​By Ella

Everyone believes that Quinton Peters is dead, but his younger sister, Amari, has never been convinced. He just disappeared--she's sure he's out there somewhere. So when she discovers a suitcase from Quinton with her name on it--and an invitation inside from somewhere called the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs--she's certain that whatever it means, it holds the key to discovering what really happened to Quinton. 

But the Bureau, an organization which keeps magic and the magical world hidden from everyone else, isn't exactly handing out information about the disappearance of one its top agents--even if Amari is his sister. It quickly becomes clear that if Amari is going to learn what really happened to Quinton, she's going to have to compete for a spot in the Bureau against far more experienced candidates--not all of whom think Amari deserves a place here at all. 

Amari must forge some unlikely friendships and uncover the plans of one of the most dangerous magicians of all time if she wants to find a place at the Bureau, and learn what really happened to Quinton. But doing so may destroy her tentative acceptance in the Bureau--and keep her from seeing the most perilous deception of all. 

I've heard so much about Amari and the Night Brothers​, and I'm so glad I finally read it--it not only lived up to my high expectations, but exceeded them. Many of Amari's story elements are familiar, but Alston's strong characters and absorbing world-building make them feel utterly new, creating an exciting page-turner that left me wishing I already had book two. I utterly loved this world--full of small, quirky details and stunning descriptions, I was completely engrossed in the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Its flaws and prejudices made it deeper and layered, and helped it feel far more realistic than an idealistically perfect society. Amari's determination and love for Quinton truly drive this story, and I'm glad I'll be able to enjoy more books about her--and the supporting cast (particularly Elsie and Dylan), who are equally awesome! This story had more than one twist that truly surprised me, and I loved how the mystery of what really happened to Quinton unfolds. I highly recommend Amari and the Night Brothers to readers ages ten and up who love fantasy books full of clever plotting and strong characters. 

By Ella

The Arcanum Training Institute is the school for young Marvellers--magic-users from around the world whose power is encompassed in one of the five Paragons, or orders of magic. For centuries, Conjurers have been excluded from the Marveller world, their magic criticized and alienated. But now, Arcanum has opened its doors to Conjurers--and eleven-year-old Ella Durand will be the first to attend. 

Ella has long dreamed of attending Arcanum, and the school itself is all she's ever imagined--full of moving towers, odd enchantments, and delicious food. Even though not everyone is thrilled about Ella's presence at Arcanum, she slowly begins to find her place. But the school--and the Marveller world--has its own secrets, and when a dangerous criminal escapes from a Conjurer prison, it's up to Ella to clear both her name, and that of all Conjurers. 

The Marvellers is a layered, lovely fantasy novel full of strong characters and evocative worldbuilding. I particularly loved Ella and her two friends, Brigit and Jason, a trio who I'm thrilled to spend more time with later in the series! The whole book both embodies and puts a new twist on the classic magic school trope; even with the Marveller world's prejudice towards Conjurers, Arcanum feels like a place anyone could be part of. At the same time, the school has its own mysteries and hard-kept secrets, and its many layers cement it as a spectacular setting--one that is open and welcoming, but remains deeply and believably flawed. I highly recommend The Marvellers to readers ages nine and up, particularly those who enjoy magic schools, clever plots, and engrossing worldbuilding. 

​By Ella

Every magical school needs a good beastkeeper--and Inglenook School of Magic is no exception. Twelve-year-old Autumn Malog's family has cared for Inglenook's beasts for generations, and she's grown up looking after dragons protecting their well-cared-for gardens and striking up a friendship with the boggart, one of Inglenook's most mysterious and temperamental creatures. But ever since her twin brother, Winter, went missing last year, everything has been different. Everyone else believes he's dead, devoured long ago by the ferocious Hollow Dragon, but Autumn has never been convinced. She's certain he's alive somewhere, and she's spent every moment since trying to figure out what really happened to him. And she's sure she saw him in one of Inglenook's mirrors...

