Please enable JavaScript
All Books | Page 28 | LitPick Book Reviews
All Books
Secrets of Tamarind
Nadia Aguiar
Synopsis:

It's been four years since Maya, Simon, and Penny Nelson left the lost island of Tamarind. For Maya, the island is a nearly forgotten part of her childhood; for Penny, it's a secret place she can't remember, but longs to see; and for Simon, it's an adventure waiting to happen. An evil group called the Red Coral Project is lurking around the Nelson's home in Bermuda, and the children discover that the project has moved into Tamarind, and are desiccating it to ruin. Only the Nelson's can save the island.

In Tamarind, there is the mystery of the magical mineral ophalla that Red Coral is greedily mining, their old pirate ship, the Pamela Jane, and the secret of their friend Helix's parentage. This time, it is up to Simon to put the clues together, and save his sisters from the island and the nefarious Red Coral Project―and defeat Red Coral before the magnificent island is put to ruin.

Nadia Aguiar's sequel to The Lost Island of Tamarind, crafts a vivid story reminiscent of such classics as Peter Pan, full of adventure, magic, and haunting beauty.

Publication Date: 07/05/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Song of the Dragon
Tracy Hickman
Synopsis: First in an exciting fantasy saga from the co-creator of Dragonlance

The Elves of the Rhonas Empire have carved a path of conquest throughout the civilized lands, enslaving humans, chimera, manticores, goblins, and every other race they encounter. Now humans are a nearly extinct minority among the warrior-slave races, their will and memories suppressed by the tyrannical, magic-wielding elves.

But legends tell of a time when humans and the other slave races were free. There are tales of a hero who will return one day to lead them in an uprising against their masters. That hero, so the stories say, will be a human named Drakis.

But Drakis Sha’Timuran, a human warrior-slave of House Timuran, gives no credence to these legends. He fights for the glory of his House and his elven masters along with the other members of his Cohort.

But as they embark on the final stage of a campaign to bring down the last dwarf king, Drakis finds himself troubled by a song—a melody that coils itself around his mind and conjures disturbing visions of dark wings, claws, iridescent scales, and fire. In the midst of a devastating battle, the song leads Drakis to capture a mysterious dwarf as a prize of war.

When Drakis returns to his master with his prisoner, the dwarf uses his own magic to shatter the spell over the entire household. Along with the other slaves, Drakis suddenly recalls the truth of his enslavement, the terrible cruelty of his masters, and their deceit. But if everything he knows about his world and his life is a lie, what is the truth? And does the lure of the song—now calling him northward into the heart of a vanished civilization—herald the beginning of a new dawn or the promise of eternal night?
Publication Date: 07/05/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Eternity
Heather Terrell
Synopsis:

The end . . . or a new beginning?

As Ellie comes to grips with her destiny as the Elect One, her relationship with Michael grows tense. When she meets a mys­terious boy named Rafe, things get even more complicated.

Yet the time has come for the Elect One to stand against the group of evil fallen angels who are bent on destroying the world. In order to face the immeasurable malevolence heading her way, Ellie tries to put her personal life aside. But she soon learns that whoever holds her heart also holds the key to mankind’s salvation—or destruction. As the end days approach, Ellie is faced with an epic decision. Who does her heart really belong to? And is her love strong enough to save the world?

Publication Date: 06/28/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Legacy
Cayla Kluver
Synopsis:

I noticed his eyes. They were blue, sharp and intense. Despite the youthful glows of his suntanned face, his eyes were cold and unfriendly, suggesting he had great experience in the world and was now expecting the worst.

In her seventeenth year, Princess Alera of Hytanica faces one duty: to marry the man who will be king. But her father's choice of suitor fills her with despair.

When the palace guard captures and intruder—a boy her age with steel-blue eyes, hailing from her kingdom's greatest enemy—Alera is alarmed…and intrigued. But she could not have guessed that their clandestine meetings would unveil the dark legacy shadowing both their lands.

In this mystical world of court conspiracies and blood magic, loyalties will be tested. Courage won't be enough. And as the battle begins for everything Alera holds dear, love may be the downfall of a kingdom.

Publication Date: 06/28/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
The Black Stallion and the Lost City
Synopsis: When Alec and the Black are hired to work as stunt doubles in a film about Alexander and his horse, Bucephalus, they find themselves on set in the remote mountains of the Greek/Bulgarian border. Movie making involves a lot of waiting, so they set out for a morning of exploring. Chasing an elusive albino mare, the two find themselves caught in an underground river which drops them, half-drowned, beside a city lost in time.

Revered at first, they soon discover that they are intended as the entertainment at a horrific ritual . . . sacrifices to the legendary flesh-eating mares in the coloseum of King Diomedes.

