Magic – Sneak Peek Books

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

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

Extra Yarn

Annabelle, a young girl living in a bleak, wintry town, is surrounded by darkness, cold, and solitude. Everything changes when she discovers a miraculous box filled with colorful yarn—magical, limitless, and full of possibility. As Annabelle knits, her creativity brings people closer and fills the town with color. Her generosity becomes a gift that keeps giving, gaining momentum with each act of kindness and resulting in a surprising twist in the story’s conclusion. This picture book invites children into a world where giving feels wondrous and unexpected, even as a dark force threatens to upend the town’s happiness. At its heart, the story celebrates generosity, creativity, and the triumph of goodwill over evil.

Extra Yarn has a sweet, simple storyline: a quirky little girl with a dog named Mars begins knitting colorful sweaters and refuses to be discouraged when her neighbor, Nate, teases her. Instead, she knits one for him, too. “And even after she’d made a sweater for Nate and his dog, and for herself and for Mars, she still had extra yarn.” With each new creation, Annabelle always has yarn left over. The idea of extra yarn becomes a repeating motif throughout the story: “but there was still extra yarn.” For parents, the never-ending yarn is a gentle reminder that generosity and kindness have no limits. For young readers, the endless yarn creates a joyful and imaginative adventure. As the story unfolds, more and more color appears in the artwork, mirroring the growing warmth Annabelle brings to her world.

Colorful knitting gradually appears on neighbors, pets, and wild animals—first as sweaters, scarves, and hats, and eventually even on the town’s trees and buildings. These scenes evoke the real-world art practice of yarn bombing, where public objects like trees, fences, and poles are wrapped in vibrant knitted creations. Comically, “Annabelle made sweaters for things that didn’t even wear sweaters.” Young readers will enjoy artwork revealing a once-dreary town transformed into a colorful, textured landscape. What begins as a simple sweater soon elevates Annabelle to local celebrity status for her miraculous knitting. “News spread of this remarkable girl who never ran out of yarn.”

In a dramatic turn, a villainous archduke from a faraway land appears, recognizing the magical power of Annabelle’s yarn. He demands that she sell the box to him, offering millions of dollars in return. Annabelle refuses. The same little girl whose endless generosity and creativity have brightened her town has no interest in wealth, and her refusal only fuels the villain’s anger. He hires robbers to steal the box, an act that threatens to destroy Annabelle’s joy. Yet even as the yarn is taken from her, it becomes clear that Annabelle’s true gifts—her generosity, kindness, and unwavering goodwill—can never be stolen. They live within her, radiating a happiness no one else can claim. In the end, the box returns to Annabelle as mysteriously as it arrived.

Extra Yarn has received many awards, including a Caldecott Honor and a spot on Time Magazine’s 100 Best Children’s Books of All Time. Jon Klassen’s artwork uses striking visual contrasts that complement Barnett’s storytelling. Most of the artwork is rendered in monochromatic or black-and-white tones, with the knitted pieces growing more vibrant as the narrative progresses. Created with a blend of pencil work, selective color, and digital techniques, the illustrations carry a vintage, minimalistic quality. Klassen’s mix of hard and soft edges mirrors the story’s shift from the ordinary to the magical. Each page is enriched with artwork, much of it unfolding in expansive full spreads. Extra Yarn shines when read aloud, especially with thoughtful pacing. Young readers will giggle at the imaginative, silly scenes of animals bundled up in sweaters. The story builds to a captivating finale that restores justice and offers relief when the box finds its way back to its rightful owner. In the end, goodwill wins.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

The story touches only lightly on burglary and vengeance, presented in a way that remains gentle and age appropriate. The villainous archduke “hired three robbers to break into Annabelle’s house, and they stole the box.” When he later finds out the box is empty, he yells, “Little girl, I curse you with my family’s curse! You will never be happy again!” The story unfolds much like a traditional fairy tale, complete with a clear antagonist and a moral resolution.

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

The book carries a sense of quiet magic, the kind that feels whimsical rather than spiritual or supernatural, making it especially gentle and reassuring for young readers.

Spiritual Content

None

by Maureen Lowe

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

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

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.”

Unicorns and Germs

Zoey has come home to an exciting surprise: her mom is going to teach her how to make homemade yogurt! But when Zoey discovers that one of the main ingredients in yogurt is bacteria, she’s stunned. Her mom explains that some bacteria can be helpful because they keep the body safe and aid in creating delicious food!

As Zoey and her mom cook the yogurt, their magic doorbell rings! Zoey opens the door to find an enormous rainbow unicorn named Tiny. Tiny is in pain from a large cut on his hoof. Zoey treats the wound with antibacterial ointment and wraps it up, but the unicorn comes back the next day with an infection. Now, it’s up to Zoey to conduct her own experiment—she must grow bacteria to find out which antibacterial will heal Tiny’s wound. With the help of her mom and her cat, Sassafras, can Zoey discover the perfect solution to heal the unicorn’s cut?

Zoey is a kind and curious character who captures the hearts of young readers through her genuine compassion and scientific determination. When the unicorn shows up at her doorstep, Zoey is enamored by the large creature and wants to do everything she can to help him feel better. However, Zoey quickly realizes that healing Tiny’s wound will not be as straightforward as she originally expected. She utilizes problem-solving strategies to come up with another plan to help her new friend. “I need to get started on my research. I’ve got to make a list of things that I think will get rid of bacteria!” Young readers will love Zoey’s curiosity and feel inspired by her determination to help her magical new friend.

The educational value shines through kid-friendly first aid lessons woven seamlessly into the adventure. Zoey explains to Tiny the steps that she takes when she gets a scrape. “The first thing my mom asks me to do is rinse it really well with water. Then she dries it and puts some antibacterial cream on it. After that she covers it with a bandage.” These simple explanations are repeated throughout the book as Zoey cares for Tiny and conducts her own experiments, making the story both engaging and educational.

Citro enhances the educational experience by including a glossary at the end of her book. This glossary includes the definition of six scientific words, such as “agar” and “petri dish,” which are repeated frequently throughout the story. The book also includes black and white illustrations in every chapter, allowing readers to see Zoey’s experiments and Tiny the unicorn. These aspects add clarity and make the book more inclusive for any reader who wants to join Zoey on her journey to save her new unicorn friend.

Unicorns and Germs is a perfect pick for kids who love science, animals, or magical adventures. Through Zoey’s curiosity and compassion, readers will learn about problem solving, helping others, and the fascinating world of bacteria—while enjoying a heartwarming story about friendship and discovery that demonstrates the power of child-led scientific inquiry.

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.
The unicorn has the power to heal other people with its touch, but it cannot heal itself or other unicorns.

Spiritual Content 

None

by Madeline Hettrick

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

Lucy Lancaster is Totally in Control

Young witch Lucy Lancaster is preparing for a super fun weekend with her favorite cousin, Skye Simmons-Young. Lucy plans to play a board game called “Snails and Letters” with Skye and make charm bracelets afterward. Lucy hopes her magical hiccups don’t cause any disasters. Finally, Lucy decides to stop her hiccups, once and for all. But how do you cure a case of magical hiccups?

