Scarlet and Tella finally leave their homeland after years of masked misery with the urgency to return in fear of the source of that misery--their father. Intrigued by the magic and wonders of the land of Caraval, they agree to play a game and meet the man they’ve always looked up to--Legend, who isn’t at all what they imagined. While Tella seemingly gets lost along the way, Scarlet is forced to compete and win the game of Caraval if she wishes to see her sister again.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black is a young adult fantasy fiction novel set in the world of the Fae. The story follows Jude Duarte, a human girl thrown into the world of Faerie after a tragic event as a child. She is accompanied by her twin sister Taryn and their older sister Vivi, who is part Fae. Jude and Taryn are ridiculed throughout the novel for their humanity, and Jude has a strong desire to prove her power and worth to the Faerie.
Vira, Ronak, Riya, and Kaleb, royal siblings, have different agendas, wishes, and secrets. Ashoka’s dying source of magic leads them to the Ivory Key, which can make each of their wishes come true. However, there is a perilous journey ahead of them and their strained relationship hinders them in their path. They band together to find the Ivory Key for their own agendas. They get closer together and decide how to use their newfound power.
Through the Dark is a collection of stories that were mentioned (but not explained) in the Darkest Minds trilogy. I feel like I was a bit too critical going into this book as I don’t really like side-books to series, but this collection of stories was actually very good. The stories included in this collection are like actual stories from minor (but also kind of huge) gaps in the series.
The Serpent’s Shadow is the third and final entry in The Kane Chronicles and is written by Rick Riordan. In this final book, Apophis, the serpent of chaos, plans to throw the world into eternal darkness. Carter and Sadie Kane must stop him from doing so by relying on a dangerous ghost and ancient spells to save the world. I thought the first two books in this series were very good, but I have to say that this is the best one yet. All the characters in this book shine, from Carter and Sadie Kane to Ra.
The Throne of Fire is the second book in The Kane Chronicles and is written by Rick Riordan. In this book, Sadie and Carter Kane must rush quickly to prevent the deadly serpent Apophis from destroying the world. This is the sequel to The Red Pyramid, a book which I liked a lot because of how new it felt.
What makes Dragon's Keep work for me is its approach: a medieval fantasy written more like historical fantasy than high fantasy. Yet it has that sliver of magic and magical creatures (dragons, of course) to spice up the lyrical story. In other words, the author avoids over-doing the chosen one approach, and instead creates very believable characters in a believable world.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is a wonderful and popular fantasy book written by J.K
Rowling. This book is about a 16 year old teenage wizard with a strange lightning scar on his
forehead named Harry. In his sixth year, Harry suspects there are new dangers lurking within
the castle walls. Dumbledore is more intent than ever on preparing the young wizard for the
final battle with Voldemort. Throughout the book we learn more about the history of Voldemort
The Red Pyramid is the first book in The Kane Chronicles and is written by Rick Riordan. The book follows Carter and Sadie Kane, two siblings who discover their heritage as Egyptian magicians in a world where the ancient Egyptian gods exist. However, as their magical powers starts to attract enemies, they must learn to harness their abilities to save the world.
The Tower of Nero is the fifth and final book in the Trials of Apollo and is written by Rick Riordan. In this final chapter of the Trials of Apollo series, he tries to finish of his quest to restore the power of the prophecy, take down the trio of evil Roman emperors, and become a god once again. This has been what he’s been trying to accomplish this entire series, and now, he is within striking distance of going back to Mount Olympus.
