Story’s End Marissa Burt

353 pgs.

Target audience: Middle Reader

Rating: Wizard

 

In this compelling sequel to “Story’s End,” the Talekeepers’ lies are finally exposed – the lies about the Unbinding, the lies about the Muses breaking their oath, the lies about Story never having a King, and the biggest lie of all – how Tale Master Archimago defeated the Muses and saved Story. Una, Peter and their fellow rebels are working hard to educate all the characters about their true Backstory and to motivate them to fight against the Enemy, Fidelos, who has returned. Una, who was written in from the Land of Readers, has a secret of her own, one which could spell the end of all who live in Story. The Enemy is desperate to find the Lost Elements which would allow him to rewrite Story thereby eliminating all who oppose him. Fairy tales become topsy-turvy in this cleverly written fantasy. Since characters live in districts according to their genre like the Dystopians, Horror Hollow or the Romantics, there is something for everyone. The imagination  of the reader is stretched and pulled in thrilling new ways. After all, what child hasn’t dreamt of diving into a book’s story? The twists and turns, fairytale puns, overturned stereotypes will delight readers both young and old. For maximum enjoyment it is best to read “Storybound” first. Recommend to fans of “Inkheart” by Cornelia Funke. (This book provided for review by Children's Lit - www.childrenslit.com).

 

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The color of rain Cori McCarthy

351 pgs.

Target audience: Ages 13-17

Rating: Wizard

Rain has lost all members of her family, taken by the authorities, except her little brother, Walker, who desperately needs a cure for the Alzheimer-like disease that’s been decimating the population of Earth City. The sick, the Touched, are treated with contempt and disgust. Rain needs to get to the Edge where the Mecs could help him. To pay for this she’d do anything, even prostitution like her friend Lo. After Walker has an accident her plea for help is answered by a charming pilot, Johnny, and Ben, his Mec assistant. Johnny offers her safe passage in return for her complete willingness. Despite Ben’s whispered warnings she agrees. Once on board, Walker is frozen in a capsule for the duration. She awakens to find dozens of girls like herself including Lo classified by color and pimped out to crew and passengers. Rain is made a red which means she’s exclusively Johnny’s girl. Fierce competition and fear keep the girls alive. Johnny’s methods are cruel and sadistic and he’s intensely possessive of his redhead. Rain is determined to visit her brother and with Ben’s reluctant help she discovers the true mission of this strange ship and what it means to the missing Touched from Earth City. This well written story is fast paced, nerve-wracking, and disturbing all at the same time. Rain is a likeable character and her plight is so horrific that the reader can’t help but root for her. The sex is mercifully not romanticized and details glossed over but the violent punishment and retribution dealt by Johnny are graphic and not for the faint at heart. Rain’s terror of what Johnny might do to her brother and her confusion about Ben's motives for helping her ring true. Recommended for older teens. (This book provided for review by Children's Lit - www.childrenslit.com)

 

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Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

369 pgs.

Target audience: Young Adult

Rating: Wizard

 

Despite the family tradition, Vanessa applies to the New York Ballet Academy because she needs to discover what happened to her sister, Margaret. She disappeared in her freshman year from the same institution after being cast in the lead role in the school production, The Firebird. It will come as no surprise that Vanessa is also chosen for the lead role by the perfectionist and overbearing choreographer, Josef. The male role is given to the gorgeous and charming Zeppelin who takes a keen interest in Vanessa despite his relationship with the senior queen bee, Anna. Another student, Justin, who’s secretive and standoffish manner keeps her from heeding his advice to avoid Zep. Along with the usual struggles against initiation rites, grueling schedules and senior cliques, she and her friends try to solve the mystery of Margaret’s disappearance. When one of her friends drops out without any obvious reason and the school seems oddly unconcerned, the girls’ research leads them to some frightening facts about the school’s bizarre reputation for student disappearances – each one cast in the lead role to perform Josef’s tailor made “Danse du Feu.” The rehearsal room with its eerie blackened wall with white dancing silhouettes, demonic summoning and ritualistic dancing take this teen romance to the next level. The story starts slow but picks up pace with the added supernatural element and becomes hard to put down. The descriptions of the ballet steps and routines are realistic and add to the believability of the plot. This debut balances teen romance, mystery and the occult well and leaves the reader anxious for more after the cliffhanger ending. (This book provided for review by Children's Lit - www.childrenslit.com)

 

 

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Hocus Pocus Hotel Michael Dahl

Illustrated by Lisa K.Weber

204 pgs.

Target audience: Ages 8 to 11

Rating: Wizard

 

Today at Blackstone Middle School, Charlie Hitchcock or Hitch, like so many unfortunate souls before him, receives the dreaded summons from the school bully, the biggest boy in seventh grade, Tyler Yu. But when he meets Ty in a back alley it is not to use Charlie as a punching bag, but to make use of is famous detecting skills. Ty lives with his parents in the Abracadabra Hotel which was built as a refuge for retired magicians. The prospects of Ty using his wages to buy his dream motorbike drop when a magician disappears before Ty can collect his rent money. Other odd and spooky happenings prompt this unlikely pair to form an investigative team. Ty’s knowledge of the hotel layout and Hitch’s acute visual memory plus cryptic messages from the elevator operator ensure success.  The boys turn the hotel upside down while discovering lots of magician’s tricks as they go. Brightly colored illustrations combined with the Sherlockian notes drawn in black and white by Hitch are sure to appeal to the budding detective who can use Hitch’s diagrams to solve the mystery along with them. This delightfully funny and entertaining first volume will surely become a fan favorite. (This book provided for review by Children's Lit - www.childrenslit.com)
 

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