Fyre by Angie Sage

Illustrated by Mark Zug
Target audience: Ages 8 to 12
Rating: Dragon

Sage wraps up the “Septimus Heap” series with the mastery of a true storyteller. She weaves all the threads of the six previous volumes together into a magnificent tapestry. Nearly all the characters are reunited in the final attempt to vanish the Darke forever. Marcellus Pye is busy deep beneath the castle intent on Awakening the Fyre which can be unpredictable and difficult to control. It is the only known substance powerful enough  to DeNature the Two-Faced Ring which holds the essence of the two most dangerous and powerful Darke Wizards. Over five hundred years ago the first Extraordinary Wizard, Hotep-Ra, trapped them in the ring and it is now Sealed inside the Wizard Tower.  Marcia suspects Marcellus is up to more than rebuilding the Alchemie Tower and Alchemie Way, so she assigns Septimus to him for one month. Septimus is torn between his desire to learn more about Alchemie and his love for his work at the Wizard Tower. Jenna is crowned queen and is determined to save the Dragon Boat, whose heartbeat she can no longer hear. Will the past come back to haunt them and pull them back into the Darke Domaine or will our Magykal troupe save the kingdom once again? Fans of this series will not be disappointed and get exactly what they expect from this gifted writer – swamp snakes, magical bowls, flying dragons, secret chambers, ghostly encounters, Fyre creatures, Djinn transformations, royal coronations, maps, humor, fabulous illustrations and much much more. We can only hope that Sage will continue to entertain us with more fantasy. It would be advisable to read this series in order. (This book provided for review by HarperCollins).

 

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Jinx by Sage Blackwood

360 pgs.
Target audience: Middle Reader
Rating: Dragon

Jinx lives up to his name, at least at first. His parents die and leave him their hut in one of the many clearings throughout the ancient Urwald forest. After his hut burns down, Jinx is shuttled off to his less than enthusiastic step-parents, Bergthold and Cottawilda, who after the arrival of their new baby see Jinx as rather unnecessary. The Urwald is a perilous place and those who stray from the path are easy prey for trolls, werewolves and other beasts plus wizards whom everyone knows are up to no good, especially the one named Bonemaster who “sucks out people’s souls with a straw.” Be wary and stick to the path is a rule known to each and every child. But one day Bergthold takes Jinx deep into the forest off the path and leaves him there. The wizard, Simon Magus, mysteriously appears and decides to take Simon in to help out with chores around his house. Even though Simon is a wizard, Jinx, knows it’s a far better fate than being alone in the Urwald. Jinx has a secret -  he can see people’s feelings as colored clouds. The work he performs makes him strong, but it’s the magic in Simon’s lab that draws his interest. Simon finally agrees to teach him to read and let him help out in his lab. As Simon explores the house and it’s immediate surroundings, he discovers that he can listen to the trees talk. Simon says there’s not been a Listener in over a hundred years and insists it’s just a myth anyway. Jinx runs away to find Simon’s witch friend, Dame Glammer, after a spell Simon casts takes Jinx’s power away. His adventures in the forest include making new friends, battling monsters, and sneaking into the dreaded Bonemaster’s lair. Each of the three adventurers has a problem that can only be alleviated by wizard magic. Jinx knows the trees are afraid of what is coming and that he and his companions must save the forest or all is lost, but whom can they trust? Simon who betrayed him, Dame Glammer who gave Simon the ingredients for that horrible spell or the Bonemaster whose motives are unclear. Blackwood has created a thrilling new fantasy filled with the characters you love to root for and deliciously tricky wizards. The reader won’t know what to expect next. Jinx may have an unlucky name, but his ingenuity, magic, and never-ending desire to help others make him the luckiest one of all. Let us hope for a sequel because no doubt Jinx and his companions will have many more adventures kids will love to read about. (Book provided for review by HarperColllins)

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A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff

