books
Skinner Luce, Talos Press, 2016
ONE OF AMAZON'S 20 BEST SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY BOOKS OF 2016
"A gut-punching novel, consistently taut and bleak. Readers will feel Lucy hanging on by her fingernails just beneath the human world and bloodied by every hard climb upward."
Publishers Weekly
"A fiercely original premise carried to a logical and thought-provoking conclusion. . . . this unforgettable novel is sure to haunt readers long after they've turned the last page. Highly recommended." SF Signal
"Skinner Luce paints a heroine who's more human than most in her fears and ambitions and who will grab your heart. This book will haunt you long after you put it down." Omnivoracious, "The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of January"
"Ward's prose is expressive and often unexpectedly beautiful. . .High-caliber, often engrossing literary sci-fi." Kirkus Reviews
For more on Skinner Luce, see SF Signal for my Guest Post and their review.
ONE OF AMAZON'S 20 BEST SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY BOOKS OF 2016
"A gut-punching novel, consistently taut and bleak. Readers will feel Lucy hanging on by her fingernails just beneath the human world and bloodied by every hard climb upward."
Publishers Weekly
"A fiercely original premise carried to a logical and thought-provoking conclusion. . . . this unforgettable novel is sure to haunt readers long after they've turned the last page. Highly recommended." SF Signal
"Skinner Luce paints a heroine who's more human than most in her fears and ambitions and who will grab your heart. This book will haunt you long after you put it down." Omnivoracious, "The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of January"
"Ward's prose is expressive and often unexpectedly beautiful. . .High-caliber, often engrossing literary sci-fi." Kirkus Reviews
For more on Skinner Luce, see SF Signal for my Guest Post and their review.
The Bullet Collection, Graywolf Press, 2003
GLCA New Writers Award
Anahid Literary Award
Hala Maksoud Award for Outstanding Emerging Writer
"A startlingly insightful female coming-of-age in a time of war." Booklist (starred review)
"War and the tumult of adolescence leave their scars on the hearts of two Beirut-born sisters in this sharply drawn, moving debut about a family in exile." Publishers Weekly
"A heartbreaking education about the emotional damage done to those who were, literally, caught in the crossfire." Ararat
"Passionate, lyrical, and deeply humane, this take of two sisters caught in a war without end moves effortlessly through space and time, illuminating the private terrors of a dispossesed family and the public terror--more relevant than ever, now--arising from clashing cultures. This is an astonishing first novel." Andrea Barrett
"A work of great maturity and assurance." Banipal
GLCA New Writers Award
Anahid Literary Award
Hala Maksoud Award for Outstanding Emerging Writer
"A startlingly insightful female coming-of-age in a time of war." Booklist (starred review)
"War and the tumult of adolescence leave their scars on the hearts of two Beirut-born sisters in this sharply drawn, moving debut about a family in exile." Publishers Weekly
"A heartbreaking education about the emotional damage done to those who were, literally, caught in the crossfire." Ararat
"Passionate, lyrical, and deeply humane, this take of two sisters caught in a war without end moves effortlessly through space and time, illuminating the private terrors of a dispossesed family and the public terror--more relevant than ever, now--arising from clashing cultures. This is an astonishing first novel." Andrea Barrett
"A work of great maturity and assurance." Banipal
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For more on The Bullet Collection, see my interview in Delphi Quarterly; Amira Pierce's review in JSTOR; Pauline Homsi Vinson's review in Al-Jadid Magazine; Syrine Hout, "Revisiting Lebanon: Testimony, Trauma, and Transition in Patricia Sarrafian Ward's The Bullet Collection," Middle Eastern Literatures, Vol. 12, No. 3, December 2009 here; Syrine Hout, Post-War Anglophone Lebanese Fiction: Home Matters in the Diaspora, Edinburgh University Press, 2012 here. An excerpt is available in Archipelago.
The Cherished, HarperTeen, 2023
"[A] pulse-pounding thriller, pairing brisk pacing with frenetic plotting that adds a layer of unease to Jo's harrowing situation." -- Publishers Weekly
"A captivating mix of mystery and mythology." -- School Library Journal
"A slow-burn mystery rooted in family bonds and duty... An oppressive unease effectively pervades the novel until Jo at last finds purpose and belonging. Hand to those who enjoy atmospheric character studies." -- Booklist
"An exploration of belonging, a tale of generational trauma, and a fantasy thriller oozing with mystery around every corner." -- Mugglenet
"A spine-tingling, slow-burn horror mystery... a reflective story that uses elements of fantasy to tell a tale of the self-discovery and courage of a young girl." -- Pine Reads Review
For more on The Cherished, see:
Guest post "Sometimes, You Just Need to Listen to Your Art Self,"
Teen Librarian Toolbox
Interview with YA Books Central about writing The Cherished
Essay on Crimereads.com about writing while growing up during a war
"[A] pulse-pounding thriller, pairing brisk pacing with frenetic plotting that adds a layer of unease to Jo's harrowing situation." -- Publishers Weekly
"A captivating mix of mystery and mythology." -- School Library Journal
"A slow-burn mystery rooted in family bonds and duty... An oppressive unease effectively pervades the novel until Jo at last finds purpose and belonging. Hand to those who enjoy atmospheric character studies." -- Booklist
"An exploration of belonging, a tale of generational trauma, and a fantasy thriller oozing with mystery around every corner." -- Mugglenet
"A spine-tingling, slow-burn horror mystery... a reflective story that uses elements of fantasy to tell a tale of the self-discovery and courage of a young girl." -- Pine Reads Review
For more on The Cherished, see:
Guest post "Sometimes, You Just Need to Listen to Your Art Self,"
Teen Librarian Toolbox
Interview with YA Books Central about writing The Cherished
Essay on Crimereads.com about writing while growing up during a war
