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.

YA Magical Realism Pick: Winterwood

Winterwood
by Shea Ernshaw
Simon Pulse
2019
319 pages
ISBN: 9781534439412

Ethereal, mysterious, magical, and poetic, Winterwood will be your YA favorite read!

Nora Walker was born near the wild woods. Her family has been a part of the woods since before the woods themselves. The Walker women have a mythology of their own. Townspeople claim that the Walker women are witches and to be feared.

When a brutal snowstorm comes, Nora knows she'll be snowed in for weeks. There is no way to access the town for supplies or help and no contact with the outside world. She's not afraid; that's just the way things have always been, but when she finds an unconscious boy in the woods, she knows she has to save him. Her mother and her grandmother before her have left Nora with a spell book and book of healing cures. She works her magic, and the boy comes back to life. He's from the boys' camp on the other side of the lake, but doesn't remember much else.

Oliver has no memory of why he was in the woods or how he could still be alive. He's been missing for weeks, and there's no way he could have survived the wild woods. Nora knows something is wrong and the woods begin acting stranger than usual, but Oliver is so alone, Nora feels herself drawn to him. When a white moth begins to seek her out, she knows death is not far behind. What happened that night?

Suzy, a girl from Nora's school, one who has never spoken to her before, arrives on her doorstep, seeking a warm place to weather the storm. She has a tale of her own about the boys' camp. There is one boy dead and one boy missing. Nora knows she'll have to confront Oliver. What does he know about the dead boy? Did he have anything to do with his murder? The unexpected TWIST at the end is EPIC! I LOVE THIS BOOK!

Masterful storytelling and compelling, poetic prose that seems to sing off the pages make Winterwood the best YA read of 2019! This one will be up for awards season.

Beautiful cover art is a masterpiece of graphic design and marketing.

Highly, highly recommended. A must have and a MUST READ. 5 STARS!

Fantasy Middle Grade Book Giveaway! The Girl Who Drank the Moon

 

The Girl Who Drank the Moon

by Kelly Barnhill

Algonquin Young Readers

2016

 

Simply magnificent!

 

I have TWO FREE copies of this exciting middle grade stand alone title. Kelly Barnhill has accomplished sheer magic with The Girl Who Drank the Moon. I feel it is the best fantasy since Harry Potter! Can anyone say Texas Bluebonnet? This is THE book everyone will be talking about. Magical, poignant, sweet, and soaring, the prose sings off the pages like poetry! scroll down to see my review of this title.

For a chance to win, simply post a comment to the blog. Please include your first name, email, city and state. Deadline for posts is noon MST on Thursday, September 8. Winners are chosen randomly by Randomizer. Please check your email the afternoon of September 8. Winners have 24 hours to respond to my email. Books will ship from New York.

What are you waiting for! Start posting and good luck! Pamela

Fantasy Pick: The Girl Who Drank the Moon

The Girl Who Drank the Moon
by Kelly Barnhill
Algonquin Young Readers
2015
386 pages
ISBN: 9781616205676

Editorial Reviews

Review

Top Ten Fall 2016 Indie Next Pick
A Booklist Top Ten Sci-fi/Fantasy/Horror Pick (August issue)


“Guaranteed to enchant, enthrall, and enmagick . . . Replete with traditional motifs, this nontraditional fairy tale boasts sinister and endearing characters, magical elements, strong storytelling, and unleashed forces.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Rich with multiple plotlines that culminate in a suspenseful climax, characters of inspiring integrity, a world with elements of both whimsy and treachery, and prose that melds into poetry. A sure bet for anyone who enjoys a truly fantastic story.”—Booklist, starred review

“An expertly woven and enchanting offering for readers who love classic fairy tales.”—School Library Journal, starred review

“Barnhill crafts another captivating fantasy, this time in the vein of Into the Woods . . . Barnhill delivers an escalating plot filled with foreshadowing, well-developed characters, and a fully realized setting, all highlighting her lyrical storytelling.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review


