Cybele's Secret

Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier, 2008 Knopf Books

     The beautiful daughters of a country scholar-merchant were trapped by circumstances in the Wildwood near their home. After breaking the spell-like circumstances forcing the girls to take solace with the Night People they return to the lives set before them. Paula is the fourth daughter and accompanies her father on a trip to Istanbul searching for an ancient pagan artifact.
     Her father believes it necessary for Paula to be accompanied by a bodyguard in the foreign city. Soyan is a young man of honor and feels that a trip he made while in the employ of her father's friend left him vulnerable and resulted in the man's death and Stoyan now feels he can repay the debt to her father by protecting Paula. Paula highers the overly-honest man to be her protector. She shares her mission in Istanbul with Stoyan who knows of the statue of Cybele through his work for her father's friend.
     Paula seeks the statue of an ancient goddess through new and influential friends in the city. The leading female scholar in Istanbul allows Paula to examine her library. Manuscripts lead the young woman to a secret society centered around Cybele (said Ke-beh-leh). The cult has already killed one member of the rare books community--Stoyan's previous employer, the friend Paula's father traveled to Istanbul to meet. The search for Cybele's statue becomes more and more dangerous as Paula discovers this mission isn't only a task from her father. Paula and the search for the Cybele statue are tied by a quest set by the Night People.
     When her new acquaintances prove to be more dangerous and untrustworthy than she expected Paula's father is threatened, and Paula and Stoyan try to stay a step ahead of Cybele's cult as they search for a statue to change the world.
     Young adult readers who enjoyed Wildwood Dancing and Anna of Byzantium will find similarities in Cybele's Secret. The Byzantine influence on European characters blends old-world with new-world mythology. The story of a goddess misunderstood and sought for multiple reasons will interest readers who enjoy strong female characters while the connection between Paula and Stoyan adds a romantic overtone for young adult and teen readers.

Pale Demon

Pale Demon by Kim Harrison, 2011 Harper Voyager

     After the Coven agreed to grant her immunity for the black magic she'd used, Rachel Morgan, independent runner, spunky smart-ass, and day-walking demon, leaves Cincinnati to attend her formal pardon at the annual witches' meeting in San Francisco. She ends up ferrying Trent Kalamack, and her roommates Ivy and Jenks across the country in her mother's Buick.
     In St. Louis Trent releases the genetically engineered demon Ku'Sox from his prison. Like Rachel, Ku'Sox is a day-walking demon, but unlike Rachel he has no soul. Ku'Sox creates trouble along the way and very nearly kills Rachel. He was intended to be the bridge between witches and demons, but went crazy and was trapped magically and physically under the St. Louis Arch. Ku'Sox follows Rachel and her carload West to the Witches' Convention creating havoc.
     Rachel insists on believing the Coven will keep their promise, despite Ivy, Jenks, and Trent telling her otherwise. When she picks up the Coven's spy and the menagerie makes it to San Francisco Ku'Sox continues to cause problems for Rachel. Trent disappears on some Elven quest and all hell breaks loose.
     Despite everything the Coven of Moral and Ethical Standards has done to show Rachel they have no intention of upholding their deal when they can kill her, Rachel believes they will. When the Coven requires her aid to survive they have no choice but to agree to her terms. Rachel continues to battle internally with what it means to be a demon and whether she can remain a good person while still protecting her friends, family, and society as she knows it.
     Readers will enjoy the fast-paced action of Pale Demon along with its dose of inappropriate humor, uneasy friendships, and unexpected romance, all shoved into a Buick traveling from Cincinnati to San Francisco.