Target audience: Middle Reader
Rating: Dragon
 

Cady lives in a magical land where most people have a special talent, those without talents are called Fair. Cady’s talent is baking cakes, in fact, her skill is so formidable she need only look at someone to be able to bake that person’s perfect cake. Miss Mallory’s talent is matching orphans with the perfect family. Cady is the last remaining orphan at the House for Lost Girls in Poughkeepsie, NY. Her adoption sets into motion a destiny that leads her to the Lost  Luggage Emporium, multiple powder blue suitcases, and an apartment building where young Marigold desperately searches for her special talent. The Owner is a Talent Thief putting everyone within his reach at terrible risk. This delightful tale is told from multiple viewpoints with Cady’s cake recipes sprinkled throughout. Katie Honaker easily conveys the warmth and charm with a well paced narrative. She uses pitch and tone to indicate slow and fast changes in the dialogue making the listener feel as if he or she is part of the story. Each recipe is accompanied by cheerful, jaunty music and the addition of baking sounds like beating eggs, clatter of pots and pans in the kitchen during the instruction part is pure genius. The author  has created a puzzle of seemingly random events and people and with slow precision has untangled these knots to reveal a large interconnected circle of family, friends, destinies and a place of belonging. Recommend to fans of “Savvy” by Ingrid Law. (This audio was provided by Penguin Audio)

Audiobook details:

Read by Katie Honaker
Publisher/Date: Penguin Audio 2/15/13
Unabridged
Listening length: 4 hrs., 9 mins.

 

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Viva Jacquelina! by L. A. Meyer

360 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

In this tenth volume of the “Bloody Jack” series, Jacky Faber is on assignment for British Intelligence. Her mission is simple: proceed to Spain and spy on Napoleon and the French for the crown. However nothing is ever simple when it comes to Jacky, adventurer and mischief maker extraordinaire. After she becomes separated from her travel companions and arrives in Spain alone, she makes her way to the Iberian Peninsula where she is to translate for the commander of the British Forces. The Peninsular War against Napoleon leaves Jacky alone again and far from Madrid. Armed with her trusty shiv, fiddle, seabag and her wits, Jacky finally comes to Madrid and secures a job as an assistant and model for the famous painter, Fransisco Goya. Jacky’s usual spunky charm and jaunty flair places all the male students at studio Goya under her spell. The one female student, Carmelita is not convinced and in a jealous rage betrays Jacky to the now underground Spanish Inquisition. The non stop adventure and hijinks don’t let up even at the end. Will Jacky ever make it to China to reunite with her true love, Jaimy? In the immortal words of the famous Jacky Faber, “…I didn’t have much money left, but, hey, I had my fiddle and my wits. What more did I need?” Readers will delight in this fantastic, historical romp filled with songs, love, battles, disguises, betrayal and will greatly anticipate the subsequent volume. (Book provided for review by Children's Lit - www.childrenslit.com)

 

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The throne of glass  by Sarah J. Maas

406 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan’s most notorious assassin. Why has she been retrieved from the slave mines of Endovier and brought to the king’s castle? She has been chosen to compete against other worthy opponents in a series of tests to become the king’s own champion. Victory ensures her freedom after serving four years as champion. The task seems simple enough to someone whose skills are that of legend. For this reason she is made to enter the competition under an assumed name so her opponents will only see a common female thief. The Captain of the Guard, Chaol Westfall, oversees her training while Prince Dorian has his own motives for supporting her. As the tests begin, an evil magic stirs in the castle and one by one the competitors are found brutally killed. What once started as a means to secure her freedom, now has become a race to find the culprit behind the attacks and avoid becoming it’s next victim. Celaena struggles with her growing feelings for her handsome trainer and Prince Dorian’s romantic overtures. This is a fabulous first entry in a compelling new fantasy series. It has mystery, suspense, adventure, magic and romance. What more could you ask for?

