Middle Grade Monday: The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman

Image: Hachette Book Group

The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman. Unabridged audiobook, ~6 hours. Read by Marisa Calin. Hachette Audio/ Little, Brown Young Readers, February, 2025. 9781668647448.

Clare, the undead fox of Deadwood Forest, is rather relieved to be undead. He's a silver-tailed fox who was run over as a kit and was convinced that his afterlife would be spent in the realm of Pain. Instead, he became an usher, one who welcomes the newly dead to Deadwood Forest and prepares them to enter one of four realms, Peace, Pleasure, Progress or Pain. Excepting for the yearly taunting by children each Halloween about how he's a monster who feasts on bones, his life is orderly and predictable. He enjoys helping souls move on and loves tending to his mushroom garden.

Things become a bit unsettled though, when a badger named Gingersnipes appears. Clare hates badgers, but this one doesn't seem so bad. She has way too many questions for Clare's liking, and he tries to show her the way quickly. Unfortunately, Gingersnipes knocks on Clare's door again, apparently unable to pass on. With great foreboding Clare attempts again, and again, and again. What does this mean?

This was an absolutely immersive audiobook! Ms. Calin's smooth narration and unique voices added dimension to this layered, lovely and magical story. The world building was deeply engaging. There was humor, suspense, sadness, heartbreak and hope. It's a story that can be read on many levels and should have broad appeal. 

As I listened, it occurred to me to check out the print book. Something told me it was illustrated. It was, and they were a lovely addition! 

ARC Review: Afia and the World of Wonders by Maria Araujo

Image: Scholastic

Afia and the World of Wonders by Maria Araujo. 304 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., April 15, 2025. 9781338856736. Review of arc courtesy of publisher.

Afia and her identical twin sister have a few moments of freedom at the market the evening before their coming-of-age ceremony. Aya is looking forward to the ceremony and taking her place in the family business. Afia, not so much. When she meets a mysterious wood carver, she is intrigued by his wares, but her sister intervenes, but not before he injects some doubt in Afia.

During the ceremony, Afia decides to run away, away from the protection of her village and into the land of the unknown, guided by this mysterious wood carver. She is introduced to the queen of the realm and is entranced, but a pesky cat-faced being pesters her.

This Alice in Wonderland retelling, set in West Africa is just familiar enough and different enough to be beguiling. The art in the arc was unfinished, but intriguing. This was so much fun!

Middle Grade Monday: Things in the Basement by Ben Hatke

Image: Macmillan

Things in the Basement by Ben Hatke. 240 p. First Second/ Macmillan, August, 2023. 9781250909541. Review of finished, purchased copy.

Middle Grade Monday features Things in the Basement by Ben Hatke. Milo has just moved to a new house and is bored and lonely. There are boxes everywhere, no friends and his mother's time and attention is monopolized by his twin baby sisters. When his mom asks him to find his sister's favorite sock in the basement, the simple trip downstairs turns into an odyssey, because a rat has stolen the sock and retreated into the dark recesses of the basement. Stalwart Milo follows, and follows and follows this rat into deeper and more mysterious sections of the basement. Will he ever return? 

The art in this evocative tale is truly mind-blowing; subtle, sinister, and yet, occasionally oddly soothing. Read it through for the story, but reread it for the art! TMS students love Mr. Hatke's Mighty Jack and Zita stories. This is totally different style-wise. I hope his many fans love Things in the Basement as much as I. Highly recommend! Happy reading and happy snowy day! It's a gorgeous day here in northeastern NJ. 

Middle Grade Monday: Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu by Erika Lewis

Image: Macmillan

Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu by Erika Lewis. 432 p. The Academy of the Unbreakable Arts series #2. Starscape/ A Tom Doherty Associates Book/ Macmillan, July 2023. 9781250208309. (Review of arc courtesy of MB Associates.)

