Ten Rules for Faking It

 Ten Rules for Faking It by Sophie Sullivan, 2020 St. Martin's Griffin

     Everly enjoys her position as a producer at a mid-level radio station. She works with her best friend who drives her to try getting out of her own comfort zone. Stacy is the voice of their radio program and opens the story by trying to make her best friend's thirtieth birthday special. Chris Jensen is the son of the station's new owner and put in charge as a single hoop in a series. Mr. Jensen sees the station as another toy to make him more money, but Chris sees the people. He sees the opportunity to grow the station and create a business which is more than just profit. 

     Unfortunately, Everly had just discovered her boyfriend in bed with his personal assistant and it was the frosting on the top of a series of terrible birthdays. When her explosion hits the airwaves Everly receives both an outpouring of support and the most terrifying series of events in her life. 

     When the owner sees Everly's on-air tirade as a reason to raise the system and sell it off piecemeal Chris tries to keep the crew together by offering the listeners a version of the Bachelorette. Everly agrees, with Stacy's help and support, and the station is able to leverage the success and listener engagement into a bond that ties the crew together and Chris to the crew. 

     Everly challenges her social anxiety to grow closer to the rest of the station's employees, including Chris. But the connection with her boss is more than just co-workers, or even friendship. The growing attraction between Chris and Everly forces each of them to question everything they've ever believed about their futures. But will it be enough? 

     The contemporary romance is the first in a series about the Jensen brothers as they find themselves and their partners. The first is a workplace romance dealing with parental expectations, mental health, and creating the future. Chris and Everly's story is a new adult contemporary romance. 

Emerald Green

Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier, 2010 Square Fish

     The final installment of Gwen's story follows directly on the heels of Sapphire Blue. Gwenyth and Gideon have spoken with Lucy and Paul leading the pair even further from trusting the Saint-Germain Society. 

     Gwenyth and Gideon discover the answer ot their riddle of teh chronograph--Gwen is immortal and the Count Saint-Germain craves her immortality enough to forcer to take her own life. 

     The two time-travelers are on the outs after Gwen misunderstands (with her cousin's vehement insinuation) the relationship between Gideon and Charlotte. With Gideon as her only quasi-reliable ally at the society Gwen grudginly allows him to help. Raphael (Gideon's brother), Leslie, and Xemerius try to piece everything together before Gwen has her meeting with the count. 

     The Saint-Germain Society insists that Gwen adn Gideon complete the circle of the chronograph at the count' behest. But their conversations with Lucy and Paul have set Gwen on a parallel path: they direct her to the stolen chronograph in present time. 

     Gweneth and Gideon close the original Chronograph's circle with Gideon's blood and find the Philosopher's Stone. The society force the meeting with the Count while Gwen's cousin Charlotte believes she is hiding something--which she is--and tries to bring the full weight of the society down. Her repeated attempts to discredit Gwen backfire when Charlotte spills secrets of the society and Gwenyth appears to follow all of the society's dictates. 

     It all comes to a head when secrets are revealed and the count isn't just some figure in history. Gwen and ideon have choices that will affect not just their futures and teh society, but all of humanity. 

     This conclusion to the Gemstone Trilogy ties up the loose ends and allows for the future. Emerald Green is aimed at teen readers with elements of romance and time travel. 

Sapphire Blue

Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier, 2010 Square Fish

     Beginning moments after Ruby Red's conclusion is the second installment of Gwen's adventure with time travel. After they return from a failed trip back to obtain a blood sample from Lady Tilney Gwyneth Shephard and Gideon de Villiers find themselves with more questions than the secret Saint-Germain Society is willing to answer. 

     Gideon still insists the society is acting in their best interests and the interests of society at large, but Gwen questions his blind loyalty. Her conversation with Lucy pointed her toward the Society's secrecy as a method of manipulation. Lesley continues to support Gwen and help her seek information. The two girls discover more about the prophecies which drive the society forward, though interpreting those prophecies is like deciphering poetry. 

     Gwen seems to be crumbling under the pressure of an etiquette coach who has no compassion and her cousin, Charlotte's smug, repeated criticisms. Leslie reminds Gwen of her ability to speak with ghosts and the gargoyle ghost who has been following her becomes the girls' best spy and ally. Xemerius is able to provide information the society keeps from Gwen and, when Gideon's brother unexpectedly appears, keeps her grounded amid emotional turmoil. 

