Reviewed by Cheryl Schopen for Readers' Favorite

In Ancient Guardians: The Awakening, the third book in the Ancient Guardians series by S.L. Morgan, things continue pretty much right where we left off at the end of the second book. The people of Pemdas are still grieving, and Levi is getting used to his new position as emperor. Trying to move on with their lives, Levi and Reece get married in a beautiful celebration. While they are away on their honeymoon, a strange man appears at Pemdas with shocking news: Emperor Navarre is alive! Soon Levi, Reece, Harrison, and the other Guardians work tirelessly to find a way to rescue Navarre and bring him home safely. With a surprising new galaxy to discover, unknown yet dangerous enemies to battle, and an unrelenting determination to get their emperor back, Levi and Reece may have to face their biggest challenge yet.

It has been about a year since I read the first two books in the series that I soon found myself obsessed with. I decided not to refresh my memory by reading the first two books again because I was too excited to read this one. That was not a mistake. S.L. Morgan has a way with her writing to instantly pull readers back into the magnificent world that is Pemdas. I felt like I had never left. The third installment had the perfect blend of romance and action. The book started off with a romantic wedding ceremony and continued on to an even more romantic honeymoon. Unfortunately, their vacation time away from reality is cut short, and we are thrown into a suspenseful and unexpected adventure. What I have always loved about this series is the characters. And I can happily say that this book did not disappoint in that category.

Being the third book in the series, it didn’t seem possible to witness these unforgettable characters develop even more, but they truly do. We see a whole new side to characters like Reece and Harrison, which was refreshing. Plus, the plot was exciting and kept me on the edge of my seat, not to mention the ending. What a cliffhanger! The Awakening continues the Ancient Guardians story in an unpredictable and exciting way. S.L. Morgan truly has a way with words and an incredible talent for storytelling. I can’t wait to see where the rest of this story goes.

Reviewed by Chris Fischer for Readers' Favorite

Reign: An Unfortunate Fairy Tale, Book 4 by Chanda Hahn finds young Mina, our protagonist, again in a precarious spot. She needs to cross the Fae Plane to rescue The Grimms, who are fading from existence, and she especially needs her ancestor to survive. Her very life depends upon on it. With the help of magical glass shoes, and unfortunately missing the country club ball back home, Mina must depend on her friends, both fae and human, to hone her skills and fulfill her quest. Of course, this book has romantic complications as well. While sweet Brody is always there for her, Mina mourns the loss of her beloved Jared. That is, until she finds a flicker of him in a very unexpected place.

Several of my students convinced me to read this series, and I’m glad I gave it a chance. This is a wonderfully inventive series for the young adult reader, and may appeal specially to young women as the stories each revisit a familiar fairy tale. (Can you guess which one Reign is related to?) This book was easy to read and there was enough excitement and intrigue to keep the book moving along at a great pace. I appreciate that Mina is a strong female character, full of promise and able to take care of herself when she needs to. Chanda Hahn has a gift of making characters seem real in even the most fantastical settings, and the emotions they evoke pull at the reader's heartstrings. I can whole-heartedly recommend Reign: An Unfortunate Fairy Tale, Book 4 and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

I couldn't help but compare The Monsterjunkies with The Munsters and The Addams Family even before I start reading this book. Yet, the comparison was put aside right away. The Monsterjunkies An American Family Odyssey: Being Normal is a State of Mind by Erik Daniel Shein and Theresa A. Gates is written in a realistic milieu. That said, the fantasy element is apparent in this macabre-esque story - their dog Chico, a genuine chupacabra, Beauregard the eloquent Sasquatch, and a pterodactyl named Periwinkle are part of the family along with other odd creatures. The mix of pragmatism and extraordinary facets lead to a story that is rich and strange.

There are several protagonists, although the story mostly revolves around Crow Monsterjunkie, an intelligent, sensitive and chubby Goth 9th grader. Crow and his family live in a Gothic mansion on a secluded wooded road near Foggy Point. His father, Dr. Talon Monsterjunkie, is a brilliant cryptozoologist who’s responsible for bringing strange and rare animals to their home. His mother, Pandora, a brilliant botanist, shares her husband’s passion. Crow’s Gothic older sister, Indigo, is an intuitive teen with a great social skill that triumphs over the weird rumors about her family.

