Hi there! For my first official post of 2024, I want to talk about some of my favorite reads from an imprint that, unfortunately, no longer exists. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**
Back in July of 2023, HarperCollins announced the closure of one of its imprints, Inkyard Press. Staff were laid off and authors, some of which had expected future releases with the imprint, were left scrambling as they were supposedly transitioned to other imprints under the HarperCollins umbrella. And authors who’d had releases in late spring or early summer found themselves unsure of how to market their books with news of the closure. I’d planned to post this closer to last summer, but 2023 didn’t leave me with much mental capacity for blog posts, so I’m trying to do better this year. I want to highlight some of my favorite reads that were released from Inkyard Press, and give some authors a much needed shout-out so that more people can find and pick up their books.
Author: Alechia Dow
Book(s): The Sound of Stars, The Kindred, and A Song of Salvation
[(cover credit from left to right) The Sound of Stars: art direction by Erin Craig, cover design by Mary Luna, The Kindred: cover design by Gigi Lau, cover art by Aleea Rae, A Song of Salvation: cover design by Gigi Lau, cover art by Kaitlin June Edwards]
I discovered Alechia Dow in 2020, when I planned to order a signed copy of her debut YA sci-fi novel The Sound of Stars, but was sent an unsigned copy instead due to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. While her three books with Inkyard Press aren’t technically classified as a series, they’re set in the same universe, and you get the most out of each story when they’re read chronologically (especially if you read A Song of Salvation, her 2023 release, last). Dow just writes books that speak to my heart – they’re soft sci-fi with diverse characters trying their best to live their lives as best they can when their worlds are seemingly falling apart, both literally and figuratively. They include pop culture references, which may put off some readers but I was having so much fun with the characters I didn’t mind all that much. I’m sad to see the end of these characters’ stories, but I can say I am incredibly satisfied with the conclusion, and know that I’ll be able to revisit these books and this world again in the future. Alechia Dow also released a middle-grade fantasy with Macmillan / Feiwel & Friends in 2023, Just a Pinch of Magic, which I started but was not in the headspace to give it the mental energy it deserves so I’ll be revisiting it soon, and she’s releasing another middle grade with co-author Tracy Badua, titled The Cookie Crumbles, in June of 2024, so pre-order if you’re interested!
-purchase copies here
Author: Laura Taylor Namey
Book(s): The Library of Lost Things
(cover credit: Art direction by Erin Craig, cover art by Elita Sidiropoulou)
I was introduced to Laura Taylor Namey with her 2020 release, A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow. While that was published with Simon & Schuster, her 2019 release, The Library of Lost Things, was published with HarperCollins and Inkyard Press. I read The Library of Lost Things in 2021 for the Buzzword Readathon, where in November the task was to read books with the word “lost” in the title. You can find my full thoughts about it here, along with a mini review of The Lost Love Song by Minnie Darke. In short, I found it both a charming novel with romance, and a heartbreaking novel of teens dealing with serious issues including parental abandonment and hoarding. I’ll be keeping up with Laura Taylor Namey’s future books, including a companion book A British Girl’s Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak, and also the eventual release of a film adaptation of A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, starring Maia Reficco and Kit Connor.
-purchase a copy here
Author: Jessica S. Olsen
Book(s): Sing Me Forgotten
Sing Me Forgotten by Jessica S. Olsen first came on my radar when it was listed as a book up for grabs as a part of the Books for Hope Auction. Since 2020, there have been several bookish auctions that I’ve participated in, as the money always goes to a good cause and you could get a cool book or bookish experience out of it. I tend to gravitate towards signed or annotated books, and I was really intrigued by this cover. Then once I read the synopsis, and my little theatre heart learned it was a reimagined take on The Phantom of the Opera, I made sure I was the winning bidder. The story follows Isda, a person who, cast away into a well at birth, should not be alive. Saved by opera house owner Cyrill, she resides in the shadows of the building, only asked to help boost ticket sales with her ability to manipulate memories when people sing as repayment. Her life is solitary and routine, until the newest performer Emeric arrives at the opera house, and then Isda’s life is in for a change. While I didn’t fall in love with this story as I’d hoped, I appreciated the references to the original story it offered, the unpredictability of the plot, and the author’s choice to not shy away from some of the more gruesome aspects of the world she created. And when I finally knew the significance of the title, I was a little shocked. Even though it didn’t become a new favorite, it’s still a book I look out for during Kindle sales, and would highly recommend anyone picking it up if they’re interested.