Autumn doesn't have any real clues, though--not until Cai Morrigan, the Inglenook student prophecized to defeat the Hollow Dragon, agrees to help her find Winter. But nothing is as it seems, and as Autumn and Cai follow a trail of clues leading from the Hollow Dragon's forest to within the walls of Inglenook School, they must also uncover its far deeper secrets before it is too late--for Winter, and for all of them. 

The School Between Winter and Fairyland is a fast-paced fantasy novel that puts a new twist on the classic tale of the Chosen One. The worldbuilding is excellent, full of small details--like the gardening dragons--that make the setting unique and interesting. I particularly liked the different creatures that Autumn's family cares for, which are all drawn from various mythology but with a new spin on their characteristics and personalities. The characters are also excellent, particularly Cai--I've read a lot of stories with Chosen Ones, but Fawcett's twist on this trope is different in the best possible way! I recommend The School Between Winter and Fairyland to readers ages nine and up, particularly those who enjoy books about magic schools. 

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. 

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. 

Note: Check out our interview with the author of Serafina and the Black Cloak, Robert Beatty!

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.
 
When twelve-year-old Emmy Willick is sent to a boarding school in England, she knows she’s not going to fit in. After all, she knows those kinds of schools are populated by kids who have been in the system all their lives, who take Latin for fun and know everyone in their dormitory, and the school’s name--Wellsworth—hardly does anything to dissuade that notion. Her mom tells her it’s ‘the best’, just like she’s said about all the other horrible schools she’s sent Emmy to, but she always thinks she’s right. After all, her whole job is to give parenting advice. And Emmy’s dad…well, her dad disappeared nine years ago, and she thought he was gone for good. But only a few days before she learns she’ll be going to Wellsworth, she receives a mysterious letter which leads her to a strange set of medallions in the attic—medallions with belonged to her father.

At first, Wellsworth seems like any other school Emmy has attended. There’s difficult coursework, mean kids and nice kids, and competitive interscholastic sports. But with the help of her new friends, Jack and Lola, she learns that her dad went to Wellsworth, too, and for the first time, she’s on the edge of learning something about him. As she begins to dig deeper, though, it becomes clear that his disappearance might have had something to do with his time at the school after all. And then there’s the mysterious and dangerous Order of Black Hollow Lane…

It’s up to Emmy, Jack and Lola to learn the truth about Emmy’s father and the Order of Black Hollow Lane…before the Order stops them from doing just that.

​The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane is a fast-paced mystery novel with lots of twists. Emmy, Jack and Lola are a great trio of main characters, all of them interesting and sympathetic. The slow reveals in this book, especially around Emmy’s father and the Order of Black Hollow Lane, are well-paced and interesting, often raising more questions than they answer in a really cool way. I recommend The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane to readers ages nine and up. 

By Super Kitty

Charlie Thorne knows over a dozen languages. She's an extraordinary coder and inventor. Her IQ is quite simply off the charts, and she might be the only person alive capable of uncovering an equation discovered and hidden by Einstein himself--one which has eluded every intelligence agency in the world for decades. But after a not-100%-legal use of her talents which left her a multi-millionaire, she has been using them only to stay undercover.

And oh, yeah--she's twelve years old.

Under normal circumstances, the CIA wouldn't so much as consider sending a headstrong twelve-year-old into the field (especially one with such a...questionable history). But Einstein's last equation--better known as Pandora's Box--is said to have improved upon E = MC^2 so ingeniously that anyone who had access to it could easily create nuclear power, and the CIA's leaders have reason to believe that a small terrorist organization called the Furies has figured out its location. And, well, desperate times call for (very) desperate measures.

Charlie has absolutely no intention of working with the CIA--in fact, she's put a great deal of energy into avoiding them for the last few years. Yet she can't resist her curiosity, and as she begins to unravel clues left by Einstein himself, she's pulled into a mission that will cross the globe, race the Furies, and shape the fate of the world as she knows it. (No pressure or anything....) But the equation means something different for everyone--from sustainable energy to nuclear bombs--and the closer she gets to finding Pandora's Box, the more Charlie realizes that trusting humanity with the box could be its undoing. 

