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The Fallen: Volume 1 by Thomas Sniegoski

Published January 17, 2011 Adventure , Fantasy , RAC 2 Comments
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Genre:  Fantasy

# of Pages: 517

RAC Book:  Yes

Aaron Corbet has been in the foster care system since his mother died in childbirth.  He has no idea who his father is, but has over the years managed to find a great foster family.  When he turns eighteen he begins to hear strange voices and has terrible nightmares.  One particularly heinous day he has terrible migraines, but when they pass he can suddenly understand and speak any language.  This includes animal languages, which he learns once he finds he can now understand his dog.  Aaron decides to go to his psychiatrist and he agrees to run some tests, but before that can happen Aaron is approached by a strange man who tells him he is the son of a fallen angel and a human woman.  If that isn’t crazy enough, he goes on to say that there was a prophecy in which he was foreseen as reuniting the fallen angels with heaven.  Does Aaron have the strength to complete such a big task?

This book is fast paced and exciting, but does not shy away from violence and loss.  Aaron often feels timid about his power and his mission, but it’s easy to see that he is in fact the one described in the prophecy.  While it’s understandable that he should have doubts about himself and the situation, hopefully he will begin to find some confidence in future volumes.  The story is complex and will continue to unfold, but fantasy readers will not be disappointed in this exciting tale.

Manifest by Artist Arthur

Published January 4, 2011 Fantasy , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

# of Pages:  248

RAC Book:  Yes

Krystal has recently moved to a new town due to her parent’s divorce and she is having trouble adjusting to her new life.  She has not made any friends, has stopped eating, and now has begun seeing ghosts.  Specifically, one ghost named Ricky has been following her.  He was a student at her school, but was shot and killed before she arrived.  Now he wants to find who really killed him so that he can cross over.  As Krystal copes with this difficult situation she meets two other students who mysteriously have the same birthmark as her.  They quickly realize that they all have special gifts and they plan to work together to find out what happened to Ricky.  They call themselves the Mystyx.  Despite Krystal’s hesitance to let others in on her secret, she finds relief when she can talk to her new friends about her supernatural visions.  Her relief is short lived, however, when she realizes that someone wants to hurt her for helping Ricky and the reasons behind his murder go deeper than she expected.

The plot of this story is interesting as Krystal tries to piece together what happened to Ricky.  The characters are interesting and well developed.  The writing style is a little simple and might turn off some young adult readers.  The beginning feels a bit slow and predictable, but once she meets her fellow mystyx things pick up quickly.  Fans of supernatural mysteries will enjoy this title, but it is not the best one out there right now.  Recommended to supplement a thriving fantasy collection.

Stork by Wendy Delsol

Published November 16, 2010 Fantasy , RAC , Romance 2 Comments
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Genre:  Fantasy

# of Pages 357

RAC Book:  Yes

 

Katla is having a difficult time adjusting to Minnesota after living in California her entire life.  Her parents’ recent divorce is difficult to adjust to as well.  When she learns that she is a member of a secret stork society she realizes her return to her mother’s home town may not be accidental after all.  Kat is supposed to help babies find their destined mothers through the help of the stork society and her own visions.  Meanwhile, she learns she had a traumatic episode involving a local boy, Jack, when she was younger that she blocked out.  She feels a strong connection to Jack and does not know if it is because of their near death experience as children or because of her affiliation with the storks.  Can she find her place in this new and mysterious town in Minnesota?

The premise behind this story is very intriguing as Katla navigates her skills as a stork, but this aspect of the book is not explored as much as it could and should have been.  The majority of the plot focuses on Jack and Kat’s relationship, which has some mystery and intrigue.  Readers who enjoy folklore will find their romance interesting, but there are many predictable aspects due to the overwhelming foreshadowing.  The ending is exciting, but everything is wrapped up too quickly and some readers might get confused about the plethora of information revealed in the last 20 pages.  Fans of the Twilight series would be the target audience for this title.

