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Unexpected Surrealism
The Queen’s Dark Ambition follows a fourteen-year-old girl whose struggle to belong in a new town plunges her into a sinister fairy world where trust is perilous and survival demands courage. What was the inspiration for the setup of your novel?
What prompted me to write the first few chapters was when I dreamt of standing in a local wood, jumping over a stream, and finding a whole strange world of hostile fairies on the other side. Those first few chapters were written over ten years ago, when I was still at University, and the story itself developed slowly since then. I guess that shows the power of an idea or story, that it can stay with you.
I intentionally wanted the main character’s curiosity towards a stranger she meets to be what draws her back, as equally, if not stronger than, the dangerous pull of the wood and the fairy abode. A core part of the story explores the development of their relationship. The stranger, Bower, who is a wizard, helps Stacy, the main character, to question life and explore the bigger issues, whilst untangling the true and unexpected nature of the fairy domain.
A pivotal part of the story is about her finding not only her courage, but her voice as well, as fighting for what’s right. I initially thought of her as an introvert, like myself.
It wasn’t until much later in the revision and editing process that she really started to surprise me with just how strong a character she is and what she’s capable of.
Stacy’s voice feels raw and unfiltered, especially in her messy emotions. What inspired you to write her with such honesty rather than softening her flaws?
I’m an emotionally driven writer and love exploring characters’ thoughts and emotions. The protagonist, Stacy, is a teenager, and I craved leaning into that emotional space for the sake of the reader, for them to be taken along for the ride and feel those messy emotions along with Stacy.
The story shifts from domestic drama to eerie fantasy, almost like stepping from one world into another. How did you balance the real-life struggles with the supernatural elements?
I don’t think it’s much of a balancing act, but a question of putting Stacy’s domestic drama into perspective. She’s still obsessed with her phone and is wrestling with teenage worries. She realises the importance of her friends, from whom she is estranged, as well as her parents, whose love she’s been doubting recently, what with a family move and arguing with her Mum. Her friends have also shunned her due to the move. Despite this, she would do anything to protect them all and to get back to them, even in a perilous and unfamiliar world.
Throughout the story, I’ve sprinkled in some real-life grit, which hopefully makes it more believable and resonates widely with readers. I think that’s the glue between the two worlds, as well as seeing both through Stacy’s eyes. I hope I’ve created moments of unexpected surrealism and joy from Stacy’s perspective, too, though.
The fairies in your book are both beautiful and menacing. What drew you to portray them in such a dangerous, unsettling way?
I really wanted the main villain to be alluring to Stacy and to readers, hence why Elantra, the Queen, is beautiful too, to create jarring and unexpected undertones. Honestly, I think the most dangerous thing about the Queen could be that she’s relatable, and, at times, Stacy has sympathy for her. She gets under Stacy’s skin, and Stacy wants to understand how she got like that.
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Life for fourteen-year-old Stacy takes a terrifying turn when she discovers a parallel world hidden within the mysterious woods near her new home. After witnessing a child’s sacrifice, she becomes trapped in a realm where fairies aren’t the gentle creatures of bedtime stories. Under the watchful eye of Bower, a centuries-old wizard bearing the weight of his own tragic past, Stacy uncovers a sinister plot involving imprisoned children and a pure malevolence that will stop at nothing to claim the power of the stars.
Can Stacy find the strength to challenge a Queen who once turned her back on love itself? And if she fails, what fate awaits not only the imprisoned children, but the entire human world?
Are you drawn to magical realms, powerful adversaries, and tales of courage in the face of darkness? Then you’ll be spellbound by this captivating story.
If you like authors Laini Taylor, Melissa Albert or Holly Black, you may like The Queen’s Dark Ambition.
At the core of this low spice, character driven fantasy, Stacy’s journey explores themes of found families, fitting in and finding her voice, which will resonate with many YA readers.
If you enjoy these themes and fillings, The Queen’s Dark Ambition, may appeal to you: belonging/identity, glow up/ fish out of water, chosen girl, hidden heritage, confidence/self-love, power and agency, coming of age, angst & grit, plot-twists, mean girl, tear-jerkers, end of the world, clean Christian mystery.
The Queen’s Dark Ambition
The Queen’s Dark Ambition follows fourteen-year-old Stacy, newly uprooted from her old life and friends, as she struggles to adapt to an unfamiliar town and strained family relationships. Drawn into the nearby Whispering Woods, first by curiosity, then by strange dreams, she discovers a hidden and dangerous world of fairies, rituals, and missing children. Caught between her fear, her longing to belong, and the peril of the Queen’s power, Stacy must navigate deception, captivity, and the blurred lines between friend and foe in a fight for survival. The story blends contemporary teen angst with a dark, magical undercurrent, shifting from domestic drama to eerie fantasy with ease.
