The Warlock by Michael Scott (Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, Book 5)

Sophie and Josh are back in this much anticipated fifth installment. The twins are still with their respective immortals: Sophie with Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel, and Josh with John Dee. After the thwarted rise of the Archon Coatlicue, the twins are both upset by the other's behavior. As the Flamels and their supporters continue to try and stop the return of the Dark Elders into our world, John Dee, Virgina Dare, and company move forward with their plan to release the monsters on Alcatraz onto the unsuspecting residents of San Francisco.

Meanwhile, Scathach, Saint Germain, Palamedes, Shakespeare, and Joan of Arc are whisked off to the distant past by Marethyu, the hook-handed man. He tells them they have returned to the fall of Danu Talis (aka Atlantis). They must ensure the fall of the island if they hope to save their own present. Whoa.

Back in the present, Mars Ultor is freed by his wife, the Witch of Endor. Along with the unlikely group of Odin, Hel, and Black Hawk, they meet Prometheus, Niten, the Flamels, and Tsagaglalal (aka Aunt Agnes) to receive ancient tablets prepared by Abraham the Mage 10,000 years previously (in anticipation of this meeting! He had some serious powers of prophecy...)! Confused yet?

The Necromancer's plans continue to spiral out of control. He begins to plot to overthrow all the Elders, and take control of all the shadow realms for himself. Machiavelli begins to doubt his choice to follow his elder without regard to the consequences. He tries to convince Josh, with the help of Billy the Kid. Josh continues to be poisoned by the cursed sword Clarent, and influenced by the evil aspirations of Dee.

Can Sophie bring Josh back to reality? Will the world be destroyed by monsters? Will the entire universe be destroyed by Dee and his nefarious plans? Who is this Marethyu character...and why does everyone refer to him as "Death"? Talk about cliff hanger ending...I can't wait until May!

I love the way Scott weaves all the different mythological characters into an extended family, seamlessly connecting unrelated times and tales into a continuous stream. This series is a great opportunity to link in a study of mythological figures (as I have done here). Highly recommended, especially for Riordan fans! As always, I prefer the audio version. Boehmer does a masterful job of keeping all the characters separate with subtle accents and tones.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand," (Scott, 2011).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
The Enchantress by Michael Scott (Secrets, Book 6) May 2012
The Thirteen Hollows by Michael Scott and Colette Freedman Dec. 2011
Magyk by Angie Sage (Septimus Heap, Book 1)
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (Kane Chronicles, Book 1)

Scott, Michael. (2011). The Warlock. New York: Delacorte Press.

Scott, Michael & Boehmer, Paul. (2011). The Warlock: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. New York: Random House/Listening Library.

Relic Master: The Dark City by Catherine Fisher

Raffi doesn't quite know what to think, now that Galen has lost his power as a Relic Master. While he is still only an apprentice, Raffi must act as the guide and guard for both of them. They are sought out by a man claiming to be from a village where a relic has been found. Recklessly, as he has acted since the accident, Galen decides to follow the man. Raffi knows they must be cautious. The Watch is looking for them, hoping to gain their secrets of the Order. With the Makers gone, the followers of the Order have been hunted and exploited for their relics. It will be up to him to monitor their progress and guard against possible traps.

They make their way to the castle of Alberic, and quickly learn they have been tricked. This is a camp of thieves who only want to exploit Galen for his powers, and use him to recover something stolen from them. In the ensuing scuffle, one of their relics is taken. Galen begrudgingly agrees to search for the Sekoi responsible, while secretly pursuing his own motives. There are tales that the Crow is alive! The messenger of the Makers may still exist in Tasceron, and there may lie their only hope of recovering Galen's lost power, and fighting back against the Watch. The Crow may be the last hope for Anara.

On their journey, they encounter Carys: readers know she is a spy for the Watch. She claims to have lost her father to the Watch, and falls in with them. She has Raffi fooled for sure, but she is wary of Galen. On their trip, her faith is tested. She was always told that the Order's magic was trickery...but the things she has seen prove otherwise.

They finally arrive at Tasceron, the ruined city of the Makers. The city is shrouded in darkness, and fires still burn deep below the city, covering the whole expanse in smoke...and worse. There are creatures in the dark. The Sekoi they are searching for finds them, and leads them into the heart of Tasceron, to others of the Order. Will they find a way to restore Galen's powers before they are captured? Could the Crow still exist? Will everything fall apart under Carys' treachery?