Clever, funny, and engaging, Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation is a fun, fast read. Charlie is stubborn, witty, and highly amusing, and I like how she uses her abilities and knowledge creatively to succeed in seemingly impossible situations--her ability to "see the numbers" is useful not just for unraveling equations, but also for outwitting her enemies and carefully calculated skateboard getaways. While most of the characters are likable but fairly straightforward, I really liked how each one has a logical goal and perspective which, instead of leading to a "good guys vs. bad guys" climax, results in a web of conflicting motivations, strategies, and factions that make the story highly entertaining, particularly the ending. I also liked the villains--most authors would have made the Furies into a brilliant underground network of evil which spanned the globe, but Gibbs instead made them simply a handful of average people, yet ones brimming with racism and blinding hatred. They aren't geniuses, but they don't need to be to be seriously dangerous and concern the CIA, which made them much more believable and interesting--I enjoyed seeing Charlie face off with them! I would recommend Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation to readers ages ten and up who enjoy complex clues, historical and scientific tidbits, and action-filled adventures. 

Note: Check out our interview with Stuart Gibbs, author of Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation! 

By Piranha T.

Life in Juniper has become tough for eleven-year-old Elodee Lively and her family. Over the past few months, it’s grown harder to talk to her family about small matters, and impossible to discuss the ones which really matter. Even her twin Naomi no longer gives her the reassurance she’s searching for. Nothing is the same, not her family, not the cooking she’s always loved, not her friends, not even her emotions. She’s glad to leave Juniper and move to Eventown, a place she remembers from a past vacation as full of sunshine and rosebushes, with delicious ice cream and cheerful neighbors.

And Eventown is much better, at first. Everyone’s happy and kind; their new house comes equipped with a beautiful kitchen and a box of delicious recipes just for Elodee. She’s glad to forget the heartbreak of the last few months. The silence which has enveloped her family lifts at last, and Elodee finds herself struggling to mirror her dad’s joy, her mom’s outgoingness, her sister’s satisfaction.

But somehow, she can’t.

Something’s strange about Eventown. Little things, which add up to big ones. The houses are all identical. Only one song is ever sung. There’s a library full of books, but all the pages are blank. And there aren’t any butterflies.

People keep telling Elodee that everything will make sense once she’s been Welcomed to Eventown. But it’s at the Welcoming Center that Elodee realizes just how wrong Eventown is. And that something has to change—something big. Because nothing can be perfect forever. And there’s power in remembering.

​Eventown is a well-written and absorbing story. Even when I wasn’t sure where it was going, I kept reading, and I’m glad I did. Two elements of this book particularly stood out to me. First of all, Corey Ann Haydu did an excellent job of evoking Eventown’s strangeness—how it was perfect and unnerving at the same time. And the characters—particularly Elodee—were vividly characterized, realistic and distinct. I also love the feeling this book ends with! I recommend Eventown to readers ages eight and up. 

 By Piranha T.

There are plenty of ways that Zenobia July is different from her fellow students when she starts Monarch Middle School. Her skills at tech, for example, developed over long days sitting at home when her father wouldn’t let her leave the house. The fact that she’s not living with her parents but with her two eccentric aunts. Or that although Zen was born a boy, in her new home in Maine, she’s been able to transition publicly to the girl she’s always been inside. Despite all the hardships she’s faced, though, Zen finds new challenges in middle school—girls who make fun of her, a boy who despises her for her skill at technology, and the constant fear that someone will learn she’s transgender. The only comforts lie in Arli, a self-proclaimed word geek, and the familiar riddles of Cyberlandium.

Then the school website is hacked, and it changes everything. Because although Zen knows she can find who did it, she’s also aware that success may not make her popular with her classmates. And as she delves deeper into the mystery, it makes her question the place she’s started to find for herself at Monarch Middle School.