     The two time travelers are learning more and more about the time they've been assigned to travel to. Gwen asks the forbidden questions and breaks the rules, but Gideon tries to protect her from the Society and its punishments for disobedience. Slowly Gwen gains hold of her ability to speak with ghosts and gains enough confidence to succeed in the missions set by the Saint-Germain Society. 

     The further down the rabbit hole they go, the less Gwen trusts the Society. Xemerius shadows her distrust, and it becomes harder and harder for her to follow the directions of the creepy count Saint-Germain through the Society. 

     Another meeting with Lucy and Paul's associates points even further suspicion on the Society. Like its predecessor, Sapphire Blue ends abruptly. Gwen's journey is not yet over as she searches for her own way in a role she never even wanted. 

     The second installment of Gwen's story sees her gain confidence in her own abilities. Readers will enjoy her doubt in the secrets she's expected to keep without understanding and her somewhat rebellious response to that doubt. Sapphire Blue is intended for teens with some mature violence and romantic entanglements. 

Daughter of the Siren Queen

Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller, 2018 Feiwel and Friends

   Alosa escaped the capture of a rogue pirate, Vordan, with Riden's help. After pretending to be Riden's captive aboard his ship, being locked in a cage at the mercy of her father's enemies is a humbling experience for the part-siren princess. As she continues to search for the magical island of the sirens Alosa's enemies prey on her father's teaching techniques to plant a seed of doubt.
     To keep her father from killing the man she is coming to love, Alosa brings Riden along as a member of her crew. Following her doubts brings the pirate princess to a secret her father has kept her entire life. Alosa frees her mother from a decade and a half of imprisonment. She expects her mother to stay and be a mother, but the Siren Queen has responsibilities of her own, and her daughter is nearly grown.
     Alosa is broken by first her father's betrayal and lies, then her mother's abandonment. She knows the Kalligan will come after his wayward daughter and escaped wife and, to save her crew, Alosa and her ship must put as much room between them as they can.
     To keep the Ava-lee and her crew alive and safe Alosa knows the king must be replaced. If she is to usurp her father Alosa needs gold. All the gold she could ever want is on the island her mother rules and her father seeks. The escaping pirates set course for the sirens' island.
     Alosa's crew encounters obstacles ranging from glass-calm seas without a scrap of wind and raging storms to cannibals and dehydration. It's a race against time and the Pirate King to find a solution to the corruption which has taken over the seas.
     Readers will enjoy the spunk of the half-siren pirate princess as she comes into her own. Pirates of the Caribbean meets the original Little Mermaid with a heroine who won't quit. Alosa appeals to readers of all ages, though her story has elements better suited to older teen and young adults.

Ruby Red

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier, 2009 Henry Holt & Co

     All of her life Gwenyth's cousin has lorded it over her that Charlotte has been inducted into "the mysteries" and Gwen is a normal girl. But Gwen has no idea what the mysteries are and doesn't care. Charlotte has spent her entire childhood in music lessons, etiquette lessons, dancing lessons, and--most importantly--history lessons. 

     Gwen has enjoyed a normal childhood with her best friend Lesley. When she discovers she has inherited the family time-travel gene. Lesley is there to help her friend. Gwen's eccentric family drags her into the family secret and Charlotte is thrust into normal life and out of the secret society who has been training her for time travel. 

     Drama breaks out when it is discovered Gwen's mother lied about the facts surrounding her birth. The secret society questions Gwen and her mother, their decisions, and their motives. They refuse to accept Gwen's mother only wanted a normal life for her children. 

     On every mission, Gwen is shadowed by her counterpart, male time-traveler Gideon. He is overbearing and stuffy--and the hottest guy Gwen, or Lesley, has ever seen. But Gideon seems to be interested only in Charlotte until he kisses Gwen. She doesn't know how to handle the proximity to the guy every girl in her class has a crush on, and she doesn't know how to deal with the sudden time travel, and she doesn't know how to deal with the secret society intent on manipulating and managing her every move. 

     At first time travel seems like fun, but Gwen and Gideon's mission seems to take on a mind of its own. Gwen learns that the last two travelers to do the Secret Society's bidding veered from their mission and stole the Chronograph which allows travelers to control their travel. Lucy and Paul are Gwen's and Gideon's cousins (respectively) and their rebellion is the basis of the conflict--they stole the artifact before the circle could be closed so now the last two travelers must close the circle. 

     The Society tries to keep Gwenyth from her cousin and from the secret of their purpose causing her to rely on Lesley's help in solving their riddle. Gwen doesn't trust the society, but she doesn't trust the rogue travelers either. 