Lucy’s magical hiccups cause endless problems, so she performs “The No More Hiccups Spell.” To Lucy’s surprise, the spell transfers her magic hiccups to Skye! Skye’s hiccups make Lucy’s stuffed animals float. Lucy cannot hide this magical occurrence from her cousin, so she lies and says her friend Bruce created “stuffed robots” that read minds. Skye is thrilled at the silly magic that has taken over their playdate. Lucy quickly reverses her spell before their parents see the floating animals, causing her hiccups to return and the animals to lose their magic. Skye is disappointed, but the cousins spend the day happily pretending to be witches together.

Lucy Lancaster is Totally in Control follows Lucy as she tries in vain to keep her powers in check. Many young readers can relate to her desire to maintain control over her day despite outside forces that threaten to ruin her plans. Readers will learn more about Lucy’s life at home, where she eats a very nutritious breakfast before tidying up her room. Lucy is a very responsible protagonist who exhibits compassion and ingenuity. On the other hand, Lucy’s lying about Bruce is implied to be a necessary and useful tactic she employs to keep her magic a secret, and no commentary on the potential harmfulness of lying is offered. Lucy Lancaster Is Totally in Control offers adults the opportunity to discuss Lucy’s behavior with young readers and apply it to their own lives.

Despite their differences, Lucy and Skye’s relationship demonstrates the joy of family connections. Lucy is determined to have a fun weekend with her cousin Skye, and many readers will find their bond relatable to their own family experiences. The story introduces Skye’s two mothers, which normalizes different family arrangements without making them the focus of the story. This allows children to see diverse families as part of everyday life.

Lucy Lancaster is Totally in Control is a fun book suitable for independent readers. Large black-and-white illustrations appear on almost every page. The illustrations are charming and highly expressive, effectively highlighting the key details of every scene and visually conveying the emotions of various characters. Each chapter begins with a full-page illustration that seamlessly transitions readers into the next section, picking up where the previous chapter left off. The Lucy Lancaster Series can be read in any order because each book focuses on a new adventure.

Lucy Lancaster is Totally in Control continues the themes of self-reliance and problem-solving present in the previous Lucy Lancaster books. Lucy must quickly figure out how to handle the situations caused by her hiccups without revealing her magic. Lucy also learns that, even if her plans do not turn out the way she wanted, she can still have a fun day. What may have seemed like a disaster at first could turn out to be an opportunity.

Sexual Content 

None

Violence 

When Lucy and her cousin Skye lose the game “Twisted Tower,” their make-believe characters fall off the tall wizard tower. Skye exclaims, “I fall to my doom!”

Drugs and Alcohol 

None

Language 

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Supernatural

Lucy’s magic manifests in two ways: her spontaneous and uncontrollable hiccups (accompanied by her toes tingling) and the spells she recites from her spell book.
Lucy hiccups while eating breakfast, causing the orange in her hand to explode, “spraying juice and pulp everywhere.” She later reflects on how “her magic seemed to have a mind of its own.”
Despite having cleaned her room, Lucy’s hiccups cause “an avalanche of games, dress-up clothes, and stuffed animals” to come out of her closet. Her cousin Skye assumes that Lucy had shoved everything into her closet before having guests over, and Lucy is unable to prove otherwise.
Lucy and Skye play a board game called “Twisted Tower” in which they must scale a wizard’s tower to receive his blessing. Lucy hiccups while rolling the dice, and it flies into the air, around the room, and back to her. Skye remarks that the path of the dice was “like magic,” and Lucy denies it.
In secret, Lucy makes her charm bracelet spell the word “COUSINS” as a surprise for Skye. However, she hiccups while completing it, and the letter beads become “regular old beads.”
Skye hides in Lucy’s room, preparing to scare Lucy and make her hiccups go away. Lucy sits on the other side of the door with her stuffed dog named Boris. She hiccups, causing Boris to come to life. He starts to move and talk, telling Lucy, “I am the guardian of this room . . . None shall pass.” Boris floats, and Lucy worries that Skye will open the door and see him in the air.
Lucy’s spell book magically appears while she is trying to catch the floating Boris. She opens the Book of Spells and sees “The No More Hiccups Spell” has appeared in the pages.
When Lucy recites “The No More Hiccups Spell,” she sees a swirl of magic sparkles leave the animated Boris and fly through her bedroom door. The magic seemingly transfers to Skye, who immediately begins hiccupping.
Skye’s new magic hiccups cause all of Lucy’s stuffed animals to “rise into the air. Boris is flying, too, and returns to life.” Skye wonders if the stuffed animals are magic, and Lucy hurriedly lies that they are robotic. Skye hiccups again, and the stuffed animals begin “cleaning up [Lucy’s] messy room.”
To keep the magic hiccups a secret and prevent Skye from hiccupping, Lucy decides to “reverse her last spell.” She uses her spell book and follows the directions for “How to Catch the Hiccups,” a new piece of text that has appeared in the book. The spell succeeds, and the stuffed animals all fall to the ground.
Lucy’s hiccups return to her, and she makes Boris fly without Skye knowing.
Lucy and Skye end the day playing make-believe. They pretend to be witches with magic wands, casting spells on everything around them. Both Lucy and Skye fall asleep dreaming that they are flying on broomsticks.

Spiritual Content 

None

by Gabrielle Barke

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

Rebel Witch

Rune Winters is on the run. Ever since the boy she loved, Gideon Sharpe, revealed who she was and delivered her into enemy hands, everyone wants her dead. Now, Rune is working for Cressida, who is forcing Rune to marry Soren, a prince from the mainland. In exchange for Rune’s hand in marriage, Soren promises to provide Cressida with an army with which to take back the Republic. Gideon has been sent to kill Rune and stop this union from happening.

After discovering Cressida’s plan to locate her missing siblings and sacrifice them to resurrect her dead sisters, Rune and Gideon forge an alliance. Gideon agrees to help Rune return to the Republic and rescue a witch soothsayer. In exchange, Rune will break her engagement to Soren, which would prevent Cressida from gaining access to the army she needs for her planned invasion of the Republic. On the surface, this arrangement appears mutually beneficial. However, both Rune and Gideon harbor secret intentions to double-cross the other. To successfully protect their homeland, they must overcome their mistrust and learn to rely on each other once more. Ultimately, their partnership may prove to be the key to restoring peace to their fractured world.

Rune returns with unwavering determination to save the witches and protect her homeland. The traumatic events from the previous book have left their mark—Alex’s death and Gideon’s betrayal have left her more emotionally vulnerable than before. Despite these wounds, Rune remains brilliant and consistently strives to do what’s right and protect those she cares about. Her perseverance will continue to inspire and embolden readers.

In this installment, readers will find Rune even more relatable as Cressida’s ruthlessness instills a fear in her unlike anything she’s experienced. At one crucial moment, terror drives Rune to attempt an escape, seeking safety far from Cressida’s influence. However, Rune cannot deny her heart or abandon the people of the Republic who desperately hope for freedom and a better future, so she turns back to fight for them.

The shared struggle against Cressida and the scheming of the Republic’s new Commander bring together many characters who were previously enemies. Ciccarelli showcases these unique individuals, giving each distinct motivations and compelling moments despite their limited page time. The unity of these previously at-odds individuals strengthens the hopeful message of the book and shows that there is indeed a better world to be founded.

Gideon undergoes a profound transformation through his relationship with Rune. He becomes more accepting of witches and increasingly critical of his society’s prejudices. Yet Gideon is unable to deny his growing love for Rune despite his ongoing internal resistance. When Rune becomes too terrified to keep fighting, Gideon steps forward to lead the fight for their survival and their world.

