Shadow of Night

 

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness, 2012 Viking Adult

     As an alchemical historian, Elizabethan England is a dream destination for Diana Bishop. When the present is too dangerous for a witch with no control over her power and who has fallen in love with a vampire Diana and her husband, Matthew de Clairmont escape into his past. Fitting into history when Matthew and his family are powerful forces both politically and martially is difficult for modern woman Diana. 

     Matthew is Matthew Roydon in 1590. Advisor to Queen Elizabeth I, spy, and member of the Creatures' Congregation, he is responsible for ensuring the creatures of Europe refrain from meddling in human affairs. Diana discovers her husband is a powerful man in his own right, but the weight behind his family name is an additional level of protection over their forbidden relationship. Their travel in time displaces the original Matthew Roydon and requires that the pair scramble to reassure his family when Philippe de Clairmont receives word of his missing son. Matthew is hesitant to meet his relatively recently deceased father and concerned the vampire lord will take issue with his choice of wife and Diana's witchy magic. 

     Philippe knows something is changed in his son, and the pair are forced to reveal some of the future to the vampire. Matthew's family accepts Diana and, with Philippe's support, the two have a second, public wedding. More characters come into play as Diana meets more of the de Clairmont clan, including Matthew's sister Louisa, son Benjamin, and nephews. Not every member of the ancient and powerful clan is happy with the new witchy member, but Matthew and Philippe stand behind Diana to set events in motion which will ripple down the timeline. 

     While her personal life revolves around how the vampires of the de Clairmont clan handle Matthew's marriage, her magic and the focus of their journey depends on Diana making strong relationships with a nearby coven. With their help she discovers the key to her unmanageable magic is to try not to manage it - Diana is a spell-weaver and writes her own laws of magic. 

      Circumstances require that Diana and Matthew cut short their journey into 1590. Their travel home is just as fraught with concern as the trip backwards in time. They return home months after leaving and to surprises they couldn't have imagined. 

     The second All Souls installment sees a new, more transparent side of the categorically secretive Matthew de Clairmont. Diana learns how to use her power and the power of community. Readers who enjoyed Nora Roberts' Chronicles of the One will find similar themes in Harkness's story. 

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. 

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. 

Longbow Girl

Longbow Girl by Linda Davies, 2016 Chicken House Publishing

     Hidden in the Welsh countryside raising welsh ponies is the Owen family. Beginning in the 13th century when one Longbowman Owen saved the Black Prince's life with his skill at the battle of Crecy a member of the Owen family has upheld the pledge to the king to defend the monarch's life and report for military duty with their bow. Merry Owen is the current heir to the long tradition.
     Merry is fifteen years old and has been training to follow her father's footsteps since she was five years old. Two years ago the bow she carried and practiced with snapped, taking one of Merry's eyes with it. But she doesn't let the loss of her eye slow her down or dampen her skill. With the help of her best friend James, Merry fights to continue improving her longbow skill.
     Lord James de Courcy is the son of the local Earl de Courcy and heir to his legacy. The Owens and de Courcys have been at loggerheads since Longbowman Owen was granted a parcel from the earl's properties as a reward for saving the Black Prince, and James's parents continue to seek a way to bring the Owen farm back under their control. But James and Merry have been friends as long as they can remember and continue in spite of the opposition.
     When Merry discovers a beautifully illuminated manuscript in a burial mound under the roots of an overturned tree she cannot wait to show James. Her friend is fighting his parents for the chance to try out for the Manchester United training program to become a professional football (soccer) player. When the earl sees the ancient book he, with Merry's grudging permission, shows a historian who names the book as part of a lost collection, and a priceless artifact.
     Merry discovers the family is at risk of losing their home of seven centuries and she suggests to her family that they allow the earl's historians to complete an archaeological dig at the burial mount. They also consider selling the manuscript.
     When a translation leads Merry to a mysterious pool in the mountains above her family farm she discovers a treasure she never could have imagined. The pool leads to Tudor England and the time of Henry VIII. Merry learns history is much more dangerous than she could have thought.
     She returns home, but when James brings a new translation from the book Merry learns she must return to the past to uphold her family's obligation to king and country. This time, Merry Owen isn't the only one to go through the portal. She learns there's more to her than just being the Longbow Girl.
     Merry and James truly are friends and their friendship endures in this story aimed at teen readers. Longbow Girl is written in an easy-to-follow style which younger readers of Young Adult Fiction will enjoy. While Merry faces danger, she proves she's more than a match for anything that challenges her.

