Hodge, Rosamund. Bright Smoke, Cold Fire. 448p. ebook available. Harper Collins/Balzer + Bray. Sept. 2016. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780062369413. 

Gr 9 Up –Borrowing loosely from Romeo and Juliet, Hodge creates a world ravaged by the Ruining, a fog that killed the living and allowed the dead to walk. Runajo, a Sister of Thorn, knows that it is the sacrifice of human blood that keeps the wall strong enough to protect the only surviving city of Viyara. Juliet Catresou is a young woman compelled by spells since birth to kill anyone who harms her kin, the mask-wearing Catresou clan. And yet she has fallen for Romeo, of the Mahyanai. When a bonding ceremony goes wrong, Paris (who was unhappily expecting to become Juliet’s Guardian) and Romeo can read each other’s thoughts and Juliet is in the land of the dead. The action alternates between what is happening with Runajo, who secretly brings Juliet back to the cloister, and Paris’s activities with Romeo, often in the Lower City. Teens need not be Shakespeare fans to appreciate this work and will enjoy reading about magic, an underworld, and a Juliet who kicks butt. The complicated plot requires readers’ attention, as three clans, invented religious elements, a variety of undead, and magic scrolls retrieved from a buried library all intertwine. VERDICT An atmospheric tale that pits loyalty to kin against loyalty to self and loyalty to loved ones, this work will appeal to the author’s fans and those who can’t get enough of fantastical retellings.–Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX

McCall, Guadalupe Garcia. Shame the Stars. 310p. ebook available. glossary. Lee & Low/Tu. Sept. 2016. Tr $19.95. ISBN 9781620142783.

Gr 6 Up –A story of the love of a young couple during the Mexican Revolution in 1915, with a Romeo and Juliet twist. The unrest of the revolution affects everyone in two fictional towns, Monteseco and Las Moras. Joaquín writes poems and his thoughts in a journal about the revolution but has never shared them with anyone. Dulceña writes articles about the revolution for her father’s newspaper under a pen name. Her pieces are about the violence the Texas Rangers cause against the Mexican citizens in the region. The Rangers even resort to killing the Mexican citizens when they do not follow the Rangers’ orders. Dulceña’s father’s printing shop comes under fire for what he prints in the newspapers. Joaquín and Dulceña keep their relationship a secret because of the happenings of the revolution. Their letters are covertly delivered by a friend of their families. The couple try to meet at night when no one is around and hope not to get caught, very much like the protagonists of the source material. The author keeps readers in suspense, while slowly revealing details about the characters’ involvement in the revolution. An author’s note sheds light on McCall’s inspiration and research, and a glossary gives definitions of Spanish words used throughout the book. VERDICT A good purchase for historical fiction collections, especially where there are fans of Ashley Hope Pérez’s Out of Darkness.–Minerva Alaniz, Texas Tech University Library

Talley, Robin. As I Descended. 384p. ebook available. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. Sept. 2016. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780062409232.

Gr 10 Up –Something wicked comes to Virginia’s elite Acheron Academy in this modern retelling of one of Shakespeare’s darkest works. Overachiever and second-most-popular girl Maria, who is bisexual, and her scheming girlfriend, Lily, who is disabled and a lesbian, are determined to have Maria win the coveted Kingsley Prize, which guarantees entrance into any college and will enable the couple to stay together after high school. A séance reveals cryptic prophecies and opens the door to a plethora of spirits, leaving the girls unable to control their own action. Their cruel and manipulative plans to unseat the most popular girl are just the first of many schemes that go horribly wrong. Before long, Maria and Lily are not the only ones admitting to interacting with spirits. Students are having bad dreams, hearing phantom noises, and seeing ghosts. The couple’s desire for power grows, and what looked like ruthlessness now seems like madness. As the tragedy unfolds, no one at Acheron is safe—least of all Maria and Lily. Talley’s novel is ambitious but successfully so. The work address racism, classism, and homophobia, all couched in a horror retelling of Macbeth. Notably, all four of the main characters—Maria, Lily, Mateo, and Brandon—are not straight. Those familiar with the source material will not be surprised at how the story plays out, but knowing the eventual outcomes does not diminish Talley’s dark tale about fate and ambition. VERDICT A highly recommended, absorbing read with wide appeal.–Amanda MacGregor, Great River Regional Library, Saint Cloud, MN

These reviews were published in School Library Journal’s July 2016 issue.