Fantasy/Sci Fi

Author Title Rating Reading level

Abe, Shana The Sweetest Dark Excellent 9 & up

Eleanor is an orphan living in London in the early 1900s. She's a little unusual. She hears beautiful, haunting music all around her and there's a voice that speaks to her, silent to all but her. They consumed her and she kept them secret until the day she didn't. On that day, she was committed to a hospital until she learned to lie very well. Upon her release, she finds herself on the way to an exclusive boarding school for girls as a charity case. It's not an easy existence but she's learned to be tough. Out in the beautiful country side, Lora discovers that her songs and voice are back but different, more intense. She is drawn to two boys; Jesse is the beautiful grounds keeper whose song seems to pull on her and Armand is the wealthy and haughty aristocrat who has more than a few secrets of his own. Both boys vie for her attentions. One sings for her the other holds her future. Soon, however, the outside world invades, threatening all they have and in smoke and gold hides their salvation

Alexander, Lloyd Rope Trick Excellent 6-8

Magic tricks, illusions, and dancing pigs are all a part of Lidi's life. She is Princess Lidi and her Magical Mystifications travel the country side putting on shows for local townsfolk. She is an acceptional magician, a natural. But there is one trick that she desperately wanted to learn - the rope trick. There was only one person who knew the secret, a great magician, Ferramondo. She and Jericho went from place to place seeking this elusive magician so that Lidi could learn this trick for she thought it would make their fortune. Along the way, they meet young Daniella who has the power to prophesy and Julian, a fugitive from the law. At each town, they meet someone who knows of Ferramondo and they learn bits and pieces about him but none has ever witnessed the rope trick. When Daniella is kidnapped by a greedy man who wants to use her powers for his own gain, Lidi must abandon her dreams of finally learning the rope trick. When she gives up the one purpose in her life for something more important, she finds her true power and a life she could never have imagined.

Anderson, Jodi Lynn Tiger Lily Excellent 8 & up

Tiger Lily is a fierce and brave girl who doesn't need anyone. She is the best hunter in her village, which doesn't endear her to the boys. She is fearless and curious...not a great combination! On Neverland Island, there is much to fear. Mermaids inhabit the lagoon with their beautiful eyes and razor sharp teeth. Pirates in search of a treasure greater than gold will kill on sight. Most feared of all, though, are the Lost Boys and their ruthless leader Peter Pan. When Peter and Tiger Lily meet, it's like two rocks clashing together. It changes both of them from what they were into something else. But Tiger Lily has a secret that will destroy all they have together and it's a secret that she can't keep forever. When betrayal comes, Tiger Lily does the unthinkable and that act will drive an ocean between them.

Amory, Jay The Fledgling of Az Gabrielson Very good 7 & up

There are two races of people. The Airborn live above the clouds where it is always sunny and beautiful. With an 8 foot span of their beautiful wings, getting around up there is not difficult for most of them. The Groundlings live on the down below on the earth where it is always cloudy, gray and rainy. There are many dangers lurking and getting around for them can be life-threatening. Az is an Airborn but one who has never fit in. He was born with no wings. He struggles with his winglessness until the day he is selected for a special assignment. Something is stirring down below. The Airborn have taken the Groundlings for granted so long that no one knows if they even still exist. When the massive automated elevators begin to arrive with no supplies, upon which the whole Airborn society depends, someone has to go down and discover the cause. Az is the perfect candidate, because of his resemblance to the Groundlings. Upon his arrival, Az finds a nearly incomprehensible society. They seem to worship the Airborn and try to live their lives in such a way that , when they die, they will deserve to Ascend and become an Airborn. There is a group of people, however, who have begun to question this belief and they are becoming increasingly restless. Az will soon have to fight for his life and the life of a young Groundling girl who helps him.

Anderson, M. T. The Game of Sunken Places Very good 6-8

It was a strange, old fashioned invitation that the boys receive. Stranger still is their arrival at the mansion of Gregory's uncle, Max. Brian and Gregory are instructed to change for dinner but not into any of the clothes they brought with them. Instead, Uncle Max has them wear clothing from the Victorian era, complete with starched white collars and knickerbockers. The strangeness does not stop there. Soon they are drawn into a bazaar game where trolls are real and answers to riddles can either save your life or take it. They don't know what the rules are or that the stakes are life and death or even who their opponents are. The boys must use all their wits and a good deal of humor to get through the sometimes traumatic events in the game, the conclusion of which catches both of them by surprise.

Arbuthnott, Gill Keepers' Tattoo Excellent 7 & up

Dreams are always strange and sometimes terrifying. Nyssa has dreams of a place she's never been and of a deathly white man she's never met. For years, she's thought they were just dreams but recently, she begins to wonder if they aren't something more. Sometimes, when she's dreaming, she feels like she's seeing things through someone else's eyes. When dangerous men come to her village searching for her, things she never knew about herself are revealed. She is part of a clan called the Keepers. They are a legendary people who supposedly both saved and destroyed the Archipelago when Shadowmen invaded hundreds of years ago. The Keepers were scattered and their traditions became just rumors, stories told around fires. But now, Nyssa knows they are real and she is one of them; one of the most important. On her head was tattooed part of a verse used to vanquish the Shadowmen. The other part was tattooed on her twin brother, who was killed 10 years earlier when Alaric and his new Shadowmen attacked their settlement. Now, Nyssa and her uncle are on the run on a seemly hopeless quest to find out if the words have the power of legend and to keep that power from falling into Alaric's hands. With the help of her uncle, a young singer and a mysterious boy who will not speak, Nyssa will have to find the strength to fight the White Wolf for her life and her people.

Atwood, Margaret The Penelopiad Fair 8 & up

Have you ever wondered what the classical stories we've all heard would change if told from the female perspective? Penelope, Odysseus' faithful wife tells her version of events and it's quite different from Homer's. She speaks of her success at managing Odysseus' estates and affairs but also how she kept would-be suitors at bay. She explains what lead up to the hanging of the 12 maids and how horrible she felt about it. And all of it comes from Penelope as she walks through the afterlife, reliving her mistakes and triumphs.

Augarde, Steve The Various Very good 6-8

Do you believe in fairies, wood sprites, flying horses? No? Well neither did Midge until she stumbled upon an injured winged horse in the pig barn at her uncle's farm. She soon learned that he was a one of many tribes of "little people" living in the mysterious wood behind the house. It was dense with brambles and thickets, and they thought, well protected from Gorji (human) invaders. But when Midge learns that her uncle is trying to sell the land to a developer who would plow down the forest, the tribes must face the possibility of losing their homes and having to find a new place to live. In the ensuing adventure, Midge's life is threatened and then saved by an unlikely hero, the tribes learn more about each other than they've ever known (or wanted to know) before, and it all ends happily ever after, as all good fairy tales do.

Baccalario, P. D. Ring of Fire (bk. 1) Very good 6-8

When something strange happens once, it's coincidence . When it repeats...4 times, it's something more. It's December 29, Rome, Italy and 4 children find themselves thrown together when their family's reservations at a small hotel are mixed up. In the process of introducing themselves, they discover that they were all born on February 29 of the same year. Late that first evening, they go out into the city to explore. Suddenly, a man runs toward them in a panic, mumbling the number 29 and saying that "They" are coming to kill him. He begs the children to take his briefcase and guard it until he can come back for it. But, the next morning is a news article about that same man's gruesome murder. Elettra, Harvey, Mistral and Sheng open the briefcase hoping to find answers but only end up with more questions. The clues inside lead them all over Rome in search of the elusive and powerful Ring of Fire. In pursuit, is a shadowy, dangerous man who is also searching for the ancient object and has no qualms about killing anyone who gets in his way. It is up to these brave kids to put the clues together before those close to them are harmed.

Barnhill, Kelly Iron Hearted Violet Excellent 6-9

Violet is not like the storybook princesses who have thick tresses of smooth waving hair, porcelain skin and doe eyes. Her hair refuses to be tamed, her face is slightly lopsided and her eyes are mismatched in both size and color. Still, her people loved her very much because she's clever, compassionate and a fantastic storyteller! One day, she and Demetrius, her only friend, find themselves in a little used part of the castle. There they find a library full of dusty tomes. One book in particular catches their eye. Demetrius senses something not quite right about it but Violet sees a story she's never heard before about a god long forgotten; a god that will change everything.

Bell, Hilary Flame Very good 6-8

Farsala is in danger. The Hrum are on its borders, ready for Farsala to become the 29th country they've conquered. Three young people find themselves inextricably linked to Farsala's fate. Soraya is the spoiled daughter of the army's high commander. She has been chosen for sacrifice to the djinn, who will in turn keep Farsala safe. Jiaan is the peasant born half-brother who is assigned to steal her away from this fate and deliver her to safety in the mountains. Kavi is a peddler and con-man who is roped into service by the high commander to bring him news of his daughter but who has no love for the rulers who do more damage to their subjects than anything else. Though the three have different paths to follow, but each, in his or her own way, will contribute to the fate of their kingdom.

Trickster's Girl Very good 6-8

Do you believe in magic? Legendary creatures from stories coming to life? No? Well, neither did Kelsa. In fact, Kelsa didn't believe in much of anything any more. Her father just died from a particularly aggressive form of cancer that should have been curable, with all the medical advances in the 2090s! He got sick not long after a trip to study the blight that is killing trees, a plague that creeps ever forward, seemingly unstoppable. One day, however, everything changes. She meets Raven, a beautiful boy who claims to be the trickster spirit of Native American lore. It's unbelievable, really, until she watches him shape-shift from human to raven, feathers and all! Now, she's on a quest not just to stop the plague but to save the earth. There are those against her, those of Raven's race who believe that humans have had enough chances to be good stewards of the planet and should be eradicated. Kelsa couldn't save her father; she's committed to doing what she can to save her world.

Billingsly, Fran The Folk Keeper Very good 6-8

The folk are spirits, sometimes mean and nasty, sometimes docile but always in need of a Keeper. Corinna is an orphan who was dumped on the doorstep as a baby. She knew nothing of her past or her family but she did know that she wanted to be a Folk Keeper. This was not an easy task since only boys were allowed to be Keepers. One day, she cut off her hair and put on boys clothes and became a boy, Corin. She worked her way into the position of Folk Keeper and was very good at it. She felt completely at home in the dark, dank cave where she fed and tended the Folk. Her secret, however, was not hers alone. On one strange day, her world changed forever and she found that someone in the world knew her secret. Lord Merton bid her come to Cliffend to be the Keeper there.

Black, Holly Black Cat Very good 8 & up

Human touch, it can comfort, congratulate, bruise...curse. Curse workers are humans who, with the mere touch of an hand, can change you. Some can work your emotions, others your memory or your luck. Laws have been passed against curse working and all of them must wear gloves to prevent inadvertent curses. Cassel's family is full of workers. His mother can make you love or hate or hand over your fortune to her. His grandfather is a death worker and can kill you with a brush of a finger. Both of his brothers have luck and physical curses and work for a local crime family, as enforcers. What's Cassel's curse? Nothing. He was born into a powerful family with no power at all. He can work a pretty good con, though, and is the bookie at his exclusive private high school. He is also a murderer. Lila was his best friend and all Cassel remembers is standing over her with blood soaked hands clutching a knife. His brothers covered for him and got rid of the body but there's nothing they can do about his guilt and the dreams he's having. The dreams are the same, there's a white cat who wants him to do something. One of these dreams lands him on the roof of his dorm. He is sent home because of insurance liability. Once he's home, the dreams intensify and the cat speaks to him...in Lila's voice. She says that he's the only one who can break the curse on her. If creepy dreams weren't enough, Cassel notices some inconsistencies in his brothers' behavior. There are secrets behind their eyes and, somehow, he's right in the middle of it. As an expert in the con, Cassel begins to pick at the strands of the web that has been woven around him. The truth about himself may just be the most shocking.

Black, Holly Cruel Prince Excellent 8 & up

Jude witnessed the murder of her parents and was taken by the murderer, Madoc, to live in Faerie along with her twin sister Taryn and older sister Vivian. She has very little memory of her life in the mortal world, and the man who slew her parents has become her father. It's little wonder that Jude isn't is unusual. She is the brunt of cruel jokes and tricks by the other fey teenagers, but she has a goal. Jude wants to serve the High King as a knight. Crazy, impossible, insane but she wants it more than air. It isn't long before she gets her chance. However, it's not quite what she expected. Things rarely are in Underhill.

Black, Holly Wicked King Excellent 8 & up

When last we saw Jude, she had tricked and schemed her way around Madoc's power grab for the throne and put her most fearsome enemy in his place with her as the puppet master. Cardan is under her control but just barely and not for very long. Their hold on Faerie is tenuous at best, and it soon it comes to light that someone close to Jude will betray her. Meanwhile, the love/hate relationship between Jude and Cardan builds creating tension that you could cut with a sword. The Fae may not be able to lie but they are adept at tricks and the one played on Jude will send her reeling but will it unravel all of her devious plans?

Bloor, Edward The Memory Prisoner Fair 6-8

Things are certainly strange in the town of Pridebridge. It had all started 13 years earlier when the Tower Library had been open to the public and Maddie and her granddad visited it often and were there on the day it closed. That was also the day that granddad disappeared and Maddie became afraid to go outside. Thirteen years later she was still a prisoner of the scary things that had happened on that day; things she was too afraid to remember. Her brother, Keith, was her eyes and ears until the day he was “selected” to become an assistant librarian in the Tower Library which now only lent books to scholars and researchers. Maddie soon realizes that there’s much more to the Tower Library and its head librarian, Mr. Lexeter and that whole town is in trouble. But in order to find out exactly what was going on, she would have to leave her house for the first time in 13 years.

