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.

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.

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 Piranha T.

The place is Boston, in what is now called New Occident. The year is 1891.

The world has changed. Nearly a hundred years ago, an event known only as the Great Disruption cracked the world apart into many known and unknown Ages, from the distant past to the far-flung future. Old maps can no longer depict the world as it is, so new ones are made with different and mysterious materials, using what can only be seen as magic. Cartographers and explorers provide contact between places once connected in other ways, but now eschewed by the void of time.

Sophia Tims’s parents, two skilled explorers, disappeared on a voyage many years ago, so she’s been raised by her uncle Shadrack Elli, one of Boston’s most famous cartographers. She’s always wanted to eventually follow them, but never known if she can; Sophia, to her chagrin, has no internal clock, and easily loses track of minutes or hours, believing only seconds to have passed. Despite these things, her life is peaceful—until Shadrack is kidnapped, and Sophia leaves home with only a mysterious glass map to guide her.

She finds unexpected allies: Theo, a boy from a foreign age; a pair of flamboyant pirates; a botanist with little common sense. But as she is perused from age to age, she discovers the true motives of her enemies—and the secrets of the map she carries, secrets which may be much more dangerous than they seem…

Full of adventure and tension, The Glass Sentence was one of those books which I picked up with no expectations and couldn’t put down. What immediately struck me about this book was the worldbuilding, which I think would appeal to fans of The Golden Compass and Ink, Iron and Glass. Our world, fractured by the Great Disruption, made this an even more interesting read, intriguing me as I learned more and more about this alternate universe. But the layers of The Glass Sentence goes far beyond its setting. The plot was brilliant and unusual, and there was more than one point where it completely surprised me. And the characters—from Sophia and Theo to the brilliantly fascinating villain—were also spectacular. Overall, I highly recommend The Glass Sentence to fantasy fans ages eleven 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 Super Kitty

Note: When testing links in our archives, we discovered we'd accidentally deleted this review's original post. Years later, it's remained one of our favorites, so we decided to (re)share it. Enjoy! 

Twelve-year-old Aru Shah has made her fair share of mistakes. She has what she likes to call an imagination—and what her snooty classmates call a skill at lying. When three school bullies finally confront her with her stories, she’s determined to prove that she’s been telling the truth about some things, at least. So she accepts a dare. She lights a lamp. And she unleashes a legendary monster, who, if she cannot stop him, will tear Time itself apart. Which is definitely her record for Biggest Mistake Ever.

To keep the darkness she has loosed at bay, Aru must journey from her home to the Otherworld to the kingdom of Death itself, joining forces with a sarcastic pigeon (yes, a pigeon) and a skittish yet super-smart girl apparently woven into Aru’s destiny, searching for a way to destroy the ancient evil, and maybe even (gulp) save the world. Which might be way more than Aru and her new friends can manage. Because not only do stories turn out to be true— things Aru thought were true turn out to be stories.

Because Aru isn’t the only one with secrets…

This was one of those books which managed to be entertaining, surprising, and completely hilarious. Aru is an irresistible heroine, and her various adventures in a world where normal life and Hindu mythology overlap seamlessly make the book impossible to put down. The vivid settings and equally clever supporting cast combine to make this a highly enjoyable fantasy that I would recommend for ages 8+.

By Piranha T.

Earthsea: a land of many islands and vast oceans, ancient names and fierce dragons, skillful seafarers and powerful sorcerers. The first book in the Earthsea Cycle chronicles the tale of one of its greatest mages, and his terrible mistake.

Sparrowhawk is young when he casts a heavy mist about his village to protect it from eastern raiders and is sent to Roke Island, a school where the highest arts of magic are taught, to be trained in the uses of power. Arrogant and skilled in the ways of mages, Sparrowhawk summons a spirit from the dead, and in the doing releases a nameless shadow set on his death. By the time he is healed from the wounds it inflicts, he no longer cares for pride or shows of power, for the shadow he conjured is out in the world, and though it is far from Roke Island, he knows he will never be free of it until it is destroyed. He travels across Earthsea in search of its name and the means of its destruction, a quest which will bring him to uncharted waters, scheming dragons, and the truth of the shadow which he knows he must defeat.