City of Ships

City of Ships by Mary Hoffman, 2010 Bloomsbury

    Most of her friends have become withdrawn over the last few months when Isabel finds a small pouch of mosaic stones. The tesserae transport her into Classe, a coastal town in Talia. 

     Isabel befriends the prosperous merchant and secret Stravagante, Flavia. The kind woman helps Isabel find her feet and connect with other Stravagante both in Talia and at home in England. 

     As she's getting used to nightly adventures, Isabel discovers her beloved Classe is under threat from the Gate People and their fleet. While she is shadowed by her twin brother at home, in Classe she has purpose and feels important. She helps Flavia prepare for the coming invasion, but her plans are thrown out of sync when her brother, Charlie, takes her talisman and accidentally stravigates too. 

     Charlie is caught in the invasion and Isabel faces the chance that her plans in Classe will fail and her secret will be revealed putting her adventures on indefinite hold. But her new friends from school help Charlie see that Isabel and the people of Classe have much to do to save their beloved city from attack - both by land and sea. 

     Much like Italy's Ravenna, Classe has a deep connection with the art of mosaic. The beauty draws Isabel as the drama and political instability give her purpose. With one more member of their Stravagante club the teens begin to notice a pattern in who is chosen. The mystery of how and why remain unsolved, but their mission in Talia continues. 

     City of Ships is the fifth in the Stravaganza series following City of Secrets and preceding City of Swords. Classe has a new element: International trade; and the Di Chimi family have opened a door they cannot hope to close alone. Teen and young adult readers will enjoy this story independently or as an installment in the series. 

Running Out of Time

Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix, 1996 Simon & Schuster

     Jessie Keyser lives in small-town Clifton, Indiana. Her family has settled in a village in the 1840s and they live the pioneering life. When a diphtheria outbreak begins to divide the citizens and there doesn't seem to be anything to help. Jessie's mother reveals they aren't really in 1840 Indiana.
     Mrs. Keyser reveals that Clifton is a settlement that recreates life in mid-nineteenth century America, they live in a tourist attraction. Now the children are ill and the owners refuse to provide adequate modern medical care - to preserve authenticity they claim.
     Jessie's mother, along with several other parents, fear for their families. Mrs. Keyser asks Jessie to leave Clifton and enter the modern world to find a cure. Jessie braves 1996 Indiana in search of Isaac Neeley. Along the way she almost loses the food and money her mother supplied, she is nearly captured by Clifton's armed guards, but Jessie escapes and finds Dr. Neeley.
     Neeley brings the overwhelmed teen to his apartment where he drugs her to kill her. Jessie manages to escape Neeley through a window and holds a press conference to get help from the general public. In the middle of the conference Jessie faints and it is discovered she too has diphtheria.
     Jessie is confused by the fantastic technology she encounters in the modern world, but she doesn't allow her amazement to distract her from her ultimate goal. With more and more of the true purposes behind Clifton Village coming to light the danger Jessie and the other families face becomes more apparent. Will she find help or will the children of Clifton run out of time?
     Older elementary readers and fans of both historical fiction and time travel will enjoy Margaret Peterson Haddix's Running Out of Time.

Winds of Salem

Winds of Salem by Melissa de la Cruz, 2013 Hyperion

     Freya Beauchamp is sixteen, living in 16th century Salem Village and working in the home of a prominent family. She has a special gift which she keeps hidden from all but a close few: Freya can do magic.
     In the twentieth century Freya's family struggles to bring their missing daughter home. Ingrid searches the library for clues of her sister in history books, while trying to balance a relationship with the hunky police detective. Johanna and her husband Norman go searching for Norm's brother and his time-keeping abilities. Freyr, Freya's twin, has some troubles of his own to sort out. His new bride is still working toward her college degree, and caring for Ingrid's brownies has put a serious kink in their relationship.
     While Freya lives through the Salem witch trials, she is blissfully unaware that if she dies this time around it will be permanent. Someone wants the Beauchamps out of the picture badly enough to disrupt magic across time to succeed. The Beauchamp family battles to save one of their own in this third installment of the trilogy.
     Reincarnated into the modern world, the gods and goddesses of Norse mythology are subject to both mortal and immortal law. Older teens and young adult readers will find Winds of Salem a polarized culmination of the witches' journey with some mature content.