The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre

The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine, 2017 Harper

     The Lakti people fled their homeland in Old Lakti when monsters like dragons, gryphons, spectres, and ogres invaded and began to destroy the kingdom. They fled North into Bamarre where the people accepted them and sheltered them. The fairies prevented the monsters from following the fleeing Lakti people and they were safe. In New Lakti the warrior people took advantage of the kindness provided by their Bamarre hosts and conquered the land, making the Bamarre people into second-class citizens and servants.
    Peregrine is taken from her Bamarre family as a small infant and raised among the Lakti as a lady. She learns their war-like ways and how to withstand discomfort. She grows her entire life believing she is Lakti, but on the eve of joining her adopted father in battle, Perry learns from the fairy Halina that she isn't who she thought. She is Bamarre.
   Halina gives Perry a mission as she is uniquely situated: free the Bamarre. Perry is afraid for her future if she reveals to anyone the secret of her past. Her fears are well-founded when her adoptive father locks away his child upon uncovering her heritage. Perry's maid Anette and her only friend Willem accept this new facet of her story, and Anette reveals Perry has a Bamarre family who she never dreamed existed; Anette's family. Even her Lady Mother is more accepting of Perry's past.
     When she escapes from Lord Tove's prison, Perry flees in magic seven league boots. Unsure where to go, the fleeing lady searches for her Bamarre family. When she finds them Perry is pleased to find Anette has returned to the family and she meets her young brother, Drualt. Halina returns and the family agrees to protect Perry, in the guise of an old aunt. As Aunt Nadira Perry learns what it is to be Bamarre.
     As the Lakti rule becomes more strict and new laws are implemented against the Bamarre people tension grows. Bamarre youth are taken from their homes to serve the Lakti war efforts and Drualt is taken to Lord Tove at the front. It is their last straw and the Bamarre revolt in small ways, gradually growing as Perry and Anette spread news of the effort.
     When Perry discovers how the Bamarre youth are being used as fodder for the Lakti war machine she sets in motion a challenge which will change the future of New Lakti and the Bamarre people.
     As a prequel set in the distant history of Levine's The Two Princesses of Bamarre Perry's story is of epic proportions. Readers who enjoyed Addie's quest will likewise enjoy Perry's challenges. The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre is aimed at middle grades.

Hunter

Hunter by Mercedes Lackey, 2015 Hyperion Books

     Joyeaux Charmand has been hunting monsters since her hounds broke through the barrier between realms to protect her from the mythical creatures who seek humans as sustenance. The monsters feed off Manna - a lifeforce humans produce in abundance. The hounds team with hunters to protect humans who haven't been gifted with either hounds or magic.
     Since the death of her parents Joy has lived high in the American Rockies at a monastery where the Masters train Hunters and normal citizens alike to defend themselves. Above the snowline the monsters cannot last long and even the Fair Folk tend to avoid the snow-encased stronghold.
     When the Prefect - Joyeaux's uncle and the man in charge of the nation's hunters - requests the mountain civilisations send a hunter. The Prefect is aware that Apex City does not know how many hunters are holed up on the mountain and his request for Joy's presence is a subtle reminder of how precarious the monastery is. Joy goes to the capital and joins the Apex Hunters.
     Her journey is not without incident: when drakken follow their train and manage to break through the protective cage with the help of a Folk mage in a lavender costume. In Apex City Joy discovers the Hunters are more like celebrities than real hunters. They distract the cits from how many monsters are breaking through the barriers with rankings and cinematics. More and more dangerous creatures are getting through the barriers protecting Apex - so dangerous Joy can't help thinking someone inside the city is helping them.
     When Joy's friend and mentor is murdered by a vampire Joy and her uncle team up to discover who is behind the infiltration. Another batch of monsters calls out most of the hunters including Joy's greatest rival Ace and his younger brother. The battle ends with the death of Ace's younger brother and Ace blames Joy even attacking her in public. The politics of Apec City nearly cost Joy her life as she seeks to protect the cits and help the Prefect find his enemies.
     Though it may be too late to stop the human monsters ruling over Apex City Joyeaux finds she still wants to protect the cits--the people kept in ignorance. Teens and young adults will be able to relate to Lackey's take on government control of the populace and information. Readers who enjoyed Michelle Krys's Wicked and Liz Braswell's A Whole New World will find a similar attitude toward the global mythology featured throughout the story.

For a Few Demons More

For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison, 2007 HarperVoyager

     After stealing back the Focus from her ex-boyfriend Nick and getting Jenks's son Jax to come home, Rachel Morgan must hide the artifact and hope it won't start an interspecies war. Enter David Hue, Rachel's werewolf Alpha (for insurance purposes only). The Focus is a curse which cannot stand being in the possession of anyone other than a were and Rachel asks for David's help in containing it and maintaining the balance.
    When a series of murders snakes through Cincinnati Rachel and Ivy are called in to investigate. All signs point to David attempting to tilt the balance. But Rachel, again, has bigger problems. Female demon Newt is back and causing chaos. When she somehow de-sanctifies the church Vampiric Charms calls home they no longer have that extra layer of security--a needed layer now that Piscary is back on the loose.
    Rachel can, somehow, twist demon curses and both Newt and Trent Kalamack want her help. Newt isn't sure what she's discovered in Rachel, but it triggers something through the insanity and Newt's remembers--what, she doesn't remember. But Newt is intent on finding her missing memory and manages to de-sanctify the church where Rachel lives with Ivy and Jenks.
     When the vampires join the fray and Piscary takes his revenge the Vampiric Charms staff is rocked. Not everyone makes it out, and the aftermath continues to follow Rachel.
     Rachel and Ivy fight to maintain their friendship and still help the other find their safe space. The drama surrounds the Focus and maintaining the balance between Interlanders. Newt and Al make appearances, but Rachel is generally kept from demonic society and politics.

