Set against the backdrop of traditional Transylvania, Wildwood Dancing is the story of five sisters who, every month at the full moon, travel through a magical portal into a realm where they mingle with the folk of the Other Kingdom, dancing and chatting with all manner of mythic creatures. But then the deadly Night People visit the revels one month, and eldest sister Tati falls in love with one of them. Then the girls’ father is forced to travel far away for his health, and their domineering cousin Cezar comes to power in the area, threatening to crush their dreams and wills. Can the girls, led by strong-willed Jenica, find what it takes to save the Other Kingdom from Cezar’s dark dreams of revenge, rescue Tati from imminent death, unravel the secrets of a powerful witch, and live happily ever after? Incorporating elements of the Frog Prince, Twelve Princesses Dancing, and traditional Transylvanian myth, this is a beautiful, intricate story about growing up, finding love, and discovering one’s inner strengths, and I highly recommend it.
Archive for July, 2009
Aislinn’s always been able to see the magical creatures of Faerie as they walk among us, unseen and unsuspected. So far, she’s been obsessively careful about not drawing their attention. Unfortunately, when Keenan, the Summer King, decides that Aislinn might be the perfect woman to take up the mantle of Summer Queen and end his centuries-old curse, it kicks into high gear an ancient game played by his mother, the Winter Queen. As Aislinn is dragged, kicking and screaming, into the world of the Fae and their seductive magics, she’ll be forced to use every resource at her disposal to survive and come out on top. Unfortunately for Keenan, Aislinn’s unlike any girl he’s ever romanced, and she’s about to leave her own mark on Faerie. This is an edgy, modern take on classic fairy tales, with a stubborn, feisty heroine and an intriguing cast to back her up. Marr doesn’t go the expected route, either, throwing in plenty of twists and turns right up until the very end, delivering a satisfying story with an ending that isn’t quite “happily ever after.” This is a strong debut for the author, and I’ll be looking forward to more from her.
Upset by a bad breakup, sixteen-year-old Morgan cuts her hair and dies it orange, prompting her parents to send her on a bicycle tour of Ireland for the summer. As the tour makes its way across Ireland, Morgan struggles with feelings of alienation and resentment. Meanwhile, her involuntary visits to a mythic version of Ireland’s past, complete with fairies, curses, and legendary heroes, provide her with a real challenge. Now, recast as a myth in her own right, she has to perform some impossible tasks to unlock the secret of her time-traveling. This is one vacation she’ll never forget. This is a rather charming, entertaining book that shamelessly plunders Irish myth without adhering to the strict details. The cover, by Sarah Howell, is eye-catching and memorable.
When a young man meets the ghost of a long-dead teen along an empty stretch of road, it pulls him into a decades-old mystery. What seems at first to be a gay love story stretched across the years soon turns sinister and deadly, and the hero has to draw upon his friends and his own strengths to put things right before he pays a heavy price. Vintage is a powerful, haunting story, very atmospheric and spooky. The characterizations are crisp and believable, the interactions are real, and the main characters are fun to watch as they maneuver through life, love, and the occult. Berman’s got a great voice, and he weaves a splendid ghost story/gay coming-of-age tale.
Not too far in the future, unwanted teenagers can be “unwound” for their body parts and organs. Three such teens run away to escape this fate, and eventually hook up with an underground organization dedicated to saving them from a living death. As they struggle to stay alive, they experience love, death, betrayal, horror, and discover some of the horrifying side-effects of the unwinding process. Dark and provocative, Unwind plays off of some all-too-real mindsets and a plausible set of outcomes, and contains one of the most disturbing sequences I’ve ever read. Another excellent offering from Shusterman.
Jordan’s life has become a nightmare. Every night, as soon as it gets dark, her dead ex-boyfriend appears outside her window, trying to convince her to let him in. Every night, it gets a little harder to ignore him, or to drown out his words with alcohol. And she knows that if she gives in, it’ll be the last thing she does. As the story progresses, bits and pieces of the recent past are revealed, showing just how things got to this stage. But can Jordan take back control of her life, rebuild her friendships, discover what’s truly important to her, and deal with her nightly visitor once and for all? Uninvited is a wonderfully dark story, taking the vampire concept and keeping it at arms’ length to restore some of the horror to the genre. Full of complexity and layers, it’s thought-provoking and sophisticated. Marrone’s clearly a writer to keep an eye on.
Ever since Kelly Ruland’s brother vanished in the wake of a tragic car accident, she’s been drifting through her life aimlessly, acting out against the old status quo and experimenting with drugs and alcohol, as if to fill a void. Then Jasper returns, followed by a strange motorcycle gang and a devilish being named Archie, who wants Jasper to return to the gang, and Kelly to surrender to his power. Little does Kelly realize that the answers to all her questions lie in a night she barely remembers, and that nothing is what it appears to be. Uninvited is a gripping, haunting tale of seduction, temptation, longing and redemption, with some surprising twists to keep the story fresh and exciting.
After the events of The Warrior Heir, the magical society of the Weir – the warring wizard Houses and the lesser guilds – is in a state of flux, their traditional status quo completely upset. Thrown into the midst of chaos is Seph McCauley, whose untrained wizard powers make him an ideal pawn for a ruthless cabal bent on regaining their dominance over the lesser guilds. When Seph finally breaks free of that control, he finds surprising new allies, family he never knew existed, and a destiny that he may not live to fulfill. Cinda Williams Chima raises the stakes in this urban fantasy, offering a story full of twists and turns and plenty of action. Of special note are her richly-developed characters, and the intriguing society which fuels so much of the plot. I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
It’s Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, to the rescue again, along with his friends Annabeth and Thalia (the daughters of Athena and Zeus, respectively) when two more demigods are located. This rescue mission, however, sets off a series of events involving yet another semi-epic quest, and a deadly curse, as our heroes must foil the ever-more fiendish plans of Kronos and his mysterious new allies. Toss in the wild cards of Artemis and her Hunt, and not everyone is coming back alive and intact from the most dangerous adventure Percy’s had to date. Once again, in this third book of the series, Riordan does a splendid job of weaving together mythological elements with a modern setting, producing an excellent, always entertaining series full of adventure and sharp characterization. Perfect for the Harry Potter crowd.
Jennifer Scales is still struggling with her unique nature: half-weredragon, half-beaststalker, able to bridge numerous worlds, potentially able to bring multiple warring races together, if they’ll only listen to her. Unfortunately, things just keep getting more complicated, especially when a small disgruntled group of her enemies weave a spell which rewrites the world. Now Jennifer is stuck in a world where weredragons are near-extinct, and their mortal enemies, the wereachnids rule openly. Everyone she knows is dead, or vastly different, and her allies are questionable at best. Even if Jennifer finds a way to return the world to normal, will she survive? This series just keeps getting better with each book, though portions near the end of this one were a little convoluted and hard to follow on a first reading. Nevertheless, it’s fun, with a fresh new premise, memorable characters, and a feisty heroine.