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Published November 12, 2010 Adventure , Fantasy , Mystery , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Adventure/Futuristic Fiction

# of Pages:  360

RAC Book:  Yes

In this sequel to The Maze Runner, Thomas and his friends are hoping their trials are over.  Unfortunately, this is just the beginning of another round of trials.  They must face scorching heat, disease, and even opponents with weapons.  Plus, a lot of their actions seem to be predetermined somehow.  A lot is revealed about Thomas’s past and the reasons behind the trials, but these answers simply bring up more questions.  Will Thomas and his friends survive to find out why they are being forced into such terrible tests?  Will they ever know whom they can truly trust in this crazy experiment?

The sequel does not provide as interesting of a backdrop as the maze did, but the twists and turns of the plot will keep fans interested.  The characters become more endearing throughout this story also because we know how far they have come and realize they still have a long ways to go to enjoy freedom.  Many new characters are introduced and their motives are murky at best, which keeps the characters and the reader guessing.  All in all, it is not as enticing as the first one, but will definitely keep young readers interested.

Legacies by Mercedes Lackey

Published October 28, 2010 Fantasy , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

# of Pages:  308

RAC Book:  Yes

Spirit must attend the boarding school Oakhurst Academy when her family is unexpectedly killed in a car accident.  Upon arrival Spirit is notified that she is a legacy at the school, which means that one or both of her parents attended this school.  The school is a boarding school for orphans who have magical abilities.  Despite the assurance she has magical abilities, Spirit cannot seem to find any affinity to any magical gifts.  As the school year progresses, students start disappearing and Spirit and her friends take on the task of finding out who or what is causing these disappearances.

For fantasy fans, this story will be a page turner.  The character development does not seem as developed as in other popular fantasy series, like Harry Potter, and there is virtually no involvement of adults so it is unclear who actually knows what is going on with the mysterious disappearances.  The mystery itself is interesting, but there are many unanswered questions regarding Spirit’s past and her actual magical abilities.  Recommended for serious fantasy fans.

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks

Published October 20, 2010 Fantasy , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

# of Pages:  362

RAC Book:  Yes

Nina is a vampire who belongs to a group called the reformed vampire support group.  This group meets to talk to each other about their difficult lives.  The life of a vampire is not as exciting as the movies would suggest for these vampires cannot change into bats, sparkle in the sun, or fight particularly well.  Instead they live on small rodents and take supplements, which leave them feeling sick most of the time.  They are, however, not a threat to anyone.  They are alarmed when one vampire fails to arrive for a meeting and they find him staked in his apartment.  They have no idea who could have done this and worry that the same killer could be coming for them.  In order to stop this they go on the offensive and start looking for this person, but only land themselves into more danger.

This is a very different vampire story from Twilight and Blue Bloods. These vampires are not glamorous or attractive, but nevertheless feel a need to preserve what little life they have left.  It is humorous in parts, but does get a bit long at times.  Vampire fans will enjoy this as a lighthearted story, but it won’t be anyone’s favorite vampire book.

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Published October 14, 2010 Fantasy , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

# of Pages:  292

RAC Book:  Yes

Tamsin was proclaimed to be the most powerful witch in her family at her birth, but by her eighth birthday no gifts had appeared and the family believed she was without any powers.  When Tamsin is 17 she is working at her family’s magic shop when a bumbling English professor comes in to ask for her help in finding a lost item.  He mistakenly believes she is her talented older sister and she lets him because she wants to prove she is useful to the family.  She finds his object, but learns he did not tell her the truth about his intentions and she may have unwittingly put her entire family in danger.  Can she find a way to save her family?  Can she find the power within herself that she was predicted to have?

Fans of fantasy stories will enjoy this one as Tamsin and her many magical family members struggle through this attack on their family.  Time traveling, spells, and potions are all present and used in a unique way.  There are a few times when the plot seems a bit cumbersome and confusing, but fantasy readers will power through.  The ending leaves some questions, but most will find it satisfying.

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

Published September 27, 2010 Fantasy , RAC , Romance Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

# of Pages:  281

RAC Book:  Yes

Alona is arguing with someone on her cell phone when she fails to look before she crosses a street and is killed by a school bus.  She dies, but does not go to heaven as she expects.  Instead, she remains around her high school and finds she can see how everyone is coping with her death.  To her dismay, her high school did not come to a screeching halt merely because its most popular girl died.  She begins to get frustrated because she doesn’t know how to get to heaven, but then she realizes that the weird goth kid, Will Killian, can see and hear her.  She makes it her mission to make him help her get to the other side, but Will needs some favors of his own.  Can the two overcome their differences to work together and find happy outcomes for both?