Happy Monday! It's a one-session day for students at my school and we teachers have afternoon PD. It's also Indigenous Peoples' Day. My weekend flew by! It was rainy and miserable on Saturday, but I ferried into NYC to see Shucked with my sister for our birthdays. Sunday was spent working in the yard. 

Middle Grade Monday features Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu by Erika Lewis. In book two of The Academy of the Unbreakable Arts series, Kelcie meets Lexis during her summer break, which she spent with her beloved grandmother. Unbeknownst to Kelcie, Lexis is a spy, sent by the Queen of Winter to infiltrate the Academy. Kelcie's grandmother feels a great foreboding before sending her back to school. Once there, she finds her bff Niall strangely aloof. Lexis and she are roommates and Kelcie keeps dismissing Lexis' suspicious behavior until it's nearly too late. Lexis, in the meanwhile, discovers the Summer People are not as bad as her Queen makes them out to be and begins to question her mission, though failure is not an option.

As in the first installment, this adventure is steeped in Celtic mythology and filled with action and humor. Friendships are fierce and loyal.There is a glossary and other explanatory info in the back matter to help readers understand the myths. If you have students who love fantasy that takes place at a school for magic, they will love these books. This book can stand alone, but I recommend reading them in order. Happy reading!

Arc Review: House of Marionne by J. Elle

Image: Penguin Random House

House of Marionne by J. Elle. 432 p. Razorbill/ Penguin Young Readers, August 29, 2023. 9780593527702. (Review of bound manuscript courtesy of publisher.)

Happy Tuesday! I hope you are enjoying the sunshine and relative cool this morning! Boo and I were finally able to get in a nice long walk this morning. Teen Tuesday features House of Marionne by J. Elle. This is a fantasy series starter and will release in late August.

Seventeen-year-old Quel is used to life on the run with her mom. Quel possesses a dark magic she calls Toushana and an elite band of assassins called Draguns are tasked with hunting down anyone with this forbidden magic and killing them. So far, Quel's mom has been successful in keeping her hidden by moving frequently, but Quel messed up and now she's separated from her mom and the safe spot they were to meet in turns out to be not-so-safe. She turns to the one person her mother has forbidden, her grandmother. Turns out, her grandmother is headmistress of House Marionne and is delighted to reunite with Quel and determined to have her hone her magic and debut.

Quel is relieved to be safe, eager to learn magic that she hope will tame her toushana, but not too thrilled about the wardrobe, curtseying and etiquette lessons. She's also terrified of Jordan. He's been assigned to mentor her, but he's also a Dragun. What will happen if he finds out who she really is? And why is he so hot? It's distracting and dangerous.

Sinister and gothic with a steamy, slow-burn romance and plot twists galore. This was fun. Look for it August 29. Apparently, there's a limited edition first printing available for pre-order. Happy reading!

Teen Tuesday: A Thousand Steps into the Night by Traci Chee

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Happy Tuesday!  Teen Tuesday features A Thousand Steps into the Night by Traci Chee. Seventeen-year-old Otori Miuko is doomed. She was born, plain and clumsy, into the serving class, bound by restrictive gender and class roles. Still, her father took care of her, even after her mother deserted the family. Then, Miuko is cursed by a demon and she's driven from her village. She has two weeks to undo the curse before she's changed into her demon form forever. She rescues a magpie from some foxes and discovers that it is the shape-shifting trickster, Geiki, who is now in her debt for saving his life. The two set out across Awara and they encounter evil humans and gods as well as unexpected allies.

This fast-paced adventure is filled with gods from Japanese mythology, memorable characters and vivid world building. Atmospheric, suspenseful and filled with moments of humor, this dark fantasy will appeal to fans of Studio Ghibli. 

The narration was well-paced, with the narrator sounding suitably youthful. 

Teen Tuesday and Audio Review: This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

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This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi. This Woven Kingdom #1. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~13 hours. Read by Kate Reading. HarperAudio/ HarperCollins, February, 2022. 9780063220225. (Review of e-audio borrowed from public library.)

