Shards and Ashes

January 7, 2013
Marr and Armstrong, fresh off their 2011 compilation, Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions, edit and headline this collection of dystopian fantasy and science fiction, featuring an all-female lineup of nine YA authors. While some offerings have romantic elements, there’s no guarantee of happy endings. Instead, readers are treated to stories like Rachel Caine’s powerful tale of revenge amid corporate warfare, “Dogsbody,” and Beth Revis’s “Love Is a Choice,” where the seeds of rebellion aboard a spaceship demand a heavy price. “Hearken” by Veronica Roth is poignant and powerful, proving that not all dystopias need corrupt governments or tyrannical leaders. The strength of these stories is their conjuring entire worlds; their weakness is that most of them end too soon, leaving readers wondering “what next?” Several stories feel like testing grounds for novels yet to come (or, as with the offerings from Revis or Carrie Ryan, teasers for existing books). However, with solid offerings all around, it’s a collection worth checking out. Ages 13–up. Agent: (for Armstrong) Sarah Heller, Helen Heller Agency; (for Marr) Merrilee Heifetz, Writers House.

June 1, 2013

Gr 8 Up-This collection of dystopian short stories features some of the genre's greatest voices along with the work of popular paranormal romance authors. The nine original tales all center on themes of revolution, class wars, and romance. Standouts include Veronica Roth's "Hearken," in which musical prodigies are schooled to hear the life songs-or death songs-of individuals with the help of an implant, Margaret Stohl's "Necklace of Raindrops," a lyrical piece about the value of truly living; and Rachel Caine's "Dogsbody," a tale of corporate control gone wrong. Along with selections by Beth Revis and Carrie Ryan, these pieces move quickly, make good use of the limited word count, and are likely to stick with readers. However, other offerings-Kelley Armstrong's "Branded," Nancy Holder's "Pale Rider," Melissa Marr's "Corpse Eaters," and Kami Garcia's "Burn 3"-are forgettable due to predictability, far-reaching plots, and unbelievable circumstances. All in all, the action is fast paced and the variety of storytelling tones appealing, making this an ideal addition to libraries in which dystopian and paranormal romance books are popular.-Jennifer Furuyama, Pendleton Public Library, OR

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