​By Piranha T.

The last thing twelve-year-old Flick expects when she moves to the village of Little Wyverns--a far cry from the city life she's grown up with--is a travel agency. And not just any travel agency. Strangeworlds isn't the kind that brings you to the places Flick has always dreamed of going: other continents, countries, cities. Once you've joined the mysterious Strangeworlds Society, you can travel through portals hidden in suitcases into other worlds.

At first, Flick is dubious. After all, if magic were truly real, wouldn't everyone know? But then the Strangeworld Travel Agency's young Head Custodian, Jonathan, shows her some of the other worlds. And Flick discovers, to her astonishment and delight, that it's all true. There are worlds out there--nonsensical worlds filled with eerie forests, scorched deserts, and the most peculiar of impossibilities. Worlds which she can now step into.

And she's going to, because Jonathan needs her help. His father disappeared into one of the suitcases months ago, and he needs Flick's help to find him.

Together, Flick and Jonathan set out on a journey leaping from world to world. But something has been happening to the different places they visit. Things have been changing. And it's up to Jonathan and Flick to figure out what--even as she realizes that all is not as it seems.

Strangeworlds Travel Agency is a fun fantasy novel with the quirky, almost old-fashioned tone of books like The Emerald Atlas and The Box and the Dragonfly. It effortlessly leaps between the modern day and the strangest of strange worlds, carried by two characters--Flick and Jonathan--who make that leap just as effectively, never seeming jarred or out of place in either setting. No matter what Flick does at the travel agency or in other worlds, it always feels natural when she returns home to her irritating younger brother and unpacking moving boxes. I also love the worlds Flick and Jonathan travel into, which are varied, mysterious, and often completely unexpected--they truly made this book come alive. I recommend Strangeworlds Travel Agency to readers ages nine and up looking for immersive, likable fantasy novels.

By Piranha T. 

Theodosia Throckmorton is hardly your average eleven-year-old girl. Not only is she the daughter of the Head Curator of the Museum of Legends and Antiquities in London and is deemed unfortunately clever by most adults, she is also the only person who does anything to destroy the curses on the museum's artifacts when they arrive fresh from Egypt courtesy of her archaeologist mum. It's simple enough, really: with the help of her protective amulets and the advice of ancient texts, Theodosia has managed to keep the worst curses from wreaking havoc in the museum. If only her parents consented to wear gloves when touching the artifacts; it would make her job so much easier. But her parents seem to think she's peculiar rather than seeing the curses lurking around the museum at night, and Theodosia knows that if she tried to explain, they'd ship her straight off to boarding school. 

When Theodosia's mum returns from Egypt brimming with artifacts, Theodosia is prepared to spend the next few weeks rooting out the curses before they're put on display. She certainly doesn't expect a curse as vile as the one clinging to the Heart of Egypt her mum returns with--one which will leave England vulnerable to its enemies if left unchecked. 

Before Theodosia can decide what to do, though, the Heart of Egypt is stolen. And it's up to her to track it down and learn more about the Egyptian magic she's always experimented with in time to stop the curse. 

I've wanted to read Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos for years, and it didn't disappoint. Theodosia's character and narrative are absolutely perfect--upper-class, sophisticated, and with a touch of dry humor and seriousness which together make her extraordinarily endearing. The rest of the series is at the very top of my to-read list--I can't wait to read more about Theodosia, and see where LaFevers goes with the successive books! The world is also fully realized: the atmosphere of Edwardian England is skillfully evoked and blended with the Egyptian magic Theodosia discovers in the museum, which I enjoyed immensely. I laughed more than once, was surprised often, and loved the myriad characters, making this book thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos to readers ages ten and up, particularly those who enjoy quirky historical fantasy, or to anyone who regularly identifies ancient curses by moonlight. 

By Piranha T. 

Mayhap Ballanstain knows she must always obey her parents' four last rules:
 
Do not leave the house.
Do not go into the grass.
Wait for us.
Sleep darkly.

Those last words from sisters Mayhap, Winnow, and Pavoinne Ballanstain have been framed on the wall of their bedroom since their parents disappeared into the strange, swaying silver grass which surrounds Straygarden Place. But Mayhap would have known better than to enter the grass even without the warning: it is thick and strange, reaching to the roof and slipping in through open windows and unattended keyholes.

Do not leave the house.

