SARAH BETH DURST
Sarah Beth Durst is the award-winning author of twenty-six books for kids, teens, and adults, including The Girl Who Could Not Dream, which has been optioned by Imagine Entertainment and Drink Slay Love, which was adapted into a Lifetime Movie. She won an ALA Alex Award and a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award and has been a finalist for SFWA’s Andre Norton Award three times.
Sarah was born in Northboro, Massachusetts, a small town that later became the setting for her debut novel. At the age of ten, she decided she wanted to be a writer. (Before that, she wanted to be Wonder Woman, except with real flying ability instead of an invisible jet. She also would have accepted a career as a unicorn princess.) And she began writing stories. She later attended Princeton University, where she spent four years studying English, writing about dragons, and wondering what the campus gargoyles would say if they could talk.
Sarah lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat.
For more information, visit her at www.sarahbethdurst.com.
THE SPELLSHOP
TOR, 2024
The Spellshop is Sarah Beth Durst’s romantasy debut–a lush cottagecore tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams, and even sweeter love.
Join Kiela the librarian and her assistant, Caz the sentient spider plant, as they navigate the low stakes market of illegal spellmaking and the high risk business of starting over.
“Sarah Beth Durst is the hidden gem of the fantasy world.” ―Book Riot
Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she hasn’t had to.
She and her assistant, Caz, a magically sentient spider plant, have spent the last eleven years sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite. But when a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz save as many books as they can carry and flee to a faraway island Kiela was sure she’d never return to: her childhood home. Kiela hopes to lay low in the overgrown and rundown cottage her late parents left her and figure out a way to survive without drawing the attention of either the empire or the revolutionaries. Much to her dismay, in addition to a nosy―and very handsome―neighbor, she finds the town neglected and in a state of disrepair.
The empire, for all its magic and power, has been neglecting for years the people who depend on magical intervention to maintain healthy livestock and crops. Not only that, but the very magic that should be helping them has been creating destructive storms that have taken a toll on the island. Due to her past role at the library, Kiela feels partially responsible for this, and now she’s determined to find a way to make things right: by opening the island’s first-ever secret spellshop.
Her plan comes with risks―the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela comes to make a place for herself among the kind and quirky townspeople of her former home, she realizes that in order to make a life for herself, she must learn to break down the walls she has built up so high.
Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, Sarah Beth Durst’s The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul.
THE LIES AMONG US
Lake Union Publishing, 2024
From the award-winning author of The Bone Maker and The Lake House comes a haunting novel about sisterhood and grief, where difficult truths must contend with the corrosive power of unchecked lies.
After her mother dies, Hannah doesn’t know how to exist without her. Literally. In fact, Hannah’s not even certain that she does exist. No one seems to see or hear her, and she finds herself utterly alone. Grief-stricken and confused, her sense of self slowly slipping away, Hannah sets out to find new purpose in life―and answers about who (and what) she really is.
Hannah’s only remaining family is her older sister, Leah. Yet even Leah doesn’t seem to notice her. And while Hannah can see and hear her sister, she also sees beautiful and terrible things that don’t―or shouldn’t―exist. She learns there’s much more to this world than meets the eye and struggles to make sense of it all.
When Hannah sees Leah taking the same dangerous path that consumed their own mother―where lies supplant reality―she’s desperate to get through to her. But facing difficult truths is harder than it looks…
Elements of fantasy and magical realism provide an intriguing framework for exploring the ideas of complicated grief and whether not telling the truth can leave real remnants that affect the world around us. – BOOKLIST
SPY RING
Clarion Books, 2024
Two modern-day kids discover the truth about an American Revolutionary War–era female spy through a treasure-hunt adventure in their hometown of Setauket, New York.
With codewords and secret signals perfected, best friends Rachel and Joon are ready to spend their summer practicing spycraft—especially if they can uncover secrets like the one Joon’s parents have been keeping, that his family is about to move out of town.
When eavesdropping leads them to a ring rumored to have belonged to Anna “Nancy” Smith Strong—according to local Long Island legend, the only female member of George Washington’s famed Culper Spy Ring—they think they’ve hit the jackpot. Then they discover Nancy left a coded message in the ring!
