When Kylie Galen is sent to Shadows Fall, a camp for troubled teens, she figures it’s because she screwed up once too often. The truth is, it’s secretly a camp for supernatural teenagers learning how to control their natures and fit in. Thing is, Kylie isn’t supernatural, or so she thinks. As she gets to know her fellow campers, she discovers the truth of her heritage, even as she juggles her attraction to a werewolf she’s known for years, and a half-Fae boy whose charm is irresistible. There’s trouble afoot at the camp, and Kylie may be the key to fixing things. With a memorable narrative voice and an entertaining setup, this coming-of-age romp is a breath of fresh air.
Archive for category Elves & Fairies
Evie’s attempts to lead a normal high school life after quitting her job with the International Paranormal Containment Agency seem doomed to failure when paranormals start attacking her at random, and her old boss all but begs her to come back as a freelancer, much to the dismay of Evie’s shapeshifter boyfriend. Unable to turn her back on friends and duty, Evie tries to balance the aspects of her life with little success. Now she’s dealing with fairies again, learning more about her past than she ever expected, and up to her eyeballs in trouble. Though a bit angsty, Evie’s an enjoyable heroine, and her fast-paced Buffyesque adventures make for a good read.
What do a clockwork house in a steampunk setting, the Cthulhu Mythos, the Fae, and a girl engineer all have in common? They factor into Kittridge’s endlessly entertaining YA debut, a delightful juxtaposition of unlikely elements and high adventure. When Aoife Grayson receives a plea for help from her long-lost brother, she runs away from the strict school she calls home, accompanied by her best friend and guided by a dashing rogue. Encountering airship pirates, flesh-eating ghouls, untrustworthy Fae and more, Aoife must unlock the secrets of her family, even as her world is torn apart by betrayal, revelations. With its unique blend of steampunk science, eldritch horror, dark magic and Gothic atmosphere, this book draws you like a shoggoth’s tentacle and doesn’t let go.
Twins Sunny and Rayne are anything but normal. They’re both dating vampires, while Rayne is both vampire and slayer at the same time. And now, according to their parents, they’re both fairy princesses … and that part of the family’s come to collect them. For their own safety, the girls are sent to stay at the remote Riverdale Academy, a school for slayers. As Riverdale proves full of surprises, Rayne’s forced to hide her true nature with no way to feed. With fairies, vampires, and traitors galore, disaster is inevitable. Only Mancusi could make this increasingly bizarre set of circumstances work so well, as one twist after another is introduced. The end result is a past-paced, quirky, fun continuation of the series that’s sure to keep fans amused.
Meghan Chase, the half-Fae daughter of Summer King Oberon, is ready to return to mortal life with her boyfriend, the exiled Winter Prince Ash, when the two are pulled back into the ongoing war between the old Faerie Courts and the newly-emerged Iron Fae. With a new Iron King poised to destroy Summer and Winter and remake Faery in his image, only Meghan, with her unique blend of abilities, has what it takes to stop him. With an unlikely group of fractious allies, she must accomplish the impossible at any cost, even her own life. Romance takes a back seat to high stakes action as the war in Faery takes its toll and leaves its mark. This third installment in the series is just as compelling and complex as its predecessors, and wholly satisfying.
For years, Donna Underwood has lived with tragedy and secrets stemming from a vicious supernatural attack: her father dead, her mother driven insane, her own injuries overcome through the application of bizarre alchemical methods. Now she wears gloves to hide the iron and silver tattoos covering much of her hands and arms, is home-schooled by tutors from the mysterious Order of the Dragon, and reluctantly hides the weirder parts of her life from her best friend, Navin. The hiding comes to an end when the deadly, reclusive wood elves emerge from hiding to stalk and attack her, and the problem escalates when they kidnap Navin in order to force Donna into making a fateful decision. Betray the Order of the Dragon, which has been increasingly shady of late, or lose the only friend she can talk to? Complicating matters is Xan, a half-fey boy to whom she’s increasingly attracted, who might make the difference between success and disaster. While the depiction of the Fae as capricious, destructive outsiders (in a throwback to their earliest manifestations) has become popular of late, Mahoney still brings a fresh new spin to things with her feisty, intriguing protagonist, the undeniable chemistry between her and both Navin and Xan, and the fascinating focus on alchemy and scientific magic. Dark around the edges, but shiny at heart, this is a worthy addition to the YA paranormal shelf. I’m looking forward to seeing more of Donna and her world.
When Lily visits Princeton with her family for Reunions Weekend, she’s ready for the usual campus tours and alumni parties. What she gets is a surprise, when she’s asked to take the mysterious Legacy Test. Pass, and she’s accepted into Princeton, no strings attached. All she has to do is locate the so-called Ivy Key. Her quest quickly takes a turn for the bizarre, as the secrets of Princeton unfold around her. Talking gargoyles, boys who become tigers, man-eating monsters, an alternate world full of magic, and a family secret that changes everything. The SATs are nothing compared to cranky dragons, and this test‘s a killer. Durst’s passion for her alma mater shines through with every whimsical, exciting page, as she weaves a captivating, magical tale that demands a sequel.
Making good on a promise, Meghan, recently revealed as the half-human daughter of King Oberon of the Summer Fae, has become an uneasy “guest” in the Winter Court of Queen Mab, where she must deal with court politics and prejudice. An on-again off-again forbidden romance with Prince Ash both comforts and confuses her, but even that’s a distraction from the true threat of the newly-discovered Iron Fae, whose very natures will destroy all of Faery if left unchecked. As the wildcard, it’s up to Meghan to change the course of events, but it may cost her her heart and soul. There’re some pleasing twists in an otherwise fairly-predictable storyline, but the entire concept of the Iron Fae elevates this to a worthy level. It’ll be interesting to see how it all pulls together in the next book.
The night before Maya’s due to start seventh grade in a new school where she doesn’t know anyone, a fairy flies into her room and sleeps in her bed. This kicks off a series of events culminating with her delving into the mysteries of the bizarre family next door, who sometimes act like they come from another world. It only gets weirder when she’s entrusted with a strange glowing egg of immense value, and soon there’s no turning back. Neither fantasy nor science fiction, but an intricate mix, this intersection of the mundane and the weird is classic Hoffman, unfolding like an exotic bloom. Sadly, it feels like pure buildup for the sequel, ending just as it’s getting really good.
Evie’s unique talent to see the supernatural in their true forms makes her an essential part of a secret organization which captures rogue paranormals and either kills or conscripts them. However, her yearning for a normal life, one not involving devious fairy ex-boyfriends or midnight vampire-hunting missions, leads her to bond with Lend, a shapeshifter with a mysterious agenda of his own. When all hell breaks loose, Evie and Lend must work together to foil a common enemy – one they never saw coming – and save the day. This clever, fast-paced adventurous romp combines romance and action with a fascinating premise, one I’d love to see more of, along with its inhabitants.