Teen Tuesday features This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi. 
Alizeh is a servant in a wealthy house in the kingdom of Ardunia. She wears a garment called a snodder to hide her features because she is a jinn. Even though the wars between the jinn and humankind are over, jinn are not safe to roam about in society and Alizeh is at risk even more because she has ice in her veins, which makes her very powerful. She's also a talented seamstress and tries to earn extra money sewing gowns for clients at night. There is a huge ball for the crown prince coming and a client is interested in having her sew several. Traveling through the streets late at night is dangerous for an unaccompanied woman though, and she's attacked by a young boy, but a shadowy figure intervenes and Alizeh flees into the night, dropping her parcels. That figure is Prince Kamran, who is more interested in leading his army than attending the ball that is being thrown in his honor, but his grandfather insists that he choose a bride.

Ms Mafi is a gifted writer and this epic high fantasy series starter based on an ancient Persian poem and Islamic tradition is riveting from page one. The cliffhanger ending will leave readers panting for book two, These Infinite Threads, which, luckily, is out. Highly recommended!

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Cursed by Marissa Meyer

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Cursed by Marissa Meyer. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~16 hours. Read by Rebecca Soler. Macmillan Young Listeners/ Macmillan Audio, November, 2022. (Review of e-audio borrowed from public library.)

Teen Tuesday features Cursed by Marissa Meyer. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow! This conclusion to the duology that began with Gilded hits the ground running and doesn't let up! Serilda can't escape the clutches of the Erlking without putting those she loves in danger. She's trapped in the castle awaiting a marriage she doesn't want. She's cursed and once she learns of the Erlking's plans, so is everyone in the world.

The writing is lush. The world building is astounding. The plot is intricate and layered with plenty of twists, turns and betrayal. And that cover! So gorgeous! Teen readers who love fairy tale retellings absolutely must read Ms. Meyer's work and must read Gilded before Cursed.

Rebecca Soler's voiced Serilda perfectly, adding to the suspense. 

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger

Image for HC/ Levine Querido 

A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~11 hours. Read by Shaun Taylor-Corbett and Kindle Hueston. Recorded Books, November, 2021. 9781705045039. (Review of e-audio borrowed from public library.)

As Indigenous Peoples Month winds down, Teen Tuesday features A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger. This immersive dual-narrative shifts point of view between sixteen-year-old Nina here on Earth and fifteen-year-old Olli who resides in the Reflecting World. The two worlds were once joined thousands of years ago. Nina's family is linked to it through her grandmother, who is a healer. Nina is intent on figuring out a story that her great, great grandmother Rosita told her and also intent on saving her grandmother from a man who may be poisoning her land. Olli is a cotton mouth snake person who reluctantly leaves his mother's home to make his own way in the world. Eventually, he settles down close to two coyote sisters and a frog named Ami and the four become friends. When Ami falls ill, it is up to Olli and the sisters to save him. That's when the two stories converge.

The narrators' performances were  well-paced and beautifully inflected. As always, I appreciate hearing the proper pronunciation of unfamiliar names and words.  

This genre-blender won the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy, a Newbery Honor and was longlisted for the National Book Award. It also appeared on many Best Books of the Year lists including the Chicago Public Library and the New York Public Library. Readers looking for a layered, nuanced adventure will enjoy A Snake Falls to Earth.

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Beasts of Ruin by Ayana Gray

Image: Penguin Random House

Beasts of Ruin by Ayana Gray. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~15 hours. Read byKeylor Leigh Benjamin Charles and Yinka Ladeinde. Books on Tape/ Listening Library, July 2022. 9780593414774. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Teen Tuesday features Beasts of Ruin by Ayana Gray. This sequel to Beasts of Prey begins immediately with Koffi awakening a prisoner of Fedu, god of death and Ekon reeling from the secrets he learned and hiding from his former warrior brothers. Koffi must find a way out, but first she needs to learn about her powers as a duraja. Ekon must learn to trust his instincts even if it means going against his training. 