Decoding her message leads to another cryptic clue, and then another, and soon Rachel and Joon are racing to decipher a series of puzzles that must surely lead to hidden treasure! But can they solve the final mystery before Joon’s moving day? And just what did the centuries-old spy hide away—and why?
Sarah Beth Durst’s skillful blend of Revolutionary War history and suspenseful contemporary storytelling will keep readers guessing to the last satisfying page.
“(An) Intelligent and extremely well-plotted tale… Compelling and fascinating; brings history to life.” — Kirkus, Starred Review
THE LAKE HOUSE
HarperTeen, 2023
*Junior Library Guild Selection
*YALSA 2024 Best Fiction for Young Adults
*A YALSA 2024 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
Yellowjackets meets One of Us Is Lying in this masterful survival thriller from award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst.
Claire’s grown up triple-checking locks. Counting her steps. Second-guessing every decision. It’s just how she’s wired—her worst-case scenarios never actually come true.
Until she arrives at an off-the-grid summer camp to find a blackened, burned husk instead of a lodge—and no survivors, except her and two other late arrivals: Reyva and Mariana.
When the three girls find a dead body in the woods, they realize none of this is an accident. Someone, something, is hunting them. Something that hides in the shadows.
Something that refuses to let them leave.
“Formidably scary, Durst’s survival/horror story is the stuff of late-night campfire legends. With three deftly drawn, powerful girls at the center, reading felt like I had found a crew of clever, loyal best friends, even as I stayed up long into the night, trembling with dread.” – — E. Lockhart, #1 New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars
“Nail-biting and atmospheric, The Lake House explores how secrets keep people apart—and the power of female friendships. Reyva, Mariana, and especially Claire are characters you can’t stop rooting for, even as every obstacle they surmount is replaced by a bigger one. I read it every time I had a spare second, and a lot of times when I didn’t.” — April Henry, New York Times bestselling author
THE SHELTERLINGS
Clarion/HarperCollins, 2022
*A Junior Library Guild Selection
*Named to the Florida Sunshine Young Readers Award list
A group of magical misfit animals learns to appreciate their seemingly useless powers—and themselves—when they work together to thwart a villain’s attempt to steal their magic.
Holly, a grey squirrel, and her animal friends have accepted that they will never be wizards’ familiars. Though they are each magical, their powers are so offbeat—Holly herself can conjure pastries (and only pastries)—that no professional magic-worker would choose any of them as a companion for noble quests. So instead of going on adventures, they languish at the Shelter for Rejected Familiars, where they are known as “shelterlings.”
When an old friend appears with a plan for curing the shelterlings’ defective magic, everyone is on board to help him locate and retrieve the ingredients for a powerful spell. But when they learn that his offer is not what it seems, Holly and the shelterlings must fight to defend their magic, discovering in the process that their unorthodox skills may just be what is needed to save the day.
THE BONEMAKER
HarperVoyager, 2021
“Durst consistently defies expectations.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
From award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst, a standalone epic fantasy set in a brand-new world of towering mountains and sparkling cities, in which a band of aging warriors have a second chance to defeat dark magic and avenge a haunting loss.
Twenty-five years ago, five heroes risked their lives to defeat the bone maker Eklor—a corrupt magician who created an inhuman army using animal bones. But victory came at a tragic price. Only four of the heroes survived.
Since then, Kreya, the group’s leader, has exiled herself to a remote tower and devoted herself to one purpose: resurrecting her dead husband. But such a task requires both a cache of human bones and a sacrifice—for each day he lives, she will live one less.
She’d rather live one year with her husband than a hundred without him, but using human bones for magic is illegal in Vos. The dead are burned—as are any bone workers who violate the law. Yet Kreya knows where she can find the bones she needs: the battlefield where her husband and countless others lost their lives.
But defying the laws of the land exposes a terrible possibility. Maybe the dead don’t rest in peace after all.
Five warriors—one broken, one gone soft, one pursuing a simple life, one stuck in the past, and one who should be dead. Their story should have been finished. But evil doesn’t stop just because someone once said, “the end.”
