Intentions by Deborah Heiligman

263 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Wizard

Rachel idolizes Rabbi Cohn, a man she trusts, a man who is always willing to listen when she’s troubled and impart sage advice. However one day in the temple she overhears the Rabbi having sex with a woman who is not Mrs. Cohn. Rachel’s well ordered world begins to crumble as the knowledge of this secret weighs upon her. The lessons, the advice, all she has learned from the Rabbi come into question. Her parents are fighting and her grandmother has been deteriorating ever since her husband died. Rachel’s anger and disgust peak when she spies the Rabbi kissing her own mother. Her best friend, Alexis, acts like she’s outgrown her and does what she can to make Rachel feel like an outsider. Her boyfriend, Jake, is handsome and kind and their relationship seems perfect until an unfortunate incident with the Rabbi’s son jeopardizes it. The last remaining threads of her life shatter after a shoplifting episode with Alexis and the hospitalization of her grandmother. The story is told from the perspective of Rachel as an adult looking back. This is a contemporary, honest story about a young girl’s struggle with fallen heroes, faith, betrayal, love and most of all kavanah, the concept of acting with intention. Rachel’s inner monologues are authentic and will speak well to a teen audience.

(This book provided for review by Children's Lit - www.childrenslit.com)

 

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 The Golden door by Emily Rodda
264 ps.
Target audience: Ages 8 to 12
Rating: Wizard

The city of Weld is surrounded by an enormous wall that protects its citizens from the dangers outside. It is here that Rye lives with his mother and two older brothers, Dirk and Sholto. Now their safety is endangered when the flying creatures known as Skimmers begin their nightly attacks. The Warden of Weld issues a summons for volunteers over the age of seventeen to leave Weld on a quest to find and destroy whoever is responsible for the Skimmer invasion. The reward is marriage to the Warden’s spoiled daughter. Rye is not old enough but Dirk and Sholto sign up and never return. When Rye’s mistake brings a Skimmer attack on his home and crops, he and his mother move to the castle for protection. Convinced his brothers are still alive, Rye lies his way into the Chamber of magical Doors, picks the Golden door and leaves the city walls. Accompanied by an escaped orphan, Sonia, Rye ventures into the perilous unknown.  Will Rye ever find his brothers again? What if he went through the wrong door? And if he does find them, what will they have to do to stop the Skimmers? From the author of the Deltora series, comes a fantastic new trilogy full of magic, monsters and mayhem. Rye and his brothers are drawn with unique personality traits endowing the cast of characters with a more complex and realistic tone. Rye, unlike a more traditional hero, is motivated by finding his brothers and reuniting his beloved family rather than winning the prize at the end. The adventures are well-plotted and set the stage for the next exciting installment.

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

 

 

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Shadowfell  by Juliet Marillier

410 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Dragon

 Neryn’s only hope is Shadowfell, the famed but never spoken of training ground for rebels intent on freeing the Kingdom of Alban from the twisted and tyrannical rule of King Keldec. Neryn has the ability to see the Good Folk, a power she must keep secret or risk capture by the king’s Enforcers. She travels with her father from town to town and watches helplessly as he gambles away what little money they have left. One night her father goes too far and leaves her an orphan only to be rescued by a handsome hooded stranger, Flint, whose motives remain hidden. When Flint is not around, the voices of the Fey creatures whispering about prophecies and tests become impossible to ignore and Neryn allies herself with them. Her journey to Shadowfell is treacherous and brings her close to death and rescued again and nursed back to health by the mysterious Flint. She longs to confide in him, but he won’t tell her why he’s helping her or where he goes when he disappears. This is the first in a promising new series by a master of the fantasy genre in which strong characters and splendid plotting prevail.

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Keeper of the lost cities by Shannon Messenger

488 pgs.
Target audience: 8 to 12
Rating: Wizard

Sophie’s secret telepathic ability sets her apart from everyone. To keep the constant nagging voices away, she becomes a loner. On a school field trip to a museum, she meets a young boy who claims he can also hear thoughts. To prove his authenticity, Fitz transports Sophie to the Eternalia in the Land of Lumenaria where the elves live. Sophie learns that she is in fact an elf and must leave her human family forever. She’d always been an outsider, so finding out she’s not human makes a small bit of sense even though it pains her to say goodbye to that life. She is taken in by a couple who run a sanctuary for mythical creatures. Although she does make friends at her new school, there are those who oppose her return. Reading thoughts are not Sophie’s only powers, she is able to send thoughts as well. The gaps in her memory hold valuable secrets, information that others would kill for. Sophie is a simple yet likeable character, whose eagerness to harness her new powers and unveil the secrets in her mind make her a target. Dex, her best friend, is loyal and true, but there are many whom she shouldn’t trust. This a fast paced, well plotted fantasy debut with hints of a sequel.

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Ancient, strange, and lovely by Susan Fletcher

315 pgs.
Target audience: Ages 8-12
Rating: Dragon

As long as Bryn can remember the members of her family have possessed the unique talent of kenning or communicating with birds. Each child receives a bird at the age of five, Bryn’s is a cockatiel named Stella. After Bryn’s biologist mother disappears while on a research mission in Alaska, her father leaves Bryn and her younger sister with their Aunt Penn while he goes off to find out what happened. Late one night a mysterious thumping noise coming from the basement sends Bryn and Stella exploring through boxes of research material sent from Alaska. Amongst them she finds an egg, a very large egg which produces a faint thrumming noise. This egg is connected to her mom and is perhaps why she suddenly vanished and must be kept secret from Aunt Penn, so Bryn confides in the only person she can trust, her mom’s lab assistant, Taj. When word gets out to the wrong people about this egg and what the creature might be, things spiral quickly out of control putting Bryn and her critter in terrible danger. She must get to Alaska and find her mom or someone who will help to protect the critter. Her schoolmate, Sasha, agrees to drive her up to a ferry in Washington. Because of her ability to ken with birds, Bryn and her baby dragon form a strong bond. This stand alone title in the “Dragon Chronicles” series written more than ten years after “The sign of the dove,” proves that the author is a true master of the dragon tale. Bryn is a brave, genuine, modern heroine, one whom young readers will love. The baby dragon is a character as real as any person and will tug at the heart strings. It is a wild ride which will have readers on the edge of their seats. (Book provided for review by Children's Lit  - www.childrenslit.com)

 

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The Call of Eirian by C. Aubrey Hall

311 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Fairy

 In the second installment of “The Faelin Chronicles,” Cynthe and Diello make their way to their mother’s homeland, the realm of the Embarthi. Here they will seek refuge with their uncle, deliver the dangerous and powerful sword, Eirian, and rescue their kidnapped sister, Amalina. Dogged at every step by goblin attacks, the small group finally arrives in Embarthi to an unenthusiastic welcome. This is in part due to their mother’s betrayal to the royal crown and birthright. Could their journey have led them to a place no safer than the Antrasian realm of their childhood? Their family reunion takes a back seat to the intrigues of the royal court. More than half of the book recounts their journey to Embarthi which is cluttered with chatty and superfluous dialogue drowning the author’s attempt at character development. By the time the pace picks up, many readers will have lost interest. The cast of characters and map do serve as helpful storyline tools. For a more suitable choice in a quest  fantasy, recommend “The Great Tree of Avalon” series by T. A. Barron.
(Book provided for review by Children's Lit  - www.childrenslit.com)
 

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