Heir of Fire

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas, 2014 Bloomsbury

     Adarlan's king has ordered Celaena to assassinate the royal family of Wendlyn based on his Captain of the Guard Chaol's suggestion. Chaol trades his future independence to his father to allow Celaena to escape the pit she's fallen into since Nehemia's death. In Wendlyn the King's Assassin has no intention of killing the royal family, instead Celaena drinks and gambles and fights the nights away until she can spend the days in an exhausted stupor.
     When her aunt, Maeve Queen of Fairies, sends Celaena's distant cousin, Rowan Whitethorn, to summon her to a demi-Fae outpost Celaena meets her aunt for the first time and realizes why her mother delayed the meeting. Maeve wants to see the Fae magic Celaena has hidden, but Celaena wants answers about the Wyrdkeys. The two come to an agreement: Celaena will come to the Fae city Doranelle when Rowan believes she has mastered her power and Maeve will share what she knows about the Wyrdkeys.
     Rowan begins to train Celaena - her magic so deeply buried she has difficulty even shifting from her human to Fae form. But mangled bodies of demi-Fae begin appearing around the fortress and the creatures in the forest become restless. As the most able investigative force Rowan and Celaena seek answers to the impending danger, driving Celaena to find and use her power.
    Back in Adarlan Chaol and Dorian are trying to understand their new dynamic. Dorian's magic has somehow persisted in a world where magic has been frozen. The pair work to discover why magic has gone, but Chaol refuses to hear about Dorian's power for fear the king might somehow use it against them. Dorian seeks companionship with a comely healer who has been attending the Crown Prince, Captain of the Guard and King's Assassin through their adventures. Sorscha promises not to tell, but may have an ulterior motive in gaining Dorian's trust.
     Far in the North, the Ironteeth Witches are made an offer too good to refuse. When magic died Manon Blackbeak and her kin in the Blackbeak, Yellowlegs and Bluebloods lost the ability to fly. Manon is the Blackbeak heir, considered one the cruelest beings in Elirea; the witches enjoy killing and maiming simply for the joy of the act. The King on the Throne of Glass offers the witches a place in his army and wyverns in exchange for their freedom after he's conquered the world. The Ironteeth wish to return to the Western Wastes where their enemies the Cochran Witches have cursed the land.
     Manon and her Blackbeak kin work to become the tip of the Ironteeth spear. They become the best fighters both on and off their wyverns. Manon develops a resounding rapport with her dragon-like beast and her wing discovers something in the mountain is rotting the humans - this drives the witches further afield for sustenance.
     While the King rallies his forces, the rebellion and discontent build within Adarlan. Aedion, cousin to the missing Queen Aelin Ashryver Galathynius of Terrasen, is the King's General in the North and summoned to Rifthold to attend the King. Chaol discovers Aedion has been subtly undermining the king's agenda in Terrasen; the resemblance between Aedion and Celaena suggests why. Aedion joins the rebellion, bringing hope to the movement.
     Action comes to a point when the King of Adarlan sends a force into Wendlyn lead by three Vlag princes. Celaena, Rowan, and the demi-Fae face the oncoming army and Celaena nearly gives in to the Vlag power reliving her worst memories, some so deeply repressed even she is surprised by their brutality. The Ironteeth compete and Manon with her Blackbeak clan becomes wing leader, creates a somewhat-alliance with the Bluebloods heir and confirms an enmity with the Yellowlegs heir. Chaol and Dorian's activities are discovered by the king with brutal results, but news that Aelin Ashryver Galathynius is alive and well begins to spread across Elirea as Celaena accepts her crown and demands answers from her aunt, Queen Maeve.
     Like the preceding books, Heir of Fire is a young adult read. Political intrigue, romantic entanglements, and brutal violence have shaped Celaena/Aelin's life and as she makes the decision to return to the world she was able to abandon as a child she revisits the darker side of what it means to be a political force. That said, Celaena is a multi-faceted character and Maas's story is rich in its own mythos making for a compelling read.

