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Reviewed by: Heather Maneiro, High School Librarian Title: To Kill a Shadow
Author: Katherine Quinn Series: Mistlands #1
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Year: 2023 Good for Grades: 9-12 Genre/Type of Book: Fantasy
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: Common Sense Media lists horror, blood, and gore. I found these to be appropriate YA levels.
Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: Available Speculative Fiction for YA for Cybils Reviews
If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be: How do you convince the man you love that you are the one to save him and kingdom, even though doing so puts you in certain danger?
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Review:
Abstract and Mini-Review Kiara has been selected to join the knights. Although it is unusual and she is certainly in the minority as a female, Kiara quickly makes friends with members and forms a crew. Kiara is a talented knight and quickly gains the attention of Jude, the leader. When their love blossoms; Jude knows that Kiara’s crew is the best to head into the mist to break the curse, but his blossoming love keeps Kiara off of the list to be called. Kiara certainly cannot let her crew fight without her. Can she convince Jude and does the crew have what it takes to risk their lives and save the kingdom?
Verdict This book is billed as Stephen King’s The Mist meets the night’s watch from George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones. I don’t know that the title quite lives up to that billing. Definitely a title more accessible and perhaps more of interest to the true YA reader. I do feel remiss in that this is the second title (So Witches We Became) I have read this year hearkening to The Mist, yet that is one of the few in King’s catalog I haven’t yet read or watched.
Recommendation Justification The other reviews available so far are love it or hate it. Although it has received the Barnes & Noble Children's & YA Book Award Nominee for Young Adult (2024), I probably won’t purchase a copy for my library unless I get a request.
Uses in the Library/Classroom This could be a possible recommendation for those looking for King or Martin yet not quite ready for their level (both in regards to Lexile and maturity). Primarily an option for SSR.
Appropriateness of Artwork The cover art is beautiful and would certainly result in students pulling it off of a display.
Number of party hats:
Find resources for Inheritance of Scars on TeachingBooks.
For more information about this book, see the publisher's website.