Mayhap and her sisters have never had a reason to leave Straygarden Place. The house provides for their every need: making them food, dressing them in the morning, and even giving them droomhunds so that they can sleep without the blinding white light which disturbs the dreams of any Ballanstain.
Do not go into the grass.

But when Mayhap's older sister, Winnow, does just that--and returns dramatically changed--Mayhap must learn the truth about Straygarden Place, their parents, and herself.

Wait for us.
Sleep darkly.

Having read and loved Hayley Chewins's first novel, The Turnaway Girls, I found myself with high expectations for The Sisters of Straygarden Place--and it exceeded them all. The Sisters of Straygarden Place blew me away, its immersive, expansive prose pulling me into it from the first page to an atmospheric world full of floating trees and silver grass and strange, unquenchable magic and twined with mystery. There was nowhere where this book felt slow or confusing--indeed, any time where this book was anything less than engrossing, twisting, and full of hidden magic. It brims with the strange and the unexpected, with startling revelations and brilliant imagery, but what drives it are the underlying threads of discovery and emotion which make Mayhap--indeed, all the characters--shine so brightly. They feel so real I could touch them and talk to them, and I knew and believed in every one of them by the end of this story. I highly recommend The Sisters of Straygarden Place to readers ages ten and up, particularly those who find atmosphere and characters crucial to a story as well as a plot full of the startling and beautiful. 

​By Piranha T. 

Indira Story has spent her life in the town of Origin, a character-in-waiting who wants nothing more than to be chosen for a story. So when the Author Borealis arrive and Indira is chosen to go to Fable--home to the school which has trained every Protagonist in literary history--it's like a dream come true. 

But when Indira arrives at Protagonist Preparatory, she's set on the side character track--a far cry from the hero she's always dreamed of being. She's determined to do her best anyway, and impress her teachers, who are all famous protagonists in their own right from Romeo to Odysseus. If she works hard, Indira is sure she can become a protagonist, too. 

Somehow, though, even her best efforts don't seem to be working. She's failing at being just a side character. Indira's future is looking bleak when strange things start happening at Protagonist Preparatory, and she starts putting the pieces together--pieces which someone nefarious is trying very hard to keep hidden. 

Will Indira have it in her to be the hero she's always dreamed of--or will she fail, leaving Fable to a disastrous fate? 

If any part of the above story description sounds the least bit familiar, or even a little cliché, that's the point. Saving Fable plays on the most stereotypical, most traditional, most familiar tropes and mixes them up with a world populated by characters and full of clever literary puns, and the result is extraordinary. There are many books which play off story elements of heroes and books--some favorites of mine include Finding Serendipity and The Thieving Collectors of Fine Children's Books--but Reintgen pulls it off here with spectacular and outstanding flair, full of brilliant jokes and constant humor which is so incredibly self-aware. The brilliant writing craft references, which essentially make up the whole world of Saving Fable, are particularly notable in my opinion, in part because they are so incredibly brilliant but also because they create such an atmospheric, detailed, and truly hilarious world; whether it's references to famous protagonists, brainstorming, or simply the classic hero-versus-antagonist plot, they never fall flat and made me laugh my way through this whole book.

​But part of what makes this book stand out is that you don't have to get all of these jokes to love it--they're more of an undercurrent which makes it even more spectacular. The characters, including Indira, are also awesome, and all seemed to sparkle with something of their own; together with a fully realized world and a bright and even surprising plot, they created a full and complete story which I couldn't put down. I highly recommend Saving Fable to fans of fantasy ages nine and up, particularly those who have read enough books to recognize both the funny and familiar in its story. 

​By Piranha T. 

Two qualities are revered above all others in Ayortha: beauty and a strong singing voice. And though Aza has a voice befitting royalty--and has learned the trick of throwing it so that it seems as though her songs are coming from anywhere she likes--physical beauty has never been one of her attributes, as she is reminded seemingly every day, when she's cruelly shunned by visitors to her family's inn. 

When Aza is invited to a royal wedding, she thinks of it as an honor which will soon pass. Instead, she is pulled into the role of Lady in Waiting to the new queen, who has a plan for Aza's skills. The queen feels her singing voice will not live up to society's expectations, and so she commands Aza to be her voice for her--to project her voice so that it seems as though the queen herself is singing. 

Aza doesn't like the deception, but the queen leaves her no choice. Reluctantly, Aza does as she asks--but not all is as it seems. And if Aza can't unravel the web of deceptions and magic in Ayortha's capital soon, it will cost her her life. 