Always a Witch

Always a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough, 2011 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

     After being raised without knowledge of her magic, Tamsin Greene is getting a grasp of her power, learning to enjoy it and how to manage it when Alistair Knight again threatens to destroy her family. The centuries-old rivalry between the two families is about to be upset when Alistair flees into the past hoping to alter it. When her grandmother reminds Tamsin of the prophecy surrounding her fate, and that of the family, the young witch agrees to follow Alistair into the past.
     In the seventeenth century Tamsin uses a fake name to find a position as lady's maid in the Knight household. Alistair attempts to warn his ancestors of their danger from the Greene family, but La Spider (the matriarch) is not at home to receive him. La Spider's son, Liam Knight, decides Alistair could be useful in his experiments for immortality. The Knight daughter, Jessica, strikes up a friendship with her new maid and shows the young woman her power for healing - which La Spider and Liam force her to use against her will in their quest.
     Tamsin attempts to find her ancestors in the 1800s, and after some searching it appears they don't believe the girl who claims to be from their future. Thomas Greene sees Tamsin as the harbinger of his death and struggles to accept the future of their family may depend on his own sacrifice. The Greene family battles the Knights, leading to Thomas's death. It is with freely given sacrifice that the Greenes are able to bind the Knights' power into the Domani, Tamsin's friendship with Jessica Knight allows the family to cease Liam's despicable experiments and lock the Knight power safely away.
     The conclusion of Tamsin's story is fraught with danger, sacrifice and the knowledge that what is right is not the easiest or most desirable path. Always a Witch is a modern gothic aimed at high school readers.

Once a Witch

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough, 2009 Clarion Books

     The Greene family has old magic. On the day of her birth Tamsin Greene is prophesied to be the most powerful of them all, but her magic has never showed up. To avoid being the magical outsider in her family, Tamsin spends most of her time at a boarding school in Manhattan. During the summer she helps out in the family Bookstore/Magic Store and it is there, one summer night, a professor from New York mistakes Tamsin for her Talented sister Rowena and enlists her help.
     At first the quest seems conventional: Tamsin searches for the professor's heirloom. She enlists her friend Gabriel whose Talent is finding things and time travel, but events soon begin to cause problems for the Greene Family.
     Rowena seems to have succumbed to a magic no one can name and the Greene family matriarch has been bespelled, supposedly by Rowena. Their less-than sterling past is brought to the forefront and Tamsin learns more about what brought her family into its prominent place among local society.
     Along the way small events seem to reveal more about Tamsin than she was aware. The search for the professor's heirloom appears to be something much more sinister than Tamsin first thought, and when it unleashes a power more dangerous than she expected the Greene Family stands together to solve their troubles.
     Stereotypes abound throughout the story, though some are shifted from normal expectations. Rowena is perfect in nearly every way, Gabriel is a goody-two-shoes, and Tamsin is the misunderstood younger sister. Yet, most of the characters step outside their allotted roles to become more complete personifications. Once a Witch is followed by Always a Witch, both aimed at high school readers.

The Wells Bequest

The Wells Bequest by Polly Shulman, 2013 Nancy Paulsen Books

   Leo Novikov is just goofing around with his video game controller when suddenly a miniature version of himself appears in his bedroom. The six-inch Leo suggests H. G. Wells's Time Machine and the girl with him rambles about a strange contraption belonging to Nikola Tesla. Before normal-sized Leo can figure out the encounter, they're gone.
     The strange vision has Leo questioning his sanity, but when he meets Jaya Rao at the New York Circulating Material Repository she believes his strange and impossible story. Leo is plunged into a world of impossible things, none as amazing as a full-sized version of H. G. Wells's time machine.
     Soon enough the strange and impossible produce an evil scientist intent on destroying New York City if he doesn't get what he wants. Leo and Jaya travel through time and space to save the world as they know it. Throughout their adventures Leo becomes more confident in his place within the world, and his ability to affect change on his role in the world.
     Leo and his fascination with science drives the plot and is relatable to readers who enjoy science fiction. Written at a fourth grade level, The Wells Bequest is enjoyable for readers of all ages.