Readers of Beasts of Prey will re-immerse themselves into the lush and magical world building and the cliffhanger ending will leave them panting for the next installment. Suspense, betrayal, twists and turns abound. This summary was kept deliberately vague to avoid spoiling the first installment.

I read Beasts of Prey as an arc with my eyes and was utterly entranced. I chose to read Beasts of Ruin with my ears and was disappointed. While I found the two female narrators to be fine, the voice actor for Ekon kept making his voice break, which sounded stilted and artificial.

Middle Grade Monday Student Guest Post: The Rise of the School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

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The Rise of the School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani. 368 p. HarperCollins Publishers, May, 2022. 9780063161524.

Today, we will enjoy a final guest post by graduating eighth grader, LIa.

Happy second-to-last Middle Grade Monday! If you read these posts, then by now, you should know that I am a loyal fan of the School for Good and Evil series by Soman Chainani. You might remember that a few months ago, I wrote a post about its upcoming prequel, Rise of the School for Good and Evil. Well, it was finally released! As expected, I read it and it completely blew my mind. Here is a quick summary of RSGE:
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Two School Masters have taken an oath. One Good, one Evil. Two brothers have sworn to guard the Storian, forever sealing a bond of love. A balance in the Endless Woods.

That is, until a new student arrives at the School for Good and Evil. A student whose soul cannot be deciphered. So, a wager is made on the boy’s true purpose. To serve Good or to serve Evil. However, soon enough, a harmless wager between the School Masters turns into the spark that triggers an imbalance in the Endless Woods. The Storian’s judgment is questioned, a pirate believes he is fit to attend the School, and a strange student is claiming to be a seer… Throughout this tale, love, trust, and everything in between are put at stake, and a lifetime of brotherhood now stands in fear- especially in the face of the unknown.
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Fans of the School for Good and Evil series are guaranteed to leave this prequel in shock. Rest assured, you will never think of SGE the same way you did before. Personally, my mind is still attempting to fully comprehend the events of Rise, and I have a feeling the next book leave me the same way this one did.

Thank you Lia! Best of luck in high school!

Middle Grade Monday: Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis

Image: Macmillan Publishers

Kelcie Murphy and the Academy of Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis. 336 p. Starscape/Tom Doherty Associates/ Macmillan Publishers, March 1, 2022. 9781250208262. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publicist.)

Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Winter has returned! I had hoped to get some serious garden clean up done over the weekend, but it was intermittently rainy, very windy and raw. I ended up doing lots of indoor chores, which was just as productive, but not what I hoped.

Middle Grade Monday wishes a belated book birthday to Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis. Kelcie Murphy is trying to stay below the radar. She's on a bus to a field trip to a museum in Boston. She's new to this school having changed foster homes yet again. Her caseworker is losing patience with her as well. 

Eight years earlier, she was saved from drowning in Boston Harbor, presumed to be an orphan and has been bouncing around in the foster care system ever since. Now twelve, she's used to the petty cruelty of her classmates at each new school, she's even used to being accused of something she didn't do, so when she's accused of theft at the museum and a policewoman wants to question her, she's not surprised. She is though, when instead of leaving the museum, she is taken by the cop and her caseworker into a subbasement of the museum and they both turn into winged fairy creatures with a mission-to test Kelcie to see if she is the heir. Heir to what? 

She's sucked into a portal through a tree, seemingly led there by the charm on her necklace. She ends up in the Land of Summer, where the inhabitants are at war with the Land of Winter and young people are flocking to audition for entrance into the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts to train to become warriors under the leadership of the legendary Celtic warrior, Scáthach.

The action is nearly non-stop in this series beginner. Kelcie is fearless, but doubtful. She also doesn't know who to trust. She fears she is different, but wants desperately to fit in. Readers who enjoy fantasy like Harry Potter or The Iron Trials will love this. 