 

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Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

410 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

Elisa, the newly appointed queen of Joya D’Arena, struggles to maintain her power. Despite her recent victory over an army of the Invierne sorcerers, her authority is met with resistance from Lord Conde Eduardo and Lord General Luz-Manuel who have been the ruling power for decades and who are not willing to give it up. They view her as too young and inexperienced and thwart her decisions at every turn. Her only recourse is to marry and the Quorum members eagerly put forth their favorite candidates. But Elisa, whose heart still belongs to Lord Hector, balks at taking any of them as a prince consort. Multiple assassination attempts by the Animagi force Elisa to harness the power of her Godstone and fulfill her destiny. In order to  accomplish this, the young queen, Lord Hector and her nurse Ximena  lead a small party south on a secret quest to find the mythical source of her power. They travel through tunnels, catacombs, over a dangerous sea, up treacherous mountains following cryptic clues and paths. Faith, love, loyalty, betrayal and a healthy dose of adventure complete this stunning sequel to The Girl of Fire and Thorns. The dramatic ending leaves the future of Elisa and Hector’s love and the fate of Joya D’Arena hanging in the balance. There is enough detail for  first time readers to enjoy it, but be assured they will then rush back to read the first one.

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Adaptation by Malinda Lo

386 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

The sky is falling! – well not really, but flocks of birds are falling to earth after causing planes all over the world to crash and burn. The airports are locked down, curfew is imposed and Reese and David on their way back to San Francisco after a debate tournament are trapped in the Phoenix airport. Their debate coach secures a rental car, but the exit routes are clogged with other travelers desperate to reach home. They finally end up making it as far as rural Nevada where their coach is killed in a carjacking at a gas station. Terrified, Reese and David flee north, but a bird flies into the windshield sending the car tumbling into a ditch. Reese and David wake up in a strange military hospital right in the middle of Area 51. They’ve both been operated on and appear completely healed. They sign non-disclosure statements and are escorted back home. Things get even weirder when Reese notices that her scars aren’t just healed, they’ve disappeared as if the accident never even happened. Her memories are sketchy except for a bizarre reoccurring dream. David is experiencing similar anomalies. Reese meets and falls for the beautiful and alluring Amber Gray, while harboring feelings for  David. This brief romantic  interlude seems random,  but Amber is later revealed to be at the center of the government’s web of secrecy. Disaster, government conspiracies, miraculous medical procedures, create a heart pounding science fiction thriller.

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Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris.

445 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

They say that when you die, your life flashes before your eyes. But for seventeen-yr.-old Tenner, that slideshow is cut short when her heart starts beating again and she opens her eyes to see the face of a boy she hardly knows from high school looming over her. Even as she tries to return to her regular routine, the knowledge that Ben brought her back to life gnaws at her to the point that she goes snooping in her FBI father’s files about the accident that should have claimed her life. She discovers that the driver of the truck suffered horrible burns not consistent with a head on crash and evidence of a mysterious countdown. Somehow she knows that all this is connected with Ben’s healing powers. After someone she loves is killed, Tenner stops at nothing to get to the truth. Who is Ben and why did he revive her? Where are all the burned bodies coming from? As she slowly uncovers Ben’s secrets, she unravels the mystery, but will it be in time to save her world and the boy she’s falling for? This is a great page turner, I couldn’t put it down.

 

 

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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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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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Such Wicked Intent by Kenneth Oppel (The apprenticeship of Viktor Frankenstein, book two)