Fisher had me at Incarceron, and I couldn't wait to pick up this series. There is a deep story here, the first book only scratches the surface. Get sucked into the world of Anara. Highly recommended for fantasy fans! Appropriate for middle school or high school, great recommend for fans of Percy Jackson.

"Carefully, he sifted the tiny scraps that had fallen, trying to find more.
'The Crow!' Raffi breathed the words in awe. 'Still alive!'
'Tesk died twenty years ago. That dates it.'
But Raffi could see the news had shaken Galen, stirred him deep. He wanted to ask more, about what it meant, but instead he picked up the ball carefully....'Once I saw an image of the Crow carrying such a glass ball in his mouth. A most secret sign," (Fisher pg. 100-101, 2011).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
The Lost Heiress by Catherine Fisher (Relic Master, Book #2)
Divergent by Veronica Roth
The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan (Ranger's Apprentice, Book #1)

Fisher, Catherine. (2011). The Dark City. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan (Heroes of Olympus, Book 2)

Percy is back! Well, back is a strong word...more like less lost? He can't remember anything from before the wolves found him...except for Annabeth. He's pretty sure she's his girlfriend. At least Lupa and her wolves found him, and put him on the path to Camp Jupiter. He almost doesn't make it to their front door! After being chased relentlessly by some gorgons who just *refuse* to die, he manages to make it to the camp relatively unharmed, with the help of some new friends: Frank and Hazel.

Once inside, he learns that all demigods are found by Lupa, trained, and sent to Camp Jupiter for 10 years of service fighting monsters and defending the camp. After that, many choose to enter the real world, or move into the city, where they can grow up and build families in the relative safety of Rome. (Wait...demigods can grow up? Something about that seems odd to Percy.)

He is assigned to the 12 Legion (aptly named Lightning), 5th Regiment. They aren't exactly known for their winning streak, but things get a little crazy after dinner at War Games. Frank comes up with a plan that just might give them the upper hand! It even gets him noticed by his dad. After a personal visit from a god, the three are charged with a quest to stop Gaea and her sons the Giants.They must act quickly, because Gaea's army is already approaching Camp Jupiter. If they can't return successful in three days, the entire city is doomed.

Along the way, Percy starts to get bits and pieces of his memory back. Some are bigger than others, and leave him in less than fighting condition. Without Frank and Hazel, there's no telling what could have happened. The three work together, stopping for help along the way. Frank must discover what his family secret is if they are ever to stop the Giants, let alone Gaea. They run into Isis, the Amazons, some Laestrygonians, and much worse...will they ever defeat Alcyoneus and rescue Thanatos?

“Um...is that thing tame?" Frank said.
The horse whinnied angrily.
"I don't think so," Percy guessed. "He just said, 'I will trample you to death, silly Chinese Canadian baby man',” (Riordan, 2011).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan (Heroes of Olympus, Book 3) Fall 2012
Eon by Alison Goodman (Eon, Book 1)
The Power of 4 by Pittacus Lore (Lorian Legacy, Book 1)
The Ruins of Gorlan by (Ranger's Apprentice, Book 1)

Riordan, Rick. (2011). The Son of Neptune. New York, NY: Disney/Hyperion Books.

The Abused Werewolf Rescue Group by Catherine Jinx

October is Scaring Up a Good Time!

In honor of Halloween, I've been reading spooky books! Horror, vampires, werewolves, ghost stories...get ready to be scared! I have some tamer titles for those who aren't fans of the macabre, but (let's face it) I'm a little off. I like dark and creepy, so I'm all about this theme :)

Toby is just a normal kid. He doesn't know how he ended up in that dingo pen. Seriously! Regardless of what his mom thinks, he's not on drugs. Waking up in the hospital with no recollection of the previous night is bad enough. When a mysterious envelope appears on his pillow containing a letter with vague offers of help, things just get weirder. His mom is freaking out. The doctor thinks he could have epilepsy! Great, just what he needs.

Ignoring the letter, Toby is surprised when Father Ramon and Reuben turn up at his front door. As delicately as they try to put it, what they are insinuating is just too far-fetched to believe. Reuben seems to know things though, like how Toby's hair grows *really* fast, and that he's got an amazing sense of smell. When they start suggesting that this is going to be a reoccuring problem, that's when Toby starts freaking out. They want to lock him in a bank vault! Why would he start threatening his family or friends all the sudden? Then he hears it..."werewolf." Yeah, right. What a bunch of nutters.

