The Darkening

by Maggie L. Wood

Willow is finally settled and content in Mistoreal, helping to raise the evil fairy Nezeral, whom she magicked back to infancy in Captured. She’s also happily dating her sworn knight Brand, although she wishes he’d be a little less formal, and not freak out about the shorts and tank tops she chooses over princess dresses. The peace doesn’t last long, though. The Faerie Queen Cyrraena requires her to play a new game in Clarion. She is supposed to go alone, but when Brand rashly and secretly tags along, he breaks the rules, and they end up in a creepy faerie prison/zoo. Faery twins Dacia and Theon anger their father the king by visiting and helping his human pets, and a new game is their punishment. The four are sent into the Gauntlet, facing all kinds of frightening magical creatures. While the game itself is engaging, many readers may lose interest before they get there. The mix of medieval and modern references are awkwardly placed and ineffective, and Willow is too whiny to elicit much sympathy when her romance with Brand goes south. There are a lot of faery stories on the market these days—unfortunately this one just doesn’t distinguish itself from the crowd.

Captured

by Maggie L. Wood

When Willow’s Nana starts talking about a “summoning,” she assumes her grandma is having some sort of mental breakdown. It wouldn’t be the first time. Willow has been listening to Nana’s stories of another realm that involves magic, castles, and the crystal on her nightstand for as long as she can remember, but always thought they were just meant to entertain her. Unfortunately, the night Nana gets excited about the summoning is also her last, and after Willow calls 911, she sees the crystal glowing, grabs it, and wakes up in another world. In Mistoreal, she’s a princess. A spell has been cast over the citizens, forcing them to play in a human chess game. Willow’s parents have been captured, and it’s up to her to save them. The plot loses a little steam after the set up of the chess, and the too large cast of characters falls flat. However, as a light, fun, fantasy, it serves its purpose. Loose ends are tied up neatly even though this is the first of a planned trilogy. Fans of fantasies with modern ties, such as City of Bones, may find something here.

Countdown

by Deborah Wiles

Eleven year old Franny Chapman lives outside of Washington, DC, with her family in the summer of 1962. Her military father is stationed at Andrews Air Force base, so the events of that year are particularly scary for her. This is the age of the Cold War. She does air raid drills at school, her neighbors are talking about bomb shelters, and she's not sure what all of this means for her. Her older sister is acting weird--she has a secret, and her best friend seems to have decided she doesn't want to be her best friend anymore. Gives a close-up view of what it must have been like to grow up in this scary time in our nation's history. The cool thing about this book is its "documentary" style. Throughout the book you'll find photos, speeches, song lyrics, and more, that give us an authentic feel for the time period. This looks like a really long book, but make sure you flip through it before you dismiss it because you think it's too long! Definitely worth a read, and it will give you something to talk to your grandparents about!

Imaginary Girls

by Nova Ren Suma

Chloe's older half sister Ruby is one of those people everyone is drawn to. She's stunningly beautiful, and fiercely loyal. One night she dares Chloe to swim all the way across the lake to show off at a party, and halfway across, Chloe makes a grim discovery--one of their classmates lying lifeless in a canoe. After the tragedy Chloe is sent to live with their dad, and misses Ruby terribly. One year later, Ruby, now college-aged, comes to get her and act as her guardian. But things are different in their little town. Strange. At their first party after Chloe's return, she sees something...someone...who takes her breath away. I won't ruin the rest of the story by telling you any more! This was my kind of book! Subtly creepy and super suspenseful! Ruby is one of the most complex, interesting characters I've met in a long time, and I was fascinated by what she could do. This book is reviewed for grades 9 and up, so you can find this book in the teen section at the public library or the bookstore.

Miles From Ordinary

by Carol Lynch Williams

Lacey lives alone with her mother, and at 13, has far too much to deal with. Her mentally unstable mother isn't able to hold a job, or maintain a relationship, even with her own sister. Lacey's social life has suffered, and she longs for friends and a normal life. When her mom gets a job at the Winn Dixie grocery store, Lacey hopes that maybe this time things will be different. Unfortunately her mom runs away from work and disappears, leading Lacey on a frantic search. This mom is so crazy that you're terrified for Lacey the whole time you're reading. There is definitely suspense to the very end of this short, intense read.

I really like this author, and this was a great book, but I don't think it was as good as The Chosen One. If you like real-life drama, and/or sad stories, this is the book for you.

Cryer's Cross

by Lisa McMann

Nothing exciting ever happens in Kendall's small farming town, Cryer's Cross, until one of her classmates mysteriously disappears around the same time new kid Jacian moves in. The cops question angry, brooding, Jacian, but no one can prove he was involved in the girl's disappearance. Life starts to go back to normal for Kendall, but then her boyfriend, Nico, starts to act strange. When he also goes missing, the town goes on lockdown, and Kendall finds herself forced to spend more time with Jacian. Maybe he's not as bad as she thought. But then there are those voices she keeps hearing in her head. They sound like Nico. What secret is Cryer's Cross hiding?

I read this really quickly--I was dying to know what happened, but when I finally got to the end, I must say it was kind of disappointing. A quick, fun, pretty scary read, but it will leave you sort of scratching your head. I didn't quite get the answers I was looking for.

The Silver Bowl

by Diane Stanley

Adventure, magic, subtle romance, betrayal, and monstrous curses take this book far beyond the typical scullery-maid-makes-good tale. Peasant girl Molly sometimes sees things before they happen, a fine enough reason for her unloving and poverty-stricken father to get rid of her. At age seven, she is abandoned at the door of Dethemere Castle, and luckily finds work in the kitchen. After years of hard labor, “Gentleman Servant” Thomas takes her under his wing, promoting her to silver polisher, where she is tasked with shining the most beautiful, intricately designed bowl she has ever seen. The minute she touches the bowl, she is filled with intense warmth, and see visions of the demise of the royal family. The rumors of a curse are true. It’s becoming more and more powerful, and only she can stop it from destroying the royals. Stanley blends historical fiction and fantasy seamlessly, and her clear, rich language envelopes and transports. Molly’s relationships with the handsome prince and the kind-hearted stable boy are textured and layered with emotion and dutiful devotion. Her no-nonsense attitude is balanced by her big heart and a sweet, sharp sense of humor, making her a heroine readers will relate to and cheer for to the satisfying end. This book will be published in June.