A fantasy that embraces its love-triangle motif and deftly manages to create a believably fragile political system at risk...
Magic and mayhem return to the world’s libraries in this YA sequel.
Gia Kearns feels trapped. After Bastien Renard, a powerful young wizard and rival for Gia’s love, confines the evil wizard Conemar in an untraceable prison, Gia and her fellow Sentinels—protectors of the human realm from the dangers of the Mystik, or magic, world—are sent to small-town Connecticut to hide and train without interference. Meanwhile, Gia’s best friend, Nick D’Marco, copes with his newfound magical powers and struggles with the revelation that his birth father is Conemar himself. Together they must look for the missing magical items that could set free a monster prophesied to destroy the human and Mystik worlds. But nothing is as it seems: supposed allies plot betrayals, corruption gnaws at the roots of the Wizard Council, and villains show mercy and may be the key to turning the tide against evil. When one of the havens of the Mystiks is attacked and the council fails to come to its aid, rebellion springs up against the powers that be. Gia’s concerns for saving the two realms are frequently distracted by her heartbreak over stolen boyfriend Arik Baine, whom she suspects of being enchanted, and her conflicted attraction to Bastien. In this sequel, Gia and Nick’s quest to find hidden artifacts, following riddlelike clues, at times feels like a MacGuffin that distracts from the main plot. But Drake’s (Thief of Lies, 2016, etc.) continued love affair with libraries, through Gia’s appreciation for their beauty and architecture, both grounds the worldbuilding and fills real libraries with a sense of potential wonder. With magical trials, political uprisings, strange beasts, monster-filled pocket dimensions, prophecies, and high school, the novel almost feels overstuffed. But despite all the elements and at times an overly large cast, the author manages to bring all the pieces together in a cliffhanger conclusion that should have readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.
A fantasy that embraces its love-triangle motif and deftly manages to create a believably fragile political system at risk of collapse—unless the heroine can save it.Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-63375-591-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Review Posted Online: Jan. 31, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Great for a middle- or high-school audience looking for some fun.
Comedy and suspense dominate this imaginative twist on the Dracula legend.
Harnissey, Dracula’s vampire nephew, and his companion, the ancient spider Morleaux, arrive at the old homestead for a visit when Dracula leaves for London. Harnissey, innocent, well-meaning and constantly bumbling, is attacked by the vampire sisters in residence, who intend to take over the castle while the Master is away. He and his intelligent spider sidekick eventually form an alliance with Dracula’s undead butler, a nicely drawn character always surrounded by a halo of buzzing flies, and a kingly, sinister cat, to do battle against a centuries-old vampire sorceress who’s arrived holding a grudge, along with her skeleton army. Bayne has a flair for droll comedy. His monstrous characters stand out clearly and distinctly as individuals, and the author’s clever focus on the other side of Bram Stoker’s novel helps fill out the story. The humorous undead protagonists, who are afraid of ghosts, add plenty of flavor to the story, as does the author’s incorporation of historical detail. The only flaw is Bayne’s tendency toward too-flippant dialogue, which is clearly designed to appeal to adolescents, but is inconsistent with the more sophisticated style used in the narration. Still, this is an entertaining romp that displays originality and inventiveness.
Great for a middle- or high-school audience looking for some fun. (Fiction. YA)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2006
ISBN: 0-595-40242-9
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A fantasy romance novel that shows much promise as the kickoff to a series.
A princess must choose between her kingdom and her true love.
Princess Alera, heiress to the throne of Hytanica, has reached a crossroads in her life. She has agreed to marry to benefit her kingdom. But Alera is displeased with her father’s choice of suitor, the egocentric and arrogant Lord Steldor. Selected for his firm hand and military skill, Steldor can expect to wield much power over the inquisitive and spirited princess–Hytanic tradition favors the rule of males, so Alera must settle down and defer to her leading man. As preparations for marriage are made, the return of a long-lost child of Hytanica, Narian, from the rival Cokyri people sends shockwaves through the kingdom–and Alera’s heart. The Cokyri are renowned for their violent and bloodthirsty ways, and Narian is welcomed warily by the masses. Alera is quick to warm to him–he is mysterious and daring, fearless and capable. And Narian takes her seriously. Their clandestine relationship leads Alera to take dangerous risks, especially when the Cokyrians’ plans to reclaim Narian as their own come to light. The looming conflict jeopardizes their nascent love affair, as well as the whole of Hytanica. The princess finds herself not only pitted between two suitors but forced to decide between her royal obligations and her heart’s deepest desire. Debut novelist Kluver’s solid world-building skills flesh out this dynamic coming-of-age romance with strong detail and cultural development. Alera is fiery and likable and will find favor among young adult readers. Lively secondary characters, with the exception of a somewhat flat depiction of Steldor, and sharp dialogue, combined with richly imagined Hytanic legend and history, keep the pace of this epic moving until the last scene. However, the tale’s abrupt cliffhanger leaves both major story lines frustratingly stalled until the sequel.
A fantasy romance novel that shows much promise as the kickoff to a series.Pub Date: April 15, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-9802089-7-9
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Jan. 14, 2011
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