The Moorchild

The Moorchild by Eloise McGraw, 1996 Margaret K McElderry Books

     Moql is a threat to the Moorfolk band: half-folk and half-human she cannot shift her shape or become invisible. The Folk Prince banishes her to the nearby town to replace the smith's daughter whom the Folk kidnap.
     A Changeling among her human village Moql is named Saaski by her new parents and as she grows Saaski strives to be a good human child. But she it teased, harassed, taunted and feared by the villagers and their children. Saaski only finds peace on the moor, marking her as even more different than the other village children.
     On the moor Saaski meets Tam, a young man who travels with the Tinker. He doesn't seem to fit in either and accepts Saaski for who she is, despite his occasional suspicion of her background. Tam and Saaski become fast friends and his acceptance is a balm when her only pleasure is the discovery of her human grandfather's bagpipes.
     Saaski fights her otherness and strives to fit in, but as she grows her memories of the band begin to return and Moql becomes more than a story she's made up from a dream. When the village comes down with a case of the chicken pox, things begin to go awry for the child and she begins to fully remember the Folk and their Mound.
     Saaski discovers her human emotions along with her minor Folk magics. With the discovery of her past she finds a great injustice done to these humans who have cared for her for eleven years. With the help of friends old and new, Saaski seeks to right the wrong and escape the villager's tyranny.
     An eclectic mix of faerie magic and human superstition, The Moorchild explores what happens to the changeling left behind when she really is Folk. McGraw writes for elementary readers in this historical fantasy.

Snow White and Rose Red

Snow White and Rose Red by Patricia C. Wrede, 2009 Firebird

   The Widow Arden and her two teen-aged daughters live on the edge of Mortlak between the mortal world and the Faerie Realms. They walk the fine line between two worlds and create medicines for their community to survive. When Blanche and Rosamund witness wizards stealing an essence of faerie they have no idea how deeply they will be immersed.
     Widow Arden has tried to keep her daughters from magic and anything that might hint at witchcraft. Their trips into Faerie and the widow's medicines are tenuous, but when the Queen's Astrologer lives in Mortlak and is regularly under suspicion for witchcraft any connection can be dangerous.
     When they meet a large black bear--formerly a half-faerie, half-mortal prince--Blanche and Rosamund do all they can to return him to his human form. They restore his sensibilities and draw his brother to their aid. John explains the transformation of his brother Hugh and the Arden women seek answers and a cure.
     Things become more and more dangerous when Hugh begins to revert to his bearish form and they discover the local wizards are none other than the Queen's Astrologer and his friend and compatriot. The two are trying to harness the powers of Faerie to increase their own magic, but their efforts bring them to the attentions of some unsavory characters in Faerie.
     The fear of witchcraft doesn't seem to stop the denizens of Mortlak from being fascinated by magic or working to practice it. When Faerie uses the mundane law system the attempt to return Hugh to his human form is nearly sabotaged. In the end, persistence and compassion save the Widow Arden and her family from the witch hunter's efforts and reward them in ways they could never imagine.
    Snow White and Rose Red is set in Renaissance England in an era of magic and skepticism. Wrede weaves a vibrant tale of two girls who use their forbidden learning to save friends who have been wronged; they are strong women in a world that refuses to allow women much beyond power over their husbands' household. Young adult readers will enjoy the subtle romance of the story, while readers of all ages can appreciate the fantasy.

The Faerie Path

The Faerie Path by Allan Frewin Jones, 2007 Eos

     Anita Palmer is a normal almost-sixteen-year-old girl enjoying time with her boyfriend, practicing for her part as Juliet in the school play, and hanging out with friends from school. On the eve of her sixteenth birthday her boyfriend invites her on a motorboat ride down the Thames River in London where they crash into a bridge. In the hospital Anita waits for her boyfriend to wake up, but is stunned when magical things begin to happen.
     When she grows a pair of dragonfly-like wings Anita believes she is dreaming, but when she searches for the missing young man and follows a shadowy specter into the Faerie Realm the dream is reality. Anita discovers she is Princess Tania, the missing seventh daughter of King Oberon and Queen Titania of the Immortal Realms. She has been missing for five hundred years when she finally returns, and nearly everyone is overjoyed at her return.
     But Edric is here too, her boyfriend has betrayed her and dragged her from the Mortal Realms into a land where Anita has no memory of her past and no idea of a possible future. She allows the charming Lord Gabriel Drake to sway her memories and it isn't until too late that she finally realizes who she is and how the two halves of her soul fit together.
     Anita and Tania are separate halves that make up the whole young woman, able to walk between the Faerie World and Mortal Realm. She learns to trust herself and discover her own abilities while battling heartbreak and fighting to overcome Edric's betrayal. Teens and young adults will enjoy the fantasy of her story, with accessible language and smooth storytelling.