“Kelly Barnhill is a skilled storyteller, and she crafts wonderfully imperfect characters with poetic prose, warmth and wit. Rather than a strident good and evil face-off, Barnhill's complex story of relative truth allows each character to make his or her own choices, even very questionable ones. The resiliency of the heroes may be partly because of magic, but also because of critical thinking, empathy, deep love and the strength of family in all its unconventional manifestations. The Girl Who Drank the Moon takes a probing look at social complexity and the high cost of secrets and lies, weaving multiple perspectives, past and present, into one cleverly unfolding fairy tale. The knots of miscommunication, habit and assumption that tangle Barnhill's characters may inspire readers to question the stories we're told. It takes brave and creative young people with their power to transform reality to clear the air and spread some light. Thoughtful and utterly spellbinding.”—Shelf Awareness

“A misunderstood witch, a poetry-spouting swamp monster, a tiny dragon with a simply enormous heart, a girl fed from moonlight and a town filled with tragic sadness all come together in this brilliant new novel from the author of Witch’s Boy. Fans of Maile Meloy, Alice Hoffman and Shannon Hale will devour this sad, funny, charming, clever stand-alone fantasy adventure.”—Angie Tally of The Country Bookshop for Pinestraw Magazine (Southern Pines, NC)

 

 

My review:

 

 Refreshing, magical, oftentimes comical, and full of adventure and heart, The Girl Who Drank the Moon soars off the pages! Readers will be enrapt in a spell that will sing to them and wrap them up in a finely woven tapestry of  fantasy and magic. Few storytellers have the gift of so deftly arranging a fantasy or building a world so magical that readers want to live there, but Kelly Barnhill is the best at her craft. If you loved The Witch's Boy, you will love The Girl Who Drank the Moon even more!

 

Each year, the people of the Protectorate take a baby to a clearing in the forest and leave it as a sacrifice for  the witch. Xan, an old woman who lives with the poetic Swamp Monster and a tiny dragon with a huge heart, always rescues each  baby and travels through the forest to the other side where she will find a suitable family to adopt the baby. The baby will be loved and cherished and much better off than left in the woods to be eaten by wild animals.

 

One year, Xan is particularly tired, and after picking up the baby, finds herself stopping again and again to rest. As she rests, she feeds the baby goats' milk and then starlight. But

Xan makes a huge mistake. She was so tired and  must have dozed off and fed the baby moonlight. Everyone knows moonlight is dangerous magic.

 

Xan is happy to raise the child as her own. She knows of no one else who could understand and help the child learn to use her extraordinary gift. She names the girl Luna and insists that Glerk, the Swamp Monster and tiny dragon Fyrian, must learn to love the baby as much as she does. Each year Luna's magic intensifies and Xan begins to worry when and how it will "erupt." In order to quell the child's magic, Xan builds a spell that will keep the dangerous magic in check, at least for awhile. Glerk is worried. He knows that Luna needs to learn about her magic; he worries Xan will die before teaching Luna what she needs to know.

 

In the tower, a woman goes mad and begins folding paper birds that hold their own magic. Maps tell the way. A man with scars will read the maps and seek the witch. . A baby will be brought to the woods.

Luna's magic is about to be unleashed in a big way. Xan, Glerk and Fyrian will have to help Luna against powerful dark  magic in order to save the entire world.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon is an instant classic and will be a book that today's children will read to their children. Yes, it's that good! I expect this book to be awarded many state awards as well as national attention. I can see this book made into  movie magic as a  treat for the eyes and hearts.

Smart choices were made with cover art. The paper birds seem to glow against a backdrop of blue. The title is centered on the moon which commands half the cover. The child seems to be walking in a near trance following the magical birds as a small dragon hovers just near her face. The dragon also appears on the spine which will be easy to spot on a library shelf. Readers will choose the book after seeing the dragon. The design of the book is sheer delight.

Highly, highly recommended. I would recommend this book over all others this year! It is honestly the best book I've read in years.

Recommended grade 4-up. There are life lessons in these pages--important ones about love, friendship, bravery, family, and heart. Everyone 8-80 should read this one.

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

 

 

  

Fairy Tale Pick: The Wild Swans

The Wild Swans
by Jackie Morris
color illustrations
Janetta Otter-Barry Books
2015
173 pages
ISBN: 9781847805362

Simply a stunning children's book! Beautifully imagined illustrations will captivate and are ethereal, lovely, and delicate.

