Genre: Fantasy

The Palace of Dreams

As far as Rosie Oaks and her friends know, the Earth is gone—swallowed by the Nothing King just after the heroes escaped to a faraway planet to regroup and seek help. Now Rosie, her friends Germ and Aria, her ghost friend Ebb, her mother, and her long-lost brother are relying on the leftover members of the League of Witch-Hunters, Wanda and Clara, to help them find a way out of this mess. But when they land at a hotel on the planet Glimmer 5, they discover that Rufus—the one man who may have the tools to defeat the Nothing King—is missing. Then, a messenger from the Nothing King arrives with unexpected news: Earth still exists, but only because the Nothing King hasn’t yet destroyed the Museum of Imagined Things, home of humanity’s dreams and healed souls. Once he does, Earth will fall with it. 

Rosie is a brave and intelligent protagonist who devises a daring way to find Rufus—by traveling through objects that are bigger on the inside. She discovers him hiding inside a memory, where he’s been concealing the Museum of Imagined Things from the Nothing King. He entrusts it to Rosie, and through the Museum’s power, she begins recruiting old friends and new allies while ferreting out a traitor in their midst. She rallies everyone on Glimmer 5 to join the fight, and on their journey back to Earth, they make a crucial stop in Limbo—a purgatory for ghosts—where they find even more reinforcements. 

Along the way, Rosie grapples with shocking surprises, strange betrayals, and the challenges that come with growing up. She learns to embrace who she is and all the oddities that come with being a thirteen-year-old witch hunter, all while battling the greatest and most terrifying supernatural entity their world has ever known. 

The Palace of Dreams brings the Thirteen Witches trilogy to a suspenseful climax, incorporating even more fantasy and science fiction elements—perhaps too many. While the language remains accessible, the abundance of fantastical elements and genre-hopping can feel excessive and over-complicate what could be a tighter story. That said, the book has real strengths. Rosie’s character development is nicely and believably constructed, building to a neat and satisfying conclusion. The supernatural elements, while plentiful, are thoroughly explained, and the characters feel realistic enough for kids to look up to. Most importantly, Rosie herself is a strong, opinionated, and compassionate hero that any reader would enthusiastically root for. 

Readers who enjoy magical space-travel, mysterious haunted hotels, and ragtag groups of heroes will love the fun banter, creative plot twists, and complex magic of The Palace of Dreams. The book is filled with supernatural creatures—from wicked, hive-minded crows to super-powered witch-hunters to ghosts—building toward a detailed and imaginative confrontation with the Nothing King, the last witch. 

Beyond the fantastical elements, Rosie demonstrates to young readers how to navigate the complexities of growing up while facing both internal struggles and external challenges. She’s a loyal friend with plenty of healthy relationships, embodying all the good qualities of a young hero. Ultimately, this is a highly original story with creative elements that come together to deliver a beautiful message: the only true way to defeat your demons is to trust yourself and your instincts, accepting yourself for who you are. Readers who want to get lost in another witchy fantasy should also read Curse of the Night Witch and The Okay Witch. 

Sexual Content  

  • Over the course of their journey, Rosie realizes that she has feelings for her ghost friend, Ebb. The tension culminates when Ebb confronts Rosie about her weird behavior around him, and she confesses her feelings. They kiss. Rosie thinks, “For now, he lets go of my hand, and brushes a piece of hair out of my face like he’s being brave. And I don’t turn away, because I’m being brave too. And when we kiss—since we’re made of the same magical stuff that’s brought us this far in the first place—I feel it.” 

Violence  

  • Rosie discovers her aunt Jade’s betrayal from the account of a ghost named Bo. Bo tells her that her aunt requested the Time Witch kill her father. Bo tells Rosie, “I’ll never forget what she said after that. She said she wanted the Time Witch to take away the very next person her sister had come to love after her. The Time Witch said she already knew who that would be. She said she knew of a sailor. She said she’d make it look like a sinking so that no one would ever suspect the truth—or their bargain.”
  • As Rosie and her friends confront the Nothing King, they’re attacked by a swarm of crows. Rosie’s new pet bird, Flit, “becomes a cat and devours [a crow].” They escape the swarm, and no one is badly injured. 
  • When the Nothing King kidnaps Rosie’s brother Wolf, Rosie’s new friend Rufus confronts the Nothing King. But “the Nothing King’s arm shoots like a vine toward him, and hits Rufus’s skull with bone-cracking force. Rufus falls with a sickening thud to the floor.” Rufus dies.  
  • In another confrontation with the Nothing King, his pet crows eat most of Rosie’s ghost allies. “As they surround the ghosts, the crows dive in from all sides, pecking, devouring, smothering. And soon the ghosts are lost and buried in the sheer number of the birds, and we can’t see them or their crackling light at all. . . The ghosts are gone. Swallowed. Just like that.” 
  • When Rosie finds Wolf and tries to save him from the Nothing King, Wolf has his own tricks up his sleeve. Using a magical net that he created, he traps the Nothing King. “Wolf is on the Nothing King’s back, his jagged weapon wrapped around the witch’s neck. He is flapping his crow-wing cloak and trying to drag the Nothing King backward [into a black hole]. He’s failing. The Nothing King is fighting him off, trying to shape-shift and pushing him away.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • This series follows Rosie and her friends as they defeat witches to save the world. Naturally, this means that there are a fair number of supernatural elements. The Nothing King controls crows and creates black holes. Additionally, ghosts aid Rosie and her friends in fighting the Nothing King.  
  • There is space and time travel, as well as cloud shepherds and the Brightweaver, who collect dreams and mend souls. They serve the Moon Goddess, who is more of a magical figure than a religious one.  
  • Rosie, along with the other witch hunters, has special abilities that allow them to fight witches. For example, Rosie’s witch-hunting ability is the power to bring her stories to life. She often manifests a bird as her pet and friend that helps her fight witches. On the new planet, Rosie wakes one morning to find a new bird, since her old one passed away. The bird is “standing on the foot of the bed, blinking at [Rosie] with [the bird’s] head tilted to one side (either groggily or dizzily, [Rosie] can’t tell). . .  glowing, translucent, magical.” 
  • The book opens following the conclusion of the previous installment, when the Nothing King was freed, and Rosie and her friends escape by traveling to a different planet. Rosie thinks to herself about “the war against the witches on the beach. The blanket made of nothing left behind. The black hole opening above the Earth. [Rosie and her friends] gaze at each other, in shock. Is it all gone? The sea? Our town? Countries? The world?” 
  • After escaping Earth, Rosie’s new witch hunter friend Wanda explains, “The Nothing King’s been imprisoned in his own black hole, locked up there by the Moon Goddess for millennia, but now these twin black holes have been connected across the universe like a tunnel, so the Nothing King could come through it and drag Earth in. . . and obliterate it. If that hasn’t happened yet, I imagine it soon will.” 
  • Confused and disoriented, the heroes explore their new planet, and they stumble upon a hotel staffed by ghosts. “Wanda taps her wooden leg and is lifting her finger to ring the bell again, when suddenly we hear a tut, tut, tut down one of the halls. It takes another moment, but eventually a shining ghost materializes through the wall behind the desk and comes to float his elbows just beside the bell. He has a goatee and round eyeglasses, over which he gazes at us in distaste. He busies his hands with his wrinkled bow tie.” 
  • While trying to find the missing owner, Wanda and Rosie find a pair of socks in his old room, and Wanda suggests he might be hiding in them. She explains that, “Size and space and time and place don’t mean what you used to think. And neither do the boundaries between them.” She and Rosie decide that they need to go inside the sock to find him, but they fail to find him. 
  • One of the hotel’s services is a shuttle to Limbo. Rosie’s ghost friend, Ebb, tells Rosie that Limbo is a haven for ghosts, but with a downside. Ebb says, “Well, once a ghost enters Limbo, they can never leave. Which means never moving Beyond.” 
  • The hotel also has a magical vending machine that gives any guest whatever they want. When Rosie “find[s] one old penny at the bottom of a hole in [her] pocket, [one of the ghostly hotel staff] shrugs. ‘That’ll get you something, just nothing glamorous. Push the green button and it’ll show you your options.’” Rosie describes the machine: “Several rows of prizes turn in circles before my eyes, dotted with flashing lights like a casino. Everything is in miniature: bags of Doritos the size of my thumbnail, but also cars, thimbles, what looks to be a Jacuzzi, a tiny roller coaster, a castle. . .” 
  • When Rosie and Wanda go inside the magic sock to find the hotel’s owner, they find themselves trapped in a memory in an old train station. A tornado attacks them, and they have to leave the sock. Rosie thinks, “A crashing, ripping sound surrounds me. Something flies across my vision and strikes my chest, and I scream, crumpling to the ground, trying to grasp what’s happening. Wanda appears a moment later, and she too is knocked off her feet and onto her back. We’re being battered—by wind, I realize. So strong that it pins us where we lie.” No one is harmed. 
  • Eventually, Rosie has an idea of where to find the hotel owner. When she finds him, he reveals that he’s in hiding to keep a secret from the Nothing King. Before the Nothing King escaped, the Brightweaver gave the hotel owner, Rufus, the Museum of Imagined Things. “He nods and opens the lid. A glow comes from within, illuminating our faces as we peer into its depths. Within the hollow of the basket, mist swirls, sparkling and flashing, like lightning in a cloud. I look up at Rufus, squinting in confusion. ‘It’s the Museum of Imagined Things,’ he says, as if I should recognize it. ‘It’s a palace filled with all of the world’s dreams.’” Rosie “remember[s] the Museum of Imagined Things from that one and only time [she] visited the Brightweaver, a towering building made of clouds that reached so far into the sky, [she] couldn’t see the top of it.” The Brightweaver reshaped it into a basket before the Nothing King came, so it’s a smaller item to transport.  
  • The book describes what the Earth is like under the Nothing King. “It’s been twenty-five days since the moon disappeared. In the moon’s absence, night animals roam daylit highways, winds rage through streets once untouched by storms, tornadoes rip up ancient woods. In waterfront towns and cities, the ocean is eating the shores, and people retreat inward. At first, they don’t see the invisible creatures that travel alongside them, iridescent hummingbirds and chameleons and peacocks. . . the familiars of eleven dead witches, returning gifts that once were stolen.” 
  • As Rosie ventures inside the Museum of Imagined Things, she meets an old ghost friend, Homer. He explains how he and other ghosts got to the Museum. “Well, what ye’re seeing when that happens is a doorway, a thin place in the invisible fabric where real and unreal meet. By stepping into a certain painting, or a certain story, ye can reach the place its maker imagined.” He pauses. “Well, that is, if yer a ghost. Given what ghosts are made of, we’re the only ones that can. Of course, all those places are stored here, in this museum.” 
  • Inside the Museum, there is a room full of mind maps, or maps of people’s minds. Rosie finds her long-lost aunt’s mind map and describes it, “most of it is too clustered, tangled, and minuscule to make out. But I do see that one particular place is dim and gray, with an etching of two little girls. The branching paths around them are scribbled out, as if something there is better left forgotten. Near one of the scribbles is a drawing of a crow.” 
  • While in the Room of Mind Maps, Rosie meets a cloud shepherd. “A cloud shepherd is peering around at me from behind a shelf about fifteen feet away, holding his misty finger to his misty lips. He’s an elderly-looking blob of white fluff, pointed at the top like a dollop of whipped cream. He floats out from behind the shelf.” 
  • When the Nothing King finds Rosie and her friends on their new planet, he launches an attack. Rosie describes him as a “man in a crow-feather cape that looks like it contains pure emptiness, a feather hood over a shadow where a face should be. He stands still for a moment, his blank face steady as it’s turned up toward us. And then he disintegrates into the ground and vanishes again.” 
  • As they leave the new planet, running from the Nothing King, Germ hands Rosie her teddy bear. “After a moment, to please Germ, [Rosie] give[s] it a hug. When [she] do[es], it begins to glow. And the glow wraps all around [Rosie], making [her] go warm and soft. And [she] feel[s], suddenly, okay.” Germ’s witch-hunting ability is making others feel brave and safe.  
  • In need of reinforcements, Rosie and her friends go to Limbo to recruit ghosts. When they get there, Homer meets them. “[Homer] winks at [Rosie], then takes a deep breath to concentrate. He raises his hands and, using the technique he’s clearly just learned from Ebb, uses them to push the mist back. . . and back. . . and back. As the clouds curl away from the dock, [Rosie sees] that Limbo’s not a lonely place at all, and [her] heart soars. Thousands of ghosts are gathered before [Rosie and her friends], hovering in a crowd and waiting.” 
  • To save the world from the Nothing King, Rosie must become one with her witch-hunting power. Rosie “open[s] up [her] palms, and [her magical pet bird] slips inside [her] skin, lighting up [her] arms as [the bird] travels to [Rosie’s] heart. The boundaries between [them] fall, no line where [Rosie] end[s] and [her bird] begins. [Rosie] glow[s] with the strength of her [pet bird], and [the bird] stretches with the strength of [Rosie]. [Rosie] spread[s] [her] arms, and they are wings, not attached to a cape like Wolf’s but a part of [her]. [Rosie] stretch[es] [her] feet, and they are claws.” 
  • To thank them for saving the world, the Moon Goddess appears in front of Rosie and Germ. “[The Moon Goddess’s] standing on [Rosie’s] lawn, as silver as the moon itself. [Rosie] open[s] [her] mouth and close[s] it again, too stunned to talk. The goddess keeps her distance, her face smooth and silver and expressionless, though not unkind. Her eyes are somehow soft and sharp at the same time, as if she sees everything at once, as if she has bigger things to think about than [Rosie and her friends]. As if the whole world, maybe the whole universe, is in her eyes all the time.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Kate Schuyler

Dark Heir

Centuries ago, the forces of Light and Dark waged a devastating war, resulting in the destruction of magic. That is, until the present day. In 19th-century London, the dead villains are being reborn and reclaiming their destiny. The only hope of stopping them is the Stewards, a secret class of ancient warriors.  

At the heart of the Stewards’ forces is seventeen-year-old Will Kempen, prophesied to one day defeat the Dark King. But as Will and his allies embark on their most dangerous quest yet, Will hides a terrible secret. Will is not their destined hero. He is the Dark King reborn—a role he does not want nor claim. To stop the gathering Dark Forces, Will must travel into the underbelly of the old world. But as he unravels layers of his forgotten past, Will fears the fine line between confronting history and repeating it.  

Will is a complex, yet sympathetic protagonist. While he lies for most of the book, his deception does not necessarily make him unlikable. For one, the stakes are too high. Every time Will hints at the topic, the surrounding cast always states their intent to kill the Dark King. Secondly, Will’s end goal serves the common good. He wants to prevent anyone from accessing the Dark King’s power, even if it means limiting his own power. For example, the Dark King has an undead army buried below a mountain, and Will attempts to prevent its uprising and the conversion of more innocents. Ironically, the supposed heroes of the book, the Stewards, prevent Will from saving the day. Readers will like Will but will be frustrated by the quick, arguably irrational condemnation of his character.  

The only ally who remains loyal to Will is James St. Clair. James is the reborn version of Anharion, the Dark King’s warrior and lover. James has a complicated relationship with his past life. On one hand, James embraces it, often playing into the villain role as a survival tactic. On the other hand, deep down, James wants to be a protector, which is why he is attracted to the illusion of Will as “the chosen savior.” James believes that Will can break the cycle, when in reality, any association with Will accomplishes the opposite. Further complicating their relationship, Anharion wore the Collar, a magical artifact that reportedly gave the Dark King total control over his actions. Thus, the extent Anharion truly supported the Dark King remains unknown. Presumably, the answer will be revealed in the next book in the series.    

Violet and Cyprian are Will’s friends and allies, but their rigid worldviews create complications. Cyprian, a diligent rule follower, is repulsed by the idea of working with James and blindly adheres to the Stewards’ teachings, placing obedience and group identity above all else. Though aligned with the supposed good guys, his inflexibility borders on prejudice—particularly when he immediately turns against Will. 

Violet represents a softer version of Cyprian’s ideology. Like him, she wants to do the right thing but fails to recognize that reality doesn’t always fit neatly into the Stewards’ framework of Dark versus Light and Good versus Evil. While their hurt over Will’s lies is understandable, both characters abandon him with startling speed, arguably betraying him more severely than he ever betrayed them. This hasty rejection makes Violet and Cyprian feel one-dimensional, as though they make irrational decisions merely to generate conflict rather than acting from genuine character motivation.  

Dark Rise is told in the third person, with each chapter narrated from a different point of view. It primarily focuses on Will, who is the most interesting character to follow. Readers will enjoy the fast-paced plot and the romantic tension building between Will and James as they unravel layers of their forgotten past. While drawn to James, Will is also wary of him, afraid that pursuing a relationship will bring them closer to their past selves. However, both boys bring out the best in each other. Will brings out James’ heroic side, encouraging him to use his powers for good. James teaches Will to be less afraid of the past and question the black-and-white thinking the Stewards instilled in him.   

Dark Heir is a fascinating take on the Chosen One trope, where no character is quite what they seem. It continues building upon the mysterious past hinted at in the first book, while leaving the most significant questions unresolved, presumably until the third and final installment. For example, was the Dark Heir a world-ending villain or a victim of the Stewards’ smear campaign? Did the Collar control Anharion’s actions or did it serve some unknown secondary purpose?  

Overall, Dark Heir explores themes of indoctrination, generational burden, and systemic corruption against a fantasy backdrop. It also provides compelling characters to keep readers emotionally invested. Readers who enjoy dark fantasy will enjoy this book because it does not shy away from the complex moral consequences of a magical war, featuring deeply conflicted yet compelling characters.  

Sexual Content     

  • James is attracted to Will. In one scene, James remembers “how it had felt to have all that attention focused on him, dark eyes looking down into his own, a warm hand brushing hair from his face. God, he hated when he was weak.”  
  • Will is attracted to James. He frequently likens James to poetic figures, such as “a consumptive heroine from a painting, the kind that dies beautifully.”  
  • While the past remains a mystery, the Dark King and Anharion are implied to have had a sexual relationship. For example, James asks Will to “take what was [the Dark King’s]. Prove you’re not afraid. . . Kiss me.” Will turns down the offer but promises to reconsider after they are out of danger.  
  • In one scene, James helps Will unlock his powers. At times, the author’s word choice feels more sexual than academic. As Will describes, “James’ magic was flowing over his body in warm, slow, rippling oscillations, the gentlest pulsing. . . The hot, sweet feel of James blazed through him. . . His veins lit up with power.”  
  • After Will’s identity is revealed, his friends attack him. James saves Will. Overcome with relief, Will kisses James. Will’s “hands pushed inside [James’] jacket, up and over his warm shirt. . . Will touched [James’] shivery hot skin, then pulled his cravat from his throat.” Will stops the kiss when he sees James wearing the Collar. Scared he lacked consent, Will vomits. However, some textual clues indicate that, contrary to the historian’s claims, the Collar does not strip James of autonomy. For example, after James first wears the Collar, he describes feeling “no compulsion. He felt nothing at all.”  

Violence     

  • Sinclair is the main villain and wants to exploit the Dark King’s powers. To raise the Dark King’s undead army, Sinclair begins a digging expedition in the mountain where it is located. The locals dislike Sinclair’s men and kill one named Howell. As Will describes, the local “shot Howell. Howell fell to the ground.” 
  • While exploring the mountain holding the Dark King’s army, Will and his friends are unexpectedly attacked by bandits. James dares the bandits to “shoot everyone,” then uses his magic to catch the bullets and send them flying “backward into the throats of the men who had fired them. The closest bandits fell, their bodies riddled with lead, their lives cut short.” James allows the remaining bandits to flee. 
  • While using his powers to occupy another body, Will is recognized and stabbed. Will describes, “a rush of wet and blood as [the sword] drove him to the ground. . . the sword that was in his gut. . . he choked on blood.” Will returns to his body, and the unnamed old man he was occupying presumably dies.   
  • While using his powers to possess his follower, John Sloane, Sinclair puts the Collar on James. However, the Collar does not work as Sinclair intended, allowing James to kill the body Sinclair is occupying. With a “single slash of his sword, [James] severed John Sloane’s head.”   
  • When Will’s identity is exposed, Violet and Cyprian attempt to hurt him. Cyprian breaks the brand, a magical artifact that would allow Will to stop the Dark King’s army. Violet gives Visander “Ekthalion,” a powerful sword that Will once gifted her. Visander is a reborn warrior of the Light Forces. However, James helps Will escape before he can be harmed.    

Drugs and Alcohol     

  • Will encourages a captain working for Sinclair to drink an entire bottle of wine. Will wants the captain to lower his guard and reveal information about Sinclair’s plans.  
  • James drinks from a flask of alcohol he found in his late father’s desk. However, he does not get intoxicated. The flask’s primary purpose in the scene is to segway into a conversation about his father.  
  • When Will reflects on his job as a ship hand, he remembers drinking to fit in with his coworkers. He describes his “first coughing splutter of dock gin. . . The men had laughed, slapping him on the back.”  

Language    

  • Hell is used once when Will observes James overexerting his powers, and Will thinks he looks like “hell.”  
  • Goddamn is used infrequently. For example, after James takes too long opening a gate, Violet shouts, “James, open the goddamned gate!”  
  • Shit is used twice. For example, after James sees the Collar, he says, “Shit.”  

Supernatural    

  • There is a world of magic, divided between Light and Dark Forces. Characters possess a wide range of abilities, as listed below.   
  • In the previous book, Katherine – Will’s love interest and the true Chosen One – dies. In this book, Visander, a reborn warrior of the Light Forces, takes over her body. Visander awakens buried in Katherine’s grave. He narrates that he “was buried, his sounds smothered by the earth above and around him,” but after some digging, “his grasping, reaching hand broke out into space.”  
  • Will develops the power to “scry.” He can temporarily inhabit other people’s bodies. For example, Will “scries” into the body of a guard holding his friend captive to free said friend.  
  • The Stewards are extremely strong and fast. For example, Cyprian jumps across large distances, such as between two diverging rock planes.  
  • James can move things with his mind. For example, James catches and redirects bullets.  
  • There are cursed artifacts that carry spells. The Collar is supposedly cursed to make James obedient to the Dark King. Ekthalion is a powerful sword that killed the Dark King. The brand controls the Dark King’s undead army.     

Spiritual Content     

  • None

by Kerry Lum

Cameron Battle and the Escape Trials

After the capture of the evil enchantress Amina, Cameron Battle escaped the magical kingdom of Chidani with his two friends, Zion and Aliyah. However, the death god Ekwensu still wants to tear down the magical barrier between Chidani and reality and conquer everything in sight, and Cameron, the Last Descendent, is the only one who can stop him. However, Cameron also must go to school—at least until he’s called back.   

Middle school is not what Cameron is expecting. Bullied by Vince, Cameron must keep his head down and avoid fighting back with the magical fighting style Dambe, which would reveal magic to his entire school. The intelligent, laid-back Zion supports Cameron and helps him see the consequences of retaliation. Yet one evening, Vince attacks the trio on their walk home. During the fight, Vince reveals he’s possessed by a mmo, a terrible supernatural creature working for Ekwensu. The only way to save Vince is to return to Chidani. With this urgent mission, Cameron finally calls forth the Book of Chidani, opening a portal for himself and his friends, Zion and Aliyah.  

In Chidani, the kind and determined Cameron has his priorities straight: retrieve Vince from the Crystal City, heal him, and send him home. The friends encounter the gods Ala and Anyanwu and brave tricky trials, impressing the gods enough to win both Vince’s freedom and clues to magical relics that could defeat Ekwensu. Throughout these escapades, Aliyah proves especially helpful, cleverly outsmarting trials and saving her friends. After sending Vince home with their new clues in hand, Cameron and his friends set out to find the relics and protect Chidani. Along the way, Cameron grapples with his responsibility as the Last Descendent, learning to balance his desire to see his parents with the need to protect an entire kingdom. 

While this novel brilliantly brings Igbo gods and magic to life, the plot is more convoluted than it needs to be. Cameron experiences growth, but Zion and Aliyah don’t develop much as characters. The conflicts are more complex than the character development supports, and Cameron’s happy ending doesn’t quite align with his journey. That said, the accessible language and quick explanations of unfamiliar terms keep readers engaged.  

Fans of all things mythical will love the fierce fight scenes, elaborate magic system, and loyal friendships. Supernatural creatures—from spirits of the dead to violent sea serpents to gryphons—fill the pages. Cameron faces the wrenching choice of whom to protect and is forced to find a solution that benefits everyone or lose everything. Overall, this powerfully creative story delivers a strong message about leaning on friends and the importance of responsibility and decision-making, making it worth reading for its magnificent worldbuilding and entertaining adventure. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • At school, Cameron encounters a bully named Vince, who pushes him. Cameron describes the experience, “Something pushed me, hard, from behind, and I fell to the floor, dropping my gym bag in the process. I turned around and there was Vince, standing over me, that same smirk on his face. I thought I saw a red tinge of light surround his body, flickering in and out in the space.” 
  • While walking home, Cameron and his friends, Zion and Aliyah, are again attacked by Vince, and they realize that he is possessed by a mmo, a supernatural creature bent on destroying Cameron. “Zion grabbed Vince by the legs and pulled him back to the ground with all his strength. Vince maneuvered out of Zion’s hands and kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying through the air. Dambe seized [Cameron] as [he] moved. . . [Cameron] caught Zion right before he fell; he clutched at his midsection, yelping in pain.” At the end of the battle, Zion, Cameron, and Aliyah barely have any injuries, and Vince’s condition is unknown since he falls through a portal to Chidani.  
  • While attempting to rescue Vince and Zion, Cameron and Aliyah fight off a monster serpent, called a mgbaji. In Cameron’s words, “I tried to grab the mgbaji once again, but I was too far away now. . . With a swipe, [the serpent] reared around and slammed its tail against my chest, sending me flying to the other side of the pool, my back striking the marble. . . The mixture of water and air slammed into me, sending me hurtling backward, right into the marble again. This time, though, I crashed through the wall and sunk into the rock. Pain radiated through every part of my body as my head jerked from left to right. I tried to gain my bearings, but I shook so violently from dizziness that I retched all over my clothes and into the water around me.” Cameron and Aliyah defeat the serpent, though Cameron has a concussion.  
  • In the journey to find the last magical relic, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah encounter more evil mmos they need to fight. “[Cameron] connected with two mmo almost immediately, the thought of seeing [his] parents again guiding [his] movements. When [Cameron] slashed [his] sword down, [Cameron] cut them both at the same time, slicing them right across the chest. They screamed, and when they died, they burst open, magma falling to the sandstone.” The fight lasts a full chapter, though none of Cameron’s friends sustain serious injuries. Cameron breaks his nose. 
  • A former Descendent describes her experience with slavery and mmo to Cameron. “After I escaped slavery, I went to Chidani alone. When I grew older, I tried to Summon my [family’s souls] through the barrier, to bring them back to me after years of being the Descendant. I almost destroyed the Book in the process. And I lost my life. You see, if I had succeeded, that which gives us power would be no more, the barrier would cease to exist, and the mmo would take over everything.” 
  • Growing desperate to find the Book, Amina lets the god of death, Ekwensu, possess her. In this form, she battles Cameron for possession of the book. “[Cameron and Amina] engaged in battle again, an equal match. When [Cameron] grabbed her by the shoulders, a look of surprise crossed her face. . . the mmo slashed at [Cameron] with gnarled nails, lifting [them] into the sky to escape [the mmo]. She punched [Cameron] multiple times, but [Cameron] continued to hold [Amina].” The whole battle for the Book and control of Chidani lasts three full chapters. In the end, the Palacia is reduced to rubble, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah have minor injuries, and Amina dies.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Language is very tame, using words like stupid, idiot, and hell infrequently. 

