Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders ... but her father isn't a very good one. Free to lend and reluctant to collect, he has loaned out most of his wife's dowry and left the family on the edge of poverty—until Miryem steps in. Hardening her heart against her fellow villagers' pleas, she sets out to collect what is owed—and finds herself more than up to the task. When her grandfather loans her a pouch of silver pennies, she brings it back full of gold.

But having the reputation of being able to change silver to gold can be more trouble than it's worth—especially when her fate becomes tangled with the cold creatures that haunt the wood, and whose king has learned of her reputation and wants to exploit it for reasons Miryem cannot understand.

I love fairy tale retellings. Particularly those that stray from the original tale to give delightful (and sometimes horrifying) new twists to a beloved classic. Rumpelstiltskin might not seem the most obvious choice, but who isn’t here for clever female characters outsmarting terrifying ancient beings? Those are the very stories I live for.

The story begins in a rural village where our protagonist, Miryem, toughened by circumstance, sets out to collect the outstanding debts her moneylending father failed to claim. She's very good at her job and one day brags a little too loudly, catching the attention of the ice-creature king who haunts the forest. To save her family and her village, Miryem goes on an adventure that includes some of my favorite things—fire demons, daring women, and a slow-burn romance that will inspire fan fiction for years. And just when you think the book can't get any better, Spinning Silver drops a killer last line that—fair warning—will have you grinning your face off.

I love that Naomi Novik never takes her readers down expected, well-worn paths. Instead, surprises await these amazing characters (and us!) on each page. And in this summer heat, a magical snowy tale that leaves ice in your veins and a fire in your heart will be much appreciated, trust me. So choose a little magic and let’s flail together!