Another thrilling new Black Stallion novel by Walter Farley's son, which proves that the art of writing a great horse story is definitely in the genes!
Publication Date: 06/28/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Oracle: Sunken Earth
C.W. Trisef
Synopsis: trisefbook.com/
Publication Date: 06/22/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Killer Pizza: The Slice
Synopsis:

Four months after they discover that their new place of employment, Killer Pizza, was a front for an underground Monster Hunting Organization, Toby and his fellow rookie Monster Combat Officers, Annabel and Strobe, have been invited to New York City to tour KP Headquarters. But the exclusive tour is cut short when a monster emergency sends the trio off on a secret mission delivering Calanthe, a beautiful 14-year-old, defecting monster with serpent-like abilities, into the Monster Protection Program. It seems like an easy assignment until the teens realize Calanthe is the sacrificial offering in a ceremony set to happen in a few days and her people will stop at nothing to get her back!

Greg Taylor delivers a tale of horror and humor that even reluctant readers will love.

Publication Date: 06/21/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Rex Riders
Jim Calafiore, J. P. Carlson
Synopsis: When 14-year-old Zeke Calhoun goes to live at his Uncle Jesse's broken-down ranch in Texas, he discovers that he has a natural way with horses and loves to ride. But this is nothing compared to what he finds in a riverbed near the ranch: a mysterious stranger, riddled with bullets, lying face down in the dirt, and a juvenile T-Rex keeping a pack of hungry wolves at bay. Where did the stranger come from? Who shot him and why? While Zeke saves the stranger and sets out to answer these questions, he finds something much more interesting--a bridle in the dinosaur's mouth. From that moment on he knows he is destined to ride the T-Rex. What he does not know, however, is that his actions will set off a chain of events plunging him into an incredible adventure, one that will lead to the discovery of a deadly alliance between Earth and a prehistoric world that could threaten the very fabric of both. Learn more at RexRiders.com
Publication Date: 06/21/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
The Boy at the End of the World
Synopsis:

Fisher is the last boy on earth-and things are not looking good for the human race. Only Fisher made it out alive after the carefully crafted survival bunker where Fisher and dozens of other humans had been sleeping was destroyed.

Luckily, Fisher is not totally alone. He meets a broken robot he names Click, whose programmed purpose-to help Fisher "continue existing"-makes it act an awful lot like an overprotective parent. Together, Fisher and Click uncover evidence that there may be a second survival bunker far to the west. In prose that skips from hilarious to touching and back in a heartbeat, Greg van Eekhout brings us a thrilling story of survival that becomes a journey to a new hope-if Fisher can continue existing long enough to get there.

Publication Date: 06/21/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Mystified
TC Booth
Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Erin Colley is both shocked and enchanted to learn she has the attention of a star football player at her school named Tommy. The excitement of Erin's new relationship with Tommy begins to change. She feels conflicted in the difference of his circle in comparison to hers. This clash of personalities proves to be minor in face of the collision she has yet to stumble upon. Erin has encounters with a mysterious boy, Gabe, who seems to show up when she needs help. With each encounter Erin grows more enthralled with him and his dreamy blue eyes. She realizes that these are the eyes that appear at the end of a reoccurring dream of hers. Gabe reveals to Erin his identity as her protector. He is an angel that is drawn to her due to Erin's spiritual sensitivy, a gift Erin did not know she possessed. Erin connects with him in a way that she has not with anyone else and does not want to give that up. The problem is that Gabe cannot continue to coexist in both the physical and spiritual world. The two worlds collide as Erin becomes increasingly aware of the sensitivy she has. Erin learns how to use her gift for the good despite the heartbreak she feels due to her longing to be with Gabe. How is it that the very gift that drew her to Gabe eventually leads her back Tommy? Erin's intense connection to Gabe and all it entails leaves her mystified.
Publication Date: 06/19/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Passion
Lauren Kate
Synopsis:

Luce would die for Daniel.

And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn’t need to be that way. . . .

Luce is certain that something—or someone—in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of this lifetime . . . going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel . . . and finally unlock the key to making their love last.

Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history.

Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames . . . forever.

Sweeping across centuries, Passion is the third novel in the unforgettably epic Fallen series.

Publication Date: 06/14/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Mistress of the Storm
Synopsis: Verity Gallant is a lonely little girl who doesn't quite fit in. But when a mysterious stranger hands her an ancient book, everything changes. Suddenly it's up to her to solve the riddle of an ancient pledge and protect her family from the evil Mistress of the Storm. What hope does she have against a witch so powerful she can control the wind and create storms at will? Luckily, Verity does not have to face her enemy alone. As events begin to spiral out of control, she finds two loyal and steadfast friends to stand by her side.