Brennan Sarah Rees Demon's Lexicon Very good 8 & up

Demons, magic and the Goblin Market are all real and all dangerous. Nick and his brother Alan have been running from them all their lives. Magicians killed their father and drove their mum mad. Magicians get their power from the demons they call up. Olivia, the boys' mom, was once a part of the most powerful magician's circle but escaped, taking with her a charm of power. The magicians will stop at nothing to get it back. Danger intensifies when a beautiful girl and her young brother come to them for help. Jamie has been demon marked and it is a certain death sentence. Now the demons have a beacon leading them straight to Nick and Alan and when Alan is marked as well, Nick's desperation to save him drives him to do something insane. The only way to save both boys is to kill one of the magicians they have worked so hard to hide from for so long. Finding themselves trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse, Nick begins to wonder if Alan is keeping thing from him about their past. Things that could get them killed. As the magicians begin to close in, Nick's life begins to unravel and the truth that Alan has been hiding may destroy not only their family but the world as well.

This was a nail-biting page turner! There were twists and unexpected turns everywhere but the characters and plot did not suffer; indeed, they became even more intense. As the final secret is revealed, the age old argument between nature vs. nurture comes into play. Readers who like suspense and horror will lose themselves in this book...just don't look under the bed or in the closet or in your head (Metallica, anyone?)

Demon's Covenant Very good 8 & up

This sequel is more of the same only a little more confusing and a tiny bit long-winded but still a pretty good read and a must read, if you've read Demon's Lexicon. After all, you can't just leave the characters hanging!!!

Browne, N. M. Basilisk Very good 7 & up

Political intrigue, an underdog, heroes, greed; this book has it all. In a network of caves where the rebels live a spider-like existence, the Combers live away from the violence of Above. Rej, a young Comber, meets a dying Abover in the caves. When he comes back with medical supplies he finds the man murdered and swears to avenge his death, risking his life and home in the process. He goes Above and meets Donna, a beautiful woman trapped in the repetitive life of a scribe. They discover that they share a common dream, literally. In their dreams they are dragons, beautiful and powerful, flying free in crystal-clear skies. But there is danger in dreams. The cruel ruler, Arkel, has found a way to use those dreams as a weapon of destruction. It is up to Rej and Donna to save their world and themselves from their own dreams.

The Story of Stone Very good 7 & up

Nela wants nothing more than to follow in her father's footsteps and be a Findsman, archaeologists who seek to unlock the secrets of their people's past. On a journey to a forbidding, devastated land, Nela uncovers a mysterious black stone. She begins to have visions when she holds the stone. Bits and pieces of lives lived long ago emerge. She realizes that the stone may be the key to unlocking the mysterious history of the place and her people. Her need to "see" what the stone will tell her leads to a decision that will change her life and the land around her.

This was one of those books that I just couldn't put down for fear of missing something! The two story lines that seem completely unconnected at the beginning, draw closer together as the whole tale unfolds. Through the past/present telling, we find that connections between them are profound and inescapable as they are in our own reality. The lesson? What is lost in the past can be regained and used to make a better future.

Buckley, Michael The Fairy-Tale Detectives (bk. 1) Very good 6-8

In fairy-tales, the story always ends with "and they all lived happily ever after" but that's not the way that Sabring and Daphne Grimm's lives seem to be heading. Their parents mysteriously disappeared and the girls are sent to live with a grandmother they were told was dead. At Granny Relda's house, their lives only get weirder. They are told that they are descended from the Brothers Grimm, whose tales turn out to actually be true histories of magical happenings. They find out that they are responsible for keeping the Everafters in check and to investigate any strange occurrences, though in a place where magic is as common as sneezing, strange is a relative term. The girls are thrust into their first case when a giant kidnaps their grandmother and threatens to destroy their new hometown.

Buckley takes us on a wild, roller-coaster ride through all the fairy-tales we knew growing up. The characters are quite believable, though much is left unspoken for future installments. Seeing the fairy-tale citizens in a different light makes for interesting reading and the black and white drawings are enchanting.

The Unusual Suspects Very good 6-8

What could be worse than having a giant on the rampage through town? A monster killing teachers at the elementary school, that's what! The Grimm sisters discover the cocooned body of the least favorite teacher in school hanging from the ceiling in his room. The clues left are strange; a black bird feather, the cocooned body, signs of a struggle. Who could have done this and why? And why are all the kids in school so tired? Why did the Everafters want to cover everything up? The answers to these questions draw the Grimm family deeper into the web of mystery and will ultimately force one of them to come fact-to-face with her own inner demons.

Bunce, Elizabeth A Curse Dark as Gold Excellent 7 & up

What would you do to save your family from ruin? Anything, you say? You'd better think twice about that. When Charlotte Miller's beloved woolen mill nears bankruptcy, she is "rescued" by a mysterious man who spins skein after skein of precious golden thread. Woven in gold and blood, secrets from the past begin to surface and Charlotte's family, her friends and her true love begin to unravel and she must make some decisions that could prove dangerous for all of them.

This is an excellent retelling of Rumplestiltskin. Bunce's characters are extremely well drawn and believable. The creepy quality of the setting and the mystical elements are enough to make your skin prickle. Fantasy fans will thoroughly enjoy this one!

Carmody, Isobelle Night Gate (1) Very good 6 -8

A gate is a passage way through something to somewhere. The gate that looms in front of Rage and her animal friends stands amidst a wild wall of brambles, a flawless arch leading ...to the voice that calls her to enter, claiming that she can find a way to waken her very ill mother. When she pushes through, everything is transformed. Her pets become people or almost people and they can talk to her! The sneering, beckoning voice belongs to a firecat but what that is, exactly, is a mystery as is everything else around her. As the little group begins to make its way into this strange, new world, they discover that all is not well. Young girls are required to go into the city to be banded, magical beings and witches are not tolerated and magic seems to be dying. The plot thickens when they find themselves in the city and uncover the mystery of who the firecat really is and why the wizard who created this world disappeared.

High adventure and high fantasy collide in this first book of a promising trilogy. Almost everyone has come across something in a bush or hedge that seems mysterious and sets the imagination running or we wish that our best 4 legged friend could really talk to us. This story unlocks one such doorway and lets us in to share in the adventure. The characters are wholly believable, even the human animal ones. I, for one, became very attached to Goaty and Billy and I felt the pain the Bear endured and the difficulty she had allowing herself to care. My only complaint was that the cover left much to be desired and my fantasy fans are going to have trouble with that (I must admit, I did as well).

Winter Door (2) Very good 6-8

The adventure continues. The Bramble Gate has been closed forever but, Billy Thunder is back to being a dog again and her mother has still not recovered from her accident, in spite of the healing magic Rage had risked everything for. To make matters worse Logan, the school bully, seems to have Rage in his sites. One night, Firecat appears to her in her dreams warning that the Wizard needs her. Each night afterward, Rage finds that she can travel to Valley in her dreams. There, the people are suffering the same kind of unnatural winter that she is in her world. Will Rage be willing to take on another challenge after all she lost in Valley?

Carson, Rae The girl of Fire and Thorns Excellent 7 & up

Elisa has been sheltered her entire life. She is the youngest of her parents daughters but, strangely, she's the first to marry and she finds herself hoping that her husband to be will be ugly. She is overweight, very insecure and feels completely incapable of taking up the mantle of Queen in her new country. She does, however, have one thing in her favor...she is the chosen one, the one person chosen by God to bear the Godstone. As an infant, a brilliant shaft of light beamed down upon her and left her with a gleaming, powerful jewel in her bellybutton. As it turns out, her new husband is not the only one seeking her and her stone. Not long after she arrives, she is kidnapped by a desperate people; a people she comes to love and respect. They look to her for guidance and strength and she must rise to their expectations. There is another group that seeks her. Hey want to take her Godstone and use it to defeat their enemies which include her new husband's kingdom as well as her adopted one. Elisa must find the strength within herself to fight her enemies and survive the most devastating loss of all...the death of her beloved.

Cast, P. C. Marked (1) Good 9 & up

Can you imagine a world where vampyres are not only real but accepted by humans, or most of them, anyway? Well, for Zoey Redbird, the reality hits home quite unexpectedly. There are some humans who are marked and their lives change forever. When you are marked, you begin your training to become a vampyre...or, if your body rejects the change, die. Zoey has never really fit in anywhere so when she is marked, she wonders if she might finally find a place to belong. But it is not to be...even in a place where freaks abound, Zoey is different. Her mark comes from the goddess Nix and means that she is more powerful than others her age. This makes her some formidible enemies. On the upside, she also makes a few really good friends who will stick by her no matter what. It's the "no matter what", however, that may mean something really horrible.

This vampire series is definitely NOT for younger audiences. There are some pretty graphic descriptions of adult situations that anyone younger than 14 should wait to read!!!! The thing that amazes me is that the books were written by a mother/daughter team...there is no way I would ever talk to my mother about this stuff, much less write about it!!! Anyway, for older readers it's a fun, if predictable, romp through the lives of teenage vampires-in-training with a nice dose of suspense, to boot. The series continues with Betrayed and Chosen and Untamed.

Cashore, Kristen Graceling Excellent!!!!! 8 & up

Most of the time, when people use the word "grace" it's a good thing. There are some, however, who are Graced with skills so powerful that they are feared and exploited. Katsa is one who is Graced with the unimaginable power to kill and to do so with ease. She is the niece of Randa, King of the Middluns and is his strong-armed lackey. She hurts people because they offended the king, somehow. She hates her job and herself for doing it. To try to off-set the horrible way she feels about what Randa has her do, she starts The Council, an organization that rescues those who've been hurt or imprisoned at the whim of a king. On one such rescue mission she meets Po, who is graced with combat skills. Katsa has no idea how this young man with the silver and gold eyes will turn her neat, orderly life up-side down and it starts with friendship, something she's never experienced before. Through this relationship, she learns new truths about herself and her grace. Together, she and Po learn that there is a Graced one in one of the kingdoms that has the power to destroy all they hold dear by merely speaking a word.

Bitterblue Excellent 8 & up

Bitterblue has grown from a frightened 10-year-old into a formidable, if insecure, young woman of sixteen. She is now queen of a country that has barely survived the horrible brutality of her father, King Leck. She is surrounded by advisers left from his reign who seem to support her but are odd and secretive. She decides to take matters into her own hands and sneaks out into the city disguised. What she finds is disheartening. Her people are living in poverty and cannot read or write. Worse, there is someone who is killing anyone who tries to speak the truth about Leck and his rule. Like peeling an onion, Bitterblue will have to uncover the crimes her father committed before she can begin to heal the wounds.

Fire Excellent 8 & up

Chadda, Sarwat Devil's Kiss Very good 8 & up

The Knights Templar were created to protect Christian pilgrims and they traveled to Jerusalem. They fell out of favor when rumors of secret rituals and initiations caused distrust with the Pope. They died out centuries ago. Or at least that's what the history books says. Billi knows differently. She was raised by her father, a Knight Templar, to fight and kill the dark things that live just outside mortal sight. It is a horrible existence. Billi just wants to be normal, to fit in. She didn't choose this life but soon, she will have to make the most difficult choice and sacrifice that she will ever have to make. You see, the prophesy says that she will kill the one she loves in order to save the children.

The reluctant heroine, fallen angels, even Satan himself all serve to keep you turning pages. It doesn't end happily but then with all that evil running amok a sunny, sweet tale would be completely unbelievable. It might not be a good idea to read this on in the dark, alone.

Chima, Cinda Williams Warrior Heir Excellent 7 & up

Trinity is a your average small town located in Ohio. Jack has always been an average teenager, with the exception of the heart surgery that saved his life as an infant and the medication he must take as a result. One day, as he's focused on tryouts for varsity soccer, he forgets to take his meds. Suddenly, he feels something shift inside of him. He's stronger, more confident than he's ever been but then he loses control and blasts a fellow player across the field. Little does he know that this one incident will change his life forever. Soon he finds himself the bearer of a terrible legacy. He is part of a magical society that has existed since the beginning of time and it's rules are deadly. He is a warrior, a pawn in the Game between two warring factions, The Red and White Roses. The Game is a fight to the death; the winner controls the Weir. Now Jack must fight for his life and maybe for something even bigger.

This story has everything; an epic battle between good and evil, characters who is both an unwilling hero, and boy in love plus lots of magic all rolled into the first book in a trilogy. If you're anything like me, you'll not be able to put this book down until the last sword has clanged to the ground! Fortunately for the author, the rest of the series is equally riveting (Wizard Heir and Dragon Heir), which is unfortunate for those of us who find that it's 2 am and we have to be at work by 7 but just can't put the book down!

Seven Realms series Excellent 8 & up

Book 1: The Demon King Book 2: The Exiled Queen Book 3: The Gray Wolf Throne

Han Alister grew up on the streets and up in the hills with the Clans. It was a rough life but he's a tough and determined kid. That determination eventually got him Street Lord status and the silver cuffs he'd worn as long as he could remember, earned him his street name, Cuffs. Cuffs and his friend Fire Dancer, a fellow Clansman, were out riding one afternoon when they ran afoul of a group of young, arrogant wizards. The encounter ends with Han in possession of a powerful amulet and a nasty enemy in the form of Micah Bayar. While Cuffs has his own problems, Raisa, the young Princess Heir, has issues of her own. Her mother has been swayed by Gavan Bayar to betroth his son, Micah to her daughter, Raisa. A union between a queen and a wizard is expressly forbidden in an ancient document that was drawn up after an horrific battle between wizards and everyone else. Raisa is not amenable to the union for reasons beyond tradition. She doesn't trust Micah or his father so she decides to escape. Cuffs and Raisa's (known to Cuffs as Rebecca) paths cross and diverge a number of times, each one drawing them closer to each other. The both end up at Oden's Ford, a school that teaches wizards and warriors how to use their gifts. Han, it turns out, is a wizard and Raisa is learning to be a warrior, a skill she hopes will help her when it's her turn to rule her beloved country.

Clare, Cassandra Clockwork Angel Very good 8 & up

The mysterious and terrifying Dark Sisters take her to their home and teach her to use her abilities; abilities she didn't even know she had. Tessa can shape-shift into anyone, at will. Once her training is complete, she learns that the Magister, a powerful and dangerous man wants to claim her power for himself and will stop at nothing to get her. With the help of a beautiful but caustic boy, she finds a safe haven with the Shadowhunters, warriors who do battle with creatures Tessa didn't even know existed before. There it is confirmed for her that she is very different, not quite human but even the Shadowhunters cannot identify exactly what she is. They do, however, realize that they can help each other. Tessa can use her power to help them in their battle against demons and they, in turn, can help her find her brother. Unfortunately, people are not always as they seem and Tessa soon finds herself caught between two beautiful boys, both with dark secrets that confuse and excite her.