A fairy-tale of a story threaded with elements of 'Sleeping Beauty', Fairest is a fantasy full of snatches of Aza's songs. I liked Aza and the conflicts, both external and internal, of her and the other characters, which made the story feel authentic. I particularly enjoyed how Gail Carson Levine brings in the stringent and unfair beauty ideals of fairy tales in a story reminiscent of 'Sleeping Beauty', one of the worst offenders on this particular topic. Fairest is set in the same world as Ella Enchanted, but despite overlap in places and a few characters, they remain wholly independent of one another, and you can easily read Fairest without any prior knowledge of Ella Enchanted. I recommend Fairest to readers ages ten and up looking for an interesting, absorbing fairy tale retelling. 

By Piranha T. 

Taran is the Assistant Pig-Keeper of the oracular pig Hen Wen--a duty which he feels should be noble and meaningful, but instead leads to nothing remotely interesting. He longs to leave his home at Caer Dallben and adventure out into the world, where he imagines a world where heroes like Prince Gwydion keep evil at bay, and peril is never distant. 

But when Hen Wen escapes, and Taran follows her, he quickly learns that his dreams of sword-wielding heroism are not quite as he thought. Not only that, but Hen Wen may be in mortal danger--for the Horned King, the latest champion of the nefarious Arawn, is also searching for her as he seeks to rule all of the land of Prydain. And only Hen Wen knows the secret to defeating him. 

Now Taran must find Hen Wen before the Horned King--all while avoiding the dark beings sent to find her first. He finds help, too, though: from the hero Gwydion, who is very different from how he imagined him; from Fflewddur Fflam, a bard with a penchant from embellishing the truth; and from Eilonwy, a strong-willed girl who knows a bit about magic. But will it be enough to find Hen Wen in time, and save Prydain? 

The Book of Three is one of my enduring fantasy favorites, and when I reread it this summer, I found it just as good as I remembered. Alexander's prose is engrossing, his characters well-defined. Eilonwy in particular I feel the need to bring attention to; although far from perfect, and less so in successive books, she is one of the few female characters in fantasy of this era who has an interesting personality and a life beyond the male characters, although they do invariably stereotype her into the habitual and tight gender roles of this world. The land of Prydain (based on Welsh mythology) is interesting as well; for those who enjoy the inspiration of Welsh mythology in books like Over Sea, Under Stone, this series is particularly recommended. I recommend The Book of Three (and the successive books in the five-volume Chronicles of Prydain) to readers ages ten and up who enjoy high fantasy novels. 

​By Piranha T. 

Serafina lives in the basement of Biltmore Estate with her pa, staying out of the sight of the rich folk who live upstairs, and heeding her pa's warning to always stay out of the encircling forest. Her pa does maintenance work for the rich Vanderbilts who own the estate, but they don't know Serafina exists. She spends her time prowling the basement and systematically catching the estate's rats. Only occasionally does she venture upstairs to stare around, unnoticed, at the opulence of the Vanderbilts and their guests, or borrow an unattended book from their vast library. 

But when Serafina sees a stranger in the basement--a stranger who wraps his slithering black cloak around a girl from upstairs and subsumes her--Serafina knows she must tell someone what she saw. And when her pa doesn't believe her, Serafina has no choice but to break the rules she's followed all her life and venture upstairs to find someone who will. And she does: she finds Braeden, the Vanderbilts' nephew. 

Serafina knows she has to find the Man in the Black Cloak before he takes more children, and as she gets to know Braeden she discovers he feels the same. Their search will take them out of Biltmore and into the forbidden forest, full of strange, dark magic and whispering secrets. Can Serafina and Braeden discover the Man in the Black Cloak's identity before more children are taken--or will one of them be his next victim? 

Serafina and the Black Cloak is an atmospheric novel full of mystery, secrets, and dark magic. Set in the late 1800s at Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, where the Vanderbilts really lived, this book feels as though it captures both the historical and regional setting in a really cool way. I loved Serafina's determination and personality, and she constantly surprised me in the best possible ways. This book is part-fantasy and part-mystery, as Braeden and Serafina are searching for the identity of the Man in the Black Cloak, but it also shares its touch of creepiness/horror with books such as The Sisters of Straygarden Place and A Path Begins, so if you've liked either of those, I think this could also be enjoyable. I recommend Serafina and the Black Cloak to readers ages ten and up who enjoy dark historical fantasy full of questions and mysteriousness. 

