The throne of glass  by Sarah J. Maas

406 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan’s most notorious assassin. Why has she been retrieved from the slave mines of Endovier and brought to the king’s castle? She has been chosen to compete against other worthy opponents in a series of tests to become the king’s own champion. Victory ensures her freedom after serving four years as champion. The task seems simple enough to someone whose skills are that of legend. For this reason she is made to enter the competition under an assumed name so her opponents will only see a common female thief. The Captain of the Guard, Chaol Westfall, oversees her training while Prince Dorian has his own motives for supporting her. As the tests begin, an evil magic stirs in the castle and one by one the competitors are found brutally killed. What once started as a means to secure her freedom, now has become a race to find the culprit behind the attacks and avoid becoming it’s next victim. Celaena struggles with her growing feelings for her handsome trainer and Prince Dorian’s romantic overtures. This is a fabulous first entry in a compelling new fantasy series. It has mystery, suspense, adventure, magic and romance. What more could you ask for?

 

Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

410 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

Elisa, the newly appointed queen of Joya D’Arena, struggles to maintain her power. Despite her recent victory over an army of the Invierne sorcerers, her authority is met with resistance from Lord Conde Eduardo and Lord General Luz-Manuel who have been the ruling power for decades and who are not willing to give it up. They view her as too young and inexperienced and thwart her decisions at every turn. Her only recourse is to marry and the Quorum members eagerly put forth their favorite candidates. But Elisa, whose heart still belongs to Lord Hector, balks at taking any of them as a prince consort. Multiple assassination attempts by the Animagi force Elisa to harness the power of her Godstone and fulfill her destiny. In order to  accomplish this, the young queen, Lord Hector and her nurse Ximena  lead a small party south on a secret quest to find the mythical source of her power. They travel through tunnels, catacombs, over a dangerous sea, up treacherous mountains following cryptic clues and paths. Faith, love, loyalty, betrayal and a healthy dose of adventure complete this stunning sequel to The Girl of Fire and Thorns. The dramatic ending leaves the future of Elisa and Hector’s love and the fate of Joya D’Arena hanging in the balance. There is enough detail for  first time readers to enjoy it, but be assured they will then rush back to read the first one.

Shadowfell  by Juliet Marillier

410 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Dragon

 Neryn’s only hope is Shadowfell, the famed but never spoken of training ground for rebels intent on freeing the Kingdom of Alban from the twisted and tyrannical rule of King Keldec. Neryn has the ability to see the Good Folk, a power she must keep secret or risk capture by the king’s Enforcers. She travels with her father from town to town and watches helplessly as he gambles away what little money they have left. One night her father goes too far and leaves her an orphan only to be rescued by a handsome hooded stranger, Flint, whose motives remain hidden. When Flint is not around, the voices of the Fey creatures whispering about prophecies and tests become impossible to ignore and Neryn allies herself with them. Her journey to Shadowfell is treacherous and brings her close to death and rescued again and nursed back to health by the mysterious Flint. She longs to confide in him, but he won’t tell her why he’s helping her or where he goes when he disappears. This is the first in a promising new series by a master of the fantasy genre in which strong characters and splendid plotting prevail.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

451 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Dragon

In the kingdom of Goredd, a peace treaty allows dragons and humans to live together. However there are those on both sides who will stop at nothing to dismantle this agreement. Fear and mistrust run rampant among the citizens as the treaty anniversary approaches. Seraphina has a secret, one which she must keep hidden from both sides. Her mother was a dragon and her father a human, making her half dragon. As a uniquely gifted musician Seraphina is engaged as a music teacher under the tutelage of Viridius, the court composer. Her only confidant is her mentor and dragon uncle, Orma, who creates a counterfeit mother to disguise his niece’s true heritage. No sooner is Seraphina ensconced in her new job than Prince Rufus is found decapitated implicating a draconian killer. The arrival of the leader of the dragon world, Ardmagar Comonot, does little to alleviate the already tense atmosphere. Seraphina befriends her student, Princess Glisselda and the devilishly handsome Prince Lucian Kiggs, fiancé to Glisselda. Together Seraphina and Kiggs uncover a secret plot to assassinate the Ardmagar and to break the treaty. Although Seraphina’s intimate knowledge of dragon culture serves to be invaluable to their investigations, she worries that her continual need to lie will jeopardize not only her friendship with Kiggs and the princess but put the kingdom in danger. This is a brilliantly written book and so engrossing it’s very hard to put down.  The plot is fantastic, unique and intricate and like a good stew, the more it simmers the better it gets. Readers will savor each delicious moment. There is a cast of characters and a glossary at the end.Plus it has a fabulous cover. The only thing missing is a map.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

432 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

This book is adventure at its finest. Elisa is the youngest princess of Oravalle, chosen at birth as the new bearer of the Godstone. As such she is destined to perform a great service. Overshadowed by her much thinner, more beautiful sister, Elisa doubts her worthiness. In a political move, she's betrothed to the king of a neighboring kingdom. No sooner has she arrived in Joya d'Arena to take on her new responsibilities, when a rebel faction kidnaps her. She's suddenly faced with obstacles almost too onerous to bear, but she slowly gains confidence in herself and the trust of others. There's danger, political intrigue, battles, betrayal and just the right amount of romance. Fans of Tamora Pierce's books will love this book. I certainly hope that Rae continues to write because it was a joy to read.

