Tag Archives: estranged mother

Review: The Lustrous Dark by Loretta Chefchaouni

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The Lustrous Dark by Loretta Chefchaouni

The Lustrous Dark
Loretta Chefchaouni
Peachtree Teen
Published May 19, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Lustrous Dark

For fans of Sabaa Tahir and Guillermo del Toro comes The Lustrous Dark, a sweeping YA fantasy inspired by a Moroccan folktale, in which a young midwife’s apprentice rises up to take back the power that’s been stolen from women.

Orphaned as a baby, Shay has spent her life training as the midwife’s apprentice. Her role grants her stability, yet Shay has always yearned for more. Namely, motherly affection and answers regarding her mysterious birth—neither of which the midwife deems practical to provide.

After Shay discovers her birth mother, Hind, is still … Continue reading →

Review: What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch

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What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tasch

What Wakes the Bells
Elle Tesch
Feiwel & Friends
Published March 11, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About What Wakes the Bells

Inspired by an ominous Prague legend, What Wakes the Bells is a lavish gothic fantasy by debut author Elle Tesch that is perfect for fans of Adalyn Grace, Margaret Rogerson, and V.E. Schwab.

Built by long-gone Saints, the city of Vaiwyn lives and breathes and bleeds. As a Keeper, Mina knows better than most what her care of Vaiwyn’s bells means for the sentient city. It’s the Strauss family’s thousand-year legacy―prevent the Vespers from ringing, or they will … Continue reading →