Her most recent YA novels are Strange Grace and Night Shine, as well as the forthcoming Chaos and Flame. Though she has traveled all over the world, she currently lives alongside the Kansas prairie with her wife. You can find her online at her website, TessaGratton.com, or on Twitter and Instagram @Tessa.Gratton.