RACE THE SANDS
HarperVoyager/HarperCollins, 2020
*An Amazon Best SF/Fantasy Book of the Month
*A 2020 Best Book of the Year So Far
In this epic standalone fantasy, the acclaimed author of the Queens of Renthia series introduces an imaginative new world in which a pair of strong and determined women risk their lives battling injustice, corruption, and deadly enemies in their quest to become monster racing champions.
Life, death, and rebirth—in Becar, who you are in this life will determine your next life. Yet there is hope—you can change your destiny with the choices you make. But for the darkest individuals, there is no redemption: you come back as a kehok, a monster, and are doomed to be a kehok for the rest of time.
Unless you can win the Races.
After a celebrated career as an elite kehok rider, Tamra became a professional trainer. Then a tragic accident shattered her confidence, damaged her reputation, and left her nearly broke. Now, she needs the prize money to prevent the local temple from taking her daughter away from her, and that means she must once again find a winning kehok . . . and a rider willing to trust her.
Raia is desperate to get away from her domineering family and cruel fiancé. As a kehok rider, she could earn enough to buy her freedom. But she needs a first-rate trainer.
Impressed by the inexperienced young woman’s determination, Tamra hires Raia and pairs her with a strange new kehok with the potential to win—if he can be tamed.
But in this sport, if you forget you’re riding on the back of a monster, you die. Tamra and Raia will work harder than they ever thought possible to win the deadly Becaran Races—and in the process, discover what makes this particular kehok so special.
“Durst imbues a thrill-filled story about monster racing with impressive thematic depth and a refreshing spectrum of female characters….Durst consistently defies expectations in both plot and characterization while exploring sophisticated themes of found family, integrity, and morality… [An] excellent epic fantasy.” — PW, Starred Review
CATALYST
Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020
*An Amazon Best Book of the Month
Zoe must figure out how to keep a giant kitten safe in this magical adventure about change, expectation, and accepting all for who they truly are—regardless of shape or size.
Zoe named the kitten Pipsqueak, because she was so tiny, and promised to always take care of her. Then the kitten grew. And grew. Now she’s bigger than a horse—and talking as well! Fleeing into the woods to escape the curious eyes of the Internet, Zoe and her best friend, Harrison, must keep the giant cat hidden as they desperately search for a way to return her to normal size. If they don’t succeed, Pipsqueak may never be safe again. But why did she grow so large in the first place? And what if trying to change her back leads to even greater danger?
Durst (Spark, 2019) gradually introduces magic via other animals with anomalies, adding sparkle to the narrative through her vivid descriptions and spunky protagonists. It’s impossible not to be delighted by the thought of two tweens traveling in the company of an elephant-sized cat, a flying hamster, and a green dog… Durst masterfully interjects humor into a suspense-filled plot that twists and thickens as the group reaches its destination. A surprising but satisfying resolution brings this charming fantasy to a close. — Booklist Starred Review
SPARK
Clarion Books/Houghton MIfflin Harcourt, 2019
*An Oregon State Battle of the Books Selection
*Nominee for the Golden Sower Award
*A Mighty Girl of the Year Best Book
*Named to the Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award List
*A Louisiana Young Readers Choice nominee
When a shy girl and her dragon-like companion discover their country’s idyllic weather comes at a steep—and secret—cost, they recruit fellow students to defy authority and attempt to spread the truth.
Storm beasts and their guardians create perfect weather every day, and Mina longs for a storm beast of her own. But when the gentle girl bonds with a lightning beast—a creature of fire and chaos—everyone’s certain it’s a mistake. Everyone but Mina and the beast himself, Pixit. Quickly enrolled in lightning school, Mina struggles to master a guardian’s skills, and she discovers that her country’s weather comes at a devastating cost—a cost powerful people wish to hide. Mina’s never been the type to speak out, but someone has to tell the truth, and, with Pixit’s help, she resolves to find a way to be heard.
Fascinating but powerful….the underlying theme of the book reminds readers that it only takes one spark from one child to change the world. — Booklist, STARRED review
Warm, exciting, hopeful, and ethical. – Kirkus
THE DEEPEST BLUE (TALES OF RENTHIA)
HarperVoyager, 2019
The natural magic of the classic The Island of the Blue Dolphins meets the danger and courage of The Hunger Games in this dazzling, intricate stand-alone fantasy novel set in award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst’s beloved world of Renthia.