Clockwork Prince is the next installment and the story just keeps getting better! Will has been under a curse for many years and he has been searching for the demon who placed the curse. Jem is getting weaker but his bond with Tessa is growing stronger. What happens between them will surprise everyone. The Magister is still very much in the picture and has cast a pall over the Shadowhunters. His actions have called into question Charlotte's running of the Institute and Benedict Lightwood is poised to take over but he has his own secrets that might just destroy him! Full of intrigue, romance and betrayal, Clockwork Prince more than lives up to expectation! If you've not already discovered these wonderful characters, you don't know what you are missing!

City of Bones Excellent 8 & up

Clary and Simon go to their favorite club, just like any other night. Tonight, however, ends up being the exact opposite of "normal". Tonight, Clary witnesses a murder. She sees the murderers do it. They are covered in strange tattoos that seem to glow. Just as the murdered boy hits the ground, he...disappears! Poof, into thin air. Clary screams and Simon comes running doesn't see what's happening right in front of them. The tattooed teenagers simply walk away with hardly a backward glance. This is Clary's introduction to the world of Shadowhunters and the end of her belief in all things normal.

Lady Midnight Excellent 8 & up

The lives of Shadowhunters are secret. The hide in plain sight but no one outside of their world knows what they are. Julian Blackthorn, however, has more than his fair share of secrets from those he loves. After returning to Los Angeles, he and his younger siblings and Emma Carstairs were trying to heal from tragic losses but all is not well. Bodies of humans and fairies begin to turn up that were killed and marked the same way that Emma's parents had been, years before. Help comes from an unlikely and untrustworthy ally and a precarious alliance is formed. Mark is returned to them as part of the bargain but they have two weeks to solve the murders or Mark will return to the hunt forever.

Lord of Shadows Excellent 8 & up

Mark has been restored to them but he’s a bit at sea as to his role in a family that has grown up without him. Add to that mounting pressure to find the Black Volume and discovering what is causing the influx of sea demon attacks, Julian and Emma have to keep things together but also keep themselves apart so that their secret stays safe. Keeping secrets is what Julian does best, making him calculating, sometimes vicious when there are threats against his family. Not everything is peaceful outside of Los Angeles, either. A battle is brewing within the Shadowhunter community which threatens to tear apart ancient bonds. The family is called to account for the nefarious activities in their Institute when suddenly a dagger flashes and finds its mark. Blood and tears mark the end of the book, an epic cliff hanger!

Clement-Davies, David The Telling Pool Very good 7-9

A dark prophesy, a blind blacksmith who seems to know things he shouldn't and a war in far-away lands fill Rhodri's mind with mystery and the desire see the world. When his father is called away to fight with King Richard in Jerusalem, Rhodri is disappointed that he can't go. One afternoon Rhodri and Menalor, his falcon, are out hunting and stumble upon a hermit guarding a great secret. The Telling Pool is a magical pool of water that allows only certain people to see things to come. What Rhodri sees there changes his life and sends him on a dangerous quest to save his father and break a curse that has trapped people in stone for centuries.

Coburn, Ann Glint Excellent 6-9

Ellie and her younger brother Danny are very close, for siblings. They spend their free time making up stories about a girl named Argent and her world filled with dragons, shape-shifters and magic. For them, the stories pass the time but, when Danny disappears, years later, the story and its characters take on a much greater meaning. At the same time, the world Danny and Ellie imagined is a real place and Argent is going through her own troubles. A baby dragon was stolen just as it hatched and the mother is furious. She tries to attack Argent’s village so they send an emissary to the Duke to request an army to kill her. Argent sets off on a desperate mission to save both the baby dragon and his mother. Both girls are searching. Both girls must be stronger than they ever thought they could be. Ellie and Argent must save those they love from destruction.

Collins, Suzanne Gregor the Overlander Excellent 6-9

Deep under the streets of New York is another world. A world of darkness, danger, and giant creatures; cockroaches so big that a 2-year-old can ride them like horses; rats large enough to kill a human; bats that carry humans into battle and all of the creatures speak to one another! This is the world into which Gregor and his little sister have fallen via the airshaft in their laundry room. They are brought to Regalia, the human city in the Underland. They believe that he is their champion, according to an ancient prophesy, who will tilt the balance in the coming war with the rats. All he wants to do is get his sister, Boots, and himself back home in one piece. This begins the adventures of Gregor which continue in Gregor and the Prophesy of Bane in which Gregor's character, strength and integrity are challenged in every way possible.

Constable, Kate The Waterless Sea Very good 6-8

Calwyn's story continues as she and her friends embark on a dangerous but necessary mission to rescue chanters in the very corrupt land of Merithuros. Chanters found in this empire are captured and imprisoned in the Black Palace but their search begins at the Palace of Cobwebs. Rescuing the children have earth-shattering effects on the empire and Calwyn discovers that she is able to Sing other chantments, bringing her closer to being that which she dreads, the Singer of All Songs. As she struggles to bring peace to the land, the cost is more devastating than anyone can imagine and not even her love, Darrow, can help her now.

Cordova, Zoraida The Vicious Deep Very good 10 & up

Tristan is your average everyday hound dog, and by that I mean he catches and releases girls very easily...all except one. Layla is his best and oldest friend and the one girl who won't be caught...she knows him too well. They are both on the school swim team and work as lifeguards at the beach. The day everything changed started out perfectly normal. Tristan was scanning the water for trouble and wondering what Layla and Maddie were whispering about...him probably and it wasn't good. Suddenly, a shiver rocked his body and he saw an enormous wave approaching. The lifeguards all along the shore screamed warnings to run for higher ground. Tristan is about to do just that when he sees a pale girl flailing in the surf and his training kicks in. He dives for her just as the monster wave breaks. He disappears into the sea and is missing for three days. When the sea finally spits him back out, he remembers nothing of the missing time but wakes nightly with terrifying nightmares about a shark-shaped mermaid with a mouth full of deadly-sharp teeth. Layla, who knows him best, sees changes in Tristan but he can't explain what is happening to his body...his vision, ,hearing, even his sense of smell have sharpened to freaky-dog levels and he is even more drawn to the sea than before. What he doesn't know yet is that he is not exactly what he seems to be and there are forces in the world that want to use him and his newly found power in a battle that has been raging since ancient times.

Crilley, Paul Rise of the Darklings Very good 6-8

It is Victorian London and 12-year-old Emily Snow is alone save for her younger brother William. Both parents disappeared under mysterious circumstances and Emily has been doing odd jobs to feed them both to try to keep them out of the work house. One morning, as she tries to get to work early for an extra shilling, she witnesses a terrible battle between creatures that aren't supposed to exist. One of the creatures, a piskie, is hurt and asks for her help and her life is immediately turned upside down. A war is brewing between the Seelie and Unseelie courts and the Invisible order, a group of humans whose goal is to wipe all the fey from existence. When her hand is forced, Emily must choose a side but all of them are lying to her and she doesn't know who to trust. The Seelie Court's queen is trying to destroy the human race and enslave the survivors. The Unseelie Court wants to send the evil queen and her court back to their own realm and the Invisible order has their own agenda. In the heat of battle, Emily, William and their friend Jack make a decision that will change the course of the world but for better or worse remains to be seen.

Cypess, Leah Mistwood Very good 7 & up

"She knew he was a prince as soon as she saw him." It was not that Isabel remembered him. She remembered nothing before he came riding his kingly horse into her wood. When he held out the bracelet, she submitted, holding out her wrist and it was fastened. It felt like a cuff, imprisonment and, in a way, it was. She is the Shifter, a creature whose sole responsibility is to protect her king and this young king needs her desperately. Her ability to change her form from human to animal to the very mist that gathered in her forest made her a lethal weapon. Upon her return to the castle, memories begin to trickle in and she realizes that all is not as it seems, most especially her prince but none of that matters. She is the Shifter and she has no choice but to protect him. Or does she? When a terrible truth is revealed, Isabel will betray the one person she is sworn to defend.

Davies, Jocelyn A Beautiful Dark Very good 8 & up

Two boys, complete opposites, like light and dark, both vying for Skye's attention. It's a first for her and she's not entirely comfortable with it especially since their first meeting was such an auspicious one. It was her 17th birthday party and they got into a fight. As she and the other party goers watched, a rumbling began. At first, it seemed like an earthquake but, in actuality, the boiler in the basement exploded! The strangeness just gets stranger and she seems to be the focus of it. There's a secret swirling around her and it has to do with her parents. Slowly, realization dawns and Skye's whole life turns upside down. The boys motives are suspicious, her own past shrouded in mystery and now a new danger comes to town, threatening everyone she loves. Skye is faced with a choice of which she and everyone else involved is afraid!

Davis, Heather Never Cry Werewolf Good 7 & up

Lately, Shelby has made some pretty bad boy choices. So, the Porsche was not actually borrowed and the late-for-curfew kiss...well, who could blame her, he was the hottest senior boy in school and a full moon, to boot! Her new stepmother freaks out and convinces her father to send her to "brat" camp. Still, things aren't so bad, at least not when Austin Bridges III steps onto the bus. He's the incredibly gorgeous British son of a rock star! Soon, however, Shelby begins to wonder if her bad-boy choice-making has kicked into high gear. He has a secret; one that he asks Shelby to help keep. Full moons and boys in need are just too much to resist and the situation is a hairy one, no matter how you look at it.

De Lint, Charles Little Grrrl Lost Very good 7 & up

T.J. is miserable in her new house. She misses her best friend, the farm and, most of all, her horse, Red. She has always had a difficult time making friends so a new school just makes things worse. She is moping in her room one day when she hears a scratching noise in the walls. She assumes that it's mice until the unimaginable happens. She turns toward the sound, which is now less like scratching and squeeking and more like walking and talking. Down near the floor, a section of the baseboard opens up like a door and through it walks a girl no more than six inches tall! And she's angry, yelling at other voices coming from inside the wall. Elizabeth has had it with her "'rents" rules and regulations and she's running away...and right into the kind of trouble her parents rules and regulations are supposed to prevent. Bigs, as humans are called, are a Little's worst enemy. They are not to be trusted, and certainly not be befriended. Elizabeth doensn't care and T.J. just wants a friend. The two embark on a quest to find other Littles; Littles who can fly!

Dean, Claire Girlwood Good 6-8

There is power and magic in all things...plants, earth and even people. Baba has always known and understood that and she taught her granddaughters well. Polly understands but Bree is a troubled and reckless girl who crashes into the boundaries until she is broken. One autumn night she runs away, leaving Polly a strange, dream-like message. Polly, who sees light and color around all living things, trusts the woods to protect Bree, but is left to pick up the pieces of her shattered family. With help from her Baba and a few unlikely allies, she fights against dispair and forces that would take the woods away forever. But whether her battle can be won or not depends upon things that seem to be beyond her control. Polly will have to be stronger than she's ever been and hold fast to her belief in the magic all around her.

Devlin, Ivy Low Red Moon Good 7-9

Something horrible has happened. Avery is found covered in her parent's blood but remembers nothing about what happened except the flash of silver she keeps seeing in her dreams. School is a refuge now...a place where there's no time to think. She's a fairly new student there because she's always been home schooled by her eccentric parents. They lived deep in the woods surrounding town in a small house built by her father. Her mother had made a living making preserves. It was an idyllic life until they were brutally murdered. The week after the funeral, a new boy comes to whom Avery finds herself inexplicably drawn. His eyes are silver-blue. He is beautiful, mysterious and possibly dangerous. As the two barrel headlong into a heady romance, secrets are revealed; secrets that could destroy them all.

Dunkel, Clare Hollow Kingdom (1) Very Good 7 & up

Goblins, elves, dwarves are all fantastical creatures, not actually real ones, right? So Kate had always believed but now she wasn't so sure. She and her younger sister Emily had come to live at the family estate, Hallow Hill, after the death of their parents. Their guardian was a stuffy, arrogant man who let them know that they were actually not part of the family. Their grandmother, the heir to the estate, was adopted into the family and inherited because the natural daughter and heir had died, mysteriously, in her early teens. There was a sinister presence that followed them everywhere. One evening Kate and Emily became lost while taking a walk. A cloaked and hooded man appeared and offered to take them home on his horse. Something about him screamed warnings deep inside of Kate and she refused the ride. If she thought that was the last she's see of the shadowy man, she was terrifyingly mistaken. Soon she found out her true history and her destiny is forever changed.

What a delicious fantasy story! With whispers of Beauty and the Beast, you are drawn into a twisted love story. Mysteries are hinted at and eventually resolved, with a young woman as the hero of the tale. This is a great read for any fantasy fan.

Close Kin (2) Very good 7 & up

Emily is no longer a child, though you'd never know that by watching her. She is a fun-loving girl who rarely takes anything seriously. When Seylin, her friend since childhood, proposes to her (in a rather backward way), she doesn't take him seriously. Distraught, Seylin leaves his home with the goblins to search for elves, to whom he is related. When Emily finally realizes Seylin's intentions were serious, it's too late. She sets out, determined to find him and, as the two draw closer, they set in motion the collision of two worlds whose prejudices against each other awaken stronger than ever.

In the Coils of the Snake (3) Very good 7 & up

Men are all the same. They fight, argue, claim to know what's best, regardless of whether they are human, goblin, or elf. Miranda has been raised by the Marak, the Goblin King, to be a Goblin King's wife. Goblins have been the only kind people in her young life. Her mother loathed her and taunted her own daughter mercilessly until she left to live the rest of her life in the goblin caves. One fateful day, her life is turned upside down. An elf comes to make a bargain with the new goblin King, Catspaw. He offers an elf bride in exchange for the goblins to leave his small band alone. One moment she is looking forward to being the goblin queen the next she feels discarded. In misery she runs away and right into the elf who takes her in and saves her from herself. Both elf and goblin "know" what is best for Miranda and disregard her own feelings and thoughts. The elf, Nir, is not what he seems to be, however, but no one, not even himself can guess his true identity and it will change things between the two races for all time.