Ciccarelli brews a powerful storm for the conclusion of her duology. Rebel Witch features numerous unexpected twists that, upon reflection, clearly stem from seeds planted in the first book’s opening pages. Rebel Witch will evoke a whirlwind of emotions as the novel follows Rune and Gideon as they finally learn to trust each other, despite their painful history.

Though hate and suffering dominate their world, Ciccarelli weaves a poignant message of love and acceptance. The characters’ hateful actions only perpetuate cycles of violence and pain. Ultimately, it is the love between a witch and a witch hunter—two enemies who choose unity over division—that enables everyone to fight for a brighter future.

The book’s conclusion is duly earned through significant sacrifice. Rune dies to secure the future and is resurrected through Cressida’s death. After cycles of hatred and revenge, Rune, Gideon, and their allies choose to build a new world founded on love. They establish a united council with elected representatives from all parts of the island, including both witches and non-witches. Ciccarelli delivers the classic message that love conquers all and that love is more powerful than hate. Rune’s journey to right past wrongs ultimately becomes a journey to find herself. Through accepting herself—flaws and all—she learns to love others as well.

Sexual Content

Rune is engaged to Prince Soren of the mainland. Rune flirts with Soren and teases him about a special surprise implied to be sex. “When Soren’s free hand settled on her hip, admiring its curve, she added: ‘Later tonight, when the recital is over and the guests are gone, I have something special planned for you.’”
While Gideon threatens Rune, he can’t help but be drawn to her. “The basest part of him wanted to tilt her head back and kiss her until she told him why she was crying.”
To save Gideon, Rune flirts with Soren, encouraging him and distracting Cressida. “Soren’s hands roamed freely now. Up her thighs. Under her dress.”
While Cressida is torturing Gideon, she means to take advantage of him. “When her eyes dropped to his trousers, she found every button undone.” Cressida is interrupted.
Rune and Gideon pretend to be newlyweds and flirt. “Before Rune could rail against the injustice, he cupped her legs above the knees. The warmth of his palms penetrated her dress, seeping into her skin. Rune’s grip tightened on her seat as his thumbs stroked her. Tenderly, and a little possessively.”
While she is sleeping in their shared cabin, Gideon sees Rune’s magic scars. “He had the strangest urge to take her leg in his hands and trace the silver lines. Memorize them with his fingers.”
Rune has a sex dream about Gideon. “They were arguing again—only not with words. His mouth was on hers, hot and insistent. Hers was hungry, insatiable, devouring.”
To shield Rune from the Blood Guard, Gideon makes out with her. “Hooking her arms around his neck, Rune arched against him. . . Gideon used the crowd as cover to guide her backward, kissing her as he moved through the dancers, toward that dark corner, and pressing her up against the wall. . . he tipped her head back and kissed her harder.”
When Cressida tortures Gideon, she activates a curse that prevents him from being with his true love. Gideon kisses Rune to show her that the curse exists. “His hand pressed against her lower back, pulling her closer. Burning a hungry fire through her. . . Their kisses turned desperate. . . Rune’s pulse hammered as his palms settled firmly around her waist and he lifted her onto the desk. When he stepped between her legs, pulling her flush against him, Rune hummed deep in her throat.”
Gideon and Rune kiss each other before Rune plans to escape to the mainland. “His free hand slid into her hair, pulling her closer, lips parting hers. His kiss made her ache in all the usual places. . . She dropped her knife and kissed him back. Gideon’s mouth turned devouring. Rune untucked his shirt from his trousers and slid her hands up his bare chest. . . He shivered and grabbed hold of her thighs, lifting her onto his hips, pulling her securely against him.”
Soren tries to assault Rune after she breaks off her engagement to him. “She felt his free hand pawing at her bodice. Felt the fabric tear and the dress loosen around her chest. ‘I always get what I’m owed,’ he said.”
When Rune and Gideon break into a house, they meet two old acquaintances. “Two young men entered the room—both in the midst of undressing, their hair messy, their lips swollen from kissing.”
Gideon and Rune profess their love, promise to get married, and then have sex. “The fire in her belly grew hotter and brighter with every rocking thrust. Grabbing hold of the bunk overhead, Rune rolled her hips to meet him.” This scene lasts seven pages.

Violence

Gideon has orders to kill Rune to prevent her marriage to Prince Soren, so he threatens her with a gun. “Keeping her wrists pinned with one hand, he pressed the barrel of his gun to her temple.” Gideon doesn’t shoot Rune because he still has feelings for her.
After he fails to kill Rune, Cressida captures Gideon and activates a painful curse in his body. “Pain flooded Gideon like lightning. Scorching hot. Bright white. As if she were branding him all over again.” Nothing physically happens to Gideon, but he still feels pain internally.
While Gideon and Rune are kissing, Cressida’s curse activates and tortures Gideon. “PAIN exploded inside him. Hot and sharp and excruciating. Starting in his scar, it ricocheted outward like a detonated bomb.”
While being controlled by a witch’s spell, Gideon tries to kill Rune. “Whipping her around to face him, he locked his hands around her throat and slammed her against the mirror.” Rune hits her head and gets a bit dizzy but recovers quickly.
While being choked by Gideon, Rune manages to grab a pistol and shoot the witch controlling him. “One shot. Make it count. Rune lifted the gun and fired.” The witch dies.
When Gideon comes to kill Rune, she has a gun ready. “Rune was inside, wearing a white lace dress. Gideon didn’t have time to pull his gun on her, because she already had one of her own. It was aimed straight at his forehead.” Rune uses the gun to threaten Gideon into making a deal with her.
Right after Rune and Gideon come to an agreement, Soren discovers them. To keep their deal a secret, Gideon threatens Rune. “‘Do exactly as I say,’ Gideon snarled. ‘Or I’ll put a bullet in your darling’s tiny head.’”
A spy for the Republic catches Rune. The spy says, “‘Turn around, witch, or I’ll shoot.’ Rune let out a slow breath and did as he said. The barrel of his gun was pointed at her head.” Gideon stops the spy.
The new Commander of the Republic, Noah, has a witch in his custody that can see the future. To make her comply and tell him her visions, Noah threatens to harm the witch’s daughter. “As Noah gripped the sword in two hands, the child tried to back away. One guard grabbed her arms while the other seized her wrist, pinning her little hand to the desk.” The girl remains uninjured, but very terrified.
Gideon and Rune kiss to see if the curse will activate; it does. “Gideon wrenched himself out of her embrace and stumbled back, his brand glowing ember-red through the white of his shirt. As if a scorching-hot iron were searing his skin.”
While trying to rescue a child, guards shoot at Gideon and Rune. “With the arrival of reinforcements, the gunfire intensified. Gideon’s gloved hand cupped Rune’s head, pressing her face into his shoulder. . . they sheltered the child between their two bodies.” No one gets injured.
The child’s mother, Aurelia, threatens Gideon, but no one is hurt. “The witch drew the missing gun and pressed the barrel under Gideon’s chin. He froze as she cocked it.”
Rune threatens Aurelia, who is threatening Gideon. “So before Aurelia fired, Rune reached for the second gun, still on the table, and aimed it straight at the witch.”
Rune has a dream that Gideon kills her. “Before she could, Gideon raised his gun. Rune froze, her pulse pounding. . . He cocked the gun, aiming it at her chest.”
Witches cut off Gideon’s friend Harrow’s ear and then throw her in the dungeon. Harrow “pointed to the spot where an ear should be, [and says,] ‘I stayed alive by catching drops of water from a leaking pipe, waiting to die of starvation.’”
Gideon gets beaten up for helping Rune escape. “It was the third time Noah hit him across the face with the butt of a revolver, and his ears rang from the pain of the blows.”
Cressida whips Rune. “Another lash caught Rune across the shoulder. She clenched her teeth to stop the agonized sounds escaping her. As fresh blood gushed from the wounds, soaking her shirt, two more lashes sliced open her back.” Rune is severely injured.
Cressida invades the Republic. She kills all those who oppose her. “Those who refused to talk were tortured. If they still refused, they were executed.”
Rune kills Soren when he tries to assault her. “Lifting the gun to Soren’s head, Rune fired.”
Trying to escape, Rune injures Noah. “Rune raised both hands, as if to surrender. But instead of dropping the knife, she threw it. Straight at Noah. . . The blade sank into his shoulder and he screamed.” Noah is slightly injured.
Gideon and Rune escape, but Gideon is shot. “The first time she stumbled, Gideon helped her up and a bullet lodged in his shoulder. He bit down on a growl as the pain seared through him.” Gideon is mildly injured but gets treatment and recovers.
Cressida’s guard corners Gideon and is about to kill him. “[Gideon] expected [the guard] to step back, preferring to put a bullet in his head. But she drew her casting knife and pressed its sharp edge to his throat.”
Rune saves Gideon from Cressida’s guard by shooting and killing her. “The witch dropped her knife. A second later, she toppled, hitting the ground beside him with a thump.”
Gideon kills Rune to prevent Cressida from using Rune to resurrect her sisters. “Gideon let out a soft cry, but he didn’t fail her. Pulling the trigger, he sent a bullet straight into her heart.”
Seraphine, the witch Rune saved in the first book, kills Cressida and uses her blood for a spell. “She plunged the knife straight into Cressida’s heart.”