Life is precious and precarious on the islands of Belene. Besieged by a capricious ocean full of malicious spirits, the people of the islands seek joy where they can. Mayara, one of the island’s fearless oyster divers, has found happiness in love. But on the day of her wedding to the artist Kelo, a spirit-driven storm hits the island with deadly force.
To save her loved ones, Mayara reveals a dangerous secret: she has the power to control the spirits. When the storm ends, she is taken into custody by the queen’s soldiers and imprisoned with other women like her.
They vary in age and social status, but to many they are heroes who will aide the country or witches that will sacrifice themselves trying. No matter who they are, the women are sent to a terrifying place—an island filled with bloodthirsty nature spirits, and left without food, water, shelter, or any tools except their own instincts and magic. Whoever survives the Island of Testing will be declared heirs to the queen. But no matter if she wins or loses, Mayara knows that the life she dreamed of is gone.
“Durst revisits the fascinating world of Renthia with a stand-alone tale set on the island nation… Fans will be eager to reenter Renthia and discover another queen.” — Booklist Starred Review
“Intriguing…an action-packed fantasy.” — Library Journal
FIRE AND HEIST
Crown Children’s/RandomHouse
*Longlisted for a MASL Readers Award
Fans of Cassandra Clare and Julie Kagawa will devour this contemporary fantasy about a teen were-dragon who must steal her first treasure. But a dark discovery during her heist could put her family in incredible danger.
In Sky Hawkins’s family, leading your first heist is a major milestone–even more so than learning to talk, walk, or do long division. It’s a chance to gain power and acceptance within your family, and within society. But stealing your first treasure can be complicated, especially when you’re a wyvern–a human capable of turning into a dragon.
Embarking on a life of crime is never easy, and Sky discovers secrets about her mother, who recently went missing, the real reason her boyfriend broke up with her, and a valuable jewel that could restore her family’s wealth and rank in their community.
With a handpicked crew by her side, Sky knows she has everything she needs to complete her first heist, and get her boyfriend and mother back in the process. But then she uncovers a dark truth about were-dragon society–a truth more valuable and dangerous than gold or jewels could ever be
THE STONE GIRL'S STORY
Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018
*A Cybils Award Finalist
*A Mythopoeic Award Nominee
Exploring the power of stories and storytelling, Sarah Beth Durst presents the mesmerizing adventure of a girl made of living stone who braves unforeseen dangers and magical consequences on a crucial quest to save her family. Mayka and her stone family were brought to life by the stories etched into their bodies. Now time is eroding these vital marks, and Mayka must find a stonemason to recarve them. But the search is more complex than she had imagined, and Mayka uncovers a scheme endangering all stone creatures. Only someone who casts stories into stone can help—but whom can Mayka trust? Where is the stonemason who will save them?
Action and insight combine in this magical coming-of-age novel as the young heroine realizes the savior she’s been searching for is herself.
“Mayka’s kindness and steady loyalty, her friends’ animated and varied personalities, and some downright brilliant problem-solving will carve themselves into readers’ memories.”—Kirkus, STARRED review
QUEEN OF SORROW (A QUEEN OF RENTHIA NOVEL)
Harper Voyager, 2018
The battle between vicious spirits and strong-willed queens that started in the award-winning The Queen of Blood and continued in the powerful The Reluctant Queen comes to a stunning conclusion in The Queen of Sorrow, the final volume of Sarah Beth Durst’s Queens of Renthia trilogy.
Queen Daleina has yearned to bring peace and prosperity to her beloved forest home—a hope that seemed doomed when neighboring forces invaded Aratay. Now, with the powerful Queen Naelin ruling by her side, Daleina believes that her dream of ushering in a new era can be realized, even in a land plagued by malevolent nature spirits who thirst for the end of human life.
And then Naelin’s children are kidnapped by spirits.
Nothing is more important to her than her family, and Naelin would rather watch the world burn than see her children harmed. Blaming the defeated Queen Merecot of Semo for the kidnapping, Naelin is ready to start a war—and has the power to do it.
But Merecot has grander plans than a bloody battle with her southern neighbors. Taking the children is merely one step in a plot to change the future of all Renthia, either by ending the threat of spirits once and for all . . . or plunging the world into chaos.