I was struck by how raw and unfiltered Stacy’s voice felt. The writing doesn’t shy away from messy emotions like resentment, loneliness, and embarrassment that so many coming-of-age stories tend to polish smooth. The family tension is sharply drawn, and it hit me harder than I expected. It’s not just background noise; it shapes Stacy’s every decision. That made the jump into the fantasy elements more jarring, in a good way. The sudden emergence of the fairies and the sinister Queen felt like stumbling into a nightmare while you’re still mad about a real-world fight, which gave the whole story an uneasy energy I couldn’t shake.
There were moments where I wanted the plot to push forward, especially in the early chapters when the family drama circled. But when the fantasy plot took center stage, the imagery was vivid and unsettling, fairies with ghostly skirts, glowing globes in the trees, and a captive’s cell full of terrified kids. These scenes stuck in my mind. The writing has a blunt honesty in its emotional beats but a dreamlike quality in its supernatural ones, which makes for an unusual and memorable mix.
I’d recommend The Queen’s Dark Ambition to readers who like their fantasy tinged with real-life grit, and who aren’t afraid of a story that lingers on discomfort before offering resolution. It’s a good fit for teens and adults who enjoy moody, character-driven tales with a sharp edge of menace. If you like your magic beautiful but dangerous, and your heroines flawed but determined, this book will keep you turning the pages.
Pages: 342 | ASIN : B0F324QLFL
The Song of Hadariah
The Song of Hadariah follows Carrie Eisen, a seventeen-year-old caught between the ordinary pressures of finishing high school and the extraordinary call of magic. When she encounters a talking fox named Adom, her world is turned upside down. Alongside her two best friends, she’s drawn into Hadariah, a realm where music and spirit are one, and darkness has silenced its heart. Together, the girls set out to retrieve enchanted violin strings stolen by the demon king Asmodeus, hoping to restore harmony to a dying world. What starts as a whimsical fantasy quickly becomes a story about friendship, belief, and courage.
Reading this book felt like stepping back into the kind of story I would’ve loved as a teenager. The writing is vivid and heartfelt, full of warmth and charm. Goldenberg’s voice has this nostalgic rhythm to it. It moves like a bedtime story told by someone who truly believes in the power of magic. Sometimes the pacing slows a little, especially in the early chapters, but once the girls enter Hadariah, the world blossoms with texture and wonder. I liked how the author blended Jewish folklore with classic fantasy elements; it made the story feel both familiar and fresh. The dialogue among the girls felt genuine too, full of the easy banter and affection that comes from years of friendship. Their bond grounded the magic, made it feel real.
There were moments when I wanted to see a little more from the story’s darker side. Asmodeus, for instance, comes across as more symbolic than menacing, and the conflict feels gentler than I expected. But the real struggle isn’t only against a demon, it’s about growing up and finding the courage to believe when the world makes it hard to do so. I loved how Carrie wrestled with doubt and faith, logic and wonder. It reminded me that magic isn’t always about spells or creatures, it’s about trust, bravery, and the invisible threads between people. And that hit home for me.
The Song of Hadariah is a lovely, thoughtful fantasy that captures the ache of adolescence and the pull of imagination. It’s ideal for readers who miss the sincerity of early young adult fantasy, those who grew up on Narnia, Inkheart, or His Dark Materials, and still look at the world hoping to find a hidden doorway somewhere.
Pages: 212 | ASIN : B0FR2MLTMR
Cascadia’s Call
Neha Hewitt’s Cascadia’s Call is a heartfelt coming-of-age story about Ari, a fourteen-year-old girl uprooted from Boston after her father’s death and sent to live with relatives in Portland while her mother pursues a demanding journalism career. The novel moves through Ari’s grief, her rocky adjustment to a new city, and her clashes with cultural expectations, all while weaving in mysterious symbols tied to her family’s heritage, most notably a necklace that seems to carry an uncanny power. It is both a portrait of adolescence and a meditation on family, loss, and belonging.
I found myself drawn into Ari’s raw anger and aching loneliness. Hewitt captures the turbulence of being a teenager so vividly that I often felt like I was back in my own messy adolescence, stumbling through identity and yearning for control. The writing is crisp and accessible, yet it carries real weight, especially in the quieter scenes where Ari longs for her father or struggles with the heavy silences between herself and her mother. At times, the dialogue made me laugh in recognition, and at other times it brought a lump to my throat.
I’ll admit there were moments when Ari’s stubbornness grated on me, and I caught myself wanting to shake her into patience. But that’s part of why the story works. She feels like a real teenager, with sharp edges and contradictions that make her alive on the page. I also admired the way Hewitt didn’t shy away from difficult conversations about culture, tradition, and feminism. Those scenes felt risky, sometimes messy, but honest. The supernatural hints with the birds and the necklace added just enough mystery to keep me guessing without overwhelming the emotional heart of the story.
