"TO MEND WHAT HAD BEEN BROKEN, SHE BEGAN TO READ..."
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My Books
A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE
A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE
A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE
An orphan out to find the truth within a warped religion turns his poetry into prayer—a prayer that awakens a cursed girl hungry for revenge.
Centuries after a miracle vanquished Trestatto's monsters and turned the soldiers fighting them to stone, Milo lovingly tends to the statues of those who protected the city. Raised with devout templars and scholars, autistic temple ward Milo wants nothing more than to be accepted into their ranks. When his prayers admiring her heroic sacrifice accidentally free Gia from stone, she wakes with a fury to kill the man Milo owes his life to, Primo Sanct Ennio.
Gia claims that the immortal holy leader Milo lives to serve is the same man who betrayed her and transformed her into a statue--and what Milo always believed was a miracle was actually a curse that Gia will stop at nothing to break.
Even if she has to kill his followers to do it.
Even if she must kill the boy who woke her.
TO A DARKER SHORE
A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE
A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE
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A da Vinci-esque teen girl inventor on a Dante-esque journey through hell to save her best friend.
Plain, poor, plus-size, and autistic, Alesta grew up trying to convince her kingdom that she’s too useful to be sacrificed like so many of their country’s poor to appease the infernal monster across the poison sea in hell.
When Alesta’s attempt to prove herself with inventions goes awry, her best friend and heir to the throne, Kyrian, takes the blame expecting leniency—and ends up tithed in her place.
To end the sacrifices forever, Alesta plans to kill the monster that killed her friend. She travels to the depths of hell only to find Kyrian, alive, but monstrously transformed.
There’s no escaping hell or their deeper feelings for one another, and the farther they go, the closer they come to uncovering a truth about the tithings that threatens to invoke the wrath of not only monsters but the gods as well.
MY KIND OF TROUBLE
A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE
MY KIND OF TROUBLE
A slick conwoman meets her match in a hot and nerdy small-town librarian, in this debut romance perfect for fans of Spoiler Alert and Act Your Age, Eve Brown.
Conwoman Harmony Hale has sold lies up and down California for years, never looking back at her crafty scams or one-night stands. Now she’s come to Brookville, California with her sights set on its wealthy mayor—the man who stole her father’s music streaming algorithm and ruined his life. Harmony is finally ready to take him down, with her trusty con of selling a nonexistent music festival. All she needs is the cooperation of the man who owns the potential festival site.
Autistic librarian and piano teacher Preston Jones spends his days fighting book challengers trying to shut down his library programs. He’s responsible for raising his selectively-nonspeaking little sister, and needs to focus on keeping his job. He doesn’t have time for a romance like the ones in his books–and certainly none for the brassy festival promoter who wants to use his land for her “Coachella North.” Preston sees things in black and white, and he sees Harmony—amazing curves, flashy smile, and all—as nothing but trouble.
But when Harmony promises to help him win the public over and save his youth programs, Preston finds himself wondering if this hustler with a heart of gold might be the someone he’s been waiting for. Soon things are getting steamy in the stacks, and with her con coming to a crescendo, Harmony needs to choose: revenge and running again, or the happy ending she never saw coming.
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Free Educational Materials for To a Darker Shore
As an English and humanities teacher, I've always loved developing curriculum for my students, and I'm pleased to offer these discussion questions, lessons on allusions, poetic forms, and vocabulary, and summative projects for teachers' use. They're ideal for an easy reading unit, class book clubs, or enrichment.
Another Star for To a Darker Shore!
School Library Journal calls To a Darker Shore "a phenomenal work"!
"What sets this teen novel apart is the author’s masterful use of imagery and description, painting a vivid picture of both external monsters and the internal struggles of the characters. The narrative skillfully explores the theme of self-image and identity, delving into the burning self-hatred that accompanies the belief of not meeting societal expectations. [...] The parallel drawn between external and internal demons provides a powerful metaphor for the battles individuals face in their quest for acceptance. The author’s ability to convey the emotional turmoil of the characters makes this book not only a gripping fantasy but also a poignant exploration of the challenges of adolescence.
VERDICT A phenomenal work, weaving together elements of fantasy, self-discovery, and the quest for identity, making it a compelling read for teens grappling with their sense of self."
Read With Cindy is Excited for To a Darker Shore!