Fford, Jasper The Big Over Easy Excellent 8 & up

Jack Spratt, of "would eat no fat" fame, is the Detective Inspector in charge of the Nursery Crime Division. He and his team are reeling from their failure to get the three little pigs convicted for murdering the big, bad wolf. The media is steering the tide of public opinion into a giant wave of dissatisfaction. To top it all off, Jack's nemesis, Friedland Chymes, continues his string of fantastic convictions, which result in the publication of his accomplishments is Amazing Crime Stories. If Jack doesn't turn things around soon, the Nursery Crimes Division will cease to exist. Enter his new partner, Mary Mary (who is quite contrary) but, will she help his cause or cause his demise?

Fford has begun his newest series with a bang! What a creative mind he has to take well-known nursery characters and make them "real" and, sometimes, criminal. It's a fun romp through Mother Goose with a classic who dunit twist. Anyone who enjoys a good mystery will also enjoy the laugh out loud moments provided by these characters!

The Last Dragonslayer Very good 7 & up

Jennifer Strange is a foundling working at Kazam, answering phones, caring for her Quarkbeast and finding jobs for the resident wizards. Years ago, magic was strong and the wizards were in high demand to cast spells, fly carpets and save the world. Nowadays, however, magic is fading and the wizards are reduced to rewiring houses and unclogging drain pipes. Things begin to change, however, when magical surges begin and the precogs begin having the same vision...that Jennifer Strange will have something to do with the killing of the last dragon. How, you ask, does a secretary become the last dragonslayer destined to kill the last dragon, possibly destroying magic forever? It's called Big Magic and its coming, whether Jennifer wants it to or not.

With tongue firmly in cheeck, Jasper Fford releases his first Young Adult novel and it's hilarious!

Fitzpatrick, Becca Hush, Hush Excellent 9 & up

Nora is very picky about boys. No matter how many of them her best friend Vee pushes at her, none hold any attraction for her. One fateful morning, however, partners are re-arranged in her biology class and she gets stuck with the new boy. Patch, with his edgy, provocative smile and eyes that seem to see right into her soul, attracts her like a moth to flame. He always seems to be where she is and it makes her heart race and not just because he's gorgeous. There's a darkness about him that lends the aura of the ultimate bad boy and Nora doesn't know whether to melt into his arms or run away screaming. The more she tries to figure him out the closer she gets to the truth; a truth that will put her in the middle of a battle between the fallen, the outcome of which could cost Nora her life.

Flinn, Alex Cloaked Very good 7 &up

According to Dictionary.com a mashup is "a creative combination or mixing of content from different sources." Now, imagine a mashup of your favorite fairy tales...that's what you get in Alex Flinn's newest foray into fantasy, Cloaked. Johnny is a hard-working teen from a long line of cobblers (father, grandfather...you get the picture). Years ago, when he was a toddler, his father disappeared so he was raised to carry on the business. It's not that he minds working in the shop, located in one of the most famous hotels in all of South Beach, repairing the shoes of the rich, famous, and infamous. What he really wants to do is design shoes. His best friend, Meg, from the coffee shop next door, helps and encourages him to pursue his dreams. One beautiful day, Victoriana, a princess from a distant country, is staying at the hotel. As fate would have it, one of the straps to her favorite shoes broke. When Johnny goes to the hotel to return them, she asks one more favor of him. Her bruzzer (translation: brother) has been turned into a frog and disappeared, with the witch that turned him in hot pursuit. You heard me right...a frog prince! If he is not found and returned, Victoriana will be forced to marry the evil Wolfgang and bruzzer dearest will be forever catching flies.

A Kiss in Time Good 7 & up

Jack is a bored American touring dusty museums and castles in Europe when all he'd rather been doing is hanging out at the beach with his friends and trying to get back together with the gorgeous Amber. One morning, he is feeling particularly frustrated and asks the concierge which way to the beach, in his rather obnoxious, American way. The consierge sends him on a wild goose chase that ends in a castle in front of a beautiful, sleeping girl. Now, you are a boy faced with a vision of sleeping beauty so what do you do? Why, you kiss her, of course. Jack is in real trouble now because the girl wakes, claiming that she's a princess who could only be awakened by her true love's kiss and he must be it! She's a 316 year old princess of a kingdom long forgotten and is now stuck in the 21st Century with a boy who might or might not be her true love. Worse still, the fairy who cursed her feels thwarted and will not let her go. Will one kiss be enough to save them all?

Funke, Cornelia Inkheart Excellent 6 & up

For as long as she can remember, they had always been Meggie and Mo. Mo is a rather bookish person and has taught his daughter Meggie the same reverence for pages, words, and bindings. All through their house are books piled high under and on tables, filling shelves, beside chairs, any empty space will do. Mo is a binder, restorer and collector of books. Meggie and Mo love to read together but they never, ever read aloud. Meggie has never questioned this until one dark night when a stranger comes to call and her whole world is turned upside down. In a very short time, she finds out that her father has the power to read characters from books right out of the pages and into real life. When Meggie was a toddler, he was reading aloud to his wife from a book called Inkheart when suddenly she vanished and in her place were the evil Capricorn, his henchman Basta, Dustfinger the traveling minstrel and several other unsavory characters. He managed to escape their clutches and avoid being found by them. But now he and Meggie must find the book and try to read the characters back into it before they destroy everything and, perhaps, bring back the mother she'd never really known.

Funke, Cornelia Reckless Very good 9 & up

One day he was just gone. No trace, no clues, just an office filled with mysterious artifacts from places unknown are all that's left of Jacob Reckless' father. Jacob, his brother Will and their mother feel an overpowering sense of abandonment. Jacob, always a curious boy, ventures into the office one day and spies a strange looking mirror. He reaches out to touch his reflection and suddenly he's in another world...a world full of ancient secrets and a long-standing war between the humans and the Goyl, a people made entirely of stone. He spends more and more time there. At first, he looks for his father but then the lure of the place and the riches to be had there draw him back. Jacob keeps Mirrorworld a secret from his mother and younger brother Will until the day that Will follows him and changes the course of his life forever. Will is attacked and bitten by a Goyle and he begins to change, stone slowly replacing skin. Jacob must find a way to stop it, no matter what the cost.

Garcia, Kami Beautiful Creatures Good 9 & up

Gatlin is a typical small southern town. Nothing much happens...ever. Ethan is a Gatlin native, born and raised but counting the days until he can escape. Lately, though, his thoughts have been on his dream-girl, literally. He dreams almost nightly about a raven haired girl with emerald green eyes, the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. When she appears in his classroom one morning, he is stunned then devastated when he discovers that she is the niece of the town recluse. In spite of her heritage, Ethan finds that he is drawn to her, in spite of the fact that hanging out with her is social suicide. Together they discover there is much more to each of them than meets the eye.

Gee, Maurice Salt Very good 7-9

In a place where voices are raised in violence and hatred, there are those who hear and speak silently of peace and reason. Pearl is a young girl from Company, a people who rule the land with an iron fist and cruel whips. She can hear and speak with her mind, as she was taught by her lady's maid, Tealeaf. Hari is a rough boy from Blood Burrows who has fought and scrabbled his whole life for survival. He can speak to animals. They meet on the day they are running away. Pearl from an arranged marriage and Hari to save his father from Deep Salt, a dreaded place from which there is usually no return. They will learn, along the way, that they have much to learn about each other, themselves and the world around them and, when it comes to saving that world, there are very difficult choices to make.

George, Jessica Day Princess of the Midnight Ball Excellent 7-9

Dancing the night away in beautiful ball gowns is usually considered standard fare for princesses. Rose and her 12 sisters, however, must do it all night, every night. They are cursed, you see, to dance for the evil King Under Stone and doomed to marry his 12 sons. The curse can only be broken by their deaths.

A young man is heading home from the war. Though he has seen horrors enough to turn his heart to stone, he is a kind soul. When he meets an old woman on the road, he shares what little he has with her. She seems a little odd but Galen accepts the gifts she gives him. She tells him that the cloak and black wool will be much needed when he is in the palace. With this cryptic warning Galen sets off for his family's home.

Rose and Galen meet in the gardens of the palace where Galen is now a gardener and young love begins to blossom. But, before they can be together, Galen must defeat the king and his evil sons and free the girls from his power. The powerful gifts he'd been given will not be enough to win the day but Galen is resourceful and Rose is determined and their love is true...they cannot fail.

Gonzalez, Julie Wings Good 7-9

Since birth Ben has believed, with every fiber of his being, that he will fly; not in an airplane, balloon, or glider but actually fly with dragon wings that will sprout from his back. As a child, his family humored his fantasy but teenagers should be over that kind of thinking. But not Ben. He can feel his wings wanting to escape and take him to his destiny. His brother, Ian, doesn't know what to believe. He and Ben are very close and he wants to be there for his brother, even when he attempts dangerous stunts like jumping off the roof of their house or venturing out onto the train trestle to force his wings to let him fly. Ben's faith never falters but what will that strong belief bring to his family?

Goodman, Alison Eon: Dragoneye Reborn Excellent 7 & up

Eon can see dragons; all twelve of them. It is a mighty power and one that even the old Dragoneyes don't have. For years, Eon has been training with his master, a former Dragoneye, in Dragon magic. Sword-work and magical aptitude must be mastered before he can be considered for apprenticeship to one of the energy dragons. There are many forces working against Eon, not the least of which is the dangerous secret he holds close. Amidst political intrigue, power hungry Dragoneyes and an ailing Emperor, Eon must navigate the treacherous landscape around her or forfeit his life and the lives of those who support him.

Grant, K.M. Blue Flame (1) Good 7 & up

The Blue Flame, lit at the moment of Christ's last breath, has been passed kept safe by the Occitanian people. When Occitan knights kill Richard The Lionheart in defense of the flame, it is whisked away by a boy and protected for many years. Now, danger has come again in the form of warring sects, Cathars and Catholics and the age-old enemy, France. In the midst of the gathering storm Raimon, a boy who believes fervently in Occitan of old, falls in love with his childhood friend, Yolanda. But when an inquisitor arrives, determined to find the Blue Flame and twist it to his own devices, they are caught in a web of deceit and treachery. Fear settles over Occitan as never before. Only one can weild the power of the Blue Flame, though many seek to possess it. Only one can save Occitan and its people from themselves and from outside forces that seek to destroy it.

White Heat Good 7 & up

Yolanda is on her way to Paris to be married, unwillingly, to Hugh, thinking that Raimon is dead. Raimon is ensconced at the top of a mountain, holding off Aimery, but only just. As the siege continues, the followers of the Flame hold out hope that Count Raymond will march to their rescue but hope of that is dwindling as quickly as the food reserves. The fate of Occitan, Yolanda and Raimon is in the heat of the Flame.

Guilbord, Maurissa Revel Very good 8 & up

In all her 17 years, Delia had never really wondered where her mother came from or why she never talked about her family. But then, her mom got sick and, in her delirium, she spoke of a distant island, of her grandmother, and of someone wanting to take the baby away. When her mother died and she got tired of moving from foster home to foster home, she decided to head for Maine and find Trespass Island. The tiny island is not on any map and there is no way to get to the island... except for eccentric Ben Deare who decides to take her there but, only after he's thrown the bones which tell him she belongs there. On the island, she finds superstition is rampant. There is no communication with the outside world...at all. Most strange of all is the town's belief in ancient gods and demi-gods that are said to rule the waters around the island. Surely, these are just stories, right? There couldn't be dangerous creatures out there, could there? The answer, Delia discovers, is not only a resounding yes but that she has a strange connection with them, one that will change life for everyone on the island and in its waters!

Hale The Goose Girl Excellent 7 & up

Ani, short for Anidori-Kildara Talianna Isiliee, is the Crown Princess of Kildenree. As a child, she is under the watchful eye of her aunt, who tells her magical stories and teaches her to speak to and understand birds. Her aunt's teachings are discovered and she is sent away because Ani's mother does not approve of her "gift". Ani is then forced to learn how to be a princess. She is very uncomfortable in the court and does not fare well in conversations with anyone except for her faithful lady-in-waiting, Selia. One day, Ani is summoned to appear before the court and it is announced that she is to marry the prince from neighboring Bayern, to head off a war with the larger country. She is devastated and relieved, at the same time. Her small party sets out on it's long, grueling journey across the mountains. But all is not well. There are betrayers in the group, including one closest to Ani. She escapes the attack but becomes hopelessly lost in the forest. She happens upon a small village and is eventually given a position as goose keeper to the king. Her survival depends upon her blending in so she learns the accent, covers her fair locks and becomes an expert goose girl but she knows that one day she will have to face her enemies in order to save herself and her kingdom.

Enna Burning Excellent 7 & up

A fire burns within her. It wants to get out and burn freely. But there is danger in that; it could take control and burn away her life. It happened to her brother on the battlefield. She must not make the same mistake as he. Enna makes the decision to use her power to fight for Bayern when a larger country invades. She burns their camps, their weapons tents but she stops at burning people until the day she nearly gets caught. The horror of what she did haunts her but killing is what happens in war. As she uses it, Enna feels the powerful force within her getting stronger but she doesn't know what to do about it. She is afraid that her brother's fate is her own.

River Secrets Excellent 7 & up

Razo is not your typical soldier. He’s short and something of a clown, but not particularly skilled with swords or any other weaponry, for that matter. When his captain chooses him to accompany an elite group of soldiers protecting the ambassador into Tira, he’s sure it’s out of pity. But, he is the one who discovers the first body, burned beyond recognition. Once in Tira, a long-standing enemy of Bayern, Razo is the only one able to blend in and become friendly with the natives. It is a dangerous time for Bayern and someone is trying desperately to destroy peace negotiations and start a war. Razo must recognize his own unique talents and learn to use them in order to get the soldiers and his friends home in one piece.

