Amos Daragon: the key to Braha by Bryan Perro
181 pgs.
Target audience:  Ages 8-12
Rating: Griffin

 In his second mission as Mask Wearer, Amos receives a gift from a mysterious young girl ending his life and  allowing him to travel into Braha, the City of the Dead, where souls await to be judged for heaven or hell. The Gods have shut the doors leading in either direction and Braha is overcrowded with souls needing to move on. His mission is to find the key to Braha and unlock the doors. The key’s whereabouts are unknown and Amos must rely on his wits and cleverness to follow the clues since his mask powers are useless there. The key can only be retrieved by someone who has died and come back to life. Amos is lured into this quest by factions in Braha wanting the key for themselves. He is aided and tricked by a kaleidoscope of stock and mythological characters. The main storyline gets bogged down in the petty rivalry between the gods and ruling powers in Braha making it a little confusing. Aside from Amos and his best friend, Beorf,  who are wonderfully fun heroes and easy to identify with, the secondary characters are one dimensional and don’t add much to the story. Although this story is fairly predictable and simplistic, young readers will delight in Amos’s adventure and the many fun mythological characters that appear. The author includes a mythological lexicon.  This would be a good series for kids who are testing the waters of the fantasy genre for the first time. (This book provided for review by Children's Lit www.childrenslit.com)

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Wonder show by Hannah Barnaby

274 pgs.

Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Wizard

It’s 1939 and the circus has come to town, bringing wonders for all ages. Young Portia goes with her father who is so enamored with what he sees that when the group pulls up stakes to leave, he takes off as well promising to return. Thirteen-year-old Portia, now run all out of family members, is shunted off to live at McGreavey’s Home for Wayward Girls. She and her fellow occupants are treated as little more than slaves by the miserly director, only known as Mister. Driven to desperation, Portia sets out on her own determined to find the one family member she has left, her dad. Her only clue is an announcement for a nearby circus and sideshow. This is her chance, she thinks, surely she’ll find her dad there. Among the freaks, marvels and normals she finds a home. Her role is to help Jackal with the bally where she uses her storytelling skills to win over the crowd. The story is told predominantly from Portia’s perspective with occasional chapters told by performers at Mosco’s Traveling Wonder Show. Although this makes for a disjointed style, it gives more depth to her growing relationships with those at the circus and shows how her new family evolves. This is a unique and quaint story which will ignite young imaginations and foster dreams of living under the Big Top. (This book provided for review by Children's Lit www.childrenslit.com).

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Xor: the shape of darkness by Moshe Sipper

295 pgs.
Target audience: Ages 9-14
Rating: Griffin

 On the day Lewis turns twelve, his life changes forever. His house is burned down killing his dad, leaving him alone, his mother having died in a car accident four years earlier. But that’s not all, Lewis is told he’s Lord Shaper from another planet, one which is in dire peril. Before he can come to grips with this alarming information, he’s taken to his home planet, Xor, where he receives shaper training. Things move pretty quickly for Lewis after this. Along with the Grand Magician, K’Bol, Professor Nand and Master Long, Lewis sets out on a quest to save Xor from the Realm Pirates who are destroying it piece by piece. This is a funny, imaginative and clever adventure perfect for middle readers, especially boys who love gadgets and inventions. The plot skips along at a nice pace right  up until the surprise ending. Lewis is a strong and likeable character, but the transition from curious, wide-eyed boy to the leadership role he plays in the quest is abrupt and feels unrealistic. The prologue about his mother’s accident though interesting does little to enhance the story. The dialogue could use some polishing to make it flow more naturally. The humor threaded throughout falls short when relying on popular culture, but zings with originality and authenticity when it stems from the author’s imagination. Moshe Sipper shows tremendous potential with this interplanetary debut. Recommend to fans of The true meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex and The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster.
(Book provided for review by the author)

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Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

320 pgs.

