Please enable JavaScript
All Books | Page 34 | LitPick Book Reviews
All Books
Peaceweaver
Rebecca Barnhouse
Synopsis: This is historical fantasy at its best. Sixteen-year-old Hild has always been a favorite of her uncle, king of the Shylfings. So when she protects her cousin the crown prince from a murderous traitor, she expects the king to be grateful. Instead, she is unjustly accused of treachery herself.

As punishment, her uncle sends Hild far away to the heir of the enemy king, Beowulf, to try to weave peace between the two kingdoms. She must leave her home and everyone she loves. On the long and perilous journey, Hild soon discovers that fatigue and rough terrain are the least of her worries. Something is following her and her small band of guards—some kind of foul creature that tales say lurks in the fens. Will Hild have to face the monster? Or does it offer her the perfect chance to escape the destiny she never chose?

Rebecca Barnhouse's companion to The Coming of the Dragon is sure to appeal to younger fans of Tamora Pierce, Esther Friesner, and Shannon Hale.
Publication Date: 03/27/12
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
Black Blood: Time Spirit Trilogy (Volume 2)
Synopsis: Gemma's parents have put enough rules around her relationship with Harrison that she feels like she's living on parole. But she wins one battle—a summer job working for Harrison's step-father. It is the perfect chance to spend the steamy, hot Florida days with her boyfriend. It's also a great distraction from the cellphone hiding in her underwear drawer—her only contact with Gabe, the mystery man who's stalking her.  When she confronts Gabe, he tells her that her parents are not who she thinks they are, and Harrison has the gall to believe him. Surrounded by conflict, Gemma doesn't know what to believe, and it takes a trip back in time for her to glimpse the sickening truth.  Thanks to her parents, she returns to the present to find the love of her life no longer exists. His family line was broken and now, so is she. This betrayal forces her to seek out Gabe. Setting aside her fear of the truth, she must trust this man and learn what he can teach her... otherwise, she'll never get her boyfriend back.
Publication Date: 03/26/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Angels Unawares: Fall For Grace
Annette Couch-Jareb
Synopsis: The Grim Reaper can kill with a touch. Too bad for the girl he loves. Grace Breeden sees dead people. Why then can't she see her late mother? "Blue guys", as Grace refers to them, roam the earth searching for their opportunity to transcend, but one particularly persistent blue guy is shadowing Grace, involving her in near misses that lead her to surmise that there is something a bit "grim" about this specter. Keeping her friends close and the angel of death closer, she tries to save her living family from the reaper, while searching for her mother on the other side of the ether. But someone, or some thing, is threatened by her gifts... and wants her dead.
Publication Date: 03/22/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
The Secret Circle: The Divide
Synopsis:

Keep your enemies close. . . .

For the first time since moving to New Salem, Cassie Blake feels normal. She's dating her soul mate Adam and making new friends in town. But between the secret coven of witches she belongs to and the incredible power she holds within her, Cassie is leading a far from ordinary life. When tragedy strikes the Circle, Cassie realizes being extraordinary can be a curse.

The Circle is being hunted by an unknown enemy—and anyone could be the next victim. As they struggle to protect themselves, alliances are formed and relationships are tested. No one knows who to trust or who to fear. Will Cassie be able to save the Circle . . . and herself? Or will her choices break it apart forever?

Publication Date: 03/20/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Vodnik
Bryce Moore
Synopsis: When Tomas was six, someone something tried to drown him. And burn him to a crisp. Tomas survived, but whatever was trying to kill him freaked out his parents enough to convince them to move from Slovakia to the United States. Now sixteen-year-old Tomas and his family are back in Slovakia, and that something still lurks somewhere. Nearby. Ready to drown him again and imprison his soul in a teacup. Then there s the fire víla, the water ghost, the pitchfork-happy city folk, and Death herself who are all after him. All this sounds a bit comical, unless the one haunted by water ghosts and fire vílas or doing time in a cramped, internet-deprived teacup is you. If Tomas wants to survive, he'll have to embrace the meaning behind the Slovak proverb, So smr ou e te nik zmluvu neurobil. With Death, nobody makes a pact.
Publication Date: 03/20/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
The Book of Deacon
Nick Deligaris, Joseph Lallo
Synopsis: The tale of Myranda Celeste, a young woman orphaned by a century long war, and her chance discovery of a fallen soldier's priceless cargo. The find will change her life, sending her on an adventure of soldiers and rebels, wizards and warriors, and beasts both noble and monstrous. Each step will bring her closer to the truth of her potential, of the war, and of the fate of her world.
Publication Date: 03/18/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Light & Dark: The Awakening of the Mageknight
Synopsis: This is the revised second edition, edited by Dennis De Rose and republished in 2013.  Danny Firoth is a middle school student in the 8th grade, struggling with the common stressors plaguing a boy of his age: bullies, homework and his mother.  Sabrina Drake, the new girl, is beautiful but she harbors a fantastic secret. "You're... You're a dragon!" Danny exclaims at the beginning of their epic journey.  "I am a drake," Sabrina corrects him, after a fierce battle with an ancient Shadow.  Danny learns that a simple card game, designed to pit the forces of the Light against those of the Dark, is more than simply a game.  Accepted into a school for young Squires, destined to become Knights of the Light and battle the forces of the Dark with magical weapons called Bondeds, Danny and his friends are trained in the techniques of blade work and educated by a colorful assortment of professors. But there is a traitor in the Order of Light, and now Danny and his friends must use their new powers to try and save themselves and each other.
Publication Date: 03/15/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Nightingale
David Farland
Synopsis: Grand Prize Winner of the Hollywood Book Festival, placed first in all genres, all categories.

