THE GIRL FROM SHADOW SPRINGS

A girl battles dangers both natural and supernatural to save her sister.

Jorie’s a scavenger, looting corpses of unwise treasure hunters who die on the deadly Ice Flats. A dangerous Rover shows up looking for a possession on the latest body—and when it isn’t there, he takes Jorie’s sister, Brenna, instead. To retrieve Brenna, Jorie must bring what the Rover’s after to Nocna Mora, a former mining colony now rumored to host outlaws and monsters. Accompanying Jorie (whether she likes it or not) is Cody, a privileged, University-raised Southerner who came north with his now-missing uncle on a quest to find a long-lost, mythical city. Academic, dreamy Cody has romanticized notions of the North and its magical legends while practical Jorie tries to be as cold and relentless as the everlasting winter where she lives. The well-crafted settings use a variety of frozen landscapes, providing dangers and keeping the story grounded while giving it a strong sense of forward motion and progress. Jorie’s first-person voice is distinctive without being distracting and well utilized in showing her emotional arc. The physical story—pitting the duo against threats from nature, animals, and humans as they uncover the truths behind the legends—is straightforward (and a tad predictable) but has enough varied beats to keep reader interest up to a stand-alone–worthy conclusion. The characters default to White.

Inventive worldbuilding and a distinctive protagonist make for a solid debut.