Revolutionary War on Wednesday

Revolutionary War on Wednesday by Mary Pope Osborne, 2000 Random House Books

     Morgan le Fay has sent Jack and Annie to the Revolutionary War for an ingredient in her spell: something to send. The siblings find themselves in December 1776 in George Washington's camp as the Continental Army plans to cross the Delaware River.
     When the weather turns sour the General is hesitant to put his people in danger with an uncertain crossing. Jack and Annie have their own part in helping the Continental Army with their Christmas Eve push toward success in the Revolutionary War.
     The Magic Tree House series examines moments in history and different cultures. In easily accessible language, Revolutionary War on Wednesday is written for early readers.

The Princess and the Bear

The Princess and the Bear by Mette Ivie Harrison, 2009 HarperTeen

     The Princess has been returned to her normal, human form. Also returned to her natural form is the Hound. Prince George has used what little magic he possessed and the help of the Bear to return the two, but once they've been released to go their own ways, the Hound and Bear discover something isn't right in the forest.
     Spots of un-life or un-magic seem to be spreading through the woods. These pockets aren't like water where the effect lessens, rather they continue to steal the life-force from any living thing caught in the path. They use their understanding of magic to fight the spreading spots, but there comes a point where a bear and hound can only do so much to stem the tide of death through the forest.
     Returning to Princess Marit and Prince George, they describe the strange cat-man who has been leaching life from the forest. George sends the pair into the mountains where they hope to find the Wild Man who can help. The Wild Man sends the Bear and the Hound into the past before being magic became danger to stop this creature from destroying their future.
     The Bear is transformed back into his form of King Richon and the Hound becomes the woman Chala. Through their quest to find the source of un-magic Richon discovers that his bigotry against animal-magic is the root of the un-magic's strength. The pair continue to fight, yet must deal with the consequences of Richon's actions. Eventually the pair discover their place and are hopeful of saving their world.
     Magic and an appreciation of nature abound in this story of righting wrongs and finding home. Richon and Chala begin with only a vague idea of what they hope to accomplish, but as they journey and see the injustice in the kingdom a plan forms and change is evoked. Younger readers will enjoy the quest story as the Bear and Hound learn to be human and fight for the success of their plans.

The Time-Traveling Fashionista

The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky, 2011 Poppy

     Louise loves fashion, but vintage speaks to her in a way modern clothes cannot. With the semi-formal event of seventh gade upon her, Louise is ecstatic to find an invitation to the Traceling Fashionisa Sale.
     At the sale Louise and her best friend Brooke find a glamourous evening gown fit for a classic Hollywood Starlet. When she tries on the pink concoction Louise is swept from her waking life of monotone history classes and awkward boys to the sparkle and glitz of 1912 adn the Titanic.
     The dream is all too real as Louise attempts to fit into the role of Alice Baxter, a silent movie star and actress. Miss Baxter's maid, Anna, guides the young woman through her new life and the two find a fast friendship.
     But as time passes aboard the greatest ship of all time, Louise becomes disenchanted with the glitz and glamour and the voyage draws ever-closer to impending disaster. The young woman's premonition could just safe the ship, but can she change history?
     Louise discovers sometimes life and legend aren't always what they seem. She finds a purpose in her own life through the dangers of the past. The Time-Traveling Fashionista is a whimsical story of self-discovery perfect for middle school-aged readers.

