Nimira, a trouser girl is brought to the Hollin Parry’s estate to perform alongside his automaton. Right away Nimira feels the sinister secrets surrounding the sorcerer. While performing with the automaton, she learns that there is a fairy prince trapped inside the machine. She begins to find a way to free him but at what cost? As Nimira quickly evolves into a strong heroine, her feelings for the prince become obvious. Dolamore has set the stage for a world of intriguing fairy and mortal politics that endanger those who try to change it for the better. There is a thread of similarity between the Bronte’s Jane Eyre and Magic under Glass. This is a dark fantasy that will engage readers from the beginning and a sequel is sure to follow. This is a must for fans of Tiffany Trent’s Hallowmere series.

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Yet another title that might help if you are suffering from the inevitable Twilight withdraw.

Need is an action packed tale of supernatural proportions. Romance, adventure and suspense vie for room in this great title.

Zara White is dead inside. Every since her father, her step-father really, died she has been stuck in the same loop of terrible despair; none of the things she used to love, running, Amnesty International, learning new phobias can help. Trying to get her to react to anything, Zara’s mother sends her to live with her grandmother Betty in Maine (not a single Betty White joke in the whole book!) Zara doesn’t know what’s worse; the snow, the cold or being sent away.

A new car and a new school start to perk Zara up, as does the ‘hunky’ yet mysterious Nick who keeps showing up to help her. But things quickly go from new-school-stressful to down right horrible when Zara notices a dark stranger following her from Charleston to Maine and all around town; A stranger that leaves behind no footprints and a trail of gold dust. At the same time young boys are disappearing one by one from the area. With the help of her quirky new friends and hot new crush, Zara is determined to figure what strange and terrible things are happening in her new small town. Never in a million years would Zara have predicted that their research would lead to the supernatural. Faced with the existence of pixies, weres and other things she’s never believed in before, Zara is determined to stop the abductions at all costs.

Zara’s adventure continue in her second book, Captivate.

Check out Need.

Penny Lane (daughter of hard-core Beatles fans) is crushed when Nate, her childhood-friend-turned-boyfriend, cheats on her, so she starts a Lonely Hearts Club at school, for all the girls who are tired of boys and the drama involved with dating. The club is a huge hit, but some people—namely, the boys at school, as well as the principal—aren’t happy about it.

To further complicate matters, Nate is desperate to win Penny back, and Penny’s fighting feelings for Ryan, a close friend’s ex. Penny slowly comes to realize that not all guys are jerks, and the important thing is not necessarily banning boyfriends, but staying true to your friends. In the end, she realizes that though Nate really is a creep, Ryan’s a great guy, and she can enjoy both close friends and dating.

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Where the Lilies Bloom is about a family of five who are just getting by, moneywise. The main character and narrator of this story is Mary Call. Even though she is fourteen years old and the second child, (the oldest, Devola, is eighteen)she is the head of the household. The four children’s father, Roy Luther, has been sick for some time, and the author never reveals what happened to the children’s mother.

In the first one hundred pages, Roy Luther dies. Just pages prior to his death, Mary Call had gone to their land-owner (Kiser)’s home to negotiate, for she knew Roy Luther was near the end even then. Walking into Kiser’s house, finding him sprawled on the floor in a catatonic state, Mary Call finds this to be a strategy in her favor. She agrees to nurse Kiser back to health if he signs a document, giving the Luthers ownership of their land.

A week later, Kiser shows up to ask for the eldest daughter, Devola’s, hand in marriage. This is a matter Kiser has been pursuing for s ome time. Just prior to her father’s death, Mary Call had to promise Roy Luther that she would not let Kiser marry Devola, no matter what. With Roy Luther dead, the four children are forced to “lay low” form social services and become wildcroppers to earn a living.

I read this book for school and it is one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. I think any kid would enjoy it just for the struggle this family goes through.

~CC from Union Twp. Branch