Review of Dragonwatch-Brandon Mull

If you were disappointed to see the fifth and last book of Fablehaven, then you will rejoice with this sequel (the first of five books).  Back to the land of fairies, unicorns, trolls, goblins, wizards and, of course, dragons!  The dragons are getting restless and no longer want to be confined, so it's up to Kendra and Seth to keep them under control - not an easy task.  A thoroughly enjoyable book for young readers and adults.  4 Elves - highly recommended

Review of Beauty of Darkness-Mary E. Pearson

This third and final book of the Remnant Chronicles is absolutely wonderful!  I had a hard time initially following the thread of the storyline; it had been a long time since I read the first two books.  Epic fantasies have complicated worlds, with creative places, languages and customs and this series has all of that.  But, the characters are so compelling that they carry you through the story.  4 Elves - Highly Recommended for teens and adults

Review of A Shadow Bright & Burning-Jessica Cluess

A  very fast and thrilling read, I enjoyed all of the characters in this fantasy.  "The chosen one" is a female for a change, which is refreshing.  When an orphan, Henrietta, is discovered to have sorcerer powers (the first female in 100 years), she goes to London to train with other apprentice sorcerers to fight the Ancients, evil beings who are terrorizing the British Isles.  Because magicians opened the door to the evil ones and allowed them in, magicians are killed when discovered.  But is Henrietta really a sorcerer or a magician with sorcerer-like powers?  I'm awaiting the sequel in the Kingdom n Fire series... 3 Elves - Recommended for teens and adults

Review of The Sun is Also a Star-Nicola Yoon

I loved her novel, Everything Everything, and this new book doesn't disappoint.  While it's not as shocking or unusual as Yoon's first book, her characters are compelling and the format creative.  Natasha is an undocumented Jamaican living in New York.  With time running out and her whole family due to be deported that night, she makes a trek to immigration authority to make one last plea for clemency.  Also on his way downtown for a college interview, Daniel, a Korean American, is reluctant to go to this appointment because he doesn't really want to go toYale and major in pre-med as his parents insist.  These two teens cross paths and although an unlikely romantic pair, they fall in love and try to change each other's destiny.  You will root for the science-obsessed Natasha and Daniel, the poet, as well as their families and characters they meet in passing.  5 Elves - Highly Recommended for teens and adults

Review of Of Fire & Stars-Audrey Coulthurst

This is not your typical epic fantasy.  Denna goes to a neighboring kingdom to wed the prince and unite their kingdoms.  What the prince doesn't realize is that Denna has magic that she struggles to control; his kingdom punishes anyone suspected of having or using magic.  As Denna tries to keep her secret, she finds herself falling in love with the prince's sister who is engaged to another prince from another kingdom. As Denna tries to hide her magic and her love, an assassination brings the two women together as they try to figure out the murder suspects.  I'm looking forward to the sequel.  4 Elves - Recommended for teens and adults

Review of Fate of the Tearling-Erika Johansen

Johansen's first book in the series, The Queen of the Tearling, was a fresh entry in the epic fantasy genre; the world she created was original and her characters well-developed.  Her second book, The Invasion of the Tearling, was as its title suggested: the horror of war as another kingdom invades; this novel was too warlike and gruesome for my taste, especially the torture scenes.  Her final book, The Fate of the Tearling, is less bloody and sends the reader back and forth through time.  Although at times I wished for a spreadsheet to keep all the characters from the past & present straight, I enjoyed this final book for its resolution to a complicated issue.  The ending is surprising but strangely satisfying.  4 Elves - Highly recommended for mature teens and adults

Review of Heartless-Marissa Meyer

I loved Meyer's Lunar Chronicles, a creative mix of science-fiction & fantasy, but didn't love her latest novel as much.  Her other series was a fresh take on classic fairy tales but in this book, she takes on Wonderland.  It tells the backstory of the Queen of Tarts, who never wanted to marry the king; she just wanted to open a bakery and be with the king's joker, the love of her life.  But there is political intrigue in the kingdom and finding out the truth may cost her her dream. Because Wonderland is already an established world, there wasn't as much room for Meyer to let her imagination soar. 3 Elves - Recommended for teens and adults