The back matter is comprised of a glossary of names and terms in Celtic mythology, which I found helpful. I discovered after reading with my eyes that there is an audiobook available. I might reread it with my ears to hear the correct pronunciations of the Celtic names! If you have readers in your life who can't get enough fantasy, this is the book for you. I already have a waiting list for it since posting it to my Daily Book Talk on our school's learning platform.

ABOUT ERIKA LEWIS: Erika Lewis grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, spent summers with her grandparents in Worcester, Massachusetts, and currently lives in Los Angeles, California. With a passion for storytelling set in magical places, she spends as much time as she can traveling. When she’s not writing, she can generally be found scribbling notes in a blank book while wondering through abandoned buildings, all kinds of museums, and graveyards. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, her list of credits straddles the comics and novel space, including Game of Shadows from Macmillan’s Tor Books, Firebrand and Acursian from Legendary Comics, #Guardian from Awesome Media & Entertainment, and The 49th Key from Heavy Metal Publishing. The Color of Dragons (HarperCollins), her debut novel for young adults, publishes Fall 2021.

Visit her website at https://erikalewis.com/

Twitter: @ErikaElyLewis

Facebook: @TheErikaLewis

Instagram: @erikaelylewis

TikTok: @erikalewisauthor

Goodreads: Erika Lewis | Goodreads

Middle Grade Monday: Kingston and the Echoes of Magic by Rucker Moses and Theo Gangi

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Kingston and the Echoes of Magic by Rucker Moses and Theo Gangi. 296 p. G.P. Putnam's Sons/ Penguin Young Readers, October, 2021. 9780525516897. (Review of finished copy courtesy of MBCommunications.)

Kingston and his crew are back in a second installment that begins on a subway ride back from a Nets game a few days before Christmas. As King surveys the scenery, his cousin V, his best pal, Too Tall and his uncle, Crooked Eye, he realizes that they are stuck in a time loop. Their Brooklyn neighborhood has been transformed by gigantic black stones and power outages. After consulting with Sol and Sula, King realizes that their father, Maestro has them reliving the same 26 hours as he jumps time echoes in search of the power that will enable him to take over the world. 

I won't say more so as not to spoil the delight of this fast-paced, exciting story or the first book, if you haven't already read it. I love the voice. Kingston is an endearing, earnest character surrounded by great friends and family. I loved the banter and the history. I was especially tickled by one particular scene and another really choked me up. Read the book to try and figure out which ones. While this installment can stand on its own, why would anyone miss Kingston and the Magician's Lost and Found? This duology* is perfect for readers interested in magic and magicians, especially Black magicians. 

*I was actually a bit disappointed that there are only two books!

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Gilded by Marissa Meyer

Image: Macmillan Publishers

Gilded by Marissa Meyer. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~16 hours. Read by Rebecca Soler. Macmillan Young Listeners/ Macmillan Audio, November, 2021. 9781250810588. (Review of downloadable e-audiobook borrowed from public library. HC purchased.)

Happy Tuesday! Dress for the weather this morning, it's windy out there! I hope my students had a wonderful three-day weekend. We teachers had a satisfying professional development day yesterday.

Teen Tuesday features Gilded by Marissa Meyer. Ms. Meyer gave Cinderella a sci-fi mash-up with her impressive debut, Cinder in 2012. Careful readers of the Daily Book Talk might remember that I featured Gilded in a Waiting on Wednesday post not long ago. In Gilded, she reimagines Rumplestiltskin. Now, Rumplestiltskin has never been a favorite of mine. So misogynistic! But, this! 

Serilda Moller is the miller's daughter who lives with her father in the village of Marchenfeld where she is known for her wild tales/ lies and her unusual eyes. Her father claims she is god-blessed. She feels it's more like god-cursed because the villagers basically shun her-all except the children. The children adore her stories and always ask for more. She also knows to remain indoors at the full moon when the Erlking and his hunting party of ghouls and hellhounds scour the countryside. On the night of the Cold Moon, Serilda saves two Moss Maidens from the Erlking, but then is discovered herself. When he questions why she is out on such a night, she says that she needs to harvest straw so that she might spin it into gold. He allows her to live, but returns at the next full moon, abducts her and brings her to his castle, where he locks her in a dungeon filled with straw and orders her to spin.