This is a fun, light story with some very real problems in it.  Alona was the popular girl of the class, but that did not mean her life was perfect and Will soon finds that she hid some very serious problems from her classmates.  Meanwhile, Will is struggling with his gift of seeing the dead and worries he might end up like his father who had shared the same gift.  There is a bit of swearing, but it won’t be anything most high school students aren’t used to hearing.  The message of the story is clear and readers will move through the fast paced story quickly.  The ending is a little unclear, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Published September 20, 2010 Fantasy , RAC , Romance 2 Comments
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Genre:  Fantasy/Romance

# of Pages:  452

RAC Book:  Yes

Luce begins her first day at Sword and Cross, a reform school, and feels lost until she sets eyes on Daniel Grigori.  Suddenly she feels like she is home and has known him all of her life.  He insists he does not know her and tries to push her away at every opportunity.  Meanwhile, Luce is trying to come to terms with the reason she has had to come to Sword and Cross.  She was involved in another student’s death at her previous school and knows that her weird visions had something to do with it, but she maintains her innocence to anyone who questions her about the incident.  She meets some unusual students at the school and finds she has no real allegiance to any of them when Daniel is present.   Can she find out why she is so drawn to him and yet why he is so determined to keep her away?

This fantasy mystery story will appeal to the Twilight and City of Bones readers.  There are no vampires in the story, but the romance is compelling as it plays out.  The story has a unique nature that many fantasy stories do not and the characters are colorful and memorable.  Beware that there is a sequel in the works and the story is not resolved by this book’s end.  A must read for fantasy/romance lovers.

Past World by Ian Beck

Published September 14, 2010 Fantasy , Historical Fiction , RAC 2 Comments
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Genre:  Fantasy

# of Pages:  353

RAC Book:  Yes

Pastworld is a theme park designed to look exactly like 1880’s London.  In this historically accurate world, anyone who comes to visit must abide by the dress, laws, language, and even technology found at this time.  Some people were born in Pastworld and do not realize it is merely a tourist attraction utilized mainly by the wealthy.  Others, like Caleb, travel to the old London in order to see what life was like back then.  The problem is that crime definitely existed in the 1880s and has crept up again in this new city.  Law officials are forbidden from using any technology not found during the 1880s to solve crimes.  When a Jack the Ripper type serial killer starts killing innocent people there seems to be no way of stopping him.  Meanwhile, Caleb is blamed for a crime he did not commit and must go on the run or risk spending the rest of his life in a historically accurate prison with an archaic judicial system.

The idea behind this story is very intriguing and sets itself up with lots of details and interesting characters.  The Fantom, or serial killer, is an interesting idea but the character ends the story feeling unfinished and undeveloped.  Readers who enjoy fantasy or historical fiction will enjoy the idea of this interesting tourist attraction, but may find the ending a bit abrupt and unsatisfying.

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

Published September 3, 2010 Fantasy , RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Fantasy

# of Pages:  376

RAC Book:  No

Micah admits that she is a compulsive liar and would like to tell her story straight through with no lies.  Her boyfriend is found murdered in Central Park and several people suspect her involvement simply because she was his “secret” girlfriend.  She denies any knowledge of his murder and tries her best to avoid the stares and gossip.  She has difficulty getting along with her parents due to her lying and they want to send her upstate to live with relatives even though Micah is vehemently against this.  As the story goes on it becomes obvious that Micah has lied for so long that she has difficulty actually telling the straight truth, even when she wants to.  Can she ever set the record straight and tell what actually happened to her boyfriend?

While this book stays true to its title throughout the story, it does take a bizarre fantasy twist in the middle.  The twist will be liked by some, but disliked by many who thought the book was going to be more of a realistic fiction novel.  The ending is a bit quick and some teen readers may find it confusing or unsatisfying.  The story is interesting, but will leave many readers unsure about how they feel about it.