Supernatural  

  • The book is about three kids who travel to a magic kingdom to save it; therefore, there is magic on nearly every page in this book. There are also supernatural creatures, gods, and humans with magical powers. All characters use a mystical fighting style called Dambe that gives them enhanced abilities and instincts as they fight, no spells needed.   
  • Debating what to do in the aftermath of their first adventure, Aliyah asks Cameron to summon the Book of Chidani to consult it. Cameron describes the experience, “A deep intentional feeling settled upon my shoulders and then into my chest as I willed the Book forward, from its hidden place in my soul. An image of Agbala, the goddess of healing and justice, emerged in my mind as I pushed even deeper. Sweat beaded against my forehead with the effort.” 
  • While being bullied, Cameron notices something strange about his bully. “Vince sneered, staring at me. There it was again, that red glint in his eyes.” This later proves to be a sign that a mmo is controlling him. Cameron explains Vince’s appearance. “His appearance had started to change, to morph into something else. In one second, a dark smoke emerged from his body and a ruby illumination covered him. In another, it disappeared, and Vince became normal again. I knew what this was, but I was too scared to say it aloud, because if I did, then that meant it would be true.” 
  • Vince, Cameron, Aliyah, and Zion are all pulled into Chidani. Cameron describes the portal: “Vince and I continued to struggle as we spiraled through lightning, darkness, and rain. The rip opened into a void; it was full of shadows, swirling around and around, the wind threatening to pull us apart. The tornado we flew in kept us afloat, but I had a horrible suspicion that if we stepped out of its confines, we’d fall into the spinning darkness.” 
  • As Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah reunite with their friends from the Palacia in Chidani, their friend Makai explains that time runs differently between Chidani and the real world. “‘What’s going on?’ Zion asked, struggling out of Makai’s hug. ‘How long have we been gone? For us it was about two months.’ ‘You were gone for just a few days,’ Makai said.”  
  • Amina is being held in a magical dungeon. Queen Ramala takes Cameron and his friends to the dungeon. “The sun encircled [Amina] like chains, binding her into one place as she floated above the ground.” 
  • Going to rescue Vince, Cameron, Zion and Aliyah visit the Crystal City, home of the goddess Ala and the aziza. The aziza are “[magical creatures who] nestled their kingdom in the trees of the Igbo people, hiding in secret, but honoring their duty to the humans by healing them when needed. People believed in them, but none had ever seen them, for they had retreated once it was known that colonizers had breached Nigeria’s waters.”  
  • Later, Cameron describes an aziza. “Soft wings flew behind [the aziza], the color of night. He was tall, taller than an aziza should’ve been from what I had seen. A curved sword was hitched to the side of his clothing, which consisted of a ruby brocade vest, tight shokoto trousers, and light armor. He approached gracefully, almost as if he were floating across the ground.” 
  • While in the Crystal City, Ala binds Zion to the city to incentivize Cameron and Aliyah to participate in the trials. Ala snaps her fingers and “[Zion] gasped and choked, holding on to his neck. He fell against [Cameron]; [Cameron] caught him as his eyes closed, but he felt different. Light. As if all his weight had turned to nothing.” 
  • When they leave the Crystal City, Ala blesses Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah’s gryphons, Ugo, Ike, and Odum respectively, to better aid them in the battle ahead. “[Ugo’s] snow-white color had turned the color of flame, a mixture of different shades of oranges and reds. Connecting to [Ugo] felt familiar, though, as if [he and Cameron] were one. By the time [Cameron] was done marveling at Ugo, Aliyah and Zion had jumped on Odum and Ike. Flames covered our entire area of the desert for miles, the gryphons’ wingspans so large that they encompassed everything.” 
  • After the Crystal City, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah go to the Sun Kingdom to find the last magical relic they need to defeat Amina. Cameron discovers a special ability—that he can summon gods to him. He summons Anyanwu, the sun god. Cameron describes the encounter, “[Anyanwu] had changed his appearance again, his gigantic nature of earlier now human size. But, even looking at him now, he was nothing resembling normal. An emerald agbada flowed from his neck to his feet, while his hair spilled down his back, golden beads drawn through it. He produced flame out of thin air before walking around the small room, lighting the candles hanging on the ancient sconces in the wall.” 
  • Traveling back to the Palacia with all three magical relics, the trio meets more mmos, supernatural creatures created by Amina to destroy Chidani. “The mmo stepped out from the shadows, some falling to the floor, and some suspended in the air. They were dark-and-gray creatures, their eyes a deep scarlet, their skin the color of stone. Cloaks of darkness shrouded their shoulders as they materialized. However, these mmo were different from those [Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah] had encountered before; their bodies blazed with fire, flames reaching to the sky in place of their hair. Skeletal arms reached out toward us, mixed with gristle and marrow.” 
  • Cameron discovers he can also summon souls and tries it on a volunteering friend, Bakari. “A grunt escaped Bakari’s mouth as it fell open. A white, filmy substance floated out, flying toward [Cameron’s] hand. [He] grasped it, caressing it, as it flitted in and out of [Cameron’s] hands. [Cameron] marveled at it, feeling life teem within [him]. It took much effort to control it, but it was Bakari’s soul. When [Cameron] looked down at [Bakari], [he] noticed that the substance was still attached to [Bakari’s] mouth as he stared at [Cameron], the life in his eyes mostly gone.” Cameron decides not to use this power after this experiment.  
  • With a helpful tip from a god, Cameron discovers that his dad is alive in the underwater kingdom, living as a mondao (a kind of mermaid). “When [Cameron] looked down, [Cameron] noticed that [his dad] only had one foot. A mondao tail snaked to the sand in place of his left one, corded with diamonds and rubies. But when [Cameron] blinked, it changed into a human foot as Daddy took a step forward. While a beautiful necklace surrounded his neck, a deep wound marred his bare chest, right in the middle.” 
  • Growing desperate to find the Book, Amina lets the god of death, Ekwensu, possess her. She offers her soul for the power to destroy Chidani. Amina says, “Use me. Use my body and soul. Fuse yourself with me to directly intervene in the quest to kill the Descendant, Ramala, and take the barrier for ourselves. The pain would be great, but the victory would be greater. I admit I couldn’t do it the first time on my own; if you help me, we can and will win. Just think, if we are able to successfully kill the Descendant and steal the gifts. . . ” There is no description of this physical process. 
  • At the end of the great battle, Cameron meets his mother’s ghost, freed from mmo form. “[His mother] stepped out of the shadows, the most beautiful thing [Cameron] had ever seen in [his] life. She was dressed in a white robe that swept the floor as she walked, as graceful as an angel. Her braided hair fell down her shoulders and to the center of her back. A single necklace wrapped around her neck. A pinkish aura surrounded her.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • The traditional Igbo religion is a spiritual system predating Christianity, centered on a supreme creator god (Chukwu/Chineke) but also involving numerous lesser deities (Alusi) linked to nature, ancestors (living dead), and a personal spirit (Chi). It’s a pantheistic/polytheistic faith, deeply tied to community, nature (like the Earth Goddess Ala), and morality. Cameron meets several of the Igbo gods. 
  • Just like the first book, when Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah travel to Chidani, they encounter elements that have roots in the real world, like the gods of the Igbo culture. They fight with some gods and work with others to save the kingdom from the Queen’s treacherous sister Amina. Given this, the book discusses many creation myths and Igbo religious references. There are also the occasional vague references to Christianity and ghosts. 
  • The Book of Chidani serves as both a guide to the kingdom and a religious text. An example excerpt from the Book reads, “Agbala created the Descendants when she gave the Book to the enslaved Igbos as they were forcefully taken to the Americas. The Book followed them across the ocean, and Nneka was the first one who touched it, becoming the first Descendant, tasked with power and knowledge, to keep Igbo history alive.” 
  • Cameron has a vision of the goddess Mmiri. “[Mmiri] was undeniably beautiful, and immediately recognizable. A crown crested her head, covering it from side to side, silver spikes striking the air around her. A star sat on top of the middle spike, its light almost blinding [Cameron]. What looked like seashells were fastened to her chest and upper arms, multicolored and heavy. Her midriff was almost bare, with a tattoo in the form of a sun emblazoned around her naval. Her iro was cerulean, a skirt that flowed along the wooden floor [Cameron] was lying on. [Cameron] gasped when she stepped forward, as one of her legs was in the shape of a mermaid’s tail.” 
  • In the Crystal City, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah meet the goddess Ala and another god, her son Anyanwu. “[Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah] took a step back, stunned as [Ala] towered above [them], much taller than any god [they’d] seen so far. ‘Humongous’ was a word that came to mind, but even that didn’t embody all that Ala was. [Cameron] tried to avert [his] gaze from her to the male god behind her—who somehow was firmly asleep—but she snapped her fingers, bringing us back to attention.”  

by Kate Schuyler 

Canon Fodder

The Runaways may have been a superhero team once, but they haven’t been one in a long time. Now, they feel as though they have their lives together, even if they’re not using their powers to fulfill their supposed responsibilities. Karolina has discovered her passion for saving people along with her girlfriend and fellow Runaway, Nico. She wants to use her powers to make the world better, especially when they meet Doc Justice.

Doc Justice is a big deal in Los Angeles. He single-handedly built the J-Team from the ground up, and although most of the old team members are deceased, he has never stopped fighting crime. He is an inspiration to the Runaways, especially Victor, who grew up hearing stories about the great Doc Justice. So, when Karolina and Nico bring news that Doc Justice has invited the Runaways to live with him, they cannot refuse a chance to meet their idol.

The Runaways move into Doc Justice’s mansion, and soon, he’s recruiting them for a new J-Team, complete with the old costumes and monikers. Soon enough, all of Los Angeles is in love with their new superhero team. Excited to finally use their powers for greater things and to have stable leadership, the Runaways go along with it — except for Gert.

Gert doesn’t have special powers, but she has never felt excluded. She is left at home again and again with Doc Justice’s assistant, Matthew. Feeling useless, Gert asks Matthew to train her in the art of mission control. Along the way, she learns about the old J-Team and their deaths. As it turns out, Doc Justice isn’t the good guy the Runaways think he is, and it was no accident that his past teams have fallen apart. Despite not possessing superpowers, Gert is determined to stop Doc Justice and save her friends.

Canon Fodder focuses more on Gert than previous issues did, and she proves to be inspiring, fantastically stubborn, and genuinely kind. She is the only member of the Runaways without superpowers, but she proves to be invaluable because she’s the only one who figures out Doc Justice’s secrets. Additionally, she does so while sincerely doubting herself and her role on the team, which is relatable for teenagers. Even after defeating Doc Justice, she still feels off-kilter, and while she’s more confident in her abilities, she doesn’t see herself as worth anything to her team.

Overall, Canon Fodder has a more somber tone than the other books in the series, as it explores heavier themes such as betrayal, deception, murder, and self-doubt. There’s more death and violence in this issue than in the others. Doc Justice’s deceased teammates and the manipulation of the Runaways add depth to the story, making the characters more complex and interesting.

The fifth volume of The Runaways is divided into six parts, each of which builds the overall narrative and allows the reader to gain insight into each character. As with all comics, this one can be confusing at times, with numerous references to the broader Marvel universe. This means that readers unfamiliar with Marvel may be a little discombobulated while reading. However, this doesn’t detract from the story, which has an easily comprehensible plot and simple language.

Canon Fodder is filled with beautiful illustrations that highlight the characters’ best features and fantastical, magical battles. The panels alternate between close-ups and wide shots, designed to capture the scene and the characters’ expressions perfectly. Although events that occur simultaneously are depicted, they can occasionally be confusing when determining where to look based on the page layout. However, this doesn’t distract from the detailed artwork on each page.

Readers who enjoy superhero teams, vicious villains, and found families will love the fierce action, creatively designed costumes, and brave curiosity in the fifth volume of The Runaways. This graphic novel emphasizes themes of loyalty and hope, while also serving as a cautionary tale about the dangers of ambition. Doc Justice is a twisted villain who challenges the Runaways perfectly, forcing them to grow up and learn how to trust one another. Overall, this is a beautiful story with a brutal message: trust needs to be hard-earned and is not easily given, especially when you’re learning how to be an adult.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • While Nico and Karolina are patrolling for crime, they are attacked by bad guys. A new superhero, Doc Justice, shows up and saves the two Runaways. He punches and chokes the three bad guys. The two that he punches have blood flying from their mouths. The three are just unconscious by the end of the fight.
  • As the Runaways begin fighting crime alongside Doc Justice, a montage of the Runaways is shown, lifting cars, firing lasers at unseen villains, and punching bad guys. There is no blood, and it is implied that no one dies.
  • After saving Los Angeles a few times, Doc Justice decides to train Nico in physical combat, since she struggles to control her staff. There are a few panels with Nico and Doc sparring. There is no blood, and no one is injured.
  • When Gib is incorporated into the team they’re building, he wears a costume, and there is a panel with supposed bad guys shooting guns at him. The bullets bounce off him, and no one is hurt.
  • While battling Doc’s old teammate, Doc Justice shows the team his true selfish colors. He sends Karolina off to her death. When Gert notices, she sends Old Lace, their pet dinosaur, after him. Doc Justice rips apart a solar panel and attacks Old Lace with it when she’s protecting Karolina. Old Lace flies backwards, with blood dripping from her mouth. Old Lace heals eventually.
  • In response to Doc’s actions, Victor blasts him with electricity. Doc falls backwards, and Old Lace jumps up and grabs Doc with her teeth. There is no blood, but Old Lace drags him into darkness, and it’s implied that he dies.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • The Runaways are a teenage group of superheroes, so, naturally, many of them possess magic or supernatural abilities. Nico, the Runaways’ magician, casts spells to solve their problems. When Nico and Karolina are trying to return to the Runaways’ hideout, they encounter a construction crew working on the mountain blocking their way. Nico calls Chase and says, “You’re pretty free and easy with the magic when you’re not the one casting spells.”
  • Nico summons the Staff of One, and golden rays of magic shine from her body and from the staff as she casts the spell “End of Shift!” that gets rid of the construction crew.
  • Karolina, the Runaways’ resident alien, can fly and shoot rainbow colored energy from her palms that act like lasers or lightning. When Nico and Karolina return from patrolling the streets for crime, Karolina confesses that “there [had] been some flying. Yes.” She is depicted as flying and rainbow-colored on many pages.
  • Molly, the youngest Runaway, has super strength and is invincible. She is often depicted performing a superhero landing (landing from high heights without a scratch) and punching through walls.
  • Gib, the newest addition to the Runaways, needs souls to sustain him. There is a series of three panels where Old Lace, the Runaways’ pet dinosaur, gives Gib a dead cat. The only way we know the cat is dead is because it’s limp – there is no blood or gore. Pink rays of light and sparkles flow from the cat to Gib, nourishing him.
  • When the Runaways fail at incorporating Gert into their team, Chase apologizes to Gert. Chase feels sorry because Gert’s old psychic link to Old Lace shifted to him. Gert says, “Look, I’m the one who shifted Old Lace’s bond to you before I died. It was the right thing to do in the moment.” The psychic bond enables Old Lace to form a connection with both Gert and Chase, protecting them when they’re in trouble.
  • With Doc Justice, the team goes after an environmental activist and an old member of Doc’s team. She can control lightning and blasts it at Karolina. The lightning bolts are blue and flying around her when she does so.
  • After the Runaways’ battle with Doc Justice, he lies on the floor, passed out. Gib approaches him, and the same pink light and sparkles surround him, drawing Doc’s soul to him and feeding Gib.

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Kate Schuyler

The Jumbie God’s Revenge

Even after everything Corinne has done to protect her village, they still don’t trust her. Her friends—Dru, Bouki, and Malik—have come to look past her jumbie heritage, but others refuse to believe she can help. When a large storm blows in, Corinne volunteers to lead her people to safer ground. As the first winds arrive, Corinne encounters the witch, who hints that not all may be as it seems. Corinne ignores the warning because she has more pressing matters, but as the weather intensifies, she’s forced to admit something supernatural is at work. During a brief reprieve, she seeks out the witch for answers, only to find that she has drowned. 

Determined to understand what’s happening, Corinne goes to Papa Bois, the jumbie of the forest, who reveals that the sky god Huracan has awoken angry and vengeful. If Corinne doesn’t find and appease him, the hurricanes could destroy the entire island. Summoning all her power and allies—including Mama D’Leau’s mermaids, a forgotten mountain village, and a lost monster at the sea’s bottom—Corinne dedicates herself to finding the sky god and saving her home. 

The Jumbie God’s Revenge skillfully weaves Caribbean folklore into the worldbuilding, making for an interesting read and delivering a very creative story. That said, readers averse to horror may want to avoid this book due to the macabre creatures and tone. 

While the book incorporates magical and monstrous elements, the chapters are often too brief, resulting in a jarring rhythm. The frequent perspective changes interrupt the story’s flow rather than enhancing it, especially for a novel with a primary narrator. Additionally, the storm sometimes overshadows the characters, driving the plot more than it should. The ending feels a little too neatly tied, though it provides a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.  

The Jumbie God’s Revenge presents powerful themes of community and heroism through imaginative monsters, a complex world, and wonderful friendships. The story builds upon previous books, presenting Corinne with more challenging tasks and a larger support system. She discovers that monstrous appearances don’t always indicate monstrous character, and that building community means accepting people for who they are. Ultimately, this story delivers a powerful message through its fierce protagonist: spite doesn’t have to consume people—the more love is freely given, the more it grows. 

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • As a direct result of the sky god’s actions, Corinne’s friend, the witch, is trapped in a box and cannot get out during the storm. “The water was up to her bottom lip. As it continued to rise, the white witch sent a final message. It rippled out on the water, stretching out of the swamp and into the sea. And then the witch slept.” The witch drowned.  
  • During the storm, the sea witch, Mama D’Leau, is whipped around. “The water pulled her away and crashed her into the rocks again. She felt the sting of another cut near the end of her tail. The pain traveled up her body and brought tears to her eyes that mixed with the saltwater of the sea. She wrapped her tail around the rock, anchoring herself in place. She would have to wait out the storm there, cowering, angry that it made her feel so small and helpless.” She is injured but eventually heals.  
  • When Corinne dives into the water to confront Mama D’Leau, they fight. “[Mama D’Leau] squeezed harder and pulled Corinne into its depth like a slowly turning screw. When Corinne was wholly engulfed in the tail, she looked directly into a pair of deep blue eyes that blinked out at her from the darkness.” Corinne cannot breathe but Mama D’Leau lets her go and Corinne is fine.  
  • Corinne tries to save her Aunt Severine, who doesn’t remember who Corinne is. Severine attacks Corinne. “[Corinne] crashed into the branches. Some of the sticks stabbed her skin, others scraped her flesh and scales, another gouged her tail. The branches folded into a cage around her. Her plaits were caught and her arms and tail were trapped. Her skin burned in the places the sticks had cut and bruised. She tasted her own warm blood in the cold water.” Corinne eventually gets through to Severine and heals from her injuries.  
  • Corinne confronts the sky god about the storm. “Corinne hurtled to earth [because of the sky god’s powers]. Her flames extinguished and every particle of air burned her raw, exposed body as she fell. She hit the beach hard, sending sand in every direction. Corinne screamed. The combination of the fall and the sea salt against her raw skin ravaged her. She tried not to move.” Her injuries heal quickly, and the sky god doesn’t stop the storm. The fight is described over a chapter.  
  • The storm attacks Corinne. “Each time, Corinne pressed against the side of the mountain for protection, but the rocks still hit her. Larger ones left bruises that made each of Corinne’s movements ache. Sharper ones left scratches that burned in the rain. But [the sky god] wouldn’t stop, so neither would she.” She heals quickly.  
  • After Corinne and Mama D’Leau’s fight, Mama D’Leau is trapped under rocks. When Mama D’Leau tries to get out, she gets cut. “Mama D’Leau refused to be pinned down again. She whipped her tail, cracking it against the current, trying to bend it to her will, but she flailed in the water and had to grab on to the edge of a piece of broken coral to steady herself. The coral cut into her hand but she didn’t let go. As blood darkened the water, Mama D’Leau sensed the smallest of the mermaids trying to reach [Mama D’Leau].” 
  • During the worst moments of the storm, some children end up in the water. The mermaids try to save them but aren’t successful. “[The mermaid] looked into the water and smiled when she saw [the boy she was trying to save], his arms reaching out to her. Her heart caught and she paused, waiting for him to arrive, but his face changed, from calm to anguish in an instant, and he opened his mouth. He gasped bubbles, pulling one hand to his throat. [The mermaid] raced to him and caught his limp hand to drag him to the surface. She turned his face up toward air and patted his back. She pulled him close to her body, hoping to feel his warmth again, but it was slowly draining away. It was too late for him.” He was the only child who died. 
  • During the storm, a boulder gets loose and rolls towards one of the villagers, Victor. “Victor just got his feet under him and looked back to see the rock coming at him from one side and the lagahoo [a kind of jumbie] from the other. The only way to get away from both was toward the cliff. He ran. As the rock closed in, Victor skidded to the edge and tried to come to a stop, but couldn’t. His arms flailed over his head as he teetered on the same ledge that Mama D’Leau had leapt from.” It is implied that Victor dies.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • This novel incorporates Caribbean folklore and references to the supernatural on nearly every page. Corinne and her friends have many interactions with magic, mostly through magical creatures (called jumbies). Since Corinne herself is half-jumbie, she has magical powers.  
  • The jumbies are aptly summarized while Corinne sits by the ocean, alone with her thoughts. “Corinne hadn’t believed in jumbies before Severine followed her out of the forest. She thought they were only stories that grown-ups told to scare the children on the island, stories about things that came out at night so little ones would stay in their beds. But then she encountered creatures with backward feet, women who shed their skin, and men covered in spiky fur with teeth as sharp as daggers. There was a jumbie who cared for the woods, and one who lived beneath the waves who would turn anyone into stone at a glance and who ruled the mermaids in the sea.” 
  • When Corinne needs information about a strange storm, she goes to the jumbie of the forest, Papa Bois. “The boulder seemed to tremble at the annoyance, and slowly unfolded itself, softening and smoothing, shaking dust and pebbles off its surface until it was a real man with hairy goat’s legs. Matted gray hair entwined with moss and leaves tumbled down the man’s back. Still crouched, the man looked up at the sky, slowly, as was his way. He reached a hand out, and a drop of water plopped into the center of his palm. He brought it to his wrinkled mouth and sipped. The ancient creases of his face deepened, his jaw tightened, and his light brown eyes went a reddish color like the ground that was muddying at his hooves.” 
  • Trying to find a stop to the storm, Corinne has a lucid, psychic dream, where Papa Bois appears and tells her what to do. Her dream ends when Papa Bois uses his powers to engulf her in flames. “Corinne looked down at herself. She was standing in the middle of the fire. Flames licked at her body. But it was not exactly her body. Her skin was gone, leaving only her raw flesh, red like the fire and slick as the rain.” 
  • After Corinne and her friend Dru jump off a cliff, they’re saved by their mermaid friends. “Two mermaids pushed themselves halfway out of the water next to Corinne. Their faces were deep brown with dark eyes, and their long, thick hair was braided in dozens of plaits that fell over their shoulders and down their backs. The smaller of the two mermaids lifted herself out of the water to the dark yellow scales that began at her waist, and slapped Corinne on the back.” 
  • When they need Mama D’Leau’s help again, one of Corinne’s friends, Bouki, offers her a jewel as payment. Mama D’Leau summons Bouki to her. “The surface ruffled and then smoothed. It began to swirl like the water in a drain. Bouki dug his toes into the sand and stood his ground for as long as he could, but the pull of the water got too strong. He closed his fist around the shard of rock as the eddy sucked him under.” 
  • After Bouki is returned to the surface, he can barely breathe after almost drowning. Corinne saves his life. “Corinne reached toward the rock in [her mermaid friend’s] arms and felt until she could sense the heart at the middle of it. She pulled moisture to Bouki’s body, softening the stone until his skin went from dull gray to soft reddish brown, starting at the tips of his toes and trailing toward his stomach and chest.” 
  • Knowing Corinne is looking for him, the sky god Huracan summons Corinne to him. “A strong breeze took [Corinne] higher. She spread her arms, trying to stop herself, but the effort flipped her to the side. She screamed and a tongue of flame burst out, pushing Pierre and the others back.” When she is above the cloud level, she sees Huracan. “[Huracan] was young-looking, with straight hair that fell to his shoulders, a wide, flat nose, and thin lips curled into a snarl, which turned slack with surprise when Corinne wasn’t where he thought she would be. The face disappeared. Corinne felt for the air current again, turning when it turned, trying to see Huracan form again, but he was mist and she had no hope of keeping up. She stayed still.” 
  • After the storm, Corinne finds her jumbie aunt, Severine, in her father’s boat. “A creature peeked out that was Corinne and not Corinne. It had her soft brown eyes and the long hair that Pierre carefully plaited every night, but where Corinne’s bright smile should have been, drool dripped from sharp teeth in a red, angry mouth. Her body was covered in scales, fish-bright on one side and snake-dull on the other. One of her hands was dark as ash with blue flame playing around the fingers. The other was hairy at the knuckles with claws at the end of her fingers. One leg ended in a floppy fish tail with a bright orange fin, while the other was a girl’s leg with a goat’s hoof where the foot should be.”

