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Messenger, Shannon
9 Reviews
(4)
4-6
Keeper of the Lost Cities series.
In book six, elf Sophie vows to rescue her human parents, who've been kidnapped by the Neverseen. But Sophie quickly realizes that it's equally important to discover the Neverseen's larger plan if she's going to finally defeat the villains for good. The plot unwinds slowly (over nearly 800 pages), but Sophie's fears and anxieties about her loved ones are portrayed realistically.
Reviewer: Lauren Chambers
(4)
YA
Sky Fall series.
After separations, setbacks, escapes, and brutal wind battles, teen windwalkers Vane and Audra (Let the Storm Break) face a final confrontation with the evil usurper, Raiden. Copious dialogue pads sparse action, making it difficult to distinguish between Vane's and Audra's alternating narration. Nonetheless, fans of the series' archetypal paranormal romance/adventure trajectory (and offbeat sensibility) will be satisfied with this conclusion.
Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald
(4)
4-6
Keeper of the Lost Cities series.
Sophie, having grown into her telepathic abilities, is trying to save the elven Lost Cities from the hostile Neverseen faction. She still doesn't understand why she is so important to the conflict; now, her friend Keefe is undercover with Sophie's crew. This overlong fifth book suffers from glacial plot development, but series fans will enjoy the minutiae of this immersive world and its many characters.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
(4)
4-6
Keeper of the Lost Cities series.
In trouble with the ruling elven Council for the events of Everblaze, Sophie and her friends flee to the insurgent group the Black Swan. The detailed world-building, a series strength, continues to expand, and the shifting dynamics of friendship, trust, and betrayal lend emotional heft to the sometimes overwhelming level of detail. Banter lightens the mood but also drags the pace.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
(4)
4-6
Keeper of the Lost Cities series.
Sophie, whose psychic talents are getting stronger, continues to probe the complexities and secrets of Elven society in this Harry Potter–esque mix of school drama and larger-than-life peril. Sophie and her friends are amiable, wise-cracking, and occasionally petty, drawing readers in, but uneven pacing and a large cast of vaguely defined secondary characters gum up the works of this hefty third book.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
(4)
YA
After discovering his royal windwalker lineage and learning the coveted language of the Westerly winds, Vane becomes the reluctant lynchpin in the Gales' battle against the megalomaniacal Raiden. Vane and his girlfriend/guardian sylph, Audra, face betrayals and heavy wind warfare as they prepare for a final showdown. Strong characterization and ample action sequences carry an otherwise plot-thin sequel to Let the Sky Fall.
Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald
(4)
YA
Long after a tornado kills his parents, seventeen-year-old Vane learns why he survived: he is a powerful sylph who can manipulate the winds. With help from his secretive but alluring female protector, Vane masters his skills in preparation for an epic wind battle. Both the mythology and the frantic plot lack sound structure, but Vane stands out as an affable, crush-worthy protagonist.
Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald
(4)
4-6
Keeper of the Lost Cities series.
Sophie continues to learn about her elven heritage and powers (including some disturbing ones) while struggling to clarify her connection to the rebel group Black Swan, which may have created her. Despite this installment's excessive length and inconsistent focus, Sophie's coming into her own as an unwitting "chosen one" is a compelling arc, set against a well-developed backdrop of social conflict.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
(3)
4-6
Twelve-year-old telepathic prodigy Sophie learns that she is actually an elf. Thrust into unfamiliar elven society, she investigates her origins and the deadly fires sweeping the human world. Combining a classic fish-out-of-water school story with copious fantastical hijinks, this debut novel presents its sympathetic protagonist with layered conflicts, a compelling yearning for home, and a fully realized alternate world to explore.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
9 reviews
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