Winner of the 2012 International Book Award for Best Young Adult Novel of the Year!

Finalist in the Global Ebook Awards.
                                                                    *Some people sing at night to drive back the darkness.  Others sing to summon it. . . .

Bron Jones was abandoned at birth. Thrown into foster care, he was rejected by one family after another, until he met Olivia, a gifted and devoted high-school teacher who recognized him for what he really was--what her people call a "nightingale."
But Bron isn't ready to learn the truth. There are secrets that have been hidden from mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, secrets that should remain hidden. Some things are too dangerous to know.  Bron's secret may be the most dangerous of all.

In his remarkable young adult fantasy debut, David Farland shows why critics have called his work "compelling," "engrossing," "powerful," "profound," and "ultimately life-changing."
Publication Date: 03/14/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
The Vampire Diaries (Stefan's Diaries): The Compelled
Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec, L. J. Smith
Synopsis:

The sixth book in the New York Times bestselling series by L.J. Smith.

The Compelled is the sixth and final book in L.J. Smith’s bestselling Stefan’s Diaries series, which reveals the backstory of brothers Stefan and Damon from The Vampire Diaries series. This paperback features cover artwork from the hit CW TV series The Vampire Diaries, starring Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, and Ian Somerhalder.

Stefan Salvatore has always had an uneasy relationship with his brother Damon. But when Damon is taken captive by Samuel—a vampire from Katherine’s past bent on revenge—Stefan is determined to rescue him before it is too late…even if it means seeking help from the most unlikely of places. Stefan forms a tentative alliance with a coven of witches in order to save his brother, only to learn that Samuel’s end game is far more sinister then they could have imagined. With Samuel on the brink of securing unlimited power, the brothers are in for their deadliest battle yet.

Full of dark shadows and surprising twists, the sixth and final book in the New York Times bestselling Stefan’s Diaries series raises the stakes for the Salvatore brothers as they face new loves, old treacheries, and unimaginable threats. Fans of L. J. Smith’s New York Times bestselling Vampire Diaries series as well as the hit television show won’t be able to put the latest Salvatore adventure down.

 

Publication Date: 03/13/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Amos Daragon No. 2 The Key of Braha
Synopsis: Book #2 in the exciting Amos Daragon series.

Amos survived his first mission as Mask Wearer, but soon after that, an encounter with a mysterious girl brings his life to an end—and sends him on his way to Braha, the City of the Dead, where souls await judgment. To get there, Amos, now a spirit himself, boards a boat, on which he meets Jerik, a decapitated criminal who must carry his head everywhere. Jerik tells Amos that Braha is overcrowded with spirits; the gods have shut the doors that lead to paradise and to hell. A key is said to unlock the doors—but its whereabouts are unknown. Only someone who dies and comes back to life can find it. Will Amos be that someone? Will his ingenuity and intelligence be enough to restore order in Braha? Or will he unknowingly serve those who are using him for their own gain? Most importantly, even if Amos finds the key, will he ever return to the land of the living?
Publication Date: 03/13/12
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
The Modern Fae's Guide to Surviving Humanity
Patricia Bray, Joshua Palmatier
Synopsis: What if the fae were still here, living among us? Perhaps living in secret, doing their best to pass for human? Or perhaps their existence is acknowledged, but they're still struggling to fit in. How have they survived? Are they outcasts clinging to the edges of society, or do their powers ensure success in the mortal realm? Here are fourteen fabulous tales—ranging from humor to dark fantasy—that explore how the creatures of fae are fitting into the modern world.