Drugs and Alcohol

Rune is eating with Gideon and is too nervous so she “took another sip of wine. The familiar fog of intoxication was creeping in, blurring everything beyond their booth and muddying her thoughts.”
Gideon’s friend, Antonio, offers to make him a sleeping drug. Antonio says, “Perhaps a sleeping draught, then? We have the ingredients in the kitchen. I can make one for you. It will help ease the pain, at least for tonight.”

Language

Profanity is used rarely. Language includes damn, fuck, and hell.

Supernatural

Cressida plans to resurrect her sisters, Analise and Elowyn, with forbidden magic. “Analise and Elowyn were long dead, and resurrection spells required the sacrifice of someone closely related to the deceased—like a parent, sibling, or child.”
Seraphine, the witch Rune saved in the first book, uses a spell to kill Cressida and transfer her life force to Rune, thereby resurrecting Rune. “The witch queen gasped and the symbols on Rune’s skin glowed moonwhite. As if joining in with the breath she took, coming alive as Wisdom’s magic stole Cressida’s life force and poured it into Rune.”
Rune finds the curse Cressida used on Gideon. “TRUE LOVE’S CURSE is an Arcana spell. It prevents a victim from being with his true love by inflicting pain whenever he touches her skin to skin. . . Once cast, TRUE LOVE’S CURSE cannot wear off. Only the blood of the victim’s true love, spilled in a sacrificial act, can break it.”

Spiritual Content

This world believes in seven sisters who created the world and magic, called the Ancients. “In the beginning, there was darkness. Until the Seven Sisters laughed and a world burst into being. . . Before moving on, they chose a select few to watch over the world in their absence. To help these guardians love and protect their creation, the Seven Sisters gave them a gift. The gift of magic.”
Rune has a prophetic vision. “At that thought, a strange thing happened. An image flared before her eyes, like a waking dream.” The vision was of an older Gideon running around with three children, presumably his own.
One of the Ancients is summoned, takes human form, and becomes the queen’s advisor. “But Wisdom took pity on Althea and allowed herself to be summoned.”
In the first book, Rune attempted to rescue Seraphine, a witch and an Ancient.
Right after saving Rune, Seraphine leaves to rejoin her sisters. “Six figures appeared at the water’s edge. Each one shaped like a woman, glowing faintly. As if they were made of moonlight. . . And then she was gone. Turning away to join her ancient sisters.”

by Annamaria Lund

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

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

Lucy Lancaster and the Stormy Day

Inquisitive second-grader Lucy Lancaster is bursting with excitement. Today is the day that she and her two best friends, Heidi and Bruce, are visiting the Discovery Museum. All three of them received mysterious invitations to the museum, and all three were elated to participate in its hands-on science activities. But just when Lucy is planning to leave to pick up her friends, Heidi calls Lucy’s house with awful news. She has the sniffles, and she cannot join Lucy on her museum trip.

Overcome with sadness, Lucy lets out a magical hiccup. Suddenly, it begins to rain outside. Lucy isn’t surprised. Her magical witch hiccups have been occurring for some time. She hiccups again, and the rainstorm turns into a thunderstorm. Lucy decides to go to the museum despite the bad weather, but when she arrives at Bruce’s house, he tells her that he cannot leave his frightened dog, Frankie, who is afraid of thunder. Lucy must go to the Discovery Museum alone.

The museum has many wonders, but Lucy cannot help but be in a bad mood. She misses her friends. Nothing feels as fun without them. The museum has a three-person bicycle that can power an ice cream maker, but Lucy is unable to power it alone. Her parents try to cheer her up, telling her that she has the power to brighten her own day. Then Lucy remembers—she’s a witch! In secret, she asks her spellbook for a spell that can bring Heidi and Bruce to the museum, but the book only gives her an incantation to improve the weather. Lucy is disheartened once again.

Lucy makes her way through the museum’s laser maze, determined to get a good score despite her loneliness. There, she meets a boy named Jackson, and the two quickly become friends after participating in more museum activities together. Jackson tells Lucy that he cannot help her with the ice cream bicycle because he only eats ice cream on sunny days. Luckily for him, Lucy has her secret spellbook! She casts the weather-changing spell, and the two successfully make strawberry ice cream.

After the museum trip, Lucy visits Bruce and Heidi. Frankie the dog is feeling much better. Realizing that Heidi had a worse day, Lucy gifts Heidi the butterfly keychain from the museum. Lucy’s stormy day ended up being fun after all.

This third-person story follows a day in the life of young witch Lucy Lancaster as she navigates a series of disappointments. The narration is written in the voice of an eight-year-old, using simple words and descriptions. Lucy’s thought processes are consistent with someone her age, and her worries will be relatable to young readers. She struggles with disappointment, loneliness, and frustration, and her magical mishaps parallel her feelings. In the end, Lucy makes her day better through determination and unwavering kindness, and she manages to make new friends while missing her old ones. Lucy learns that she has the power to turn even the stormiest days into sunny ones. Since this lesson was first imparted by Lucy’s parents, Lucy Lancaster and the Stormy Day teaches that a combination of parental guidance and self-reliance leads to good problem-solving.