310 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Dragon

After the death of his son, Konrad, Viktor’s grieving father burns down the dark library. It was there that Viktor, Henry and Elizabeth used the ancient tomes to produce the elixir of life which in the end failed to save Konrad’s life. One mysterious book survives the flames and gives Viktor hope of getting his twin brother back. He and Elizabeth discover a portal to the spirit world in which the Chateaux Frankenstein exists with the dark library intact and where Konrad is trapped. They decide to use an ancient spell to grow Konrad a new body out of mud and a bit of hair. The new Konrad grows at an alarming rate and forms a special bond with Elizabeth. The spirit world is seductive and returning there becomes impossible to resist – for Elizabeth because she’s reunited with Konrad whom she misses and desperately loves and for Viktor because of the power and vast knowledge it gives him. What they do not know is that with each visit a monstrous evil trapped in the caves below feeds on their power and life force while growing ever stronger. This deliciously gothic series which began with Dark Endeavour gets even better with this latest installment. Viktor’s desire to bring back his brother builds into a deeper, much darker obsession, which will eventually consume him. His need to play God over life and death puts a strain on his relationship with Henry and Elizabeth. His original plan to save his brother’s life becomes less an less about family and more about the power he obtains. It is a fascinating look at power, obsession, family and life over death.

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Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl

201 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Dragon

Crawley castle, a fool designed structure perched on a cliff edge, is in desperate need of maintenance. In addition to keeping the home repairs at bay, seventeen-yr.-old Althea must support her widowed mother and two stepsisters who claim to have no money. Her only solution is to marry rich and to do it quickly. She sets her sights on Lord Boring who has newly arrived to stay with relatives. Unfortunately Lord Boring never seems to be without the company of his cousin and business manager, Frederics, who derails Althea’s well-laid plans at every turn. Her stepsister, Charity, also aspires to become Lady Boring and unlike the impoverished Althea, she has a healthy dowry. This is a delightful read perfect for fans of Jane Austen. Althea is strong, clever, courageous and brazenly bold. Her fierce devotion and love for her family and ancestral home captures the heart and doesn’t let go. The author effortlessly transforms the relationship between Althea and Fredericks from annoyed acceptance to respectful alliance and finally to love. The humor is witty and light, especially Althea’s constant inner monologues. Although this book is targeted for a young adult audience, adult readers will find much to like, particularly those familiar with Georgette Heyer’s regency romances.

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Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (Advance Reader's Copy - to be published Feb 2013)

452 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Dragon

Get ready for a full-blast, futuristic roller coaster ride of fairytale fun in this spectacular sequel to Cinder. Scarlet lives and works with her grandmother on a farm in the small rural French town of Rieux. Her grandmother has gone missing and disgusted with the lack of success by the police in finding her, Scarlet sets out on her own to find out what happened. When a strange, charming and very handsome man named Wolf claims he can help her, Scarlet cautiously agrees. Meanwhile cyborg and missing Lunar princess, Cinder, escapes from the castle prison and with the unexpected help of another prisoner manages to elude capture on a stolen military ship. The worlds of Cinder an Scarlet collide when Cinder tracks down the woman who rescued her from Queen Levana when she was a child and by saving her life made her into a cyborg. Lunar Queen Levana raises the stakes in her war against the commonwealth by creating an army of human-wolf hybrids. The action is non-stop propelling the reader through the book at lightning speed. The new characters are integrated smoothly into the familiar structure emerging from the pages as if they’d belonged there all along. The author blends fantasy and science fiction into a wholly new and compelling concoction. If you love gripping action, fantastic plot and characters, and stellar writing, don’t miss out on this fabulous series, though it is recommended that they be read in order.

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Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

