2022 book 187

 Rachel Neumeier’s The Keeper of the Mist

I see a lot of lists like “If you like The Goblin Emperor, try these other books” and I’m kind of surprised not to have seen this book on such a list, because it does have a similar plot and feel. I mean it is YA and the main character is a teenage girl, so is it just garden variety sexist dismissiveness? Anyway, this is the story of a tiny little country surrounded by magical mist that hides it from its neighbors, and when the Lord dies, the country chooses his successor—but it’s not one of the three sons everyone expects, it’s his illegitimate teen daughter, who runs the local bakery. So now she’s in charge of things, trying to figure out court politics and deal with magical crises, etc. Maybe that makes it sound fluffier than it is—things do get stressful! My only complaint is that this whole book takes place over like a week or so, and I really wished for more! A-.