The thrilling and sometimes melancholy finale of Durst’s Queens of Renthia trilogy…The well-crafted denouement wraps up the entire adventure perfectly. — Publishers Weekly, starred review
The Queens of Renthia series (which began with The Queen of Blood, 2016) concludes with an earth shattering conflict between three determined queens, two countries, and a multitude of bloodthirsty spirits…intriguing…fans will be delighted. — Booklist, starred review
Ms. Durst has given us a refreshing, provocative and ultimately convincing remake of modern fantasy conventions. The real wonder is that we ever saw things the other way around. — The Wall Street Journal
THE RELUCTANT QUEEN (A QUEEN OF RENTHIA NOVEL)
Harper Voyager, July 2017
*A Science Fiction Book Club Main Selection
Filled with political intrigue, violent magic, and malevolent spirits, the mesmerizing second book in Sarah Beth Durst’s Queens of Renthia epic fantasy trilogy.
Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .
And those spirits want to kill you.
It’s the first lesson that every Renthian learns.
Not long ago, Daleina used her strength and skill to survive those spirits and assume the royal throne. Since then, the new queen has kept the peace and protected the humans of her land. But now for all her power, she is hiding a terrible secret: she is dying. And if she leaves the world before a new heir is ready, the spirits that inhabit her beloved realm will run wild, destroying her cities and slaughtering her people.
Naelin is one such person, and she couldn’t be further removed from the Queen—and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Her world is her two children, her husband, and the remote village tucked deep in the forest that is her home, and that’s all she needs. But when Ven, the Queens champion, passes through the village, Naelin’s ambitious husband proudly tells him of his wife’s ability to control spirits—magic that Naelin fervently denies. She knows that if the truth of her abilities is known, it will bring only death and separation from those she loves.
But Ven has a single task: to find the best possible candidate to protect the people of Aratay. He did it once when he discovered Daleina, and he’s certain he’s done it again. Yet for all his appeals to duty, Naelin is a mother, and she knows her duty is to her children first and foremost. Only as the Queen’s power begins to wane and the spirits become emboldened—even as ominous rumors trickle down from the north—does she realize that the best way to keep her son and daughter safe is to risk everything.
Sarah Beth Durst established a place of dark wonder in The Queen of Blood, and now the stakes are even higher as the threat to the Queen and her people grows both from within and beyond the borders of Aratay in this riveting second novel of the Queens of Renthia series.
JOURNEY ACROSS THE HIDDEN ISLANDS
Clarion, 2017
The traditional Emperor’s Journey is meant to be uneventful. But as the princesses Seika and Ji-Lin—twin sisters—travel to pay respects to their kingdom’s dragon guardian, unexpected monsters appear and tremors shake the earth. The Hidden Islands face unprecedented threats, and the old rituals are failing. With only their strength, ingenuity, and flying lion to rely on, can the sisters find a new way to keep their people safe?
“The writing is accessible, and even reluctant readers will find the characters relatable and the tale engrossing.” —SLJ
“The solidarity the sisters find in each other and the consistent way they choose to put the other before themselves is a refreshing feature of the story. Fans of fantasy adventures starring stalwart teams of loyal siblings will appreciate this, too.”—Booklist
“An enjoyable coming-of-age fantasy-adventure that also showcases the deep bond between sisters.”—Kirkus
THE QUEEN OF BLOOD (A QUEENS OF RENTHIA NOVEL)
Voyager/HarperCollins, 2016
Winner of ALA’s Alex Award
A Barnes & Noble Best Book of the Year
A Tor.com Best Book of the Year
A Science Fiction Book Club Main Selection
An idealistic young student and a banished warrior become allies in a battle to save their realm in this first book of a mesmerizing epic fantasy series, filled with political intrigue, violent magic, malevolent spirits, and thrilling adventure.
Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .
But the spirits that reside within this land want to rid it of all humans. One woman stands between these malevolent spirits and the end of humankind: the queen. She alone has the magical power to prevent the spirits from destroying every man, woman, and child. But queens are still just human, and no matter how strong or good, the threat of danger always looms.