A Wizard of Earthsea is one of those classic fantasy books which, like Patricia A. McKillip’s Riddle-Master Trilogy or J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, doesn’t disappoint. It has an amazing world, brilliant character development, a unique storyline, and beautiful writing. I’ve read many fantasy novels, and this one remains one of my favorites, along with the others in the Earthsea Cycle (although some of the subsequent volumes are better suited to readers of twelve or thirteen years). It’s one of those books which sweeps you up and you don’t want to stop reading until the end, and it’s perfect for dedicated high fantasy fans. I highly recommend A Wizard of Earthsea to readers ages eleven and up. ​

By Piranha T.

Out of Time is the third book in Laurie Graves’s ongoing Great Library Series, preceded by Maya and the Book of Everything and Library Lost. If you haven’t read the other books, skip the description here—there will be spoilers about events in them!

The Great Library Series begins with Maya Hammond, a fifteen-year-old girl thrust into an ancient conflict between Time and Chaos. The mysterious Great Library is part of it, as are the wise Books of Everything, sent to many different worlds to help Time triumph. In the first two books in this series, Maya travels across the universe to aid the Books of Everything and Time in their quest to defeat Chaos once and for all.

In Out of Time, the Great Library itself has fallen to one of Chaos’s servants, Cinnial, and it’s up to Maya to enter the strange new world of Elferterre to find the lock she’ll need to defeat him. Here, Magic rather than Time holds ultimate authority, and it’s unlike any other world she’s entered, full of mysterious powers and unfamiliar creatures. Only with the help of a trio of newfound friends can she hope to succeed in a quest which would help liberate not only the Great Library, but Elferterre as well.

Out of Time is a compelling, fast read, and an excellent third installment. Elferterre is an interesting and unique setting, different from those of the first two books but just as intriguing and fun to read about, complete with its own set of quirky and layered characters. Here, threads of the Great Library, Time, Chaos, and the Books of Everything continue to weave together, but this new world offers Maya something of a respite from the constant danger from Cinnial, although peril remains to hound her. Because of this, while Out of Time continues her mission to help defeat him, it also deeply explores the supporting characters and continues to give a stronger sense of Maya. Maya herself continues to shine, perhaps even more brightly than before in the face of this wholly new challenge; she’s an awesome protagonist whose determination to succeed no matter how much adversity she faces. I highly recommend Out of Time and the Great Library Series to readers who love strong fantasy series with interesting settings and plotlines ages eleven and up. I can’t wait to read book four!
​
Thank you to author Laurie Graves for sending us a copy of this book! 

By Piranha T.

The raggedy witches have never been part of Mup Taylor’s peaceful life. She’s grown up in the mundane world, where magic isn’t common, surrounded by her perfectly normal mam and dad, her younger brother Tipper, and her beloved Aunty. Aunty has always warned Mup against the witches, and told her that if she sees them, she must tell Aunty and no one else. But the night Mup sees them out her car window, Aunty has died—and her family has no protection left against the raggedy witches.

Mup is quickly torn from familiarity into a world of strange and powerful magic where people can become animals, and an unjust queen forces rebels to speak in rhyme. But she’s a part of this world, too, because it’s where her mam was born. And the queen—who restricts all magic, and commands the powerful raggedy witches—wants her, because Mup’s mam is her daughter.

In an unfamiliar world where Mup doesn’t know who or what to trust, and raggedy witches seem to lurk in every shadow, Mup has a single goal: to keep her family together. But that might just be the hardest quest of all.

​Begone the Raggedy Witches is a modern novel and a fairytale at the same time. Celine Kiernan skillfully manages to create a very real world which feels very deep and multilayered, yet is simple enough to easily grasp, and adds to the story instead of complicating it. The cast, including Mup, is interesting and realistic. Those elements of realism are part of what makes Begone the Raggedy Witches stand out, because they integrate seamlessly into the fairytale-like story invoked by the plot and writing; the feel of this book often reminded me of A Path Begins. I highly recommend Begone the Raggedy Witches to lovers of fairytales and whimsical stories ages ten and up. 

Note: If you enjoy Begone the Raggedy Witches, check out our interview with the author, Celine Kiernan! 

By Piranha T. 

Midnight Train by Angie Sage, sequel to Twilight Hauntings, ​is the second and final book in the Enchanter's Child duology. 