Eliza is a happy young princess whose doting father and loving mother keep her safe in their care and the warmth of their love envelops her. Her eleven older brothers are strong, handsome and brave and love her dearly. Everything is sunshine and roses until her mother dies. Suddenly the castle is quiet and cold, foreboding even. Her father grieves and leaves daily to hunt with his men in the forest.

One day, Eliza's father comes home with a strange catch. Her father has a new bride and Eliza's brothers are not to come home. Eliza misses her brothers almost as much as she misses her dead mother. This new "mother" is not loving and caring. The new queen discovers her husband's sons and turns them all into swans. Eliza sees her brothers take flight and leave one by one. Now she has no one save her mother's favorite giant dog. The dog and Eliza bond, both having lost the lady their so dearly loved. The evil stepmother (now queen) casts Eliza out and poor, doomed Eliza wanders the woods until she finds a Fairy Queen who tells her how to save her brothers and break the spell.

Eliza must endure years of toil and loneliness in order to save her brothers and reunite her family with her father. This retelling of a story by Hans Christian Andersen is inspiring and breathtaking. A crowning achievement for author/illustrator Jackie Morris!

Look for a FREE giveaway on of this book on my blog within the next few days. You could win a free copy!

Highly, highly recommended for any fairy tale fan. A must for all fairy tale collections.

Suitable grade 4-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book 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)

Island Tale: The Jumbies

The Jumbies
by Tracey Baptiste
Algonquin Young Readers
2015
229 pages
ISBN: 9781616204143

Author Tracey Baptiste brings the boogie man to life in her debut middle grades  novel set in the Caribbean. Corrinne lives with her loving, attentive father  on the island at the edge of a forest. There are jumbies who live in the forest but dutiful children know not to venture into the trees after dark. Corrinne isn't afraid of the jumbies. She thinks it's just a story told to kids, just another silly fairy tale. When she has to enter  the forest to get back her prized possession, her dead mother's necklace, Corrinne doesn't realize a jumbie has followed her home.

The next day a strikingly beautiful stranger shows up at the market place, Severine comes from no where and everywhere. Soon, she's ensconced in Corrinne's home trying to weasel her way into the family. Corrinne visits the local witch for help. The witch refuses to help saying that the jumbies were on the island first. It's their home and she won't help the islanders fight them. She does tell Corrine to figure out what her own magic is and learn to use it. Corrinne is going to need all the help she can find if she plans on saving her home, banishing the evil jumbie back to the forest and breaking the curse that has captured her father in its claws. Corrinne is going to need a powerful magic...the kind of magic only her mother could have given her.

A helpful note in the back of the book defines various forms of jumbies for readers. In the Caribbean Jumbies are  sneaky tricksters who can take on the form of a beautiful woman or an animal.  They can trick you. Maybe even your neighbor or the barista at Starbucks is a jumbie. Jumbies will steal your home, your identity, your child and your life. Luckily, they can't stay in human form for extended periods. They have to return to the forest to stay strong. Jumbies can appear as babies (douens), La Diabless (beautiful women who have one regular foot and one cow's hoof) or Soucouyants (old women who fly around on fire and suck blood).

The Jumbies is a nice escape from the European fairy tales. Tracey Baptiste has added Caribbean flair to a category full of princesses, dragons and gnomes.

Beautiful cover art--spooky  yellow eyes staring out of the forest and a girl creeping through the trees holding her basket of oranges is sublime. The two boys who cause Corrinne to run into the forest are there, too, hiding behind a tree ready to pounce.

Highly recommended for readers who like a good fairy tale. This is a welcome departure from the Grimm brothers, Hans Christian Anderson and Walt Disney.

Middle grades 4-7.

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not received 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)

Magical Pick: House of Ivy & Sorrow

House of Ivy & Sorrow
by Natalie Whipple
HarperTeen
2014
362 pages
ISBN: 9780062120182

Magical, mesmerizing, melodious, and macabre, House of Ivy & Sorrow is a witchy, devilish good book!

Seventeen  year old Josephine Hemlock lives with her grandmother in a little house under the bridge guarded by magic. There are only two doors in and they are hidden to the outside world. Magic keeps Jo and her grandmother safe from the outside world and away from other witching families. Jo's mother Carmina died years ago, and her grandmother casts a number of spells to keep Jo safe. When a stranger from the past shows up, he brings an evil danger with him.