Lucy Lancaster and the Stormy Day is a fun book suitable for independent readers. Large black-and-white illustrations appear on almost every page. The illustrations are charming and highly expressive, effectively highlighting the key details of every scene and visually conveying the emotions of various characters. The instructions and incantation for Lucy’s “Sunny-Day Spell” are included in their entirety as they would appear in Lucy’s spellbook. Each chapter begins with a full-page illustration that seamlessly transitions readers into the next section, picking up where the previous chapter left off. The Lucy Lancaster Series can be read in any order because each book focuses on a new adventure.

Stormy Day mixes interesting real-life science with fantastical magic. Young readers interested in STEM studies will enjoy Lucy’s enthusiasm toward the museum and the various exhibits she sees.

Sexual Content 

None

Violence 

None

Drugs and Alcohol 

None

Language 

None

Supernatural

After learning that Heidi is too sick to visit the museum, Lucy starts to hiccup. Lucy’s magic hiccups cause it to start raining outside. “The sky darkened outside the kitchen window. Raindrops began pelting against the window, and a strong wind whooshed through the branches.”
Lucy reflects on the other magical things that her hiccups have caused in the past, “like magically tidying up her room. Or totally turning her room upside down.”
Running into the coat closet, Lucy’s toes begin tingling, and she lets out another hiccup. This time, she sees “sparks of magic” in the air that cause the rain to turn into a thunderstorm. She also notices that her magic hiccup caused her raincoat and rain boots to appear on her body.
In the museum, as soon as Lucy remembers that she has a magic spellbook, it appears in her hands.
Lucy wants her spell book to give her a spell that will bring Heidi and Bruce to the museum. Lucy opens to a random page in the book, and she sees that “The Sunny-Day Spell” has magically appeared, an incantation that would stop the rainstorm. Angry with the book, Lucy hiccups again, and her Book of Spells suddenly flies out of her hands in a gust of wind. The wind also blows Lucy into the museum’s laser maze.
When Lucy’s new museum friend Jackson tells her that he cannot eat ice cream on a rainy day, Lucy once again summons the spellbook (in secret). She chants The Sunny-Day Spell. More sparks of magic emerge and fly away in the wind, and the thunderstorm turns into a perfectly sunny day. “The clouds parted, and the sun started shining. It was incredible!”

Spiritual Content 

None

by Gabrielle Barke

Lily’s Dream: A Fairy Friendship

Lily is a fairy who dreams of flying high. However, Lily is the only fairy who cannot get her wings to lift her. As she practices, much of her time is spent taking in the beauty of nature from the ground.

One day, after a particularly difficult flying lesson, Lily stumbles on an acorn and finds a small alcove in a tree filled with fairy-sized treasures. As Lily explores the new environment, Willow, a young human girl, approaches her, causing Lily to run away in fear. When she realizes she has left her golden bracelet there, Lily returns. Willow returns Lily’s bracelet and offers to help her learn to fly. But can a human—completely grounded—help a fairy connect with her wings?

Told from the third-person point of view, Lily’s Dream follows a young fairy’s journey to achieve flight. Unlike other fairies with beautiful, shimmering wings, Lily has small, colorless ones. Lily yearns to be like the rest of the fairies and asks her mother, “Will my wings ever look like yours?” Lily’s mother tells her that each fairy’s wings are unique, and though Lily’s wings are not yet colorful, it does not mean that she is not special. This interaction will teach readers that a person’s beauty comes from within and that their individuality is what makes them truly extraordinary.

Willow, a human girl, plays a key role in helping Lily achieve her dreams. Though she cannot directly relate to Lily’s struggle, Willow uses her artistic side to create an acorn helmet, a landing cushion, and a mini trampoline for Lily. Willow makes sure to create a safe space for Lily and encourages her. With Willow’s daily support, the fairy and the girl become friends.

Each page contains one to six sentences with full-page illustrations that match the text and convey Lily’s emotions. For example, “while all the other fairies soared to dazzling heights, Lily was the only one who knew about the beauty closer to the ground.” The illustration shows her smiling on a lily pad, watching the fish below. Lily is small in comparison to the nature around her. For example, one picture shows tall, pink, and white flowers towering over her. These detailed, dream-like images will enchant readers and draw them into Lily’s magical world. Additionally, the vivid colors and detailed facial expressions will help readers identify Lily’s frustrations with flying and her joy in connecting with nature.

Lily’s Dream explores themes of resilience and friendship through Lily’s persistent pursuit of flight. Despite her struggles, Lily never gives up on her dream and continues working toward her goal. She demonstrates tenacity by taking flying lessons and practicing independently every day. Young readers will relate to Lily’s determination and feel encouraged to face challenges with similar strength.

Though Lily shows inherent determination as an individual, she only succeeds after receiving Willow’s unwavering support. The human girl not only creates a safe environment for Lily but also cheers Lily on, uplifting her fairy friend as if they share the challenge together. Their unlikely friendship demonstrates how kindness can help someone reach new heights. Readers will learn the importance of supporting their friends — even when they cannot directly relate to the struggles those friends are facing. Though Lily and Willow come from different worlds, their blossoming bond proves that anyone can find common ground and offer meaningful support. Through these lessons, Lily’s Dream becomes a heartfelt celebration of self-belief and the transformative power of friendship.

Sexual Content 

None

Violence 

None

Drugs and Alcohol 

None

Language 

None

Supernatural 

None

Spiritual Content 

None

by Madeline Hettrick

Savvy

When a child in Mibs Beaumont’s family turns thirteen, they gain a savvy, an inherited superpower that can range from mundane to magnificent, such as her mother embodying effortless perfection or her brother creating life-threatening hurricanes. With no idea what her savvy will be, Mibs needs all the support she can get, but just two days before her thirteenth birthday, a car crash changes everything.

Suddenly, Mibs’ dad is in a coma, and her mom is out of state watching over him, leaving Mibs without parental support on her big day. But in her darkest moment, Mibs’ thirteenth birthday brings the solution to all her problems. Her savvy is to wake people up. Convinced only she can save her dad, Mibs will do anything to reach him as soon as possible. Mibs becomes a secret stowaway in the back of a delivery driver’s van, along with her brothers, Fish and Samson, and her neighbors, Bobbi and Will Junior.

But as she travels across the country, Mibs realizes she may be in over her head, and her savvy may be another power entirely. While her father’s health may be out of her control, the journey teaches Mibs more about herself and her personal relationships with others. She feels like an outsider in her small town, but maybe she is just looking for belonging in the wrong place.

Mibs is a brave and headstrong young girl, determined to save her dad no matter what obstacle stands in her way. However, in pursuit of her goals, she occasionally makes dangerous and ill-conceived choices. For example, Mibs hitchhikes a ride in the back of a stranger’s van without telling any adults. While the driver, Lester, turns out to be a good person, Mibs did not know that at the time. Readers may disapprove of her reckless decision-making, as her actions could have endangered not just herself, but also her brothers and neighbors. However, considering the stress of her situation and her naiveté at such a young age, Mibs remains a deeply sympathetic character that is easy to root for.

Will is a year older than Mibs and serves as her love interest. In contrast to Mibs’ classmates, who often tease and isolate her, Will does not make Mibs feel strange and “freakish.” Instead, he makes her feel rather special and gifted. He is kind and clearly has romantic feelings for Mibs. Even when she feels too young to reciprocate, Will accepts the rejection in stride and remains positive and supportive, teaching readers the importance of accepting others’ boundaries.