​By Piranha T. 

Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch is the sequel to Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julie Abe, and is the second book in the duology. 

[Look out--there are spoilers for the first book!]

Eva Evergreen, Novice Witch, has finally found the source of the Culling--a mysterious and powerful magic storm which sweeps through Rivelle Realm every year and wreaks destruction in its wake. Ever since it began, all the realm's magic-users have been searching for its source, and how to stop it. No one ever would have expected it came from Grand Master Hayato Grottel's tower, the leader of the Council of Witches and Wizards. 

Eva thinks that discovering this will end the Culling for good, but when Grottel escapes, everything goes wrong. The Culling begins striking with increasing frequency, and the efforts of the country's best witches and wizards are barely working as they attempt to reach Grottel's tower. Eva finally gets placed in the group trying to penetrate the tower--and what she discovers there will change everything. 

Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch continues the fun, quirky narrative of Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch to a satisfying series conclusion. Eva remains a realistic, awesome character who is determined to save her friends and family as much as the whole realm, and in this way, her fight to save Rivelle Realm always feels personal and close to home. I recommend the Eva Evergreen series to readers ages nine and up who like lighthearted, engrossing fantasy stories which feel driven by character as much as plot. 

By Piranha T.

For Tess de Sousa, inventing a way to create electricity using seaweed in the basement of Ackerbee’s Home for Lost and Foundlings is nothing out of the ordinary. It’s normal for her to conduct scientific experiments with her best friend Wilf and her pet tarantula, Violet, by her side. But what certainly isn’t ordinary is the arrival of the mysterious, unlikable Mr. Cleat, who claims he’s Tess’s only family.

Tess doesn’t want to leave her beloved home, and certainly not with a man who seems more interested in the peculiar metal object she was found with than her. But she doesn’t have a choice. She finds herself whisked away to Mr. Cleat’s dismal home, where her only relief is covertly discovering the secrets of the object, which she learns is called the Star-spinner—and enables her to travel into alternate realities.

But it seems Tess isn’t the only one who knows the Star-spinner’s secret. And as she learns more about Mr. Cleat, the Star-spinner, and herself, she uncovers a plot which she is at the center of—a plot could affect overlapping realities, which she must stop at all costs.

​The Starspun Web is a fast-paced, well-plotted historical fantasy novel with an interesting world. Tess is a quirky, determined protagonist (I particularly like Violet!), and her ties to a really nice orphanage made this book about friendship and home as well as fantasy adventures and interdimensional travel. It’s also cool how Sinéad O’Hart incorporated the historical backdrop of World War II into this story. Overall, I recommend The Starspun Web to fantasy lovers ages nine and up.

By Piranha T.
 
Alex Mosher knows he’s never been like other kids. When he sees a dog on the street, instead of playing with it, he dreams up tales of it as a harbinger of death. And while other kids try to forget their nightmares, he writes them down in journals he calls his nightbooks, crafting horror stories just like the ones he loves to watch and read. The kids at school tease him for his obsession with creepy things. At last, Alex decides he’s done with being different, and descends to the basement of his apartment building to burn his nightbooks.

But on the way down, he gets captured by a witch named Natacha, and becomes caught up in a story much more terrifying than the ones he’s always written. Natacha only keeps him alive for his stories, one each night—creepy stories from the nightbooks Alex intended to destroy.

​But Alex knows he isn’t the first kid to get lured into Natacha’s apartment. And now he’s only one of two left. Natacha will keep him alive for his stories, but for how long? And more importantly—can he escape first?

I’m not usually a fan of creepy stories, but after reading J. A. White’s Thickety quartet, I decided to give Nightbooks a try. I’m glad I did. Nightbooks is an interesting and multilayered novel, somewhere between Hansel and Gretel and The Arabian Nights, full of quirks and interesting characters. There were a few twists which took me completely by surprise, in a good way! I like Alex and the supporting cast, from the witch Natacha to her ornery cat, Lenore. Although there were certainly creepier elements in Nightbooks, I think this is definitely a book which can be enjoyed by readers who don’t always like horror as well as those who do. I recommend Nightbooks to readers ages ten and up who like books about stories and unique twists on fairy tales. 

By Piranha T.

