When the ailing emperor of Tensha names Terren, his second son, as his heir, a search begins for young women to serve as concubines. Despite reports of Terren’s sadism, Yin Wei, the 16-year-old daughter of a rice farmer, presents herself as a candidate, hoping to secure gifts for her famine-ravaged village and a chance for her younger brother to go to school. When the court’s representative dismisses her as a joke, she responds, “Then let the prince laugh.” Her plea works—and reveals the quick wit and strength of character that ensures her survival in a court where no one can be trusted. After Terren selects Wei to be his Empress-in-Waiting, he regularly subjects her to violence, including that of his magic blades. Fearing for the future of Tensha under his erratic tyranny, Wei determines to compose a heart-spirit poem, which, if used at the right moment, could kill him. Doing so requires Wei not only to learn literomancy—writing poems with the power of spells—in a world where literacy for women is criminal, but also to become deeply familiar with Terren, and thus able to find the words to strike directly at his heart. The story of his past is grotesque, and reveals the way that wrangling for dynastic power destroys families and brings ruin upon a nation; but Terren’s dark history is less compelling than Wei’s steadfast pursuit of it. Resilient and clever, Wei is the heart of the novel, striving to navigate a world of lies and cruelty without becoming cruel herself. She learns to wield power with fidelity to her purpose, and though the novel’s title alludes to her triumph, the story is full of page-turning suspense.

Ani Avakian quit her job to follow her dream of becoming the Bay Area’s most successful Armenian wedding planner, but her career is off to a rocky start. With overdraft fees looming, she agrees to take on the wedding of an up-and-coming indie movie star, Grace, who’d already lined up an Armenian-owned winery as the venue. At first, Ani is excited to work with someone who shares her heritage, but she and the winery’s owner, Raffi Garabedian, get off on the wrong foot. Ani’s heard stories about Raffi’s reputation as a love ’em and leave ’em type, while Raffi is too tongue-tied to address her preconceived notions. Then Ani’s in for shock when it turns out that Grace’s fiancée is Kami, the woman who broke her heart two years ago, and that’s not even the worst part. Apparently, Ani’s ex-girlfriend Kami is also Raffi’s ex-girlfriend Kami. Wedding planner and winery owner are beyond surprised to discover they have similar tastes in women, but there’s no time to be rattled about the revelation because they need to work together to make sure this wedding goes off without a hitch. That means having meetings about where to hold the ceremony, where to install the fountain Kami wants, what flowers to use to capture the color scheme, you name it. The more time Ani and Raffi are forced to spend in each other’s company, the more they suspect the tension between them is rooted in something more complicated than mere dislike, but they’ll have to prioritize professionalism over personal feelings to give their ex the wedding of her dreams. Voskuni returns to the same winning blend of humor, romance, and culture that made her debut, Sorry, Bro (2023), so unputdownable, and her latest feels like a natural evolution of all her best traits as a writer. With sparkling chemistry, plenty of nods to classic rom-coms, and a welcome dose of spice, the end result is a slow-burn love story that heats up at the perfect moment.

Reid grew up in a crossroads hamlet in southern Nevada where not much happened, his father a taciturn hard-rock miner who took to drink, his father figure a brothel keeper who taught him a valuable lesson early in life: “You’ve got a future ahead of you. Always be honest in everything you do.” Reid took the lesson well, although, as Nevada journalist and sometime antagonist Ralston notes, he had a few quirks, including a penchant for vindictive politics, telling a staffer, “vengeance is in my soul.” After rising through local politics, including a stint on Nevada’s influential all-powerful gaming commission, Reid was elected to Congress and began a steady climb to power, albeit with a few setbacks, as when he broke with Democratic Party leaders to support Al Gore over Michael Dukakis. Reid also formulated strategies for building big-tent coalitions in states such as Nevada, where the voters might favor a Republican candidate but would often vote for Democratic candidates down the ticket, even if the polity didn’t always appreciate Reid’s legislative accomplishments—for one, forging a water compact in his arid state that was hailed as “an accomplishment that remains amazing to this day.” By Ralston’s account, Reid was unhurried, deliberate, and persuasive in his dealmaking. He voted against the confirmation of Clarence Thomas for the Supreme Court, a politically risky move; the upshot, though, on reaching the pinnacle of power in the Senate, was to have a big say in judicial appointments, which he insisted be made more diverse than the usual white men. (He also had a knack for disarming political opponents by appointing them to the bench.) Ralston’s biography capably proves what Reid’s House counterpart, John Boehner, said of him: “he was one tough son of a bitch.”

“We are ALL gifted. / Each one of us has treasures within.” So begins the authors’ paraphrasing of a message from Pope Francis, printed in full on the previous page. An accompanying illustration depicts a large, diverse group of children of different ages, including one wheelchair user, all gathered as if onstage, ready to share their talents. A detailing of different types of gifts follows, distinguishing between common creative outlets (music, art, literature) and less heralded talents with social benefits (listening to others, being kind, offering love). Finally, the text urges kids not to keep their “light” to themselves, but to give it freely to foster happiness: “So…what are your gifts and how will you share them? / The world is waiting.” This is a heartfelt work, and Peter H. Reynolds presents single-page and occasionally double-page illustrations of children discovering their gifts, which are often in magic-filled boxes. These scenes are vividly enacted against cloudy backdrops in all the vibrant shades of the rainbow. Although the linework is simple, the characters spring to life with a joy and vivacity reminiscent of Quentin Blake’s work.

After the tragic deaths of her parents, Emmeline, who’s gifted with the ability to see the future, is separated from her sister and forced into the service of the cruel and abusive Mr. Chitwood. He disguises the 11-year-old girl as a boy and forces her to perform a fortune-telling act for wealthy clients. Its success leads Chitwood to consider taking Emmeline from America to England to perform for the king, and she fears that she may never see her sister again. Recognizing the power of Emmeline’s gift, a kind woman helps her escape and sends her to Mr. Imason, a schoolmaster in Tarrytown, New York. Imason promises to hide Emmeline from Chitwood and his imposing manhunter, Doon, and while in his care, she’ll aid the rebel cause by using her visions to help predict troop movements as the Revolutionary War looms. Hidden in Tarrytown, she takes a new identity—Roo—and befriends two other children who are also living without their parents: Izzy, a chatty and headstrong student and school custodian, has lost her mother and remains separated from her soldier father; River, a formerly enslaved runaway, has lost his father and has been away from his mother for the past four years. As tension between Patriots and Loyalists escalates, the children get to know a colorful cast of characters in the community, including Helga, a reclusive so-called “witch”; Mo, a friendly miller; and a mysterious ghost known as the Lady in White. Over the course of the novel, Fitzhugh employs well-crafted prose and creative descriptions (“her rifle, green with age, looked about ready to sprout mushrooms”) to build an immersive world that will keep readers engaged. Although the narrative becomes somewhat unfocused in the middle, introducing many different players and incorporating several new subplots, the main characters’ compelling personalities and the fast-paced action will keep readers hooked.