This? Actually happened?? Read With Cindy named To a Darker Shore one of her 24 most anticipated reads of 2024 and called Alesta "a real b*tch" (complimentary) LIFE MADE
(She starts talking about my book at 2:18)
A Star for To a Darker Shore
Alesta, the girl who stole the sky, has got herself a star! Booklist raves about To a Darker Shore:
“Schwartz incorporates a range of topics (body shaming, homophobia, neurodivergence, etc.) in a seamless way here; characters’ identities are thoroughly embedded and don’t feel like afterthoughts. Though both Alesta and Kyr are autistic and demisexual, this manifests in very different ways and they are unique, irresistibly lovable characters with a deeply believable childhood friends-to-lovers evolution.
A compelling, deeply romantic examination of how demisexuality manifests in relationships, particularly when influenced by autism. An abundance of action, intrigue, truly horrifying monsters, and power-hungry villains round out this passionately romantic, Inferno-inspired epic journey.”
—Booklist, starred review
Kirkus loves To a Darker Shore!
The first trade review for TADS is in!
"Inspired by Dante’s Inferno, the story offers a fresh take on monster tales, neatly demonstrating the ways monstrousness and humanity are two sides of the same coin. Equally fascinating is the fantastical world the characters occupy, which has clear parallels to our own world and where reality and the official truth do not always align. Alesta and Kyr, who present as autistic, are easy heroes to root for, well drawn and compelling in their matching stubbornness and authentic care for each other. Alesta's journey, from internalizing hateful comments about her body to accepting it as it is, is nuanced and affirming. Alesta and Kyr have tan skin; queer love stories play important roles in the narrative.
Rich worldbuilding and lovable characters make this trip to hell worthwhile."
–Kirkus Reviews
A Kirkus Star!
Kirkus loves Prayer!
“[Gives] readers emotional glimpses into inner conflicts over guilt and faith while shining a light on injustice and contemplating truth and the accuracy of historical narratives.
Perfectly balanced action, reflection, and intrigue; sure to offer wide appeal."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Announcing TO A DARKER SHORE
🔥WE'RE GOING TO HELL🔥 Ecstatic to announce TO A DARKER SHORE from Page Street YA winter 2024! With autistic best friends to monsters to lovers, dissections of beauty standards and ableism, religious trauma, demi rep, and the biggest game of the floor is lava ever🔥
TO A DARKER SHORE coming 2024
Check out the official announcement here!
Tell a Fairy Tale Day Author Panel
A discussion of fairy tales with young adult fantasy authors Margaret Rogerson, Emily Lloyd-Jones, Margaret Owen, Laura Pohl, Alexandra Overy, and me, moderated by Denise Phillips of Gathering Volumes Bookstore, brought to you by Romance Bookstore Day
Announcing A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE
I'm excited to announce my debut, a YA fantasy pitched as Strange the Dreamer meets Girl, Serpent, Thorn. After centuries trapped as a statue, plus-size Gia wants revenge, but if she's going to kill the immortal man who doomed her and usurped her sister, she needs to get her hands—and likely her blade—on the handsome autistic poet whose prayers woke her.
Coming in 2023 from Page Street Kids
Visit my publisher here.
Publishers Weekly
Check out the Publishers Weekly Rights Report here.
About Leanne
Quick Bio
Leanne Schwartz is the author of the young adult fantasies A Prayer for Vengeance and To a Darker Shore and the adult contemporary romcom My Kind of Trouble, writing as L.A. Schwartz. She has spent about half her life at either the library or the local theater, where she has played Lady Macbeth, Lady Capulet, and Hera―perhaps one reason she writes such vengeful, murderous girls. When she’s not teaching English and poetry, she can be found baking pizzelle, directing scenes for the student Shakespeare festival, and singing along to showtunes. She lives in California with her family.
Long Bio
Leanne Schwartz is an autistic author, teacher, and bookworm. She grew up in Davis, California, reading piles of books and acting in local theater productions. In high school she cemented her status as a massive nerd, running a local theater company, attending the California State Summer School for the Arts for creative writing, and taking three literature classes senior year. She has played Lady Macbeth, Lady Capulet, and Hera—perhaps one reason she writes such vengeful, murderous girls. Leanne completed her English degree and master's in education at UC Davis. When she’s not teaching English and poetry, she can be found baking pizzelle, directing scenes for the student Shakespeare festival, and singing along to showtunes. She lives in San Diego with her family, and is the author of the young adult fantasies A Prayer for Vengeance and To a Darker Shore as well as the adult contemporary romcom My Kind of Trouble, writing as L.A. Schwartz