Teagan Wylltson’s life changes when her parents take in a cousin who’s in trouble. Goblins frighteningly enter the scene, killing her mother and kidnapping her father, and the handsome cousin, Finn Mac Cumhaill, puts a dent in her plans for a no-romance future until after college. Based loosely on Irish folklore but set in a modern Chicago, the story revolves around Teagan, her five-year-old brother Aidan and the bodacious Finn’s search to rescue Mr. Wylltson from the Sidhe. Laced with humor, packed with surprises and driven by suspense, the plot grabs readers from the start using the stylistic tactics of the best fantasy writing. Major characters are beautifully drawn, and many of the secondary characters are equally distinct. Description of geography and care for the small details of worldbuilding contribute to the feeling of reality and make suspension of disbelief easy. The climax and resolution satisfy but leave enough loose threads to fuel sequels. Buy this novel for readers of Franny Billingsley and Dia Calhoun as well as fans of urban fantasy. (Fantasy. YA)
