Mysterious Galaxy is delighted to be celebrating Audrey Coulthurst’s latest title, Inkmistress! Asra has the power to rewrite the future with her blood, but to keep this power a secret she lives on a remote mountain. When her beloved Ina asks for help with protecting her people, Asra’s blood magic goes awry -- resulting in the death of Ina’s family. To stop Ina’s quest for revenge, Asra must journey across the kingdom, discovering her own dark secrets along the way. School Library Journal says Inkmistress “Engages teens in a mystical world of darkness and blood magic. Fans of dragons, dark magic, and romance will embrace this novel.”
Audrey’s other work includes the YA novels Of Fire and Stars and its upcoming sequel, forthcoming in 2019. She has a Masters in writing and is a member of SCBWI. Her other talents include painting, singing, and horseback riding. She currently resides in Santa Monica, California.
Audrey will be in conversation with local author, teacher, and frequent convention attendee (usually in gorgeous costumes) Leah Thomas, whose latest strange young persons novel is When Light Left Us, a Maryelizabeth Staff Pick. In addition to Maryelizabeth's kudos, When Light Left Us has received praise from Booklist and the School Library Journal:
“Metaphor and figurative language make the prose here beautiful to read. . . . The poignant, strange, and poetic novel is a nuanced exploration of human nature.” – starred review, Booklist
“A compelling, character-driven, and imaginative novel. . . What makes it stand out is Thomas's talent of bringing intimacy, thoughtfulness, and a sense of wonder to her writing. For fans of Patrick Ness and Lauren Oliver, this is a must buy.” – starred Review, School Library Journal
A sweeping, action-packed, and romantic fantasy full of dangerous magic and dark choices, perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce and Kristin Cashore--set in the same world as Of Fire and Stars.
Asra is a demigod with a dangerous gift: the ability to dictate the future by writing with her blood. To keep her power secret, she leads a quiet life as a healer on a remote mountain, content to help the people in her care and spend time with Ina, the mortal girl she loves.
But Asra's peaceful life is upended when bandits threaten Ina's village and the king does nothing to help. Desperate to protect her people, Ina begs Asra for assistance in finding her manifest--the animal she'll be able to change into as her rite of passage to adulthood. Asra uses her blood magic to help Ina, but her spell goes horribly wrong and the bandits destroy the village, killing Ina's family.
Unaware that Asra is at fault, Ina swears revenge on the king and takes a savage dragon as her manifest. To stop her, Asra must embark on a journey across the kingdom, becoming a player in lethal games of power among assassins, gods, and even the king himself.
Most frightening of all, she discovers the dark secrets of her own mysterious history--and the terrible, powerful legacy she carries in her blood.
An atmospheric and romantic debut fantasy perfect for fans of Ash and The Winner's Curse.
Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile kingdoms.
But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire--a dangerous gift for the future queen of a land where magic is forbidden.
Now Denna has to learn the ways of her new kingdom while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria's formidable warhorses before her coronation--and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine, sister of her betrothed.
When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two work together, they discover there is more to one another than they thought--and soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more.
But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms--and each other.
New Mexico has a reputation as the home state to a significant number of human / alien encounters, but none may be as strange or heart-wrenching as the encounter between extraterrestrial Luz and the Vasquez children. Hank, Ana, and Milo and their mother, Maggie, are preparing to navigate the unfamiliar territory of their first summer without the kids’ father as part of the family when Luz enters their lives. Luz interprets the three children as discrete parts of a single entity, and observes the world through their senses – semi-appropriating and enhancing their perceptions through their hands, eyes, and ears, respectively. Leah’s story intertwines multiple perspectives in a moving tale of family, loss, and recovery. -- Maryelizabeth