Serilda, to her credit, does try to spin the straw, but it's hopeless and she knows it. Suddenly, she's not alone in the dungeon. A redheaded boy appears. He says his name is Gild, he has no memory, and he's willing to spin the straw into gold-for a price.

If this summary doesn't quite fit your memory of Rumplestiltskin, you would be right. The bare bones are there, but Ms. Meyer has crafted her own spin on the yarn, one that is infinitely richer and more ominous than the traditional tale. The fairytale king and his court are truly hideous and terribly violent. The Moss Maidens she rescued, while grateful in their own way, viewed the act as a transaction.

Well-drawn characters and a vivid setting, especially the undead castle captivate readers from the start. I usually avoid reading too many reviews, and so did not realize that this is a series starter. I disagree that the story got a little slow. I just loved the world building. 

Gilded, weighing in at ~16 hours of listening (512 pages), with its depiction of ruthless fey politics, is best suited for a more mature teen reader, but highly recommended.

Teen Tuesday: Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston

Image: HarperCollins 

Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~8 hours. Balzer + Bray/ HarperAudio, October, 2020. 9780063025899. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Happy Tuesday! I hope you dress for the weather today because it's finally winter cold! It was a brisk 19 degrees at a little after 5 this morning when I took the hounds out for a walk. It was in the 50s over the weekend! Crazy.

Teen Tuesday features Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston. Cerys lives in the kingdom of Aloriya under the protection of a king who wears a golden crown that was gifted to his forefather hundreds of years earlier by the Lady of the Wilds. Her father is the royal gardener, a job she is content to inherit. Her talent for it is helped along by a bit of secret magic she possesses in her blood. If she adds her blood to plants, they grow and thrive instantly. Her best friend, Princess Anwen, is about to be coronated, but just as the magical crown is placed on her head, she is transformed into a vile creature as the woodcursed leave the dark forest to attack the kingdom. Cerys grabs the crown and dashes into the dark forest accompanied by a strange young man who may or may not have been the fox that she rescued from a trap. The two set out through the dark woods in search of the mythical city of Voryn hoping that they will help to break the curse.

This fantasy has the dark, grim feel of an old fairy tale. The forest is positively creepy and filled with danger. Cerys feels ill-equiped to be the hero and Fox is disgruntled in his clumsy, vulnerable human form and just wants to turn back into a fox. Luckily for them, the two team up with Bear, who has the strength and smarts to guide them.

The POV (point-of-view) shifts between Cerys and Fox. There's a good deal of humor to lighten the suspense and there's plenty of gore and evil creatures to create the gore. The story stands alone, but there's enough left unresolved for a sequel or companion novel.

Teens who love fantasy or fairy tales will eat this up and ask for more. 

Teen Tuesday: Daughter of Lies & Ruin by Jo Spurrier

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Daughter of Lies & Ruin by Jo Spurrier. 346 p. Tales of Blackbone Witches Book 2. HarperVoyager/ HarperCollins Publishers, October, 2021. 9781460756348. (Review of finished ppb courtesy of publisher.)

Happy Tuesday! Teen Tuesday features Daughter of Lies & Ruin by Jo Spurrier. Book 2 of Tales of Blackbone Witches picks up shortly after the events in Book 1, A Curse of Ash and Embers, which I loved. 