     Ruby Red is the first in a trilogy following Gwen as she learns more about history and travels in time. Readers who enjoyed the Agency quartet will enjoy the ever-questioning protagonist who follows the directions set before her until she decides to make her own way. Originally translated from German Ruby Red is funny and accessible for teen readers. 

The Gilded Cage

The Gilded Cage by Lucinda Gray, 2016 Henry Holt & Company

     Katherine Randolph and her older brother George are swept from their family farm in Virginia to a new home in Regency England. As newly rich members of society, the two are guarded and guided by their cousins. But after their introductory ball, George Randolph is found dead.
     The locals insist her brother is a victim of the Beast of Walthingham, while her cousins assert it was a terrible accident; Katherine believes George was the victim of foul play. George is not the first or the last victim of Walthinghams's mysteries and the local magistrate encourages the young woman to drop her concerns in exchange for accepting the simplest answer.
     Katherine tries to further investigate but is held back by resistance from her cousins and the household staff. One footman does seem to want to help his young mistress, but Katherine's cousins don't approve of the friendship or any dealings between the two. When the footman, John, is shot during the annual hunt a note amid his belongings seems to wrap up the mystery of George's death, but Katherine is skeptical.
     With the trauma of her stay in England has wrought Katherine is ready to return to her foster family in Virginia. On the eve of her planned departure, Katherine's cousin proposes marriage and Katherine is stunned. She had hoped for a love-match and cannot fathom a marriage to the man her new friend obviously fancies. Katherine goes to her friend who refuses to believe Katherine has not plotted against her or that her plans for the future are thwarted by the man himself.
     Her entire life is upended when Katherine discovers there is more to the proposal, the history of Walthingham, and her cousin than meets the eye. Will Katherine survive the mysteries of Walthingham or will her insistence that something is wrong spell her own ending? In this modern take on the Gothic Romance readers are transported to 1820's England and the social strictures which dictated life at the time. The Gilded Cage is better suited to teen readers with elements of mature romance and flagrant violence (Spoilers: the dog dies).

The Book Jumper

The Book Jumper by Mechthild Gläser, 2017 Feiwel & Friends

     Amy Lennox and her mother, Alexis, leave their home in Germany after her mother's boyfriend dumps her, and Amy's so-called friends humiliate her. They escape to Stormsay--a small island off the Scottish coast. It is where Alexis grew up, and allows Amy to meet her grandmother. Amy is introduced to a special talent only the Lennox and MacAlister clans share. 

     Both families guard a massive library hidden under the island itself and act as protectors of the world of literature. Amy is a Reader who, along with Will and Betsey MacAlister, can jump into literature and affect the story as they move about the edges of the stories. 

     While exploring her chosen novel: The Jungle Book Amy notices something wrong in the book world. Someone is stealing key ideas from the great classics. Amy teams with Woeful Werner to explore and investigate the thefts. When Will's best friend, Sherlock Holmes, is found in the normal world murdered, Will refuses to jump back into books. He agrees to help Amy and Werner from outside literature, but they aren't making any progress. Amy convinces Will to return to the land of literature and their friendship grows stronger as they learn more and more. 

     Amy discovers some characters from a mysteriously missing, possibly destroyed, story have been closely entwined with both her family's and Will's family's history. When new characters are discovered and seem to be propelling the thefts of literary elements even close friends are suspect. 

     The Book Jumperhas elements fo the great classics and scenes of Alice in Wonderland, Metamorphosis, The Hounds of the Baskervilles, and various characters from across the literary spectrum. Amy discovers her past is much more complicated than she thought and her newfound ability to jump into stories is directly linked to those complications. 

     Gläser's novel is aimed at older teen readers, starring a seventeen-year-old dealing with typical teenaged anxiety and stresses in a novel manner. The Book Jumper is translated from German and followed by The Forgotten Book, also translated. 