Spiritual Content  

  • While Corinne and Dru speculate about the origins of the storm, her other friends, Bouki and Malik, interject, insisting that a god is behind it. Malik says, “It’s the god of storms. This god can break mountains, rip up forests, and flatten everything else. When he rages, the sea trembles, the ground, even the sky.” 

by Kate Schuyler 

Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms

A few years ago, Cameron Battle’s parents went missing. Now, his grandmother takes great care of him, though she forbids him from the attic, and the book his parents used to read to him before bed, for reasons she refuses to explain. The Book of Chidani is a wonderful storybook that reminds him of his parents every time he reads it, but he hasn’t seen it since his parents disappeared. So, on the last day of the school year, as Cameron has his friends, Zion and Aliyah, over for a sleepover, they decide to sneak into the attic to find it. As they read the stories, they notice anomalies with the illustrations: they move and shift, seemingly trying to communicate with the trio of kids. Startled, the kids attempt to leave the attic, but the book glows, opens a magical portal to the kingdom it describes, and sucks them in.  

When the kids arrive, supernatural monsters immediately attack them. Running for their lives, the trio stumble into a group of guards who slay the monsters. Noticing the kids’ strange attire, the guards escort them to the palace and present them to Queen Ramala. The queen explains that Cameron is the last descendant of his family’s line—people from the kingdom of Chidani who were forcibly kidnapped and taken to the United States hundreds of years ago during the slave trade. The Igbo gods and the people of Chidani entrusted the Book to his family because it’s a portal home and a lifeline to protect them.   

Now, Chidani is in trouble, and Cameron is the only one who can help. The queen’s jealous sister, Amina, has partnered with the death god Ekwensu, who seeks to destroy the magical barrier between the worlds in an attempt to wreak havoc and gain more power. The guards of Chidani train Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah in an Igbo fighting style, arm them with weapons, and give them gryphons to ride, so they can recover the three magical objects Chidani needs to fight Amina. Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah prove to be brave, intelligent, and kind kids who put their own lives on the line to protect people they don’t know.  

Cameron is a likable, powerful protagonist who grows when challenged, leading by example and standing up to bullies. Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah are incredibly supportive, and they work well as a team. His friends also help him learn how to fight, trust, and stand up for what he believes in. Zion adds humor, where Aliyah adds the heart to the story. They both support Cameron in their own styles, Zion lifts his spirits, and Aliyah helps him work through his problems. Cameron fights an evil enchantress and gods, while also struggling with insecurities and feeling like he is not enough. With strong character development and powerful worldbuilding, the story explores issues of kids’ identity and self-worth, especially for kids of color.  

Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms’ plot is overcomplicated, with many elements that might be hard for younger readers to track. However, this is a minor flaw in an otherwise very entertaining book. Readers who enjoyed Black Panther, Percy Jackson, and The Jumbies will love the Igbo folklore, the good-versus-evil violence, and the elaborate magic system of Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms.  

This book is filled with supernatural creatures, from dramatic gods to spooky spirits of the dead and scary enchantresses. Overall, this is an inspiring story with creative twists, action-packed fight scenes, and heart-warming friendships. The book’s message is sweet and teaches kids not to be afraid to ask for help.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Once in the Chidani, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah are attacked by frightening monsters called mmo. Cameron describes the fight, “The mmo reached out with what looked like sharp nails made of smoke, just as a second group of them slithered up the trees and launched themselves toward the opening in the sky we had just fallen through. The one closest to me growled deep in its chest and tried to strike me across the face, but I parried the attack with my arm. The force sent me sprawling across the clearing. I wiped my nose and picked up a nearby branch, striking haphazardly, not waiting for the mmo to hit first. It stumbled backward, made a gurgling noise as black blood rushed from its body, and then disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving behind the stench of rotten meat.” The fight lasts for three pages. They all make it out with light scratches but no serious injuries.  
  • Shortly after the mmo encounter, kingdom guards find Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah. The guards threaten the kids and force the kids to follow them. When the guards take Aliyah, Cameron “ran after her, but the cold pressure of a sword at [his] neck stopped [him]. ‘You follow us, boy,’ a guard said to [Cameron]. [The guard] was tall, with muscles so big, they seemed to bulge out of his heavy armor. His face was striking, as if his features had been carved by the sharpest angles of a knife. His eyes reminded [Cameron] of Zion’s. His skin was dark, like [Cameron’s], and his words were harsh. ‘The queen demands an audience.’”  
  • While in the palace, the guards train the trio to fight. The guards have Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah watch a two-paragraph long demonstration between two of the guards, Halifa and Bakari. “Halifa jumped in the air, coming down on Bakari with a slash of her sword. Equally fast, Bakari shifted, kicking at the sand as he moved out of the way of her sword, dirt flying around them like a tornado. He moved, crouched to the ground, and kicked Halifa’s legs. She fell. A second later, she was up again, moving fast as a bullet, slashing her sword, striking his arm, drawing blood. Bakari yelped but moved away from her attack just as quickly.” 
  • While training to fight, a sword nicks Cameron’s cheek. “By the time [Cameron] turned to [the guard training him, Makai], [Makai] had thrown his sword at [Cameron]. Once [Cameron] saw it flying, [he] moved [his] head to the side, causing the sword to graze [his] cheek as it passed [him].”  
  • Later during the same fight, Cameron gets slammed to the ground. “[Makai] grabbed [Cameron’s] feet, turned [him] around, and threw [him] on the ground. ‘Oof,’ [Cameron] said as blood filled [his] mouth.” Zion and Aliyah experience similar injuries during their own fights. 
  • During their retrieval of Queen Ramala’s crown, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah encounter more mmo. “[Cameron] opened [his] eyes and grabbed [his] sword from the ground, ignoring the pain that racked [his] body from the slash of mmo nails. . . [He] could make out at least ten other creatures stalking [them] inside the cavern, but [he] could also see the crown glistening on a wall behind the dais. [Cameron] moved forward and started to slash, bringing down mmo. [He] turned to see Zion battling four creatures at once. Three more rushed at [him]. [He] fell to the floor and slid underneath their feet, slashing as [he] went. The mmo fell to the ground. . . [He] slammed [his] legs into their chests; [they] all tumbled to the ground. Before they could move, [he] brought [his] sword down and slashed at their faces; their bodies turned to smoke.” Nobody is seriously injured.  
  • In a confrontation with the god Agwu, Cameron is tortured for information. “At [Agwu’s] words, [Cameron] felt a pain in [his] chest. [Cameron] kneeled on the ground. Something in [him] reached for the god and the lightning radiating through [Agwu’s] body. [Agwu’s] eyes followed [Cameron] as [he] sank to the dead grass.” 
  • During the confrontation with Agwu, Zion is injured. Cameron and Aliyah help hold him down while the goddess Agbala heals him. “[Zion] shifted on the ground and moaned even louder as the bones stitched back together in a sickening crunch. Then suddenly, it was over. [Cameron] watched his breath come back. [Cameron] looked down at [Zion’s] leg again and saw that it was healed.” 
  • In a vision, Cameron watches as Amina sells her soul to gain power from a dark god. “[The god, Ekwensu] pulled back the sleeves of his kaftan and snapped his skeletal fingers. A long blade appeared in his right hand, the hilt of it made from shards of bone. With a swift movement, he swiped down both her arms, leaving blood to fall to the rock. [Cameron] cringed as the blood began to boil, releasing a noxious smell as Amina moaned in pain. Ignoring her agony, Ekwensu thrust forward, slicing Amina in the chest, right in her heart. She screamed as she fell to her knees. . . Whoosh. A substance is extracted from her wound, something milky white.” 
  • Trying to find Amina, the trio kills more mmo. “[Cameron] moved to the side and sliced down, cutting [the mmo’s] arm off. It screamed as the appendage turned to dust and fell to the floor. Before it could regain its composure, [Cameron] sliced straight through its chest. [He] turned just in time to see Zion killing his mmo, too.” 
  • Shortly after Cameron and Zion rescue Aliyah, the two, along with Queen Ramala, battle Amina. “Zion tripped, and when [Amina] slashed at his cheek, he stumbled backward, causing her to advance on him. [Cameron] reached out and kicked her in the back. She turned to me, and the dance began again, Zion, Ramala, and me weaving around one another, striking at her with our swords whenever we could, taking small hits, and retaliating with our own. Amina jumped in the air and twirled in a deadly arc. Ramala jumped after her.” The fight with Amina lasts about three chapters. No one is hurt, except the MMO.  
  • Soon after Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah escape the kingdom, they’re attacked by a mmo that followed them. Cameron’s grandmother comes to the rescue. “Grandma reeled back and threw the knife with all her strength. [Cameron and his friends] ducked out of the way, then heard a scream. [Cameron] stood up to see a mmo standing near the attic’s window. The knife was protruding from its chest. It screamed again before falling to the ground and turning to dust.” 

 Drugs and Alcohol  

  • As Cameron and Zion try to recover a tool to defeat Amina from the god Agwu, they are drugged. Agwu laces the food he offers Zion and Cameron with a substance that forces them to sleep. Agwu says, “It must have been forever since you last ate anything of substance. You are certainly tired and sleepy after all that food. . .” and Cameron and Zion fall asleep.

Language  

  • Words like stupid, idiot, and hell appear frequently.

Supernatural  

  • This book is about three kids who are summoned to save a magic kingdom. Therefore, there is magic on nearly every page. There are also supernatural creatures, gods, and humans with magical powers. All characters use a mystical fighting style that gives them enhanced abilities and instincts without casting spells.  
  • The supernatural creatures are called mmo. They serve the Queen’s sister, Amina, and the Igbo death god, Ekwensu. The first time Cameron encounters them is near his house, in the real world. Cameron describes the experience, “A dark shadow ran across my vision as I stared at Grandma’s house. The rain shower stopped falling, as if someone had pressed Pause. The apparition took on a monstrous, humanoid shape right next to the old shed in the backyard. It was dark, tall, and obscured by shadows.” He later describes them as “spirits whose deaths were so traumatic that they were stuck in a sort of limbo that kept them from passing to the afterlife. They could either be benevolent spirits or malevolent demons, depending on who controlled them.” 
  • When Cameron reminisces about memories of his grandma reading to him, he suddenly realizes that he has seen magic before. Cameron describes the experience, “Grandma read about Queen Ramala, the main character in the Book, and was showing me her picture when suddenly it glowed golden, and I could have sworn the pictures began to move. The queen’s hair, which had been dark brown, started to turn gray before our very eyes.”  
  • Cameron remembers when his parents were reading to him and his friend, Zion. “Mama had flipped back to the page of Queen Ramala on her throne, while Amina stood behind her with no expression. As [Cameron and Zion] watched, the image moved, the sisters moved, and Ramala disappeared. Amina sat on her sister’s throne, a sly smile appearing on her face.” 
  • During a sleepover, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah are sucked into the Book, landing in a magical kingdom. “Zion’s entire body lifted off the floor. [Cameron’s] grip was slipping, [his] hands beginning to sweat. [Cameron] could feel [Zion’s] fingers releasing. . . [Cameron] tried with all [his] might, but [his] sweaty hands slipped from the carpet, and [Cameron and Zion] were both lifted into the air. It was almost like time stopped for a moment. And then [they] were flying. . . One second, [they] were frozen in midair, and the next, [Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah] were sucked straight through the hole in the wall.” 
  • The palace is coded to use magic in the place of servants if guests choose this option. “Before [Cameron] could respond, the air whipped around [him] and [his] clothes rippled, drowning out Zion’s voice. [Cameron] peeled off [his] soiled clothes and waded deep in the steaming-hot pool, sighing in contentment. Droplets of water lifted from the pool, twirling around [his] head. [Cameron] watched in amazement as they transformed into a comb, a brush, and bars of soap.” 
  • The Book can also be used as a magical map. Cameron describes, “The lines on the map moved, and the pictures came to life, lifting off the page as if we were looking at a hologram. The queen moved her hand, and the images in the air shifted until we were looking at the Royal Court. She pointed at the floating picture, the castle turning in diamond light, gryphons flying in the air. ‘This is where we are,’ she said. She curved her hand downward, the Palacia collapsed back into place, and the scene changed until I was looking at a familiar outline of a location surrounded by water at its southern border.” 
  • To travel freely throughout the kingdom for their quest, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah bond with gryphons. Cameron thinks about this process, “Connecting with Ugo almost felt like. . . love. The magic in me attached to Ugo’s, and Mama appeared in my mind, granting me access to her own relationship with the gryphon. It was even more of an emotional feeling, too, because the Book gave me visions, even when I wasn’t expecting it.” 
  • Going into the water to recover a magical item, the Book’s magic allows Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah to breathe underwater. Cameron describes this process, “My chest began to glow as soon as we entered the water, and I felt a surge of power. The Book stirred inside me, and I let out a howl of pain, but no water entered my mouth to drown me. Red light spread from my chest and into the arms and bodies of Aliyah and Zion on my right and left. It felt as if my chest was going to burst open, like a weight was dragging us through the water at lightning speed, deeper and deeper into the ocean. I closed my eyes against the excruciating pain.” 
  • When Amina appears to battle her sister, she makes an entrance. “In the middle of a cloud, a deep white line appeared, so bright that it almost burned [Cameron’s] eyes. The rip opened farther and farther until a figure, riding on the back of a fearsome gryphon—much bigger than the ones we had ridden—appeared.” 
  • During the final battle, Amina has a devastating trick up her sleeve; she changes one of the mmo back to human form briefly. “The figure emerged from the mmo like a butterfly from a chrysalis, its hair blowing in the wind, its brown skin shining in the light that surrounded it, its dark-brown eyes trained on [Cameron]. It was dressed in a flowing gown, almost angelic, but its face was contorted in unbearable and unmistakable pain.”

Spiritual Content  

  • While Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah travel to a fictional, magical kingdom, they still encounter elements from the real world, like gods of the Igbo culture. They fight with some gods and work with others to save the kingdom from the queen’s treacherous sister Amina. Given this, the book discusses many creation myths and Igbo religious references. There are also the occasional vague references to Christianity.  
  • When the kids first encounter a god, she heals them from their sparring practice. The goddess describes herself as, “The star goddess, daughter and priestess of the Supreme Mother, Ala. I’m Mother’s justice in this world. I dole out punishment when necessary and heal those who have been hurt.”  
  • Ala heals Aliyah. “The warmth of the magic radiated from Aliyah’s body as the gash on her forehead healed. It felt like [Cameron’s] father’s last hug; it smelled of the peppermints [his] grandma gave [him] during Sunday service to keep [Cameron] quiet and still as the pastor preached his sermons.” 
  • As an example of the creation beliefs, Agbala tells the children about the queen’s history. “Ramala ventured into Igboland, finding the most powerful priests to connect with the gods. With their help, she prayed, telling the gods that she would do anything for their protection. Three gods appeared to her: Ala and two of her sons, Anyanwu and Amadioha. They offered her three gifts—a crown of wisdom, a ring that granted immortal life, and a scepter of thunder and lightning.” It’s those three items that Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah need to find to save the kingdom.  
  • The kingdom itself also has a religious history. “[The bargain the gods made with the kingdom’s citizens was] for their eternal prayers. Meaning, the humans would be closed off from the larger world, and they would never age. The gods would always exist because prayers would feed them. Ramala’s parents believed that a barrier between both worlds that would cause immortality was unnatural, so they would not agree to it, [but Ramala did].” 
  • There are also gods aligned with the queen’s evil sister, Amina. Ramala explains, “We have gained intelligence from the Onitsha clan to my crown’s whereabouts. It is as I feared. Amina has aligned herself with Ekwensu, the Igbo death god. He controls the mmo. I didn’t think it could be true, but this is the reason she has been able to use the mmo to fight you.” 
  • While trying to find one of the magical items, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah encounter another god. “Welcome to my temple, Nsi said. His mouth didn’t move, but [Cameron] could hear him in [his] thoughts. He wore a long, flowing ivory kaftan, embroidered with rubies. Gold bangles covered his arms, and his hair rolled down his back in waves of green, red, and brown. His dark skin was smooth, in sharp contrast to the flowing water beneath him.” 

by Kate Schuyler 

The Sea of Always

After defeating the Memory Thief, Rosie Oaks has become a target for the other witches—especially the Time Witch. Angered by the loss of her friend and bored after an eternity in the shadows, the Time Witch vows to destroy Rosie and her long-lost brother, Wolf. There’s just one problem: Wolf is trapped in 1855 San Francisco. 

Determined to rescue him, Rosie and her best friend Germ recruit Chompy, a magical time-traveling whale. But Chompy takes them to the future instead, where they meet Aria, a young witch-hunter who offers to help. Aria warns them that their real challenge isn’t finding Wolf or the Time Witch—it’s staying ahead of someone who can see the future. With no clear plan, the three friends board Chompy again, hoping to buy themselves time to figure out their next move. 

Their hopes are dashed when time pirates working for the Time Witch board their ship. The pirates take them to a city beyond time to await the Time Witch’s arrival. Before she can get there, the pirate king comes to meet them. Rosie and Germ are shocked to discover that the pirate king is none other than their ghost friend, Ebb, who was kidnapped by the Time Witch before they left on their quest. Determined to escape captivity as the Time Witch’s servant, Ebb joins their crew and reveals the only way to defeat the Time Witch: they must defeat all the remaining witches at once. The witches keep their hearts separate from their bodies, and with Chompy’s help, the four heroes can track down the witches throughout time, steal their hearts, and meet the Time Witch in 1855 to destroy them all simultaneously.  

Along the way, all four kids learn what it means to grow up. Rosie especially learns to be independent, responsible, and braver than she’s ever needed to be. 

The Sea of Always brings the Thirteen Witches series to another level, incorporating time travel, magical animals, and even more supernatural elements. The amalgam of all these creative elements is a little overwhelming and feels overdone. Additionally, the story has a few plot points that could be simplified. However, Rosie and her friends are inspiring and well-developed characters. The language is easy to follow, and the book walks the reader through the complicated magic system so that it’s understandable, even if it’s a bit much.  

Readers who enjoy time-travel shenanigans, wicked witches, and small bands of mighty heroes will love the complex magic, clever tricks, and witty banter in The Sea of Always. This book is filled with supernatural creatures—from time-stealing hummingbirds to soul menders to ghosts—that all complicate matters for Rosie as she tries to fix what the Time Witch is intent on breaking.  

Best of all, Rosie is an empathetic and kind protagonist who befriends everyone she meets and is determined to save everyone from the witches. Rosie is a powerful tween protagonist who stands up for what’s right and for her friends, no matter how much danger lies ahead. Overall, this is a sweet story with a fierce message: never give up, even in the face of certain doom. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • On their time-traveling journey, Rosie and her friends encounter the Time Witch for the first time. Rosie sends her bird, Little One, to fight the Time Witch. However, the witch sends hummingbirds to fight Little One. Rosie thinks, “And even as Little One grows in size—she’s now as big as an elephant—taking more and more hummingbirds out with each bite, they surround her. Over my shoulder, as we run, I see her struggle. And then, with a terrible screech, she tumbles out of the air. She plummets to the ground, and is engulfed. I stumble too, the flashlight dropping from my hands.” Rosie’s new friend, Aria, manages to hit some of the hummingbirds with a slingshot, and everybody makes it out unscathed.  
  • While time-traveling, Rosie and her friends land in Salem during a witch trial. A judge is sentencing a woman to death. He says, “Martha Parker, you hereby stand convicted of witchcraft. You shall now face trial by water. If you drown, you will die the death of the innocent. If you float, we will know for certain that you’re a witch.” They don’t see the trial, but it is implied that someone saves the woman from the water. 
  • During another encounter with the Time Witch and a different witch, Rosie and her friends are attacked by hummingbirds, bats, and hyenas. “Above, the hummingbirds and bats rise high enough to block out the stars. Below them, thousands of tiny beetle feet tap across the dry ground, but it’s the hyenas that reach us first, leaping out of the night toward us. Screaming, Germ falls back under the weight of one, defenseless, but Aria holds her slingshot aloft and aims at them as they struggle. . . Her shot goes crooked and crazy, missing Germ and the hyena completely and slamming into a boulder that breaks apart.” They manage to outrun the creatures, and nobody is injured.  
  • When Rosie and her friends face all the witches to save Rosie’s brother, the Time Witch captures them and traps them in hallucinations. Rosie’s mother appears from the water and shoots the Time Witch with a bow and arrow, releasing Rosie and her friends from the torture. “The Time Witch clutches her chest, and falls into the ground. It happens so fast, you can barely see it. One moment she is there, and the next, she is swallowed into nothing. As if she never existed at all.” The Time Witch dies.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • This book is full of supernatural elements that appear on nearly every page. Rosie and her friends experience magical whale time-travel, witch battles, and encounters with creatures that live in the clouds. Rosie is also good friends with ghosts.  
  • Magic primarily appears through special abilities and not spoken spells or with wands. Each witch can steal something from humans, such as memories, time, hopes, or motivations.  
  • For example, while Rosie is gone, her mom describes what their house is like in her absence. “The room, which would look empty to almost anyone, is actually full of spirits. More and more have come every day since Rosie left, ghosts from nearby towns and counties trying to get a glance at the Oaks family home before drifting back to their graves by morning. The death of the Memory Thief has made this house more infamous than it already was.” 
  • While time-traveling, Rosie describes their transportation. “Still, there are some indicators that we’re not in Kansas anymore. For one thing, there’s a giant glass ‘moonroof’ above that affords us a view of the blue ocean water above. There are travel brochures littering the room that offer guidance on trips to the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, specific eras like the Han dynasty, the Gupta empire, and so on. There’s also a full-color coffee-table book called Welcome to the Sea of Always that includes a primer on the magical creatures of the ocean of time, and a terrifying who’s who profile on someone called the pirate king and his army of bones.” 
  • When Germ and Rosie travel to the future, they meet Aria, a girl near their age. She explains why the future appears to be a wasteland. “This used to be a tropical island; it’s not supposed to be frozen solid. The moon isn’t supposed to be so far away. All I know is that the witches have covered the world in so many curses, it’s propelled the moon away from us, and things are. . . frightening.” 
  • As Rosie, Aria, and Germ leave to find the witches’ hearts, they encounter the Time Witch. She steals time from Rosie before Rosie and her friends escape. “’The hummingbirds stole time when they engulfed you,’ [Aria] explains [to Rosie]. ‘They sucked ten days away from you. You’ve been witch touched already.’” Rosie has time stolen from her at another point in the book as well.  
  • While traveling inside the whale, Rosie and her friends find a book that defines the Sea of Always. “Time on Earth does not disappear as it passes, but rather, it sinks into the sea, becoming an invisible layer of history hidden within the ocean. Just as above there is surface reality and then the magical layer underneath, in the sea there is the real ocean and the invisible ocean of time. Still, the time ocean is very real in its own way, and any changes to time inside the sea will impact the course of history above.”  
  • The book also describes and defines time whales like the one Rosie and her friends travel on. “Time whales are magical creatures adapted to swimming the magical sea. For most living things, swimming in the ocean won’t mean swimming through time. But time whales have an inner space-time compass that has evolved in them alone, which allows them to navigate time’s spiral.” 
  • When discussing how they’ll defeat the Time Witch, Aria mentions another crueler witch, the Nothing King. “He’s more powerful than all of the rest combined. But he’s imprisoned in a black hole at the other end of the universe. He had a big fight with the Moon Goddess in ancient times, and she prevailed.” 
  • During their adventures, Rosie, Germ, and Aria encounter the pirate king, a ghost, and a servant of the Time Witch. “[The pirate king] is dim. So dim that he’s nearly invisible. Frail. Withering. I can see at a glance, he is dying. . . the pirate king is as near to becoming nothing as a ghost can get.” Further inspection reveals that the pirate king is none other than Ebb, Rosie’s ghost friend, who had been kidnapped by the Time Witch.  
  • While riding the whale, Rosie and her friends decide the only way they can defeat the witches is to steal and destroy the witches’ hearts. Ebb says, “I heard the rumors, but I’d never given them much thought until that night. A witch’s heart doesn’t pump her blood, but she still needs it to live. In other words, if you destroyed a witch’s heart, she’d die.” Along the way, they collect the hearts, but they aren’t anatomically correct hearts. The hearts take different shapes, such as a tattered book, an apple, or a trinket box. 
  • Many of the witches have familiars—magical pets that do their bidding. As Rosie and her friends try to steal their first heart, they also see a familiar. Rosie describes the scene, “There’s a creature waddling across the road in front of us. It’s a chameleon, green and bright. . . and totally out of place in Massachusetts. The evening is just dark enough for us to see its ghostly glow. My heart thuds faster; there’s no mistaking the iridescent sparkle of a witch’s familiar.” 
  • As a witch-hunter, Rosie also has a magical ability. She can summon a creature called Little One, which usually takes the shape of a bird that attacks witches.  
  • While trying to steal their first heart, Rosie discovers her powers are more complicated than she thinks. Rosie describes the scene, “standing on the ground in front of me, Little One is not Little One anymore. Or at least, not the Little One I know. I only recognize her by her glow, and the bond between us that’s tied around my heart, but she is no longer a bluebird at all. She’s a cricket.” Rosie can imagine Little One in any form.  
  • To escape the Time Witch during yet another encounter, Rosie imagines Little One into a doorway. Rosie and her friends end up on a cloud and meet the Brightweaver. “[The Brightweaver] points to a small sign over the doorway. BRIGHTWEAVER: MENDER OF SPIRITS, SOULS, AND HEARTS. FREE ALTERATIONS! ALL ORGANIC! ‘I’ve been called different things by different people over the years. Fairy, angel, muse. . . I can’t be fussed either way. I’m here to help; that’s all you need to worry about.’” The Brightweaver mends souls and demonstrates for Rosie and her friends by making Germ’s soul appear. “Instead of seeing the things you’d expect to see inside a person’s body—a heart, bones, blood—a luminous, tiny lion rises inside Germ’s rib cage, as filmy and bright as the music making bridges and wings.” The Brightweaver doesn’t entirely explain what she is, but she saves them and returns them to their whale. 
  • In their final showdown with the witches, Rosie imagines a horde of aliens pouring down from the sky to attack them. Her imagination manifests them. “[Rosie] gasp[s] for air as even the familiars fall away from [her] to gape up at the sky at thousands upon thousands of purple eight-armed aliens.” 
  • During the same showdown, Rosie and her friends are trapped in a hallucination by the Time Witch. Rosie thinks, “as the birds swirl around my face, batter my eyes, my cheeks, my arms, I catch glimpses. Germ’s face is getting plumper, her hair longer, her legs shorter. She’s getting smaller and smaller. She looks like the Germ I knew when she was eight. Then more like Germ at five—the Germ I met in kindergarten. And then she’s a baby, sitting in the sand and surrounded by hummingbirds, all reddish-blond curls, her freckles gone. She lets out a wail, tears running down her baby cheeks.” After Rosie’s mother kills the Time Witch, Rosie and her friends are released and return to their normal ages.  
  • After the battle, Rosie and her friends return to the time whale. Aria sings, sad from the people she’s lost over the years. Her song summons her long-lost sister and other witch-hunters, free from the Time Witch’s prison. They were trapped in a snow globe Aria had found. “The tiny thread of Aria’s song wraps around the tiny knob of the door and pulls it open. And then. . . five very tiny figures come swimming out, unmistakably human, each the size of a pinky nail. That’s when Aria’s hands jerk in surprise, and she drops the globe.” Aria’s singing voice is her witch-hunter power, activated when the Time Witch died.  