The series takes place in a fantasy world where Enchanters and their children are hunted after a prophecy spoken ten years ago which says the king will die by the hand of an Enchanter's child. Alex has grown up in the city of Luma, where her only clue to the identity of her birth parents is a set of Enchanted cards. When she escapes the city and finds both friends and enemies in the surrounding lands, she begins to learn more about herself, her kingdom, and how to free it from the fear of Enchanters and their children. 

In Midnight Train, Alex continues her quest to destroy the malicious Twilight Hauntings who seek to kill all Enchanters. Like the first installment, this book is full of humor, quirky characters, and nonstop action. Angie Sage creates a witty story whose culmination fully fulfilled the expectations set for me by book one. I highly recommend Midnight Train and the Enchanter's Child Duology to readers ages nine and up! 

​
P.S. When we read and love the sequels to books we've reviewed, we'll give them 'mini-reviews' like this one - to share awesome sequels (and series) without spoiling the first book! 

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 Piranha T.

Cassia Arroyo still thinks she’s normal the day her dad pulls her out of school and tells her they’re leaving the country. Cassie has been a lot of places and done a lot of things—Rome is just the latest of many homes—but this is definitely new. In the rapid car ride which follows, all he tells her is that someone wants to kill her before he’s injured and hospitalized, leaving Cassie alone in Rome, with no idea who she can trust and who might be a potential assassin.

Following her dad’s instructions, Cassie finds Brother Gregorio, an elderly monk who tells her all the secrets her dad never did. The car chase through the streets of Rome is only one event in a story which has been unfolding for the past two hundred years. He explains that there is a magical spearhead, called the Spear of Destiny, which can alter fate itself. And Cassie is one of only a few people who can use it.

Unfortunately, an organization known as the Hastati believes that the spear is too dangerous. They meant to hide it, but thirteen years ago, it disappeared. Their solution? Kill everyone who can use it. And Cassie is their next target.

Cassie doesn’t plan on sitting around, waiting for the Hastati to murder her. She figures that if she finds the spear and gives it to them, they won’t care about killing her anymore. With the help of Simone, her sarcastic best friend, and Asher, Brother Gregorio’s cautious nephew, Cassie sets off on a search across Italy, from crumbling cities to powerful fortresses and beyond. But there are more secrets than Cassie knows. And most of them aren’t pleasant.

Can Cassie find the Spear of Destiny? And even if she does, will it be enough to save her life?

​Moving Target is a fast-paced fantasy novel full of twisting plotlines, brilliant characters, and nefarious enemies. It’s set in a modern world, and Christina Diaz Gonzalez does a beautiful job of staying in that spirit, even with a story full of ancient lore and mystical objects and cities straight out of fairytales. I also love her use of the backdrop of Italy. Cassie is a great main character who feels like a normal kid, despite the dangerous story she’s in the center of. The supporting cast is also brilliant; I particularly like the conflict between Simone and Asher. This book is full of action and plot twists and is perfect for readers who love fast-paced fantasy. I recommend Moving Target to readers ages eleven and up. 

Note: If you enjoy Moving Target, check out both our interview with the author, Christina Diaz Gonzalez, and the sequel, Return Fire​, which we loved! 

By Piranha T.

Twelve-year-old Bryn has always known she wants to be a Seeker. Ever since her father, a Seeker himself, told her stories when she was young about the magical creatures who live within the Wild Realm, she’s known she wants to follow his footsteps. Only Seekers can enter the Wild Realm, where they help heal the plants and animals which live there, and protect its magic from outsiders.

When one of the Seekers retires, with Bryn finally old enough to compete for his place, she jumps at the chance to fulfil her dream. There’s just one problem: Bryn is the first girl ever to join the Seeker competitions. And not everyone’s happy she’s participating.

When Bryn is kicked out of the training sessions—and therefore her best chance of becoming a Seeker—she thinks she might not be able to win after all. But then she meets Ari, her fellow competitor, who agrees to help her train—if she helps him care for an illegal baby dragon who he’s hiding outside the village.

Bryn knows that if they’re discovered, she and Ari will be disqualified. But this is her best chance at winning, even though Ari refuses to tell her where he got the dragon egg.

But then she and Ari begin to uncover unfolding secrets in their village, and Bryn realizes this is about much more than who becomes a Seeker. It’ll decide the fate of the Wild Realm.