Daughter of the Pirate King

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller, 2017 Feiwel and Friends

     Pirates battle with her crew and kidnap Captain Alosa from her ship. Alosa is the seventeen-year-old captain of a specialized ship with trawls the ocean plundering and pillaging for her father, the Pirate King. This ship is special though and the crew is not Alosa's own, nor is her capture accidental.
     The Pirate King has heard about a legendary treasure map part of it hidden somewhere about the enemy ship Nightfarer and he sends his daughter to retrieve it. The crew of the Nightfarer has no idea what they face in the king's daughter, but the first mate is far too observant for Alosa's liking. Riden is also distractingly attractive and tasked with getting any and all information he can from the pirate princess for his captain.
     Alosa and Riden are pitted against each other in a flirtatious battle of wills and skills. As her timeframe becomes more restricted and her cat-and-mouse dance with Riden becomes about more than secrets and politics Alosa is pitched into the struggler her father fights against rebel pirates.
     Riden isn't above using their mutual attraction against Alosa but the girl has secrets of her own to keep. Alosa is in turns snarky and sassy with the crew and Draxen, Riden's brother and captain, as her search for the map is continually thwarted. Draxen is domineering and expectant of favors Alosa refuses to allow.
     Riden discovers something magical about their captive when he impinges on her search for the missing map piece--something which signals danger to the seafarer. But Alosa's secret siren abilities save them when a third player interrupts Alosa's quest for the map and takes her hostage to learn more about the Pirate King's secret weapon.
     Life as the daughter of the Pirate King is not the typical life of a princess, but it makes Alosa a powerful young woman and a likable character. As she fights to succeed in her mission she finds romance with her captor as she discovers his humanity and clings to her own when her siren nature tries to pull her from herself.
     Daughter of the Pirate King is followed by Daughter of the Siren Queen as Alosa's adventures continue. Levenseller's debut novel introduces a truly human young woman dealing with normal issues in a magical and fantastical setting. Violence and danger pervade this adventure meant for young adult readers.

Witch's Pyre

Witch's Pyre by Josephine Angelini, 2016 Feiwel & Friends

     Immediately after she and her coven have been taken by the Hive's Warrior Sisters, Lily and the crew find themselves welcomed to a strange city in what would be California's wine country. Lily is reeling from the loss of so many of her claimed, especially Tristan from her homeworld and Rowan's disappearance then betrayal.
     Touring the city on their way to the governor's palace the coven is assaulted by how perfect everything seems. Weary and worried at the seeming peacefulness of the city the group begins to recuperate. Rowan is thrust back into the group at a welcoming dinner - triggering an outburst from Lily and a demonstration of the Hive's response to any violence. They discover the small, normal-looking workers monitor the populace and when a citizen becomes aggressive the Warrior Sisters respond and the person is whisked away never seen again.
     The enforced perfection of their new surroundings doesn't allow the coven to mourn their lost, nor to repair the bonds with those they've been reunited with. Lily becomes a threat as she struggles to maintain her composure and the Hive will not forgive her outbursts. Rowan is returned to the group and questions the absolute control of the city. Lily befriends one of the governor's advisors and is shown the seedier part of town where the technological advancements are kept from non-citizens.
     The more she learns, the more Lily questions whether what they're doing--staying with the Hive--is right. After a confrontation with Grace, the governor, Lily and her coven decide they prefer to take their chances outside the city. Their escape is dangerous and enlightens the people to the truth of their governing body.
     Lily and her coven flee as Lillian and her army advance, but they don't only flee the city but the world. Lily, Rowan, and their coven make a plan to get answers and road-trip from the Hive's stronghold back to Salem where they must decide in which world their futures lie. Lily discovers a strength within herself she didn't believe possible while trying to survive childhood illness. She becomes a leader and achieves her dream to change the world in a monumental way.
     Witch's Pyre ends the Worldwalker Trilogy in an earth-shattering conflict. Teen and young adult readers will enjoy the spunk Lily brings to her story, understand her insecurities, and follow along in her romance.

Firewalker

Firewalker by Josephine Angelini, 2015 Fiewel & Friends

     Lilly and Rowan made a successful journey across worlds to Lilly's homeworld. Rowan helped her family put Lilly's broken and burnt body back together. Though she still has her magic, Lilly must hide her power to protect her family.
     The government is investigating Lilly's months-long disappearance. The FBI agent in charge of the investigation isn't the only one fascinated and compelled by Lilly's return. Tristan is angry and upset at how their relationship left off. Rowan is interested in Lilly's Tristan compared to the Tristan from his world - but even better, the information he can access through the internet.
     When Lillian calls across the divide between worlds Lilly responds. Lilly is angry and hurt at the extent of pain her alter-self has inflicted and refuses to return. At home, Lilly begins to recruit a new group of mechanics who help her manage her magic and prevent her from becoming ill.
     Lillian attempts to force Lilly back to the world ruled by witches and imparts revelations which Lilly fights. The romance between Lilly and Rowan grows in the less tense environment of Lilly's world. But when Lillian broadcasts her story Lilly distances herself from her friends and tension grows in the gap. The coven begins to question whether staying safe at home really is the best course of action.
     Following what she believes is right leads Lilly to the great conflict of Firewalker: Lilly's friends clash with their parallel selves in Lillian's world and the expanded team suffers a devastating loss to the coven. This second installment in the Worldwalker Trilogy shows Lilly's growth from fish-out-of-water to the strong and confident leader of her coven which she will need in the ensuing events of Witch's Pyre.