Hearn, Julie Sign of the Raven Good 6-9

Down in the basement there is a gap. Not your typical gap in the floor boards or in the wall but a gap through time. On the other side, a voice calls him, asking for help. When he steps through, he discovers a fairy child, a gorilla woman, a bendy man and other "freaks" of nature. They live in constant fear of living their lives in freak shows and of dying and the horror of having their bodies dissected by "doctors" in the name of science.

Hemingway, Amanda The Greenstone Grail Very good 6-9

Desperately she runs. They are following but she can't see them. Clutching her baby, she reaches a house and knocks on the door. A man opens it and quickly invites her in...he knows they're there. In the small village of Thornyhill, Bartlemy and Annie raise Nathan in safety and comfort but now, something has found them again. Nathan begins to have vivid dreams...more vivid than anyone knows. A man he dreams about saving from drowning, turns up on a beach near by. In another dream, he is sunburned and wakes to find his skin red a blistered. As his dreams intensify, he becomes focused on a Thorn family relic that seems to have more to do with the strange goings on than anything. Nathan is caught up in something as important as it is unbelievable. He must figure out what all the signs mean and his purpose in them, even if it means delving deeper into his dreamscapes that frighten yet draw him in as well.

Higgins, F. E. The Black Book of Secrets Excellent 7-9

Ludlow is on the run for his life and his teeth. His parents, in their quest for gin money, had arranged for Ludlow's teeth to be pulled. His fortunes change when he hops onto the back of the carriage of Mr. Jeremiah Ratchet and is driven to a small village where he meets Joe Zabbidou, Pawnbroker. Joe gives him a job as his assistant. Each night, village folk come to Joe to trade the secrets kept deep and dark. Each confession is inscribed in The Black Book of Secrets and each confessor leaves Joe's shop lighter in spirit and heavier in purse. It is a mysterious way of life and one not without danger. Most of the townsfolk are deeply in debt to Ratchet. When they start to pay him off, his sources of income begin to dwindle. He begins to plot against Joe, planting the seeds of doubt amongst the villagers. Human nature, being what it is, they fall prey to the suspicions and turn against Joe and Ludlow.

The Bone Magician Excellent 7-9

It is a dark and fowl city in which Pin lives. His mother is dead and his father has gone missing after being accused of killing Pin's uncle. Pin, himself, works for an undertaker watching dead bodies to be sure they stay dead. One fateful night Pin is working when he is suddenly overcome by an attacker. When he begins to come around, he witnesses an astonishing and impossible sight...the body he'd been sure was dead sitting up and saying good-by to her grieving fiance! These aren't the only strange goings on in the town of Urbs Umida and Pin soon finds himself smack in the middle of them all and perhaps even the next victim of the Silver Apple Killer whose victims are tossed into the smelly river with a silver-painted apple in their pockets. Will Pin be able to clear his father's name and uncover the person responsible for so many deaths?

Hoffman, Alice Green Angel Excellent 8 & up

Green is the color of life; the color of the grass and Green is her name. She can make the green things in her garden grow with a word or a touch and she is one "who preferred roses and asparagus to people." Her sister, Aurora is the moonlight. She dances and laughs, and chases after frogs. She is all joy and wildness. They live in a mountain village with their parents. Each week they would go to the city that was golden in the daylight and silver by night to sell their produce. The city is one place, besides her garden, that Green feels comfortable. No one seems to care that her hair is a mess or that she is too tall and has dirty fingernails. On one particular day, Green had to stay behind to tend the garden because Aurora was too young to be left alone and her father had to go help with the heavy lifting. She is angry and refuses to be consoled by kind words and the promise of a special gift. Green is thinking black thoughts when the sky begins to burn and ashes and embers fall from the sky. The city is burning, and with it, her family. Her grief is overwhelming and she turns to marking herself with ink and pin, just to practice not feeling anything. She sews thorns into her clothing, nails stick out from her boots, and ashes have clouded her eyes. She has become Ash, moving through her life slowly and methodically, trying not to care. How will she ever learn to feel real emotion again and will she ever return to Green?

Hoffman, Mary Stravaganza: City of Masks (1) Excellent 7-9

Cancer is a horrible disease. It exhausts the body, mind and spirit of it's victims. Lucien knows from personal experience. One day his father give him a rather mysterious gift...a beautiful handmade Italian journal. It intrigues Lucien as he falls asleep clutching it. When he wakes, his world is completely different. He finds himself in a place very much like Venice, Italy called Bellezza. He is taken in by Rodolpho who tells him that he's not dreaming but he's a Stravagante and capable of traveling between his home in present-day England, where he lies dying, and Bellezza where he is healthy and life is exciting. There will come a time, however, when he will be forced to live in one world or the other and the choice may not be his to make.

Hill, C. J. Slayer Very good 7 & up

Howard, A. G. Splintered Excellent 7 & up

Alyssa's family is cursed. It started with Alice Liddell...yes, that Alice. When Alice's female descendents come of age, they begin to hear voices...crickets, rabbits critters of all sorts begin to speak to them and it invariably drives them mad. Alison, Alyssa's own mother, sliced her hands to ribbons when she saw a 5-year-old Alyssa talking to a beautiful blue butterfly...to be fair, Alison was aiming for the butterfly. Alison is now in a mental hospital. Alyssa has her own problems, besides being bugged by bugs. She has had another voice in her head since she was a child and he's back. He tells her that there's a way to break the curse and get her mother back but she must go down the rabbit hole. She accidentally brings along Jeb, her good friend and secret crush since they were children. Wonderland is a place full of strange creatures and powerful magic. Morpheus is the voice Alyssa has heard all her life and she trusts him...but he is not exactly what he seems and neither, as she soon finds, is she. Alyssa and Jeb will have to navigate the intrigue and dark schemes to not only break the curse but to survive!

Jenkins, A. M. Night Road Good 9 & up

Cole has been walking the earth for more than a century, he subsists on the blood of others, he turns to dust in the sun but don't dare call him a vampire. He and those like him are hemovores. In his long life, he's earned the reputation of being smart, astute and uber responsible. When a close friend accidentally turns a young man, Cole is called on to help train him. Gordo is eighteen, as well, but is having trouble cutting ties to his old life. Most importantly, his girlfriend, who he nearly killed when he turned and had to feed for the first time. Cole has particular empathy for Gordo's experience as he made a similar mistake which ended in a horrible tragedy. Cole is determined to get Gordo through his transition but, no matter how carefully you plan or how much control you've developed over the years, the best laid plans often go awry and accidents do still happen.

Johnson, Jaleigh The Mark of the Dragonfly Excellent 6-9

Piper is a young scrapper living in a poor town miles away from civilization. She and the rest of the townspeople make a living by scavenging treasures and trinket that fall from the sky during the strange meteor showers that occur regularly. She has a rare gift for fixing machines and other mechanical bits that she finds. One day, the meteor shower brings a strange visitor who changes the course of her life. A caravan is destroyed when a meteor strikes it. A girl is the only one left alive, or so it seems. She remembers nothing about how she got there or even who she is. One thing is for sure, though, she is valuable to someone. She bears the mark of the Dragonfly, a tattoo that means she is under the protection of King Aron, himself. If she can get the girl back to him, it will mean a reward that could change her life forever. The girls journey will reveal much more than either of them are expecting and the people who come into their lives will bring danger, magic and, perhaps, a home.

Jonell, Lynn The Secret of Zoom Good 5-7

High on a hill at the edge of a forest lives a young girl who wants a friend. Not an unusual desire for most children. For Christina, however, there are the barbed wire, electrified fences, thick forest and the sign that reads "Trespassers Will Be Boiled" as obstacles. You might think she's a prisoner but, no, her father is just really, really protective. Her only experience with other children are the school students and the orphans she watches through her telescope. One sunny day one of the orphans breaks away from the group and suggests that somewhere hidden in her house is a secret tunnel. Suddenly, her world is a lot less safe but a lot more exciting. When Christina helps Taft escape, they embark on an adventure of discovery that will amaze even the most powerful imagination.

Jones, Carrie Need Good 7 & up

Zara is in the desperate throes of grief. Her beloved step-dad, the only father she's ever known, has died and she doesn't know how to go on without him. Her mother, worried about her, sends her off to frigid Maine to live with her step-grandmother. Her father grew up here and Zara feels him everywhere. She has also noticed a man following her...the same man she'd seen just outside her window the day of her father's funeral. Coincidence? Not when she sees the glittery trail of golden dust he leaves behind and when he calls out for her to come to him. With the help of some new and mysterious friends, Zara must discover the truth, a task for which she may not be completely re

Jones, Frewin The Faerie Path Good 6-8

Life is just starting to get good for Anita. She won the lead role in the school play, Romeo and Juliet. The new and very cute boy in school was playing Romeo. Best of all, however, was that Evan seemed to really like her and not just because she was playing Juliet! But not all is as it seems. On her 16th birthday, Evan took her boating. Suddenly, a dark shadow eclipsed the sun and Evan lost control of the boat. The next thing that Anita knew, she was in the hospital and Evan was unconscious. Days later, a handsome man appeared in Anita’s room asking her to come to him. She followed and found herself in the world of Faerie.

Jordan, Sheryll Hunting of the Last Dragon Good 7 & up

Jude is an unlikely hero. He is afraid of "nightmares and the dark, of bogeymen and fiends..." Many of these fears he brings upon himself until the day his nightmares became real. He has gone to a fair in a nearby village where he is chosen from the crowd to participate in a demonstration by one of the fair's performers. He is asked to stand perfectly still while Tybolt gives him a haircut...with his sword. Afterward, he is called brave, which surprises him very much. "Scared stiff" is his reply. As he returns home, he finds nothing left of his village except ashes. He is devastated and spends many days wandering aimlessly burning his hands and feet from walking on the still-hot ground. His life takes a surprising turn when the same performers he’d met at the fair days before take him in. He is charged with caring for one of the "freaks" in the show. She is a tiny maid from China. The two develop a tentative friendship and, when Tybolt's son tries to attack her, they escape. Their journey takes them to further adventure and danger, as they confront the last surviving dragon and try to end it's reign of destruction.

Jordan, Sophie Firelight Very good 7 & up

Jacinda is not like other girls. She is even different among her own kind, the draki, descendants of dragons whose strongest defense and greatest secret is that they can assume human form. She is a fire breather and the pride wants to pair her with Cassian, the son of the current leader, so they can breed more like her. Jacinda is an independent even defiant girl and wants the freedom to do what she wants when she wants. When she breaks the pride's cardinal rule and flies during the day, she is very nearly captured by hunters who have decimated her people. But one of them, handsome Will, saves her. But why? What does he really want? Her actions will bring a harsh punishment so her mother packs her and her younger sister up and moves them to a remote desert, hoping that the atmosphere and the fact that she won't be able to manifest will kill the dragon inside of her, as her mother did years ago. Things don't go as planned, however. Instead of finding safety they find Will and the draki inside of Jacinda strains toward him, putting her right in the path of Will's dragon-hunter family. But why? What is it about Will that draws her? She had better figure it out before the hunters find out who or what she is!

Joyce, William Nicholas St. North...Battle of the Nighmare King Excellent 6-8

n the far reaches of the frozen tundra, Nicholas St. North is a wily adventurer best known for his derring-do and his all-out quest for treasure. He is a dashing and brave hooligan whose band of thieves are loyal to a fault. One night a strange dream visits North and he wakes to his own raucous laughter then packs up his band and heads to a small village that has been besieged by an evil that has long been held captive. Pitch, now free, has waged war on Santoff Claussen and it's wizard, Ombric for helping to imprison him. His Fearlings prey on children, stealing their dreams and replacing them with nightmares. North's cunning and skill with weaponry will be put to the test as will the goodness that has been buried deep inside. With the help of some very interesting characters, North and Ombric battle against an enemy who is full of rage and nearly as clever as they are. It's a dangerous combination and one that will be difficult to defeat.

Kaaberbol, Lene Shamer's Daughter Excellent 7 & up

Secrets. Everyone has them...things that they don't want anyone to know; things that they even hide from themselves; things to be ashamed of. The Shamer’s eyes can draw these dark things to the light of day, exposing the truth. Dina has inherited her mother’s gift; a gift that feels more like a curse. Her mother is called to the palace to help unearth the truth about a grisly triple murder in the royal family but, when she doesn’t return the following day, Dina is forced to deal with this gift to save her mother, herself and her kingdom.

Kate, Lauren Fallen Very good 8 & up

Flame, then fear, then death. Luce lost a boy she barely knew but wanted to know more. She survived but soon, letters came; strangers driving by shouting curses and other things. The school did not want her. The police did not believe her. So she stood at the gates of Sword & Cross boarding school deep in Savannah's oak and moss laden land. Then she saw him. Daniel Grigori. He seemed familiar and Luce was immediately drawn him, like a moth to a flame. But Daniel wants nothing to do with her, goes out of his way to avoid her. Still, she can't let it go but what will be the consequences; life or death; darkness or light?

Kladstrup, Kristin The Book of Story Beginnings Excellent 6-8

Lucy Martin is not happy at all about moving to her family’s farmhouse in Iowa. Her parents aren’t either, as evidenced by their constant bickering. The only interesting bit is the mystery of a long lost uncle and the eccentric aunt who believed in magic and alchemy. Nearly a century earlier, Oscar Martin, then fourteen, disappeared and was never heard from again. His younger sister, Lavonne, claimed that she’d seen him float away on an ocean in a rowboat…in the middle of Iowa! Lucy is further intrigued when she finds Oscar’s journals and begins reading them, hoping to find a clue as to what happened to him. There is also a rowboat in the shed, which is strange since there’s no pond or river nearby. Hidden in the ceiling above the boat, Lucy finds an old leather-bound book called the book of story beginnings. She opens it and finds a warning “Beware, you writers who write within; Be mindful of stories that you begin;” It’s rather ominous but she read the many stories that were begun in the book until she gets to one that strikes a chord. It was about a boy who lived in a farmhouse on a hill but dreamed that he lived surrounded by the sea and could go sailing on adventures. But if this was Oscar’s story, could the story that Lavonne told have been true? If so, what kind of power did the book have? What would happen if she wrote a story?