In Middle-Earth, a world full of wizards and humans, dwarves and elves, and many darker creatures who dwell in the shadows where none but evil dare to tread, there is one race not troubled with light and dark or terrible wars. The hobbits of the Shire live peacefully in their round-doored hobbit-holes, enjoying uneventful serenity, with an emphasis on frequent, delicious meals. They are not the types to go on adventures or gallivant about with dwarves or wizards. And especially not hobbits from a family so respectable, so down-to-earth, as the Bagginses.

Yet when the wizard Gandalf and thirteen dwarves appear at Bilbo Baggins’ front door one afternoon, he finds himself caught up in a strange business which can only be described as an adventure. Long ago, the dragon Smaug descended from the north and destroyed the halls ruled by the dwarf Thorin’s forefathers, Lonely Mountain, a place once full of numberless riches and excellent craftmanship. Now, it is a tomb to the dead, and Smaug sits atop the dwarves’ ancestral gold. The dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield, have planned a dangerous quest: to slay the dragon and, at last, win back what once was theirs. And they wish for Bilbo Baggins to be the final member of their company.

Despite his initial misgivings, Bilbo accompanies the dwarves and Gandalf on the journey to Lonely Mountain. The path is long and perilous, crossing dangerous mountains, vast plains, a forest darkened by shadowy beasts, and at last the desolation of Smaug which surrounds the mountain itself.

Hobbits have never been a people for adventuring. But perhaps Bilbo will be the crucial piece in the journey to Lonely Mountain.

I find myself now rereading The Hobbit, and I can see quite clearly why it is such a fantasy classic. J. R. R. Tolkien’s story is not only full of danger and adventure, but also spots of humor, interesting characters, and excellent writing. Although this book is more sedately paced than more modern fantasy novels, it isn’t less engaging, as it is often seen as; instead, it is simply written in a different style.

As someone who loves excellent worldbuilding, Middle-Earth is high on my list. The lands this book travels through are distinct and multilayered, as are the creatures who dwell there. Each race—mainly humans, hobbits, dwarves, and elves—is distinct and well-defined. Tolkien clearly knew this universe very well, including its history; to those who love distinct fantasy worlds, I also highly recommend The Silmarillion, a prequel Tolkien wrote concerning the history of Middle-Earth. Tolkien’s novels of Middle-Earth are some of my favorites. I highly recommend The Hobbit to readers ages ten and up.

By Piranha T. 

More than anything, Riley Oh has always wanted to have magic. Her sister, Hattie, does, just like everyone else in their community of Korean-American witch clans hidden out in the middle of LA. But Riley is a saram--someone born without magic, an ordinary human, adopted by the Ohs soon after she was born. And though her adoptive family is awesome--particularly Hattie, who's Riley's age and the best sister ever--the rest of the Gifted community definitely doesn't think she belongs. 

So when Riley and Hattie discover a spell which allows them to share Hattie's magic between them, they're ready to perform it, no matter what. But everything changes when the spell doesn't go as planned--and it turns out the cost might be Hattie's life. 

Riley's last hope to save her sister is a bargain with the Cave Bear Goddess, but of course agreements with immortals can never be simple. Not only does she give Riley a task she has no idea how to complete--finding the Godrealm's last fallen star--she also has a time limit. If Riley can't find the star, and fast, Hattie will be gone forever. 

With the help of friends, a magical scooter, and the last person Riley ever would have expected, it's up to her to find the last fallen star and bring it to the Cave Bear Goddess before her time is up. But as Riley begins to uncover secrets which were never intended to be revealed, she has to decide what it really means to belong--and what she's willing to give up to fit in. 

The Last Fallen Star blends myth with the modern day in a story full of action, adventure, and awesomeness. Riley is a brilliant protagonist who I love--she's determined, funny, and immensely relatable, and I'm glad there will be two more books about her to enjoy! I also love her relationship with Hattie--the strength of the love between them is palpable throughout and one of the best sister relationships I've read. Graci Kim creates a complete world which feels real, with a cast of unique supporting characters who are all interesting and fun. Perhaps the most standout part of this book is the plot--every time I thought I knew just a little where it was going I was wrong, and a constant flow of action, surprises, and laughs made this book speed by until I couldn't believe I'd reached the end. I highly recommend The Last Fallen Star to readers ages ten and up who love fantasy adventures with strong characters, a fast-paced plot, and a fully realized world. I can't wait for book two! 

By Piranha T. 

Zima knows to put the safety of her pack above all else—and to avoid both the dangerous humans who are intruding upon her forest and Baba Yaga, the witch who every wolf knows will spell them if she gets the chance. But when Zima’s brother is hurt, she must appeal to Baba Yaga to heal him.