Jo's friend Kat witnesses her magic and it is agreed that the two girls be bound together with a binding spell. This will keep both of them from harm, they hope.  The evil is getting stronger and the girls are in a race against time to find something...anything in the Hemlock history that will help explain who might be after Jo.

Digging into a witch family's history is a arduous task. As they uncover ancestor after ancestor, new questions surface. How long can Jo keep her friend safe from danger? A witch can never love or marry; does it make sense for Jo to date swoon worthy and nice guy Winn knowing that she can never experience lasting  love?

Cover design with trailing ivy is repeated on chapter numbers and on page numbers throughout the book. I like the idea that magic exists in all things and that witches learn to control energy. The witches in this book aren't the sunshine-y witches of Bewitched; these witches mean business and they're not afraid of eye of newt or wing of bat.

Recommended grade 7-up. Some kissing. Magic. Spells.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book 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)

Spooky Pick: The Demon Notebook

The Demon Notebook
by Erika McGann
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
2014
224 pages
ISBN: 9781402295386
Available June 2014

See the author reading an excerpt

Friends Grace, Rachel, Adie, Una and Jenny find a book of spells. The girls are charmed (pun intended) by the spells and even try out a few for fun. When none of their spells work, the girls assume the book is useless and ignore the fact that they may be responsible for unleashing terrible future events.

A run-in with a Ouija board turns their world upside down. Una begins  acting strange and the girls fear the worst. Next, swoon-worthy James is following Grace around like a love-struck puppy and classmate Andrew wets his pants. Suddenly, the spells aren't funny anymore. The girls realize their dabbling in magic can be hurtful and now they feel like bullies.

The magic needs to be undone and the girls turn to the only answer they can think of--the local cat lady. Kids at school tell stories about her--that she's a witch and she can put curses on people. The old lady agrees to help them but warns them that there will be no chickening out. The spells continue working while the girls worry that time is running out.

The girls find out they have a secret friend at the school who is able to help. Will they be able to get the old Una back and banish the demon before someone gets really hurt? Who will they trust to find the answers? What are they willing to risk to set things right?

Recommended for readers who like a funny adventure with dangerous magic.
Grade 5-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book 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)

Fantasy Pick: Rose

Rose
by Holly Webb
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
2013
272 pages

Available September 3, 2013

Imaginative, clever, and beguiling, Rose is that one book that tweens and teens will remember. Rose is an eleven year old orphan--or maybe she's twelve--she doesn't know her true age. She was left at St. Bridget's Home for Abandoned Girls where she's spent the last nine years. It isn't a bad orphanage, if you can get past the rules and the chores and the not so great food. Maisie, Rose's friend at the orphanage, spends idle hours with Rose pretending to be daughters of royalty.

A lady arrives at the orphanage and chooses Rose to work as a house servant for Mr. Fountain, a well-known alchemist (magician). Rose is happy to have her own room and FOUR dresses to wear. The girls at the orphanage would think it grand to have their own room and wardrobe. Mr. Fountain's house is huge and fascinatingly magical. Rose notices weird happenings right away. She is uncertain how she is able to talk to Gustavus, Mr. Fountain's cat, but she likes him. Freddie is a little jealous that Rose can do magic, but they become good friends.

When children begin to disappear, it's up to Rose to solve the mystery and return the children before they die. Freddie, Isabella, Gustavus and Rose hatch a plan to catch the kidnapper, but they fall into a trap. Will the team be able to rescue themselves and the others? Will Mr. Fountain be able to save them in time?


Rose is smart, quick, clever, and intuitive. Readers will love the magic that is Mr. Fountain's house and the talking cat, Gustavus. The beautiful, captivating cover art is sure to draw young readers in. The cover sells this book, but the writing will keep readers turning the pages.

Highly recommended grade 4-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC 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)

Tween Pick: My Epic Fairy Tale Fail

My Epic Fairy Tale Fail
by Anna Staniszewski
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
2013
224 pages

Jenny is an adventurer--an ordinary girl who just happens to pop into magical kingdoms to right the wrongs of magical and strange creatures. When the Merpeople can't get along, Jenny shows up to save the day; however, things aren't going as planned. Anthony, a garden gnome who is her guide, pops in  and takes her out of there in the knick of time. He tells her that the Committee has other plans for her.