Will’s older sister, Bobbi, fills a somewhat antagonistic role. She is a stereotypical angry teen, prone to lashing out at others without justification. For example, she makes fun of Mibs’ birthday dress and kicks Fish. While her antics may annoy some readers, Bobbi has occasional moments of vulnerability, such as thinking about her loneliness, that make her rebellious nature come off as insecurity rather than genuine meanness. Readers will learn to not judge someone by their appearance because they may be going through hidden struggles.

Savvy is told from Mibs’ point of view. She acts like an authentic thirteen-year-old, who occasionally makes misjudgments that the reader will know are wrong long before Mib catches up. For example, Mibs hears Bobbi’s thoughts, and it becomes clear her savvy is not “waking others” but mind reading. Yet, for a significant chunk of the book, Mibs ignores the evidence in favor of what she wants to believe. Despite her good intentions, Mibs ends up accomplishing the opposite of her goal – to protect her family. The desire to help a loved one clouds her judgment, ironically putting more loved ones (her brother and friends) in danger.

While Mibs’ personal relationships are the heart of the book and keep the reader emotionally invested in the story, they are not the main focus. Savvy is a journey of self-discovery. Mibs learns what her power is, both in terms of her savvy and her independence. For a book about superpowers, the stakes are relatively low. Instead, the conflict derives from a much more intimate, personal scale, allowing the reader to understand Savvy’s characters better. Savvy feels like a realistic, grounded portrayal of how a family would handle superpowers. They go about their daily lives, occasionally receiving assistance and experiencing societal ostracization along the way, but they are mostly normal people.

This book has won the Newbery Honor and was a runner-up for the Indian Paintbrush Book Award, with its success extending to two spin-off books. Although this book was published in 2010, it remains relevant today due to its timeless story. Through a flawed yet compassionate protagonist, Savvy tackles mature themes, such as the loss of a parent. He demonstrates a girl growing into herself while avoiding the pitfalls of growing up too quickly.

Sexual Content

Will Junior has a crush on Mibs, as seen through his attentiveness. For example, Mibs observes that “Will always seemed to be walking on our heels or watching us when he was supposed to be praying. One time he even gave me his own cup of juice.”
Likewise, Mibs has a crush on Will Junior, as seen through her jealousy. Mibs states that she doesn’t “like the way Ashley kept staring at Will, or the way her staring at him bothered” her. Ashley is Mibs’ mean classmate.
In a pool, Will Junior kisses Mibs, then her brother asks Will to stop. Mibs describes, “Then [Will Junior] moved forward and his lips touched mine, quick and awkward with the taste of chlorine and salt, like maybe he’d just slipped and bumped his face into mine accidentally.”
Mibs later tells Will Junior that she likes him, too, but is unwilling to be in a relationship due to their age. He supports her decision and decides to wait for her.
Will Junior was born out of wedlock and then secretly raised by his grandparents. Mibs describes, “I might have been wrong in believing that Will Junior was Bobbi’s brother. Will had a secret. Now I knew his secret.”

Violence

After drawing on Will Junior’s hand, Mibs discovers that when ink touches a person’s skin, she can read their mind. Mibs panics, so Fish attacks Will Junior. Fish “spun him around, clocking him hard and fast in the eye with his fist. . . Bobbi joined the scuffle, climbing over the seats and throwing herself at Fish, scratching his cheek with her fingernails.” The fight ends when Fish finally understands why Mibs is scared and spits “a big, thick wad of juicy spit right into Will Junior’s hand. ‘Eww, man!’ Will hollered out in disgust.” The comedically chaotic fight lasts three pages, with no characters getting injured aside from scrapes and bruises.
The group takes a detour at a restaurant, where they encounter the manager, Ozzie, being rude to one of the waitresses. After Ozzie fires the waitress and throws her final paycheck across the ground, Samson “leaned forward from his hidey-hole behind the counter and bit The Great and Powerful Ozzie hard on the leg.” The extent of Ozzie’s injuries is unknown, as the group immediately flees the scene. However, Samson’s mouth is not bloody, so readers can assume they were superficial.

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

Mibs and her family have supernatural abilities. For example, Mibs can read minds and Fish can create storms. Mibs once reads Will Junior’s mind, where he hints at having a secret.

Spiritual Content

The van driver, Lester, delivers Bibles, and Will Junior’s grandfather is a pastor.
Overwhelmed with her new savvy, Mibs begs God to take it away. “I tried making a deal with God. I vowed that I would eat my green beans without complaint. . . If only I could stop hearing voices when someone nearby had ink on their skin.”

by Kerry Lum

Rule of Wolves

The cursed king of Ravka, Nikolai Lantsov, is preparing for war against Fjerda’s massive artillery and an army of Grisha (magic-users) addicted to the drug jurda parem. Disputing Nikolai’s right to the Lantsov throne, the Fjerdans seem to outmatch the Ravkans on all fronts. To make matters worse, Nikolai is holding hostages—a Shu Han princess, Ehri, and a member of her guard named Mayu Kir-Kaat. He plans to marry Ehri and forge an alliance between Shu Han and Ravka. But the princess’s sister, Queen Makhi, would prefer to see Nikolai dead. Trapped between Fjerdan bombers and Shu assassins, Nikolai wonders if his time as king is coming to an end.

Recently gifted the powers of Sankt Juris, Zoya is struggling with the death of her mentor. As a blight of darkness threatens to engulf her world, Zoya turns to the newly resurrected Darkling for answers. When the Darkling escapes from her grasp, she must divert her attention to the war brewing between Ravka and Fjerda. Nikolai and Zoya make their final stand to protect Nikolai’s throne and the kingdom of Ravka. Can they protect their people and all they hold dear without sacrificing the relationship between them?

Grisha Nina Zenik and her Fjerdan companion Hanne Brum are fighting a different kind of war—one of espionage and trickery. Still undercover as the Fjerdan widow Mila Jandersdat, Nina must use her powers over the dead to gain intel on Fjerda’s plans while protecting the persecuted Grisha of Fjerda. Because of Nina, followers of the “New Saints” (in reality, Grisha spies) have emerged throughout the country. She and Hanne form a relationship with Prince Rasmus, the heir to the Fjerdan throne. With him, they hope to sway the Fjerdan government towards peace, even if it means giving up the relationship that they have formed together.

Like its predecessor, King of Scars, Rule of Wolves has a constantly changing perspective. Every chapter features a new third-person narrator, whose name is announced in the chapter’s title. Perspectives include Nikolai, Zoya, Nina, Mayu (a Shu soldier), Queen Makhi, and “The Monk.” Each narrator focuses on their plot thread, making it challenging to follow their stories, which are interrupted every time a new chapter begins. While Nikolai is perhaps the central figure of the book, the wide cast of narrators expands the already vast world of the “Grishaverse” and encourages the audience to understand previously dismissed perspectives. Bardugo’s writing treats both the commoner and the royal with the same level of respect, and every character feels important to the story. Rule of Wolves reintroduces many figures from previous “Grishaverse” series, such as Malyen Oretsev from Shadow and Bone and Kaz Brekker from Six of Crows. Ample exposition is offered, but audiences who have not read the previous books will miss much of their backstory and characterization.

