Christina Bacilieri

Between the high-stakes worldbuilding, Earth on the brink of war with Luna while battling a global pandemic, and Marissa Meyer’s fresh sci-fi take on magic, the story drew me in and wouldn’t let me go. I’m not ashamed to say I devoured this in one sitting. I was fascinated by the lunar people’s ability to use their “gifts” to manipulate bioelectricity, casting glamours and bewitching their victim’s minds. It added yet another layer of tension to the story.

The roots of dystopian fantasy can be traced back to classic literature. Take, for example, A Wrinkle in Time, which masterfully blends the totalitarian control of IT, a dark force seeking to dominate the universe, with the presence of mystical beings like mediums and winged centaurs. (3 Rules for Writing a Better Dystopian Novel.) Timeless works such as this laid the groundwork for a new era of fantasy. The last decade alone gave rise to novels such as Red Queen and An Ember in the Ashes.

A suspenseful adventure that will engage readers to the final page. Bacilieri presents a coming-of-age YA fantasy series starter about the transformative power of love. Sixteen-year-old Kiera Vandyer’s mother endured years of poverty and despotism to keep her daughter safe, but when the young woman takes a bold risk to improve her family’s position, she invites dangerous magic into their lives.