Jenny is being sent to The Land of Tales--where all the magical fairy tales do come true. A wicked witch has stopped the land's magic and the kingdom is suffering. Jenny has to perform three impossible tasks and the witch will give the kingdom back its magic, and Jenny makes a deal with the witch--the witch will tell her where to find her missing parents.

Her friends Trish and Melissa join her in her quest. The girls meet a variety of quirky characters: a wolf who can't catch a giant rooster, the king and queen who have been turned into a chair and a rug, a princess who needs a good night's sleep, angry villagers who want her to leave and blame her parents for bringing the curse upon them, and a brave but silly knight in shining armor who is prisoner to the metal suit. He clangs and clunks throughout the novel offering comic relief.

Jenny is able to complete her tasks and the kingdom gets its magic back but she is not much closer to finding her parents. She has only one clue to go on: they were taken by the fairies, but Jenny has no idea how to find the fairies or how to work with them.

Jenny is spunky and snarky with a fast wit and sarcastic tongue. Readers will like her and admire her tenacity in tough situations.

Recommended grade 5-up. Anyone who enjoys the recent popularity of stories with fairy tale elements will like My Epic Fairy Tale Fail.

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

Bewitching PIck: What the Spell

What the Spell (Life's a Witch)
by Brittany Geragotelis
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2012
328 pages

Watch the book trailer here


Visit the author's website

Brooklyn feels invisible--she goes through the motions every day at school but no one ever notices her. She's not super model beautiful, she's not super-smart, she's not popular, she's not athletic. She's just plain. No one turns around when she walks into the room.

On her sixteenth birthday, Brooklyn's parents unbind her powers allowing her to use her magic, but they warn against using it at all; they caution her to keep it a secret. Witches have been burned in history; witches are misunderstood and murdered. If anyone finds out about their family, they will have to flee.

The first thing Brooklyn does is to make herself over. She becomes a more beautiful version of herself. When she goes to school, everyone notices. Suddenly, she's the girl people are watching and wondering about. The Elite even approach her and ask her to sit with them at lunch. They are everything Brooklyn strives to be and more. They rule her school and are above reproach, but they're not so nice. They use people and bend the rules. They are vicious and cruel. They have no morals and throw caution to the wind. When they start to ask Brooklyn to do their dirty work, how far will she go to be popular?

Witchcraft is one thing, but Brooklyn discovers that her family is famous for being magical matchmakers. She can make anyone fall for someone else. When she uses her powers to entrap Asher, she realizes that he may not really be crushing on her. It may be her spell. Is she willing to accept the fact that she used magic to influence his feelings? And when her spell backfires, is she willing to accept the consequences of her selfish actions?

Part "The Secret Circle" and part "Gossip Girls," teen readers who like the girl witch genre will find What the Spell a welcome addition. Brooklyn has no sense of self; she tries so hard to fit in that she is willing to do anything, even lose the one she loves.


Recommended grade 9 and up. No language; teen angst, some romance, some talk of "going all the way."

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book 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)

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)

Fairy Tale Girl Pick: Falling In

Falling In
by Frances O'Roark Dowell
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
April 2012 (paperback edition)
245 pages

Mesmerizing, memorable, magnificent, and magical, Falling In has everything a great girl book must have: a fantastic, fierce, and feisty female protagonist, a quirky quest, a magical setting, fantastical beings, all controlled by the rules of a fairy tale world.

Isabelle marches to the beat of her own drummer; she hates "girly" things that all the other middle school girls seem to like. She hates the mall, preferring to find her own clothes--near a garbage can or at the consignment store. Her favorite boots are a little too big and very red, but they make her stand out. Isabelle dislikes school, too. The teachers are sad and boring most of the time. About teachers, Isabelle says:

"Teacher's colleges had equipped them to handle nose pickers, fire starters, back talkers, hitters, biters, and whiners. But quiet girls who weren't shy, girls who talked in riddles but were never actually rude, girls who simply refused to comb those confounded bangs out of their eyes, well, girls like that were beyond them."