Knudsen, Michelle The Dragon of Trelian Excellent 6-9

Calen is a young mage-in-training who is not particularly confident in his chosen profession. Meg is a young princess who has a strong will and mind of her own, which often gets her into trouble. The inauspicious meeting of the two occurs behind a heavy curtain as they each seek a place to watch a royal procession and ends with Meg promising to reveal a secret. Little do they know that their friendship, magic and a dragon are all that stand between a wedding that will bring peace to two kingdoms and utter destruction of the kingdom of Trelian.

Lackey, Mercedes Gwenhwyfar: The White Spirit Excellent 8 & up

In a time when gods and spirits of old still roam the world, Gwen sets out to find her place. Though she has the hand of two goddesses on her, Epona, goddess of horse-folk, is the stronger. Gwen has not met a horse that did not do as she asked. She wants nothing more than to become a warrior. On Samhain, her hero Braith acknowledges her gift and informs her father, the king, that he would do well to let her train for the warrior path. This decision will touch so many other lives, including the High King Arthur's. First, however, come two other Gwynhwyfar's, war, destruction, love and, finally, death.

Landy, Derek Skulduggery Pleasant Excellent 7 & up

Stephanie's eccentric Uncle Gordon has died. The funeral was an unusual affair...small but diverse crowd. Later, at the reading of the will, Stephanie finds out that she is now the sole, 12-year-old possessor of a fortune, including the mansion in which Gordon lived! That evening, strange forces contrived to get her alone in the house. All's well, at first, quite like an adventure, really. Suddenly, the night was split with the sound breaking glass, as a hand reached out for her. Just as suddenly, the front door was smashed off its hinges and in walked Skulduggery Pleasant, a strange man covered from head to toe in a hat, trench coat and scarf. Skulduggery beat him away but not before his accouterments was stripped away and what was left standing there was more of a shock than anything else that had happened!

Livingston, Lesley Wondrous Strange Good 8 & up

Kelley is living her dream...she is the understudy turned feature actress in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in an off-off-Broadway theater. Faeries and magic become everyday things, in more ways than Kelly imagines. When she meets Sonny, a handsome, silver-gray eyed young man, her reality shifts forever. Sonny is a changeling, a human kidnapped by faeries as an infant, who works for King Auberon guarding the gate that stands between the mortal and faerie realms. The Samhain Gate stands open only once a year and this year, the Fae seem to be far more agitated and determined to escape. He doesn't understand why things are so different until he realizes just who Kelley really is. He vows to protect her, at all costs. As Kelley's eyes are opened to her new reality, she begins to fear just who will come to collect. Kelley must now navigate the treacherous waters that flow between her friends and the Fae that threaten them.

Lowry, Lois Gossamer Excellent 6-8

Do you ever wonder where our dreams come from? What are they made of? Why do some dreams become nightmares? There are messengers who come in the night. They explore our homes and our memories, finding the good and peaceful things and weave them into dreams. They protect and strengthen us with their gatherings. Slipping between reality and imaginings, a young, lost boy and a lonely, sensitive woman discover hidden strength and how healing can come from something unseen and mysterious.

Mahoney, Karne Iron Witch Good 7 & up

There's something strange about Donna Underwood. She wears long gloves up to her elbows all the time, regardless of the weather. Everyone thinks that it's because of some injury. That's true but the kind of injury is far from anything her school mates, even her best friend could possibly understand. When she was 7, she was attacked by the fey. Her father dies saving her. Maker, the most powerful alchemist, fixed her by binding her bones and flesh with an iron and silver alloy. It left beautiful but difficult to explain tattoos on her arms. The only semblance of normal in her life is Navin, her best friend and neighbor. He's always been there for her but she's always had to lie to him, to protect him, certainly, but also because she fears losing him if he knew the truth. It is inevitable that her two lives would collide one day and on that day, Navin is kidnapped by the Wood Fairy Queen, held ransom for the Elixir of Life, which the alchemists have. Now, Donna must make the most difficult decision of her young life and take her place as a warrior in the ancient battle between her fellow alchemists and the angry Fey.

Marillier, Juliet Daughter of the Forest Excellent 10 & up

Sorcha is the youngest and only girl in her family. She and her six brothers live an idyllic life with their parents in the mystical land called Sevenwaters. One horrible day, tragedy strikes and Sorcha witnesses her mother's brutal death when a huge, otherworldly wolf attacks her. The children are devastated but not more so than their father Colum. He cuts himself off from them, retreating into his own misery. Years later, their father returns from a long journey with a beautiful woman at his side. His people and most of his children are completely smitten with her. Sorcha, however, knows that she is not what she seems. After they are married, the terrible truth of who their new mother's identity is born out through a curse placed upon the boys. They are turned into swans and are doomed to remain so unless Sorcha can break the curse. The task is nearly impossible, as most curse-breakings are. The suffering and pain, both physical and emotional, take their toll on the young girl, but she is her brothers' only hope to return to humanity and to save Sevenwaters from certain annihilation.

Wildwood Dancing Excellent 8 & up

Nothing is as it seems for Jenica and her sisters. They live comfortably in a manor house, bordered by a mysterious wood. Once a month, during the full moon, a portal opens up between their world and the world of the Others. The girls, since childhood, have been going through the portal and dancing the night way in gowns of gossamer and jewels. They are older now and things are not as simple or carefree. When their father becomes ill and must go away to warmer climes, the running of the estate falls to Jenica. While they are still able to escape to the Other Kingdom, their power-hungry and twisted cousin Cezar begins to meddle in business and personal affairs. He is suspicious of their nocturnal activities and has become obsessed with destroying the forest, which would mean the death of their friends in the Other Kingdom. To complicate matters, Tatiana, the sister just behind Jenica in age, has fallen in love with one of the enigmatic and fearsome Night People and is drawing away from her world, toward the Other Kingdom and her true love. It is up to Jenica with the help of her trusted if a little unorthodox best friend, Gorgu, a magical, talking frog, to do what is right for Tatiana and the rest of the family.

Cybele's Secret Excellent 8 & up

Paula, the youngest in a family of daughters, accompanies her merchant father on a trip to Istanbul. They are in search of a rare artifact worth a fortune. It is said that it is a gift from the goddess Cybele to her followers and is the only relic left from a large and powerful cult. The trip, however, does not go as planned. Rumors about the object and it's power circulate through the city as does the possibility that the cult is being revived and gaining new followers as well as power. When a colleague and friend of her father's is found murdered, suddenly the game becomes far more serious. Paula finds the intrigue exciting and the attentions of two very different men intoxicating but who can she really trust? Especially when Cybele, herself, seems to be nudging Paula with signs that seem to say "Find the secret".

Heart's Blood Excellent 8 & up

With the death of her father comes a new horror, her aunt and his vile son. Battered and abused, Catrin finally finds the courage to run. She is a well trained scribe and is determined to make her own way in the world, not dependent on anyone. Her hasty travels bring her to a remote village. Here she finds a village full of suspicion and strangeness. On her first morning, she hears that the chieftain needs a scribe to translate old family histories. She needs money and a place to hide from her brutal cousin so she volunteers to go but she finds much more than she bargained for. Anluan is a man crippled early in life who rules over a land of mystery and ghosts. Hidden somewhere in his family's library is the key to fighting against the evil that has long wandered his lands. But the longer that Catrin stays the more she realizes that she may hold the key not only to victory against evil but also to the bitter heart of Anluan.

Marriott, Zoe Swan Kingdom Very good 6-8

She is much loved by her mother, the Queen and wise woman of the kingdom. Her father merely tolerates her. Mother and daughter walk the grounds and gardens as Alexandra learns the ways of the earth and how to harness it's power, as women in her family have been doing for centuries. When she turns 15, her mother takes her for her initiation into womanhood, where she will begin to learn of her true powers. That night tragedy strikes in the form of an horrendous beast that attacks her mother. She soon dies from the wounds and the kingdom is cast into shadow. Not long after, a woman of exceptional beauty is found wandering in the woods. The king is completely besotted with her and the rest of the kingdom soon follows; all but Alexandra and her brothers. They recognize her for the evil creature she is. When they try to fight her, the boys turn into swans and fly away and Alexandra is drugged and sent to her aunt in a distant land. For a long while Alexandra is alone, afraid and confused, her crotchety old aunt is not much company. Time passes and Alexandra makes a few friends but longs for her brothers and her old life. One day, a coach from her father and stepmother arrives to fetch her home for a visit. She dreads meeting the horrible woman responsible for her misery but soon realizes that this trip is far more than it seems and Alexandra will have to fight for her life, her brothers and her kingdom.

Martin, Rafe Birdwing Excellent 6-9

The fairytale is over and life goes on for the six brothers who were turned into swans and saved by their sister. Life after enchantment is very different, however, for one brother. He is left with one arm and one swan's wing. He is a freak to the villagers, a guilty reminder for his sister who failed him, and a mystery to his other brothers who would rather forget their wild swan days. Ardwin feels the pull of his wing every time he sees birds take flight into the open sky. He wants badly to follow but he also wants to be a normal person with two normal arms. When he learns of plans to have his wing cut off and replaced with a magical, mechanical arm, he runs away not only to save his wing but to find himself.

Maxwell, Katie Got Fangs? Confessions of a Vampire's Girlfriend Good 8 & up

Most people think that working in a traveling fair would be an adventure; seeing amazing places, meeting completely unique people. All of this would be true if you actually wanted to be there, which Fran definitely does not. She would rather be just about anywhere than at a fair where being unique is rather ordinary. Her mother is a witch and can cast spells and brew potions. Her best friend is the daughter of a vampire. Fran, herself, as a secret talent that she would do anything to hide. When Benedikt appears, flying in on his uber-cool motorcycle, all that changes. He is beautiful, mysterious and a vampire or Moravian Dark One, as he and his kind prefer to be called. Fran, it seems, is his Beloved, the one who can redeem him, if she survives that long.

McCaffrey, Anne Dragonsong (1) Excellent 8 & up

Menolly is a talented young woman living in her family's sea hold, far away from any other people. Her father is very traditional but is forced to let his daughter help the aging Harper teach the hold's children. Music and song are the tools Harpers use to teach children their lessons. As long as she's under the guardianship of the old Harper, she is free to make up new tunes. He has even sent some of her music to Harper Hall because it was so good. All that ends when the old man dies. Menolly's father forbids her to use her own tunes or even to create new variations on the old ones. When she can't resist and is caught, she is punished. Without her music, Menolly is miserable and her mother sends her on errands that take her far from the hold. One day, she wanders farther than ever in search of tubers for dinner and is makes a discovery that changes the course of her life forever.

A Gift of Dragons Excellent 6 & up

This is a collection of stories from master storyteller and dragon expert, Anne McCaffrey. The planet Pern is the setting for each of these remarkable stories. Three are familiar to fans of McCaffrey from her over 14 books about the dragons of Pern. the fourth is a new adventure written for this book. One can only hope that it is a tantalizing precursor to a complete book! If you've never read any of McCaffrey's dragon books, this would be a wonderful introduction to her writing but be warned, you'll have to go out immediately and find her complete novels! The dragons and their companions have a way of getting into your heart and sending your imaginations soaring.

McKillip, Patricia Alphabet of Thorn Very good 7-9

Libraries are a place of words, secrets, and knowledge. Nepenthe is a foundling who was taken in by the kindly librarians and trained to translate books and manuscripts that come to the library from all over the kingdom. One such manuscript defies translation and is sent on to the library. The moment Nepenthe opens the cover, the book speaks to her soul. The letters look like thorny brambles that only untangle at her touch. She becomes obsessed and her obsession will lead to a confrontation of past and present and future. She holds the fate of the kingdom in her hands. When the time comes, what will her choice be?

McKinley, Robin Chalice Very good 7 & up

Marisol spends most of her time in the company of bees that truly seem to know her and love her. As a result, her honey is the best in all of Willowlands. The earth speaks to her and she responds by taking care of its trees and creatures. The concerns of those who govern, Master, Chalice and their Circle, have little to do with her simple life. That is until a cataclismic tragedy changes everything. The Master is rumored to be wild and reckless and his Chalice seems to be unable to bind him to the Circle and the earthlines they care for. During one of his riotous parties, the Master and his Chalice are killed in a raging fire. There are no heirs to take over so the Willowlands is thrown into utter chaos. The only blood-relative left of the Master's family is his younger brother who was sent to become a priest of Fire. The only problem is that, after having lain in Fire for seven years, he is no longer quite human. During all this, Marisol has been struggling with her own problems; her bee hives are literally overflowing with honey, her goats are bursting with more milk than she has containers for, but when the Circle comes to claim her as the new Chalice, she has no choice but to go. Her land and, as it turns out, her Master, depend on it.

Pegasus Good 8 & up

Sylvi is turning twelve and the thing she has been looking forward to all of her young life is about to happen. She will be bound to her own Pegasus! Thousands of years earlier, the first humans to find the beautiful, green valley defeated the terrible beasts that had plagued the Pegasi for generations. To honor that feat, the Pegasi and humans formed an alliance, part of which is that each human royal will be bound, magically, to a pegasi. The two species have great difficulty communicating but have formed a stilted sign language that can only be learned by great magicians who serve as translators or Speakers. There are a list of rules a mile long about the relationship and behavior between the human and his or her Pegasus. On her binding day, all those rules go right out of the window when Ebon speaks directly into Sylvi's mind and she not only hears but talks back, as though they were speaking in person. This miracle turns everything the two species have ever known on its ear but, not everyone is glad of it. Suspicions rise and soon Ebon and Sylvi may have to face a horrible truth...maybe there's a reason that their two peoples cannot easily communicate and maybe it means destruction for all.