A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, 1859

   In 1875 Lucie Manette travels with her father's solicitor from England to France to find her father, long thought dead. After eighteen years in the Bastille Doctor Manette has gone crazy and his solicitor convinces Lucie that she can bring him back.
     Five years later Charles Darnay is on trial for treason. His lawyer is getting nowhere until one of the firm's assistants, Sydney Carton, cites his own similarities to Darnay as the reason the man could not have been the spy he is accused of. Carton notices Lucie and Doctor Manette in the courtroom and invites Darnay to a tavern to discuss the beautiful young woman who comes to show her sympathy. Carton is jealous of Lucie's attention, as her attentions remind him of everything he's abandoned.
     Back in France the Marquis Evremonde awaits his nephew's arrival. He shows a disconcern for the general populace which characterizes the French Revolution until Darnay arrives and despises his uncle's estate and contemporaries. The Marquis is murdered, seemingly by revolutionaries and Darnay renounces his family name to return to England.
     After a year, Darnay asks Manette for Lucie's hand. He promises himself to reveal his past to his future father-in-law, but hesitates from bringing the darkness into Lucie's life. He views her as all that is bright and good in the world, inspiring him to be a better man. Upon returning from their honeymoon Carton comes to Darnay to ask his friendship and Darnay assures the man he will always be welcome in Lucie and Charles Darnay's home.
     In France the revolution is still in its secretive phase and Madame Defarge knits the names of people to be executed into a pattern from the front porch of her tavern. Several years later, in 1889 the French Revolution breaks into chaos. After the initial years the Evremonde steward asks Darnay's help breaking from prison and Charles Darnay goes to his kinsman, despite his own danger.
     When Charles Darnay is captured for his title and his family's misdeeds Doctor Manette, Lucie, Sydney Carton, and the rest of the cast are drawn into his drama. The French Revolution's senseless violence abound throughout the story, and Dickens' dry narration stands in contrast to the vivid and gruesome scenes he describes. A Tale of Two Cities is a classic and considered required reading throughout high school curricula.

City of Masks

City of Masks by Mary Hoffman, 2002 Bloomsbury

     Lucien Mulholland is a young man living in Islington, North London in modern time. When he falls asleep clutching a marbled notebook from his father, he wakes in Renaissance Italy. Only it isn't our Italy. In Talia Lucien wakes in a Venice-like Bellezza and meets Rodolfo Rossi. Rodolfo is a Stravagante--a traveler between worlds.
     In Bellezza Lucien is simply a student, he learns the magic of Stravigation by apprenticing himself to the Duchessa's counselor Rodolfo. On his first stravigation he meets Arianna Gasparini, who saves him from execution on the Forbidden Day--a day non-citizens are forbidden from the city. The Duchessa, Sylvia, is battling the powerful di Chimci family to keep Bellezza independent from their Talian Republic. She is worried at the portents surrounding Arianna, Lucien and their adventures through the city.
     Lucien finds himself surrounded by intrigue and adventure in Talia while his life in London revolves around his treatment for cancer. The more time he spends in Talia the more of his body that follows his mind to the new world and with every trip he risks leaving London forever.
     Lucien's friendship with Arianna and his apprenticeship with Rodolfo lure him away from the pain and frustration of his life at home. The friendships he creates and the role he plays in Talia's politics are in bright contrast to the normal life Lucien leads in London, but are they worth leaving the only life he's ever known and his family? Readers as young as middle school will enjoy the action and adventure of Lucien's straviagtion to and from Talia.

The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, 2003 Mariner Books

     Claire and Henry meet when Claire is 6 and Henry is 36. Over the years their friendship blossoms and develops into romance and when Claire is 22 and Henry 28 they marry and continue their life together. But life married to a time traveler is never predictable.
     As their life together becomes more and more difficult there are times when current Henry and future or past Henry find a way to make Claire's dreams come true. After several terrifying attempts, they have a child and the worries they faced with Henry's time traveling are transferred to their child. Even when Henry's story ends, it isn't really complete. Through thick and thin Claire and Henry find each other in space and time allowing their tale to become a fantastic love story. The fantasy of knowing her future husband her entire life helps when everything seems to be going wrong.
     Time travel as a genetic disorder is a fascinating concept and well developed in Niffenegger's novel. The DeTambles's story is one of perseverance suited to older readers. The graphic interactions and emotional plot lines make the characters more lifelike and believable. 