Spiritual Content  

  • There are mentions of “the Moon Goddess,” but they are minimal, and the book doesn’t explain the specific belief system it’s referencing, save that the Moon Goddess is the enemy of the witches.  
  • While time-traveling, Germ whispers a small prayer before bed one night. “Germ kneels by her bed and does her nightly ritual: a Hail Mary and an Our Father. Then a prayer to the Moon Goddess for good measure. It’s not all that conventional for a Catholic to believe in a goddess who lives on the moon, but Germ is her own person.”

by Kate Schuyler 

Ella Enchanted

When Ella of Frell is a baby, the fairy Lucinda bestows her with the “gift” of obedience. Thereafter, Ella is compelled to obey every command she is given – a predicament at odds with her bold and lively personality. For protection, Ella’s mother orders her to never reveal the curse. However, when Ella’s mother dies and her father remarries, Ella’s new stepfamily, including a bitter stepmother and two wicked stepsisters, discovers and exploits her secret.  

Desperate to finally retake her freedom, Ella resolves to track down Lucinda to rescind the gift, leading her on an epic quest throughout the kingdom. Along the way, Ella faces magical creatures, such as giants and ogres, and navigates a budding romance with Char, the kingdom’s prince. After all of her efforts, Ella just might discover that the magic to end her curse was within her all along.  

Ella of Frell is a charming and likable protagonist who disrupts common critiques of the original source material. While the passivity of her fairy tale counterpart, Cinderella, might frustrate some audience members, the curse gives Ella a sympathetic reason not to stand up for herself – she literally cannot disobey a direct order. Nevertheless, Ella is not complacent. She takes responsibility for her situation and uses her wit and determination to save herself, subverting the damsel-in-distress trope. For example, after trolls capture and plan to eat her, Ella sings them to sleep in their native language, then successfully flees their camp. Readers will like the bravery and spunky attitude Ella exhibits and root for her to break free of her curse.  

As his name would suggest, Prince “Char” Charmont is Ella’s friend and charming love interest. He serves as a compelling motivation for Ella to finally break free of her curse, because her susceptibility to outside influence could put him in a dangerous position as king. Their romance unfolds primarily over letters, in which Char reveals his character flaws of pride and anger, especially when it comes to protecting those he loves. For example, he dismisses a tutor who belittled his younger sister and ensured the tutor never found work again. However, Char is also kind and sympathetic. He is frequently “tormented” by his push-pull dynamic with Ella, not knowing the important reason she has to keep him at arm’s length.  

The large supporting cast of female characters provides many positive representations of female relationships that balance the negative ones. For example, there is little nuance in Ella’s stepfamily. Similar to their fairytale counterparts, they are cruel to Ella and exploit their position of power simply because they can. At times, their mean-spirited commands border on cruelty, such as when stepsister Hattie demands a necklace Ella inherited from her late mother. However, Ella has a loving relationship with her family’s cook and her mother figure, Mandy. Mandy is a good role model who is often strict, yet well-meaning and down-to-earth. While Mandy is a fairy, in contrast to Lucinda, Mandy preaches responsibility, using magic out of necessity rather than as a shortcut or convenience.  

Ella Enchanted is told in the first person, with part of the narrative told through letters. This gives the reader intimate access to Ella’s thoughts and feelings, making her a sympathetic character. Readers will enjoy the whimsical plot, including Ella’s journey across the magical land of Frell, and the romantic subplot between Ella and Char. Given the adversity Ella has faced, including her curse and the mean-spirited demands of her stepfamily, readers will root for Ella to succeed and reclaim her freedom.  

Ella Enchanted is a charming spin on the Cinderella fairy tale that fleshes out some underexplored elements in the original source material. It provides reasonable explanations for why Cinderella never resists her stepfamily’s orders and why the prince fell in love with her after only one meeting at a ball. Instead of anchoring the love story around Cinderella’s beauty, Ella Enchanted puts a greater emphasis on the prince falling for Ella’s personality. It also introduces positive female relationships into the fairy tale, such as Ella’s friendship with another girl at finishing school and her mother-daughter dynamic with Mandy.  

Readers who enjoy fantasy stories with fairytale elements will enjoy this entertaining and fast-paced story. While Ella faces some danger, such as a comedic run-in with human-eating ogres, the most upsetting moments are the ones grounded in reality, such as the cruelty of Ella’s stepfamily or the death of her mother. Overall, Ella Enchanted is a fun and whimsical story, well-suited for younger audiences.   

Sexual Content      

  • Ella and Char develop their relationship through flirty, yet fun banter. For example, after being asked if she enjoys sliding down stairs, Ella replies, “‘I wish I could enjoy it. This fear of heights is an affliction.’ He nodded, a show of sympathy but not much interest. I was losing him. ‘Especially,’ I added, ‘as I’ve grown taller.’ He stared. Then he laughed in surprised delight.” These moments are especially effective because they emphasize that the prince falls in love with Ella’s personality, rather than solely her appearance.   
  • Char confesses his love and proposes marriage to Ella through a letter. He writes, “What a beautiful bride you’ll be, whomever you marry at whatever age. And what a queen if I am the man! Who has your grace? Your expression? Your voice? I could extol your virtues endlessly. . . Love (it is such relief to pen the word!), love, love – Char.”  
  • Though Ella initially rebukes Char, her internal monologue returns his feelings. She thinks, “I hadn’t loved him as long, perhaps, but now I loved him equally well, or better. I loved his laugh, his handwriting, his steady gaze, his honorableness, his freckles, his appreciation of my jokes, his hands, his determination that I should know the worst of him. And, most of all, shameful though it might be, I loved his love for me.” 
  • After Ella breaks her curse, she and Char share a kiss. As Ella describes, “I kissed his cheek. He was safe from me. He turned my head and kissed me on the mouth. The kiss swept through me, and I clung to him, trembling.” 

Violence      

  • While traveling in a carriage, Ella and her two stepsisters, Olive and Hattie, spot an ogre. Olive is hysterical until “the coachman stopped the carriage, came inside with us, and slapped her smartly across the face. ‘Sorry, miss,’ he said, and popped back out.”  
  • At age eight, after a childhood friend discovered her curse and gave her several orders, Ella “punched her. She screamed, and blood poured from her nose. [Their] friendship ended that day.” 
  • Once, Ella’s stepmother gave Ella a task that resulted in injury. Ella had to “wash the floor in the hall. . . As soon as [she] submerged [her] hands, they smarted and burned. . . the task took three hours, but [her] knuckles were bleeding in a quarter of the time. Occasionally, other servants passed by. Some gawked, some seemed sympathetic.” Ella is not left with permanent damage to her hands.  
  • Ella often fears the damage her curse could do. For example, she “imagined future commands, awful ones, ones that would kill [her], and [she] glowed at the idea of obeying them.”  
  • While traveling across the kingdom to find Lucinda, Ella is captured by ogres. Even though they promise to kill and eat her, the scene maintains an overall comedic tone. The situation is technically life-or-death, but readers never feel like Ella is in any real danger. For example, an ogre pokes Ella and says, “Wake up, Breakfast. How do you like to be cooked? Bloody? Medium? Or done to a crisp?” There is no violence because the ogres quickly discover they can command Ella, and Ella uses her wits to escape unscathed, essentially hypnotizing them into submission by using their mother tongue.  

Drugs and Alcohol      

  • At a family dinner, Ella’s father offers a sip of his wine. Ella spills it before she can drink any.      

Language     

  • None   

Supernatural     

  • There are fairy godmothers, who can cast spells and curses. The acts of magic in this book are divided into two categories: big and small magic. Big magic includes life-altering transformations. For example, in addition to cursing Ella with obedience, the well-intentioned, yet dim-witted Lucinda curses a newlywed couple to never be apart, reasoning that she gave them “companionship and felicitous union.”  
  • Small magic is low stakes, and the effects are either reversible or inconsequential. For example, Lucinda gives Ella elaborate jewelry to wear at a ball, provided the jewelry disappears by midnight.  
  • There are passing mentions of several magical creatures, such as fairies, gnomes, elves, and giants. Ella attends a giant’s wedding and is nearly eaten by a group of trolls.  
  • Mandy is a fairy godmother, yet refuses to perform most magic. Lucinda’s curses drive the conflict.  

Spiritual Content      

  • None 

by Kerry Lum     

Dark Rise

In 19th-century London, sixteen-year-old Will Kempen leads a quiet life, closely monitored by his overprotective mother. But when a mysterious group kills her, Will goes on the run and finally learns the truth about the world, his family, and his own identity.  

Long ago, a devastating war raged between the forces of Light and Dark, resulting in the complete destruction of magic—until the present day, when the dead heroes and villains are reborn to reclaim their destiny. Most important is Will. Born from the blood of the Lady, he is prophesied to one day defeat the Dark King. Joining the Stewards, an ancient class of warriors, Will fights against the Dark King’s rise, only to realize that the line between good and evil might not be so clear after all.  

In the beginning, Will is a likable protagonist who is easy to root for. Despite his harsh surroundings, he maintains a kind nature. For example, he warns an opponent of a deadly booby trap even after they try to kill him. However, Will’s character arc takes an unexpected turn. Set up to become the chosen savior, he ends the story as a morally gray figure shrouded in mystery. In a shocking plot twist, Will realizes he is not of the Lady’s blood—he is the reincarnation of the Dark King.  

Some readers may find Will’s past life unforgivable, regardless of the good he does in his current life. While the specifics of the war are only hinted at, readers can infer there were great casualties. Furthermore, despite swearing to kill the Dark King, Will keeps his identity a secret, allowing the Stewards to continue believing their greatest enemy is their savior. However, there are also hints that the war was more complex than the Stewards’ framing of Light versus Dark or Good versus Evil. Considering Will’s kind nature, it is plausible that the Stewards conducted a smear campaign against the Dark King to further their agenda. Since Dark Rise is the first entry in a trilogy, much of the war remains a mystery, leaving Will’s character morally gray at best.  

Initially presented as Will’s love interest, Katherine Kent is revealed to be the true blood of the Lady. She is kind and innocent, yet unafraid to make bold moves to protect the people she loves. For example, she breaks off her engagement after her sister’s safety is threatened and immediately fights Will after learning his true identity. James St. Clair, the Dark King’s reborn right-hand man, follows a similar role reversal. He is initially presented as Will’s enemy but emerges as a possible future love interest. While rules and righteousness stifle the surrounding cast, James is the most dynamic character, often taunting the Stewards and exposing flaws in their morality. Like Will, James had no choice in the role he was born into, but he copes with the opposite response: embracing and even enjoying his perceived villainy.  

Readers will enjoy the fast-paced plot and the building tension between Will, Katherine, and James as they unravel layers of their shared yet unknown past. Dark Rise is told in the third person, with each chapter narrated from a different point of view, but it primarily focuses on Will, Katherine, and their friends in the Stewards. The book would be improved if it focused exclusively on Will, Katherine, and James, but the good outshines the bad. Plot lines from the supporting characters exist only to support the main storyline and are largely forgettable. The most entertaining scenes happen when James is present, causing trouble for the main characters through battles of magic or wits. For example, when the Stewards capture James, he gains the upper hand by strategically revealing information that will cause conflict among the Stewards.   

Overall, Dark Rise offers an interesting take on the Chosen One trope: the hero becomes the villain, the villain becomes the love interest, and the love interest becomes the hero. It explores themes of indoctrination, generational burden, and systemic corruption against a fantasy backdrop while providing mostly fascinating characters to keep readers emotionally invested. Readers who enjoy young adult and dark fantasy will enjoy this book.      

Sexual Content     

  • Will has a spiritual attraction to Katherine. When he reflects on his early meeting with her, he emphasizes “how drawn he had been to her.”   
  • Katherine initiates a kiss with Will, who is reluctant. The kiss helps Katherine unlock her magical powers. As Katherine describes, she “moved in towards Will. . . around her light started to shine as if his touch was conjuring it. . . Will jerked back.”   
  • Will thinks James is a “golden beauty, he might have been carved from fine marble.”    
  • Will’s and James’ past life counterparts – the Dark King and Anharion – are implied to have a sexual relationship. It is mentioned that “[Anharion] kissed the Dark King’s lips.”      

Violence     

  • Will suppresses the traumatic memory of his mother’s assassination for most of the book. However, Will has a flashback about when he arrives home to find his mother “bleeding in the garden behind the house, three dead men on the ground, and more men on the way.” His mother asked for a knife, then she “plunged the knife towards his throat. . .  the knife had gone through his palm instead of his neck. . . he’d pushed her off, gasping in air and clutching his bleeding palm to his chest. . . ” Will flees, and his mother presumably dies of blood loss. The emotional flashback lasts three pages.   
  • Violet, a friend of Will’s, abandons the Dark for the Light after overhearing her father’s plan to sacrifice her to help her older brother, because “[Violet’s brother] can’t come into his true power without killing another like him.”   
  • When Katherine learns Will’s identity, she grabs the ancient artifact that originally defeated the Dark King – the Sword of the Champion – hoping to use it to kill Will. Will warns her that the Dark King’s blood corrupted the sword, and now it will kill Katherine. Katherine assumes he is lying, grabs the sword, and quickly dies. Will describes, “black webbing raced toward her heart. . . she collapsed, pale and cold.” Readers may not feel much sympathy for Katherine, as her death was avoidable if she had not jumped to conclusions and condemned a close friend.   
  • Simon is the main villain and the leader of the efforts to revive the Dark King. He ironically attempts to kill Will under the mistaken assumption that he is the blood of the Lady. Simon wields the Dark King’s sword against Will, which does not work. Then Will stabs Simon, narrating Simon’s death with factual detachment. He describes understanding “the resistance of the body, the strength of muscle and sinew that it took to push the weapon in. . . when [Simon] opened his mouth, blood and not words came out of it.”   
  • Will, along with two Stewards, Violet and Cyprian, plan an unsuccessful sneak attack on James. Cyprian is a Steward who is friendly with both Will and Violet. Using his powers, James throws Violet “violently upward, hitting the ceiling with a cry” and sends Cyprian “flying backward across the room to hit the wall with a sick smash.” Will is not harmed, only “yanked down to his knees and held there.”  Due to their superhuman strength, Violet and Cyprian do not sustain any long-term injuries.  

Drugs and Alcohol     

  • Background characters, like the ship hands, drink beer. However, the main cast does not partake.      

Language    

  • A Steward compares a deserted wasteland to hell.   
  • God is frequently used to express surprise. For example, after learning he killed Will’s mother, Simon taunts, “My God, what is this? Some pitiful boy’s revenge?” 
  • Behind her back, Violet’s father calls her “stupid mongrel” and “bastard girl.”     

Supernatural    

  • There is a world of magic, divided between Light and Dark forces. Characters possess a wide range of abilities.  
  • The Dark King can control minds and revive the dead. The Dark King died before the events of the story, so he is not depicted using his powers. However, it is stated that the Dark King can “draw people to him and wrap them into the shape he wanted.”   
  • The Stewards are extremely strong and can withstand significant damage. For example, Violet is shocked the first time she sees them fight. They “had a strength and speed that wasn’t – that couldn’t be – natural.” A Steward “pushed one of the half-ton crates out of her way with one hand, which was impossible.”   
  • James can move things with his mind. For example, Will unties a rope, causing a crane to fall over James. James “flung out his hand and the crane abruptly stopped, frozen abruptly in the air.”   
  • There are cursed artifacts that carry spells. A collar is cursed to make James obedient to the Dark King, if worn. James does not wear it. However, his counterpart Anharion did, which is a possible explanation for his loyalty to the Dark King, but the past life largely remains a mystery. The Sword of the Champion is also cursed to kill Katherine.     

Spiritual Content     

  • None 

by Kerry Lum  

Come Away with Me

The Runaways are still recovering from their superhero adventures, and as a result, their trust issues have worsened. All of them blame themselves for what’s happened, including thirteen-year-old Molly. She visits Krakoa’s website for more information on their sanctuary for super-powered individuals. The Runaways barely have time to recover from Doc Justice’s manipulations when two X-Men from Krakoa show up at their door, claiming to have emails from Molly that imply she needs rescuing.

The X-Men, named Wolverine and Pixie, try to take Molly to Krakoa by force, but the Runaways rescue her. The whole thing turns out to be a misunderstanding, but they realize that if the emails didn’t come from Molly, they came from another mutant in trouble. The Runaways do not trust adults, but they always come to the rescue of kids in danger. So, they team up with the X-Men to find the lost mutant.

After fighting crazy monsters, traversing through a strange dream world, and making peace amongst each other, the Runaways and the X-Men find the mutant. The X-Men take the mutant to Krakoa, where she can learn her powers in a safe environment. Yet, the Runaways still have problems, and it doesn’t look good.

Chase has been sneaking out to meet a mysterious girlfriend — one who looks a little too much like Gert. Victor and Gert aren’t a couple, especially since Victor trusted Doc Justice despite Gert’s warning not to. They don’t know how to resolve their issues. Karolina is still weak from Doc Justice’s attack, and she doesn’t know how she fits into the human world. Nico is struggling with her staff yet again, and she’s beginning to worry that bartering away a piece of her soul with each spell may not have been a good idea. The Runaways are splintering more than ever. Will they stay together, or will they prove that nothing good lasts forever?

The Runaways are strong, inspiring, and relatable protagonists who are struggling to solve problems that may not have solutions. This volume focuses on each member and takes on a more defeatist tone as the Runaways struggle to stay together. Throughout the whole series, each member has struggled with their identity. This issue culminates in realizations for all of them about where and how they fit into the adult world, which is something every kid has to figure out eventually. This last volume in the series lacks cohesive subplots, and it feels like a weak conclusion to the series. The tone is consistent throughout, focusing on self-doubt and identity; however, the story is disorganized and leaves the characters without a satisfying conclusion. It’s worth reading to see how the characters overcome their challenges and how they fight with the X-Men, but it’s a disappointing finish.

The sixth volume of The Runaways is divided into six issues, each of which continues the overall narrative while providing insight into the development of each character. The narrative focuses equally on each member of the Runaways. The narrative is simple and easily comprehensible. However, it’s a Marvel comic, which means it contains numerous Marvel references. These references can make the story confusing to those unfamiliar with Marvel. The plot in this volume is somewhat fractured, and there are too many moving parts that distract from the main themes and storyline.

This graphic novel is filled with beautiful illustrations that highlight the characters’ best features and fantastical, magical battles. The panels vary between close-up and wide shots, designed to capture the scene and the expressions of the characters perfectly. Although events that occur simultaneously are depicted, they can occasionally be confusing when determining where to look based on the page layout. However, this doesn’t distract from the detailed artwork on each page.

Readers who enjoy rescues, fun characters, and complex family dynamics will love the unique magic, witty superheroes, and poignant struggles that the Runaways face in the sixth volume. This graphic novel emphasizes themes of hope, independence, and responsibility through well-developed and realistic characters. The Runaways have always had trust issues, but now they must figure out how to trust themselves, and it’s a very interesting journey to follow. Overall, this is a bittersweet story with a tragic message: sometimes problems are insurmountable, and even the best-laid plans fall apart.

Sexual Content

  • After saving a mutant in trouble, Chase sneaks out of the Runaways’ hideout to meet up with his girlfriend. They share a kiss, hands wrapped around each other, taking up a whole page in a single panel.
  • While kissing, Chase experiences a flashback to explain who his girlfriend is. Before saving the mutant in trouble, a version of Gert from the future shows up, trying to save Chase from the future. She claims she’s still in love with Chase and kisses him. Before anything more is shown, Chase snaps back to the present, where he’s kissing Gert from the future.
  • After the present, Runaway Gert has a particularly rough day at school, Victor catches up with her and apologizes for the events with Doc Justice. They have an emotional conversation, and then they kiss, cupping each other’s faces. They break the kiss and continue walking home.
  • In the Runaways’ moment of peace after saving the troubled mutant, Nico and Karolina share a kiss, both cupping each other’s faces. They are interrupted by aliens outside.

Violence

  • After the events with Doc Justice in the previous book, Molly sent an email to Krakoa, inquiring about their haven for mutants. Then, two X-Men show up at the Runaways’ door looking for Molly. They think Molly needs extrication from an abusive situation, so one of the X-Men, Wolverine, immediately starts swinging at the Runaways with his adamantium claws. Doombot and Molly work together to stop Wolverine, and no one is hurt.
  • While trying to save a mutant in trouble, the Runaways and the X-Men encounter giant monsters and fight them off. There is a lot of punching and some spraying of blood, but no one is grievously injured.
  • While future Gert has a flashback, she remembers her version of Chase becoming a supervillain. He is depicted with metal fists aflame and wearing a superpowered suit. He is in an apocalyptic wasteland, surrounded by debris and a world on fire.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • The Runaways are a superhero team; therefore, most of the members have supernatural or magical abilities. They primarily deal with supernatural or magical crises, so there are depictions of supernatural content on nearly every page. As an example, the cover page depicts Karolina glowing in multiple colors and floating in space. Karolina is an alien who can fly and change colors.
  • When Gib, the newest addition to the Runaways, wants to go to high school, he transforms from a clearly non-human being (with green skin and horns) to a human form. There is no spell spoken or magic depicted. In one panel, he looks like a monster, while in another, he looks human.
  • When two X-Men show up at the Runaways’ door looking for Molly, one of them, Pixie, starts flying. Pixie has fairy wings on her back, pointed ears, black eyes, and the ability to cast magic spells. She does so several times in this graphic novel. When she says a spell, pink whorls appear around her.
  • Nico is a powerful magician with a magical staff. She casts spells numerous times in the graphic novel by speaking commands, and the staff follows her commands. Golden light surrounds her when she does so. After saving the mutant in trouble, Nico admits to Karolina that she made a deal with the magician living in the staff. Nico explains, “My ancestor trapped him in the Staff, or turned him into the Staff, I guess. He’s the one who made up the stupid rules. . . we renegotiated the terms.” In return, Nico agreed to give up a part of her soul.
  • While the Runaways team up with the X-Men to look for a mutant in trouble, they accidentally slip into a mass hallucination. In one panel, their bodies are partially invisible, depicting a passage between two realms – the real world and a dream world. In that dream world, they fight horrible monsters by casting a lot of spells. When they escape, they discover that the alternate world and the monsters are a hallucination designed for them by the mutant in trouble.
  • In a flashback, Chase reveals that he’s been dating a version of Gert from the future for quite some time. Multiple times in the novel, she tries to transport Chase to the future to save him from his fate. When she does so, she is depicted with glowing purple gloves and purple lightning flickering around them.
  • In a break between saving the mutants and the Runaways’ next crises, Gib is depicted surrounded by pink lightning and sparkles, eating the soul of a dead rat. This happens in several panels as he seems to have a group of cats that do his bidding, dropping off several dead rats with souls for Gib to absorb, then leaving.
  • After dealing with their most recent crises, the Runaways experience a moment of peace, only to be interrupted by an earthquake and the landing of an alien ship in their backyard. Aliens from Karolina’s home world reappear to take her home. They also have multicolored skin and are capable of flight.

Spiritual Content

  • When Gib, who is not human, wants to go to school with Gert and Victor, Chase protests, saying, “You look like something the Book of Revelation threw up. You can’t go to high school!”

 

by Kate Schuyler

The Iron Giant

In the countryside, a strange being appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. A giant metal robot, taller than a house. Where he came from and who created him are a mystery. This being known as the Iron Giant has an insatiable hunger for scrap metal and begins stealing the material from local farmers. A local boy, Hogarth, set a trap to stop the Iron Giant, but he quickly discovers the robot is far from a threat.   

The Iron Giant, originally published in 1968 as The Iron Man, is a modern fairy tale. Author Ted Hughes presents the story in five chapters, each with a succinct title, such as “The Coming of the Iron Giant” and “The Return of the Iron Giant.” The text is large, and the language is written in such a way that younger children can understand. The book was adapted by director Brad Bird into a cult classic animated film in 1999 under the same name, though the film took many creative liberties compared to the original text.  

The only major similarities between the book and the movie are the characters of the Iron Giant and Hogarth. The book is far more fantastic in its approach than the film, which is grounded in Cold War atomic paranoia. The book is likely set in Hughes’ native England, while the movie is set in the fictional town of Rockwell, Maine. In the book, the Iron Giant’s origins are completely unexplained, giving him a more mythic status. In stark contrast, the film reveals that the Iron Giant was a weapon sent from space by alien beings, who, with the help of Hogarth, learns to reject his destructive purpose and become a hero in his own right—a development absent from the original text. In a similar vein, the relationship between Hogarth and the Iron Giant, a highlight of the film, is vastly inferior in the book. Their interactions are brief and sparse, and only serve to drive the plot forward. The book does not take the time to develop their relationship. 

Not long after the farmers realize the Iron Giant is harmless and provide him with a scrap yard to satisfy his hunger, the story takes a truly bizarre twist—an enormous space dragon crash-lands onto Australia and threatens to consume the entire world. Hogarth believes the only thing capable of stopping this threat is the Iron Giant, who agrees to challenge the dragon in a climactic battle of endurance, in which the Iron Giant ultimately prevails and becomes the unlikely savior of humanity. The Iron Giant’s heroism isn’t a conscious choice, as it is in the movie, and there is no moment of sacrifice driven by compassion because the book lacks the crucial narrative beats that make the film a cult classic. The confrontation between the two otherworldly beings is far more surreal and dreamlike than violent. Hughes’ writing focuses on the encounter’s pure bizarreness, giving the book a fairy-tale tone.   

While the characters are not as developed as in the film adaptation, Ted Hughes’ original story remains a classic modern fairy tale and a great short read. The themes of fear of the unknown, welcoming outsiders, and overcoming prejudices are as relevant now as they were when the book was first published in 1968. Learning The Iron Giant’s origin makes for a particularly interesting read for fans of the 1999 film, though this is a rare case in which the movie greatly outshines the book on which it was based, as the film tells a more emotionally resonant and narratively rich story with more defined and developed characters in both the Iron Giant and Hogarth. 

Sexual Content 

  • None 

Violence 

  • There is minimal violence in the final battle between the Iron Giant and the space dragon, though this is more of a battle of wits rather than a physical confrontation and is described through Hughes’ writings and shown through a few sparse illustrations. Though both beings are injured during this struggle, they survive without serious injury. 
  • The Iron Giant and dragon “battle” to see who can endure the heat of the sun the longest. While the heat is intense to the Iron Giant, it is the dragon’s ego that ultimately becomes his downfall. “‘It’s enough,’ cried the dragon. ‘It’s too much. I can’t stand another. The fires of the sun are too terrible for me. I submit.’ ‘Then I’ve won,’ shouted the Iron Giant. ‘Because I’m ready to roast myself red hot again. If you daren’t, then I’ve won.’” 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Supernatural Content 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

  • None

by Nicholas Paragano

But You Can’t Hide

The Runaways have a home, they have jobs, and they have forgiven each other for past mistakes, but they still haven’t quite figured out how they fit into the new world that they’ve carved out for themselves. Whether it be romantic entanglements, educational journeys, or crime fighting, they’re still learning. However, they have bigger problems.