The duology’s message of resilience remains present in this sequel, and each character faces challenges that they must overcome, utilizing both mental and physical strength. With the overarching threat of war, Rule of Wolves shows the multi-faceted impact of international conflict. Innocents die, malicious parties go free, and the protagonists are repeatedly forced to decide between mercy and vengeance. These issues make Rule of Wolves an extremely pertinent book for our modern era, as it combines fantasy elements with universal lessons of compassion in the face of brutality and open-mindedness amidst chaos.

Sexual Content 

The Shu royal leader, Queen Makhi, remarks that her grandmother is free to “rusticate with a series of wildly handsome lovers.”
The Ravkan Count Kirgin is infatuated by Zoya, and she feels “his eagerness, his longing” and imagines that his goals for their relationship “involv[e] bodies entwined.”
Nina mentions having spent time in the “brothels of Ketterdam.” What occurs in the brothels is not described.
Nina notices Jarl Brum’s (a Fjerdan military commander) eyes looking “lower” than her neck. She later fakes an affair with him, and the Fjerdan guard Joran asks her, “You did not want to be his whore?” Nina and Joran’s conversation regarding her affair takes place over two pages.
Zoya “place[s] a kiss on [Nikolai’s] forehead” and expresses her desire to stay with him in his room.
David kisses his wife Genya’s knuckles, and “Genya’s cheeks flus[h] pink with pleasure.” They later kiss at the altar during their wedding.
Nikolai wonders if Zoya has “a lover,” and her romantic life is further alluded to.
Nikolai jokes that Zoya is trying to get him “into bed.”
Nikolai and Zoya’s romantic tension builds throughout the book. Nikolai’s guard, Tamar, tells him, “Your heart is in your eyes, Your Highness.” He thinks, “I am greedy for the sight of you [Zoya].” Later, Nikolai confesses to Zoya, “I would make you my queen because I want you. I want you all the time.” This confession scene lasts four pages.
The Fjerdan royal guard to Prince Rasmus, Joran, pretends to have “presumed upon” the Grisha spy Nina. Prince Rasmus remarks, “It’s not as if he put her up against the wall and lifted her skirts.”
The undercover Fjerdan Grisha, Hanne Brum, and Nina kiss in Nina’s bed. The scene picks up again, chapters later, when Hanne’s mother, Ylva, finds them, “gowns half on, a rumple of silk and mouths bruised from kissing.”
Nikolai and Zoya kiss after she admits her love for him. “And she did, drawing him up to her, feeling the stubble at his jaw, the soft curl of his hair behind his ear, and at last, after all these long days of wanting, his witty, brilliant, perfect mouth.” After this, they kiss again several times.
Nikolai says to Zoya regarding his alter-ego sending a message to Ketterdam, “If it involves you out of that dress, I have no doubt I can convince him.”

Violence 

Since the book contains a substantial amount of violence, not all of it is detailed below.
Queen Makhi planned to have her royal guards kill Nikolai: “Mayu’s task was to get close to King Nikolai, murder him, then take her own life.” The Queen also planned for her sister, Ehri, to be murdered by her royal guards in the ensuing Shu invasion that would cause many casualties.
A blight of darkness is engulfing the world and causing everything in its path to die. Queen Makhi’s niece, Akeni, dies after being caught in the path of the “shadow. . . spreading like a stain.”
Fjerda trains soldiers called drüskelle to “merrily go to murder Grisha.”
Nikolai reflects on how Mayu is “the girl who had driven a knife into Isaak’s heart,” killing him.
Nina has a nightmare that the wolf Trassel is “covered in blood . . . feasting on a corpse.”
Zoya recalls how she “murdered a Saint bent on destruction, driven a blade into the heart of a dragon . . .” These events occur in the previous novel.
Zoya and the Ravkan Count Kirgin’s meeting is interrupted by an assassination attempt. Zoya uses her powers to knock the first attacker into the wall “with a bone-breaking crunch” and kill him. The second assassin is knocked unconscious.
The first battle of the Ravkan-Fjerdan war takes place over eight pages. Ravka places mines in Fjerda’s path, causing tanks to “burst into flames” and burning many soldiers alive. Grisha and non-Grisha soldiers fight the Fjerdans on the ground, and Zemeni airships join to fight on the Ravkan side.
The previous king of Ravka was banished after being ousted for assaulting Genya Safin.
Following their queen’s orders, the Shu royal guard “burst into flame” and died in the self-inflicted fire. They severely burn Ehri in the process, but she survives.
Prince Rasmus hits his guard, Joran, with a riding crop. Joran is left with a bleeding cheek. This repeats for over a page.
Zoya and an army of Sun Summoners fight the Darkling and his shadow soldiers. Shadows grab hold of Ravkan flyers and cause them to “plumme[t] toward the earth.” Zoya saves her allies and slightly wounds the Darkling. This is described over two pages.
Ravka is bombed during David and Genya’s wedding. Nikolai sees “burning in the lower and upper towns” of the capital, and the castle is partially destroyed. Nikolai takes a flyer and uses his demon to attack the Fjerdan bomber. “Blood poured over the demon’s mouth—his mouth—hot and salty with iron.” The explosions kill David. This fight occurs over four pages.
The stories of the Saints are filled with bloodshed. For example, Sankt Ilya was “thrown to his death” from a bridge.
Mayu’s brainwashed twin, Reyem, “br[eaks] every bone in her hand” by crushing it. This scene evolves into a fight in which Tamar, a Shu Grisha loyal to Nikolai, and Mayu struggle against Reyem and the Tavgharad (the Shu Han royal guard). This battle spans two pages and concludes with Reyem joining his sister’s side.
Nina reflects on Matthias’ (her late Fjerdan lover) murder, saying that Joran “shot an unarmed man and left him . . . to die.”
The final fight between Ravka and Fjerda occurs over several chapters. It begins with the Fjerdans approaching by sea and Zoya and her fellow Grisha Squallers sending lightning into the water. “Nina could not hear the men in the shallows scream, but she could see their mouths open wide, their bodies shaking as current passed through them.” The result is a massive death toll.
Nikolai, with the help of Ravkan Grisha, fights the Fjerdans. Fjerda attacks with drugged Grisha and large bells that incapacitate the Ravkans with a “horrifying, paralyzing sound.” Nikolai uses his demon to destroy the bells.
Nina is sedated by the spiritual leader of Ravka, the Apparat, and kidnapped. He threatens to have a Heartrender “take the skin from her body inch by inch.” Zoya rescues her by “burning [the Apparat’s guards] from the inside,” creating corpses that Nina uses to escape.
The khergud, mechanically altered Shu soldiers, join the battle between Ravka and Fjerda, flying onto the battlefield and ripping the arms off of Fjerdan soldiers.
Zoya uses her dragon powers to scorch the Fjerdan tanks. She saves Nikolai and his soldiers from certain death. Nina is wounded by a bullet while riding on her back.
Nina finds a “broken body” bent and bleeding beneath the observation tower. Later, it’s discovered that this is Prince Rasmus’ body. After Prince Rasmus slapped her, Hanne accidentally crushed his heart with her powers.
Jarl Brum is shot after pointing a gun at Prince Rasmus. Joran shoots him thrice: “once in the leg, twice in the arm.”
The Darkling’s final martyrdom is violent. “The thorn pierced the Darkling’s chest and he screamed, his head thrown back, the sound pure, human, and terrible.”