Serpent's Kiss

Serpent's Kiss by Melissa de la Cruz, 2012 Hyperion Books

     After they've managed to save the world and gain their right to use magic, Joanna, Ingrid and Freya Beauchamp are back to living their lives in North Hampton on Long Island. Freya has been approached by her twin brother Freddie, and Freddie insists Killian was the one to commit the crime Freddie's been imprisoned in Limbo for. Ingrid's relationship with Matt Noble, the detective, is off to a rocky start. And Joanna has a spirit causing chaos trying to contact her for help.
     Freya is torn between her love affair with Killian her true love and fiance and the accusations of her twin brother Freddie. To top it off, Freddie wants her to keep his presence a secret from the rest of the family and her magic is failing. When she orchestrates Freddie's reappearance into the family fold Freya hopes it will ease some of the tension between herself and Killian.
     Though she and Matt have decided to try something more than a distant flirtation, Ingrid is having second thoughts. She is not the sexy seductress her sister is, but that shouldn't stop the eons-old virgin from having any relationship with a man. When Ingrid finally believes she might be able to have some relationship with Matt her life is turned topsy-turvy by a brood of child-like pixies.
     Joanna asks her estranged husband Norman for help with the persistent spirit, but her daughters' hopes for a family reunion is spoiled when she absentmindedly invites her gentleman-friend to Thanksgiving dinner. Life for the Beauchamp women seems to be thrown into tumult by the discovery of a traitor setting up Killian and Freddie for the collapse of the Bofrir and destruction of the gods' powers. With their family in danger the Beauchamps stand together to face whatever may challenge their lives and their home.
     In the second installment of their story, the Beauchamp women use their magic to fight for what they believe in--family, freedom, and fun. They've known someone has passed the blame for his nefarious deeds to Freddie, they assume it is Loki, the god of mischief. When life gets in the way each woman perseveres. Their story is more appropriate for more adult readers; each woman bends the rules in a different way to advance her cause for good.

Austenland

Austenland by Shannon Hale, 2007 Bloomsbury

     Jane Hayes is a single thirty-something with a closet fascination with Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. When her great-aunt comes to visit and discovers Jane's secret she decides to help Jane through the stage. When Aunt Carolyn dies several months later, Jane discovers she's inherited a trip to the extremely secretive Pembroke Park.
     Pembroke Park is a vacation in the year 1816. Jane meets two women living through the fantasy with her, and a few gentlemen to pose as the women's Darcy. Yet the obvious actors don't seem to interest Miss Jane Erstwhile, she is drawn to the gardener Martin. The quick fling serves to prove that Jane can't swear off men entirely--they're much too much fun. But Martin doesn't appreciate that Jane isn't like the other guests and looking for something to make her stay worthwhile: he dumps her.
     While she mopes about her luck with men, another man catches her eye. Mr. Nobly is the most Darcy-like of all the men at Pembroke and once Jane decides to immerse herself in the experience they seem to draw closer. Life begins to follow Austen's plot lines and Jane begins to have more and more fun in Regency England, even to the point of the Grand Ball and an expected proposal.
     Jane surprises everyone, even herself, when she turns down the gentleman. It is the turning point and the moment when Modern Jane's spunk meets Regency  Jane's composure. The new Jane looks forward to her next relationship and as she leaves Pembroke for home, she has a chance to fall head-over-heels for a true gentleman.
     When the Modern Miss travels back to Regency England, Jane is living every Austen reader's fantasy. Yet she knows that something is off and the world she is visiting, while enjoyable and full of fascination, isn't the one she belongs in. Jane transforms from a self-conscious worrier to a confident and poised lady, but the transformation extends beyond her habits to her attitudes.
     Readers can relate to Jane's experiences in the modern dating world, but she becomes something more when she returns from her journey into the past. Austenland is aimed at high school readers, but reaches to older readers, still fascinated by their own experiences with Jane Austen.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling, 1999 Bloomsbury