Doombot is still healing from being ripped apart by the Gibborim. When Chase tries to put him back together, he accidentally reverts Doombot to his original programming — the one infamous Marvel supervillain Dr. Doom gave him. Doombot goes berserk and attacks the Runaways.

But You Can’t Hide doesn’t give all the Runaways equal story time, but it still develops the characters. Each character is unique, inspiring, and independent. They constantly have to multitask, dealing with their personal lives and city-wide crises, like Doombot’s reboot. They learn how to grow from their various dilemmas. Alex Wilder leaves the Runaways’ hideout, and Molly follows him. Desperate to grieve for her parents, Molly bonds with Alex over their shared feeling of disconnection from the Runaways. Convinced Alex kidnapped Molly, the Runaways bring her home, leaving her feeling more adrift than ever.

Victor’s feelings for Gert intensify, and he yearns for a human body that they can both enjoy. Chase doesn’t know how to move on romantically from Gert, even though he’s had plenty of opportunities. Karolina can’t keep up with college, and nobody there understands what she’s going through. Each character must pivot and create a life outside the Runaways to improve their social-emotional health and grow as individuals.

The fourth volume of The Runaways is a graphic novel divided into six main parts, each focusing on a different character’s arc. This volume lacks a cohesive narrative thread, negatively impacting the story’s flow and making it feel more episodic than the previous issues. Additionally, since the story is part of the Marvel universe, the beginning of the story has a couple of side notes referring to separate comic series. This leaves a gap in the context, which will make the story confusing for those unfamiliar with Marvel. However, for the most part, the plot is easy enough to follow and worth reading.

But You Can’t Hide is filled with beautiful illustrations that highlight the characters’ best features and fantastical, magical battles. The panels alternate between close-ups and wide shots, designed to capture the scene and the characters’ expressions perfectly. The dialogue and sound effects are engaging, emerging from their own panels and overlaid onto others. Although events that occur simultaneously are depicted, they can occasionally be confusing when determining where to look based on the page layout. Yet, this doesn’t distract from the wonderful and detailed artwork on each page.

Readers who enjoy masked crime fighters, healthy relationships, and sarcastic comments will love the deep emotional conflicts, magical powers, and banter of the Runaways in this fourth volume. The story explores themes of identity, perseverance, and good vs. evil through the lives of strong, determined, and complicated teenagers. Each member of the Runaways must confront heartbreak and find a way to overcome their trust issues through increased interaction with the real world. Overall, this is an incredible story with an inspiring message: that everything has consequences, but with enough support, anxieties, mistakes, and losses can always be overcome.

Sexual Content

  • On the title page, Gert and Victor are kissing and wrapped in each other’s embrace. The same image appears at the end of part three. It has no direct connection to the plot. It just re-emphasizes Gert and Victor’s growing relationship.

Violence

  • On the title page for part two, Victor has a nightmare of Gert being strangled by one of the Gibborim. Her limbs are flailing helplessly, and a panel of Victor at the bottom of the page shows his horrified expression. Since it’s a dream, no one is injured.
  • The Gibborim dismantled Doombot, a robot and friend of Victor’s, when they visited the Runaways in the last issue. The Runaways attempt to put him back together, but they accidentally trigger his evil and aggressive coding. Doombot turns on and attempts to destroy them. A few punches are thrown, and Karolina strikes him with lightning. He keeps fighting until Molly jumps on him and pulls out some of his wires. No one is grievously injured, though Victor is temporarily unconscious.
  • While patrolling for crime, Nico and Karolina encounter three individuals working together for unknown purposes. Karolina blasts one of them with her magic, which looks like rainbow lightning. One of the bad guys is thrown to the ground. Nico casts a spell to make them dance, which ends the fight.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Nico is a magician who uses a staff to cast spells against their enemies. She does so a couple of times. When she casts a spell, she speaks a command, and colorful streaks of light explode from the staff, streaming towards their target to complete Nico’s command.
  • When Alex leaves the Runaways’ hideout to go back home, Molly follows him. She pesters him with questions about being dead. Alex says, “I don’t really have ghost powers.”
  • A man on the bus starts bothering Molly, so Alex grabs his wrist. One panel shows Alex grabbing the wrist normally, but the next shows the two with a background of green smoke, and Alex’s eyes are grey and cloudy. In the next panel, the man on the bus runs away. Alex explains, “When people touch me, they feel like they’re touching a corpse. Because they are.”
  • After Alex and Molly get to Alex’s house, Alex asks Molly to break into a locked room. She punches through the wall, and debris flies everywhere.
  • On the way home from school, Karolina saves a little girl from being flattened by a car. Karolina can fly, and when she does, her skin and hair transform to a rainbow tint. She picks up the girl and flies her away. After the incident with the little girl, Karolina develops a passion for saving people, and she is depicted flying and with her multicolored skin a couple of times.
  • After Karolina gets a taste for the superhero life, she convinces Nico to join her in patrolling for crime. While out, they stumble upon three bad guys working together for unknown purposes. One of them can cast a force field. The force field is blue with lightning crackling around him.

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Kate Schuyler

Rise of the Jumbies

Corinne’s evil aunt Severine may have been dealt with, but the villagers are wary of Corinne. Ever since they discovered she is half-jumbie, nobody looks at her the same. Every time she sets up her orange stand in the market, people give her distrustful looks and avoid her. When kids from her village start to disappear, Corinne wants to prove to everyone that they can trust her. She is a kind protagonist who genuinely wants to help others—she isn’t helping solely to trick the villagers into liking her, no matter how much they think that’s exactly what she’s doing.  

To rescue the missing children and clear her own name, Corinne goes deep into the ocean to find Mama D’Leau, the dangerous jumbie who rules the sea. But Mama D’Leau’s help comes with a price. Corinne and her friends Dru, Bouki, and Malik must travel with mermaids across the ocean to fetch a powerful object for Mama D’Leau. The only thing more perilous than Corinne’s adventures across the sea is the jumbie that waits for her back home. 

Corinne and her friends are inspiring characters who engage in spirited banter while maintaining mutual respect even during disagreements. When bartering with Mama D’Leau goes awry, the four friends find themselves being towed by mermaids to Ghana to recover a jewel. Along the way, Corinne’s emerging jumbie powers frighten her companions, creating tension within the group that they resolve through honest communication. Their courage, understanding, and humanistic approach to magical creatures creates a sweet story with a powerful ending. 

While The Rise of the Jumbies contains many amazing elements, they aren’t always well integrated. The plot meanders and feels overcomplicated, and though the language is accessible, the overwhelming number of magical elements could confuse readers. The macabre folklore embedded in the story makes it worthwhile, though readers averse to horror should be warned of some genuinely scary features. Despite these issues, the worldbuilding remains strong, and the creative blend of historical themes with fantasy creates a well-rounded narrative. 

The Rise of the Jumbies offers a creepy atmosphere, imaginative monsters, and youthful wit that will captivate readers. The supernatural creatures have complicated histories and morally gray motives that ground the fantastical elements. As Corinne travels between continents protecting her friends, she learns that some things aren’t black and white and that forgiveness can be powerful medicine. She proves to be a kind and intelligent protagonist who recognizes that monsters are subjective and that chosen family can be stronger than blood. Ultimately, this fantastical story delivers a grounded message: everyone needs a healthy home so that hurt people don’t create more hurt. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • While taking a walk in the market, Corinne notices that she’s being avoided because of her half-jumbie status. “Corinne had learned that a slight curve in the lip might mean a cruel thought from one person, a tiny squint signaled suspicion from another, and a stiffness in the muscles meant fear from someone else. These subtle body changes meant Corinne was being judged because of who she was: half-jumbie.” 
  • As Mama D’Leau hunts for food, she eats a fish whole. “She smiled before biting down, leaving a gaping hole in its fat belly. She crunched the scales and fins and bones and slurped the guts, and thought about what she was going to do about this other jumbie.” 
  • During Corinne’s expedition to Ghana, her friends, the mermaids Ellie, Addie, Noyi, and Sisi, and Corinne are all attacked by a sea creature. “One of the tentacles had wrapped around [Ellie’s] tail. She held Dru away from her body, looking for someone to pass her to. Addie and Noyi dodged the other suckers, pulling Malik’s and Bouki’s arms out of the way of danger as they tried to reach Ellie. But with the children to carry, the mermaids weren’t as agile as usual. Noyi passed Bouki to Addie and managed to navigate the field of tentacles to get to Ellie. She tried to pry Ellie loose. Sisi dove and rammed herself into the squid’s rubbery body. She bounced off and turned for another attack. The squid reached for her. Sisi stopped short and changed direction. Corinne’s head bounced and lolled. As Sisi turned, she saw Noyi pull Ellie out of the squid’s grip. But glittering scales and dark red blood trailed behind them.” Ellie eventually dies from her wounds, but everyone else is fine.  
  • While connecting psychically with the mermaids, Corinne relives their memories of a slave ship wrecking in a storm. “The water rolled away and the sounds of screaming voices and screeching chains filled her ears. The ship cracked and ripped at the joints, then sank. Water closed over them. It sealed them in like an iron box. There was a low moan and a loud pop and the beam she was attached to broke away and pitched in the current. Corinne could see the wide, frightened eyes of others below her who were still chained to the ship. Their mouths opened, sucking for air that would never come.” Those aboard either died or were transformed into mermaids.  
  • In an effort to recover the missing children, Corinne encounters Severine, who attacks Corinne. “Severine dove on Corinne, pinning her under the water. Corinne kicked and scratched at Severine with her fingers, but her aunt was much too strong. The people in the crowd moved in, trying to pry Corinne from Severine’s grip, but the jumbie held them off. She pulled Corinne deeper into the water.” Both escape unharmed.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Language is tame, but it includes juvenile insults, such as “stupid,” “idiot,” and “imbecile,” which appear frequently. 

Supernatural  

  • This novel incorporates Caribbean folklore and supernatural references on nearly every page. Corinne and her friends have many interactions with magic, mostly through magical creatures called jumbies and potions.  
  • Corinne has jumbie abilities, like being able to communicate with snakes. For example, while in Ghana, Corinne and her friends find themselves in trouble, running from the local authorities. “[Corinne’s friend] picks up a snake, and Corinne hears a voice. ‘Sssqueeze sssofter, pleassse!’ The only thing that could have been speaking to her was the snake.” 
  • Corinne recounts the events of the past book while explaining a couple of different kinds of jumbies. “Months earlier, Corinne had believed that jumbies were only stories that the grown-ups told to make children afraid. Jumbies were too incredible to be real. Who would believe in a creature like the soucouyant, who could shed her skin and turn into a ball of fire? Or the lagahoo, with knife-sharp teeth and clanging chains? Or worst of all, the douen, with its small, strong body and backward-facing feet? And then there was Severine, who was unlike any of the jumbies Corinne had heard of in stories. At first, with her beautifully wrapped hair and long green dress, she looked exactly like the other ladies in town. Then she turned out to be the strongest and most dangerous jumbie of all.” 
  • While looking for a missing child, Corinne is almost lured into the water by a magical song. “The song became louder and clearer and more beautiful the longer Corinne listened. And the water felt warmer, too, like bathwater left out in the sun. Corinne dove deeper into the darkness after the lulling song. But the rope pulled against her waist, making her movements useless. The song began to fade. She reached in front of her and felt something warm and solid between her fingers. But she was jerked away. She opened her mouth to scream, ‘No!’ and gulped water as she was yanked back to the surface, where she coughed and sputtered, and the song disappeared.” 
  • While trying to summon Mama D’Leau, a powerful water jumbie, Corinne and her friends find themselves able to breathe underwater. “We’re not breathing, Dru said. Yes, we are, said a small, squeaky voice. Malik pointed at his nose. He took a deep breath and blew bubbles out of it.” 
  • Mama D’Leau is another reappearing jumbie who possesses considerable magical power. “Her eyes were the same bright blue as the water around them, and as the water grew darker, they did too. Her hair was long and braided in thick plaits. Some wrapped around the top of her head like a crown, but masses more fell down past her waist. Scales were scattered against her skin at her collarbone and thickened down to her hips, where her tail began. It was long and twice as thick as an anaconda’s, narrowing to a thin, twitching end that was coiled beneath her like a throne.” 
  • When Corinne and her friends swim to Ghana, the mermaids lose their memories of Mama D’Leau. They also don’t remember why they were expected to bring Corinne and her friends all the way to Africa. There is no explicit magic spell that makes this happen.  
  • Panicked about leaving her newly discovered family in Ghana, one of the mermaids, Ellie, tries to drag herself ashore. “Malik dove into the water. He met Corinne on the beach and they took Ellie’s hands and tried to pull her back. Her fingers were brittle as glass and they cracked in their grip. Malik moved to scoop up the mermaid’s body. Corinne followed his lead. They tried to drag her back as her bright scales began to shrivel, becoming as delicate as tissue paper. The line down the middle of her tail darkened and sank inward, separating into two legs. Corinne and Malik tried to move more gently as Ellie’s entire body faded to the color of beach sand. The breeze peeled the surface of her skin like petals on the wind.”  
  • Corinne meets Papa Bois, a powerful woodland jumbie, in the forest. “Corinne felt something like a heartbeat coming up through the soles of her sandals. It was as if the entire forest had come alive. The pulse felt stronger as she moved closer to the boulder. . . The boulder itself moved as if it was breathing. Corinne’s pulse quickened, but she reached a finger out to touch it, and the surface felt soft but tough, like muscle. She jumped back. The boulder rearranged itself. Cracks and crevices twisted in other directions. Some opened up, exposing new muscle beneath, and the surface of the rock shifted. When it stopped moving, the boulder had unfolded into a little old man not much taller than Corinne, with a long gray beard, the legs of a goat, and a pair of tiny horns peeking through his messy gray cornrowed hair.” 
  • Later, Papa Bois demonstrates more magical ability while arguing with Corinne, “a few tears squeezed out of the wrinkled corners of his kind brown eyes. Where they fell to the ground, tiny white flowers sprang up and opened their buds.”  
  • To save the children and defeat Severine, Corinne resolves to sacrifice her humanity to lead Severine away from the island. She asks Mama D’Leau to turn her into a mermaid. “Where Corinne’s legs had been, a shimmering orange tail waved.” 
  • To save one of her friends, Allan, from transforming into a jumbie, Corinne tells him to wish for home, and he’ll become human again. Corinne finds his mom to help him do this. “Allan turned toward his mama again. This time, his feet didn’t move, so his body lined up perfectly. When he stepped forward, his movement was steady and sure. [Allan’s mom] dropped to her knees. Allan ran into her arms and they cried against each other’s cheeks.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • When Corinne and her friends land in Ghana, they meet a boy, Kahiri, who mistakes the mermaids who brought them to Ghana for servants of an African water spirit/goddess named Mami Wata. After Corinne asks Kahiri who that is, he responds, “She’s a water goddess, and she can look like anything she wants. They are mermaids. One of them must be her.” 

by Kate Schuyler 

An Arrow to the Moon

Hunter Yee has perfect aim with a bow and arrow, but all else in his life veers wrong. He’s sick of being haunted by his family’s past mistakes. The only things keeping him from running away are his little brother, a supernatural wind, and the bewitching girl at his new high school.

Luna Chang dreads the future. Graduation looms ahead, and her parents’ expectations are stifling. When she begins to break the rules, she finds her life upended by the strange new boy in her class, the arrival of unearthly fireflies, and an ominous crack spreading across the town of Fairbridge.

As Hunter and Luna navigate their families’ enmity and secrets, everything around them begins to fall apart. All they can depend on is their love. . . but time is running out, and fate will have its way.  

Told from alternating points of view, An Arrow to the Moon focuses on Luna and Hunter, whose parents hate each other. When Luna and Hunter first meet, the two begin to walk an unexpected path where love might bloom. However, their families’ hatred makes it imperative that they don’t get caught together. Intertwined with their budding romance, the two struggle with their family lives. Luna feels like her parents’ expectations are suffocating, while Hunter’s relationship with his parents is full of conflict, mistrust, and often borders on hate. Many readers will relate to Luna and Hunter, who are on the cusp of leaving home and desire to forge their own paths. 

While Luna and Hunter are similar to Romeo and Juliet, the story also incorporates Chinese mythology, which may confuse readers without background knowledge of the myths. The constantly shifting points of view also add to the confusion. The book includes excerpts from both Luna’s and Hunter’s families as well as the story’s villain. Many readers will have a difficult time remembering all the essential parts of the book, especially in the latter part, when the elements are being woven together. Even though the conclusion explains how Hunter and Luna fit into Chinese mythology, readers will still have questions, which leaves the story feeling incomplete. 

The author, Emily X.R. Pan, uses beautiful language to draw readers into An Arrow to the Moon, and at first, Luna and Hunter’s relationship is a sweet romance. However, the book’s tone abruptly changes about halfway through when Luna walks in on her mother having sex with a man who is not her husband. Afterwards, Luna is justifiably upset, which is reflected in the profanity used. Some readers may be shocked at how Luna’s whole attitude changes after this event, especially because the scene feels unnecessary and gives the story a harsh and negative tone that takes the focus off Luna and Hunter’s relationship.  

An Arrow to the Moon’s complex plot, shifting narrators, and incorporation of mythology will appeal to strong readers who already have some knowledge of Chinese Mythology. Additionally, the tonal shift makes the book best suited for mature readers who enjoy complex storylines that prompt them to think about how families shape our lives and decisions. If you’re looking for a romance that gets inspiration from Romeo and Juliet, A Pho Love Story by Loan Le and Crossing the Line by Simone Elkeles may be the perfect book to steal your heart. 

Sexual Content  

  • At a party, Luna plays Seven Minutes in Heaven. She had never kissed anyone before and she “was curious to do a lot more than kissing.” Later, Luna wonders, “What would have happened, if she’d gone ahead and kissed him?” 
  • Hunter falls into a crack in the earth. The next day, while on the school bus, Luna sees Hunter’s bruises. She “leaned down to kiss the tender brown and indigo. There was electricity between her lips and his skin, a spark as she made contact.” Later that day, Hunter shows Luna his bruises are unexplainably healed. 
  • While in the cafeteria, Hunter kisses Luna’s hand. “There was a spark. His lips buzzed and heat swept through his body.” The kiss leaves an “indigo print of his lips on her flesh.” Afterwards, Hunter “wondered if this was what a hickey was.” 
  • While in the woods, Luna kisses Hunter, who “worried he would be bad at kissing, but she made it feel easy. There was that electricity, and a sense of this being absolutely right. The smell of her soft skin was intoxicating, sent a pooling warmth down into his body.” Luna “brought his fingers to her lips. She kissed his thumb, his knuckles. . . He offered kisses of his own.” The kissing is described over a page.  
  • While Luna’s parents are out of town, Hunter goes to her house. While there, they get into a fight and he leaves. Luna reflects, “This was not what she had expected when she invited him over. She’d envisioned them side by side on the couch. Kissing again, like in the woods. Maybe stuff beyond kissing.”  
  • On a snow day, Luna comes home to find her mom having sex. When Luna opens the bedroom door, “The head snapped up to look at her from between her mother’s legs. It was a man who appeared as shocked as Luna felt. A man Luna did not recognize.” Later, Luna reflects on the experience, angry that her mom was “slick and wild-haired and naked in bed with another man.”  
  • Hunter uses a shed in the woods to hide his bow and arrows. One day, Hunter takes Luna there and they kiss. “But the longer she kissed Hunter, the more confident they both grew, and she was very intensely aware of the parts of his body that were pressing against her. An instinct took over. . .” Luna shows Hunter a condom that she stole from her mom and the two have sex, but it is marred because of Luna’s anger at her mother. “This was the anger that churned in her gut as she kicked off her jeans. Hunter was the escape she needed; she wanted to drown herself in his touch.”  
  • After having sex with Hunter, Luna reflects. “Her anger towards her mother and her wish to be with Hunter had blurred together, until she knew only her body’s firecracker desire. . . If she was being perfectly honest, a part of her had wanted to do it to spite her mother.”  
  • When Hunter’s brother, Cody, is secretive about a book, Hunter “hoped it wasn’t porn.”  
  • Hunter invites Luna over to his house and they have sex. “This time they were slow and tender. They experimented with lips traversing skin, their touches drawing little violet petals. He drank in the honey-sweet smell.” When his parents come home, Luna climbs out the window.  

 

Violence  

  • Rodney Wong is trying to find Hunter’s family because they owe him money. When he is first introduced, he is in a “water-damaged San Francisco basement, idly flicking a small knife open and shut, open and shut. . . The man strapped to the table in front of him was gasping, though nobody had done anything to affect his air supply. It was purely nerves.”  
  • Wong enjoys the man’s fear, thinking, “All he’d had to do was make the suggestion of a sharpened blade wedging between the tip of a nail and the soft skin of the finger, and his subject had spiraled into a full-blown panic.” Wong gets a phone call and lets the man go.  
  • Hunter’s father loses something valuable and blames Hunter for stealing it. Hunter’s father confronts him, but Hunter denies stealing it. “The blow came unexpectedly. Hunter fell against the fridge, registering only that his mother was shrieking for him to stop. His dad had punched him in the ear. His head was a clash of thunder.” Hunter missed two days of school because he had a “hideous bruise on the side of his face that would draw questions.” 
  • Rodney Wong is looking for an artifact that Hunter’s father stole from him. “Wong set his foot down on Hunter’s knuckles.” When Wong threatens to hurt Hunter, the boy laughs and says, “My parents don’t give a shit.”  
  • A strange crack appears in the earth. Around the crack, everything is dead and broken, and Luna can feel an evil presence inside the crack. One night, Luna and Hunter meet in the forest, and it begins to burn. Luna, Hunter, and Cody try to save a nest where the fireflies live. Rodney Wong tries to stop them. “A man Cody didn’t recognize grunted with pain as Luna kneed him somewhere questionable. He had a hand wrapped under her throat while she clawed at an object in his other fist.” Cody’s pet rabbit jumps on the man’s face. “It brought Luna the chance she needed to scramble away.” Rodney fell into the crack and disappeared.

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Luna goes to a party where a group of teens are “drunkenly singing along to ‘Losing My Religion.’”  
  • Hunter uses an inhaler for asthma, although it doesn’t really help.  

Language  

  • Profanity is used occasionally. Profanity includes ass, bullshit, fuck, hell, and pissed. 

Supernatural 

  • The wind is portrayed as a supernatural being that brings Hunter money. When Hunter hears the wind, “he held himself still, waiting, his every muscle tense with curiosity. If he tried to look at it straight on, it would sneak away. . . The rustling stilled and silence returned, and then he looked. There they were. Two crisp twenty-dollar bills waiting beside his heel.”  
  • One day, the wind followed Hunter into class and “knocked over the teacher’s podium. Papers had gone flying; a pencil cracked in two; the blackboard eraser landed against someone’s shoulder.” Hunter is given detention.  
  • Hunter’s brother Cody has a book that has blank pages. However, sometimes when he opens it, the book’s writing is visible. For example, the wind opens the book to a page that says, “Houyi was the God of Archery, and his aim was always true. When he drew an arrow, he could tell. . . how to angle his shot, how to time his release. He never missed. . .” Cody thinks the book is telling the story of Hunter because he, too, never misses with a bow and arrow. 
  • One night, Cody opens the book and finds a story about a girl named Chang’e. The girl worked in the emperor’s palace. When she tripped and dropped a glass teapot, she was banished “to live on the earth among ordinary mortals.” Through this book, Cody learns the Chinese mythology about the God of Archery. 
  • Cody’s pet rabbit, Jadey, begins talking to him. Jadey explains that the magical book is his. The rabbit says, “I am the keeper of these stories. They are the records of the universe and its past. They are the truth of what is to come.”  
  • Hunter’s mother made a bracelet for him and imbued it “with prayers and the properties of an impossible medicine.” She willed the bracelet to keep Hunter “safe. Keep him healthy and hidden.” The bracelet keeps the villain from seeing Hunter. 
  • Fireflies often appear to Luna. When she has her period, “Fireflies were gathering below her navel, pressing close as if she, too, sparked with light. . . There was a tug, and a warmth, then release. Her breath came easier, as if bounds around her organs had been cut free. . . The fireflies had taken her cramps away.” 
  • The fireflies often gather around Luna. “They had a way of finding the knots inside her and loosening them, softening the muscles, dissolving the pain.” 
  • Rodney Wong shows Luna a planchette, which is similar to an Ouija board. Planchettes “were designed to hold a writing utensil, such as a brush. As the planchette moved, it would produce a mark, and these symbols or characters were then interpreted.” When Luna tries the planchette, it creates “a circle so perfect it should have been drawn using a compass. No human hand could be so precise.” The circle could represent many things. 
  • To keep Rodny Wong from taking the artifact, Luna eats it. “Luna fed the stone between her lips, let its weight settle on her tongue. As her mouth closed over it, the texture changed. It melted like honey, like cream.” Afterwards, the fireflies gather around Luna, and she floats into the sky. Hunter shoots an arrow at her, but instead of bringing her back to earth, “Hunter rose up into the sky behind Luna, and her face twisted with dismay.” Luna realizes that she was not “flesh and bone.” She flew higher and higher until she landed in a crater on the moon. “Hunter passed overhead, still drifting. . .” Everyone forgets Luna and Hunter, except for Cody. 
  • When Luna was a baby, she was often ill, and moonlight seemed to be the only thing that helped her. Her father would set Luna’s bottle outside “whenever the milk wouldn’t sour. . . when Luna drank from the moon-charged bottle, her energy was refreshed, and so was the color in her cheeks.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • Luna discovers that fish and other underwater creatures will follow her “like [she is] the needle of a compass.” 
  • When Rodney Wong was young, he received a Western Education from a Lutheran missionary. The missionary taught that magic was forbidden. The missionary said, “Any practice of the occult, those wicked arts, takes one away from God and serves the evil spirits.” 

The Bakery Dragon

Ember has always been different from the other dragons. His fearsome roar sounds more like a polite sneeze, and when he breathes fire, the villagers just pat his head and say awwww.

Ember fears he’ll never collect a respectable hoard of gold until a chance encounter with a baker causes his fortunes to turn (and his stomach to grumble). As the little dragon soon discovers, the gold you make is way better than the gold you steal—and gold that is shared? That’s best of all. 