Being normal is, without doubt, a state of mind. On the whole, The Monsterjunkies is unexpectedly charming and educationally priceless in terms of dealing with prejudice, protecting nature, as well as instilling other ethical values in young minds. I’m amazed and grateful at how Erik and Theresa highlight the problem of bullying and discrimination among youths today. Needless to say, both authors prove their ability in weaving a great story with existing, hot-button social issues that need to be addressed.

Reviewed by Cheryl Schopen for Readers' Favorite

In Dragon Fire by Dina von Lowenkraft, Anna meets Rakan and is immediately drawn to him for reasons she can’t quite explain herself. What she doesn’t know is that he is a shape shifting dragon. Rakan is also instantly attracted to Anna, but he tries to keep his distance because he is forbidden from getting involved with a human; however, he can’t stop himself from falling for her. To make matters worse, Rakan has vowed to seek revenge and kill the one his family has been determined to find and destroy. The problem is that this person he seeks may be Anna’s best friend, June. Not only does Rakan have to deal with his complicated feelings for Anna, but he also must decide who to side with. He must choose between his head and his heart.

I was very intrigued by the synopsis of this book, so I just had to read it, and I’m so glad I did. While the new terms and unique names had me confused a lot of the time and took a while to get used to, I absolutely loved this story. It sucked me into this fantasy world, held on tight, and didn’t let go until the very end. Actually, I’m still in that world hours after reading it, and it’s going to be extremely difficult to come back to reality. The plot, the characters, the different relationships, the action, the mystery, and so much more had me hooked. But, by far, my favorite part was the budding relationship between Anna and Rakan. They had this unique innocence and sweetness to them that was completely genuine and believable. I couldn’t help but smile and get butterflies in my stomach every time they interacted throughout the book. Dina von Lowenkraft has such a gift for bringing characters to life and making readers really feel for them. I would definitely recommend Dragon Fire to anyone interested in the young adult, fantasy, or romance genres. I was really impressed and I am hoping for a sequel, which I will anxiously await.

Reviewed by Michelle Randall for Readers' Favorite

Divided Against Yourselves by Bill Hiatt is the second book in the Spell Weavers series. Unlike a number of series, this book can be read on its own without having read the first book and without feeling lost. Tal is a teenager dealing with reincarnation; in fact he is the reincarnation of the original Taliesin, a bard in King Arthur's court. Tal has successfully to this point merged his past lives together with his present life quite well. His best friend, Stan, is also a reincarnation, but his is not going so well. He past life as King David wants to take control too often. Even after defeating the witch Ceridwen last Halloween, Tal and the guys think they can relax and go back to normal life, only for Tal to be surprised by the appearance of Morgan Le Fay, who helps Ceridwen at Halloween. Tal and his warriors work to figure out what Morgan wants and how to protect everyone at the same time. Bill Hiatt does a wonderful job of weaving a magical tale into a modern day high school scenario and making it work.

This is the first book I can remember reading that took on the reincarnation topic as a theme to the magic. It was novel of Bill Hiatt to think of that plot line, and it made this story compelling and interesting. It also raised a number of question that have me asking what is the next book after Divided Against Yourselves? I found the teenagers in the book to be real. They reminded me of my own teenagers at home; some of the bantering between the boys is stuff I hear coming from my sons' room all the time. I felt the story was well developed and the action scenes would entertain and keep a good range of boys interested in reading. There is a puppy love vs. true love theme, the kind that happens when you're sixteen, running through the story. This, along with the magic, would keep girls reading. There are so many different side stories and themes in the book that are woven together so well into a complete story, making it appealing to a great variety of readers.

Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

A good book captures your attention and holds it. You can lay it down but you look forward to picking it up again. An excellent book holds you captive from beginning to end; it is impossible to lay an excellent book down. It draws you into the plot, forcing you to live the words that wrap themselves around your emotions until you become one with the main character. Oathtaker is such a book. From the first page, Oathtaker, by Patricia Reding, promises to take the reader on an epic journey that they will long remember. The reader is tantalized by a sense of fear when they meet the grut, a sense of loyalty and honor from the Oathtaker, Mara, and a sense of untold adventure that lies ahead.



An Oathtaker is a volunteer, willing to “undergo rigorous training…and swear a life oath for the protection of his charge.” An Oathtaker is given three weapons: a blade infused with magic, attendant magic, and “continued youth.” The story begins when Mara hears the relentless screaming of the grut, beasts that look a bit like wolves but are much taller, with three rows of teeth curved inward, and that emit the stench of death. Just a touch from a grut would be certain death. There were thirteen of the wicked beasts surrounding a small hut. Inside, Mara found her charge, but she had little idea just how special that charge was.