Seekers of the Wild Realm is a fast-paced fantasy novel somewhere between First Test and Septimus Heap. Bryn is a brave and likable protagonist, and I like how the story unfolds as she uncovers mysteries. I particularly like Alexandra Ott’s worldbuilding—the Wild Realm feels interesting and magical, and the magic the villagers have is a little different than anything I’ve come across before. I’m looking forward to reading book two! I would recommend Seekers of the Wild Realm to readers ages nine and up. 

Note: If you like Seekers of the Wild Realm, check out our interview with author Alexandra Ott! 

By Piranha T.

Toronia has been ripped apart by the Thousand Years’ War for longer than memory lasts, a war fought not with an outer enemy, but within itself. King Brutan, the most recent ruler, seized the crown unjustly from his brother. He is an unmistakable tyrant, and the fighting continues.

But one night, three new stars appear in the sky. Their coming was prophesized by Toronia’s first wizard, many years ago, said to herald justice for the kingdom with the coming of three new heirs who will kill the king and seize the throne. And so the three heirs come, triplets born to King Brutan who he intends to kill. They are only saved by the intervention of an ancient wizard, who takes them away and sends them to different corners of Toronia, hoping to save them by separation until the prophecy is fulfilled.

The triplets grow up in secret, hidden apart. Agulphus, called Gulph, becomes an acrobat in a traveling troupe of entertainers. Elodie is raised by a wealthy lord, knowing she will become queen, but not of her brothers or the prophecy. And Tarlan grows up in ice and snow, raised by a witch and surrounded by powerful, enormous birds. The three soon find their paths colliding, and the prophecy being fulfilled. But they are pitted against a merciless king and dark magic—a power which only grows as they fight against it.

​Crown of Three was a very cool book which I enjoyed quite a bit. Gulph, Elodie and Tarlan are three very different protagonists who are all likable, but in whom I think most readers will find a favorite who they’ll find themselves rooting for especially—I certainly did! Despite carrying on three storylines for most of the book—following the three main characters—J. D. Rinehart managed to switch between them in a fluid way which kept me engaged in all of them. This book pulled me in and kept me reading to the end; I recommend it to readers ages eleven and up who enjoy high fantasy and multiple protagonists. 

By Piranha T.

The Icemark is not a country for the faint of heart. Hemmed in by mountains filled with strange creatures to the north, and the bloodthirsty Polypontian Empire to the south—led by the famed general Scipio Bellorum—the tiny Icemark has always struggled to defend itself. Yet it has always managed to fend off invaders—until now.

Thirrin Freer Strong-in-the-Arm Lindenshield is a warrior princess, the only child of the Icemark’s king. Known for her skill and daring, it has long been acknowledged that someday, she will lead her country well. But when her father is killed in a border conflict with Scipio Bellorum’s armies, fourteen-year-old Thirrin is left to lead her country into war against one of the most infamous generals in the world.

So she gathers her strength. With the help of her advisors—her elderly tutor and a witch’s son with more power than anyone seems to realize—Thirrin sets out to rally the strength of her country and forge new alliances. She joins with the fierce Hypolitan, seeks the aid of The-Land-of-the-Ghosts and the Wolf-Folk to the north, and journeys even further still, to partner with legendary Snow Leopards. But even with that added strength, will Thirrin be able to lead the Icemark into victory?

I’ve wanted to read The Cry of the Icemark for a while, and it did not disappoint. Thirrin is a strong and undauntable protagonist who reminded me of Kel, in that they are both fierce and brilliant female main characters. That said, although this is a fantasy novel with elements of a medieval/historical world, it doesn’t fall into the same mold as many others; it is multilayered and full of unusually portrayed magic, focusing on war while still having a story beyond it. The Cry of the Icemark may be about Thirrin’s struggle to protect her country, but it is so much more than that. This story is about alliances and friendships, the world and characters in some ways contributing more to the feel of the story than the war itself. Even if you feel tired of what may feel like repetitive fantasy novels, I suggest you give this one a try. And if you do like fantasy—particularly books like Seraphina, The Goblin Wood, or the Protector of the Small Quartet—this is definitely a top pick. To fantasy lovers ages eleven and up, I highly recommend The Cry of the Icemark.