McMann, Lisa Wake Good 9 & up

Have you ever had a dream that seemed so real, so frightening that you just couldn't wake from it? Now imagine that it's not even your dream. That's Janie's life, at least since she was 8-years-old and fell into an old man's dream that he was giving his presentation to his colleagues in his underwear. Most dreams are innocuous...the dream of falling, playing/speaking in front of a crowd buck-naked, the usual. Sometimes, though, there are the nightmares where monsters seem real and there's no escape. Janie can't control the dreams. She can't help, even when they plead for her to. When others sleep, Janie is sucked into their dreams. This makes for a very tired girl and there's no one to help her. Her mother is barely conscious most of the time (drink), her father isn't in the picture (unknown), and no one would believe her anyway. Or would they. One night she dreams and suddenly something changes. The boy in the dream wakes, fully aware that she's seen something, something he'd rather keep hidden. She has to learn to control it before it destroys her and the only chance she might have at falling in love.

Mead, Richelle Vampire Academy (1) Very good 8 & up

Rose is half human and half vampire and is a guardian-in-training. She is assigned to Lissa, the last member of a powerful vampire family. They attend St. Vladimir's Academy, where things have gotten rather hairy lately. To protect her best friend from perceived dangers, Rose runs away with Lissa. They have managed to live safely for two years before they are caught and returned to the academy where they have to face not only the consequences of their actions but also the everyday problems of being teenagers. The dangers they ran away from are very real, however, and mean life or death to one or both girls.

Melling, O. R. The Hunter's Moon Good 6-8

Since childhood, Gwen and Findabhair have shared an fascination with all things fairy. When Gwen arrived in Ireland for a summer of fun and backpacking, the last thing she expects is to be caught up in the magical web of Faerie. While sleeping in the forbidden grave mound of Tara, Findabhair is kidnapped by the King of Faerie. Gwen, who has always been a follower, is forced to be on her own, make decisions and try to get her cousin back. With friends she meets along the way, she faces a battle the likes of which she's never seen before and hopes never to see again.

Meyer, Marissa Cinder (1) Excellent 8 & up

Cinder is a mechanic, the best one in New Bejing. It is said that she can fix anything. You'd think this would make her a very popular person but, not so. You see, she's also a cyborg, a freak. Her stepmother blames her for all the family's misfortune including the sudden illness of her younger step-sister. When her path crosses with Prince Kai, her world shifts drastically and secrets long buried make their way to the surface. Now she must choose between duty, freedom and love all while fighting against the Evil Queen.

Heartless Excellent 8 & up

Mull, Brandon Beyonders (1) Excellent 7 & up

There are many, many ways to enter into another world...swirling portals, magical mirrors, mists. Jason, however, has discovered the most bizarre. He fell into a hippo, a water horse, and ended up in a world ruled by a malicious man who rules with fear and intimidation. Maldor defeats his opposition by imprisoning them in the lap of luxury where they are spoiled with luscious food and drink until their desire to fight drains away or they eat themselves into oblivion. Those who continue to resist, hide away, waiting for a hero to take up the battle. Jason and a fellow interloper, Rachel, now embark on a perilous quest to find a secret but powerful word that legend says will unmake Maldor. Danger is inevitable; failure inconceivable; getting home, doubtful. Still, neither Jason nor Rachel can just sit around and accept defeat. Whether they intended it or not, they must step into the mantle of "Hero".

Myer, Edward Storyteller Excellent 7 & up

Once upon a time...; Long ago and far away...; Once there lived a beautiful princess...Some of the best stories begin with these words. This is the story of Jack who was born to tell stories. They just bubble out of him like the air he breaths. He was the son of farmers in a small village but soon realized that he was meant for a different kind of life. His calling was as a storyteller. At 17, he set off to seek his fortune. Jack's story included many amazing characters; among them, a talking bird, the queen of a forest kingdom, a beautiful but gloomy princess and her evil younger brother. All of these characters have stories of their own to tell. So curl up in your favorite chair with a mug of something warm and prepare to enter into this twining, weaving, dazzling tale of Jack Storyteller and his amazing journey.

Nadol, Jen The Mark Very good 9 & up

Cassie is 4 and walking with her grandmother by a school yard full of young children. Nothing out of the ordinary except that many of the children seem to be glowing. The following day, a newspaper reports a horrible school bus accident where 12 children die. Years later, a man she sees on the bus has the same glow. Cassie decides to follow him. Several blocks later, he looks down to check the time and looks up at the squeal of tires as he is hit by a car. He dies before anyone can do anything. The mark, a glow, as if the person were standing in front of a bright light, means that person will die in the next 24 hours. It's a terrifying ability and Cassie is not sure what to do about it. One day, she walks into her grandmother's hospital room after a routine visit because of her diabetes and sees the mark on Nan. For the first time, Cassie tries to intervene, trying to convince the doctor to do more tests that she has a feeling that something bad is going to happen. The tests come back negative but the next day, Nan is dead and Cassie's life changes forever.

Napoli, Donna Jo Beast Very good 6-8

Orasmyn, a Persian prince, is very conscious of his position and the responsibilities that come with it. He is also very arrogant, as is also typical of his station. When faced with a major decision, he chooses wrongly and draws the anger of a malevolent spirit who curses him. He becomes the beast and only the love of a human woman can free him. The familiar tale of Beauty and the Beast is told from the Beast's point of view, before he became the beast.

Zel Good 6-8

It's always been Zel and Mother, as long as she could remember. They lived alone on a small farm in the isolated Swiss Alps, only venturing into town twice a year for supplies. But Zel has dreams of marriage and a family of her own. Just before her twelfth birthday, Zel accompanied her mother to a village in the next valley to make purchases for her birthday celebration. While her mother is off buying her gifts, Zel meets a young nobleman who is quite taken with her and she with him. Mother is suddenly confronted by a vision of a possible future for her daughter and, in the terror of losing her, does the unspeakable. She locks Zel in a tower. Mother made a deal with the devil to have Zel who must now make a choice for herself...to be with her mother and receive great power or to be the wife and mother she's always dreamed of.

O'Hearn, Kate Shadow of the Dragon: Kira Very good 6-8

There is a prophesy that says that an unmarried, flame-haired girl riding a twin-tailed dragon will defeat the evil King Arden. In defense, the king has decreed that all girls be married by the time they are 13 or they must be sent to Lasser Commons, the most notorious prison in the land. Actually, he has many laws concerning girls but they’ve never bothered Kira much. She grew up running free and dreaming of one day taming her own dragon and being a knight in the king’s army. That all changes the day that Lord Darcon destroys her home, takes her little sister to Lasser and her parents and brother to the palace to serve in the army. Kira and Elspeth, her other younger sister, are now on the run from a furious Lord Darcon. The only safe place for them is also one of the most dangerous …the mountain where the Rogue, a vicious and wild dragon, lives. With the help of a mysterious fox, the girls find shelter in caves beneath the mountain. One day they stumble upon something that changes their lives forever.

O'Neal, Eilis False Princess Excellent 7 & up

A prophesy is given just before the princess's birth...There is danger, the Oracle sees her lying dead in a pool of blood, murdered. A worse prophesy cannot be imagined by the king and queen or their people so they make a plan. Fast forward 16 years and Princess Nalia is alive and well and trying to decipher an ancient code on a map long forgotten with her best friend, Kiernan. She is summoned to the throne room, before her parents. She's done nothing wrong but still, nervousness blooms inside of her like an unwanted weed. As she enters the room, her nerves jump into high gear when she sees the seriousness and, strangely, sadness of her parents faces. They tell her a story, about her birth but it veers off from the familiar and ends with the revelation that she is not who she thought she was. She is a changeling, given to the king and queen by her father a poor man left alone with his infant daughter. The real princess was hidden away in hopes of thwarting the dire prophesy. With her sixteenth birthday passed, she is no longer needed and the real princess is on her way home. It is a shock, no worse than a shock, especially when Nalia, now Sinda, finds herself dumped upon an aunt who doesn't want her with no practical skills at all. Soon, however, things change again when Sinda realizes that she is full to brimming with magic, which leads her down yet another unexpected path. Along the way she uncovers a horrible plot against the throne and the new princess but will she be able to gain enough control over her magic to expose the betrayer and save not only herself and the true princess but all of Thorvaldor?

Pierce, Meredith Treasure at the Heart of Tanglewood Fair 6-8

Brown Hannah, as she is called, lives at the edge of Tanglewood. She is a healer but the villagers nearby come to her full of trepidation, which puzzles her. She doesn’t realize the effect her appearance has on them. Growing amongst her hair are natural things…flowers, greenery, berries and wheat. These things she harvests once a month to make a tea for the wizard who raised her. This tea gives him a strange strength that she doesn’t understand. But just as it makes him stronger, it weakens not only her own powers but also her body. As she becomes more curious about the villagers, she learns things about her forest and the wizard that disturb her. Eventually, she confronts him, defies him and escapes to find out who she is and why the wild things grow in her hair and change with the seasons. Her journey is long but successful as she goes from Brown to Green to Golden and finally Russet Hannah.

Pierce, Tamora Will of the Empress Good 7-9

When friends have been away from one another for a long time, it's often uncomfortable when they come back together again. This is especially true for Sandry, Tris, Briar, and Daja who have all changed greatly since their time at Winding Circle. Regaining their close connection will be difficult, especially since after only a few days home, Tris, Briar and Daja are asked to accompany Sandry to her home lands to settle problems that have arisen there. The Empress is used to having her way and, after luring Sandry home, she is determined to keep her and her mage friends in her kingdom at all costs and, as it turns out, those costs are high, indeed!

Pike, Aprilynne Wings Very good 8 & up

Laurel is your average teen-aged girl, with a few minor exceptions. She is strictly vegan, she can't stand to swim in salt water, and just this morning...she sprouted a flower from her back! The petals were lovely and smelled wonderful but would definitely make wearing clothing a bit of a challenge. What is she going to tell her family, her friends, her boyfriend? She has to tell someone so she decides upon David, who is a self-proclaimed science geek. Together, they try to figure out what she is. Somehow, it's all tied to the land that has been in her mother's family for hundreds of years. The land that is now being sold out from under them because her father has become gravely ill and cannot work. With the help of David and other ethereal allies, Laurel will have to save her family and the land she loves.

Plum, Amy Die For Me Very good 8 & up

Okay, the title suggests yet another vampire book but, no...this is something else entirely! Kate and her sister Georgia are transplants to Paris after their parents are killed in a car accident. Their grandparents are kind, loving and provide them a strong sense of normalcy. They are just beginning to heal when Kate meets Vincent, a drop-dead gorgeous Parisian. There's something mysterious, dangerous about him but Kate is charmed enough to give him her heart. Only when it's too late does she find out that Vincent is not a regular human boy...there's no name for what he is and his destiny involves life and death decisions. He is a revanent, an immortal who saves the lives of others by giving his own, over and over again. There are others, darker members of his kind who are dangerous enemies. As Kate is drawn further into Vincent's dark world, she begins to understand what it means to love someone enough to die for him.

Sedgwick, Marcus The Dark Horse Very good 7-8

High in the hill caves the villagers hunted the wolves, though everyone knew that wolves lived in the forest. A torch was brought to light their way through the cave to their prey when suddenly they attacked. Wolves poured out of the cave's mouth and took with them the lives of several villagers before disappearing down the mountain leaving the stunned people staring at what was left behind. A little girl stood naked, filthy and frightened. Sigurd and his father spoke up for her against the tribe's cruel leader who meant to leave her there and took her home to live. The tribe soon discovered she had a rare and, to some, fearful gift. She was able to speak with and understand animals. Because of this power, she was always on the outside. When she and Sigurd find a strange box and an even stranger man shows up to claim it, life in the village will forever and tragically be changed. What does this box have inside that pulls at Mouse but frightens her and what will become of the village and her adopted family?

The Dark Flight Down Very good 7-8

Having narrowly survived the horror of Valerian's death, Boy is no more safe than he was before. He still does not have all the pieces of his history and things are only getting worse. He is sent back to Valerian's home to retrieve some magical object and is captured by the Emperor Fredrick's men and held in a dank, cold cell. Suddenly, his fortunes change and he is catapulted into the sumptuous world of royal splendor but he is in more danger than ever. In this world, a petulant and insane emperor is on the throne, a murderous freak lives in secret, and Boy is caught in the middle of all of it. He and Willow must use all their wits to escape this madness that threatens to destroy all their dreams.

Shulamn, Polly The Grimm Legacy Excellent 6-8

A library is a place where you can go an borrow books, right? Not the New-York Circulating Material Repository! The repository contains objects that can be checked out. You need a doublet to help you design your Shakespearean costumes? They have it. Need a chess set to challenge your best friend to a match? They have that too. Need a magic carpet to take a ride on? No way...or maybe in the Grimm Collection? Elizabeth receives high praise from her History teacher for her research project on the Brothers Grimm. He suggests that she might like a job at the repository. At first, it's all very normal. There are a few other teenagers working there, as well, even the extremely cute star basket ball player from her school. Soon, however, Elizabeth hears rumors of strange things happening around the library. There are secrets too...something about the collection of objects collected by the Brothers Grimm, objects like the invisible cloak from the 12 Dancing Princesses, the glass slipper from Cinderella and so much more. But these things can't actually be real, can they? Join Elizabeth as she tries to unravel the mysteries and survive the magic of Grimm's legacy.

Shusterman, Neal Red Rider's Hood Good 6-8

Red, so named because of his very cool, blood-red, classic Mustang, lives in the rough part of town and lately, it's gotten even rougher. There have always been gangs to deal with. The Crypts are a gang of girls but they stay pretty much on their side of town. The Wolves, however, have gotten more bold and when a few of them mug his grandmother and steal his Mustang, Red can no longer ignore them. He decides that the only way to defeat them is to do it from inside. The only problem is that the Wolves are not actually human...they are werewolves! He has some secret information that is valuable to them, which is his way in but, as he becomes more involved with them, the power and freedom that they possess begins to appeal to Red. Eventually, he will have to make a decision for whom to fight and then fight to the death.