451 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Dragon

In the kingdom of Goredd, a peace treaty allows dragons and humans to live together. However there are those on both sides who will stop at nothing to dismantle this agreement. Fear and mistrust run rampant among the citizens as the treaty anniversary approaches. Seraphina has a secret, one which she must keep hidden from both sides. Her mother was a dragon and her father a human, making her half dragon. As a uniquely gifted musician Seraphina is engaged as a music teacher under the tutelage of Viridius, the court composer. Her only confidant is her mentor and dragon uncle, Orma, who creates a counterfeit mother to disguise his niece’s true heritage. No sooner is Seraphina ensconced in her new job than Prince Rufus is found decapitated implicating a draconian killer. The arrival of the leader of the dragon world, Ardmagar Comonot, does little to alleviate the already tense atmosphere. Seraphina befriends her student, Princess Glisselda and the devilishly handsome Prince Lucian Kiggs, fiancé to Glisselda. Together Seraphina and Kiggs uncover a secret plot to assassinate the Ardmagar and to break the treaty. Although Seraphina’s intimate knowledge of dragon culture serves to be invaluable to their investigations, she worries that her continual need to lie will jeopardize not only her friendship with Kiggs and the princess but put the kingdom in danger. This is a brilliantly written book and so engrossing it’s very hard to put down.  The plot is fantastic, unique and intricate and like a good stew, the more it simmers the better it gets. Readers will savor each delicious moment. There is a cast of characters and a glossary at the end.Plus it has a fabulous cover. The only thing missing is a map.

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The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

432 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

This book is adventure at its finest. Elisa is the youngest princess of Oravalle, chosen at birth as the new bearer of the Godstone. As such she is destined to perform a great service. Overshadowed by her much thinner, more beautiful sister, Elisa doubts her worthiness. In a political move, she's betrothed to the king of a neighboring kingdom. No sooner has she arrived in Joya d'Arena to take on her new responsibilities, when a rebel faction kidnaps her. She's suddenly faced with obstacles almost too onerous to bear, but she slowly gains confidence in herself and the trust of others. There's danger, political intrigue, battles, betrayal and just the right amount of romance. Fans of Tamora Pierce's books will love this book. I certainly hope that Rae continues to write because it was a joy to read.

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Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriott
447 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon


The author weaves together a very different tale of Cinderella, one which is richly textured with layers of emotion and set in a fairytale-like Japan. Suzume is not your typical damsel in distress. She is in fact strong and very brave. She barely escapes with her life after witnessing the brutal murder of her father and cousin by soldiers. Her mother soon marries Terrayama,  an old family friend from one of the prestigious noble families. Our young protagonist also happens to be a Shadow Weaver, she can create illusions and be whoever she wants to be. When she discovers Terrayama is in fact the man responsible for the attack on her father, she uses her skill to transform into one persona after the next almost losing her true self in the process. Her thirst for revenge becomes an obsession so dark and encompassing that she turns away from the one who truly loves her. Grief, guilt, self-loathing, revenge, passion, friendship and love are the emotions evoked by this brilliantly written story. The characters are strong and the plot compelling. The author deftly touches on the delicate topics of self-mutilation and sexual identity in this astonishingly unique take on a classic love story. Readers will fall in love with this mesmerizing romance.

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Scorch Trials by James Dashner
384 pgs
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

Intense does not even come close to describing this gripping, heart-pounding sequel to Maze Runner. Thomas and his companions manage to escape the horrifying maze only to have the briefest of normal moments before they're catapulted into the desolate and blistering wasteland of the Scorch. Desperate to receive the promised cure to a deadly virus called the flare, they are forced to navigate their way through mobs of zombie-like flare victims, unnaturally huge storms and monsters in order to reach the safe haven by the two week deadline. The enormous physical and emotional stress transforms trust into fear and betrayal.The high energy plot moves at a frenetic pace, twisting and turning and placing the kids in hair-raising and often visually painful scenarios. It is not a story for the weak at heart. Although the author does provide a few answers to the burning questions posed in the series, whether W.I.C.K.E.D, World in Catastrophe Kill-Zone Experiment Department, is good or evil continues to remain a mystery. Scorch Trials firmly places this thrilling, brilliant, and terrifyingly realistic series on the forefront of teen dystopian fiction.

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Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
539 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

Synopsis from inside front cover
"In a world where a small percentage of people have an extreme skill called a Grace, King Leck's Grace allowed him to tell lies that everyone believed.
     When Bitterblue became queen at ten years old, she thought her father's murder meant the end of his violent, sociopathic influence.
     She was wrong.
     The intensely anticipated companion to the New York Times bestsellers Graceling and Fire is even more 'rageful, exhilarating, wistful,' and romantic. Now eighteen and believing her advisers are overprotecting her, Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle at night to walk the streets of her own city, disguised and alone -- risking her life as well as her heart."

