"A beautiful novel woven from magic that seeps into your blood and bones and lingers there...Sarah's gorgeous prose will haunt you." --Christina Henry, author of Alice and The Lost Boy
"This is a fascinating coming-of-age story with magical elements that feel both grounded and properly mystifying... Where this book really shines is in Griffin's depiction of teenage longing, the awful misery of being in love with someone who doesn't love you back, or outgrowing your old childish attachments. There are some gorgeous moments in this book that have stuck with me since I finished reading it, and the ending totally got me choked up. Griffin has a keen eye for the beautiful agony of adolescence, and that's what makes this book such a compelling read." --Charlie Jane Anders, author of All the Birds in the Sky
"A sublime and sexy tale of temptation and belonging. This book latches onto you and won't let go. I loved every minute of it!" --Helen Marshall, award-winning author of Gifts for the One Who Came After and forthcoming The Migration
"Other Words for Smoke will crawl inside of you and linger there for months, quietly influencing your thoughts much like the magical beings at the center of this story and the women who deal with them. Visceral prose and deep characterization make this book impossible to put down while you re reading, and impossible to forget once you re done." --Christine Lynne Herman, author of The Devouring Gray

The house at the end of the lane burned down, and Rita Frost and her teenage ward, Bevan, were never seen again. The townspeople never learned what happened. Only Mae and her brother Rossa know the truth; they spent two summers with Rita and Bevan, two of the strangest summers of their lives... Because nothing in that house was as it seemed: a cat who was more than a cat, and a dark power called Sweet James that lurked behind the wallpaper, enthralling Bevan with whispers of neon magic and escape. And in the summer heat, Mae became equally as enthralled with Bevan. Desperately in the grips of first love, she'd give the other girl anything. A dangerous offer when all that Sweet James desired was a taste of new flesh...