Dust spells / Andrea Lynn.

Title :

Dust spells

Author:

Format:

Books

Summary:

Ever since the dust storms arrived and turned her world upside down, ambitious Stella Fischer spends her mornings hiding moonshine in laundry stacks for delivery before returning home to help her sisters--Lavinia and Mattie--run their family home turned boarding house, hoping to make enough money to finally escape to Hollywood. She has no time for distractions, especially from Lloyd, the handsome drifter who works as a hired hand at the boarding house. When the group decides to forage for building materials at an abandoned cider mill, they discover a magical passage that sends them back to the mill in its prime. There, they meet Archie, a man trapped in the realm who can conjure lavish parties and bring back a world of joy and splendor. But Archie isn't all he seems, and Stella must discover the truth before a storm more deadly than dust destroys her and everyone she loves.

Language:

English

ISBN - ISSN:

0744308461

9780744308464

Physical Description:

256 pages ; 23 cm

Subject:

Dust storms -- Fiction.

Prohibition -- Kansas -- Fiction.

Alcohol trafficking -- Kansas -- Fiction.

Time travel -- Fiction.

Nineteen thirties -- Fiction.

Dust storms -- Juvenile fiction.

Prohibition -- Kansas -- Juvenile fiction.

Time travel -- Juvenile fiction.

Nineteen thirties -- Juvenile fiction.

Young adult fiction.

Historical fiction.

Fantasy fiction.

First Title value, for Searching:

Dust spells / Andrea Lynn.

Holds: Copies:

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Library	Audience	Home Location	Material Type	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Central	Teen/Young Adult	Fiction	Teen Book	LYNN	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Floating Collection	Teen/Young Adult	Fiction	Teen Book	LYNN	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Floating Collection	Teen/Young Adult	Fiction	Teen Book	LYNN	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

"[An] electric and harrowing Dust Bowl-era debut." -- Publishers Weekly , Starred Review

"A captivating story filled with suspense and magic." -- Kirkus Reviews

She thought a dust storm was getting in the way of her dreams, but there are storms more deadly than dust.

When the group decides to forage for building materials at an abandoned cider mill, they discover a magical passage that sends them back to the mill in its prime. There, they meet Archie, a man trapped in the realm who can conjure lavish parties and bring back a world of joy and splendor. But Archie isn't all he seems, and Stella must discover the truth before a storm more deadly than dust destroys her and everyone she loves.

For readers who love The Twelve Dancing Princesses fairy tale or enjoy The Diviners by Libba Bray, When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore, and Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor.

Author Notes

Andrea Lynn grew up performing on the stage but now directs behind the scenes as a high school English and Drama teacher. She lives in Winfield, Kansas with her two sons and loves tea, comfy hoodies, Broadway musicals, and of course, books.

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Lynn weaves historical fiction, fairy tale lore, and simmering romance to craft an electric and harrowing Dust Bowl--era debut. When teenager Stella Fischer meets handsome drifter Lloyd, he quickly endears himself to her family. Stella has no patience for romance, however; she's too busy brewing and selling moonshine in secret to raise money. After the family invites Lloyd to stay with them as a hired hand, he repays them by revealing a place in the woods full of resources the family sorely needs. Further discoveries reveal a portal to a lush, phantasmagorical mirror world filled with food, trees, and sunshine, all presided over by a mysterious man who conjures dazzling visions at will. But there's a price to pay for entrance into this dreamworld. As old debts come to light, Stella must protect the people she loves at all costs. With one foot entrenched in the brutal reality of the Great Depression and the other in a fantastical utopia, the novel never sacrifices the urgency of human need while establishing its supernatural charm. A passionate romance between the white leads, enlivened by snappy banter and rock-solid emotional stakes, adds further depth to this vibrant tale. Ages 13--up. (May)

Kirkus Review

Three sisters face hardships amid frequent dust storms in 1934 Kansas. The Fischer girls' mother died, their father left for Wichita in search of work, and their aunt has turned their home into a boarding house. Middle sister Stella dreams of Hollywood and tries to make that dream a reality by delivering moonshine. That side hustle introduces her to Lloyd McCormick, a handsome vagabond who begins doing odd jobs around the house. While the sisters and Lloyd are scavenging lumber from a dilapidated cider mill, a ghost appears, guiding them to a portal. On the other side, they find mill owner Archie Bright trapped in an alternate world where the air is clear and everything broken is healed. Archie conjures up lavish parties from his memories, and they dance the night away. The others are able to leave, and they promise Archie they'll try to set him free. But despite experiencing the glamour Stella has craved, the sisters feel the toll of their regular visits to this newfound paradise, leaving them depleted in the mornings and fracturing their relationships. And it soon becomes clear that there's more to Archie's story than he's told them. The author makes the most of every page in this short novel, bringing to life characters who are worth supporting. The compelling narrative seamlessly blends genres as it unfolds against the harsh, dusty backdrop. The characters are cued white; the Fischer sisters had a Romani grandmother. A captivating story filled with suspense and magic. (Paranormal historical fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.