Trial by Fire

Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini, 2014 Feiwel & Friends

     Lily Procter is allergic to her life. She usually runs a temperature over 100° F, but something as simple as lunch can send her into convulsions and result in a coma. Her childhood best friend, Tristan, has helped her through everything up to high school. And Lily has had a crush on him as long as she can remember, as high school seniors in Salem Massachusetts they are only just exploring the idea of a romantic relationship.
    At her first high school party, Tristan has to deal with an ex-girlfriend and leaves Lily with a fellow classmate. The boy spikes Lily's drink which causes a seizure and her abject humiliation. At the edge of consciousness, Lily discovers her lifelong friend has as little regard for her as a romantic partner as he had for previous girlfriends. When a voice in her head asks Lily if she wants to leave her world for a world where she would have power, Lily accepts and is torn into another plane where magic exist and she has a mirror image ruling the world.
     The lost girl finds that Lilian wants to use her for some secret purpose and flees into the city. Salem Massachusetts of Lillian's universe is a cross between medieval and modern technology. What science has spent centuries learning in Lily's world was discovered through magic over the course of decades. Lily appears to have been pulled into a brewing conflict. Lillian directs Lily to her most powerful Mechanic and Rowan reluctantly trains the mirror of Lillian.
     Lily is not Lillian: she believes in the basic American tenets of equality and success through work ethic, exploration, and development. Lily believes in helping Lillian's world as she finds friendship and romance, but her ultimate dream is to return home to her family and the world she grew up in.
     With some mature content and vivid violence Trial by Fire is intended for teen and young adult readers. It is the first of the novels: Lily struggles with her beliefs and experiences in a new world, very similar to her own. Will she ever make it home? Does she really want to?

Winter

Winter by Marissa Meyer, 2015 Feiwel & Friends

   The plan to kidnap Emperor Kai succeeded; sort of. After rescuing Cress and going back to the Eastern Commonwealth to stop the wedding between Levana and Kai, Cinder and her remaining friends are hiding in space - thanks to Cress's magic with technology.
     Without Scarlet, Wolf pines and the friends struggle to remain positive. Cinder and Kai are on rocky terms since he was forcibly removed from his empire but their relationship gains traction. Cress and Thorne are dancing around one another as the captain slowly regains his sight. And Iko is still in love with her (somewhat worse for the wear) human body. Levana has immediately declared war on the Earthen Union and used her mutated wolf-soldiers to engage the planet in global war.
     Earth is unprepared for the assault after 126 years of world peace. As the Union scrambles to mount a defense Levana plans world domination. The focus has shifted from Earth to Luna as Cinder makes plans to take back the throne as Princess Selene. Her cousin, Princess Winter, has been tortured by her own Lunar Gift for its lack of use. When the people love and show their deep affection for Winter, Levana sees the girl as a threat. The Queen orders Jacin, a guard who has loved Winter since childhood, to kill the girl. Jacin cannot complete his mission and, with Cress, helps Winter and Scarlet escape to the outer domes of Luna's protected population.
     Scarlet and Winter locate Wolf's childhood home and the rest of their ragtag rebellion. With Cress working from Artemisia, Luna's capital, and Cinder gaining support around the moon's isolated outer domes the friends struggle to maintain contact and lead their rebellion. When Cinder is captured and paraded around Kai and Levana's wedding feast it appears they may be finished, but the ever-resourceful Princess Selene manages to become both the leader and the martyr her revolution needs.
     Cinder's transformation from the cyborg mechanic who helped repair Crown-Prince Kai's android into Princess Selene has been long and arduous, but with new friends and the support of her people the shy young woman has become a leader hoping to make the universe a better place. Cinder doesn't want to be a princess: she wants to end her aunt's tyranny and the social conventions which oppress different classes of person. Meyer's tale incorporates classic fairytales, political wargames, and science fiction to push Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White into the future and prepare their stories for young adult readers.

