Review: Moonkind

Book Three of the Winterling trilogy
By Sarah Prineas
Available now from HarperCollins
Review copy

I loved WINTERLING and SUMMERKIN, the first two books in Sarah Prineas's latest trilogy.  They were fun takes on fae mythology, grounded by a heroine who refused to give up her trust in her friends.  Thus I was ever-so-slightly disappointed by MOONKIND.

Fer, the Lady of the Summerlands, and Rook, a puck, have been uneasy friends for two books.  Mostly because Rook always puts his brothers first.  But Fer's faith has always been rewarded.  Thus it surprised me that once more Fer and Rook's relationship was put to the test -- it felt somewhat repetitive and not entirely true to the characters for me.

But then I fell into the story and fell back in love.  Fer's victory in SUMMERKIN has led to unexpected consequences and it's up to her to make it right.  I really enjoyed the themes of responsibility, friendship, change, and ingenuity.  Fer's humanity helps her shake things up, but the pucks are pretty good at that too.

Thus, the beginning of MOONKIND put me off slightly, but it really is a terrific book and a terrific conclusion to the series.  And as for the friendship being tested again . . . well, the stories have repeatedly emphasized how important it is when things happen thrice.

Review: Bloodstone

Book Two of the Rebel Angels series
By Gillian Philip
Available now from Tor (Macmillan)
Review copy
Read my review of Firebrand

When I read FIREBRAND, I had no expectations.  But when I read BLOODSTONE, I had high expectations because FIREBRAND was so good.  For the most part, it lived up to my expectations.

BLOODSTONE is set several hundred years after FIREBRAND ends.  Seth McGregor, his older brother Conal, and their allies have been living out their exile in the human world.  But as Conal's mother gets older, the time nears for them to return to the world of the Sithe and face their old enemy, Queen Kate NicNiven, again.

Several new characters are introduced in BLOODSTONE, including two who share narration duties with Seth.  There's Finn, Conal's niece, who doesn't know that she isn't human.  Then there's Jed, a thief, who is surprisingly good at seeing through the Veil and noticing the Sithe.  Unfortunately, that's a dangerous talent for humans.  I thought the changing views was a nice touch.  I like Seth quite a bit, but it's interesting to see his actions from a perspective that doesn't know what he's thinking.  Jed also adds a nice touch of humanity to the mix, since Gillian Philip's Sithe remain very inhuman.

The plot takes a little while to get going.  There is lots of maneuvering to get the characters into the right places.  Once it does get going, some of the characters make horrendous decisions.  Yes, they're getting played, but maybe if they didn't make it so easy . . . BLOODSTONE is beautifully written, exciting, and it's wonderful to spend time with these characters again.  But it did suffer a bit from second book syndrome.

That being said, quite a bit happens, from the surprising to the sad to the triumphant.  There's not an actual shortage of plot, it just meanders sometimes.  The main characters are left in a very interesting position at the end of BLOODSTONE, and I can't wait to see what happens next!  I hope the US edition of WOLFSBANE comes soon.  (I'm contenting myself with the fact that UK readers don't have the fourth and final book yet.)

I think this series has become one of my favorites.  It's got a tortured hero who doesn't love easily, fairies, thieves, loyalty, betrayal, murderous frog people . . . what more does a story need?

Review: Wonder Light

First in the Unicorns of the Mist series
By R.R. Russell
Available now from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review copy

WONDER LIGHT caught my attention from the opening chapters.  Twig is going to Lonehorn Island because it has a ranch for delinquent girls.  She's not happy about it, but at the same time doesn't want to stay with her stepmother.  But it's quickly clear that Twig isn't an entirely reliable narrator.

R.R. Russell does a wonderful job of combining Twig's family drama with a tale about unicorns.  Twig begins the book feeling unwanted, unloved, and unworthy.  But after she takes responsibility for Wild Light, an orphaned baby unicorn, she begins to find her footing.  As a bonus, these aren't treacly, fluffy unicorns.  They're wild animals, and when they go bad they hunger for flesh.  Fans of this series are going to grow up to read Diana Peterfreund's RAMPANT.

I wish there had been a bit more development of the other girls on the island.  But since this is the beginning of a series, there's time for that.  And really, Twig's characterization and growth is given quite a bit of depth.  Don't worry that this is too girlish; there is a boy on the island, known initially as the "wild boy."  He's a good companion to Twig, and I liked seeing their friendship and mutual respect grow.

There's enough depth to the plot and protagonist of WONDER LIGHT that older readers might find themselves pleasantly surprised.  But it's definitely a great choice for the elementary or middle school kid who likes fantasy and being a little creeped out.  Pick it up if you're hooked by the words "killer unicorns."

The ebook is on sale through August 4 for $1.99.

Review: Fearless

Book two of the Mirrorworld series
By Cornelia Funke
Story found and told by Cornelia Funke and Lionel Wigram
Translated by Oliver Latsch
Available now from Little, Brown
Review copy

Jacob Reckless found a mirror in his missing father's study that allows him to travel to another world, a world full of magic.  In the first Mirrorworld novel, RECKLESS, Jacob's brother followed him and was nearly turned into a Goyl - a creature of stone.  Jacob saved him but is now under a curse himself, one that will kill him within the year.  There is one last artifact that could save his life, but it will be a struggle to find it in time - especially since there is another searching for it.

FEARLESS is a fast-paced adventure that will appeal to fantasy lovers of all ages.  Cornelia Funke has developed a world that runs on objects of fairytale legend, a world in crisis because the Goyl are conquering all the human kingdoms and humans are used to being the dominant species.  It's a world were a person can make a career of hunting for objects of legend and lore, like Jacob, his companion Fox, and their competitor the Bastard.   (Er, there is that drawback if you're going to pass FEARLESS on to a younger reader.  At least, I remember my mom disliking the world "bastard" being at the beginning of Diablo when my sister and I played it way back when.)

There is a romantic storyline is FEARLESS and it is very important to the novel.  Fox's feelings for Jacob are part of what make her so loyal to him, even when he's a jerk or acting stupid, and it isn't easy for her to know his death is imminent.  But the romance rarely takes priority because it would slow the novel down and above all else FEARLESS is a race against time.

I liked that the Bastard, Nerron, wasn't as evil as the epithet he's known by might suggest.  It's a very literal name, and while he makes many threats, he tends not to follow through.  (Even the bad bad guys notice he's not as bloodthirsty as he wants to be.)  It is one of the aspects of the Mirrorworld series that I really like, that the Goyl aren't plain evil.  They're often less treacherous than their human counterparts and they're given individual motivations and goals.  I would've liked to have learned more about Nerron, but FEARLESS is Jacob's story in the end.

There is a massive hook at the end of FEARLESS for the next book in the series.  I'm excited to see what adventure Jacob and Fox will embark upon next.  The Mirrorworld is a very interesting place and I love learning more about it as Jacob and Fox quest.  These books aren't complex, but they are wonderful stories.