With the position so precarious, young women are chosen to train as heirs. Daleina, a seemingly quiet academy student, is under no illusions as to her claim to the throne, but simply wants to right the wrongs that have befallen the land. Ven, a disgraced champion, has spent his exile secretly fighting against the growing number of spirit attacks. Joining forces, these daring partners embark on a treacherous quest to find the source of the spirits’ restlessness—a journey that will test their courage and trust, and force them to stand against both enemies and friends to save their land . . . before it’s bathed in blood.
The captivating characters will draw readers into a world of magic and intrigue and keep them wanting more… Durst, an award-winning YA author and three-time Andre Norton Award finalist, presents a a thrilling beginning to a sweeping series about searching for sovereignty and truth in order to save one’s land.” — Library Journal, Starred Review
Mythopoeic Award-winner Durst launches her Queens of Renthia series with a stellar and imaginative tale.– PW, Starred Review
THE GIRL WHO COULD NOT DREAM
Clarion Books, 2015
*Finalist for the 2016 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award
Sophie loves the hidden shop below her parents’ bookstore, where dreams are secretly bought and sold. When the dream shop is robbed and her parents go missing, Sophie must unravel the truth to save them. Together with her best friend — a wisecracking and fanatically loyal monster named Monster — she must decide whom to trust with her family’s carefully guarded secrets. Who will help them, and who will betray them?
“Readers will not want to stop reading this quirky, fast-paced adventure until reaching its satisfactory, heartwarming conclusion…Funny, warm, and highly imaginative.” — Starred Kirkus Review
“A fun, fast read with broad appeal.” — Starred School Library Journal
“A perfect combination of adventure, humor, and pure imagination!” — Jessica Day George, New York Times best-selling author of Tuesdays at the Castle
“Funny, scary, and endlessly inventive.” — Bruce Coville, author of Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher
“Durst makes the most of a truly creative premise in a novel filled with wit, empathy, and over-the-top dream moments come to life.” — PW
CHASING POWER
Bloomsbury, 2014
Sixteen-year-old Kayla was born with the ability to move things with her mind-things like credit cards and buttons on cash registers-and she has become a master shoplifter. She steals to build up enough money for her and her mom to be able to flee if her dad finds them again . . . which would mean grave danger for them both.
When she’s caught stealing by a boy named Daniel-a boy with the ability to teleport-he needs her help and is willing to blackmail her to get it. Together, they embark on a quest to find and steal an ancient incantation, written on three indestructible stones and hidden millennia ago, all to rescue Daniel’s kidnapped mother. But Kayla has no idea that this rescue mission will lead back to her own family-and to betrayals that she may not be able to forgive . . . or survive.
Snappy dialogue, snarky teens and explosive exploits. A quick but complex read — enjoyable on both counts. – Kirkus
Durst deliveres a fun adventure with a superpowered twist….Think The Mummy (temples, tombs, and all) with Veronica Mars calling the shots, and a dash of romance in the mix. – PW
THE LOST
Mira, 2014
Award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst has been praised for her captivating novels that merge the darkly imagined with very real themes of self-discovery and destiny. In The Lost, we’ll discover just what it means to lose one’s way.
It was only meant to be a brief detour. But then Lauren finds herself trapped in a town called Lost on the edge of a desert, filled with things abandoned, broken and thrown away. And when she tries to escape, impassible dust storms and something unexplainable lead her back to Lost again and again. The residents she meets there tell her she’s going to have to figure out just what she’s missing—and what she’s running from—before she can leave. So now Lauren’s on a new search for a purpose and a destiny. And maybe, just maybe, she’ll be found.
CONJURED
Bloomsbury/Walker, 2013
*Finalist for the 2014 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award
*Finalist for a Cybils Award
Eve has a new home, a new face, and a new name – but no memories of her past. She’s been told that she’s in a witness protection program. That she escaped a dangerous magic-wielding serial killer who still hunts her. The only thing she knows for sure is that the people hiding her want to access her memories – and there is nothing they won’t say – or do – to her to get her to remember. At night she dreams of a tattered carnival tent and buttons being sewn into her skin. But during the day, she shelves books at the local library, trying to not let anyone know that she can do things – things like change the color of her eyes or walk through walls. When she does use her strange powers, she blacks out and is drawn into terrifying visions, returning to find that days or weeks have passed – and she’s lost all short-term memory. Eve must find out who and what she really is before the killer finds her – but the truth may be more dangerous than anyone could have ever imagined. From the acclaimed author of Vessel and Ice comes a mind-bending, haunting thriller that illustrates that how we start out in this world does not dictate who we choose to become.
