Review: Girl in the Shadows by Gwenda Bond

Girl in the Shadows by Gwenda BondGirl in the Shadows
Gwenda Bond
Skyscape / Amazon

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Moira longs to prove to her father, a famous magician, that she has what it takes to carry on in the family tradition. The real problem? Moira’s dad doesn’t want her anywhere near magic. An invitation to audition for the Cirque American falls into Moira’s hands, and she leaps at the chance to make her own destiny. During her audition, Moira’s routine goes awry when she accidentally performs real magic. Suddenly Moira finds herself surrounded with questions about her impossible abilities and a secret society of similarly the similarly talented. Her absent mother seems to be the only … Continue reading

Review: Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan

tellwindandfireTell the Wind and Fire
Sarah Rees Brennan
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s

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In this future New York, the city is divided in two: Light vs Dark. Only Light Magicians can live in and access the wealthy, upper-class life. The Dark Magicians are banished to the Dark, to carve out lives in poverty under harsh rule imposed by the Light leadership.

Lucie and her father escaped the dark at a high price. Now Lucie survives at the mercy of friends and by burying her past as deeply as she can. Only, the people in the Dark don’t want her to forget. They’ve made her name a rallying cry to a revolution that could destroy the … Continue reading

Review: Bad Luck by Pseudonymous Bosch

Bad Luck by Pseudonymous BoschBad Luck
Pseudonymous Bosch
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

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Now that Clay has adjusted to his new home at Earth Ranch, a school for magical *ahem* unusually gifted students, he just needs his magical ability to finally show itself. As fishy things begin happening on the island, Clay finds himself in the middle of a new adventure. He meets allies he couldn’t have anticipated, including the Jell-O-parfait-loving boy from a cruise ship. But they’ll have to act fast if they’re going to protect the island and its secrets from intruders.

I’d heard about Bosh’s Secret Series from some big-time fans, but this book was my first time … Continue reading

Review: Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Ice Like Fire by Sara RaaschIce Like Fire
Sara Raasch
Balzer + Bray

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After Angra’s defeat, Meira’s people find themselves deep in debt to Cordell. The king commands payment in the form of jewels from Winter’s mines, so Meira sends her weary citizens to work. What they unearth is far more dangerous. In a dangerous cavern miners discover the lost chasm of magic. While Meira believes opening the chasm will unleash the decay on all of Primoria, Theron, her betrothed sees it as the world’s only hope. When Meira leaves on a mission to gather allies for Winter, those closest to her choose their own courses rather than her commands. She must sort friend from traitor before her enemy destroys … Continue reading

Review: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Snow Like Ashes by Sara RaaschSnow Like Ashes
Sara Raasch
Balzer + Bray

Meira has spent her entire life under the shadow of the Spring kingdom’s oppression. Her own kingdom, Winter, has been decimated by Spring armies and most of her people enslaved. Only a handful of refugees live free, protecting the future king, waiting to execute the plan that will restore Winter’s magic. Only then can the other Winterians be set free and the kingdom restored.

All Meira wants is to fight for her people. Yet every time she tries, it seems someone stands in her way. When she finally finds her own way to fight, she learns a truth that shatters everything she thought she knew about her life, her people, and how to free them.

Readers … Continue reading

Review: Nihal of the Land of the Wind by Licia Troisi

Nihal of the Land of the WindNihal of the Land of the Wind
Licia Troisi
Open Road Integrated Media
Published May 27, 2014

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Since she was a little girl, the only thing Nihal has wanted to be is a warrior. When a young sorcerer tricks her and wins her sword, Nihal begins to study magic for defense and healing purposes. Her instructor introduces her to a warrior who in turn begins to train Nihal and helps her gain entrance into the elite academy of warriors known as Dragon Riders.

Along the way Nihal discovers that she is the last of a once-great race of … Continue reading