Young readers will relate to Ember, who is too small to shoot fire like the other dragons. When an unexpected storm catches the little dragon by surprise, the baker invites him into the shop and teaches him how to make bread. While preparing the dough, Ember realizes his hands are “perfectly suited” to making bread and his small flame can “light the wood stove.” 

But the best part of the book is the surprising conclusion. When the other dragons are envious of Ember’s golden bread, they march to the bakery and learn that “baking gold is better than taking it. And sharing it is best of all.” In the last scene, both dragons and humans are enjoying the golden bread and the golden coins. Like the dragons, the humans are diverse, and readers will want to hunt through the illustrations for all the little surprises, such as a man holding three goats, a little girl hugging a rabbit, and several dragons giving away their gold.  

Readers will be drawn into The Bakery Dragon because Ember is adorable, and he lives in a typical fairy-tale world that is awash in golden light, which is in almost every illustration. However, the golden glow doesn’t just come from the dragon’s treasures; it also comes from Ember’s small flame, the bakery’s windows, and the bread. When Ember piles his golden bread into his lair, readers will be able to imagine the warm, soft bed Ember creates out of his “gold.” One of the best parts of the illustrations is the dragon’s facial expressions, which are easy to understand and will pull at the reader’s heartstrings. Readers will empathize with Ember as he feels a range of emotions from sadness to fear to pride to contemplation. 

The picture book has zero to five sentences per page and uses simple vocabulary. When a character is speaking, the text appears in white quote bubbles, making it easy to distinguish between narration and dialogue. Even though The Bakery Dragon is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child rather than for the child to read it independently for the first time. However, younger readers will want to explore the detailed illustrations on their own.  

The Bakery Dragon is a must-read because it teaches many life lessons, such as the importance of sharing. The story and the illustrations highlight dragons’ and humans’ unique differences, which makes it even sweeter when Ember discovers that, while smaller than the other dragons, his body is perfectly suited to baking bread. The creative, magical book will capture readers’ hearts and should be on every reader’s bookshelf. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • To obtain more gold, the dragon, Blaze, throws fire at two villagers. No one is injured. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Fearless

Fearless follows the shocking events of the previous book, Reckless. When royal assassin Kai Azer and rebel traitor Paedyn Grey return to the kingdom of Ilya, their plans of debuting as a couple are ruined when King Kitt – Kai’s half-brother – makes a shocking announcement. To unite the Elites and Ordinaries and prevent more conflict and bloodshed, Kitt will marry Paedyn.   

The Elites revolt at the news, unwilling to accept an Ordinary queen. To prove her capabilities, Kitt instructs Paedyn to complete a series of three trials, where Paedyn must perform a series of increasingly difficult tasks, such as retrieving an ancient artifact and negotiating a peace treaty. Paedyn is determined to succeed, knowing their union would bring peace to the realm and uplift her long-suppressed people. However, despite her resolve to marry Kitt, Paedyn’s heart remains with Kai. Likewise, despite wishing to protect his brother, Kai’s heart remains with Paedyn. Once again, forbidden feelings threaten to return, forcing the ultimate choice between old duty and new love.     

Paedyn is a fighter, determined to uplift her people, even if it means risking her life in the trials. Her bravery is evident as she navigates numerous challenges, such as traversing a series of caves, fending off bandits, and crossing violent seas, all in pursuit of her noble goal. However, readers may be frustrated by her lack of resolve. Despite her engagement and the dire need of her people, Paedyn is unwilling to let go of her on-again, off-again romance with Kai, even though pursuing her fiancé’s brother constantly threatens to undermine her goals. On an emotional level, readers will sympathize with Paedyn’s struggles to let go of her first love, especially considering the complete lack of attraction she feels for Kitt. However, when considering the greater good, Paedyn’s choices seem selfish and irresponsible because she prioritizes her personal feelings over the survival of her people.    

Kai is tormented and pulled in two different directions. He finally understands the importance of the Ordinary cause, yet he is unable to let go of his feelings for Paedyn. However, despite his pain and jealousy, Kai helps Paedyn in any way he can, such as protesting her participation in Kitt’s deadly trials. Readers will appreciate that Kai has finally broken free of his father’s influence and become a fighter for good. However, readers may also be frustrated that, just like Paedyn, Kai is unwilling to commit to the cause completely, and he still pursues their romantic relationship, even if it means hurting his brother and jeopardizing the peace of the realm.  

While Paedyn and Kai’s romance is the heart of the book, keeping the reader emotionally invested in the story, it is not the main focus. Fearless’ focus is divided between the danger of Kitt’s trials and intricate court politics, which are full of plot twists, betrayals, and lies. The trials test Paedyn’s physical strength while the court tests her mental strength. While not quite living up to the heights of the first book in the Powerless series, Fearless far surpasses the second book in the series, Reckless. The stakes are once again elevated, and almost every scene feels important and consequential.   

Fearless is told from the dual points of view of Paedyn and Kai. While Paedyn pushes the plot along, contributing to the most important events of the story, Kai falls into a more supportive role, reacting to Paedyn rather than instigating any major events. Both rehash the conflict of the previous two books — the struggle between duty and love.  Unfortunately, Paedyn and Kai are never really forced to make a hard choice or sacrifice because Kitt is removed from consideration, allowing Paedyn and Kai to bypass what could have been a compelling moral dilemma. Overall, the series ends on a positive, crowd-pleasing note — the villain is defeated, the Ordinaries are uplifted, and Kai and Paedyn get married.   

Sexual Content    

  • In a shocking plot twist, Paedyn is revealed to share a mother with Kitt, making them half-siblings. While they never become physically involved, they do spend the majority of the book engaged. Kitt and Kai are half-brothers on their father’s side, so while Paedyn and Kitt share blood, Kai and Paedyn do not.  
  • Despite Paedyn’s engagement, Kai and Paedyn are unable to stay away from each other. They share a steamy kiss. As Kai describes, “This kiss is greedy and aching. This kiss is made up of every moment I wasn’t able to touch her, every moment I wanted her but willed myself not to. Her lips are as soft as the skin beneath my roaming hands.” 
  • Before swearing off their relationship for good (which does not last long), the story implies that Kai and Paedyn have intercourse. As Paedyn describes, “His mouth crashes into mine. I melt against him, letting this wave of wanting consume me… I’m quickly pulled onto his lap, one hand in my hair and the other gripping my hip… My mouth parts for him, our tongues meeting greedily… The loosened corset has a strap falling from my shoulder. Holding his gaze, I slip the other off my arm—an invitation. His chest heaves as I reach for his tunic and the trail of buttons down its center. One by one, I pull them free, revealing a sliver of skin beneath… the dress slips from my skin, leaving only the rain to clothe me.” The chapter ends as soon as Paedyn takes off her dress, and the next chapter begins the following morning, with the couple lying in bed. The steamy scene lasts three pages.  
  • Kai’s inner monologue frequently emphasizes his attraction to Paedyn, but more complimentary than graphic. For example, he thinks, “those beautiful blue eyes” or “that stunning smile she wears.” Paedyn thinks about Kai in a similar way, describing his appearance as “black hair curling over his brow, eyes bright, and dimples that I curse beneath my breath. But above all, love.” 

Violence    

  • After learning that his mother died while giving birth to Paedyn, Kitt accuses Paedyn of murder. To prevent Kitt from murdering Paedyn in retaliation, Kai murders Kitt. Paedyn describes their duel. “The Enforcer thrusts that stoker toward the king… The iron stoker protrudes from his chest… Kai rushes to his brother, voice choked. ‘No! You were supposed to dodge, Kitt!’” Paedyn watches “blood seep from Kitt’s touch… His wide green eyes lift.” The heartbreaking scene lasts three pages.  
  • In the first book of the series, a contestant named Blair kills Paedyn’s best friend, Adena. In revenge, Paedyn disfigures Blair. As Paedyn describes, “She screams when I force her face into the hungry wall of fire. The side of Blair’s pretty face bubbles and burns within the heat… The stench of fried flesh fills the air, accompanied only by the screams of Adena’s killer.” Blair is left with permanent burn scars on her face.  
  • Paedyn has a dream about Adena dying. “Suddenly, it’s Adena dying before me all over again. And all over again, I cannot save her.” 
  • During the final trial, Paedyn must fight an Elite who is using his superpowers to pose as Kai. Paedyn is not aware of the switch and believes she is fighting the real Kai. Over five pages, the tense fight unfolds, ending in the fake Kai’s death. “The dagger’s tip meets his chest…I try to pull my hands from the blade, but he lifts his free one, clamping it around mine… The blade sinks farther, springing bright blood from the deepening wound… And then the blade is buried to its hilt.”  

Drugs and Alcohol    

  • To escape the pressure of her situation, Paedyn gets drunk at a ball. As Kai observes, “She waves her glass at me, sloshing champagne over the brim of it.” Kai requests that she stop drinking.  
  • To prevent Kai from interfering in the final trial, Kitt drugs his brother.   

Language   

  • Profanity is used often. Profanity includes damn, hell, ass, shit, and bitch. For example, accusing Kitt of mirroring their father, Kai says, “This is the type of shit our father” would do.
  • God is referenced to emphasize the scale of someone’s power. For example, Paedyn privately thinks, “Elite powers do not make you a god.”   

Supernatural   

  • The Elites have superhuman abilities. For example, an Elite with fire powers lights a room on fire.  

Spiritual Content    

  • None   

by Kerry Lum   

The Dryad Storm

Wanted dead or alive by the entire continent, Elloren Gardner must accomplish the impossible: unite the world under the same banner. She knows that if they stay divided, authoritarian dictator and wielder of the Shadow Wand, Marcus Vogel, will invade among their discord and tear their world apart. As his Shadow forces corner the rest of the free world, Elloren finds herself in the Northern Forest, newly transformed and more powerful than ever. Separated from all her allies, save her love, Yvan Guryev, Elloren chooses to join with the forest and the natural world. The sentient forest crowns her as the Dryad Witch and gives her more power than she ever imagined herself possessing. Elloren is an inspiring, curious protagonist, and The Dryad Storm follows Elloren’s perspective, along with her friends’ perspectives. 

The Dryad Storm follows old and new faces, including an old acquaintance Gwynnifer Croft Sykes, a forgotten ally Gareth Keeler, and Elloren’s best friend Tierney Calix, among others. They all share Elloren’s determination, fierce morals, and unwillingness to quit, even in the face of grave danger. As Gwynn escapes from the West to find Elloren, Gareth holds the oceans in the East, and Tierney protects the rivers, but it’s up to Elloren to unify every survivor. With religious divisions and new magics at play, the Wand of Myth is lost, and the Shadow Wand waits in the wings for the coming winter to drain the forest of its power. Everyone gears up for the final battle between the Black Witch and the Icaral of Prophecy, and, like all predictions and omens, nothing is as it seems.  

Like the rest of the series, The Dryad Storm contains many fantastical elements and a complex web of details that can be overwhelming at times. As the finale, The Dryad Storm has a complex plot, and  

important information can be difficult to keep track of. This is especially true, considering that the story is further complicated by the multitude of perspectives, some of which are only used once or twice. The use of all these perspectives complicates the story and slows it down, meaning it’s not as engaging as it could be. The plot is predictable, and the story’s quality and character are lacking depth . Character development is rushed, and loose ends are tied up too neatly to be natural. However, the novel ultimately conveys a powerful message: the only way to break the cycle of hate is to choose love. All the religions on the continent have the same core belief in acceptance, kindness, and love, and once the characters realize this, Vogel is essentially defeated.  

Readers who love the magical youth of Harry Potter and the brave politics of The Hunger Games will love The Black Witch Series and Elloren’s fierce resistance. The Dryad Storm is filled with supernatural creatures, growing teenage romantic relationships, and living environments fighting anthropogenic decimation. Elloren and all her allies are well-constructed characters who defend themselves when challenged, lead by example, and adhere to strong moral principles. Overall, this is a beautiful story with moments of unifying hope, magical corruption, and lovely, budding friendship.   

Sexual Content  

  • During the Eastern holiday of love, Xishlon (similar to Valentine’s Day), Elloren’s old friend, Gareth, reminisces about his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Marina. He thinks about when “Marina sinuously drew off his tunic and kissed the skin over his thrumming heart. She pulled off her own clothing, Gareth’s pulse quickening as desire raced through his veins in response to the sight of Marina’s moon-washed, naked form . . . far under the water they pulled each other close and kissed unreservedly . . . they stopped short of taking each other to mate that evening.” Later in the evening, Gareth finds Marina and they talk about sex, referring to it in the Selkie tradition of “joining their tides.” They don’t actually have sex. 
  • When two of Elloren’s allies, Mavrik and Gwynn, are trying to escape the West, they grow closer to each other, bonding over the pain of leaving their brainwashed spouses behind. They form an attraction, and one night in the desert between the East and West, Gwynn dreams about her ex-husband, Geoffrey. “Geoffrey’s never kissed her like this before. She lets out a moan and surrenders to the kiss, thrills to this new, wantonly insistent Geoffrey, his usual hesitancy gone . . . he rolls his body onto hers and coaxes her thighs apart. . . his arousal quick, so intensely hard.” Gwynn wakes up to discover that she’s been kissing Mavrik in her sleep, and that he was also dreaming about his ex while kissing her. They separate immediately. 
  • When Elloren’s friends, Tierney and Viger, are in front of the Great Tree, Viger’s magic is amplified. To control it, Viger kisses Tierney. Viger “deepens the kiss. . . trembling with want, [Tierney] opens her mouth to him . . . the intoxicating motion of his tongue hinting at the things he might be capable of if she joined with him fully.” He cuts off the kiss when he no longer needs it. 
  • After Elloren is transformed into a Dryad, she re-establishes the mate bond with her love, Yvan. Elloren “shudders against Yvan, his lips on [hers], [her] heart fracturing open as [their] Wyvern-bond reignites under the Great Tree.” She kisses him several more times throughout the novel. After Elloren and Yvan find themselves back in the Eastern forest the night before they fight Vogel, they have sex for five pages. “Yvan joins with [Elloren] in a rush of fire . . . the sensations are surprisingly intense, it’s almost unbearable as [they] fall into a slow then confident rhythm.” They have sex twice. The second time later that evening.  
  • When Mavrik and Gwynn try to break into the magical forest to get in touch with Elloren, they work together night and day to create runes. They talk, and their grief bonds them further. They eventually have sex. “Mavrik brings his lips to hers, and Gwynn gasps as he pushes forward, joining their bodies. She tightens her thighs around his . . . thrilling to his passion, his hard maleness and stunned by the whirling rise of pleasure where they’re joined, she hugs him to get more of him . . . she arches her head back just before Mavrik lets out a groan against her shoulder.” 
  • When Elloren’s brother, Trystan, and his boyfriend, Vothe, emerge from the tree network transformed into Dryads, they kiss, happy to be alive. “They’re closing the distance between them, Trystan’s lips crashing down on [Vothe’s], their lightning igniting against each other’s in an incandescent firestorm, lighting up the surrounding air with forking white and blue power.” 
  • Over the course of five pages, Tierney has a sex dream about three different men, including Viger, her friend Fyordin, and Elloren’s cousin Or’myr. All three men are in love with her, and she has had romantic encounters with all of them during the series. The dream begins with Viger, then suddenly Tierney is in a different place with Fyordin, then her dream shifts to a cave with Or’myr. An example of the kind of language used during this scene is when Or’myr penetrates Tierney, his “body joining with hers in a surge of purple lightning and her rushing rapids.” The language is vague and ambiguous, but it is implied that she dreamed about intercourse with all three individually.  
  • While Tierney and Or’myr hold a magical shield to protect a river against Gardnerian forces, they joke about sexual euphemisms from their different cultures. Tierney mentions she’d like to “dance around the Ironwood tree” and “play with his sword of manhood.” Or’myr laughs and says he’d like to “partake of the garden.”   When they defeat Vogel, Elloren’s roommates, Ariel and Wynter, find each other on the battlefield. Ariel “chokes out a strangled sound of emotion before she and Wynter pull each other into an embrace then into an impassioned kiss.” They break apart and go home. 
  • When they think they’re about to die and Vogel’s shadow forces are going to crash into their magical shield, Tierney and Or’myr kiss. “Both of them [were] ready, [Or’myr] knows, to let this last kiss be their final cry of rebellion against the Shadow’s triumph.” They break apart when the forces disappear. 
  • After the war, Elloren’s allies, Iris and Sylvan, find each other in one of the Eastern forests. They are now free to start dating. “Iris can’t suppress her own besotted smile as she grips Sylvan’s leafy tunic and pulls him into a fiery and thoroughly claiming kiss. . . as Sylvan draws her down to the mossy Forest floor and reveals the full, Xishlon-fueled wonders of the Zhilaan Forest’s embracing love.” 

Violence  

  • The Dryad Storm features numerous battles and duels, some of which contain violent descriptions. Therefore, not all of them are included below. 
  • During the attack on the Amaz capital, Elloren’s ally, Alder, witnesses some of the violence. “A primal scream tears from Alder Xanthos’s throat. Explosions sound on all sides, hammering her ears.” Many are dead, wounded, and kidnapped. The description of the ambush and the related violence lasts seven pages.  
  • Alder’s pet eagles are killed by Damion Bane, one of Vogel’s right-hand men, and “he raises a limp golden eagle in the air . . . and shakes him like one might shake a sack of millet.”  
  • Before Gwynn flees from the West, she remembers “a mob of six Gardnerian men . . . holding down two Urisk girls . . . digging knives into the tops of the screaming children’s ear and swiping off the points, blood streaking down the girls’ terrified faces.” She remembers this event to dispel any guilt about leaving the West. She protects the girls in the memory, tearing them away from the men before they can do more harm. 
  • Vogel’s forces take Elloren’s ally Sparrow prisoner. One of the men, Tilor, has a history of harassing her and requests that Sparrow spend time with him. He “reaches toward Sparrow’s chest, and she lets out a growl of protest, her skin crawling as he fondles the petals of one of the small violets [on her dress], then yanks the flower from the fabric and tosses it to the floor before running his hand territorially over her breast and squeezing tight.” Sparrow stops him before he can do anything else. Resistance forces break into the prison and save Sparrow. No one is injured. 
  • Resistance forces believe Sparrow and Elloren’s ally, Valasca, are traitors. The Resistance forces collars on them that could “cut off the air to Valasca’s and Sparrow’s lungs at any moment.” The collars eventually come off, but they receive some vague threats and glares from various Resistance members.  
  • In a conversation with Tierney, Viger reflects on his childhood. He thinks about how his adoptive father “punche[d] Viger in the face. Hard. Sending Viger to the floor, blood streaming from his nose.” His father did this out of fear of Viger’s powerful, dark magic. 
  • To further their grip on the continent, Vogel’s forces take control of Ishkartaan. Vogel watches them. “The soul-expanding sound of thousands upon thousands of heathens screaming.” There’s no physical description of the violence or bodies, just the burnt and desolate landscape afterwards. 
  • Elloren and her allies try to secure help from the East. Suspicious, the East tries to corner her and her friends. Elloren and her allies defend themselves by “hurling out wind spells to force back the incoming [Eastern forces] as well as those guarding the border’s apex.” Nobody is explicitly hurt, and the fighting stops when Elloren and her friends escape. 
  • While coming into his power, Vogel decides to marry Elloren’s old bully, Fallon. Fallon is willing at first, but then Vogel “brings his mouth to hers with bruising force” and bites her, bloodying her lips. “Fallon cries out as bindings snare tight around her wrists, ankles, and wand.” Vogel leaves her in a prison cell. She is held captive until Elloren is thrown in with her, “vine-bound and gagged.” Elloren kills Fallon to protect herself.  
  • Fallon’s death allows Elloren to escape, which triggers the final battle of the war. This battle lasts approximately thirty pages, with Vogel and all his demons dying. None of Elloren’s friends are hurt. An example of the violence occurs right after Elloren frees herself, when “a lung-punching gust hits [her] back, Shadow slithering straight through [her] and around [her] rootlines as [she’s] blown clear off [her] feet.” She gets up and continues fighting.  
  • The only survivor of Vogel’s forces still intent on waging war, Damion, is hunted down and cornered by Elloren’s allies, Diana and Aislinn. Damion was married to Aislinn and sexually abused her, so “Diana’s growl tears through the Forest. . . ripping, slashing noise sounds and Damion Bane begins to scream.” It is implied that Diana tore him apart, though the chapter ends and there is no description of the body. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Elloren’s former roommate, Ariel, has a history of addiction to an opiate-like substance called nilantyr. While Elloren and her friends are hiding out in the forest trying to come up with a plan to defeat Vogel, he lures Ariel away and tempts her with nilantyr.  
  • Elloren’s “chest contracts with alarm as [she] registers the grayed nilantyr plants spread around her, thick with dark berries.” Ariel resists the temptation and doesn’t have any. After, Ariel tells Elloren, “resisting nilantyr is a daily fight. I struggle.”  

Language    

  • Language is very tame, but words like stupid, idiot, and hell appear frequently. 
  • The word slut is used once. 
  • Bitch and whore are used infrequently 

Supernatural  

  • The Dryad Storm contains magic and supernatural elements on every page. There are several different kinds of supernatural creatures, including Lupines, Selkies, witches, faeries, wyverns, dragons, demons, Icarals, sentient forests, Dryads, Kelpies, Amazonian rune-wielding warrior women, lizard people, and individuals with skin of all colors of the rainbow. 
  • Magic appears in many forms, including in battles, holidays, and transformation. For battle, magic is used through spells, wands, and runes. For example, Elloren’s friend, Gareth, is protecting a river from Gardnerian forces by warding it. “Gareth thrusts his wand arm upward as he launches himself back toward the surface while murmuring a wand spell in the Selkie language, the low tones flowing smoothly from the base of his throat, the translation effortless. Power shoots through him with such force that it rattles his wrist.”  
  • The primary example of a magical holiday is Xishlon. This is an Eastern holiday similar to Valentine’s Day, celebrating love. The moon turns purple and has a powerful effect on people for a night, heightening feelings of attraction and love. For example, Elloren’s friend, Andras, reminisces about his ex, Sorcha, and thinks about how “the pull of the East’s lavender moon and the torment of its thrall grow ever more acute as the moon’s purple light deepens. Because he’s still in love with her.” 
  • There are two primary examples of transformation in The Dryad Storm. Once, to trick Elloren and lure her away from her friends, Vogel magically turns himself into her love, Yvan. Elloren’s “horror turns cataclysmic as. . . his glamour drops away. Revealing Vogel’s green-glimmering, black-haired, shockingly shirtless form.” 
  • The second kind of transformation happens when Elloren and her friends unite with the forest. Many of them transform into Dryads, or their skin turns color. As an example, when Yvan unites with the forest, “white bark forms all over [his] body and. . . Yvan’s whole form is drawn into the Great Tree.” He reappears soon after, the Great Tree’s “bark bulges outward and morphs rapidly into the shape of a man before the bark gives way.” He has new violet-tinted eyes, green-tinted skin, and a tree tattooed onto his hand.  

Spiritual Content  

  • The Dryad Storm continues with the complex religious system woven throughout the Black Witch Series, which mirrors modern monotheistic religions and intertwines them with politics. This religion has strong allusions to the three main monotheistic religions, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Their religious structures dictate more conservative norms than usual. References to their religion are heavily present in the novel, and priests hold prominent positions in high government and university institutions. 
  • Various creatures have different faiths, which all contain a myth of two great wands – one good, one evil. These faiths also all mention a Great Tree, a prophecy of the Black Witch and the Great Icaral, and the end of days. At one point, when reunited with Marina, Gareth says, “All the myths are converging so that all peoples of Erthia can come together and fight.” 
  • Before she leaves for the East, Gwynn watches Vogel give a speech where he claims, “We have dealt a staggering blow against the heathens of the East. Our Blessed Black Witch and Mage forces have struck down [the Eastern forces] and their unholy cesspit-city.” Numerous times, Vogel makes religious speeches like this and commits atrocities in the name of his religion. The magic that binds marriages together is hijacked by Vogel and used to control married Gardnerians, including many of Elloren’s allies, but this ultimately fails.  
  • During this speech, Gwynn remembers how she was made to “read The Book of the Ancients without ceasing” a few years ago after insisting that their servants were people too. She pretends to have been indoctrinated back into the fold but is secretly planning to leave for the East. 
  • As Eastern forces hunt down Elloren, falsely believing her to be allied with Vogel, they also close their own borders and grow more fundamentalist in their own religion. Their government releases a statement that says, “We extend an offer of [Eastern] citizenship to all [Elves] who pledge fealty to the Vo Conclave and the Goddess Vo on High.” This declaration is redacted when Elloren and her friends defeat Vogel.  
  • In the epilogue, Elloren and her friends are raising an orphaned Gardnerian, Valen, who possesses considerable magical power. When he comes of age, he is approached by displaced Gardnerians who still believe in Vogel’s teachings. They insist that “an Icaral demon took apart the world. You’ve been tricked and fooled. Brainwashed into believing those heathens and demons should not be slain. . . the Magedom itself was led astray. But Valen, you can change all that for us. You can bring about the true Reaping Times and fully cleanse Erthia.” Valen refuses to embrace them and their religion, turning them away. 

by Kate Schuyler 

That Was Yesterday

Just when the Runaways finally start to feel normal, Alex Wilder shows up—a former Runaway and a literal ghost. He accosts Nico and Karolina as they’re returning to their hideout and pleads for shelter, claiming he has their parents’ evil colleagues on his trail. The last time the Runaways saw Alex, he betrayed them to save his real family, so they’re not sure if they can trust him.

Moments later, a monster appears, on the leash of the Gibborim, strange, evil gods who consume souls for breakfast. Their parents used to worship the Gibborim, and now the Gibborim are trying to collect on debts. The Gibborim demand that the Runaways pay what their parents owe, a willing sacrifice for the Gibborim to grow strong again. When the Runaways refuse, the gods give them seven days to find someone or seven days to organize their affairs.

On Christmas, the Runaways exchange jokes and laughter, uncertain how they’ll fare against the Gibborim, but determined to live in the moment. There are numerous distractions from their troubles, as the Runaways are simply trying to survive while battling their own insecurities, loves, and ambitions. Rowell continues the wonderful character development of the Runaways, devoting more time to Nico, Gert, and Victor, while allowing every character to grow, including the new addition, Alex. The Runaways are grounded, magical, and inspiring characters due to their perseverance and genuine kindness and support for one another. They’re the kind of group that supports each other through difficult times.

The graphic novel is divided into six main parts. Each part tackles a different arc but with similar themes, such as healthy relationship dynamics, responsibility, and self-awareness. The panels are organized creatively, enhancing the flow of the story. The plot is easy to understand, despite having many moving components. Since it is a Marvel comic, there are references to other storylines and characters that may confuse readers who are not familiar with the Marvel Universe. However, none of this takes away from the beautifully illustrated characters, fantastical battles, and Los Angeles setting. The panels alternate between close-ups and wide shots, designed to capture the scene and the characters’ expressions perfectly, with dialogue overlaid to make the scenes more engaging.