Review

Epic and high fantasy fans will love this book, they will curl up and sink into this spellbinding and delectably thick fantasy like a big comfy armchair. Even though Bitterblue is a sequel, it can be enjoyed as a standalone. But rest assured, once readers are pulled into this world, they won't want to leave until they've consumed them all. Bitterblue is a strong entry in this magnificent saga with inspiring characters and a powerful plotline. The inner battles the young Queen faces in order to heal her kingdom from the horrifying abuses of her father, King Leck, will have readers completely transfixed and wanting to help. Fans of Graceling will be happy to find that Katsa and Po and other familiar characters play an integral role and will be enchanted by the host of new characters including a sexy and charmingly reckless love interest for Bitterblue. There's plenty going on within the castle walls, on the streets of Bitterblue City and the neighboring kingdoms to keep readers captivated and to leave them wanting more from this gifted fantasy writer.  The who's who guide and beautifully rendered maps are just icing on the cake. Recommended for fans of other epic sagas such as the Pellinor quartet by Alison Croggon and the Seven Realms books by Cinda Williams Chima.

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Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
308 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

Synopsis from inside front cover

"It isn't easy being Sunday's child, not when you're the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday's only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes as a terrible tendency to come true.
     When Sunday meets an echanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night, Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland -- and a man Sunday's family despises.
     The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction to this prince she barely knows? and what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past -- and hers?"


First I must say that I simply adore fairy tales and the only thing better is retelling fairy tales and Alethea Kontis most definitely has the gift. From the synopsis you'd think it was a simple Frog Prince story, but oh no, this story is so much more. Into the love story of Sunday Woodcutter and her handsome frog turned prince, she weaves subtle hints and flavorings of many other tales including Cinderella, Princess and the Pea, Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk, Warrior Princess, Rumpelstiltskin, and The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe. She does this so seemlessly throughout the book that you don't even notice at first -- it's just part of the story. This technique gives it depth and richness.

"Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace.
Wednesday's child is full of woe.
Thursday's child hsa far to go.
Friday's child is loving and giving.
Saturday's child works hard for a living.
But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day
Is blithe and bonny and good and gay."

I loved this verse and how the meanings were slowly revealed as the story progressed. I found myself going back and re-reading the lines when certain sisters were highlighted. The two meddling fairy godmothers good and evil were aptly named as Joy and Sorrow. All the threads are brought together in the end making this a wondrous, romatic and ethereal fantasy.I enjoyed this book immensely and look forward to more from this author. Perfect for fans of Jessica Day George.

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Maze Runner by James Dashner
 400 pgs.
Targe audence: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon (would give even higher if I had a higher rating)

Synopsis from inside front cover
"When Thomas wakes up in thelift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is a blank. But he's not alone. When the lift's doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade - a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.
Just like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they've closed tight. And every 30 days anew boy h as been delivered in he lift.
Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up - the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more suprising yet is the message she delivers.
Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind."


Wow, wow, wow is this book good! I listened to this on audio and it was amazing. What I liked first was that you are as clueless to what's going on as the protagonist, Thomas. The author doles out information very slowly so that you become so hopelessly hooked that you could not stop even if you wanted to. Twists and turns and unexpected revelations. Very suspenseful and thought provoking. The world of the glade and maze Dashner has created is brilliant and terrifying all at the same time. The characters seem real and you feel for them, well feel for most of them. I felt like I was going through the terror of their life and their desparate need for escape myself as I listened. I found myself looking for excuss to drive just to listen to it which is an absurd waste of gas, but I couldn't help it. It is that good. This is an absolute must for fans of Hunger Games.

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