Fergus and Amin talk him into playing a prank on Reuben, something they can use against him later. When Reuben shows up, his seriousness is alarming. The evidence they find is starting to make him wonder: could there be something to his claims? When the police show up to question him, he doesn't know how things could get any worse...until it turns out they aren't the police.

Two guys drug him, and he wakes up in a cell. Managing to escape, he discovers another boy is trapped. They find their way outside, only to come to the disheartening conclusion that they are in the middle of nowhere. The new kid, Sergio, is very unstable. It seems the two blokes upstairs kidnapped him months ago, and have been forcing him to fight whenever he changes...into a werewolf. Rescue arrives in the form of an equally unstable, equally abused werewolf: Danny. He assures the boys that Reuben sent him, and that help is on its way. Of course, it's never that easy. The "rescue" turns into a comedy of errors, and even Toby's mom is dragged into it. Will they make it out alive?

Fans of The Reformed Vampire Support Group will recognize several familiar faces, and a similar style: disaster follows disaster until you can't help but laugh. This follow-up is not as good as the original, but still offers a refreshing look at the paranormal genre.

"'I bet you'd be famous all over the world!' he exclaimed. 'I bet they'd fly you to America and everything! They might even make a movie about you!'

'That's right,' said Nina flatly. 'Toby would be famous. Wherever he decided to go, people would know who he was. All the scientists who'd want to treat him like a lab rat, and all the crazies who'd want to get rid of an unnatural freak, and all the evil billionaires who'd pay big money to have a stuffed werewolf - all those people would know who Toby was,'" (Jinks pg. 136, 2011).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks
White Cat by Holly Black (Curse Workers, Book 1)
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (Mortal Instruments, Book 1)

Jinks, Catherine. (2011). The Abused Werewolf Rescue Group. Boston: Harcourt.

The Devouring by Simon Holt

When Reggie finds a mysterious journal mixed in with the other books delivered to the bookstore, she can't resist bringing it home to take another look. The Devouring is the title, and it talks about the story of a girl whose brother is taken by the Vours on Sorry Night. His body remains, but his soul is taken.

Now that their mom is gone, Reggie has taken over most of the mom duties for her younger brother Henry. She's a little sick of the normal bedtime stories, so she reads him a chapter from The Devouring. She should have known that he couldn't handle it, he's always been a bit of a scaredy cat.

Now, no matter what she tells him, Henry is convinced the Vours will come for him on the night of the winter solstice...tonight. They will come to devour his fears. Reggie and her best friend Aaron are big horror buffs, so they decide to take the challenge. They taunt the Vours with one of their biggest fears, and come out relatively unscathed...but Henry is different.

The next day he maims his favorite teddy bear, Kappy. Reggie chocks it up to Henry's struggle to deal with the fact that their mother walked out on them, and their father's inability to cope. Kids that deal with heavy stuff like that act out, right? After several other incidents, Reggie is starting to think that it's something more. She and Aaron consult her boss, the proprietor of Something Wicked, a bookshop specializing in the gothic, gruesome, and grisly. Together they start investigating the author of the journal.

After visiting the home of Macie and Jeremiah, the three are convinced that Vours do exist. Reggie will do whatever it takes to save her brother, even if it means taking on the Vour herself! Will they find a way to banish the evil, and return Henry to normal? High suspense, interesting plot line, and well written details keep the reader interested. Quick read for reluctant readers, recommended for high school.

"When dark creeps in and eats the light,

Bury your fears on Sorry Night.

For in the winter's blackest hours

Comes the feasting of the Vours

No one can see it, the life they stole,

Your body's here but not your soul...." (Holt pg 4, 2008).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:

The Devouring: The Solstice by Simon Holt (Devouring, Book 2)

Paranormalacy by Kiersten White

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

Holt, S. (2008). The Devouring. New York: Little, Brown.

The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls by Elise Primavera

Ivy is pretty excited about moving to Sherbert. After the last seven years with a Jinx following her around, she is ready for some good luck! Her great aunt V has left a house to her mother Pearl, and the two are just sure their luck is about to turn around. It seems like that is the theme of the day when a piano is delivered to their house, followed by their neighbor Mr. Staccato - a piano teacher!