The witch agrees, for a price. She needs a wolf’s acute sense of smell to help restore the rightful tsar to the throne, and so she switches bodies with Zima in exchange for healing her brother.

Baba Yaga instructs Zima to stay put in her hut while she’s gone, but when a human girl named Nadya arrives bearing news of a plot to destroy the forest, Zima knows she must act. She sets off, with Nadya by her side, to foil the tsar’s dark plan.

Can she succeed in time? Or will her home—and her family—be destroyed?

A Wolf for a Spell is a beautiful, layered fantasy which reads like a fairy tale, perfect for fans of The Door by the Staircase and Begone the Raggedy Witches. Karah Sutton weaves a complex tale of magic, mystery, and hope full of elements of Russian folktales, creating an atmospheric story perfectly represented by Pauliina Hannuniemi’s beautiful illustrations throughout. The characters, particularly Zima, are all strong and distinct, and the plot is unusual and twisty. I highly recommend A Wolf for a Spell to readers of fantasy ages nine and up. 

By Piranha T.

Eva Evergreen might be the daughter of one of the country’s most powerful witches, but she only has a pinch of magic. Even when she can invent a spur-of-the-moment spell, they nearly always go wrong, summoning cabbages instead of flowers and leaving her embarrassed and so exhausted that she dozes off immediately afterwards. Nevertheless, Eva’s never wanted anything more than to become a witch like her mother, and she’s determined to pass her Novice Witch quest, the first step in achieving that dream.

There’s only one problem. If she fails, she’ll lose her magic…forever.

Eva’s quest brings her to the seaside town of Auteri, where she’s instructed to help the inhabitants however possible. But nothing goes quite right. Her ‘semi-magical repair shop’ remains customer-less. The magic she does perform goes horribly awry. And then there’s the looming danger of the mysterious Culling, a disaster which strikes yearly which she must somehow barricade Auteri against.

Still, she’s also beginning to form friendships with some of Auteri’s inhabitants. And when disaster strikes, it’s up to her to protect the town she’s grown to love.

Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch is a fun, fresh fantasy novel full of distinct characters and intriguing worldbuilding. Eva is an interesting and motivated protagonist, and Julie Abe uses ideas of witches and spells in a cool way. I particularly liked Auteri itself—this town truly comes alive, with a layered network of characters and plenty of mysteries set up for the sequel. I recommend Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch to readers ages nine and up.

PS: If you like Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch, definitely check out the sequel, Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch! 

By Piranha T.

“The exile of the princes of Lacharra didn’t begin with swords or spells. It began inside the castle kitchen with a quest for cloves.
It began with me.”
                  -from The Flight of Swans by Sarah McGuire

​When the King of Lacharra returns to the castle with a pale-haired woman without a name and eyes full of deception, only twelve-year-old Princess Andaryn doesn’t fall to the enchantments she weaves about the royal family. And when Ryn defies her, hoping in the doing to free her family from the Queen’s devious power, it instead gives her the chance to kill Ryn's six older brothers under false pretenses.

In desperation, Ryn makes the only bargain the Queen is willing to strike. She will be silent for six years—one for each of her brothers—if she allows them to go free.

And the Queen does set them free, but in the form of six black swans. They will regain their human forms only on the night of the full moon, and, after six years, will remain that way forever.

Only Ryn knows what the Queen has done, and she is unable to tell the story to any other. As the years pass and she travels across the land, she is pursued by the Queen’s fearsome Hunters and she herself pursues what she hopes will be a way to save her brothers. But as she learns more about the curse, she begins to wonder: who is the Queen, really?

The Flight of Swans is an effortless, brilliant fantasy novel. Based off the fairy tale Six Swans, this is one of my favorite fairy-tale retellings, adhering to the original story while expanding in unexpected directions. Sarah McGuire crafts a mysterious, multilayered landscape and world, with unusual magic, interesting history, and intriguing creatures. The Queen herself is a mystery who kept me wondering until the end, with her strange history and cunning mind. And Ryn is a courageous, bold protagonist who won’t stop at anything to save her brothers, who reminded me of heroines like Kara Westfall and Ella from Ella Enchanted. This book was engaging and fast-paced, despite taking place over a long period of time, with a twisting plot which kept me guessing. I highly recommend The Flight of Swans to readers ages twelve and up who love awesome main characters, complex worlds, and brilliant retellings of fairy tales!