Heartseeker

April 23, 2018
In an elegantly written debut filled with adventure and coming-of-age challenges, Beatty introduces readers to a fraught new world. From the time she was seven, Only Fallow has known she was different. She can see the lies people tell as colors, an ability her grandmother begs her to keep hidden. After her two new friends are kidnapped by the king’s men, Only’s protected life begins to unravel, beginning with the disappearance of her eldest brother and culminating in her summons to the capital to serve as a royal Mayquin, or truth seeker. The journey to the king is fraught with danger, betrayal, and an introduction to a world far bigger and more interesting than Only’s family farm. Only’s transition from a pampered younger daughter to a young woman, newly aware of discrimination and injustice, is conveyed with persuasive nuance. Beatty creates a cast of memorable characters and entrancingly vivid settings, immersing readers in a magical realm worth revisiting. Ages 8–up. Agent: Jen Linnan, Linnan Literary Management

May 1, 2018

Gr 4-6-Only Fallow has a unique gift: she can see lies as a shimmer of color around the teller. Telling a lie of her own, however, brings unimaginable pain. She is warned by her family to keep this power a secret, but soon the king learns of her ability and sends his men to bring Only to his castle. When she arrives, she learns just how wide the seeds of discord within the kingdom have been sown and how deeply fixed their roots have become. It is her job to help the king identify friends from foes. As Only becomes further embroiled in the castle intrigue, she determines the only way to save herself and her family is to stay in the service of the king. With enemies who have their own particular cunning, Only has the truth to protect her-and the truth to do her harm. In this stunning debut novel, Beatty crafts a world rich with its own mythology and filled with strong heroes. VERDICT This well-developed and original fantasy is a must-have for any middle grade collection.-Wayne R. Cherry Jr., St. Pius X High School, Houston

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2018
An 11-year-old who can see lies is dragged from her family orchard into the cesspit of royal politics.It's not her secret magical "cunning" that sets Only Fallow apart from the other girls in her rural community, it's her parents' relative wealth. The other girls have been cruel to her ever since her family started selling cider to the king way up in Bellskeep. Thank goodness she makes friends among the boat-dwelling Ordish. Prejudice against the Ordish is extreme--the king orders many of their children kidnapped into servitude--but these itinerant farmworkers are lovely to Only and her brothers. When a child-stealer nabs Only's Ordish friends, her secret is out: Only can see deception. Such a power, not seen since times long past, would be invaluable to the crown, and an inquisitor comes to take Only away. When she arrives at Bellskeep after a miserable journey, she's instantly thrust into a complex web of power games, manipulation, and cruelty. The violence being fomented against the nomadic, magic-using, and romanticized Ordish frightens Only and makes no sense to her. This generic, vaguely European fantasy kingdom is a largely white one, with a handful of darker-skinned foreigners from South Asian-ish Achery who may play larger roles in sequels. As high fantasy has skewed older in recent years, it's refreshing to see one that's solidly middle-grade, helmed by a believable 11-year-old whose growth in savvy and understanding of her own privilege come naturally.This series opener dances compellingly along the border separating its young, naïve heroine from harsh political realities. (Fantasy. 9-11)

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 1, 2018
Grades 3-6 A girl who can see lies is thrust into the middle of a political firestorm. Only Fallow loves her home on the orchard, which her family runs for the king. But when she sees firsthand how the children of an oppressed group called the Ordish are kidnapped and forced into servitude for the king, Only burns with anger. When her lie-detecting powers are discovered, Only is forced to leave home and serve the king, too. Along the way, Only encounters friends, foes, and the rumblings of a mysterious rebellion, all of which complicate her mission to figure out what the king is up to, save her loved ones, and fight for change. Only's first-person narration is an intriguing blend of folksiness and lyricism. The idiomatic language might take some getting used to at first, but Beatty compellingly weaves together world building, action, and political intrigue. Only's world is also filled with strong, witty, and wise female characters. A smart, captivating fantasy-adventure that will leave readers hungry for more of Only's story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)