Readers who enjoy complicated supervillains, dramatic though comedic teenage drama, and clever outcasts will love the ancient powers, wholesome family connections, and sarcastic comments in the third installment of The Runaways. This story teaches about social-emotional health by emphasizing the power of family as a support structure. It also emphasizes hope in the face of doom and love in a time of hate. The Runaways need to learn how to forgive now more than ever, because problems shouldn’t be solved with violence, and sometimes people are led astray. Overall, this is a dynamic and sweet story with a wholesome message: family isn’t just about the good times, but the arguments, the discord, and redemption too.

Sexual Content

  • While Old Lace, the Runaways’ pet dinosaur, is roaming the halls of their hideout, she glances into Nico’s room to see Nico kissing Karolina. It’s only depicted in one panel as a close-up of their two faces. Old Lace leaves quickly.
  • When Nico comes back from breakfast with the sorcerer trapped in her staff, Karolina runs to meet Nico at the door. She’s worried about Nico since she has been gone for so long and pulls her in for a kiss. The panel displays an overhead view, allowing readers to see both their bodies and faces meeting.
  • After they defeat the Gibborim, Karolina pulls Nico into another kiss. Karolina’s leg is kicked up behind her as she cups Nico’s face. There’s one panel of them kissing.

Violence

  • Alex Wilder is a former Runaway who hasn’t seen the rest of the team in years. The Gibborim are colleagues of the Runaways’ parents and, therefore, enemies of the Runaways. When Alex shows up suddenly at the Runaways’ hideout, they have to fight the Gibborim off with Alex’s help. The page contains ten panels featuring violence, as well as two close-ups of characters’ faces. The Runaways are primarily punching the creature, though in one of the panels, their pet dinosaur, Old Lace, is biting the creature.
  • After Nico discovers that her Staff harbors a person, almost like a genie, she feels bad and attempts to release them. Then, the Staff says, “I’ll rebuild my army of thralls and slice my power from their throats.” Nico decides not to release them.
  • When the Gibborim return to claim their sacrifice for their ritual, Alex runs at them with a knife in a desperate attempt to protect the Runaways. Chase tackles Alex to the ground to try to avoid violence. Chase doesn’t want any of his friends to be hurt in the crossfire.
  • When Gib of the Gibborim turns on his fellow gods, he fights to protect the Runaways. There’s a lot of punching, though no one is grievously injured.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • The graphic novel revolves around superheroes and their associated superpowers. Most of the Runaways have magical or superhuman abilities, allowing them to fight crime. For example, Nico is a powerful magician who wields the Staff of One by bloodletting to cast her spells. She summons it by saying, “When blood is shed, let the Staff of One emerge!”
  • Karolina is the other Runaway who uses magic. As an alien from another world, she can fly.
  • After the Gibborim show up at the Runaways’ door demanding a sacrifice, Nico retreats outside the Runaways’ cave lair to a forest. Frustrated at her lack of magic training and unable to prevent the Gibborim from returning to collect the sacrifice, she summons the staff. It turns into a person who explains that, “[Nico’s] grandmother bested [the sorcerer of the staff] and transformed [them] into the staff, twisting [their] magic to [Nico’s grandmother’s] own service.” Nico and the Staff make a deal that ends the practice of bloodletting. They negotiate so that the person locked inside the Staff has freedom to see the outside world occasionally.
  • Alex Wilder, a former Runaway, appears at their hideout, claiming that he’s being chased by Gibborim, the gods who controlled the Runaways’ parents. When Nico sees Alex, she asks, “Who let you out of Hell, Wilder?” She implies that he died and came back to life, though there is no depiction of this.
  • Soon after Alex appears, a monster follows him. It has three purple heads and is covered in scales. It wears a leash and charges at the Runaways, though they fight it off. The Gibborim are close behind, with skin of all colors of the rainbow, pointed ears, and horns.
  • When the Runaways fight the Gibborim’s creature, Gert and Victor return from the past in a time travel machine. They used the time machine in a previous story and are just now returning to the present. The machine is surrounded by blue waves and a bubble that reads PLIP! It implies that the machine appears out of nowhere.

Spiritual Content

  • The Gibborim call themselves gods and refer to religious rituals that appear to be based on any real religion. When they demand a sacrifice, Chase responds, “The Rite of Thunder? That weird church service we interrupted before? Where were our parents gonna feed your parent that poor dead girl’s soul?” Throughout this comic, there are references to this rite, although nothing else explains the religion from which the Gibborim originate.
  • In a heart-to-heart with Victor, Gert mentions God, saying, “I wouldn’t expect a cyborg to believe in God.” Victor responds, “I may have been created by a supervillain, but I’m still Catholic.”

by Kate Schuyler

The Ship of the Dead

Magnus Chase can’t catch a break. First, he died bravely and was reborn in Valhalla, the Norse afterlife for heroes. Soon after his death, he had to embark on a mission to stop Fenris Wolf from escaping. Shortly after this perilous quest, he had to find Thor’s missing hammer, which is much easier said than done. Now, Magnus faces his toughest challenge. The sinister trickster god Loki has broken free from his prison and is intent on starting Ragnarök, the prophesied end of the world. 

Magnus and his ragtag group of friends must sail across three worlds to intercept Loki and prevent him from wreaking havoc with his army of the undead. As the fate of the world hangs in the balance, Magnus wrestles with one question: Is he strong enough to stand against Loki?  

The Ship of the Dead is the fast-paced and engaging finale to the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard trilogy. Building upon the groundwork laid in the first two installments, this book dives further into Norse mythology while exploring themes of family, strength, and individuality. Throughout this novel, Magnus and his friends band together as they face many different foes. They support one another while embracing the unique skills and backgrounds that each character brings to the team.  

The plot is driven by the eight core characters of this novel, who are as eclectic as they are lovable. Magnus, a deeply compassionate healer, is willing to risk everything to protect his friends. Sam, one of Odin’s Valkyries, embarks on the quest while fasting for Ramadan, and utilizes this to help her stay focused and determined. Hearth, a deaf elf, is the greatest sorcerer in the Nine Worlds. Blitz, a fashionable dwarf, is a skilled designer and inventor. T.J., a Civil War soldier who died serving the Union, is as cheerful as he is brave. Mallory, a hotheaded fighter who hails from Ireland, is ready to attack any challenge that comes her way. Halfborn, a Viking warrior who died over a thousand years ago, is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Finally, Alex, the transgender and genderfluid child of Loki, unites the crew with her mischievous nature and quick wit.        

The Ship of the Dead contains Riordan’s familiar humorous writing style and well-developed plots. This story contains many characters and settings, which some readers may find confusing. However, readers do not have to be familiar with Rick Riordan’s previous works to enjoy the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Series.  

Like the previous installments in this series, The Ship of the Dead discusses serious topics such as homelessness, ableism, transphobia, child abuse, and Islamophobia. These themes will resonate with readers who relate to the struggles that the characters face and allow them to feel represented and understood. These topics are written about in a way that is suitable for young readers, and this novel offers readers a chance to consider new perspectives and learn about those who are different from them.   

The Ship of the Dead is an action-packed and touching finale to one of Rick Riordan’s greatest series. Readers will be both entertained and moved by the plot and the bonds that the characters develop with one another. This series is perfect for middle-grade readers who are eager for a fun and adventurous story.  

Sexual Content  

  • Magnus and Alex, Magnus’s friend and child of Loki, kiss as they are walking across a frozen bay. Magnus details, “Then, before I even knew what was happening, she kissed me. She could have bitten off my mouth and I would have been less surprised. Her lips were cracked and rough from the cold. Her nose fit perfectly next to mine. Our faces aligned, our breath mixed. Then she pulled away.” 
  • A giantess named Skadi says that Loki publicly “insinuated that he had shared [her] bed.”  
  • Alex and Magnus kiss after the quest is complete. Alex “clamped his hands on the sides of my face and kissed me.”  

Violence  

  • Magnus describes the accidents he had while training for his quest. He had “gotten chomped by a great white shark, strangled by a giant squid, and stung by a thousand irate moon jellyfish.” He recovers from all these injuries.  
  • Alex decapitates a wolf that had stolen a mead horn from Magnus’s uncle’s house. Alex “lashed out with his garrote like he was throwing a bowling ball. . . the golden cord wrapped around the wolf’s neck. With a yank backwards, Alex cured the wolf of any future headache problems. The decapitated carcass flopped against the carpet.” 
  • Halfborn injures his head during a shipwreck. “Halfborn Gunderson was slumped over the rudder, blood dripping from an ugly gash on his forehead.” Magnus heals Halfborn. 
  • Nine giantesses attack Magnus and his friends. “The nine sea giantesses fell upon us with a collective howl of glee. My friends were ready. Mallory Keen flipped onto [a giantess’s] back and plunged her knives into the giantess’s shoulders. Halfborn Gunderson dual-wielded mead goblets, slamming [one giantess] in the face and [another] in the gut.” This fight is described over seven pages. Nobody is seriously injured or killed.  
  • In a dream, Magnus hears Kvasir, a wise being created by the gods, being murdered. “Inside the cave, Kvasir began to scream. A few moments later, I heard the sound of a chainsaw, then liquid gurgling into a large cauldron.”  
  • In a dream, Magnus sees Alex get kicked out of her house. “A trickle of blood ran from [Alex’s] left temple. She crawled down the front walk on her hands and knees, her palms shredded from breaking her fall and leaving dabs of blood on the cement like a sponge painting.” It is implied that Alex was kicked out for being transgender. Alex leaves, and the pair do not reconcile.       
  • T.J. fights a stone giant in a duel. “With a dry crack T.J.’s rifle discharged. The giant roared in pain. He staggered backward, smoke streaming from his left eye, which was now black instead of amber.” T.J. kills the giant. The fight scene is described over 11 pages.  
  • Magnus kills a dragon by stabbing it in the heart with his sword, Jack. “Fumbling and panicked I positioned Jack’s point against the weak spot in the hide. Then, with all my strength, I drove the sword into the dragon’s chest.”  
  • Magnus kills a giant with the help of a flock of crows. “[The giant] raised his ax over his head once more. Jack pulled me into battle as the murder of crows rose from their tree and swarmed [the giant’s] face, pecking at his eyes, nose, and Frosted Flakes beard.” 
  • Magnus and his friends fight an undead army on Loki’s ship. Alex “turned into a mountain lion and lunged at the [zombie], biting his head clean off. . . Sam pulled out her Valkyrie spear. With searing light, she blasted through the undead, burning dozens at a time, but hundreds more pressed forward, their swords and spears bristling.” During this fight scene, which spans over three pages, numerous zombies are killed.      

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • The characters occasionally mention and drink mead. 
  • Magnus recalls seeing how alcohol affected people while he was homeless. “I’d been on the streets long enough to know how ‘mead’ improved people’s skills. Pick your poison: beer, wine, vodka, whiskey. Folks claimed they needed it to get through the day. They called it liquid courage. It made them funnier, smarter, more creative. Except it didn’t. It just made them less able to see how unfunny and stupid they were acting.”  

Language  

  • While kicking her out of his house, Alex’s father yells, “That’s all I want from you! To be a normal kid! Is that so damn hard?”

Supernatural  

  • Magnus has a magical sword named Jack that can talk and fly.  
  • Sam is a Valkyrie, a warrior who leads the souls of the dead heroes to Valhalla, the Norse afterlife for heroes who died bravely in battle.  
  • Magnus and his friends sail in a magical ship that can take the form of a handkerchief. Magnus “flicked the handkerchief toward the water. As soon as the cloth hit the surface, the corners unfolded and unfolded. . . In the space of two breaths a Viking longship lay at anchor in the canal, the turbulent water coursing around its stern.” 
  • Magnus and his friends encounter nine giantesses as they are sailing. “In front of us, the sea had started to churn, swirling into a downward funnel like someone had pulled the bathtub plug out of Massachusetts Bay. Rising from the maelstrom were the giant watery forms of women—nine in all, each as large as our ship, with dresses of foam and ice, and blue-green faces contorted in rage.” They fight the giantesses and escape. 
  • Magnus has healing powers that he often uses on himself and his friends when they get injured. For example, he “channeled Frey-power to heal Halfborn’s head wound.”  
  • Hearth is a sorcerer who uses runes to cast spells. “Hearth threw a runestone I hadn’t seen before. It hit [a giantess] with a bright flash, liquefying her into a large angry puddle.” The giantess recovers.  
  • Magnus possesses a magical ability known as the Peace of Frey. This power allows Magnus to “blast everyone’s weapons out of their hands.” 
  • \A stone giant appears in front of Magnus and his friends and threatens to kill them. Magnus’s “mind had to process what [he] was looking at: not a section of ruined wall, but a giant, twenty feet tall, whose appearance perfectly mimicked limestone.” Magnus and his friends fight the giant. 
  • Hearth’s dad, Mr. Alderman, is transformed into a dragon by a cursed ring. “The monster’s four feet were each the diameter of a trashcan lid. Its short thick legs dragged along a lizard-like body, maybe fifty feet from nose to tail, its spine ridged with spikes bigger than my sword. . . The new, dragonish Alderman pulled himself from his lair, muttering, grinning, then cackling hysterically—all for no apparent reason.” 
  • After Magnus accidentally tastes the blood of a dragon heart, he gains the ability to understand animals.   
  • Magnus and his friends encounter an undead army on Loki’s ship. “Taking up most of the vast deck, they stood at attention in ranks of ghostly white and blue, tens of thousands, like they were waiting for a parade review. Some were mounted on zombie horses. Others had zombie dogs or wolves by their side. A few even had zombie birds of prey perched on their skeletal arms.”   

Spiritual Content  

  • This novel is centered around Norse mythology and contains frequent depictions of and references to Norse gods. 
  • While on the quest, Sam is fasting during Ramadan. This means that she does not eat or drink during the day. 
  • Magnus prays to Frey for help when he is fighting the giantesses. Magnus says, “Okay, Frey, Dad, please. . . we’re about to die down here, so if you’ve got any help you could send me, I’d really appreciate it. Amen.” Frey sends a deity to aid Magnus. 
  • Sam prays and breaks her fast. “At sunset. . . Sam did her ritual washing. She prayed facing southwest, then sat down next to me with a satisfied sigh and unwrapped a package of dates. She passed me one, then took a bite of hers. She closed her eyes as she chewed, her face transformed by pure bliss like the fruit was a religious experience. Which I guess it was.” 

by Kelly Barker 

Court of Lions

Amani succeeded in saving Maram, but it cost her everything. Sequestered in the palace as punishment, Amani has no family and no friends. She’s also been torn away from her love, Idris—seeing him would only tempt her to take what she cannot have. That is, until Princess Maram asks Amani to take her place in her wedding to Idris.

Confused about Maram’s intentions, Amani refuses. As they talk, Amani realizes just how hurt Maram has been by everyone in her life. Amani agrees and goes to the wedding in Maram’s place. What Amani doesn’t know is that Maram has been falling in love with one of the royal falconers, Aghraas, and that Amani’s perceived betrayal cuts Maram deeper than Maram knew possible. While both young women torture themselves with love they’re unsure they can have, wedding celebrations await in Idris’s hometown, M’Gaadir.

M’Gaadir changes everything for both of them. The more time Maram and Amani spend together, the more they realize their similarities run deeper than appearances, especially as tension between the Andaalan nobles and the Vathek Empire tightens. With Aghraas’s influence and the discovery of letters containing her father’s horrible secret, Maram grows bolder and agrees to help Amani with the rebel cause. Posing as one person, Amani and Maram strengthen Maram’s political position, relying on both the rebels and the Andaalan nobles to spread word about Maram’s intention to take the throne from her father and free Andaala.

The characters face significant personal challenges alongside their political mission. Idris doesn’t approve of Amani’s rebellious activities because he’s worried she’ll get hurt. Aghraas and Maram can never be seen in public together due to their different social stations. Neither Amani nor Maram has family to rely on for advice or emotional support, forcing them to navigate their complicated feelings and dangerous political situation independently. Maram and Amani emerge as inspiring, determined, and clever protagonists who bravely confront an oppressive colonial system while wrestling with profound emotional turmoil in their personal lives.

Court of Lions focuses on two main characters who rise to face seemingly insurmountable challenges and evolve into people very different from who they were at the beginning of the series. Both Amani and Maram transform into calculating and protective leaders who lead by example, protect their loved ones at all costs, and stand by their moral principles even when doing so puts them in danger.

Somaiya Daud crafts powerful characters in Court of Lions and creates an amazingly complex and fantastical world that weaves rich culture into each poetic chapter. The novel successfully combines political intrigue with deeply personal character development, illustrating how the shaky trust established in the first book evolves into a friendship that can save the world.

Unfortunately, the book has several flaws. Maram and Aghraas’s relationship feels somewhat rushed and isn’t explored thoroughly, leaving readers wanting more depth in their romantic development. The story’s suspense could have been built more effectively. Instead, the king’s assassination is too straightforward, and the series has a disappointing conclusion that doesn’t fully match the complexity of the political maneuvering that precedes it. However, the story delivers plenty of compelling political intrigue, inspiring female characters, and a wonderful science fiction atmosphere that blends fantasy and science fiction together in this tumultuous tale of sisters, sacrifice, and resilience.

The book effectively explores themes of identity and self-acceptance that are inextricably tied to revolution and the dismantling of colonial oppression and power. Overall, Court of Lions is an engaging story with a beautiful message: nothing worthwhile ever comes easily, but what is fought for with determination and sacrifice delivers stunning rewards. The novel stands as a testament to the power of unlikely friendships, the courage required to challenge systemic oppression, and the transformative journey of young women discovering their own strength and agency in a hostile world.

Sexual Content

  • Maram is managing one of her mother’s old properties when she meets and grows close to the master falconer, Aghraas. When Maram receives important letters that change everything, she is emotionally overwhelmed, and Aghraas comforts her. “Aghraas’s mouth was soft and still for less than half a heartbeat. [Aghraas’s] fingers tightened around [Maram’s] waist, and Maram pressed back, the line of her shoulders, the length of her body. For half a heartbeat relief roared through Maram, and then a fire caught, as if it had waited all her life in the embers inside her. There was a soft cry—hers or Aghraas’s she didn’t know—and her hands clung to her shoulders as Aghraas lifted her up onto her lap.” The chapter ends before anything else happens.
  • Before the rebels try to assassinate the king, Idris apologizes to Amani, worried it may be his last chance to do so. She accepts his apology, and they kiss. “His mouth was hard on [Amani’s], and his hands tightened around [her] ribs—[she] felt as if [her] breath had been stolen from [her].”  When he kisses her neck, she pushes him away, saying she needs time.
  • In the aftermath of Maram becoming queen, Aghraas kisses her. “Aghraas bent her head to Maram’s, and her arms came around her waist, and her mouth met hers. She never ceased to be surprised by her warmth or the frisson of pleasure that shot through her from a single touch.” The book ends before anything else happens.

Violence

  • While Amani and Idris are in M’Gaadir, the Vathek government takes Idris’s relative, Adil. There is no description of the violence, but Amani and Idris discuss it. “‘Adil is dead?’ Amani whispered. ‘They sent his body to his parents’ estate—it arrived last night,’ [Idris responded].”
  • To emphasize her commitment to the rebel cause, Amani explains, “We lived in a village that was not a village. It was a kasbah, abandoned by whatever [nobles] had held it before the conquest. Nineteen families made their home there. Shortly before we left, Vath attacked. We were defenseless. Most villages have a magistrate, or a surveillance force. We were in truth homeless and trying to eke out an existence. [Everyone in the village was] slaughtered, [while the Vathek were] looking for someone.”
  • Maram starts distancing herself from Nadine, her father’s steward. Nadine blames Amani for Maram’s distance. Nadine is convinced that Amani is a negative influence on Maram. The next morning, Nadine wakes Amani with a slap. “[Amani] was roused from slumber violently, with a hand that felt like a claw around [her] arm, and pulled unceremoniously from the bed. There was no time to understand who pulled [her] from bed or why. The moment [she] stood a hand struck [her] across the face, sharp and hard. Hard enough that [she] fell again, inches from the fireplace.” Amani has a bruise, but Maram stops Nadine from inflicting more harm.
  • Later on, Nadine tries to attack Amani again. “[Nadine’s] voice did not rise, but it took on a cruel edge and her fingers gripped [Amani’s] chin like claws, as if she meant to rip [her] jaw from [her] face. [Amani] tightened [her] hold on [her] skirts. If [she] took her wrist, if [she] fought back, [she] would have lost [her] chance.”
  • Nadine confronts Amani once again, growing suspicious about the helpful information Amani has been providing about traitors to the Vathek Empire. Amani fears that Nadine has discovered the information is false and deliberately planted. However, Nadine is merely suspicious and hasn’t uncovered the deception yet. To intimidate Amani into revealing more information, Nadine uses a robot to physically threaten her. “[The robot’s] fingers wrapped around [Amani’s] throat and between one breath and the next [she] was suspended in midair. [Her] vision filled with spots, [her] throat ached, [her] heart pounded. Nadine could not kill [her]—she couldn’t. And yet [Amani] hadn’t counted on [Nadine’s] hatred of [her] and [Nadine’s] rage outweighing her sense.” Amani has bruises but is otherwise fine.
  • During the assassination attempt, the king grabs Amani. “[His] grip tightened painfully on [Amani’s] arm.” Afterwards, Amani has bruises.
  • Amani breaks herself free from the king’s grasp, but Nadine quickly grabs her. Nadine points a gun at Amani’s head, to warn the rebels away from them. Idris eventually shoots Nadine. “[Nadine] jerked, her hand still tight around [Amani’s] arm, and then released [her] and fell back.” Nadine survives.
  • While Idris saves Amani, Maram and Aghraas shoot down the king. “[The king] seemed suspended in midair for a long, agonizing moment, then fell to his knees. A moment later, he toppled forward.” The king dies from his wounds.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • When Amani realizes she needs Maram’s help to assassinate the king, she reveals her involvement with the rebels. Maram agrees to join the plot after discovering that the king—her own father—had murdered her mother. Maram says, “He poisoned her so that no one could accuse him of killing the rightful ruler of the planet. She died slowly. And her husband was executed on charges of treason.”

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • The prologue describes the magic Amani’s people believe. In the story, “a prince hunting [a magical woman, Tayreet] found her; her body had loosed its natural bird shape and taken on a human one. The prince loved her from the first, and Tayreet him.” These birds, called tesleets, exist as symbols to warn or push people towards certain events. It is implied that Aghraas is one of these birds in human form.

Spiritual Content

  • The Andaalans and people on Cadiz have a monotheistic religion. They worship the god, Dihya, and the prophetess, a Jesus-like figure, Massinia. Their religion contains many parables, stories, and prayers that Amani tells to her friends at various points. The prologue concludes with a religious saying, “And from His first creatures He made stars, glowing hot with their fire and warmth. All may see the stars, but few will see their forbears. And those whose eyes see golden fire We say heed Us and listen. For We have sent unto you a Sign. See it and take heed.”
  • After Amani’s sequestration in the palace ends, Maram asks Amani to take her place in her wedding to Idris. The wedding has some religious overtones. One wedding ritual includes people crowding around Amani as she steps into water, a baptism of sorts. “‘Be blessed,’ [Nadine and Maram’s sister, Galene] said, as Galene tipped a small vase of oil over [Amani’s] hair. ‘Be blessed’ echoed back from the crowd, reverberating and out of sync.”
  • Once the wedding is over, Maram insists that Amani also take her place in the following wedding celebrations in a city called M’Gaadir, which has a deep religious history. Amani explains that, “when at last [the tesleet eggs] landed on our planet and hatched, the first of mankind came from their hallowed shells. And because they were far from the sacred flames of their city, they never became what they ought, and remained mortal. And it was from these people that Houwa came and nursed the kernel of magic in her blood. And it was from this legacy that they chose their name—Kushaila, ‘those among the noble.’”
  • Following a busy day with Idris meeting new nobles, Idris tries to relax Amani by taking her to a religious statue. Amani describes it as “a woman sat atop the promontory outside M’Gaadir, the ocean behind her. . . Her daan [a familial tattoo] was a sharp pictograph of a feather, its end situated perfectly between her eyebrows. She cast no shadow.” The statue is of Houwa, a saint among Amani’s people.

 

by Kate Schuyler

The Memory Thief

Rosie Oaks loves her stories, almost as much as she loves her best friend, Germ. Together, they dream of magical witches, feathered beasts, and haunting ghost stories. Rosie doesn’t know what she would do without her best friend, especially since Rosie’s mother is missing whatever it is that makes mothers love their daughters. Rosie tries to focus on happier things, but one night, she starts hearing voices. Frightened, she goes to her mother, who doesn’t understand Rosie. The next evening, Rosie recruits Germ to help her with the investigation. That night, Rosie’s house comes alive with ghosts and decade-old secrets.  

Reasonably scared, Rosie and Germ run from the ghosts, almost making it out. They come face-to-face with a thirteen-year-old ghost named Ebb. He explains that Rosie did something to activate her sight, which is how she’s finally able to see the ghosts who have been haunting her house all this time.  

Regarding the witches, Rosie comes from a long line of witch-hunters, one of whom successfully killed one of the thirteen witches. The other twelve have been plaguing Rosie’s family for decades. One of the witches, the Memory Thief, can steal memories. On the night of Rosie’s birth, the witch stole her mother’s memories. To save her mother, Rosie must find a way to defeat the Memory Thief. With the help of the ghosts and her human friends, Rosie enters the world of the supernatural, armed with only a sharp tongue and Ebb’s reassurance that her witch-hunting abilities will strengthen in time.  

The protagonist, Rosie, is a role model on a quest to save her mother. She relies on the power of friendship and quick thinking. Rosie has a wonderful best friend, Germ, who sticks with her through thick and thin, providing great emotional support. Her new ghost friend, Ebb, gives plenty of great advice and teaches Rosie how to stand up to bullies like the Memory Thief. Rosie demonstrates how to ask for help and how to be independent while relying on your instincts. She’s deeply afraid of losing her mother and her town to the witches, but she won’t let that stop her from saving everyone.  

Like many fantasy books, The Memory Thief features supernatural elements and a complex magic system that gradually unfolds as Rosie navigates this new world alongside the reader. Despite being populated with witches, ghosts, and other magical creatures, the story maintains a relatively tame tone—even the spectral characters become Rosie’s allies in her witch-hunting quest rather than sources of fear. That said, the magic system suffers from inconsistencies and rules that don’t quite hold together. The book also leaves several threads dangling, though these unanswered questions appear intentional, setting up the sequel, The Sea of Always. 