The Good, the Bad, and the Undead

The Good, the Bad, and the Undead by Kim Harrison, 2005 HarperTorch

     After agreeing to help the FIB to keep her roommate from being arrested, Rachel receives a call. The FIB needs her help with a missing persons report. Rachel is paired up with the inderland specialist, Detective Glenn Edden (Cheif Edden's stepson), and they go in search of the missing witch.
     When they go back to the church to prepare Glenn insults Ivy and nearly gets himself eaten. The vampire insists on joining them when they finally begin to question the missing man's former co-workers at Piscary's pizza. Piscary uses Rachel's scar to manipulate both women, and tries to convince Ivy to bind Rachel to her.
     Rachel meets with a former professor, who is offended when people believe she is the one killing other ley-line witches to whittle down the competition, Dr. Anders believes Rachel is in her class to accuse her of the deaths. Anders's class is only one of the connections between the dead witches: they have all associated with Trent Kalamack.
     When Edden won't let her investigate Trent, Rachel takes her anger out in a sparring session with Ivy. Things get out of control when Ivy starts to play on her unclaimed scar under the guise of protecting her. Rachel rejects the offer and Ivy takes it personally requiring Nick to knock her out while they run. Rachel, Nick and Jenks visit Rachel's mother's home and, while going through photo albums in a stereotypical parent way, Rachel discovers she was genetically manipulated at a summer camp Trent's father ran.
     The trio returns to the church. Rachel and Nick attempt to create a familiar bond with Rachel's fish, but things go wrong when the demon Algaliarept shows up and tries to kill them again. When she brings the fish into Anders's class the next day, Rachel discovers she didn't bind the fish; she bound Nick as her familiar! Anders is appalled and admits to failing Rachel because her father had requested it--for the safety of the other students.
     When Glenn calls to tell Rachel that Dr. Anders is dead and they have a warrant to search the Kalamack Estate Rachel tags along. She discovers a ley-line running through Trent's office and realizes he can use it narrowing the list of species he could be. Using a spell she finds the corpse of the missing witch, but nothing to indicate Anders's body. When Rachel begins to accuse Trent of murder she is evicted from the crime scene and taken off the FIB payroll.
     Trent hires Rachel to discover the real murderer, knowing she'd find him on her own. The clues lead to Piscary who admits to summoning Algaliarept to kill both Rachel and Trent, and any ley-line witches working for Trent. The demon returns and Rachel barely survives the encounter, yet manages to get herself into a temporary lull in the threats against her.
     Rachel is persistent and while she questions her values as she is pushed into steadily grayer and grayer situations she fights to remain who she always has been. Her foray into ley-line magic gives her power to protect the ones she loves, but she must still weigh the pros and cons of using magic that could easily become black. Rachel fights for justice while trying to just live her life, despite the forces fighting against her. While younger readers may enjoy the fantasy aspect of The Good, the Bad, and the Undead it is more appropriate for older teen and adult readers.

Dead Witch Walking

Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison, 2004 Harper Voyager

      Rachel Morgan is a runner for Inderland Security--the I.S. for short--hunting down and arresting the bad guys. But when she decides to get out and start her own firm, the I.S. is not pleased. Rachel's vampire partner, Ivy, and pixy backup, Jenks, follow her and the trio become partners in Vampiric Charms. But in the midst of the changes, the I.S. puts out a contract for Rachel and the demon Algaliarept begins chasing her down.
   Rachel and Ivy move into an old church, renting it from Piscary, the city's master vampire. To thwart her death threat, Rachel moves to take down Trent Kalamack and his illegal Brimstone trade. Trent is a powerful inderlander, holding a seat on Cincinnati's city council but of indeterminate origins, and when he catches Rachel sneaking into his compound as a mink he captures her and forces her to fight in the underground rat fights.
     Before she ends up in the fights, Trent keeps Rachel in his office where she slowly starves herself (she doesn't want to eat poisons or something that will affect her magic) until Trent's new secretary feeds her carrots from her own lunch. Rachel learns about the inner workings of Trent's compound and discovers other, more unsavory business dealings than just illegal Brimstone.
     Rachel is even more determined to escape the rat fights and take Trent down. She discovers the reigning champion is another human-turned-rodent and together they arrange to escape. But even she realizes that she'll need stronger magic to complete the task. She considers black magic and the rat, a human named Nick, helps her get into the restricted books at the local university.
     Just as Rachel and Nick find a book that might be helpful Algaliarept appears to kill Rachel. Nick manages to command him to return both of them to the church where Jenks' wife Matalina and Keasley, the mysterious witch across the street, patch Rachel up. Ivy goes to the Federal Inderland Bureau (the F.I.B. is the human-run equivalent of the I.S.) trying to get Captain Edden to go after Trent.  Edden cannot touch Trent, but Rachel makes another foray into his compound and finds security that prevents Trent from killing her. Trent is unhappy that his attempts at damage control fail and continues trying to get Rachel under his control.
     Rachel Morgan has her own ideas about how the world should work; though she plays within the rules she gets results the "good guys" can't always get. Her tenacity and independence are remarkable, yet they are what also pushes her into the vat of trouble she inevitably finds. Rachel is a strong woman living in a difficult world and surviving. Mature readers will be able to understand more of the gray reasoning behind some of Rachel's exploits, and some content is more suitable for older readers
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City of Ashes