Sky, Obert Pillage Very good 6-8

Could things possibly get worse for Beck Phillips? Well, yes, actually. After his mother dies, he is sent to live with an uncle he didn't eve know about. This uncle, Aeron Phillips, is a recluse who lives in the attic under a huge dome. There are many rules in the manor; don't try to unlock locked doors; don't try to locate the basement that isn't there; don't go into the back yard; stay away from Milo, the backdoor neighbor boy. Well all these "dont's" just make Beck want to do them more. In the back yard, for instance, he finds a conservatory whose doors have been bricked in so that it's completely walled away. One day, Beck discovers a strange ability; he wants, very badly, to get inside of the wall and wishes that the ivy would grow up and over so he could climb it...and it does, right before his eyes! Once he gets inside, however, the things he discovers will change his life and the world around him, forever.

Smith, Cynthia Leitch Eternal Very good 8 & up

A Guardian angels' job is to protect. They try to keep their charges from physical harm and make a valiant attempt to nudge them in the "right" direction. Their other job is to remain invisible, never allowing the humans they safeguard to see them. Zachary has been Miranda's guardian angel since birth. He's watched her shyness keep her on the lower rungs of the social ladder. He's listened to her worry about what others think of her. He's seen the hurt in her eyes and the the tear-stained cheeks when her parents divorced. All of this is standard GA fare...all Guardian angels do it. One night, however, he makes a fatal mistake that will cost him his wings and Miranda her life and soul.

Sniegoski, Thomas Fallen (1) Very good 9 & up

It all starts on Aaron's 18th birthday. Suddenly he is able to understand all languages, not just the English he's always known. Weirdly, those languages include being able to understand his dog, Gabriel! He also hears voices and is convinced that he's going crazy. When a strange man confronts him with who he really is, the son of a human woman and an angel and that he's the one prophesied to redeem the angels who fell so many thousands of years ago, he goes into serious denial. When his powers and his wings begin to manifest, he must accept his heritage because powerful forces are aligning against him and they want him destroyed and will take out everyone he cares for in the process. He sets out on a quest to find others like him and to enlist their help to defeat The Powers, lead by a monomaniacal fallen one who has been so completely corrupted by his mission that he has embraced evil. Aaron will face challenges the likes he's never imagined and will either prove he is the redeeming Nephilim of prophesy or he will die.

Snyder, Midori Hannah's Garden Very good 7-9

Cassie's life has been a roller-coaster ride all of her seventeen years. Her mother is a bit of a flake and Cassie is the only "adult" around. Every time her mother, Anne, goes through a crisis, they move to another town. They have now come almost full circle and seem to be more settled. Cassie had a major violin recital and her senior prom to look forward to. Anne has decided to go back to school to be a writer. The phone rings one evening and sets their whole world spinning again. Poppie is in the hospital and it looks bad. Daniel Brittman, Poppie, is the eccentric painter living on a farm. As the two travel to see him, they discover that things are worse than they imagined. The farm is a disaster area, purposefully destroyed by some malicious person but as they settle in, things get really strange. They are being stalked by something. Cassie has weird dreams and Anne is acting weird, even for her. Finally, the truth of their family's legacy comes out and Cassie is dragged into a battle between Good and Evil.

Stanley, Diane The Silver Bowl Excellent 6-8

Magic, evil, kings, princes and curses are all woven into this fabulous tale from master storyteller Diane Stanley. Molly is a maid in the palace. She has lived and worked there since she was a wee child of seven. She made the best of her life there and worked hard but never forgetting from where she came. Her mother loved her very much and passed on to her a lovely silver necklace and another gift that was less easy to handle. Molly has visions of things to come. They come unbidden and at the most inopportune times but she has learned to mask her face when she has them so that no one knows. When she is a teenager, her careful work in the kitchens catches the eye of Thomas, the keeper of the royal silver. She is made his apprentice. She is skilled at what she does, never once scratching or denting the precious metal with which she works. When she is practiced enough, Thomas puts her to work polishing the silver bowl that the royal family uses to wash their hands before meals. The moment she touches it, however, visions come. They are powerful and they show her the death of the members of the royal family! Now Molly is caught between a rock and a hard place. Should she tell what she saw and risk being called a fool, at best or witch, at worst or not telling and watching the people she's served for most of her life die horrible deaths? Her decision is taken away the night that strange silver wolves attack and kill only those of royal blood. She and her friend Tobias escape and realize that Alaric, the youngest son, was in, of all places, the privy when the attack occurred. They manage to get him away but not before the wolves attacked and wounded him. Now, they are all on the run for their lives, not knowing when or how the next attack will come.

Stiefvater, Maggie Lament (1) Excellent 8 & up

Deidre comes from a long line of talented musicians. Her instrument of choice is the harp and she is very good. One problem, though...Dee is terrified to perform in front of an audience. She spends quality time in the bathroom before every performance. At one competition, she makes her usual appearance in the bathroom but she is joined by a young man who holds her hair as she spills her lunch. It's all so embarrassing, all the more so when she sees how incredibly gorgeous he is. Luke Dillon helps her clean up then persuades her to practice with him. As they play together, something magical happens and Dee's life is changed forever and not necessarily for the better.

Ballad (2) Excellent 8 & up

Deidre and James Morgan, best friends for years, are enjoying life at a private boarding school for exceptional children. All is not as it seems, though. James has dark dreams of fire and death but also experiences an awakening of his already considerable talent. Nuala is drawn to James' music. She both inspires and feeds off of his creativity and will do so until he dies. Or so it begins but soon, Nuala feels something more for James. This change in her opens doors that should remain closed and the danger that enters will destroy the lives of some and deliver life to others.

Shiver (1) Excellent 8 & up

His eyes, a mix of yellow and hazel, are intense. She watches him from a distance. He watches her, as well. She wonders what his fur feels like; why his eyes seem so....human. She has watched him out in the cold for years, ever since the day she was attacked and taken by wolves into the woods. He saved her, brought her back home, watched over her. She doesn't know who he is, what he his. She only knows that he is her wolf. Then it all changes in the summer heat when he is human again. They meet and instantly and intensely connect. Love and truth, once spoken, cannot be taken back but the bond that they form is fragile. The biting Minnesota winter is inevitable. Change is inevitable but a future together might not be impossible.

Scorpio Races Excellent 9 & up

Water horses are the stuff of myth and legend and crashing waves, as beautiful as they are deadly. The stormy seas of November toss horses of all colors up on the beach, where only the bravest of islanders are waiting to catch them. For Puck and Sean, however, these horses and the races are part of the very fabric of their island home.

Puck a 16-year-old island girl lost her parents when water horses attacked their fishing boat a few years earlier and now her family is in trouble. They are about to be evicted from the only home they know; Puck is in serious jeopardy of losing Dove, the horse that is almost part of the family; and Gabe, the eldest, has decided to leave the island for good. The only way out is to win the Scorpio Races. The problem? No woman or girl has ever ridden in the Scorpio Races. It's a deadly game and every year, people die.

Sean is the reigning champion, four years running. He is unbeatable on the back of his fiery red water horse, Corr. He works for Benjamin Malvern, who owns Corr. This year, however, the race will change his life in more ways than one. Sean is racing for the right to buy Corr and get out from under Malvern's control. He also has Puck in his sights and she is quickly making her way into his heart. In a game of life and death, the lines blur between winning and losing.

Sullivan, Laura Under the Green Hill Good 6-8

A fever has broken out in the US and many parents are sending their children away, if they can. Rowan, Meg, Silly, and little James are off to England to stay with relatives they've never met before. The Rookery has been in the family for many generations and has the feeling of forever in its lush, rolling hills and ancient forests. Excited to explore, they take little heed of their elderly aunt and uncle's warnings and rules. As the entire village prepares for the Beltane festival, a beguiling and friendly young man comes calling, luring them away into the woods. In the fading light, when everything seems magical, the children come face to face with fairies. Before she realizes what's happening, sensible Meg watches as her brother becomes bewitched by the Queen and vows to fight her enemy in the Midsummer War. Meg is terrified of losing Rowan but, once the oath is sworn, it cannot be broken. In the end, Meg takes desperate measures, which change the course of life on and under the Green Hill forever.

Sutherland Tui Avatars Very good 7 & up

Everybody has a theory on how the world will end but there are five teenagers who were there to see what happened when it was all over. Kali falls asleep in a subway car and wakes to find it empty. When the car arrives at the station, there's no one there either. On the wall are scrawled in giant silver letters "THE END HAS COME". Venus and Gus are caught in an earthquake and soon realize that they have do deal with things far worse than aftershocks. Tigre runs. When he stops, he finds himself in an unfamiliar jungle with creatures he cannot believe with his own eyes, one of which carries him from Chile to New York. Amon in Egypt has more clues than any of them but still cannot fully understand all that has happened around him. The five teens are drawn, inexplicably, together by voices guiding them to a final destination where all will be revealed...then the real story can begin.

Taylor, Laini Daughter of Smoke and Bone (1) Very good 9 & up

Everyone makes wishes...tossing a coin into a fountain, wishing upon a star, breaking a wishbone. Everyone also knows that the wishes are more about hope than reality. Karou, however, has a completely different take on wishing because only she knows that wishes do, actually, come true, as long as you have the right tools. Karou is an amazing artist, constantly sketching people, buildings, monsters. Her hair is the bright blue of the gem stone lapis lazuli and she runs errands for Brimstone, a creature that the rest of the world knows nothing about and would run in terror if he were ever seen. But who is she, really? There's always been some mystery the Brimstone has kept from her but soon, her world will collapse around her and no amount of wishing will bring it back.

Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer Excellent 7 & up

Magpie Windwitch is not your average faerie. She is a hunter. Along with her crow friends she hunts the world for devils that have been let out of their sealed glass prisons by unsuspecting humans. The devils were imprisoned by the Djinn kings of old after the wars. Late one afternoon the clan comes across an abandoned boat floating in the middle of the ocean. The only thing left of it's owners are their shoes. The bottle they find, however, is different than all the others. The seal is of the great Djinn King Magruwen. What is this ancient evil? The Blackbringer loosed upon the world means darkness and the unmaking of every living thing. With the help of some unlikely allies, this quest to defeat this terrible thing will take Magpie to places she's never been and only dreamed of. But will determination and bravery be enough?

Valentino, Serena Fairest of Them All Very good 7-9

How do evil people become so? Are they born bad or created? Sometimes the evil evolves over time and because of outside influences. Take the story of Snow White. Once upon a time, the Queen, her stepmother, loved her dearly and doted upon her. Snow was her little bird and they picnicked together, took long walks with the king and laughter reigned. Then tragedy struck and the king was killed. In her grief, the Queen let old insecurities seep into this new wound and it changed her, warped her so that the sought out that which used to frighten her...the mirrors created by her father, a man twisted with rage. Soon, the Queen's craving of the slave's assurances that she was the most "the fairest in all the land" were all-consuming and a blackness pushed out all that was once good, including her love for Snow White. Replacing love was a fierce jealousy, fueled by the mirror's observation that Snow White, now a young woman, was the fairest of all. The downward spiral spins toward a juicy, irresistible, red apple and a sleeper that can only be awakened by the first sweet kiss of love.

Vande Velde, Vivian The Book of Mordred Very good 7 & up

False knight, turncoat, hero, courageous. Which of these best describes Mordred, illegitimate son of King Arthur? Well, that depends upon who is doing the describing. Alayna, widow of a wizard and mother to a young sorceress is in distress when she meets Mordred. Her daughter Keira has been kidnapped. When Mordred risks life and limb to save them both, he is a hero. Nimue, a sorceress and Merlin's lover, turns to him when her village is attacked by knights and all of the young, handsome boys are stolen away. Mordred's courage saves the day, though not Nimue. Through the eyes of those who love him, we see a very different side of this mysterious man.

Stolen Very good 6-8

It is a strange and tragic day. The tragedy: A child is stolen from its mother, carried away, the villagers believe, by the witch living in the woods. The strange: a 12-year-old girl runs through the forest, lost, alone and with no memory of who she is or where she came from. Six years earlier, a similar tragedy occurred. A six-year-old girl was lost and presumed stolen, as well. Could this mysterious girl be the missing child, Isabelle? The parents seem convinced, the old, rich aunt becomes convinced, neighbors are willing to believe; only one person seems to know for sure that the girl is not Isabelle.

Wooding, Chris Poison Very good 9 & up

Sometimes names so perfectly suit their owners that it's frightening. Poison is just such a person, at least to her family. She has always been ornery, stubborn and contrary, but particularly toward her stepmother. The one person for whom she reserves her affection is her little sister, Azalea. When she discovers that the child has been snatched by the Phaeries and replaced with a changeling, she is determined to get her back. Her quest leads her out of the only home she's ever known and into a world far beyond her wildest imagination or nightmares. She only has her cleverness and friends she meets along the way to help her face some of the most terrifying creatures in the world. When she discovers who is behind everything and why, her life and the lives of those around her are forever changed.

Yolen, Jane Pay the Piper Good 7 & up

You know the story...the Pied Piper pipes a villages vermin into a watery death and when the townsfolk don't pay him his due, he does the same to the children. There is some truth in the ancient story, as 14-year-old Callie is about to find out. Her friends are simply mad about the folk-rock group Brass Rat but Callie is not entirely impress. Still, she manages to get a press pass from the school newspaper to interview the group before their concert. When she sneaks backstage after the concert is over to ask one more question, she overhears something that will change things in her small town forever.

Snow in Summer Excellent 7-9

She was born during the Great Depression in West Virginia. Her father was so relieved that she and her mother made it through the birth that he agreed to her mother's frivolous naming...Snow in Summer. They called her Summer and they were happy. When Summer was seven, though, things changed drastically. Her mother and new baby brother died just days after the birth and her father, seemed to just fade away. No more did he sing to his crops to make them grow huge and healthy. Now, he spent most of his days at his wife's grave, singing only to the cold, gray headstone. Had it not been for Cousin Nancy, poor Summer would have died from neglect. When she was just twelve, things changed again. Her father came down from the cemetery with a beautiful woman; her red lips curving into a smile that never quite reached her eyes. He announced that they would marry and he looked happier than he had since before Summer's mother died. Stepmama is not what she seems and Summer has her suspicions but what can a 12-year-old do? Soon, however, Summer must make her move and claim the courage that her father could not and escape the clutches of the beguiling woman before it's too late for them all.