It’s a multilayered puzzle which requires both cyber skills and determination. And Zenobia July may be the only one who can stop it before the hacker strikes again.

Zenobia July is an amazing book, one I’m so glad I’ve read. It’s the tale of a transgender girl figuring out who she is and navigating an unfamiliar world, but it’s also a cyber mystery with a strong friendship storyline. Lisa Bunker creates a many-layered, real story with an interesting, engaging plot. Her characters were well-drawn and unique, and every part of the story felt natural and smooth. To readers ages ten and up who like mysteries or books with diverse protagonists, I highly recommend Zenobia July.

By Super Kitty

Twelve-year-old Horace F. Andrews is a very logical person. So when he sees a sign with his name on it through a bus window on the way home from school, he can't quite  convince himself that it's a coincidence--sure, Andrews is a common name, and the chances of having "F" as a middle initial seem greater than one in twenty-six, but...Horace? Definitely unusual.

He decides to investigate. And the results are most certainly not logical.

When Horace gets off the bus and looks for the sign, he stumbles into a towering man who smells of brimstone--and who no one else on the street seems able to see--who tells him that curiosity is a walk fraught with peril, his tone not a warning but a threat. Shaken, Horace slips away and finally finds the building the sign was advertising for: the House of Answers, which somehow only leads to more questions. He is introduced to Keepers of Tan'ji, or objects with magical powers--and is told that he, too, has the aptitudes necessary to bond with a Tan'ji and become a Keeper. And that the tall, brimstone-smelling man is one of the Riven, a people that has been fighting the Keepers for the Tan'ji for eons, and must be avoided at all costs.

Sure enough, Horace discovers his Tan'ji, an extraordinary box he immediately feels a bond with. Charged with uncovering the abilities of the box on his own, Horace slowly discovers its incredible powers, and in the process meets Chloe, a prickly girl who is bonded with her own Tan'ji and can see Riven, too. Together, Horace and Chloe might change the tide of an ancient war for the power of the Tan'ji, and Horace is willing to do anything to protect the box from the Riven. But the influence of the Riven runs deep, and they always seem to be a step ahead, threatening everything that Horace has gained.

Because Horace's instinct was correct: the box is extraordinary. And the Riven are determined to take it. At any cost. 

The Box and the Dragonfly is a fast-paced, clever, and highly amusing fantasy that kept me engrossed for days. Although it's a fantasy, (with science fiction components), it strongly reminded me of the Mysterious Benedict Society books, especially the quirky characters and writing style--if Trenton Lee Stewart wrote a fantasy book, I suspect it would read a lot like this one. Horace is a smart, determined, appealing protagonist, Chloe is irritable and hilarious, and the other supporting characters each have their own distinct quirks and personalities. 

As I was writing the above book description, I was struck by how many of the elements of The Box and the Dragonfly aren't uncommon in fantasy (scientifically inclined protagonist, ancient struggle, magical objects), yet the way Sanders uses them is genuinely fresh and unique, and one particular aspect of the generally excellent plot is truly original and different from anything I've ever read before! (The reader/writer part of me found the way the plot plays with time irresistible, and my astrophysics-enthusiast side greatly appreciated the references to gravitational time dilation...) Similarly, many of the powers the Tan'ji have aren't objectively super unusual, but the ways that the characters use them and the rules attached most certainly are. Filled with quirky characters and clever twists, plus one brilliant plot unfolding in multiple times (read it and you'll see what I mean!), I would highly recommend The Box and the Dragonfly to both dedicated fantasy/science fiction fans and readers new to the genre(s) ages nine and up.

By Super Kitty

Twelve-year-old Charlie has grown up hearing stories of her relatives who were killed in the Holocaust, especially her grandmother's sister Charlotte. So when her history teacher assigns a family history project, she knows just who she wants to research--Charlotte, better known as Lottie, who was an extraordinary violinist and played for the Vienna Philharmonic in her teens. It's not just because she's Charlie's namesake, or their shared love of violin. It's because she disappeared, and though her family tells her that she was almost certainly lost in the Holocaust, Charlie wants to find out what really happened.