The other girls on Gumm Street aren't sure what to think of her. Franny, the adventurous and somewhat clumsy one, is excited at the possibility of a new friend. Pru, the overly cautious bookworm, doesn't know if she should bother with someone who seems to be so...accident prone. Cat, the free-spirited cartwheel queen, is a bit preoccupied with how awesome she is to pay too much attention to Ivy. It isn't until the mysterious disappearance of Mr. Staccato that the girls band together.

Not long after, Cha Cha blows into town. Cat is visited by a strange man in a balloon, and she knows the new resident of Gumm Street is bad news. The girls seem to be the only ones who can see through her facade, however, and even their parents are taken in! The more they investigate the mysterious silver shoes left for Ivy by Mr. Staccato, the more they think all of this might be related to The Wizard of Oz! Well, it does seem a little far-fetched, but nothing else makes nearly as much sense. The girls are convinced that Cha Cha's a witch after the silver slippers.

It doesn't take long for Cha Cha to prove them right! She bewitches them to SPOZ, and the girls are off on an adventure they won't soon forget...even if all they want to do is go home. Their summer vacation is spent in the service of Cha Cha's nieces Bling-Bling and Coco...who threaten to beautylyze them as soon as their aunt returns. Will the girls ever find a way out? Can they locate the other silver slipper before Cha Cha? What untold horrors await them along the way?

Whimsical, suspenseful, and even scary at times this story has just the right amount of Oz, but still manages to be very original. Recommended for 4-6th grades, there are scenes of similar scariness to the original Baum tale.

"Ivy's got a Jinx, an eye on her hand, and a wicked witch after her, but what do you care? Pru, you're too busy reading and eating cereal all summer, and Cat's got to do cartwheels up and down Gumm Street, so of course you don't have the time. But I don't have anything else to do more important than helping Ivy, so whether or not you guys want to join, I'm having a club. Maybe I'll even be president!" (Primavera pg. 207, 2006).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
Libby of High Hopes by Elise Primavera (June 2012)
Flight of the Phoenix by R.L. LaFevers
The Secret of Zoom by Lynne Jonell

Primavera, Elise. (2006). The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Sanctum by Xavier Dorison and Christophe Bec

In the time of Stalin, a crew of men on a submarine faces mysterious circumstances to locate and retrieve an ancient statue. Led by the ruthless Comrade Colonel, the head of the crew takes drastic measures.

Fast forward to 2029, the crew of the U.S.S. Nebraska is drawn off course toward an emergency beacon of unknown origins. They discover the tragic fate of the ancient Soviet sub, and go to investigate.

One by one, crew members begin to be affected. One contracts all the symptoms of plague...but without the actual infection. Another turns on his beloved machines and fellow soldiers to murderous effect. The search team that heads out is trapped behind a wall, and all communication is cut off. Suddenly the ship is taking on water! Will they abandon the men, and try to save themselves?

The ship's doctor is baffled: several soldiers are showing high levels of the "violence hormone" in their blood...all they have in way of explanation is a document seemingly written in the oldest known language: Ugarit. Decoding what they can, they discover horrific poems of the evil god's destruction and devastation. With a damaged ship, there is little hope of survival. A desperate plan is hatched: it may be their only chance of survival, but it also doesn't have the greatest chance of success.

A second team is sent out to retrieve the first, finding only horrors in the cave. A horrific site greets them as they locate the main chamber: could this have been the end of the Ugarit civilization? Meanwhile back on the ship, the situation is getting more frantic. Time is running out, and the crew is starting to fracture. As more information is uncovered about the recovered Ugarit text, the truth seems even more horrible than they could have imagined.

Beautiful art, really innovative panel structure. It may be confusing to novice comic book readers, but it is very visually stimulating. The plot is a little cliche, but it does manage to draw you in, and get your attention. It has a bit of a Lovecraft feel as well.

"Give me one of your brothers that I might feed myself

and divert the rage that keeps me company.

Thus I will exterminate all humanity.

I will exterminate the multitudes of the earth," (Dorison pg. 121, 2005).

Dorison pg. 7, 2005.

*Library Link*
If you liked this, check out:
Long John Silver: Lady Vivian Hastings by Xavier Dorison (Vol. 1)
The Call of Cthulu and Other Weird Stories by H.P. Lovecraft
The Fourth Power by Juan Gimenez

Dorison, Xavier and Bec, Christophe. (2005). Sanctum. Los Angeles, CA: Humanoids/DC.