The Star-Touched Queen

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi, 2016 St. Martin's Griffin

     Princes Mayavati was born under a dangerous sign - in Bharata your horoscope can determine your entire life. Maya is the well-educated daughter of the Raja, but her horoscope dictates that she be wedded to Death leading her superstitious family to blame her for any bad fortune or il luck. Maya takes the opportunity to immerse herself in her studies and becomes the most educated of the royal children - even climbing the rafters above her father's councilroom to learn statecraft.
    When the Raja risks alienating his people through the marriage of his death-touched daughter he indicates a special surprise for the potential bridegrooms - Maya will meet the princes then commit suicide neg
ating the laws of hospitality and initiating warfare at Bharata's capital.
    The Raja isn't the only man trying to subvert old customs: the suitors bring their own armies to the wedding and in Trojan Style they bring the war to Maya's home. With her father's command ringing in her ears the princess is captivated by the handsome, hooded man who whisks her away with the promise of a kingdom where she will rule as his equal.
    Maya is infatuated at the chance to be important; she follows her new husband away from the massacre of her home through the mythical Night Bazaar. The festival of mystery and magic is a sort of in-between where Day and Night, good and evil, mundane and magical coexist in balance and anything is for sale. All the stories Maya had ever studied were real at the Night Bazaar, but the mystery of her husband begins when the creatures respond to him deferentially.
     At their new home, Akaran, Maya becomes more and more intrigued by Amar - while he shares her room, Maya's new husband doesn't insist or even suggest they take advantage of their married state and the feelings growing between them. He disappears before she wakes and returns after she falls asleep. The palace occupies Maya's attention: a voice calls to her and compels the new queen to find it. When she discovers a familiar nymph claiming to be an old friend the mystery of her husband and why he brought Maya back to his home drives Maya to stretch beyond the limits set before her.
    Maya begins to doubt her place and eventually the nymph casts her out from Akaran and her throne beside the man she has come to love. To find her way home Mayavati must complete a quest to review and sever the ties holding her to her mortal magic-less life and find Amar and her throne in Akaran.
    The seventeen-year-old princess is captivated with the magic and possibilities before her. The horoscope which dictated her growing-up no longer has control over her life and she has united with a man who claims to want her as his equal in a world where women are not considered full persons. When it all comes crashing down Maya struggles to rediscover her confidence and fight for what she wants.
     Aimed at young adult readers The Star Touched Queen tells the epic journey of a young woman with a destiny who changes the world to make a doomsday prophecy into a future filled with love and growth. The story is heavily influenced by Indo-Asian mythology and politics. Maya's story will be followed by her younger sister's in A Crown of Wishes in 2017.

Mystic

Mystic by Jason Denzel, 2015 Tor Books

     Generation after generation has competed to become High Mystic and each time the competitors are nobles, until Pomella AnDone is invited to join. Pom has never been trained in the Myst; she has no idea what the silver creatures she, and only she, sees are; she is enjoying the annual summer festival when the Green Man of legend appears and invites her to join the competition for High Mystic.
     The daughter of the local Baron threatens if Pomella does not achieve apprenticeship she will be declared Unnamed - an outcast without status and without name. Pom is terrified, but when her best friend sneaks in Pom's window that night she discovers a significant portion of the town supports her. Thus begins Pom's journey: she leaves for the High Mystic's stronghold, with the help of an old friend, Sim, she escapes the Baron's guard, and finally arrives at Kelt Apar to meet the other potential apprentices.
     When he parts from Pomella, Sim attempts to return home, but so far across the barony Sim is in a position to escape life as  simply a commoner - he could travel to one of the cities and become anything. But Sim's hopes are dimmed by his affections for Pomella, he decides to visit her at Kelt Apar and decide his future from there - he too will be Unnamed if he leaves then returns to the Barony.
     Pomella is thrust into a bickering of politics and attentions when the three nobles discover their compatriot is a commoner. She tries to rise above their expectations and to fight her own self-doubt as the trials progress. Sim is captured on his way by the Black Claw and the Mystic who has hired them on this journey. He fights to stay alive while the band travels deeper into the Mystwood toward what he doesn't know, but it has something to do with Pom.
     Denzel's debut novel is high fantasy at its finest: a magical quest, betrayal, friendships created and destroyed, and a side-line romantic plotline. Pomella AnDone is not a normal teen, yet the most difficult obstacles she faces are internal. Older teen and adult readers will find Mystic fast-paced with unexpected turns as ti follows Pom and Sim through the Mystwood.

Shadow and Bone

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, 2012 Henry Holt and Co.