Target audience: Ages 8-12

Rating: Wizard

This is a stunning modern-day version of the snow queen. Hazel doesn't fit in either at home or at school. Nobody seems to see things the way she does. The truth always pales in comparison to what she can imagine and she can imagine quite a lot. Then there's Jack, the one person in the whole world who understands her. He lives next door and life, especially her dismal school with all its mundane occumpans, seems brighter. One day at school everything changes after Jack gets a piece of glass in his eye at school. Now Jack won't even talk to her and then simply vanishes. His parents won't tell her what happened and Hazel is beside herself with worry. Her parents try to explain that sometimes friends grow apart. Hazel is not convinced and panic sets in when she sees Jack at the edge of the forest with a mysterious woman made out of ice. So ignoring everyone'sadvice Hazael sets out into the wood on a journey to rescue her best friend. He's certainly under some sort of spell she thinks. This a heartfelt story of friendship, loyalty and determination. The frightening forest presents dangers both real and magical. Hazel is a very strong character who knows who she is and what she wants. Very likable and believable. Recommend to fans of Lewis' Narnia books.

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Seer of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier

432 pgs.

Target audience: Young adult

Rating: Dragon

The latest in the Sevenwaters series by Marillier introduces us to Sibeal, the fifth daughter of the Lord of Sevenwaters. She is a seer and druid in training. Her mentor, Ciaran, sends her to the island of Inis Eala to spend time with her sisters and determine whether the contemplative life of a druid is what she truly wants. When a ship suddenly shipwrecks on the island, she rescues a man who's washed up on shore and can remember nothing. The two other survivors, a Norseman and his mute wife add to the mystery of what happened to the ship. As Sibeal helps the stranger recover his memory, she finds herself emotionally drawn to him. The rich characters and compelling plot leave you wanting more. You need not read the first four books to enjoy this one. Some of the characters carry over from previous books, but there is enough explanation that it doesn't marr the reading experience. Although the first three of this series must be read in order, after that the stories become enough removed from the original three that they can be read independently.

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Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

304 pgs.

Target audience: Young adult and adult

Rating: Wizard

This was a wonderful melange of Victorian England and a bit of artistic magic. Enter two sisters who couldn't be more different. Jane, or as she calls herself Plain Jane, has a talent for magical glamour while the beautiful and flighty Melodie gets all the attention from the gentlemen. This is perfect for those Jane Austen fans who like a bit of fantasy. The magical element, which is purely to decorate and entertain underlines the romantic thread and doesn't overwhelm the story. It was a fun story to read and I had all sorts of imaginings of what type of glamours I'd create if I had that talent.

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Impossible and Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin
384 pgs. and 400 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon for both

Impossible and Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin I was about to read Extraordinary when I glanced at the inside jacket which called it a followup to Impossible. I'm usally a stickler for reading books in order, but sometimes I'm not aware and read them out of order anyway. So I read Impossible first and loved it.

Then I read Extraordinary and loved it just as much. Although they both deal with the fairy world affecting the human one in some significant way, they are very much separate stories. Neither the plots nor the characters are the same. So, if you happen to have access to Extraordinary and not Impossible, don't fret - you'll enjoy them no matter what the order. In Impossible, the story revolves around the family curse based on the ballad "Scarborough Fair" in which each woman in her family will become pregnant at the age of 17 and once the baby is born, go mad. After discovering the curse in her mother's diary, Lucy races to find the cure before it's too late. It is a gripping story urging you on until the end.

In Extraordinary, the problem begins with fulfilling a long ago pact with the Faerie Queen. Phoebe's new best friend, Mallory, isn't what she seems. Though she's a bit odd with her strange clothes and peculiar behavior, Mallory becomes like a sister to Phoebe. As the bond strengthens, Mallory loses sight of her main objective. Enter Mallory's brother, Ryland, who starts to make the moves on Phoebe. Although the last couple of chapters drag a bit, it is an charming story of friendship, loyalty, and betrayal.

