Series Pick: The Unready Queen (The Oddmire, book 2)

The Unready Queen
The Oddmire, Book 2
by William Ritter
Illustrations by the author
Algonquin Young Readers
2020
320 pages
ISBN: 9781616208400

Available June 23, 2020 (from Publisher's website; other sites have June 2, 2020)

Compelling, endearing, magical and quintessential fantasy, The Unready Queen will be the best book of 2020! Do yourself a favor: pick up The Changeling (Book 1) and this book! William Ritter knows how to tell a story that will transport readers to a magical world. Remember reading Harry Potter for the first time? The Secret Garden? The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe? That's the feeling The Oddmire books will leave you with.

The Unready Queen picks up where the story of The Changeling left off. Brothers Tinn and Cole are as close as ever. Tinn has learned he is not a human at all. The goblin who was supposed to swap babies, was frightened off before he could grab the human baby. Growing up, their mother Annie had a hard time telling them apart, but was adamant to treat each boy as her own. The boys are happy to be back from the Oddmire. They attend school which makes Tinn uncomfortable when he begins to change into his goblin self in front of others. Tinn tries to learn how to channel and control it. He spends more time in the goblin world.

In the Deep Dark, Fable, daughter of the Queen, is coming into her own magic. She befriends the twins and spends more time in the human world. When the kids discover that humans are seeking to destroy the wood for financial gain, Fable must fight for her home and its magical creatures.

Both mothers--the Queen of the Deep Dark, Rainn, and Annie, the human mother of the twins, are fierce, loving mothers. Their children, Fable, Tinn and Cole, are enveloped with love which is their saving grace. It is endearing to see such a kind family dynamic when so many middle grade and YA books show parents in a less than friendly light.

This coming of age story is about Fable as she learns of the woods and her own magic. While she loves playing in the human world with the boys, she learns that it is that world she must protect herself and her creatures against. This gem of a book is epic storytelling where Ritter deftly weaves an environmental message into its fabric. Not all human progress is good. It's better to leave the wild just that--WILD. In order for all creatures to survive, humans must respect their homes.

Finally, this is the second book in a series that lives up to book 1--in fact, book 2 is even better than book 1. William Ritter can do no wrong in the middle grade market. This is such a treat for middle grade readers. It is a magical book that takes its readers on a journey.

Dystopian Trilogy Pick: Undertow

Undertow (book 1)

by Michael Buckley

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

2015

376 pages

ISBN: 9780544348257

 

View the book trailer

 

 

Get Ready! Undertow will make a huge splash (yes, pun intended) in YA novels this year! Gripping, action packed, full of fierce, raw energy, violent clashes between humans and "monsters," one kick axe (again, spelling intended)  girl who is willing to do anything to save both species. You will have tons of nail biting moments when you will see the pages turning at record speed, and you will find yourself hurtled into a world gone terribly wrong.

 

 

Paranormal Series Pick: Raised by Wolves, Trial by Fire, Taken by Storm

Raised by Wolves (2010) 418 pages
Trial by Fire (2011) 357 pages
Taken by Storm (2012) 314 pages
By Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Egmont

I can’t believe I almost missed this series! It wasn’t until the publication of book 3, Taken by Storm, that I heard increasing buzz over Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ paranormal romance series; now I’m a rabid (ha, ha, pun intended), avid fan of Bryn and her pack of strays. You won’t want to miss this exciting series.

In book 1, Raised by Wolves, Bryn is orphaned when a Rabid kills her parents. An alpha male saves Bryn and allows Ali to raise Bryn as her own daughter. Bryn grows up human but “raised by wolves.” She begins to feel the pack’s mentality, strength, and sense their thoughts and wild desires. Callum, the pack’s Alpha, promises to keep her safe no matter what.

When Bryn disobeys Callum and discovers a teen Were who’s been turned by a rogue wolf, memories of that bloody attack on her parents begin to haunt Bryn. Chase and Bryn are too much alike, and soon they are sharing thoughts without needing to speak them aloud. The man who turned Chase is the same man who killed Bryn’s parents and now he’s after her.

Bryn needs Chase’s help to save newly turned werewolves; when she does, she becomes the pack’s alpha. She can’t go home because she is home for all new, young wolves. Callum has a strong bond with Bryn, but from this day forward she is in charge of her own problems.



Trail by Fire (book 2) continues this fascinating story. In fact, the second book is my favorite. I could not stop reading once I turned the first page. Fair warning: don't open this book unless you have a few hours to read it cover to cover!


Old enemies deliver strange packages and send cryptic messages. When a teen wolf shows up broken and bleeding and between shifting back to his human form, Bryn knows it is the work of Shay, her arch-rival and Alpha male of another pack. He’s been gunning for Bryn for a long time, and she knows she will have to face him and defeat him if she is to keep her own pack safe and free.


New characters are introduced and new threats move into the pack’s sphere—a threat that may take them all down.



Taken By Storm is a brilliant tour de force! Bryn continues to fight off enemies and comes into her own as a leader. She remembers the lessons Callum has taught her and tries to emulate his energy and wisdom in tough situations. Byrn’s pack is in danger—wolf females are rare and Bryn’s pack is mostly female and weaker than the other large packs. She will need help to defend them. In order to survive and defeat her strongest foes, Bryn must decide to pay the ultimate price to save her pack.

Brilliantly conceived, masterful storytelling, a deft hand that controls a taut and thrilling plot, and simmering passion and tension between the main characters makes this series the most compelling paranormal series in recent memory. Barnes manages to make me believe in werewolves and long for their pack mentality. Bryn is a strong female protagonist who chooses to save her pack no matter the threat to herself. Readers will devour this series and growl for more!

Highly, highly recommended grades 7-up with this warning: book 1 is harmless, books 2 and 3 talk more about mating. Chase and Bryn begin to spend the nights together. Also, when a human changes from wolf back to human, he/she is naked. No details about anatomy though. No language. Book 3 has one example of language.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received these titles from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Shiver

Shiver

by Maggie Stiefvater
Scholastic, 2009
400 pages

In a fresh coming-of-age, girl meets wolf love story, Grace watches a wolf pack from the swing in her back yard each winter. She is fascinated by a yellow-eyed wolf who seems to watch her, too. Grace begins to think of this wolf as her wolf. He disappears every summer, but is back again when the weather turns cold. The attack and murder of a high school classmate brings girl and wolf/boy together, and Grace accepts Sam as a human/wolf, and tries to make him stay "human" to be with her always. To solve this problem, author Stiefvater turns to medical science. Part Twilight, part Beauty and the Beast, Shiver is sure to be the next great teen love story. The movie rights are probably already in the works, and this should make a great teen love story movie. Recommended for YA collections.