Oh, what an enticing beginning! To share more in this review would be cheating other readers from the thrill of discovery. Patricia Reding is an exceptionally talented author. Her imagination must be huge to create such strong characters. Of course my favorite was Mara, who exhibited strength and the wisdom to know she had much to learn. I find it difficult to believe this is the author’s first book. She writes with the talent of a seasoned author and yet her plot is refreshing in a world of stale ideas. In the words of Oliver Twist: "More Please!”

Reviewed by Kim Anisi for Readers' Favorite

Fortunately, Melissa Eskue Ousley's Sign of the Throne is only Book One in the Solas Beir Trilogy because it's one of the books you don't want to put down, but you also don't want it to end. The story is all about Abby, a girl who didn't really think she was very special. When she dreams of a mysterious, handsome boy and then meets him in real life a few days later, things start to change in her life. She feels magically drawn to him and strange things start to happen. The couple she baby-sits for fortunately knows a few things about ghosts, spirits and other folklore, so they try to help Abby with making sense of what is happening around her. The boy, David, plays a more important role in the safety of the world - and an alternative world - than anybody could have imagined.

The characters Melissa Eskue Ousley created in Sign of the Throne are very well described and you immediately like or dislike them. I can see, however, how some readers might prefer either Jon or David over the other. It's a lovely story that shows how the decisions of individuals, even if it's just a little nixie, can make a difference for good or for bad. I definitely never got bored with the book and can recommend it to all people who love fantasy books that are page-turners. It has just the right mix of romance, action, tension and fantasy to make it a good read for all ages.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Everville: The Rise of Mallory by Roy Huff is the third book in the Everville series that will entertain readers with its adventure and drama. The journey continues where Owen Sage is victorious and he goes on undefeated, but his last battle in Everville gives rise to a new villain, Mallory. Owen Sage must now save all the species of Everville from this villain. Mallory uses the help of a powerful dragon this time to destroy the people. As Owen gets ready for a new battle in Everville, it exposes him to new creatures, true friendships and the discovery of new insights. With its whimsical creatures, well developed characters and adventures, this book is a gripping tale that will appeal to all sci-fi and fantasy lovers.

The introduction of a new race, the Alarians, and the two realms in the story make it unique and original. The book is fast paced with a lot of action and magical creatures to hold your attention. The style of writing is descriptive, yet concise and crisp. All the characters are well defined, making it easy for readers to connect with them better. The author deftly weaves in the sub-plots, twists, turns and characters into the main theme. With this kind of theme, the story is fluid and will not disappoint readers.

I liked everything about the book. It is original, action packed, whimsical, adventurous with some great characters and excellent writing. The different realms give the story many layers and keep readers entertained. It is a book that holds a lot of excitement and surprises for readers.

Reviewed by Bil Howard for Readers' Favorite

Being a faerie guardian has dominated Violet Fairdale’s thoughts and graduating from training at the top of her class is the most important part. All of that begins to fall apart the moment she lays eyes on the human, Nate, that for some reason has the ability to see her. Rachel Morgan unravels this intriguing tale of fantasy in The Faerie Guardian. Humans are not meant to be able to enter the world of the fae and the fact that Nate latched onto her and followed her through has threatened to end her run to finish at the top of her class. But once he kisses her and she begins to feel what’s like to have someone, finishing at the top begins to dim a little bit. Once she discovers that Nate is actually a Halfling, things begin to make more sense, but she has little time to ponder over it as a wicked faerie is trying to capture her and use her because of a special skill that she has. The same special skill can be used to help Nate find his faerie mother. Against her better judgment and ignoring the rules concerning guardians being underground, Violet sets in motion a series of events that begin to spin out of control. She suddenly finds herself facing a sinister plot that even her faerie magic and guardian training might not be able to handle.

Rachel Morgan has done an excellent job of luring the reader into the fantasy realms of Creepy Hollow in The Faerie Guardian. Drawing upon the deep emotions that motivate individuals to reach beyond themselves and to do things that are against the rules, Violet sets out on a dangerous path in pursuit of a deep love that she thinks will finally dispel her loneliness. The drive and tumult of her emotions are extremely realistic for a seventeen-year-old and the depth with which they are portrayed makes it impossible to put this book down. The action and intrigue keep the story moving and keep the pages turning. The exciting twists and mysterious turns make this a must-read. With plenty of magic to make it a fantasy and plenty of action to be a thriller, you won’t be able to put The Faerie Guardian down until you reach the very unexpected end.