A Wild Radiance

Maria Ingrande Mora's Peachtree Teen debut earned a starred Kirkus review — called "alluring and electrifying" — and that praise is grounded. The War of the Currents reimagined as magical industrialization is a genuinely inventive premise, and protagonist Josephine's banishment to a remote Mission sets up a story about questioning authoritarian systems from the inside, with real stakes built around a spreading disease and class resistance. The queer representation is central and emotionally authentic, not decorative. Faith-conservative families should know upfront: queer romance and queerplatonic/polyamorous relationship dynamics among the three leads are prominent and intentional — the author names them explicitly. No graphic sexual content in the YA category, but the non-traditional relationship structure is a core theme. For LGBTQ+ YA readers, this is a strong, well-crafted new fantasy. Reader reception is still forming given the early 2026 publication.