From a mortal who offers to do internet marketing for Oberon...to a woman bent on reclaiming her baby from the Queen of the fae...to a dryad grove menaced by urban expansion...to a Selkie in need of a new home and career...these are original looks at how the world of the imagination can survive and perhaps even thrive in the everyday mortal lands.
Publication Date: 03/06/12
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Unafraid: An Archangel Academy Novel
Synopsis: The boarding school known as Archangel Academy possesses a legacy of secrets known only to a privileged few. For in this peaceful, charming part of England lives a population of vampires at war with one another--and Michael Howard is caught in the middle of it all. . .

When Michael left his small Nebraska hometown to enroll at Archangel Academy, he couldn't have imagined how much the experience would change him. Once mortal, Michael is now a vampire with a destiny that was foretold long ago, and a group of friends with their own mysterious abilities.

But there are enemies too, some of them hiding in plain sight. Being strong enough to defend himself isn't enough. Michael must find a way to protect his entire race of vampires. Dark forces within the school will drive everyone to take sides in the escalating violence. And for all his new powers, Michael will discover that love, jealousy, and vengeance have a danger all their own. . .
Publication Date: 03/01/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Lawn Mower Magic
Brandon Dorman, Lynne Jonell
Synopsis: With a POP! and a puff of smoke, the Willows' lawn mower calls it quits. A new mower will cost their parents a lot of money, money Derek had hoped to borrow for a train ticket to visit a friend. Luckily Derek and his brother and sisters find a rusty push mower tucked away in the shed. It doesn't look like much, but it turns out that it's been soaking up magic for years. And it's hungry for grass!

Can Derek earn his ticket? Maybe . . . if he, Abner, Tate, and Celia can keep the magic mower under control!

Lynne Jonell follows up her Junior Library Guild selection, Hamster Magic, with a second story of the Willow family's rowdy run-ins with mixed-up magic.

A Bank Street Children's Book of the Year
Publication Date: 02/28/12
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
Samurai Kids #4: Monkey Fist
Rhian Nest James, Sandy Fussell
Synopsis: The diversely talented Samurai Kids set off to rescue their friend — and find secrets in their midst -as the action-packed martial-arts series continues.

The Samurai Kids are ready to travel back from China to the Cockroach Ryu, nestled in Japan's Tateyama Mountains. But then the unthinkable happens: Kyoko, one of the Cockroaches, is kidnapped. Sensei knows it is the mark of his old enemy Lu Zeng, an evil minister of the Forbidden City who is obsessed with eternal life. The Cockroaches must make a perilous journey to the Forbidden City, during which they encounter the mysterious, forest-dwelling Lin people. But Niya, the boy with one leg, has his trust tested when he learns that his best friend, Yoshi, is keeping secrets. Even worse, it seems that Sensei is not revealing all he knows either. Will all these secrets keep the Cockroaches from achieving their most important mission yet- rescuing Kyoko before Lu Zeng performs horrible experiments on her?
Publication Date: 02/28/12
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Fantasy
Torn
Amanda Hocking
Synopsis:

Amanda Hocking is an indie publishing sensation whose self-published novels have sold millions of copies all over the world. Step into the world of the Trylle, and prepare to be enchanted….

When Wendy Everly first discovers the truth about herself―that she's a changeling switched at birth―she knows her life will never be the same. Now she's about to learn that there's more to the story…

She shares a closer connection to her Vittra rivals than she ever imagined―and they'll stop at nothing to lure her to their side. With the threat of war looming, her only hope of saving the Trylle is to master her magical powers―and marry an equally powerful royal. But that means walking away from Finn, her handsome bodyguard who's strictly off limits…and Loki, a Vittra prince with whom she shares a growing attraction.

Torn between her heart and her people, between love and duty, Wendy must decide her fate. If she makes the wrong choice, she could lose everything, and everybody, she's ever wanted…in both worlds.

As a special gift to readers, this book contains a new, never-before-published bonus story, "One Day, Three Ways," set in the magical world of the Trylle.

Publication Date: 02/28/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Golden Blood: Time Spirit Trilogy (Volume 1)
Synopsis: Gemma Hart never knows when her father is going to whisk her back in time. Her toes start tingling and she has a few minutes to find a secret haven where she can disintegrate and appear in another time and place. While "across the line," her training and skills are put to the test as she completes a mission that will change history for the lucky few her father has selected. 

Gemma's parents are adamant that secrecy is paramount to her family's safety. If people knew what they were capable of, they could be "used and abused", as her mother always says. Afraid she might accidentally utter the truth and break the ancient oath of her people, Gemma spends her school days as a loner. Only one thing can throw her sheltered life askew... Harrison Granger.

Harrison never expected to talk to the strange Hart girl, but after a brief encounter he can't stop thinking about her. He begins a campaign to chisel away her icy veneer and is met with unexpected consequences. As he slowly wins this girl over, he enters a surreal world that has him fighting to keep his newfound love and his life.
Publication Date: 02/27/12
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy

Pages



RECENT BOOK REVIEWS