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Museum of thievesby Lian Tanner (audiobook – read by Claudia Black)

6 discs                
Target audience: Ages 9-12
Rating: Dragon

 Goldie is twelve years old and lives in the city of Jewel,  a city where children are bound in guardchains for their own protection and subject to the whims of the all-powerful and abusive Blessed Guardians. Her only way out is at her separation ceremony when she’ll be a free citizen. However a bomb explodes in the city causing the event to be cancelled. This is too much for Goldie who takes matters into her own hands and runs away. She escapes into the ever-changing and mysterious Museum of Dunt. The three Keepers of the museum, Sinew, Herro Dan and Olga Ciavolga teach her to hone her skills in the fine art of thievery and show her the secrets to understanding and deciphering the varying moods of the museum. The local politician, the Fugelman, and his toadies, Guardian Hope and Guardian Comfort, have a diabolical plan to take control of the city. Goldie joins up with Toadspit, another runaway, the Keepers and a tame Brizzle Hound named Broo to fight for the safety of the people of Jewel and save the museum from destruction. Tanner takes the readers on a thrilling, heart pounding adventure. Goldie’s character is bold, resourceful and captivating. Her escapades through the bowels of the museum show her metamorphosis from the downtrodden child in the clutches of the Guardians to  laudable heroine . Claudia Black’s narration brings out each character’s unique tone and personality. The dialects and accents are flawlessly executed.   The pace is steady all the way to the cliffhanger ending. This story is a definite winner and recommended for all ages.

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The Enchantress: The secrets of Nicholas Flamel, volume 6 by Michael Scott.

509 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Griffin

 This sweeping saga comes to a close with a bang – a ten on the action Richter scale. There are earthquakes, collapsing bridges, monster battles, major magic, fighting atop a pyramid, and a spectacular airship crash into a legendary tree. The end of the world battle takes place on two planes. The Perenelles try to save San Francisco from the final monster invasion before their powers are depleted and they die. Sophie and Josh, the twins of legend, travel ten thousand years into the past with the magician Dr. Dee and Virginia Dare where they are coerced by Osiris and Isis to usurp Aten’s power and rule over Danu Talis. Of course beloved characters Scathach, Prometheus, Shakespeare, Joan of Arc and Palamedes make an appearance as well as more than a few new ones. Meanwhile dark elders are combining forces against those fighting on Alcatraz.Readers will be relieved that questions behind Abram’s prophecy “The two that are one must become the one that is all. One to save the world, one to destroy it” are nicely resolved. The author’s knowledge of mythology is astounding and he layers the plotline with the most fantastical, historical and legendary characters with customary ease. The story is so packed full, almost too full with multiple plotlines overlapping, long dead characters coming back to the story alive and well through time travel, major revelations, characters abruptly switching loyalties, a family reunion, and an all-out humani rebellion against the Elders. Despite its fractured and cluttered storyline, it is a satisfying conclusion to the series and a must for fans.

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The Death Catchers by Jennifer Ann Kogler

352 pgs.

Target audience: Young adult

Rating: Wizard

Books that take an offbeat approach always fascinate me. In Death Catchers, the main character, Lizzy, has to write a defense paper for her English class to save herself from flunking after failing to turn in her final paper. Ordinarily this would be a huge challenge for a highschooler, but her life takes an unexpected turn providing her with ample writing material. Lizzy finds out that like her grandmother, Bizzy, she is a Death Catcher. She can see someone's impending death as messages hidden in the written word. She writes her defense paper as a letter to her teacher, Mrs. Tweedy. Each chapter is titled after a literary technique or device such as mood, the archetype, irony, foreshadowing. Instead of making the story choppy, it is seamlessly done. The story moves quickly and teaches you about literary techniques without sounding preachy. It's witty and fun. To top it all off, both Lizzy and Bizzy are descendants of Morgan Le Faye and Lizzy's ultimate task is to protect King Arthur's last descendant. There will be a sequel and I will be there to read it.