Drugs and Alcohol 

Alcohol is used and referenced frequently.
Nina expresses a desire to drink wine, but she laments that “Fjerdan women weren’t permitted alcohol, certainly not in public.”
Jurda parem is a synthetic drug used to enhance a Grisha’s powers. It is highly addictive and usually deadly. Nina is a recovering parem addict, and she reflects on how the drug nearly ended her life. Fjerda weaponizes parem and bombs Ravkan armies with the substance.
Nikolai tells his guard, Tolya, that he has faith in “Good engineering and better whiskey.” Nikolai frequently drinks at political and social gatherings as well as before battle. Drinks mentioned include wine and brandy.
Count Kirgin pours Hiram Schenck, a Kerch member of the Merchant Council, an “extraordinary vintage that had come straight from Kirgin’s legendary cellars.”
While in the Brum parlor, Nina mentions “a bottle of brännvin.”
Vadik Demidov, a member of the Lantsov family who is vying for Nikolai’s throne, “does not partake of spirits” due to his religion.
Genya and David hold a wedding where alcohol is served.
“The Monk” finds his way to “a beer hall in Shura” and drinks “sour beer.” Later, while preparing for battle, he desires whiskey.
Nikolai reflects on how he and David did not spend any “raucous nights . . . singing dirty drinking songs.”

Language 

Profanity is rarely used. Profanity includes bastard, damn, hell, ass, shat, and whore.
Nikolai is repeatedly called the “bastard king.” One Ravkan says to him, “I said you are a bastard and not fit to sit that fancy horse.”
Damn is used most frequently. Nikolai lists his enemies, thinking, “the Darkling, the Fjerdans, the Shu, jurda parem, the damned demon living inside him.”
In Fjerda, “Djel” is used in place of “god”. Hanne says to Nina, “Sweet Djel, put a robe on.”
Ravkans substitute “oh my god” with “All Saints” and similar phrases. During a meeting, Zoya thinks, “All Saints, how did [Nikolai] meet with these spineless, self-satisfied toads without committing murder once a day?”
Nikolai thanks the Zemeni Kalem Kerko for his help in battle, saying, “You just saved our asses.”
The Fjerdan soldier Redvin says of Prince Rasmus, “Only Djel knows how they shat out a weakling like that.”
Jarl Brum calls someone a “whore mother” and another person a “Grisha whore.”

Supernatural 

The Grisha are individuals born with special powers. There are three categories of Grisha: Corporalki, Etherealki, and Materialki. Ravkan Grisha are recruited into the Second Army, using their abilities in battle. David explains that Grisha’s power is linked to “the making at the heart of the world.”
Nina is a Corporalnik whose powers over the living were altered after an experience with jurda parem. She now has control over the dead, and she uses her powers to hear the voices of the deceased while in the presence of the Fjerdan queen. “Kings and queens and favored retainers had been buried on the White Island since before the Ice Court had been built around it, and Nina could hear their whispers. An army awaiting her command.”
Adrik Zhabin is a Grisha Squaller (order Etherealki) who can control wind. Zoya has similar abilities.
Leoni Hilli is a Grisha Alkemi (order Materialki) who can control poisons.
Nina’s appearance was altered by Genya, a Grisha Tailor. Nina is now “in Mila Jandersdat’s body, her face and form tailored to keep her true identity secret.”
Hanne is a Corporalnik who can tailor appearances and manipulate the living. She repeatedly uses her powers to ease Prince Rasmus’ ailments, but she eventually accidentally kills him by crushing his heart. She later alters his corpse to look like her and changes her own appearance to mimic his.
A vendor in Fjerda is a Grisha Tidemaker who creates “a wall of seething water” that drenches Brum’s soldiers.
Nikolai is “host to a demon,” a winged creature linked to the Darkling’s power. It is attached to his soul, but he learns to control its powers. He uses the demon during a heist: “He was seeing through the demon’s eyes. He felt its arms—his arms—extend, muscles flexing, claws reaching.”
The Darkling was resurrected in King of Scars, and he now inhabits the body of the monk Yuri Vedenen. He later regains his powers by driving a “piece of the thorn wood” through the hands of Alina and Mal and summons “nichevo’ya,” shadow soldiers, to defend himself.
The blight of darkness comes from the Fold, a magic wasteland created by the Darkling’s abuse of Grisha power. People call the blight “Kilyklava. . . vampire, after a creature from myth.”
After slaying a dragon, Zoya gains the power to see into other people’s minds and feel their emotions. She calls this a “sudden drop into someone else’s pain or joy.”
Grisha infantry divisions use their powers to fight off the Fjerdans: “The Squallers drove back the Fjerdan tanks as the Heartrenders gave them cover. A squad of Inferni used the burning remnants of the tanks to create a wall of flame, another barrier the Fjerdan troops would have to breach.”
The Sun Soldiers are special Grisha, who are “heirs to Alina Starkov’s power.” They control light and are able to defeat the Darkling’s shadows.
After being burned, Ehri is saved by Grisha healers, “who had restored her body and kept her pain in check as they did it.”
Zoya learns to harness the talents of other Grisha orders, using not only her abilities as a Squallor but also manipulating water as a Tidemaker.
The Darkling, Aleksander, uses his powers on the statue of a Saint to gather followers. “Slowly, shadows curled from Sankt Ilya’s open hands; they began to bleed from his mouth.”
Zoya unlocks the ability to shapeshift into a dragon. She is bulletproof with the power to breathe “silver lightning.”
The Darkling is sealed into Sankt Felix’s thorn wood with a branch piercing his heart, sacrificing himself in a magic ritual that stops the blight of darkness and reverses its impact.

Spiritual Content 

The royalty of Shu Han is referred to as “born of heaven.”
The god of Fjerda is called Djel. Fjerdan soldiers are said to “hea[r] the words of Djel” at their initiation ceremony. Some Fjerdans claim that the Grisha are “the favored children of Djel. That their powers are actually a sign of his blessing.”
People outside Fjerda worship the Saints, martyred figures who supposedly had otherworldly abilities. Saints have their own fables, temples, and monks.
Cult followings of “the Sun Saint” and “Leoni of the Waters” appear in Fjerda, and Jarl Brum calls Saint worship “Corruption. Heresy.”
Living Grisha also have religious followers. Zoya is worshiped as “Sankta Zoya” (Saint Zoya), and she gains a significant following after using her dragon form to save the Ravkans from Fjerda.
The Apparat is the spiritual leader of Ravka. He defects to Fjerda, and, according to Brum, “He says the Ravkan king is possessed by demons, that Vadik Demidov was anointed by the Saints themselves to rule.” The Wellmother, leader of a Fjerdan convent to Djel, calls him “a heathen priest.”
The Darkling is worshipped as “The Starless Saint” by a cult referred to as “The Starless.” After his “martyrdom,” he is recognized as a Saint by the Ravkan government.
Nikolai calls the Tula Valley “the site of some of the holiest land in Ravka.”
Nikolai is not religious but prays for help: “Right now, though, he hoped that each Ravkan Saint, Kaelish sprite, and all-powerful deity was looking down with some fondness in their hearts for his country.”
The Lantsov family is considered “divinely chosen to lead Ravka.”
Nina claims to have been “blessed by Djel” and pretends to be his prophet.
The Darkling explains the history of the Grisha and Saints: “You know as well as I that the line between Saint and Grisha was once blurred. It was a time of miracles.”
Genya says in her speech at David’s funeral, “May the Saints receive him on a brighter shore.” The Ravkan belief in an afterlife is never explained further.