You'd think years of rejection during the query/sub process would toughen a writer up for this part, but no. It's still a nailbiter every time someone mentions my title.
Luckily, it's been very good so far!
From School Library Connection
Honorine has worked for the Vidalias for as long as she can remember. Lord Vidalia has been mysteriously missing for ten years, but his journals, treasured objects, and relics from his studies abroad fill the home. When Honorine begins to notice strange disturbances around the house, her explorations reveal that there is something not of this world at work. Soon Honorine is whisked away by the Mapmaker and the stars known as Mordants—Leo the lion, Lux the wolf, Virgo, and others. Together with Lord Vidalia, the group travels on a magical vessel in a space pursued by The Nautilus, a submarine captained by Lord Vidalia’s former partner, Nautilus Olyphant, who is searching for the Mordants. As Honorine learns more about each group, her understanding of who is right or wrong becomes muddied. This uncertainty will enthrall readers as they too try to decipher just which character is really there to help. Featuring both cannonballs and magic, the story will appeal to fantasy and adventure readers alike. A strong heroine will draw in female readers, but the book is perfect for any young reader.
From Kirkus,
A debut middle-grade adventure involving constellations that come to life, airships, friendships, revenge, and the fight for survival.In the years just before the turn of the 20th century, Honorine—a white girl with gray eyes and a knack for artifacts and machinery—has lived on the Vidalia Estate for as long as she remembers. For the first years her best friend and playmate was Francis Vidalia, but now he's in school and her days are filled with household chores. When strangers come looking for a book, her world is turned on its head. Honorine is swept up into a world where living constellations—here known as Mordant—are in a fight for their very survival. Before the book is over Honorine will have been on a fantastical flying island that is really a ship; met the scheming white Capt. Nautilus Olyphant and seen the ingenious device with which he has been capturing the Mordant; dealt with the mysterious and somewhat sinister Mapmaker; found out who her parents are; seen monsters emerge from Hades; and made important decisions involving friendship, family, and loyalty. The pace is fast, the characters believable, and the setting original. Though there are some holes in the story, such as exactly what motivates Nautilus, the breakneck pace will not give readers time to ponder such questions. And they probably won't mind a bit. Readers enjoying a mix of fantasy, adventure, and a clever heroine will fall for this one.
From School Library Journal
Honorine’s boring life tending fires at Vidalia mansion is disrupted when she discovers strangers invading long-lost Lord Vidalia’s study. Before she knows what’s happening, she finds herself swept up in the ongoing battle between two powerful men: the Mapmaker and Captain Nautilus. The Mapmaker is the leader of the Mordant, who are physical manifestations of the constellations whose powers help guide humanity. Captain Nautilus leads a crew of scientists who are trying to capture the Mordant and harness their powers—he also happens to be Honorine’s father. After Honorine learns she is half-Mordant, she understands that her powers could shift the battle, but it is difficult to tell which side is good and which is bad, especially since her best friend Francis has sided with Nautilus. In the end, saving the world means seeking out one of the last remaining Mordant, Andromeda, who is Honorine’s mother. Readers will find it easy to connect emotionally with Honorine as she tries to navigate a world with no clear answers, while fantasy lovers will appreciate the mythological underpinnings of this imaginative new world. A fine addition to large fantasy collections.
It's getting close now!
Stay tuned for more updates, and some fun stuff as we count down the weeks, and pretty soon the days, until THE STAR THIEF soars into the world!
1 comment:
These are wonderful reviews, especially from the usually jaundiced Kirkus. Way to go, girl!
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