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare, 2008 McElderberry

     After discovering she is a Shadowhunter and that her mother had lied to her for the greater part of her life, Clarissa Fray is avoiding her new-found brother and the world he represents. Clary stays with Luke, her werewolf godfather, in his home while her mother is in the hospital in a coma. Simon, Clary's best friend, has professed his feelings, and the two try out a relationship of something more than friendship; somewhat unsettling for Clary as she still has feelings for Jace (her long lost brother).
     Clary's silence is unsettling for Jace--he is torn between how he should care for his younger sister and how he does care for her. He begins to hunt demons to take the edge off, rather than because it is his job, and the Lightwood children begin to worry. Things escalate when Isabelle and Alec's mother Maryse Lightwood returns and banishes him from the institute.
     Leaving the Institute, Jace goes to a downworlder bar where he picks a fight with Luke's werewolf pack. When one of the Lycanthrope children is attacked by a mysterious figure, the pack calls on Jace to help. When Jace refuses, wallowing in self-pity for being kicked out of his only home and Clary's silence, Luke intervenes and stops the pack from murdering him. Luke convinces Clary to talk to Jace and the two convince him to return to the Institute and speak to Maryse.
     The Shadowhunter's Inquisitor comes to investigate Jace's involvement with Valentine at the end of City of Bones. She is a cold woman and shows an extreme dislike for Jace from the get-go, when Jace's arrogance angers her, the Inquisitor locks him in cells in the underground Silent City of the Silent Brothers. While he is there, Valentine steals the Soul-Sword of Raziel the Angel using a fear demon to kill the Silent Brothers. Coupled with the murder and draining of several downworlder children, Jace, Clary, Simon, Isabelle, and Alec piece together Valentine's plan to turn the Sword against the Nephilim and give it power over demons.
     In their quest to rally aid, the group enters the faery realm. Jace and Clary discover their father had done something to give his unborn children special capabilities, though the two deny anything special. When she is tricked into eating some of the fairy food, Clary is nearly trapped, but the queen offers her freedom at the "kiss she most desires." Simon thinks the kiss is from him, but it is when Jace kissed Clary that she is freed. The turn of events causes a rift between Simon and Clary, who had been becoming closer and closer.
     Simon storms away when they return to the human realm, only to be brought to the Institute by Raphael, the leader one one of New York's vampire clans. Simon had ingested some vampire blood during his time as a rat, and when he broke into the vampire nest, Raphael's clan attacked him and began the process of turning him. They bury Simon and watch the transformation of his vampire re-birth. Clary and Simon begin rebuilding their relationship and Clary gives up her contact with Jace as penance for her part in Simon's new status. While they're trying to figure out how to tell his mother, Maia (one of Luke's pack) is attacked on Luke's front lawn. Clary calls the Shadowhunters and Magnus Bane to heal her, but Luke is injured when the demons sent after Maia catch him and Magnus must help him as well. Jace and Clary hurry to Luke's rescue and fight his assailants, who flee when they catch a glimpse of the Mark Clary recieved from her mother in a dream.
     When the two return to the house talk turns to Clary's use of the runes: the opening rune she used in the Silent City was much too strong to be a simple opening rune, yet it was. She puts forth the idea that her special ability was the ability to put more power into the runes than they possessed on their own, and to create new runes. Clary creates a "fearless" rune and the group tests it on Alec, who declares to the world that he is dating someone, but Magnus silences him when he begins to say who. Alec wakes and is defensive, claiming not to remember anything--a sign the rune worked.
     They decide to turn in for the night while Maia and Luke heal, but Jace sneaks away on Raphael's demonic motorcycle to meet with Valentine on a ship in the middle of the river. He promises Jace not to kill his loved ones if Jace will return to him, but Jace refuses. When he returns to the other Shadowhunters, the Inquisitor accuses him of siding with Valentine and threatens to kill him if Valentine doesn't return the Mortal Cup and Soul Sword. Jace tells her his father won't make the trade, but the Inquisitor insists a father's love will trump his desire for power--she hopes to take revenge for the death of her child.
     Maia leaves Luke's home, but on her way to visit Simon, the fear demon attacks her and brings her to Valentine. Meanwhile, Valentine comes for Simon. Clary, Luke, Jace, and Magnus go after Maia and Simon and manage to rescue Maia. But when Jace finds Simon, he has already been drained of blood. Jace allows Simon to drink from him and restore his life, then joins the fray on the ship's deck. The Inquisitor and New York's Shadowhunters join the battle against Valentine's demon army. The Inquisitor stops Jace in the middle of the battle, and is surprised when she sees a star-shaped scar on his shoulder. She nearly immediately gives her life for him causing him to question her change of heart.
     When Clary is kidnapped by one of Valentine's demons, Jace follows. Valentine declares he knows Jace joined the fight against him because of his not-quite-brotherly feelings for Clary, revealing that he knows the fear demon took her form at their first encounter. In return Jace tells Valentine that their second encounter ended with the demon's death in the form of Valentine himself. Jace gets Clary's stele to her, allowing her to blow the ship apart at the seams and end the battle.
     Clary falls into the river, to be plucked out by nixies sent by the Faery queen. They return to shore where dawn is quickly coming. Simon discovers that Jace's blood allows him to survive the daylight, unlike his fellow vampires, and life returns to some semblance of normal. Luke and Clary discuss his feelings for her mother, and Clary convinces Luke that it's beyond time to reveal those feelings to Jocelyn, despite her comatose state. She follows a similar path with Jace, but before she can tell him, Jace says he will only love her like a brother, breaking her heart. Befoer she can process the hurt, however, one of Clary's mother's companions from Idris says she knows how to wake Jocelyn.
     Throughout the battles and tangled love connections, Clary Fray learns to deal with her new-found family, especially the strange feelings she has for her brother. Her story is one of self-discovery and learning to take control of her own life, she fights for what she believes in and uses what power she has discovered to care for those who she loves. Clary is a role model for any young woman to take as an example; though her relationship with Jace is questionable, there are hints of life not being quite as it seems. Clare's City of Ashes is a vivid read and plays into the supernatural genre well. An ideal audience are high school aged readers, like the main characters, however any lover of supernatural fiction will find something enjoyable in the telling.