     Alina Starkov and Malyen Oretsev grow up together in an orphanage. As adults they join Ravka's First Army in service to the king. They are sent to the Shadow Fold where darkness reigns over the land and strange creatures feast on human flesh.
     Moments into their journey across the Fold, the sandskiff Alina and Mal travel on is attacked and Mal nearly dies at the talons of the Volcra. When Alina is taken by the creature, something strange and unexplainable happens and the monsters flee. She is taken to the Darkling and his inspection shows the power of a Sun Summoner. Alina is swept away from her friends and life to Os Alta and the Grisha training grounds.
     The Darkling insists Alina be trained to help him beat back the darkness of the Fold. Repeatedly Alina is reminded of the danger the Fold presents and how her power is the only defense, but the young woman is homesick for Mal and the friendship she has known her entire life. Despite her attraction to the handsome and magnetic leader of the Grisha something in Alina still holds out for a return to her former life. When she finally gives in to the hopelessness of Mal's seeming rejection (After several months of letters he has yet to respond.) the power Alina hid as a small child blossoms and she begins to find her place with the Grisha.
     On the night of the King's Winter Fete Alina believes her place among the Grisha to be solidified: she has learned to use her power, she has friends among the other Grisha, the Darkling wants her, and the amplifier she and the Darkling have been searching for is finally within grasp. But her content is thrown into a whirl when Mal appears in Os Alta and one of Alina's instructors urges her to flee the city. Alina begins a journey which will tear at the world she has fought to create and a journey which can either throw Ravka into further turmoil or begin its redemption.
     Shadow and Bone is a fantasy from tsarist Russia complete with lavish palaces, dank poverty, and vainglorious warfare. Alina and Mal are best friends who became each other's anchor after their parents were killed in the Border Wars; upon their separation Alina is forced to find her own strength, and discovers she has kept more than just secrets from herself. More mature readers who enjoy fantasy such as The Girl of Fire and Thorns, Grave Mercy and Throne of Glass will enjoy Bardugo's story of a young woman searching for a place to belong.

Burned

Burned by Kristin and P.C. Cast, 2010 St. Martin's Press

   After Zoey battles Neferet and her soul shatters, Stark takes her to the Isle of Sgiach where his kinsman is the queen's guardian. Following a poem from Kramisha, Darius and Aphrodite team with Sgiach to determine what exactly it will take for Zoey to come back.
     Zoey lingers in the Otherworld mourning the loss of her ex-boyfriend Heath. Stark must become a Shaman to find Zoey, especially when she doesn't want to return. Zoey refuses to accept the portions of her soul back and has been trapped in the Otherworld unable to move either forward or backward.
     To get Stark into the Otherworld, even after he becomes a Shaman, takes a long and involved process of summoning one of the Bulls either of Darkness or Light. Stevie Rae and Rephiam mistake the white bull of Darkness for the harbinger of Light.
     When he is led by the White Bull of Darkness into the Otherworld Stark contacts Heath hoping to convince Zoey to return when Heath has moved beyond the Otherworld. Her fear of losing the people she loves is the impetus which brings Zoey back.
     The world Zoey comes back to has been forever changed by the argument between Light and Darkness. Stevie Rae is in Tulsa holding down the fort, the rest of the crew has traveled to the Isle of Sgiach to be with Zoey, all are still reeling from the confrontation in Venice. The group is picking up the pieces, the world of vampyres is constantly changing: Neferet claims she is the goddess Nyx and Kalona her consort Erebus.
     Though only teenagers Zoey, Stevie Rae and their friends are insistent that they can make a change in the world around them. The vampyres fledglings have always trusted have little to say when things are beyond their expectation. Zoey fights to maintain her faith in the people around her as they face life-changing challenges. Burned focuses more on Zoey's friends and what they'll do to keep her around. Their adventures are aimed at older teens who enjoy contemporary paranormal with a touch of romantic triangle.

The Summer Invitation

The Summer Invitation by Charlotte Silver, 2014 Roaring Brook Press

     Aunt Theo has always been a force greater than nature in Fran and Val's home--a friend of their mother from way back when. When Aunt Theo invites Frances and Valentine to her home in New York City for the summer, both girls are overjoyed: not only will seventeen-year-old Valentine and fourteen-year-old Franny get a summer in the city that never sleeps, but they will have  a summer with only twenty-eight-year-old Clover as their chaperone.
     The girls enjoy the city and meet fascinating people who have both influenced and been influenced by their mysterious Aunt. Franny discovers there's more to life than after-school activities and modern conveniences. Watching her sister fall in love for the first time, Franny learns that even the things that seem to fall into place aren't what they seem.
     Anticipating Aunt Theo's return and the party to welcome her home, the girls grow and develop through the summer. Val matures into Valentine, Franny accepts she will never have her sister's popular beauty, and each girl has a story to bring back to her friends at home in San Francisco.
     Val and Franny's adventures in the Big Apple are new and exciting for the girls, though some of the subject matter may be mature for younger readers. Teens and young adults will enjoy the carefree life they live on their summer vacation in New York City.

