Starred Review Round-Up (5/1/19)

I’m seeing stars! Starred reviews, that is. Keep an eye out for these titles that all received multiple starred reviews!

MAGIC FOR LIARS by Sarah Gailey

“There’s something for almost all readers here: family drama, romance, high-school gossip, fantasy-world building. Above all, Gailey shows us that humans are humans, even when they are magic, and they are still flawed, damaged, and oh so interesting.”–Booklist, starred review

“Gailey’s debut is an energetic modern fantasy that plays rough with relationships and personal beliefs, from youth to adulthood. Ivy’s emotional investigation will strike a chord in anyone who has ever felt like they don’t belong. Highly recommended for all collections.“–Library Journal, starred review

THE SHALLOWS: A Nils Shapiro Novel by Matt Goldman

“Goldman seasons the complicated puzzle with healthy doses of dry wit and meaningful secondary stories for his characters. Hopefully, Nils and company will return soon.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Fans of classic hard-boiled crime novels of the 1930s and 1940s will appreciate Nils’s intelligence and likable coworkers, who star in a novel that is timely, not old-fashioned, and featuring a riveting story.“–Library Journal, starred review (Pick of the Month)

EMPRESS OF FOREVER by Max Gladstone

“This feast for the imagination intelligently captures the complexities of a variety of relationships in an adrenaline-fueled series of escapades and will leave readers both exhausted and elated.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Gladstone’s (RUIN OF ANGELS) epic space opera and fast-paced adventure will thrill readers.”–Library Journal, starred review

“Gladstone weaves a fantastic tale of adventure on the grandest scale of epic space opera, spanning galaxies full of battles and traps as well as trade and negotiation, all told with humor as the crew seeks allies, weapons, and ships to fight back against The Empress to save the galaxy—and so Viv can find her way home.”–Booklist, starred review

THE SOL MAJESTIC by Ferrett Steinmetz

“Steinmetz elevates his story with lush details and vividly rendered characters, crafting a memorable love letter to the nourishment of body and soul as well as the dignity of work and service.“–Publishers Weekly, starred review

“With this intersection of sf and culinary narrative, Steinmetz serves up a charming coming-of-age tale with an appealing cast of unforgettable characters.“–Library Journal, starred review