Strands of Starlight


Book Description

In the first book of the epic Strand Novels, a victimized young woman sets out to avenge the wrongs committed against her and her elven protectors In the mid-fourteenth century, when the lands of Adria are replete with violence and intolerance, plot and counterplot, Miriam—an uncommonly gifted healer—is accused of witchcraft by the Inquisition, imprisoned, and tortured. After escaping, she is assaulted by Roger, baron of Aurverelle, who violates her and then leaves her for dead. Her salvation appears in the form of Varden, an Elf of Malvern Forest, whose magic first heals her, then provides her with the strength and stature she requires to pursue her revenge against those who have so grievously wronged her. Thus begins Miriam’s battle against her past, against her present, and even, in the end, against herself. Grand in scope and firmly grounded in the history of medieval Europe, Strands of Starlight is an engrossing and adventure-packed story of defeat and redemption, vengeance and compassion, and the power of a single individual to change the fates of countless others. Strands of Starlight is the first book of the Strand Novels, which continue with Maze of Moonlight and Shroud of Shadow.




Strands of Sunlight


Book Description

In the conclusion of the Strand Novels, Natil, now living in modern Denver, must guide a small group of humans with elven blood toward their true destiny The powers of the Elves have lain dormant for half a millennium, but the immortal bloodlines are very much alive. In present-day Denver, sixteen people have felt their elven heritage stirring, their abilities as healers and seers manifesting and blossoming, and Natil, through unimaginable favor and grace brought forward in time, is there to shepherd them through their transformation. Told through interweaving narratives, Strands of Sunlight is the story of the reborn Elves, as well as that of TK, a troubled Vietnam veteran embroiled in a conflict with local drug dealers; Sandy Joy, a college student caught in the manipulative wiles of a fraudulent instructor; and Natil herself, struggling to bring about the final awakening of the elven blood. Strands of Sunlight is the final book of the Strand Novels. More about the Elves can be found in the story collection Spires of Spirit.




Moonpenny Island


Book Description

Readers of Kate DiCamillo and Sheila Turnage will love Moonpenny Island, a middle grade novel of friendship and secrets by the beloved and acclaimed Tricia Springstubb. Moonpenny is a tiny island in a great lake. When the summer people leave and the ferries stop running, just the tried-and-true islanders are left behind. Flor and her best, her perfect friend, Sylvie, are the only eleven-year-olds for miles and miles—and Flor couldn’t be happier. But come the end of summer, unthinkable things begin to happen. Sylvie is suddenly, mysteriously, whisked away to school on the mainland. Flor’s mother leaves to take care of Flor’s sick grandmother and doesn’t come back. Her big sister has a secret, and Flor fears it’s a dangerous one. Meanwhile, a geologist and his peculiar daughter arrive to excavate prehistoric trilobites, one of the first creatures to develop sight. Soon Flor is helping them. As her own ability to see her life on this little lump of limestone evolves, she faces truths about those she loves—and about herself—she never imagined.




Spires of Spirit


Book Description

Set in the magical, mystical worlds of the "Strands" series, these six novellas begin on the medieval world of Adria, where watchful elves tap the power of stars to guard the little town of St. Brigid against the zealots of the Inquisition, then move to modern day Colorado, where the descendants of the Elvish line rediscover their long-dormant powers.




Strands of Starlight


Book Description

Miriam is a frail young outcast whose healing powers have branded her a witch in the Inquisition of 14th-century Europe. Fleeing her city in search of the Free Towns and acceptance, she is brutally violated by a man she heals from the brink of death, buti is saved and transformed by the intervention of the elves.




Maze of Moonlight


Book Description

Vanessa, a young misfit at the turn of the 14th century, is in danger of persecution during the Inquisition. Baron Christopher of Aurverelle, returns to his land to discover that only elven magic can save his people. Until they realize their own elven heritage, things for Vanessa and Christopher will only get worse...much worse. Sequel to Strands of Starlight.




Rat Girl


Book Description

"One of the 25 Greatest Rock Memoirs of All Time” --Rolling Stone Magazine (#8) “Sensitive and emotionally raw… it’s also wildly funny”--The New York Times Book Review A powerfully original memoir of pregnancy and mental illness by the legendary founder of the seminal rock band Throwing Muses, 'a magnificently charged union of Sylvia Plath and Patti Smith' - The Guardian Kristin Hersh was a preternaturally bright teenager, starting college at fifteen and with her band, Throwing Muses, playing rock clubs she was too young to frequent. By the age of seventeen she was living in her car, unable to sleep for the torment of strange songs swimming around her head - the songs for which she is now known. But just as her band was taking off, Hersh was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia. Rat Girl chronicles the unraveling of a young woman's personality, culminating in a suicide attempt; and then her arduous yet inspiring recovery, her unplanned pregnancy at the age of 19, and the birth of her first son. Playful, vivid, and wonderfully warm, this is a visceral and brave memoir by a truly original performer, told in a truly original voice.




Written in Starlight


Book Description

An adventerous South American Tomb Raider! This hotly anticipated companion to Woven in Moonlight follows an outcast Condesa, as she braves the jungle to forge an alliance with the lost city of gold. If the jungle wants you, it will have you... Catalina Quiroga is a Condesa without a country. She’s lost the Inkasisa throne, the loyalty of her people, and her best friend. Banished to the perilous Yanu Jungle, Catalina knows her chances of survival are slim, but that won’t stop her from trying to escape. Her duty is to rule. While running for her life, Catalina is rescued by Manuel, the son of her former general who has spent years searching for allies. With his help, Catalina could find the city of gold that’s home to the fierce Illari people and strike a deal with them for an army to retake her throne. But the elusive Illari are fighting a battle of their own—a mysterious blight is corrupting the jungle, laying waste to everything they hold dear. As a seer, Catalina should be able to help, but her ability to read the future in the stars is as feeble as her survival instincts. While searching for the Illari, Catalina must reckon with her duty and her heart to find her true calling, which is key to stopping the corruption before it destroys the jungle completely.




Star Daughter


Book Description

*Chosen as a 2020 Kids’ Indie Next pick * A Locus Reading List recommendation * An Andre Norton Nebula Award Finalist* “Shveta Thakrar's prose is as beautiful as starlight.”—New York Times bestselling author Holly Black This gorgeously imagined YA debut blends shades of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust and a breathtaking landscape of Hindu mythology into a radiant contemporary fantasy. The daughter of a star and a mortal, Sheetal is used to keeping secrets. Pretending to be “normal.” But when an accidental flare of her starfire puts her human father in the hospital, Sheetal needs a full star’s help to heal him. A star like her mother, who returned to the sky long ago. Sheetal’s quest to save her father will take her to a celestial court of shining wonders and dark shadows, where she must take the stage as her family’s champion in a competition to decide the next ruling house of the heavens—and win, or risk never returning to Earth at all. Brimming with celestial intrigue, this sparkling YA debut is perfect for fans of Roshani Chokshi and Laini Taylor.




Dragon Sword


Book Description

When a door in her professor's office becomes a portal to another world, grad student Suzanne Helling is transformed into a warrior battling to restore order to the once-great land of Gryylth.