Dreamless by Josephine Angelini - OPTIONAL

Angelini, Josephine Dreamless, 496 p. HarperCollins, MAY 2012.  Language: R (70+ swears, 0 ‘f’); Violence: PG-13.  Every night, Helen descends into the Underworld, searching for a way to free her family, her friends, her love, from the curse of the Furies – the curse that demands that they kill on sight any rival family member.  As Helen’s life is becoming harder, her rock, her would-be mate, Lucas, has pushed her away in the damaging fashion.  Into her journey, however, comes Orion, another similar to Helen who can descend into the Underworld.  Together they start figuring out pieces of the puzzle – and draw closer together.  There is plenty of danger, obstruction and betrayal – including a deeply laid plot that has been centuries in planning.  

Okay – I just have to get this out of my system – I HATE THE COVERS OF THESE BOOKS!  Every time I look at them I think – oh, I need to read this book – because the covers are so different from the contents of the books that I can’t relate them.  These books deserve MUCH BETTER covers.  

Helen is a rock star, her extended family are heroes and your students really need to read these books.  I certainly wish for a lower swear count so that I could include these in a middle school library.  HS – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher

Faery Tales & Nightmares by Melissa Marr - ADVISABLE

Marr, Melissa Faery Tales & Nightmares, 432 p. HarperCollins, 2012.  $18.  Language: PG-13 (19 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (light teen drinking); Violence: PG-13 (one vampire scene, descriptive “cosmetic surgery”).  Revisit the world of Wicked Lovely and go beyond, deeper into Melissa Marr’s head.  These short storied twine around and then intersect and come back to create a richer world.  

Personally I wish the Wicked Lovely based short stories were all together in a novella and that there were more stand alone stories in another book, but I will take them as I can get them.  The cosmetic surgery story made me a little queasy, I have to admit.  HS - ADVISABLE.  Cindy, Library Teacher

Following Magic by Kathleen Duey - ADVISABLE

Duey, Kathleen Following Magic (The Faeries’ Promise #2), 100 p. Aladdin (Simon, 2011.  $16.  Content: G.  Alida’s faerie colony has been banished to parts unknown by the evil Lord Dunraven.  With the help of her human friend, Gavin, Alida hopes to find her family and keep them safe.  

Incredibly cute without being sappy – a good choice for little girls who like fairies.  EL – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher

Shadow’s Edge by Maureen Lipinski - OPTIONAL

Lipinski, Maureen Shadow’s Edge, 312 p. Flux, 2012.  $10.  Language: PG (8 swears, 0 ‘f’).  After having been stuck in the Other Realm for a year, Leah is sick and tired of being the Shaman for the Creatuir.  She has turned her duties over to Melissa and is ready to dive into being a human girl.  When her best friend, her mentor, disappears, however, Leah is drawn back into the whole mess.  Someone is trying to break down the division between Realms – to start a war between the powers of Light and Dark, but to also destroy the human world.  With the help of her sisters, who all have powers of their own, and some handy gorgeous boys, Leah will have to avert disaster on many levels – but to do so, she will have to face her fears of the Other Realm.  

I don’t know if the cover art is final, but it will not help you sell the book; the girl on the front looks too young to wield the power she has.  But don’t be scared off – girls who are finished with E.D. Baker and want something more mature, will be ready to move up to this.  MS, HS – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher

Fairy Lies by E.D. Baker - ADVISABLE

Baker, E.D. Fairy Lies, 256 p. Bloomsbury, FEB 2012.  $17.  Content: G.  Now that Tamisin has returned to the mortal world, she has no desire to return to Faerie – she just wants to enjoy her boyfriend, Jak, and just being a human.  But something keeps calling her back to the gates – even though they are all sealed, Tamisin is becoming increasingly desperate to return.  When she is kidnapped by one of Oberon’s minions, however, she realizes that she may be in actual danger.  

Baker’s fantasies are so adorable – a dose of danger, an actual plot, but so much adorable fantasy.  Girls who want something cute will continue to flock to her writing.  MS – ADVISABLE.  Cindy, Library Teacher

So Silver Bright by Lisa Mantchev - OPTIONAL

Mantchev, Lisa So Silver Bright, 356 p. Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan), 2011.  $17.  Content: G.  Beatrice Shakespeare Smith’s heart is evenly divided between Nate the pirate and Ariel the wind spirit.  Circumstances – magic – are pushing her towards a choice, but there never seems to be a bit of calm to allow her a chance to think.  Sedna, the evil one, is out to destroy Bertie and everything she loves, her father is missing, her mother is barely holding on to sanity and the Theatre Illuminata’s very existence is in danger.  How, among all of this uproar can Bertie hear her heart long enough to make a choice?  

Smart girls who love classic fantasy will continue to enjoy Bertie and her friends.  This not for every student – it requires too much care in reading, but it definitely has its audience.  MS, HS - OPTIONAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland... by Catherine Valente - ESSENTIAL

Valente, Catherine M. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, pgs. 256. Feiwell and Friends, 2011. $16.99. Language: G; Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG;Twelve-year old September is an ordinary girl with an ordinary life until one day while washing a dish, she is swept away by the Green Wind (on the back of a jaguar) who takes her to fairyland. There she is set on a quest to retrieve a lost item of the Marquess, the young ruler of fairyland who’s motives are suspect. A delightful, magical story with a great heroine who is smart, resourceful and brave. The language is poetic and beautifully written. A modern classic. MS - ESSENTIAL. J. Bingham

13 Curses by Michelle Harrison - ESSENTIAL

Harrison, Michelle 13 Curses, 486 pgs. Little, Brown and Company, 2010. $15.99. Language-G (0 swears), Sexual Content-G; Violence-PG; Red lost her brother years ago and now is finally when she is close enough to reclaim him and return to the human world. Well she was close until she fell into a hole. The ugly witch that drug her out of the hole and back to her cottage seems to think that Red is also a fairy. Ugh, a fairy? How dare she think that! Red wants no connection with these creatures, all she wants is to find her brother and get out of this fairy realm. But when she finds there's a high price for her brother, will she take the job of finding all of the thirteen curses? I loved how this book has taken fairies, normally sweet helpful magical creatures, and turned them into something new and horrid. It's a battle of the fairies worthy of a Fablehaven book! I also loved how the 13 curses were hidden in spots that related to their history. It was exciting to find how each charm connected with the history of the bracelet. MS - ESSENTIAL. Student Reviewer: Kylie Usher

The Flint Heart by Katherine Patterson - ADVISABLE

Paterson, Katherine and John, The Flint Heart, 288 pgs.  Candlewick Press, 2011. $19.99.  Language-G (0 swears, 0 "f"), Sexual Content-G; Violence-G;  This book is a fun book of fairies and mystical creatures with a goal of keeping people pure and good.  The characters are up against an evil flint heart that, when in someone's possession, it gives them tremendous confidence and success with the dramatic side effect of being bad.  The authors take you on a trip through the many hands the flint heart happens upon.  The reading is fast and fun for elementary students.  Plus, the illustrations are gorgeous.  I was entertained the entire book, but mostly because my son of eight-years was enjoying it so much.  I don't think this would have been the case for me personally or if I was in High School.  EL (K-3) and EL (upper elementary) - Advisable.  Reviewer:  BMN