As she digs deeper, Charlie begins to piece together more of Lottie's life, and learns more about her family--both those she's researching and the ones she lives with. But her discoveries only lead to more questions, and she begins to wonder: Was Lottie really killed? Or could she still be alive? 

And is there really any way, over sixty years later and an ocean away, to find the truth? 

I've read many books about the Holocaust, but this was the first which explored its effects on the second and third generations of families, and although the story is relatively straightforward, as an older reader I also really also enjoyed it. Charlie is an immensely likable protagonist, and I loved how the mystery of Lottie's story unfolded, and the combination of historical and contemporary plot threads. The ending was particularly well done--although it's a happy ending, it also felt believable, and I liked her balance between connections and open-endedness. I would recommend Searching for Lottie to readers ages eight and up looking for a warm, engaging, and satisfying story about family connections and keeping memories of loved ones bright.

By Piranha T.

Back home in Kansas, everyone was used to the fact that Aven Green doesn’t have any arms. She was born like that, and even though it’s never stood in her way—her adoptive parents have always helped her figure things out on her own—she’s always been different in the eyes of other kids.

So when her parents take a job managing a decrepit cowboy-themed park in Arizona, Aven isn’t surprised when her armlessness is the first thing everyone sees in her. Still, she finds a friend in Connor, a boy who’s as isolated as she is, and together, they begin to uncover an unexpected mystery in Aven’s new home—one which seems suspiciously connected to herself.

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus is a funny, eye-opening, entertaining book. Author Dusti Bowling seamlessly tackles difficult themes of disabilities and exclusiveness while simultaneously crafting a hilarious story about friendship, mystery, and change. Aven is a funny and relatable main character who truly carried this book. Unlike many other thought-provoking novels, it didn’t feel like Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus was about Aven not having arms. Instead, this was simply one part of it, a section of Aven’s life which was a part of the story without taking it over, which was extremely well done. Overall, I would recommend Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus to readers ages nine and up, whether you’re looking for a thought-provoking read or simply a relatable realistic fiction book. 

By Piranha T.

It is 1940 in England; bombs rain down every night. Twelve-year-old Katherine Bateson and her brother and sister are sent to a crumbling castle-turned school in Scotland to escape the Blitz. It seems to be a perfect solution, despite the mysteries and rumors cloaking Rookskill Castle. Kat and her siblings will be safe there—won’t they?

Despite the stories Kat hears on the way to Rookskill Castle, she insists it isn’t dangerous. After all, she reasons, everything can be explained without falling back on something so ridiculous as magic. She didn’t believe her great-aunt, when she claimed her antique chatelaine had mystical powers; there is no evidence for her temporary home to be haunted.

Before long, more peculiarities are revealed. Lady Eleanor, the castle’s ruler, seems to be more than she appears—and attempts to conceal a chatelaine like Kat’s grandmother’s. Kat hears wordless singing from one of the towers at night, and watches unfamiliar children wander the grounds. She finds but one reasonable solution: Rookskill Castle must be harboring a Nazi spy.

But when Rookskill Castle’s other refugees begin disappearing, Kat realizes the truth is much more complex. She must answer a question she’s never asked herself before: what if magic is real?
​
The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle is at times creepy, at times gripping, but always full of intrigue and unfolding secrets which kept me turning the pages. Kat is an excellent protagonist who has a logical mind without provoking the exasperation readers often feel when a character refuses to accept something which seems utterly obvious; she feels very real, and so does her relationship with her brother and sister, which made me think of The Emerald Atlas. The plot keeps unveiling new layers and eye-opening secrets. This book is filled with mystery and power, including a very interesting villain and kind of magic which I look forward to reading more of in the upcoming second installment. I recommend The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle to readers ages eleven and up who love historical fantasy and twisting storylines. 

Note: If you like The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle, check out our interview with the author Janet Fox, and the sequel, The Artifact Hunters!