(2) YA At the end of The Midnight Lie (rev. 5/20), Sid sailed brokenhearted back to her own kingdom to her ailing mother the queen, while her lover Nirrim ascended the throne after trading her own heart for knowledge. Now without compassion, once-timid Nirrim ruthlessly applies power, executing one in ten of the High Kith who kept the Half Kith subjugated and using her terrified former friends and those she once considered family as ­puppets to sway the mob. Meanwhile, Sid learns that her mother was poisoned and tries to discover the ­perpetrator, at the same time uncovering for herself the ways her own same-sex attraction and her familial love and duty tangle and clash. Of course Sid and Nirrim eventually reunite, though the means by which Rutkoski manages it are too deliciously sweet to give away here. The inventive fantasy framework and whip-smart dialogue should keep readers riveted; a journey by Sid to the gods' realm has echoes of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice and gives the story a satisfying roundness; and the exploration of truths that LGBTQ+ youth know and live, growing up in a world whose responses to their differences can still wound them, will resonate in any compassionate heart.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(2) YA As a member of the Half Kith (the lowest, most oppressed caste in society), Nirrim is focused on avoiding the notice of the militia, who extract tithes of blood, hair, and teeth from Half Kith they claim have broken laws. When a magical bird flies into the Ward, Nirrim is arrested trying to return it to the militia. She ends up in jail with a charismatic scofflaw named Sid, whom she mistakes for male. Sid gets her out of jail (at which point Nirrim realizes her mistake). Now no longer content with her unadventurous, risk-averse life, she forges herself a passport, goes along with Sid, and together they make a compact to discover the source of the magic the High Kith get to use. Soon, Nirrim falls for Sid. The mysterious connection between magic and the tithes is spun out with excellent suspense, which, along with the assured writing and wealth of fantasy invention, will keep readers avidly turning pages, while the romance (including Nirrim's internalized homophobia) has enough twists to be both sensational and satisfying. Nirrim's foster mother's "love" will ring alarm bells for anyone who's known an abusive relationship; meanwhile, Nirrim's progression from timid victim to dogged activist unfolds powerfully. Don't expect a happily-ever-after from Rutkoski (the Winner's trilogy, set in this same world), but do grasp at the remaining loose ends in hope of a sequel.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(3) YA Winner's Trilogy series. Kestrel (The Winner's Curse), newly betrothed to the Valorian emperor's son, tries to hide her feelings for her former slave Arin, now the governor of Herran. Her divided loyalties, however, make it difficult for her to navigate the labyrinthine political landscape of the imperial court. Kestrel's strategic brilliance against her many ruthless enemies will delight fans of Game of Thrones–esque fantasy epics.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(2) YA Winner's Trilogy series. Kestrel is inexplicably moved to pay an exorbitant price for Arin, a handsome, musically gifted Herrani slave. The tables are turned when the Herrani take over the city. Kestrel uses her skills as a gambler and military strategist to negotiate a peaceful resolution. The tale reads as a confection, with forbidden love, fancy gowns, and warrior stoicism to delight teenage readers.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2014

(3) YA Perpetual outsider Darcy learns that she hails from a parallel universe where her people, the Shades, survived human attacks but resorted to terrorism. Tasked by her love-interest-turned-arresting-officer with infiltrating Shade society and preventing their next attack, she struggles to choose a side. The antagonistic but electric romance and complex exploration of entrenched prejudice make this novel engrossing, thought-provoking, and ultimately hopeful.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(3) 4-6 Kronos Chronicles series. Evil Prince Rodolfo of Bohemia turned Petra Kronos's father into a monstrous Gray Man in The Celestial Globe, so Petra sets out with her friend Tomik to force the Prince's scientist to invent a cure. Her love interest Neel, now King of the Romany, brings his army to her aid. Picturesque settings, well-plotted action, and steampunk aesthetics keep this darkly magical tale in motion.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 4-6 Kronos Chronicles series. Desperate to rescue her father from cruel Prince Rodolfo, headstrong Petra Kronos (The Cabinet of Wonders) is herself held prisoner as the ward of English spymaster and magician John Dee. Before he'll release her, she must solve the murder of a man rumored to possess the mysterious Celestial Globe. Strong characterizations and a lively action-adventure plot propel this Elizabethan fantasy-mystery.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) 4-6 Kronos Chronicles series. Petra Kronos's father has magical abilities to construct creatures out of tin and to make a wondrous weather-controlling clock. When the prince of Bohemia blinds Kronos, cutting out his eyes and magicking them for his own use, Petra resolves to steal them back from the prince's Cabinet of Wonders. Rutkoski's bucolic old-world atmosphere keeps her workmanlike plotting feeling fresh and fortuitous.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2009