     After nearly being killed by a book, Harry Potter is seeing strange shapes in the shadows. First a cloaked figure then a large, shaggy dog, but things are getting out of hand when one of the strangely cloaked figures attacks him while Harry and his cousin, Dudley, are in a public playground. Harry is sent an owl from the Ministry of Magic and scolded for his use of magic in front of a Muggle.
     When Aunt Marge comes to visit she, like the rest of her family, demeans Harry's parents and Harry himself. In a fit of rage Harry unwittingly uses magic to inflate her like a helium balloon and escapes in the aftermath. He is picked up by the Knight Bus and travels to Diagon Alley where he runs into the Minister of Magic himself. Fudge asks Harry to spend the rest of his summer in Diagon Alley where he may be protected and looked after.
     As he takes the train back to Hogwarts with Ron and Hermione, Harry discovers that Fudge wanted him accounted for because Sirius Black, Harry's Godfather and a convicted murderer has escaped from Azkaban Prison. Nearly everyone assumes Black plans to murder Harry and the Ministry has sent Dementors to patrol the school and surrounding areas.
     The Dementors are soul-sucking hooded creatures capable of stealing an individual's happiness and making them relive their worst memories. When one appears on the train, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts' Professor Lupin defends the trio and helps them recover with chocolate. It is not the first or last time Harry encounters the Dementors: he falls nearly fifty feet during a Quidditch match when a group swarms him. The problems urge Harry to take lessons from Lupin on a patronus charm, which repels the creatures.
     Third Years are offered the opportunity to visit the nearby town of Hogsmeade, but when Harry doesn't have permission from his guardian he is confined to the grounds. Fred and George Weasley, however, have other plans and deliver into Harry's possession the Maurader's Map. The Map was created by Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs in years gone by and shows the location of any person within Hogwarts grounds, as well as passages off campus. Harry uses the map and his father's invisibility cloak to sneak into Hogsmeade where he meets up with Ron and Hermione. On one such trip Harry overhears several professors speaking about Black: how he betrayed Harry's parents, his true relationship to Harry, how he murdered not only muggles but friend Peter Pettigrew, and how he is thought to be working for Voldemort.
     The boys' relationship with Hermione is strained when she reports Harry's Christmas gift of a state-of-the-art broomstick (to replace his Nimbus 2000 after it was destroyed by the Whomping Willow), and only made worse when Ron thinks her cat ate his rat. But when Hagrid needs their support, the friends reconcile to be there for him as Buckbeak the Hippogriff is executed for attacking Malfoy (but not without reason).
     Harry, Ron, and Hermione go to the gamekeeper's cottage where they hear the axe of Buckbeak's execution. As they prepare to leave Ron's rat flees and Ron chases after him, only to be dragged down a tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow by a large black dog that has been following Harry about.
     Hermione and Harry follow where they discover Sirius Black with Ron. Lupin interrupts their standoff to explain the situation. Lupin is a werewolf and his friends became animagi, wizards who could transform into a chosen animal, so they might spend time with their friend. James Potter became a stag, Sirius Black became a large black dog, and Peter Pettigrew transformed into a rat. That rat became Scabbers, Ron's pet. Old feuds break out among the three remaining friends and Pettigrew escapes. Harry, Ron and Hermione must hurry to make it back to the castle as Lupin transforms into his were-self and Sirius chases him away from the children. They run into several Dementors and wake in the hospital wing.
     Dumbledore explains that Black is awaiting the Dementor's Kiss, which sucks the soul out of a person's body, and Harry and Hermione must go back with Hermione's Time Turner to save the day. They manage to save Buckbeak and themselves and arrive back in their hospital wing beds when Dumbledore returns with the news that Black has escaped.
     The trio's third year at Hogwarts is full of caution and the results of misrepresented facts. Though Black was not the one to betray the Potters, he feels guilty for being unable to stop them. The guilt has sentenced him to twelve years in the wizarding world's high security prison, a punishment beyond his perceived crimes. Yet when the truth is revealed, he relieves himself of that guilt to become the man James Potter made godfather to his only son. Without Harry's search for the truth and Sirius' insistence he must repay the debt to his only remaining family, Sirius Black might have continued to live in a self-imposed prison.
     This story illustrates the power of forgiveness and how strongly guilt can hold a person in thrall. It is aimed at young adults from middle school age through adulthood. Though some concepts of time travel can be difficult for young readers to understand, the ideas behind them and that the travel supports are simple and easily explained.