Readers will love the powerful witches, ghostly magic system, and small band of heroes in The Memory Thief. Rosie navigates a world filled with supernatural creatures—from memory-stealing moths to cloud shepherds and ghosts—all of which complicate her quest to fix what the witches have broken. She’s an inspiring character who grows when challenged, leading by example and standing by her own moral principles. Overall, this is a beautiful story with moments of sweet friendship, powerful bravery, and dramatic losses and victories. 

Sexual Content  

  • None  

Violence  

  • When Rosie describes her best friend, Germ, she mentions a scar on her hand “where—at [Rosie’s] request—[they] both cut [them]selves when [they] decided to be blood sisters when [they] were eight.” 
  • After Rosie removes her mother’s necklace and Rosie’s magical abilities awaken, one of the witches comes after her. She threatens Rosie, “‘Watch for me at the dark moon, child,’ [the witch] calls over her shoulder. ‘At the dark moon, I’ll end you.’” 
  • To get answers about her family, Rosie goes to the ghost who haunts the hospital where she was born. The ghost explains, “‘[Rosie’s] mother only had time to hide one of [her children]. [One] was crying; [the other wasn’t]. [The witches] never knew there were two.’ His shoulders sag as if in release, or surrender, or both. And then he says the only thing that really matters. ‘Twins.’” He insinuates that the witches killed the brother Rosie never knew about. “They took him. Dropped him in the ocean.” 
  • When one of the witches again tries to snatch Rosie, one of the house ghosts, Crafty Agatha, comes to her rescue. But “with a howl of rage [the witch] reaches out for the figure nearest her—Crafty Agatha. A cluster of moths swarms Agatha as she screams. A moment later, the moths fly apart—and Agatha is gone.” Agatha’s spirit dissolves.  
  • To escape from one of the witches, Rosie summons her magical pet bird. “[Rosie’s bird] soars at the witch, opens her beak, and devours [the witch].” The witch dies. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None  

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • This book follows Rosie, a descendant of witch-hunters, as she tries to break a curse on her mother and fight witches with the help of ghosts. The story is full of supernatural creatures and magical events. Since supernatural elements are on nearly every page, not every example is documented below. 
  • The book opens, “In a stone courtyard at the edge of the woods, a ghost with glowing red eyes floats back and forth past the windows of Saint Ignatius Hospital, waiting for a baby to be born.” The ghost watches as a witch curses Rosie’s mother. “Moths fluttering out of [the witch’s] sleeves as she speaks.” 
  • Rosie’s ghost friend, Ebb, is described as “shimmery and glowing bright blue, frowning at me, his eyebrows low. He floats at least a foot off the ground.” After Rosie meets Ebb, she goes downstairs to her kitchen, finding even more ghosts. “A woman stands in the parlor staring at us, a ball of yarn in her hands. A man is just behind her wearing a yellow rain slicker, sopping wet and pale, starfishes stuck to his arms. There is another woman by the couch, very old, all in white. And closest—just inches from us—is a boy with floppy brown hair and a dour expression, like he’s just tasted something rotten. He’s a dreadful sight: maybe thirteen or fourteen, wide brown eyes, a furrowed forehead, pale, his dark hair plastered wetly down around his ears, bluish skin. He glows with a bluish light that casts a dim glow onto the wall behind him.” 
  • Rosie’s mother kept a witch-hunter journal, with instructions and descriptions of witch-hunting magic and tactics. For example, the journal lists qualities of the Memory Thief: “Familiars: Her moths are her weapons and her spies. They spread out all over the world at night and steal from her victims. They can be distinguished by the shifting, sparkling patterns on their wings, which are actually the shifting dust of the memories they have stolen. Victims: A person cursed by the Memory Thief may appear normal, go about their normal lives, but they’ve lost memories of the past, of the people they are close to, even how to love others. At times, entire towns have lost their histories to this terrible witch.” 
  • As Rosie trains to fight witches, she tries to use her mother’s witch-hunting bow and arrow. “But as [the arrow is] flying, something miraculous happens. A shimmer—a puff of something—appears, filmy and delicate but unmistakable, like the trail of exhaust you might see from an airplane. Only this is in a wave of colors and small, diaphanous shapes so exquisitely beautiful, so full of light, so warm and clear and sparkling that just looking at it makes something feel better inside you. The shapes are the shapes my mom has painted on the arrows; the colors are my mom’s colors come to life—as real and unreal, at the same time, as ghosts. They shimmer in the air for a moment, then disappear.” The instrument doesn’t work for Rosie; it only emits magical colors.  
  • As Rosie fights one of the witches, she is aided by magical creatures called “cloud shepherds”. As “the moths are knocked back, the wind is whipping. Patches of fog blow toward the trees. It’s unmistakable: shapes loom in and out of the fog, though I can’t make them out. The Memory Thief takes several stumbling steps backward. And just as the clouds part far above to reveal the last sliver of moon in the sky, it dawns on me: The cloud shepherds are helping.” 
  • Rosie describes the cloud shepherd: “[She] see[s] a face loom out of it, made of mist—a round face that disintegrates and rearranges into a long and thin face, then into a bushy-browed face, and then it has no eyebrows at all. But every face appears to be a kind one. It smiles at [Rosie] gently again and again as it changes. And then a sound weaves through the mist, as if several threads of voices are joining together at once.” 
  • After Crafty Agatha dies, Rosie describes many of the ghosts, having settled their earthly business, leaving for the “Beyond.” “And a moment later, something strange begins to happen all around us. Tiny, glowing spirits of bugs that were killed in the fray, crushed by falling walls and pummeled against trees—fireflies and dragonflies and crickets and ants—begin to float up from the ground, all tiny luminous ghosts rising and surrounded by sparkling pink dust.” 
  • While saving her mother, Rosie discovers her magic witch-hunter power. She is able to summon a magical bird with a flashlight. “As soon as [Rosie] take[s] hold of it, the bright, breathtaking bluebird appears—and then wreaks havoc. She circles the room, tearing down the chandelier above the overturned dining room table, knocks over the one vase that was still standing, and nearly eats Fred the spider as he sits on [Rosie’s] knee.” 
  • When the Memory Thief kidnaps Rosie, she steals some of her memories. Rosie describes it as, “so many memories, all beginning to blur and fade away. [She] feel[s] tears running down [her] cheeks as [she] watch[es] these visions turn to iridescent dust and fall through the air, gathered on the wings of the moths that flutter all around [her]. And then [she] can’t remember why [she’s] crying.” 
  • After Rosie defeats the Memory Thief, memories return to people around the world. “Everywhere, strange, subtle things have happened—stories [Rosie] see[s] on the news: Grandparents who’ve forgotten names and faces suddenly smiling at their grandchildren. Amnesiacs showing up in their families’ backyards. Towns publicly reflecting on histories long forgotten. Even if people don’t see the invisible moths in the sky, dropping dust on them like snow, maybe they feel it. Even the reporters look happy as they relate these stories.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Kate Schuyler

The Pod and The Bog

Zoey has a special doorbell. Whenever it rings, a magical animal is waiting for help! This time, the visitor is Pip, a friendly frog who was saved by Zoey’s mom when she was Zoey’s age. Pip brings a mysterious, colorful seedpod, which comes from a magical, endangered plant. Pip needs Zoey’s help in identifying the plant from which the seedpod comes and the conditions that allow the plant to thrive. With the help of her mom, her cat Sassafras, and Pip, Zoey uses science —and plenty of trial and error—to learn more about the seeds and help them grow.   

Zoey is a curious character with constant questions. When she first sees the seedpod, she immediately asks, “What is it? Where did you find it?” She writes these questions and her other ideas in her science journal. When Zoey writes in her journal, the words appear on the page in a font resembling a young kid’s writing. This detail will help draw readers into Zoey’s world, as they will feel as though they are watching her jot down the questions and notes. Young readers will be inspired by Zoey’s eagerness to experiment and feel encouraged to ask questions when they don’t know the answer.  

While Zoey’s curiosity helps drive the plot, her mom’s encouraging nature allows Zoey to thrive. As the only other person who can see the magical creatures that arrive at Zoey’s door, she guides Zoey by nudging her towards solutions, rather than solving problems for her. Additionally, when experiments go wrong, Zoey’s mom is the first character to offer Zoey a hug and remind her that mistakes are just chances to learn. This warm, supportive dynamic will remind young audiences that it is okay to falter when experimenting with something new.  

The Pod and The Bog is an excellent choice for young readers interested in science. Zoey conducts experiments with the seeds. At one point, she gives each seed a different amount of water to determine which amount of water helps the plants grow the fastest. Zoey speaks through her thought process as she partakes in these experiments. When she writes notes in her journal, she tells Pip, “Next is our hypothesis. So here is where we make a guess.” Vocabulary words, such as “hypothesis,” are featured throughout the story and presented in a way that allows young readers to understand their meanings. 

Though the majority of the pages only include words, many pages also feature black and white illustrations that break up larger blocks of text. The illustrations add another level of engagement by showing Zoey conducting experiments alongside her magical friends. These drawings make this book perfect for children transitioning from picture books to chapter books, offering visual support while introducing them to longer sentences and more complex storytelling. 

The book also includes a helpful glossary that defines six key terms used throughout the story, such as “bog” and “pollinator.” This feature encourages children to look up unfamiliar words, making the content accessible to readers with varying vocabulary levels. 

The Pod and The Bog blends magic, science, and encouragement to remind young readers that persistence pays off, even when things don’t go as planned. Through Zoey’s curiosity and resilience, children learn that every mistake offers an opportunity for discovery. Her journey inspires young readers to ask questions, embrace experimentation, and find joy in the learning process. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • Only Zoey and her mom can see the magic animals that ring their doorbell.  

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Madeline Hettrick 

Diana and the Underworld Odyssey

Princess Diana has finally proved her worth to her mother and is approved to start Amazon warrior training. As the Chará festival winds down, Diana is sad to say goodbye to her best friend, Sakina, but excited to begin preparing for the real world. Then, a mysterious alien intruder kidnaps Sakina. As Diana tries to rally the Amazons to save Sakina, their impossible-to-find island is attacked by extra-terrestrial enemies hell-bent on capturing Diana too.  

The Amazons eventually force the alien ship to flee from the island, but Diana’s mom, Queen Hippolyta, is worried for her daughter’s safety, so she sends Diana to the island of the gods with Diana’s protector, the goddess Artemis, and Diana’s new friend, the dragon Liara. Yet, as Diana begs the gods for help, they ignore her insights and version of events, trusting Hades even though he is clearly working with the aliens and their boss, Zumius. Frustrated, Diana leaves the room and meets Imani, another superpowered kid being hunted by these aliens. When Imani is soon kidnapped, Diana decides that only she can save her friends.  

Undaunted and determined, Diana is a powerful, curious protagonist who fights to save her loved ones, no matter the challenge. With the help of the goddess, Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, Diana obtains the tools that allow her to reach the Underworld and escape intact. The journey is treacherous, full of untrustworthy beings and monsters attempting to lure her off her path, but pure-hearted Diana is unwavering. On the way, she also makes new friends and allies who strongly oppose kidnapping children and thus choose to go against their king, Hades, and follow Diana’s leadership. Diana knows that the gods won’t choose Diana over Hades. She knows she’s the only hope the kids have of escaping the Underworld, so she faces every monster with a brave face and a need to expose the truth of Hades’s misdeeds.  

While Diana’s character growth is well-developed, several other elements of this book fell a little short. Namely, Hades is an obvious and flat villain—he doesn’t have a motive or any substantial explanation of his actions. Diana identifies him as the one behind the kidnappings right away, and it doesn’t feel plausible that no one would listen to her or guess that it could have been him. That said, the magical landscapes are wonderfully described, and the problems Diana faces challenge her to think outside the box and adapt to her surroundings—a skill that every kid needs to learn sooner or later. Overall, the novel is worth reading, especially considering the strength of Diana’s character.  

Readers who enjoy powerful female superheroes, Greek mythology, and cleverly independent kids will love the fun battles, magical relics, and beautiful landscapes of Diana and the Underworld Odyssey. Diana encounters all sorts of magical creatures on her journey into the Underworld, from sirens to skeletons to three-headed dogs, all making for creative entertainment. Diana is a fierce and kind character who grows when challenged, leads by example, and stands by her own moral principles. Overall, Diana and the Underworld Odyssey is a sweet story with an inspiring message: stand up for what you believe in, even if no one hears you. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • When Diana’s best friend, Sakina, is kidnapped, Diana spots the kidnapper escaping out the window. Diana attacks the intruder. “Diana angled her sword and attacked square at its midsection. But then her stomach dropped. Though the sword had speared straight through the fabric cloak, it was as if she’d sliced thin air.” She eventually lassos the intruder with her Lasso of Truth, but they escape, and Diana is unharmed. The scene is approximately five pages.  
  • As Zumius’s minions try to kidnap Diana again, the Amazons attack the ship. Their assaults fails so Diana shoots a cannon at Zumius’s airship. “Diana pushed down on the lever. Instantly the cannon deployed. The force of the recoil sent Diana tumbling to the ground. The metal ball shot into the air, glinting in the sunlight. Diana watched nervously as the cannonball struck the underbelly of the airship with a clang before falling into the sea. Diana’s heart skipped a beat. There was an enormous dent in the airship. The vessel was swaying in midair!” They fired multiple times, and eventually the ship left.  
  • While Diana is on the gods’s island, she makes a new friend, Imani. Imani is being hunted, like Diana, and during a walk in the woods, the two friends are attacked by the same kidnapper who took Sakina. Diana fights the person off with a makeshift vine lasso. “But before she could take a step, the [kidnapper] had kicked off the vine. Wielding it like a whip, [their opponent] lashed out at Imani and struck her in the stomach. Imani wheezed and lurched forward. The attacker dashed toward her and grabbed her elbow. Hoisting her over its shoulder, it fled with astonishing speed toward the boat.” Diana is uninjured. The scene is approximately six pages.  
  • During her voyage into the Underworld, Diana encounters a Hydra that attacks her. “With a flick of its tail, the Hydra hurtled the boat hundreds of feet into the sky. Diana spun through the air and began to fall. She hit the surface of the water hard and plunged into the ocean. Her body stung from the force of impact; her face burned as salt water filled her mouth and nose.” She is uninjured. 
  • During the Underworld voyage, Diana also meets a Siren who tries to kidnap her. Diana’s dragon friend, Liara, fights the Siren. “Before Diana could do anything, Liara bit the Siren’s hand. The woman’s smug smile faded instantly. ‘Get off me!’ [the Siren] screamed. She waved her hand feverishly to shake Liara off, but the dragon had clamped down with all her might.” Diana escapes unharmed. 
  • When Diana finds Sakina and Imani, she rescues them from their cage, but the guards interrupt them. The guards attack and try to force all three of them into the cage. “One of them raised a hand and swiped its sword in Diana’s direction. Diana ducked as a burst of cold wind shot at her. It hit the stalagmites next to her and froze them into icicles. The three girls instantly fell to the ground, thick shards of ice missing them by mere inches. Diana shakily stood as another attack launched. Before she could leap out of the way, it hit her square in the chest.” The three friends escape unharmed. The whole scene is approximately ten pages. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • On her journey into the Underworld, Diana encounters a Hydra. “As [the Hydra’s] enormous heads grew near, practically surrounding Diana, she held her breath. One whiff of its poisonous fumes would kill her.” She escapes the Hydra before it can drug her.

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural  

  • Every page of this novel exhibits some kind of supernatural content. However, the magic is primarily wielded by Greek gods without spoken spells, just the wave of a hand. Magic is also present in the landscape, such as the magical island of Themyscira, which is hidden from the eyes of men. The monsters encountered include talking skeletons, Sirens, Hydras, mer-people, dragons, sentient stone creatures, and the gods.  
  • Diana is a superhero, complete with superpowers and magical relics, like the Lasso of Truth. She fights monsters and gods.  
  • Magical landscapes appear many times, including the Underworld, Themyscira, and the island of the gods. An example is when Diana is in the Underworld, and she watches as a cage magically transports everything inside of it to Hades himself. “The cage began glimmering and shaking. It vibrated faster and faster. Diana flinched as something shook in her satchel. The bar fragments were trembling and glowing. The cage shook for a full minute and then fell silent.” 
  • While Diana is fighting her kidnapper, they throw some kind of magical powder at her. “Instantly, the figure shot a hand up as a whirring sound bellowed from deep within its cloaked body. Before Diana could react, a burst of metallic-gold powder sprang from one of its sleeves. The powder coated the book [Diana had thrown at her attacker], which froze in midair and then burst into flames. Within seconds it fell to the floor, transformed into ashes.” 
  • Hades is helping an alien kidnap superpowered kids to create an army. When Diana meets Artemis, the goddess explains that many kids have already been taken. “Aristaeus can wield the wind with his hands and control bees. Lumierna can break metal as easily as they can snap a twig. They’re not as strong as their father yet, but quite capable for a child. Only two children have managed to outmaneuver the [aliens]: Diana and a child named Imani.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • Princess Diana grew up among the Amazons, a community of warrior women who worship the Greek gods. She meets, fights, and even collaborates with many of them. The Greek gods or references to them appear on nearly every page. For example, Diana describes how “the sun shone brightly upon the beaches of Themyscira, the golden glow shimmering as though Zeus himself had struck the island with a lightning bolt.” 
  • An example of Diana’s interactions with the gods is when Diana meets the council of the gods while trying to find a sanctuary from her kidnapper. “When Diana turned in her seat, she shuddered. The figure standing in the doorway was broad-shouldered and tall, practically as tall as Zeus himself. He wore a green toga. A monocle sat on his left eye, his right hand grasped an iron staff, and his face was twisted into a scowl. It was Hades, god of the Underworld.” 

by Kate Schuyler 

Oathbound

Bree Matthews has chosen to separate herself from her friends in more ways than one. To refine her powers, Bree chooses to go with the Shadow King himself, a shapeshifter who can move between humanity, the demon underworld, and the Legendborn secret society.  

Now isolated, Bree hopes to become more powerful. As Bree learns more about herself and her abilities, she mourns her past life and the memories she has lost.  She trains with the demon king alongside two other half-demons: twins Zoe and Elijah. Zoe, Elijah, and Bree witness a young black girl being kidnapped and discover the Shadow King feeding on her root—the same power that Bree has. The three friends must find the girl and set her free. Through this journey, Bree discovers that she can be ruthless and that demons can be more human than expected. 

Meanwhile, the other Scions must face war while their Round Table is fractured, leaderless, and missing its Kingsmage, Selwyn, who has also disappeared. When Nick invokes an ancient law that requires the High Council of Regents to grant him an audience, the Order’s Merlins imprison him. No one knows what he will demand of the Regents… or what secrets he has kept hidden from the Table.

As a string of mysterious kidnappings escalates and Merlins are found dead, it becomes clear that no matter how hard Bree tries to run from who she is, the past will always find her. 

In the third installment of the series, Bree becomes more powerful and is more motivated to save others. Even with her friends erased from her memory, she remains a selfless character, willing to make sacrifices for those in trouble. Oathbound is the first in the series to show other characters’ points of view, including healer Will, Nick, Mariah, and Selwyn’s mother Natasia. While this offers intriguing insights into the minds of other characters and provides new perspectives on the events, it can feel disorienting, and the threads are sometimes hard to follow. The new perspectives offer readers an opportunity to see relationships other than Bree’s. 

Oathbound does not have as many action-packed moments as the first books in the series. Instead, the book focuses on the characters’ development, and each character must choose with whom and what they want to align themselves. This book continues the series’ trend of addressing race, grappling with Bree’s complex ancestry, and exploring the questions of what we owe to those who came before us versus what we owe to the people in our lives now. A book about identity, power, and loyalty, fans of the first two books will not be disappointed by Oathbound, which ends with another exciting cliffhanger that sets up the fourth book in the series.  

Sexual Content  

  • Bree recalls the memory of kissing Selwyn. “My hip tingles with the memory of heated fingers pressed against my skin through a borrowed dress. Scorching palms beneath my thighs, bark scraping my spine, lips hot and burning.” 
  • A Legendborn reminds Nick that his relationship with Bree is forbidden by the Order. “The Lines cannot mix. If you and your girl get caught sparring without clothes on, the Regents will arrest you both for treason.” 
  • To avoid being suspected of being thieves, Nick kisses Bree to create a cover. “The only warning before he presses his mouth to mine—then, there is nothing to know, nothing to remember, nothing to earn or fight for, only this.” They are interrupted by a guard.  
  • Nick and Bree share a bed. “The warmth of a broad hand curled across my hip… Even through the thin layer of my pajama pants, his touch feels familiar.” 
  • Nick and Bree make out. “Now, when Nick grasps my chin, tilting it so he can kiss me more deeply, so our mouths meet more fully… When Nick’s lips coax mine open… Anticipation zips through me, my breaths turn shallow with want.” Nick stops because Bree doesn’t remember him.  
  • It is implied that Nick and Bree have sex, but it is not described. “Nick paints reverence across my throat and seals wonder to my mouth. He whispers my own magic into my skin. His hands slip down and down past the edge of my coat to grasp the long skirt of my dress. He tugs the thin fabric up and up until his fingers find my waiting skin, my arched spine, my rolling hips.” 

Violence  

  • Bree, Zoe, and Elijah fight as part of their teacher Erebus’ training plan. The three punch and kick each other. The fight ends with Zoe throwing Bree into a barrier. “Instead of smashing into the barn, my spine smacks hard into what feels like a thick concrete wall… My skull cracks against it too, and black spots dance across my vision.” The fight lasts four pages. No one is seriously injured.  
  • In Bloodmarked, Nick killed a Merlin named Max. To get revenge, a Merlin named Thompson attacks Nick. Nick “takes a flying leap at a shocked Thompson, swinging his right fist back—to land a hard, crunching blow to the Merlin’s nose…He sends a roundhouse to Thompson’s face at breakneck speed—kicking the Merlin out of the air and back down to the floor before he ever gets the chance to land.” The fight ends when Nick knocks Thompson unconscious. The fight is described over three pages.  
  • As a training exercise, Bree attacks an imp and kills it. “With a flick of my wrist, I let [the blade] fly. It hits the imp in the chest, burying itself right to the hilt.” 
  • While in a bar, Bree witnesses the kidnapping of a young black girl. Bree hears a man hit the girl. “Then a smack—fist against skin—and a body hits the floor… A bruise is already forming on her cheek.” The girl does not allow Bree to intervene.  
  • In a training session, Erebus’ aether-made animals attack Bree. Bree feels as if she is being clawed open. “The first bear’s strike rips my forearm open—and I scream. The second set of claws tears my hand down to the bone—and I whimper. The third bear digs two claws into the tops of my thighs—and drags them to my knees.” Eventually, Erebus calls them off and reveals that the attack and the pain were all in Bree’s head. 
  • Nick describes the training that his father forced him to do as a child. “Sel can hit me if it’s done in the name of ‘training’… Wait until you hear about the broken bones… Some injuries were too severe for him to risk inflicting on me, so Dad left those lessons for the Lieges… they’d leave me behind with broken bones, black eyes, cracked ribs… internal bleeding, a concussion or two. Or five.” 
  • Two of Bree’s friends, William and Lark, are standing near a car when the Mageguard blow it up. They are not injured and can fight the Mageguard. “Once we’re left to focus on the two Guards, we knock the first one out easily.” The fight is over quickly, and the Mageguards are knocked unconscious.  
  • Trying to steal the Shadow King’s crown, Bree attacks a guard. “The guard’s head rises, mouth opening to shout—then gasping in pain when he’s struck across both knees… The root expands, enclosing him in an iridescent sphere, just like the ones I’ve created to protect myself.” 
  • As Bree is looking for the crown, Nick appears. They don’t recognize each other, so they fight. Nick “groans. Twists again, this time trying to ram me into the worktable behind us. The sharp edge digs into my back… He drives an elbow down into my shin. Bone on bone, whiteout pain.” They both have bruises. The fight is described over four pages.  
  • Bree’s ancestor was raped. “What happened to Bree’s ancestor was not a ‘bad decision.’ It was rape. A violation [the rapist] should have been punished for.” 
  • At a party, a demon named Mikael interrogates the guests. Later, Lawson, one of Mikael’s employees, kills a guest named Eric, who had betrayed Mikael. “Without saying a single word, Lawson slips his hand to the back of Eric’s neck… and squeezes. Eric’s body seizes. His eyes roll back in his head—and then he’s gone.” 
  • Four warlocks attack Nick and Bree in their room. “As soon as [one of the warlocks] shifts to lift my feet up and into the waiting, empty corridor, I twist my hips and kick a foot into his face. My heel catches his nose in a satisfying crunch.” Bree is scratched by one of them. “The tail sneaks into my opening, dragging its tip along my upper arm. It leaves a trail of fire behind.” Nick and Bree knock the warlocks unconscious. The fight lasts about five pages.  
  • A Regent attacks Nick. “Nick is speeding to the outer ward… when he is thrown back by a dark green shadow. Nick flies across the lawn, hits the ground with a deep thud, and skids another twenty feet.” Nick and Bree are knocked unconscious. 
  • When Erebus threatens Bree, Selwyn cuts Erebus’ hand off. “Erebus is closer, hand outstretched—until a bolt of green aether slices through his bloodied wrist, severing his hand to the ground.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • Nick orders drinks for Bree and himself. “Nick takes a sip of the golden liquid in his tumbler before he answers, wincing slightly at the burn as he sets it down.” Both Bree and Nick are underage.  

Language  

  • Profanity is used regularly and includes damn, hell, shit, fuck, and ass/asshole. 

Supernatural  

  • Bree is learning how to summon and seal her root. Erebus warns her, “Because if you don’t [seal your power], you’ll be devoured or destroyed before your real training can begin.” 
  • Erebus uses magic to erase Bree’s memory of her friends.  
  • One character, Valechaz, is a crossroads demon that makes deals to give humans magic, making them warlocks. “He’s a two-hundred-and-five-year-old half-human, half-demon cambion.” 
  • Bree’s best friend, Alice, is in a coma caused by magic. Hazel, a rootcrafter, explains, “My theory is that Alice is trapped between two worlds… My diagnosis is that she is in limbo.” 
  • Both Bree and Erebus use magic to create physical beings or items made of aether. “My right foot slides back once, then again, to create space between me and the living constructs… each is made of crystalline aether.” 
  • Nick allows a piece of the Shadow King’s crown to be embedded in his chest to give him Morgaine’s power. “Morgaine’s daughter embedded a shard of the crown into her own chest and touched her mother as she died, expecting to receive her mother’s abilities—but Morgaine’s spirit transferred instead… Morgaine lived on within her daughter, and that’s how her daughter was able to wield her powers.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

by Abigail Clark 

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. ...
  10. 21

Latest Reviews