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Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry

354 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Wizard

 Lena’s unnaturally elongated hands and fingers have always brought unwanted attention especially in a society where anyone with odd features is known as a Peculiar and an outlaw. All Peculiars are exiled to the northern land of Scree where they live and work in the coal mines. Lena's grandmother and family doctor claim that her hands and feet are the first sign of goblinism, traits passed on by her father who vanished into the land of Scree when Lena was still a child. They say her father was a bad egg which means she’ll turn out the same way. Now eighteen, Lena decides it’s time to find her father and get some answers. Her quest begins on a train where she meets Jimson, a young librarian on his way to Knoster, a city on the edge of Scree, to work in the private library of an eccentric inventor, Mr. Beasley. After an incident aboard the train, Lena loses her purse with most of her money and becomes a person of interest to the local marshal, Thomas Saltre. Upon reaching Knoster, Lena gets a job plus room and board as Jimson’s assistant in a most spectacular library in order to buy supplies for her trip to Scree. Thomas Saltre takes a keen interest in this development and uses Lena to discover the secret happenings at Mr. Beasley’s home, Zephyr House. Although Lena’s not sure Thomas’s motives are entirely honorable, she is baffled and curious about the odd comings and goings at her new job, justifying her meetings with the charming marshal. The more she snoops with Jimson, the more mysterious and possibly ominous her employer’s actions appear. This story takes place in the late 1800’s and has some steampunk flavor with Beasley’s inventions which include a steam-powered flying machine. Magic, adventure, gothic elements, romance, secrets and odd servants abound in this thrilling new fantasy. For cat lovers, there is Mr. Beasley’s marvelously resourceful, intelligent and loyal cat, Mr. Mumbles – read to find out why he’s called that, it will make you smile. My only criticism is that the cover is misleading, it depicts a blond girl with wings when she is in reality a minor character in the story.

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The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver

Advance Reader’s Copy, Pub date: 9/18/2012
246 pgs.
Target Audience: Ages 8-12
Rating: Wizard

Younger brothers can be annoying, messy, loud, candy-stealing pests and Liza’s Patrick is no exception. The realization that he is also cute, amusing and entertaining comes to late. It’s morning and the boy sitting opposite her at the kitchen table quietly, slowly and methodically eating his bowl of cereal is most definitely NOT her brother. Her worst fear has come true, the Spindlers, evil spider-like creatures who live underground, have stolen her brother’s soul and left this changeling, this not-Patrick in its place. Liza tries to convey this crisis to her parents who brush it off as their daughter’s overactive imagination. Determined not to give up on her brother, she sets  off on a quest down below to retrieve his soul. In this whimsical adventure Liza befriends a rat, battles tree snakes in the Live Forest, travels the perilous River of Knowledge and discovers the source of dreams. Author of Liesl and Po, Oliver delivers up a fanciful, magical, and wondrous tale that will captivate young readers, boys and girls alike. Recommend to fans of Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu or Thirteen Treasures by Michelle Harrison.

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The Vampire diaries: The Awakening and the struggle by L. J. Smith

492 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Wizard

 Regular or decaf, chocolate or vanilla? – Dark, moody, and mysterious or Dark, secretive and dangerous? Choices, choices, choices – what’s a girl to do? Elena is queen of Robert E. Lee High School and has it all including a doting boyfriend, Matt. The arrival of Stefan, the yummy new Italian student, has her mesmerized so much so that she’s willing to dump Matt in a heartbeat. But much to her annoyance Stefan seems completely indifferent to her presence. That is until she makes him notice. At the same time a dark shadowy force appears to dog her every step. Soon Stefan’s brother, Damon, joins the ranks of students. Elena gets caught up in a triangle with the Salvatore brothers unaware that their battle for her love stems from a long ago betrayal. How far will Damon go to steal her away from Stefan? This is an extremely fast moving, thrilling, can’t stop reading book. It is more about the characters and motivations and how they interact then a blood and gore vampire story. Recommend over the Twilight Saga for vampire fiction.