Aleida and Elodie (Dee) are on the road from Blackburn Cottage to an abbey, where Aleida wishes to donate some of Ghyssa's treasure. Dee has been learning magic and she has a fair amount of natural ability, but she doubts herself, much to Aleida's dismay. Dee also has a true moral compass, so when they meet Kara, a young girl adept at swordplay, who is staying at the abbey for her protection after her bandit father disappeared, Dee wants to help. Aleida wants Dee to mind her own business, but there's strange magic in the woods. An entire band of robbers have disappeared, strange animals are appearing and Aleida and Dee are being following by a huge eagle.

Where A Curse of Ash & Embers took a little while to simmer before boiling over, Daughter of Lies & Ruin hits the ground running with a cast of terrific new characters and malevolent magic afoot. If you like atmospheric books seeping with evil both human and paranormal, as well as complex feisty characters, try this series. I hope there's more to come!

Teen Tuesday: Into the Bloodred Woods by Martha Brockenbrough

Image: Scholastic Inc. 

Into the Bloodred Woods by Martha Brockenbrough. 368 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc. November, 2021. 9781338673876. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

Happy Tuesday! Teen Tuesday features Into the Bloodred Woods by Martha Brockenbrough. Fairy tales were not originally children's stories. What do you think communities did before the age of television to entertain themselves at night? They gathered by the fire and told stories. Over the years they became diluted and "Disneyfied," but earlier, they could be dark and gruesome. Into the Bloodred Woods follows this storytelling tradition. While wholly original, the author has woven familiar fairy tale characters and motifs into this intense and gripping tale.

There was a kingdom surrounded by woods that was ruled by a king who was still mourning the death of his wife, the queen. The couple had two children, a boy and a girl. They were twins, but the girl was born first, making her the heir to the throne and her brother burned with jealousy. The girl, Ursula, wanted to rule and spent her childhood doing her best to learn everything she needed to know about ruling a kingdom. At night, she slept in a gilded cage. Why? She was a werebeast, she shifted shape and her animal aspect was a huge bear. Werebeasts were forbidden in the kingdom. If a child was born one, he or she was taken from their parents and the parents were thrown into the dungeon, never to be seen again. The children were locked into cages to entertain the villagers. They were reviled.

The prince, Albrecht, is obsessed with machinery and is constantly inventing and ingratiating himself to his father by besting Ursula when he tests them. He's furious that his sister was born first. He's conniving and cruel and despises the werebeasts.

The story shifts third-person POV between the twins as well as another brother and sister who live deep in the forest. Hans and Greta's parents are gravely ill and the two are caring for them the best they can, but death is inevitable. Hans promises his sister that he will always be there for her. He is a were and his animal aspect is a wolf. Hans also has a friend in the forest named Capella, who lives nearby with her mother. Capella only knows Hans in his wolf form.

Ms. Brockenbrough deftly weaves these four strands of story with an occasional fifth, that of a blind storyteller into a fast-paced, compelling tale. The writing is lush. The setting is vivid and the characters are keenly drawn. This is not a tale for the squeamish. There is disease, death, violence and plenty of gore. If you are a fan of traditional fairy tales undiluted by Disney, you will adore this book. This is one for the reread pile for me. Highly recommended!

Teen Tuesday: Beasts of Prey by Ayana Grey

Image: Penguin Random House

Beasts of Prey by Ayana Grey. 388 p. G.P. Putnam's Sons/ Penguin Young Readers, September 28, 2021. 9780593405680. (Review of arc courtesy of publisher.)

Teen Tuesday features a mesmerizing debut fantasy called Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray. Sixteen-year-old Kofi lives in the city of Lkossa, which sits at the edge of the Greater Jungle, where the dreaded Shetani lives and feeds on unlucky citizens. Koffi is indentured to the Night Zoo due to a debt her now-dead father could not pay. She and her mother care for the dangerous beasts that are exhibited in the zoo. Ekon is the second son of a warrior/ hero who was slain by the Shetani years earlier. He is about to complete the final ritual before becoming a Son of the Six and warrior like his father and older brother.