Supernaturally

Supernaturally by Kiersten White, 2011 HarperTeen

     In this sequel to Paranormalcy, Evie has gained the normal life she's always dreamed of. But life isn't as she expected. Normal is too normal: no bag-and-tag missions interrupting the cycle of school, work, time with Lend; no paranormals trying regularly to kill her; and no illusions about normal high school life.
     But it looks like things are going back when Raquel reappears and some strange and paranormal things start showing up. From being kidnapped by a slyph to rescuing a community of trolls, Evie falls right back into her roll at IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency).
     This time, though, she brings her new worldview with her. Lend and his father have taught Evie that paranormals can live safely in the real world, that they are people just as humans are. It isn't until things start to go really wrong-even for Evie-that Raquel, Lend, and Evie's new friends notice that something is out to get her. They assume that Evie's ex-boyfriend, Reth, and the fairies are behind it, despite his denial.
     Evie's new friend Jack is a bright spot when her involvement with IPCA darkens her relationship with Lend. But Jack has some problems of his own. His past with the fairies and hatred of them draws Evie closer and closer to the dark side of her abilities, a side that terrifies her.
     Evie has finally discovered what she is, but must figure out what it means to her. She fights against Lend's immortality and the fear that she'll burn through her soul too quickly to enjoy anything, all the while trying to get into college and create a future. When the darkness nearly swallows her, Evie has to choose between revenge on the beings who created her and submitting to the darkness, or taking control and owning who she is.
     Evie has matured between the two books, adding a degree of language and mature content that wasn't there in the first novel, but it is still a good read for high schoolers. Evie notices more of the nuances of her fellow characters, as does the reader, showing the change she's undergoing. Again, Evie's adventures serve to showcase how she changes as she meets more paranormals and develops deeper relationships with the creatures she once locked up without compunction.

