September 1, 2024
A poor orphan who's given the chance to use stolen magic to become an opera star finds herself tangled up in romance and treachery. In Lut�ce, a city located in a world inspired by historical France, those with a Talent--a gem that enhances a specific skill, passed on through generations via blood magic--fare much more easily than those without. Cleodora Finley was devastated when her father died unexpectedly, before passing on his Talent for tailoring. Now his dress shop is floundering, and Cleo is unable to get her sick sister the care she needs. When the mysterious and seductive Lady Dahlia Sibille offers her a stolen Singing Talent, Cleo accepts. In return, Cleo must steal the Talent belonging to the arrogant yet alluring Vicomte Nuriel Lenoir. As danger and deceit swirl around her, Cleo grows closer to both Dahlia and Nuriel. Ultimately, however, she must decide where her loyalties lie and what kind of person she wants to be. The original magic system and captivating setting are accompanied by a fast-paced narrative as the story engages with themes of class and art. While Cleo eventually finds gumption and grit, the poor decisions she makes on her journey to that point become more frustrating than relatable. Additionally, neither of her love interests feels developed enough to create a believable romance that will help readers become invested. Main characters are cued white. An intriguing world unfortunately populated with uninteresting characters.(Fantasy. 14-18)
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September 15, 2024
Grades 10-12 Desperate to escape her dire financial circumstances and find a cure for her ailing sister, Cleo is swept away into the dark underbelly of her city, Lut�ce. Denner's YA debut is set in a Paris-like fantasy world, featuring a fascinating magic system where Talents are the main vessels of magic--gems from defunct mines infused with power. These jewels give the Elite of the city their capacity for wondrous abilities, from melodious singing and conducting to divine architecture and accounting. After being sucked into a world of illicit Talent stealing by Dahlia, a seductive young woman who oversees the black market of goods and information in their city, Cleo is tasked with stealing the Talent of the vicomte, Nuriel Lenoir. But no matter how alluring Dahlia is, Nuriel is equally captivating, and Cleo's commitment to Dahlia's world and work begins to waver. A lush fantasy infused with swooning romance and twisty turns, as enrapturing as it is fresh.
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December 13, 2024
Gr 10 Up-In this romance set in alternate 19th-century Paris, a penniless dressmaker gets caught up in aristocratic intrigue and a love triangle after she steals a magical jewel conferring upon her the Talent-and identity-of a famous opera singer. In the city of Lut�ce, status is conferred through the possession and inheritance of enchanted gemstones. Cleodora, 19, has lost the opportunity to inherit her father's tailoring Talent, when her father died under mysterious circumstances and his gemstone was lost. With the help of the sexy crime boss, Lady Dahlia, Cleo gains a chance to join the Talented Elite-if she agrees to steal the Accounting Talent of the equally sexy Vicomte Nuriel Lenoir. The system of Talents is an interesting metaphor for inherited privilege. As Cleo prepares to steal Victome Lenoir's talent, she discovers that others around her are "passing" as Talented and that Nuriel feels stymied by his inheritance. The novel shines in portraying Cleo's passion for couture and her career in opera-she has an eye for the way a hemline or a bespoke tie conveys character. The romance initially skirts cliche as eyelashes are batted and there is a "firestorm of desire," but Cleo recognizes that Dahlia is an abusive Alpha, regardless of gender, and Cleo and Nuriel's insults fade into actual rapport. VERDICT For teens interested in titles that blur the line between YA and new adult, this is an entertaining romance that starts as cotton candy and ends with the satisfying chew of a macaron.-Katherine Magyarody
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