When Isabelle gets in trouble and sent to the principal's office, she never actually makes it there. First she sits down to admire her boots and then watches a classmate enter the nurse's office. Seconds later, she hears a scream. She investigates, of course. Charley swears she's seen a mouse--not an ordinary field mouse--this mouse seemed about ready to have a conversation with her! Isabelle opens the closet in the nurse's office and FALLS IN and finds herself in another world entirely. There are doors like that, you know, doors that lead to another possibility if you'd only open them (a wink to the author).

The first kids Isabelle meets mistake her for the witch who has been terrorizing their little towns, devouring innocent children and babies. Then she meets Hen, a girl in the woods who needs help finding her friends. After twisting her ankle, Isabelle is "saved" by a woman named Grete who seems strange to Hen but seems magically soothing to Isabelle.

Isabelle feels at home in this fairy tale world where cures are herbal and natural and life is slower and wiser. It suits her pace and sense of whimsy. She tells Grete that she's decided to stay. As fate would have it, Isabelle FALLS OUT and returns to her mother, but realizes that her mother has a magic of her own. Isabelle says:

"The doors are out there. If you could just twist a few out-of-the-way doorknobs, check the custodian's closet at your school, pay attention to the ground under the soles of your shoes--If you feel a buzz beneath your toes, let me know."

Most of the story is told by Isabelle, but the author interrupts now and then to tell the reader some back story about fairies or magic. I loved the way the author spoke directly to the reader, admonishing her to pay attention or warning her about some fairy magic.

Highly, highly recommended for any reader who enjoys a funny story about a stange girl who doesn't really ever want to "fit it" with the popular kids, a girl who really wants to meet a witch and believes that she herself is a changeling planted in the real world by fairies. Isabelle will have many avid followers and that band of merry misfits will cheer when a true individual wins.

Grades 4-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the book from the publisher. I did not received moentary compensation for this review.

Fantasy Pick: Reckless

Reckless
by Cornelia Funke
Little Brown, 2010
394 pages

Funke has the unique talent of taking fairy tale creatures not really known by the American reading public and making them a part of our literary past. From men who become precious stones and warriors known as goyl to a fox who turns into a human girl, Reckless contains a myriad of fantasy creatures. Jacob Reckless sees a strange mirror in his father's study. He longs for his father who vanished mysteriously some years ago. Jacob walks through the mirror into another world. Only when his younger brother follows him and is cursed by a dark fairy, is Jacob ready to give up his adventures in the fairy tale world.

Jacob, Clara, and Will travel across dangerous territory inhabited by witches, dwarfs, evil goyl, and fairies. Every forrest is a danger, every tree a weapon. Readers will lose themselves in this fantasy world. Layer upon layer is well-developed and vividly told.

Recommended for fantasy collections grade 7-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I purchased this book for the middle school library. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this review.

YA Pick

Witch & Wizard
by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet
Little Brown and Company, 2009.
314 pages.

Teen readers will be drawn to this novel for three reasons: the large "W" ablaze dominating the cover, the words "witch" and "wizard" in the title, and those readers who followed the Maximum Ride series will want to read Patterson's latest YA novel.

Siblings Wisty and Whit Allgood are awakened in the middle of the night by armed thugs who arrest them, transport them to a "trial," and drop them off at a sadistic prison. The old government has been overthown and replaced by a maniac who refers to himself as "The One Who Is The One." The Allgood teens are dangerous to the new order because of their powers. Wisty and Whit discover that they are a witch and a wizard, respectively. As they begin to harness their powers, they befriend a ghost or "curve" who helps them escape the prison through the Shadowlands, a dangerous otherworld where spirits, and sometimes, humans, roam. Later, they join a gang of likeminded kids who hope to overthrow the new regime and fulfill a prophecy that kids will rule and peace will come.

This is a quick read with chapters only 2-4 pages in length. Each chapter ends on a suspenseful note to keep those pages turning. Action and adventure readers will enjoy this novel. Patterson continues to use a formula he has had past success with: working with another author who is comfortable in the children's and YA lit market. Charbonnet, with over 75 titles to her credit, is best known for the Babysitter's Club Baby Sister's books.

The ending of this novel makes possible a slew of sequels. As prolific a writer as Patterson is, he will likely churn out a whole series.

Recommended for YA collections. Grades 6-high school.