A twisted circus of a book, completely freaky and delicious at the same time. I could not stop reading! — Laini Taylor, New York Times bestelling author of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series
VESSEL
Margaret K. McElderry Books/S&S, Sept 2012
*Winner of the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award
*Finalist for SFWA’s Andre Norton Award
In a desert world of sandstorms and sand-wolves, a teen girl must defy the gods to save her tribe in this mystical, atmospheric tale from the author of Drink, Slay, Love. Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her. Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert…
Durst offers a meditation on leadership and power and a vivid story set outside the typical Western European fantasy milieu. From the gripping first line, a fast-paced, thought-provoking and stirring story of sacrifice. — KIRKUS, Starred Review
Vessel is the read-alike for Hunger Games-obsessed teens. From the quest to find the other clans’ spurned vessels, to the two attractive love interests, to the intelligent, independent heroine, this folkloric fantasy, while harkening to that ever-popular novel and movie, is unique in its own web of clever, complex characters and attention-absorbing adventure…Brilliantly riveting, Vessel’s only disappointment is its single volume, a fate that relegates Liyana, her lovers, and her friends to their own vessel, a single book. — BOOKLIST, Starred Review
DRINK, SLAY, LOVE
Margaret K. McElderry Books/S&S, 2011
NOW A LIFETIME ORIGINAL MOVIE, starring Cierra Ramirez
Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire, fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil…until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops. Her family think she was attached by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don’t exist) and they’re shocked she survived. They’re evenmore shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The vampire king o f New England has chosen Pearl’s Family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the king’s feast – as the entrees. The only problem? Pearl’s starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends – especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache – to be slaughtered? Then again, she’s definitely dead if she lets down her Family. What’s a sunlight-loving vamp to do?
Combining a sense of humor with dark appeal of supernatural romance, this book is funny, scary and thought provoking all at once…Even jaded fans of the supernatural find find fun in this one. -Kirkus
ENCHANTED IVY
Margaret K. McElderry Books/S&S, 2010
What Lily Carter wants most in the world is to attend Princeton University just like her grandfather. When she finally visits the campus, Grandpa surprises her: She has been selected to take the top-secret Legacy Test. Passing means automatic acceptance to Princeton. Sweet!
Lily’s test is to find the Ivy Key. But what is she looking for? Where does she start? As she searches, Lily is joined by Tye, a cute college boy with orange and black hair who says he’s her guard. That’s weird. But things get seriously strange when a gargoyle talks to her. He tells her that there are two Princetons—the ordinary one and a magical one—and the Key opens the gate between them. But there are more secrets that surround Lily. Worse secrets.
When Lily enters the magical Princeton, she uncovers old betrayals and new dangers, and a chance at her dream becomes a fight for her life. Soon Lily is caught in a power struggle between two worlds, with her family at its center. In a place where Knights slay monsters, boys are were-tigers, and dragons might be out for blood, Lily will need all of her ingenuity and courage—and a little magic—to unite the worlds and unlock the secrets of her past and her future.
Durst deftly layers in mythologies, drawing upon the vaunted status of the Ivy League schools, students’ stories and superstitions, common tropes of fantasy literature and the propaganda of war. A refreshing entry in the urban-fantasy field and a solid adventure tale. — Kirkus
ICE
Margaret K. McElderry Books/S&S, 2009
2009 Andre Norton Award Finalist
2010 Boston Authors Club Young Readers Award Finalist
When Cassie was a little girl, her grandmother told her a fairy tale about her mother, who made a deal with the Polar Bear King and was swept away to the ends of the earth. Now that Cassie is older, she knows the story was a nice way of saying her mother had died. Cassie lives with her father at an Arctic research station, is determined to become a scientist, and has no time for make-believe. Then, on her eighteenth birthday, Cassie comes face-to-face with a polar bear who speaks to her. He tells her that her mother is alive, imprisoned at the ends of the earth. And he can bring her back — if Cassie will agree to be his bride. That is the beginning of Cassie’s own real-life fairy tale, one that sends her on an unbelievable journey across the brutal Arctic, through the Canadian boreal forest, and on the back of the North Wind to the land east of the sun and west of the moon. Before it is over, the world she knows will be swept away, and everything she holds dear will be taken from her — until she discovers the true meaning of love and family in the magical realm of Ice.