Paranormalcy

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White, 2010 Harper Collins

     Evelyn has grown up finding and capturing Paranormals for the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA)--making the world safe for humans like her. But is she really human? When Paranormals begin to die mysteriously and Evie's strange ability to see through their Glamours reveals something that could help, no one is listening. Her only hope is a Paranormal who can shape-shift.
     The strange creature comes after Evie and her new friend, Lend, but they escape. Then the strange dreams she's been having begin to feature Vivian, the Paranormal who's been on a killing spree, and she reveals a strange connection to Evie.
     Vivian wants Evie to join her as she travels the world and "saves" Paranormals from their imprisonment on Earth. Evie just wants to be normal, to enjoy her blooming relationship with Lend, to attend high school, to attend Prom! She must make her choice--join Vivian on her killing spree to form some sort of family or fulfill a mysterious Fairie prophecy without definite knowledge of what comes next.
     Evie's tale is one of self-discovery--everyone else has a plan for her life, but she must realize her own dreams and fight for them. And not only does someone else hold the reins to her life, Evie doesn't even know what she is. The language and content of Kiersten White's Paranormalcy are suitable for nearly any age group, but a suggested audience is fourteen years or older.

Wildwood Dancing

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier, 2007 Macmillan

     If you weave together the Twelve Dancing Princesses, a Transylvanian Baba Yaga, vampires, and the Frog Prince what do you get? You get the tale of five sisters learning to take their place in a superstitious male-centric world.
     Jena is the second of her five sisters; Tatiana is the eldest and the pretty one, Paula is the scholarly one, Iulia is the passionate thirteen-year-old, and Stela is the tender-hearted five-year-old. Jena, as the sensible one, is put in charge of her father's affairs when he goes south for his health. The girls are getting by, continuing their monthly trips into the Other Kingdom to dance at the fairy court, but things begin to go downhill when the Night People appear in the Fairies' Enchanted Glade.
     Suddenly all the rules that've governed the girls interactions with the Other Kingdom no longer seem effective. Tati falls in love and begins to waste away, Jena is drawn to the leader of the Night People, yet is held back and grounded by her constant companion Gogu.
     Gogu is a frog Jena found in the forest after a traumatic incident with her cousins as a child. For nine years Jena and Gogu have been best friends, each the other's confidant with Jena the only one who can hear his thoughts. As things begin to change, so does their relationship. When Jena's cousin Cesar has taken over her responsibilities and locked the sisters in their home, things take a turn for the worse--Gogu turns into a human. Jena doesn't know if she can trust this new version of her friend.
     This is a story of Faith and Loyalty, Truth and Trust. The choices before Jena are difficult, but if she could just have faith and trust in the truths and friendships around her, the rewards will bring a lifetime of happiness. Along the way Jena experiences the ardor of her cousin's unwanted attentions, the loss of both friends and family, and she must give up control and allow her world to change. In accepting the changes around her, Jena grows into her new-found place in a shifting world.

Wondrous Strange

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston, 2008 Harper Collins

     Lesley Livingston's Wondrous Strange is an interesting take on the fairy stories of the English-speaking world. It focuses on Kelley Winslow, a seventeen-year-old actress trying to make her big break as A Midsummer Night's Dream's Titania, as she discovers that the world she has accepted as home is overshadowed by the Fey world of folktales. When she discovers the changeling Sonny, Kelley isn't sure what to think of this handsome stranger. But when he appears to be just another New York City stalker, she is prepared to write him off as a lunatic, despite his handsome appearance and his insistence that he knows something about Kelley that she doesn't even know about herself. Add to that the strange appearance of a roan horse in her bathtub and things are becoming more and more strange for Kelley and her NYC theater dreams.
     The story deals with several of the characters from William Shakespeare's plays and other English fairy tales including Queen Mab, Titania, Puck, Auberon (or Oberon), the Wild Hunt, and  Changelings. First and foremost this is a tale of a young woman trying to discover who she is, where she belongs, and what place her new-found relationship has set against the backdrop of impending war between the Elizabethan world's vindictive sprites in their Fey kingdoms.
     Wondrous Strange is the first in a trilogy written by Lesley Livingston that follows Kelly while she attempts to fully understand the world opening before her and her relationship with Sonny Flannery, all the while dealing with new-found power and achieving her childhood dreams. It is written for the high school age-range, with content and language that would be found anywhere from a local grocery store to the public high school. It's a fun read and a refreshing take on classic literature.