This book would be a strong recommendation for teens navigating change, parents trying to understand their children, and anyone who appreciates stories that blend culture, grief, and a dash of the mystical. Cascadia’s Call is the kind of novel that keeps you thinking, not because it resolves everything neatly, but because it captures how uncertain and yet hopeful growing up can be.
Pages: 242 | ASIN : B0FJF5VC19
Balance of Light
I found myself completely caught up in a story that’s both wildly imaginative and emotionally grounded. The book picks up right after the events of Jigsaw of Light, with teenage protagonist Zeb Ross now back in Cornwall but quickly swept into another quest involving ancient crystals, Atlantean tech, and global mystery. From remote islands in the Pacific to secret underwater civilizations, Zeb and his companions, Kaia and her father Professor Garcia, travel through wormholes using a mystical surfboard as they try to unlock the secrets of a long-lost civilization and prevent another catastrophic planetary reset.
I really enjoyed the way this book blended myth with modern storytelling. It’s like Atlantis met Indiana Jones, but with teenage leads and a strong environmental thread running through it. The author writes with cinematic flair. Scenes leap off the page with vivid imagery, especially underwater or during high-stakes encounters. And while the plot leans heavily into fantasy and sci-fi territory, there’s a core of emotional realism that grounds it all. Zeb’s inner conflict, his loss, his drive to find purpose, it all felt honest, even with glowing surfboards and time-twisting wormholes involved.
A few moments between Zeb and Kaia felt like they came from a YA romance checklist, and some of the villains had that over-the-top vibe that made them hard to take seriously. But I also kind of loved that. The book doesn’t shy away from big emotions, grand gestures, or high drama. It feels like the author just went for it, fully embracing the epic scope of the story. There’s a confidence to that I admire.
Balance of Light is a thrilling and heartfelt adventure that delves deep into myth, memory, and meaning. It’s for readers who like their fiction fast, vivid, and unafraid to ask big questions about humanity’s place on the planet. If you’ve got a love for the ocean, ancient mysteries, or stories where young people carry the fate of the world on their shoulders, then this book is worth the dive.
Pages: 332 | ASIN : B0DHV4CLCM
Coven of Andromeda
After reading Coven of Andromeda, I found myself swept into a world where magic, family, and destiny dance together in both surprising and deeply emotional ways. The book follows two main narrative threads. One centered on Sameril, a gifted apprentice drawn into the dark elegance of necromancy, and the other on Bree Tanner, a young woman returning home to uncover her family’s magical legacy. Their stories, though miles apart in tone and setting, intersect in meaningful ways as both characters grapple with the burdens and beauty of inheritance, self-discovery, and the cost of power.
Personally, I was drawn to the writing’s warmth and richness. The prose flows with a quiet confidence, painting vivid images without getting bogged down in heavy description. The emotional beats, especially those between Bree, her sister Molly, and their mother, resonated with me. The magic system felt thoughtful and layered, and the way it tied into character growth was really satisfying. There were times when the pacing felt a bit uneven, particularly in the middle sections where side characters and subplots began to pile up. Still, the heart of the story never got lost, and that kept me engaged.
What really stood out to me were the ideas at play. This isn’t just a fantasy about spells and grimoires. It’s about the strength of matriarchal bonds, the tension between tradition and innovation, and the bravery it takes to choose your own path when expectations press hard against you. The story asks big questions about death, memory, and transformation, and doesn’t pretend to have simple answers. I appreciated that. Some parts made me misty-eyed. Others made me smile, especially the interactions between the coven women, who feel like real, complicated people with equal parts wisdom, mess, and sass.
I’d recommend Coven of Andromeda to anyone who loves generational stories with strong female leads, lush worldbuilding, and a touch of the mystical. It would especially resonate with readers who appreciate fantasy that feels grounded in emotion and family, rather than epic battles or political scheming.
Pages: 518 | ASIN : B0F88X1Z2Z
Multiverse Mayhem
Multiverse Mayhem, the third installment in Aurora M. Winter’s “Magic, Mystery and the Multiverse” series, picks up right where the chaos of book two left off. Ana Zest, the sharp-witted and surprisingly courageous teen heroine, faces down the Crimson Censor, a villain as stylish as she is brutal, in a fiery, magic-fueled standoff that propels Ana and her friends on a desperate quest across fantastical realms. From spell-splintered forests to dwarven strongholds, Ana grapples with betrayal, trauma, and the aching weight of responsibility, all while missing her tongue, her brother, and any semblance of a normal life. The multiverse is at stake, and the only things standing in the way of destruction are a talking dog, a bag of enchanted dust, and the pure grit of a girl who just wants her brother back.