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XVI by Julia Karr

325 pgs.
Target audience:
Rating: Griffin

In this futuristic totalitarian world  each girl upon reaching the age of sixteen gets a government issued tattoo making them available for sex. All girls are primped and primed for years from a barrage of advertisements in preparation for this moment, so much so that they can hardly think of anything as that day approaches. It’s supposed to be for their protection, but instead it turns them into targets for every sex craved individual. Nina doesn’t want to become the typical sex-teen like her best friend Sandy. Nina’s mother is attacked and reveals the shocking truth with her dying breath. Now Nina and her younger sister, Dee move in with their grandparents. As Nina searches for the truth about her father’s disappearance, she is plunged into a world of secrets. If that’s not enough she has to keep one step ahead of her mom’s killer who may be someone she knows. This book starts really slowly and includes many acronyms which are not explained. But stick with it, once it picks up you won’t be able to put it down. Clearly there is strong cautionary message about teen sex, predatory marketing, media-obsessed public and social climbing and can get a bit heavy handed. However it is well written and will provoke some good discussions. Besides you’ll want to read the sequel - see my review.

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The  compelled. Vampire diaries, Stefan’s diaries; v. 6.

L. J. Smith
222 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Wizard

Stefan and Damon Salvatore are brothers bonded by blood and with completely opposite views on vampirism. Damon likes the devil may care, do what you want, take what you need approach. Stefan prefers the quiet life with humans hiding his true nature. The pattern is always the same – Damon creates a mess and Stefan cleans it up. These diaries are a chronological account of Stefan’s life as a vampire. The current crisis finds them in London in the late 1800’s  battling against a particularly vile and extremely deadly vampire named Samuel Mortimer, a foe whom they’ve failed to vanquish once already. Samuel has succeeded in compelling his way into the back pockets of the wealthy and the powerful. All he needs now is the heart of a purebred witch and he can take his final vengeance out on the Salvatore brothers whom he blames for killing his beloved Katherine decades earlier. A young girl, Cora, recently rescued from Samuel’s clutches joins forces with Stefan and Damon as well as a secret coven of witches to bring down Samuel and save the city of London. These volumes may be read individually with the understanding that they reflect a timeline. The author does fill in a few blanks about Katherine, the woman who started it all. This fast paced, thrilling vampire adventure pulls you in immediately with familiar faces and a wonderful cast of secondary characters. The London of Jack the Ripper is portrayed quite well. What is most compelling about this story is the relationship between the two brothers, their motivations, their choices, how their vampire nature reacts to each other and the human world around them. Instead of the Twilight saga, recommend this series to fans of vampire fiction.

(Book provided for review by children's lit www.childrenslit.com )

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Truth by Julia Karr
299 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Wizard

          The truth comes from multiple sources and has just as many interpretations. In Nina’s world the truth is whatever the Media says it is. Now that Nina is sixteen and has her tattoo,  everything she thought she knew about her life slowly disintegrates from lies and secrets to newly formed truths – the truth behind her mother’s sacrifice, the truth about her sister’s father, the truth about her father’s disappearance and the truth behind the government’s lies. The more the rebels push, the more dangerous life becomes. Nina’s grandparents  and her little sister, Dee, become targets forcing her to summon all her strength and courage, to put faith in new found friends and to trust her instincts. Nina moves from a passive to an active role in the rebellion. Her relationship with fellow rebel, Sal, becomes more confusing as her feelings grow stronger for her best friend’s brother, Chris. Unlike it’s predecessor this story starts out strong, maintaining the pace throughout. The characters are more developed and three dimensional, plus the author provides meanings for all the acronyms. While the first book focuses on what it means to turn sex-teen, get the tattoo and all it entails, this installment delves deeper into the secrets and lies hidden within the ruling government and the rebellion against it. Overall this was a thrilling look at a fascinating dystopian culture. Recommended for fans of Orwellian societies where the oppressed citizens are fighting the good fight.

(Book provided for review by Children’s Lit  www.childrenslit.com )

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