Hades

Hades by Alexandra Adornetto, 2011 Feiwel & Friends

     Bethany Church is an angel sent to Earth with her siblings Archangel Gabriel and Seraphim Ivy. The angels were sent to bring light back to Earth and help humans reclaim their goodness, falling in love with a human was not on the agenda.
     When Beth falls in love with her human classmate Xavier Woods their bond gets closer and stronger. Their relationship, though, doesn't stop Beth from being taken to Hell on the back of a motorcycle driven by the demon Jake Thorn. From the beginning of their relationship Jake has been fighting to turn Beth from Xavier and from the light.
     In Hell Jake shows her the order of his kingdom. It would be easy to fall into place with Jake's plan and become the Queen of Hell, but her love for Xavier and the relationship with her family won't allow Bethany to abandon her mission.
     Beth fights not to give in as Jake bargains with her family. What he asks may be scraping the bottom of the barrel on what they can give. Her story is a tale of faith and trust--trusting Gabriel, Ivy, and Xavier to come for her, and trusting God to love her despite her failings.
      The second chapter of Beth's story explores the darkness of life beyond God's chosen scope, without the constant presence of her loving Father. Beth truly experiences humanity for the first time. The story is aimed at readers high-school-aged and older.

Cinder

Cinder by Marissa Meyer, 2012 Feiwel & Friends

     In the distant future, after World War IV, Linh Cinder is a young woman-cyborg working as a mechanic in New Beijing when Crown Prince Kai brings her an android which will not function. He hopes to retrieve information from the metal servant before the mysterious Blue Fever spreads across his country.
     Cinder is surprised at the urgency with which Kai makes his request, but works to complete the task. In the meantime she returns home to her guardian and the woman's two teen daughters. The younger, Linh Peony, is a friend to Cinder while the older, Linh Pansy, follows their mother's example and treats her with as much disdain as a human can show to a cyborg. Life is not pleasant living with her 'stepmother', yet Cinder has no where to go.
     When Peony contracts the Blue Fever and is taken to quarantine the blame is foisted upon Cinder and she is volunteered by her stepmother to participate in the government's vaccine trials. The doctor leading the project is fascinated by the young woman and her genetics. With his technology Cinder discovers something about her past, beyond the nebulous memories of her time with the Linh family, that turns not just her personal world, but the balance between Earth and the Lunar civilization on the Moon.
     Cinder is a completely new tale nurtured out of the story of the little Cinder Girl. With political intrigue, personal discovery, and a touch of romance the story is full-bodied and fascinating. Readers of all ages will enjoy it, though younger readers may require guidance through the text.

Halo

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto, 2010 Feiwel & Friends

     Today's world isn't what it used to be. It is much less Godly than ever before and Bethany Church, along with her sister Ivy and brother Gabriel, is sent from Heaven to help bring balance to the world. The angels land in a small town and integrate into daily life.
     Ivy, a seraph, volunteers in the community. Gabriel, the archangel, teaches music at the elite public high school where Bethany is a student. Unlike her removed siblings, Bethany has no problem fitting in with human life. She is the most human of the three angels and begins to fall into the normal patterns of her classmates.
     She even falls in love: Xavier is a unique young man for the modern world. He is the swim team captain, class president, valedictorian, and his family is Catholic. But at the edge of their idyllic world is Jake Thorn. Bethany can't figure out what it is about Jake that bothers her so.
     As Jake tries to lure her away from Xavier, Bethany clings to the relationship and tries to avoid Jake. She even breaks all the rules and reveals her identity to Xavier as their relationship progresses. Neither Ivy nor Gabriel is happy with the decision, but bring Xavier in on their divine mission. The three angels take their mission seriously and fight for peace in their small town and beyond.
     The story has strong Christian elements but is a typical coming of age story. Bethany begins to explore the human world and to experience emotions angels cannot feel. She questions what it means in terms of her angelic identity, but is firm in her belief in God's love.