Magic is outlawed in Lkossa and Koffi is brimming with it. Knowing that her life is at stake should this be discovered, she suppresses it, but the magic bursts free when those she loves are endangered. It seems that she has the power to tame the Shetani. The owner of the Night Zoo wants to add the Shetani to his menagerie, so he blackmails Koffi into hunting for it.

Ekon failed his ritual when he not only failed to kill the Shetani, but also allowed Koffi to escape. He will need to leave the temple in disgrace, but is offered a chance to redeem himself if he can capture the Shetani. He forms an uneasy alliance with Koffi and they head into the Greater Jungle where they become prey themselves.

Ms. Gray's world-building is vivid and immersive. Suspense is high from the outset and gradually ratchets up as pages fly by. Koffi and Ekon are flawed and instantly likable and Adiah, the occasional third POV, is mysterious. Fans of intricately layered fantasy might get whiplash from the plot twists. They will gobble this whole and pant for the next installment.

Beasts of Prey is due out September 28. Pre-order it! I can't wait to get it into my students' hands. Impressive debut!

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: Root Magic by Eden Royce

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Root Magic by Eden Royce. Unabridged downloadable audiobook. ~594 minutes. Read by Imani Parks. Walden Pond Press/ HarperCollins Publishers, January, 2021. 9780063064416. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.) 

Middle Grade Monday features Root Magic by Eden Royce. Jezabel Turner lives with her twin brother, Jay, their mother and extended family in South Carolina in 1963. They are burying Jez's beloved grandmother at the opening of this leisurely, lyrical debut novel. Gran was a respected root worker, one whom many members of the community came to for help, but who also garnered suspicion and fear. Jez's uncle, Doc carried the Gullah Geechee tradition of root work and wants to teach it to the twins. Their mother is hesitant, but changes her mind after a racist deputy unlawfully searches their property and threatens violence.

The real dangers of the Jim Crow south and the potential danger of a malevolent presence in the marsh quietly ratchet up the tension as Jez and Jay learn the ways of root. Jez is a thoughtful and charming narrator. Other characters, such as Jay, Doc and her mother brim with energy and life.

Imani Parks' performance matched the measured pace of the narrative well. I enjoyed reading this with my ears. Readers who enjoy intricately crafted suspense will love Root Magic.

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard. Unabridged e-audiobook. 16.5 hours. Read by Natalie Naudus. HarperAudio/ HarperTeen/ HarperCollins Publishers, May, 2021. 9780063087668.

Teen Tuesday features Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard. This is the beginning of a wholly new fantasy series by the author of The Red Queen series.

The realm of Allward is protected from evil and "He who waits" by spindles, which are in turn, protected by humans descended from the Cor bloodline. They are the only ones who can wield a spindleblade. Taristan, bitter at being denied his heritage, has been opening spindles with the help of a wizard. Twelve Companions of the Realm, including Cortael, Taristan's twin meet in a bloody battle in the opening pages of this sweeping fantasy. When Taristan viciously murders his twin, Andry, a squire manages to spirit Cortael's spindleblade away from the battlefield and escapes the massacre. 

Meanwhile, Corayne an-Amarat, daughter of a fierce and feared pirate, wishes for adventures on the sea of her own. She's bitterly disappointed when her mother leaves her behind. It seems that she is the last of the Cor bloodline and learns who her father was from an immortal elder named Dom, who is determined to recover Cortael's spindleblade and train Corayne to closed the spindles her uncle is opening. 

Dom's band of realm defenders is small and ragtag, comprised of a dangerous assassin, Landry, the haunted squire, Corayne, and eventually a sorceress, a forger with a price on his head and a bounty hunter with a grudge.

The world building was a bit vague and multiple points of view occasionally cause confusion. The plot was frequently interrupted by flashbacks that sometimes distracted. Still, the cast of characters were intriguing as were the political machinations. There's banter and occasional humor amidst the suspense of the action with close calls and impossible escapes. 

Sign me up for book two! New-to-me narrator, Natalie Naudus turned in a well-paced performance with voices that were unique.