The Storm is coming. And it will change Verity's life forever.
Publication Date: 06/14/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Mermentau: Seal of the Forgotten
Devin Schvaneveldt, Zack Scanlan
Synopsis: When a heavy storm sends three teenagers on an unexpected path they have no choice but to stop in the empty town of Mermentau, Louisiana. The dim lights of an old and tattered house look to be the only place of refuge. They are greeted at the door by a badly scarred old man, named Ukuk. He rambles about Mermentau and how it was once a village of magic and mystery forced underground by man. Before they can escape the troubled host, the storm worsens. As lighting strikes and trees begin to fall, the old man’s underground shelter is the only thing that can keep them safe. They would soon find out that Ukuk would be the least of their worries. Behind the door exists a mystical world of creatures unknown. A place filled with the light of good and the most unimaginable evil. They will soon find out that things meant to be forgotten will be remembered again.
Publication Date: 06/10/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Dragon Castle
Joseph Bruchac
Synopsis: Young Prince Rashko is frustrated with his family - no one does any thinking but him! The kingdom and castle seem to be in the hands of fools. So when Rashko's parents mysteriously disappear and the evil Baron Temny parks his army outside the castle walls, it is up to the young prince to save the day. But there is more to this castle and its history than meets the eye, and Rashko will have to embrace his ancestry, harness a dragon, and use his sword-fighting skills to stop the baron and save the kingdom. Along the way, he realizes that his family is not quite as stupid as he always thought.

Master storyteller Joseph Bruchac, known for his smart, gripping Native American books, here combines his signature action and adventure with a large dose of humor, which just brings this story to a whole new level.
Publication Date: 06/09/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Nyx in the House of Night
Trinity Faegen, Yasmine Galenorn, John Edgar Browning, Bryan Lankford, Ellen Steiber, Jeri Smith-Ready, Amy H. Sturgis, Christine Zika, Jana Oliver, Karen Mahoney, Jordan Dane, Kristin Cast, P. C. Cast
Synopsis: The House of Night is no ordinary school—and not just because it's for vampyres. It's a place where magic, religion, folklore, and mythology from multiple traditions merry meet and meld to create something incredible and new.

In Nyx in the House of Night—a 2-color illustrated companion to the House of Night series—some of your favorite YA authors, plus a few experts, help you navigate the influences behind the House of Night series in a guide that would get even Damien's seal of approval.

Travel with P.C. Cast as she gets her first tattoo in Ireland, climbs the ruins of Sgiach's castle, and discovers the lore that led to the Isle of Skye vampyres. Read Kristin Cast's defense of women in history and mythology who, like Zoey, have made a practice of juggling multiple men. Sit in on a vampyre lecture by Bryan Lankford, the real-life basis for House of Night instructor Dragon Lankford, on the parallels between Wiccan and vampyre circle rituals. Tour Tulsa's House of Night landmarks with local Amy H. Sturgis.

Plus:

•Karen Mahoney on Nyx and other goddesses of the night
•John Edgar Browning on vampires in folklore, fiction, and reality
•Jana Oliver on tattoos and other Marks
•Ellen Steiber on feline familiars
•Yasmine Galenorn on priestesses and goddess worship
•Jordon Dane on Zoey's Cherokee heritage
•Jeri Smith-Ready on the Raven Mockers and Kalona's less than heavenly inspiration
•Christine Zika on the connection between Nyx and the Virgin Mary
•Triniy Faegen on the Greek version of the Otherworld

Nyx in the House of Night also includes an appendix of character names that reveals the myth behind Zoey's last name, which House of Night cats have ties to Camelot, Egypt, and Middle-earth, and more!
Publication Date: 06/07/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Everlasting
Alyson Noël
Synopsis:

Their epic love story has captured the hearts of millions and enchanted readers across the world. Everlasting is the beautiful finale to Alyson Noël's bestselling Immortals series, in which their journey draws to a spectacular conclusion―where all will be revealed.

Their darkest enemies now defeated, Damen and Ever are free to embark upon their final quest―to free Damen from the poison lingering in his body. If they can just find the antidote, they'll finally be able to feel each other's touch―and experience the passionate night they've been longing for. But their fight to be together will lead them into the most formidable terrain yet…into the dark heart of Summerland.

Here in a land of scorched earth and endless rain, Ever and Damen will discover their relationship's hidden origins, expose a secret history they never imagined…and come face to face with the true reason fate keeps tearing them apart. Only then, when the final mystery is unraveled and the last secret revealed, Ever and Damen's future will hinge on one ultimate decision that will put everything at stake….even eternity.

Publication Date: 06/07/11
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy

Pages



RECENT BOOK REVIEWS