-purchase a copy here
Author: Mara Rutherford
Book(s): Luminous
(Art direction by Kathleen Oudit, paper sculpture illustration by Marisa Aragon Ware)
I’m not sure I ever really would have picked up Luminous by Mara Rutherford on my own. I received this book in a bookish advent calendar from the company Unplugged Book Box a few years ago, and, in an attempt to read down some of my books I’d gotten in various subscription boxes, I decided to give it a shot. The story takes place in a world where magic must be hidden, as upon discovery a mage must be sent to the king’s warlock, Darius, who harbors magic in order to grow his own power. Liora has spent her entire life concealing her powers, until a moment of weakness attracts the attention of Darius. However, he does not take her – instead he requests the presence of her younger sister at the capital, which does not bode well. To make matters worse, Liora’s childhood friend, and the only one she’s revealed her powers to, Evran, has disappeared. So Liora has to find Evran and, with his help, rescue her sister. But things take a darker turn that have the ability to send the only world they’ve ever known into chaos. All in all, I enjoyed the book but haven’t found myself thinking about it since finishing. I think this would be a great book to readers starting their journey into fantasy books, as it’s an interesting world with [mostly] likable characters and is very approachable. Not a favorite but I would recommend if it sounds interesting to you.
-purchase a copy here
Author: Emily Victoria
Book(s): This Golden Flame
(Cover credit to Gigi Lau, Mary Luna, and Maciej Frolow)
This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria was immediately added to my TBR after I heard it featured an aromantic asexual main character (and was written by an aro ace author). It’s told in dual perspective, from both Karis, an orphan trying to escape the country’s overbearing ruling group and search for her brother who was shipped away from her years ago, and Alix, an automaton Karis accidentally awakens, who is trying to uncover hidden memories of why he was made and why his father once tried to destroy the automatons. Together, and with the help of a few allies along the way, Karis and Alix must work together to find Karis’ brother and uncover the secrets behind how the ruling group has harbored power for so long. I had a good time reading this – it was one of my first dives into young adult science fiction, and I really loved both the representation (as an aro ace individual myself) and reading from Alix’s perspective. Some readers note some aspects to be unrealistic, and while I do agree (and I also really disliked some of Karis’ actions during the climax of the story), I still found a lot to love. It was also one of the first books I read back to back with my mom, and we had a fun discussion about it (but I’m sure she doesn’t remember much about the story now as it’s been a while). Anyway, even though it wasn’t the most universally-loved debut, I bought myself a FairyLoot special edition second-hand, and I think it’ll always have a special place in my heart. If you’re in the mood for an adventure sci-fi book, I recommend This Golden Flame.
-purchase a copy here
Book: All Signs Point to Yes
(cover credit: Art direction by Gigi Lau, cover design by Magen McCallum, illustration by Alex Cabal)
All Signs Point to Yes was actually a book that I wasn’t expecting to come into my possession. I had originally ordered a signed copy of Alechia Dow’s sophomore novel, The Kindred, from an indie bookstore that Dow would be visiting and signing books from. However, I believe this was a time where COVID cases were beginning to escalate again, and Dow was unable to make her way to the store (as I believe she still resided in Germany at the time). The bookstore reached out and offered to send signed bookplates instead, which I happily agreed to (as I already had a signed ARC I’d won from an auction, and I complete understood the circumstances were outside of anyone’s control). When the book and signed plate arrived, there was additionally a note from the publisher, Inkyard Press, and an advanced reader’s copy of All Signs Point to Yes, to make up for the inconvenience. From the description on Goodreads, All Signs Point to Yes is “a YA anthology of love stories for each of the star signs that will showcase multicultural characters and celebrate the myriad facets of love, from meet-cutes to the lesser-explored love expressed by aromantic people, featuring 13 bestselling and award-winning multicultural authors.” As with almost every short story collection and anthology I read, whether all by one singular author or multiple authors, there were stories I found stronger than others, but otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and appreciated all the thought that went into crafting each one. My favorite two have to be “Fake Scorpio,” the Libra story written by Mark Oshiro (half out of obligation, as a fellow Libra, but I do enjoy their writing quite a bit), and “Anchor Point,” the Sagittarius story written by Lily Anderson. I’m really grateful to have received this collection, and it’s one of the books that I’ll probably keep on my shelves for a long time.
-purchase a copy here
In conclusion, there were so many stories by Inkyard Press that I enjoyed, and even more that I still have on my TBR and hope to get to soon. The closure of the imprint is always sad for the authors that had felt seen and represented and welcomed by it, and that’s no even including the editorial staff and all other hard workers who put everything they have into putting the best books possible out. So I hope this encourages you to pick up some of these books, or check out some of these authors, as their hard work, and the work of their whole team, should not go to waste.
Author sites
Alechia Dow
Laura Taylor Namey
Jessica S. Olsen
Mara Rutherford
Emily Victoria
Thoughts About Things 