"“I wouldn’t try it,” Alice said. “They’re bigger than you are.” “They’re all wing,” he said dismissively. “Believe me. Large birds are the natural prey of the cat.” “Maybe once they’ve been roasted and carved,” Alice said. Ashes snorted."

"It was a bit like trying to tie both shoelaces at once, one with each hand."

"They have servants. I’d rather have friends."

"The truth can be useful, sometimes. Assuming you can convince people."

"“I apologize for Ashes,” Alice said to Michael. “He’s a cat, and—” She paused, and decided that seemed like a complete description. “He’s a cat.”"

"“They were pretty friendly, for dancing skeletons,” Isaac said, waving after them. “If I’ve learned one thing,” Alice said, “it’s not to judge by appearances.”"

"“You know, you could be a bit more constructive,” Alice said. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around the magnitude of your insanity,” the cat muttered. “Once I’ve got that handled, I’ll get started on the mind-numbing terror.”"

"“You’re not very loyal,” Isaac said as Alice took his hand. “Loyalty,” Ashes sniffed, “is for dogs. Cats have better sense.”"

"“We’re doomed,” one of the sprites said, turning wildly in a circle as though excited at the prospect. “Doomed! Doomed!”"

"“You’re mad,” he said. “You’ve gone mad. There’s no two ways about it.” “Your mother was the one who helped me,” Alice said. “Then she’s gone mad too.”"

"Alice scooped the cat into her arms and planted a kiss on his fuzzy forehead. “What was that for?” Ashes sputtered. “What have I ever done to deserve that?” “I wanted to say thank you,” Alice said, putting him on the ground. “For everything.” “Yes, well. Far be it from me to dispute my own heroism,” Ashes muttered. “But proper thanks should involve tuna.”"

"But it’s not justice that they’re mostly concerned with, it’s division of the loot."

"“When you’re as old as I am,” Ending said, “one’s nature is largely a product of habit.”"

"“But didn’t that hurt?” Dex shrugged. “Pain is an illusion. The body is only a clay vessel holding the immortal essence of the soul, so it is a mistake to attach any import to the difficulties it may encounter. In fact, the whole episode reinforced my fundamental understanding of—“ She caught Alice’s expression. “Yes. It hurt quite a lot.”"

"“Well?” the cat said. “Are we going to walk all the way there?” “You’re going to get fat if you keep being so lazy.” “You say that like it’s a bad thing. For cats, being fat that just means that you’re winning.”"

"The more he didn’t know, she reasoned, the easier he would be to fool."

"I must say, you are the least unintelligent human I have ever met."

"“There’s this thing called dignity that some cats have been known to have. You might want to look into it.” “A cat is always dignified, no matter what position he finds himself in,” Ashes said. “A half-cat even more so.”"

"“What do you see here?” “Books?” “Indeed, books. They are the ocean in which magic swims.”"

"“You’re a cat,” she said automatically. “Your powers of perception are astounding,” the cat drawled. “Although I feel obliged to point out, in the interests of ontological exactitude, that I am in fact only half cat. Personally, though, I have always considered it the better half.”"

"Magic, you’ll find, is nine parts dull to one part excitement, and the exciting bits usually hurt like the blazes."

"Some things are more important than following the rules. Aren’t they?"

"“Patience, my friend.” “I’m not your friend. And I’m not patient.”"

"In desperation, she slid her fingers in the cracks between blocks, looking for some kind of catch or hidden mechanism. Which was ridiculous, she thought, because how complicated could a secret door be if a cat figured it out?"

"“I still say they’re creepy,” Ashes said. “I don’t think you get to decide what’s creepy,” Alice said. “You’re a talking cat. You’re creepy. This whole place is creepy.”"

"After the cousins came the accountants, who were more open in their appraisals and didn’t bother with Alice at all, and after the accountants, like a Biblical plague building up to a big finish, came the lawyers."

"At that age, Alice had grasped the idea that some things in books were real, and others were not."

"He was, of course, cheating her, that was what lawyers were for."

"But—though she was not an expert on cats—she was fairly certain that they did not, as a rule, snicker."

"I’ve never really defined myself by a single identity—and in these times where identity means so much, I sometimes feel like I’m a bit of an outsider to every identity. Perhaps that makes me uniquely suited to writing about teens, who often feel on the outside"

"The sum total of Alice’s medical knowledge was that blood was supposed to stay on the inside."

"Of course, where magic is involved, appearances don’t mean much."

"Ashes looked around at the palm trees, the perfect ocean, and the immaculate beach. “Ugh,” he said. “I’m in hell.”"

"Kids are kids. No matter what year it is, no matter what language they speak or culture they’re in. There is something deeply universal about being a teenager, and I try to capture that universality in the things that I write."

"Michael cleared his throat. “You’ve never had a dog, Alice?” Alice shook her head. “My father didn’t like them.” “They’re not like cats,” the boy said. “You give them commands.” “Because they lack all dignity,” said Ashes under his breath."

"‘‘This isn’t some stupid storybook where the underdog wins in the end. This is the real world. The strongest do what they want, and everyone else has to live with it. Or”—she glanced significantly at Isaac—“not.”"

"“Ashes, how did you do it?” “I’d like to say it was all my own talent, but cats are naturally modest.”"

"“The strongest don’t always get what they want,” she said to Ending. “Not when the weak can work together.”"

"My biggest problem in these ACA debates? I don't know how to explain to you why you should care about other people."

"Kaz, this whole "shoot me" thing is starting to concern me."

"Wanden olstrum end kendesorum. Isen ne bejstrum."

"No mourners. No funerals."

"I just did not feel like there were any Asian women out there who I could identify with…I thought it was our role to be quiet and that people would look down on me if I ever spoke out."

"I think the “young adult” age is such a critical period of our lives. Young adults are still young enough to dream of magic and possibility, yet old enough to think for themselves and to begin to make real change in the world."

"My parents never overtly pushed us to marry Chinese (in fact, my dad was an equal opportunity dater in his time). However, they always encouraged us to value our Chinese-ness. It was never something to be ashamed of. I grew up in a very Chinese American household; Mom cooked Chinese food almost every night, yet she loved her French cooking classes. We all played multiple classical instruments, but were also avid Broadway fans."

"It might feel safer to stay hidden away, but safer is not always better. We all have things to say. Learning how to speak up helps us feel valued and a part of the community. And by honing our voices, we can change the world."

"Given a chance, most children will do the right thing. I was hoping to make them aware that sometimes all it takes is a nice word to really make someone else’s day. Consequently, a thoughtless remark can really hurt someone’s feelings."

"If you tell stories about a really cool kid that you can relate to, and then you hear about kids being mean to that kid, then you feel what it is like to walk in his shoes. And you think, that is not right. I think the best way to write is to want to build empathy for your characters. You want the readers to feel the things they are feeling."

"A great writer in the purest sense...makes my head bop from side to side."