I was charmed and unnerved by the writing in equal measure. The prose flips between whimsical and dark without warning, which makes the tone delightfully unpredictable. One moment, you’re giggling at a sass-tossing talking dog, and the next, you’re gritting your teeth as Ana gets her tongue magically severed. The worldbuilding is rich and clever, though sometimes a bit dense. There were moments where I felt lost in the swirl of spells, tech, and shifting allegiances. Still, I never wanted to stop reading. The action scenes are tight, the banter is sharp, and Winter’s pacing rarely falters. The emotional beats like Ana’s fear, her guilt, and her stubborn hope land beautifully. Even the villain, Crimson, is magnetic in her evil elegance.
What surprised me most was how invested I became in the book’s ideas about identity and choice. Hunter, the conflicted vampire-son of the Big Bad, is a standout. His scenes teeter on the edge of romantic tension and moral ruin, and I never knew whether to root for him or throw something. The story doesn’t sugarcoat the consequences of betrayal or the trauma of war. Ana’s struggle to reclaim her voice, literally and metaphorically, felt raw and real, even surrounded by magic hippogriffs and portal keys. There’s also a healthy distrust of authority that threads through everything, and the book doesn’t pretend that good and evil are always easy to spot. I liked that. It made the stakes feel more grounded, even when the characters were flying through dimensional portals.
Multiverse Mayhem is a chaotic, clever, and heartfelt ride through a universe that’s as magical as it is dangerous. I’d recommend this book to readers who love found families, high-stakes fantasy, and just the right amount of weird. Fans of Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, or Percy Jackson will feel right at home, though they might be surprised at how much darker and more philosophical this series is willing to get. It’s a wild ride, but it’s got heart. And magic. And a dandy-lion that turns the tide of battle. What more could you want?
Pages: 370 | ASIN : B0DCKCGT7R
Trust Yourself
The Whispers of Destiny follows a 12-year-old girl who discovers she can hear spirits leading her on a journey involving time travel; her mission is to unlock the power within her younger self. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Every lesson embedded in the book stems from that idea—trust yourself, follow your intuition because it truly guides you, love yourself unconditionally, make choices that align with who you truly are, and always remember that positive self-talk matters. Throughout the book, there are gentle reminders that we all have a purpose.
In a lot of contemporary coming-of-age fiction novels, authors often add their own life experiences to the story. Are there any bits of you in this story?
Absolutely! Emma is a reflection of me, and many of her experiences echo my own. Like Emma, I’ve always had to rely on my intuition—though I realized its power later in life. Learning to trust myself and align with who I truly am has been life-changing. There are moments in the book, particularly in Chapters 11 and 19, that are directly inspired by my own experiences. This story is as much an adventure as it is a guide for young readers. It is my story, and it’s deeply personal.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
In Whispers of Destiny, the journey is one of truth—one that whispers to the soul and stirs the heart. At its core, this story is about trusting oneself because within each of us lies a knowing you can’t shake—a voice too often drowned by doubt or fear. That voice is always there, waiting for us to trust it. Our intuition is the spirit’s quiet compass, not steering us away from struggle, but guiding us toward the lessons we are meant to learn.
I wanted to explore the power of positive self-talk—the quiet incantations we tell ourselves that shape our reality. Words—whether whispered to ourselves or spoken into the world—hold the power to build and heal. Speak to yourself as you would to the universe—with reverence, with love, with belief.
This book is also a journey through time and self-discovery, a reflection on the past not as something to regret, but as something to understand. Healing is an act of honoring both who we have been and who we are becoming. We are not bound by the mistakes of yesterday, nor must we fear the uncertainty of tomorrow. Within us lives an untapped strength—a quiet but undeniable force waiting to be embraced.
Through Emma’s journey, I hope young readers recognize their own power—to shape their destiny, rise beyond fear, and step boldly into the light of who they are meant to be.
Where does the story go in the next book, and where do you see it going in the future?
I’ve already begun writing the second book, allowing the story to unfold organically and letting Emma and Lucy’s growth feel both natural and extraordinary. Natural, because they’re two young girls growing and learning, and extraordinary because of their gift and unique lineage. What I can say for certain is that the next book is about strength and transformation—about rising through struggle and discovering the power that was within them all along. I’ve even written a poem for the next book, capturing the essence of resilience, growth, and strength. But Emma’s journey is far from over. We’ve yet to see what she’s truly capable of when she fully embraces her power and puts her mind to it.
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As Emma faces trials that test her courage, heart, and intuition, she learns to trust not only the spirit that guides her but also the strength of her mind, body, and soul. Along the way, she uncovers secrets from her family’s past, deepens her bond with her mother, and discovers the ripple effects of the choices we make.
But as Emma’s journey unfolds, the stakes rise higher. The timeline she seeks to protect is fragile, and the choices she faces could alter everything. With the spirit as her guide and her heart as her compass, Emma must navigate the fine line between destiny and free will.
LITERARY TITAN 