Durst skillfully integrates a contemporary girl into an updated version of the tale East of the Sun and West of the Moon, balancing the magical with the modern… twisty, absorbing and satisfying. — Publishers Weekly
INTO THE WILD
Razorbill/Penguin, 2007
2007 Andre Award Finalist
2007 Cybils SF/FANTASY Award Finalist
2009-10 MissourI Readers Award Nominee
2009-10 Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award Nominee
Let me put it this way: when your mom cooks, she doesn’t have to close the doors to make sure the Gingerbread Men don’t run outside.” Junior high is tough enough, even when your family is ordinary. And Julie Marchen’s family is anything but ordinary: her brother is a talking cat, her grandmother is a bona fide witch, and her mother is Rapunzel. Yep, that Rapunzel — long hair, tower, prince… Long ago, Rapunzel escaped the fairy tale with her fellow storybook characters to live in secret in our world. But Julie’s world, our world, is about to change — the fairy tale wants its characters back. Now Julie must fight wicked witches, avoid glass slippers, fly griffins, and outwit magicians in order to rescue her mom and save her town from becoming a fairy tale kingdom.
“INTO THE WILD is VERY cool, with a unique look at the great fairytale characters. I couldn’t put it down until I knew how this brave, extraordinary girl could face such powerful magic!” — Tamora Pierce
“INTO THE WILD is an entertaining, introspective, clever remixing of traditional fairy tales with a Labyrinth edge and a self-aware sensibility, and it signals a strong debut from Sarah Beth Durst.” — Realms of Fantasy Magazine
OUT OF THE WILD
Razorbill/Penguin, 2008
Beware the Wild — it bites.
Ever since Julie Marchen helped defeat the fairytale world of the Wild, life’s been pretty much back to normal. That is, as normal as life can be for a girl whose mom is Rapunzel. Yes, that Rapunzel.
Then the Wild mysteriously releases Zel’s prince (Julie’s dad!)a rescue-minded hero who crashes full-speed ahead into the 21st century! (YOU try teaching a 500-year-old prince to use a seatbelt.) Julie’s over the moon, but when a wicked Fairy Godmother kidnaps Sleeping Beauty and reawakens the Wild, Julie and her dad set off on an action-packed adventure to save the distressed damseland the world. If they can’t, they’ll spend eternity in a fairytale.
“An enchanting romp full of adventure, humor and cleverness!” —Holly Black, New York Times bestselling author of The Spiderwick Chronicles and Tithe
ROAR AND SPARKLES GO TO SCHOOL
Running Press Children’s, 2017
Roar is worried about his first day at school. He’s worried that he’ll have to do really hard things, like molt his scales and fly over a volcano. And what if his teacher doesn’t like dragons?
Big sister Sparkles reassures Roar That school is fun. And when the first day of school arrives, Roar finds his worries melt away.
He meets new friends, plays dragon games, listens to fun stories, and finds a way to thank his sister for support.
Roar and Sparkles Go to School is a sweet story about the anxieties children may feel about attending school for the first time, as well as a comforting tale about the bond between siblings. Sarah Beth Durst’s imaginative and playful script is enhanced by Ben Whitehouse’s modern and fresh illustrations to create a book that’s sure to squelch first-day-of-school worries for children.
“In appealing illustrations that have a bright, crayony roughness, Whitehouse has fun bringing Durst’s world to life… the lively details of Roar’s daily life might be just enough to let readers temporarily forget about their own back-to-school nervousness.”―-Publishers Weekly
“Readers will enjoy the peek at dragon life that Whitehouse provides, from the way Roar’s mom roasts the veggies before they come out of the garden to the pesky winged ponies that must be chased off the roof.” ―-Kirkus Reviews