The local graveyard might not be most people's preferred place to walk their dog, but Emma likes it for the quiet, and because she can visit her boyfriend's grave. On one of her evening walks there, she has a chilling encounter with the ghost of an old woman. From then on she can see and hear ghosts, and if she touches them, other people can see the ghosts, too. Emma is a necromancer. But being a necromancer is dangerous. Some people want to kill her for being one, and other necromancers want to kidnap her. All Emma wants is to help the ghost of a little boy who burned to death in a house fire, and who is reliving his death in an endless loop.
I listened to the audiobook version of this. I found the narrator to be a rather slow reader, but I was able to get past that and enjoy the story despite her pacing.
Suggest to teens looking for ghost stories, creepy books, or an interesting magic system. Kirkus recommends this for ages 12+.
Selim and Delilah have been travelling together for three years now, and have weathered numerous adventures, helping out the downtrodden and annoying the powerful along the way. This time Delilah has annoyed the wrong person: Major Jason Merrick, who frames Delilah as a French spy and attempts to execute her. Selim and Delilah escape, but now there's only one thing left to do: follow the Major back to England and clear Delilah's name. And then kick the snot out of the major.
Lieutenant Selim is a terrible Janissary. He prefers making tea to making war. When the incorrigible Delilah Dirk escapes custody, his superiors blame him and sentence him to death. Delilah rescues Selim, and he feels honour-bound to travel with her until he has paid the debt. Unluckily for Selim, Delilah isn't happy unless she's risking life and limb in the service of adventure, and his chance of surviving long enough to return to a quiet life is slim.
The graphic novel comes from Inhabit Media, Inc., an Inuit-owned publishing company dedicated to bringing Inuit stories and culture to the world; and it's obvious that a lot of love and effort went into this book. It is gorgeous.