Seer of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier

432 pgs.

Target audience: Young adult

Rating: Dragon

The latest in the Sevenwaters series by Marillier introduces us to Sibeal, the fifth daughter of the Lord of Sevenwaters. She is a seer and druid in training. Her mentor, Ciaran, sends her to the island of Inis Eala to spend time with her sisters and determine whether the contemplative life of a druid is what she truly wants. When a ship suddenly shipwrecks on the island, she rescues a man who's washed up on shore and can remember nothing. The two other survivors, a Norseman and his mute wife add to the mystery of what happened to the ship. As Sibeal helps the stranger recover his memory, she finds herself emotionally drawn to him. The rich characters and compelling plot leave you wanting more. You need not read the first four books to enjoy this one. Some of the characters carry over from previous books, but there is enough explanation that it doesn't marr the reading experience. Although the first three of this series must be read in order, after that the stories become enough removed from the original three that they can be read independently.

Museum of thieves by Lian Tanner (audiobook – read by Claudia Black)

6 discs                
Target audience: Ages 9-12
Rating: Dragon

 Goldie is twelve years old and lives in the city of Jewel,  a city where children are bound in guardchains for their own protection and subject to the whims of the all-powerful and abusive Blessed Guardians. Her only way out is at her separation ceremony when she’ll be a free citizen. However a bomb explodes in the city causing the event to be cancelled. This is too much for Goldie who takes matters into her own hands and runs away. She escapes into the ever-changing and mysterious Museum of Dunt. The three Keepers of the museum, Sinew, Herro Dan and Olga Ciavolga teach her to hone her skills in the fine art of thievery and show her the secrets to understanding and deciphering the varying moods of the museum. The local politician, the Fugelman, and his toadies, Guardian Hope and Guardian Comfort, have a diabolical plan to take control of the city. Goldie joins up with Toadspit, another runaway, the Keepers and a tame Brizzle Hound named Broo to fight for the safety of the people of Jewel and save the museum from destruction. Tanner takes the readers on a thrilling, heart pounding adventure. Goldie’s character is bold, resourceful and captivating. Her escapades through the bowels of the museum show her metamorphosis from the downtrodden child in the clutches of the Guardians to  laudable heroine . Claudia Black’s narration brings out each character’s unique tone and personality. The dialects and accents are flawlessly executed.   The pace is steady all the way to the cliffhanger ending. This story is a definite winner and recommended for all ages.

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
539 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

Synopsis from inside front cover
"In a world where a small percentage of people have an extreme skill called a Grace, King Leck's Grace allowed him to tell lies that everyone believed.
     When Bitterblue became queen at ten years old, she thought her father's murder meant the end of his violent, sociopathic influence.
     She was wrong.
     The intensely anticipated companion to the New York Times bestsellers Graceling and Fire is even more 'rageful, exhilarating, wistful,' and romantic. Now eighteen and believing her advisers are overprotecting her, Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle at night to walk the streets of her own city, disguised and alone -- risking her life as well as her heart."

Review

Epic and high fantasy fans will love this book, they will curl up and sink into this spellbinding and delectably thick fantasy like a big comfy armchair. Even though Bitterblue is a sequel, it can be enjoyed as a standalone. But rest assured, once readers are pulled into this world, they won't want to leave until they've consumed them all. Bitterblue is a strong entry in this magnificent saga with inspiring characters and a powerful plotline. The inner battles the young Queen faces in order to heal her kingdom from the horrifying abuses of her father, King Leck, will have readers completely transfixed and wanting to help. Fans of Graceling will be happy to find that Katsa and Po and other familiar characters play an integral role and will be enchanted by the host of new characters including a sexy and charmingly reckless love interest for Bitterblue. There's plenty going on within the castle walls, on the streets of Bitterblue City and the neighboring kingdoms to keep readers captivated and to leave them wanting more from this gifted fantasy writer.  The who's who guide and beautifully rendered maps are just icing on the cake. Recommended for fans of other epic sagas such as the Pellinor quartet by Alison Croggon and the Seven Realms books by Cinda Williams Chima.

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey
416 pgs.
Target audience: Young Adult
Rating: Dragon

This is an outstanding companion to Dragon's Keep although it can be enjoyed as a standalone book. The kingdom on Wilde Island, mourning its king and anxiously awaiting the return of the prince, is in the hands of the bloodthirsty and evil regent, Sackmoore. The fragile alliance between fairies, dragons and humans is strained. On one of the regent's witch hunts, Tess, who has the gift of firesight, is accused of witchery and is forced to flee with her two best friends, Poppy and Meg. They're offered shelter by a royal huntsman, Garth who is the younger prince in disguise. Tess soon discovers that her father is fey which explains her gift. The dragons play a larger role in the latter half of the story. The pace is slow at first but builds to an amazing climax keeping the reader riveted to the page. All the characters are fully drawn and come to life on the page.This is a must for epic fantasy lovers. There's romance, adventure, history, mythology and political intrigue all against a beautifully rendered medieval landscape. What more could you ask for?