Jinx by Meg Cabot

Published August 30, 2010 Fantasy , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

# of Pages:  254

RAC Book:  Yes

Jean or “Jinx” as she is called has a habit of finding bad luck wherever she goes.  Due to this bad luck, she moves in with her Aunt’s family in New York City in order to escape from a tough situation back home in Iowa.  When Jinx arrives she is hoping to bond with her cousin, Tory, like they used to when they were younger.  However, the Tory she remembers is gone and has been replaced by a magic obsessed goth girl who believes she is a witch and wants Jinx to join her coven.  Jinx has bad feelings about playing with magic, for reasons which are revealed later, and refuses.  Tory becomes enraged and begins to wage a war against Jinx so that she will be humiliated and will return home.  It does not help matters that Jinx hits it off with Tory’s neighbor, whom Tory also has a crush on.  Can Jinx convince Tory to leave black magic alone before it hurts her or someone she loves?

Jinx’s story of moving to New York City and trying to fit into a new family, school, and atmosphere will interest teen readers.  She tries to do the right thing even when she knows it will bring her bad luck or cause her to get into trouble.  The characters in the story are fun and endearing, but Tory’s plot to control Jinx gets way out of hand and might startle some readers.  All in all, a light fantasy read that Meg Cabot readers will enjoy.

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

Published May 21, 2010 Adventure , Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC 2 Comments
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Genre:  Fantasy

# of Pages:  400

RAC Book:  Yes

2010 Iowa High School Book Award

Jena and her four sisters use a secret portal to sneak into the woods to dance with the magical creatures every full moon.  When Jena’s father gets ill and is sent away to recover, she is left in charge and her cousin Cezar begins to take over.  Cezar believes that women are frail and need to be looked after by men.  As Jena struggles to take care of her sisters, their home, and her father’s business she always has her best friend, Gogu, by her side.  Gogu is a talking frog that only she can hear.  As Cezar becomes frantic trying to control the five sisters, Jena starts to worry that all is not well in the wildwoods either.  Can she protect her sisters and everyone else she cares about from a power hungry dictator?

This fantasy story begins a little slowly as the characters are introduced, but accelerates quickly as the family battles Cezar on a daily basis.  There are some twists and turns along the way, but a few are fairly easy to predict.  The end will leave readers wanting more.  Highly recommended for fantasy lovers.

The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas

Published May 7, 2010 Fantasy , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre: Fantasy

# of Pages:  411 p.

Iowa Teen Award Winner 2010-2011

RAC Book:  No

Conn has been living on the streets getting by picking locks and pickpocketing.  One day Conn pickpockets from a powerful wizard named Nevery and he responds by taking Conn as his apprentice.  In order to be a wizard you have to have a powerful stone called a locus magicalicus and Conn is only allowed 30 days to find his  or else he won’t be allowed by the council to remain an apprentice.  Meanwhile, Nevery has been called back to town in order to help resolve the problem of the declining magic supply.  The levels of magic have drastically gone down and no one knows why.  Magic is used in all aspects of this town and the town would die without it.  Somehow, Conn believes he and Nevery must work together to solve the problem of the missing magic.

This is a fun, light-hearted fantasy story with many interesting characters and plot twists.  Many junior high and upper elementary students will love to step into this world.  It would be fun to do with small groups as well.  Anyone who enjoys Harry Potter will find these delightful.

Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Published April 13, 2010 Fantasy , RAC , Romance Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy/Romance

# of Pages:  351 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Jessica is a normal American teenager trying to enjoy her senior year, which seems more difficult when a strange Romanian exchange students comes to stay with her family.  Lucius claims to be a vampire who was betrothed to her when they were babies.  When Jessica turns to her parents for answers she learns that they were asked to raise her so that she would be safe until the pact could be realized.  Despite Lucius’s fervent efforts to convince her to marry him, she finds him repulsive and wants to date the normal high school boy, Jake, instead.  When Lucius starts dating a cheerleader at school Jessica is unprepared for the jealousy she feels.  Is it too late to have Lucius to herself?  Does she really believe in vampires?  Does she think she has what it takes to join this dark world?

This vampire story is very original and engaging.  Readers who like vampire fiction will devour this book and wish for a sequel.  Of all the vampire books available right now, this one has the perfect mix of the fantasy world readers love to escape to and the real world that teenagers can identify with.  The characters and plot are much more substantial than readers might be expecting and will be pleasantly surprised by this title.  Highly recommended for fantasy readers.

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