(1) YA In this electrifying re-visioning of Shelley's classic horror tale, Victor Frankenstein considers helpmate Elizabeth his property, and obsesses over the re-animation of body parts to achieve his ultimate goal of keeping Elizabeth and himself alive forever. The crisp, clean prose has a definite Gothic flavor; captivated readers will avidly plumb this novel's "dark and hellish" depths in the company of the complicated and compelling narrator/protagonist Elizabeth Frankenstein.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(3) YA Lada (And I Darken; Now I Rise) has finally claimed the Wallachian throne. Now she must defend her crown and her country's borders from threats of all kinds, including the good intentions of her brother, Radu. With the series' hallmarks--a fifteenth-century setting evoked with copious historical and sensory detail and two diametrically opposed yet equally compelling protagonists--in full force, this volume brings the saga to a satisfying close.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Karl Kwasny. One stepmother works hard to keep all her stepchildren safe as danger spreads across the kingdom in this mock-horror-themed collection of fractured fairy tales. White's satirical omniscient narrator keeps the tone light as familiar characters' stories are upended (e.g., Snow White is a vampire, Cinderella is an arsonist). Nursery-rhyme parodies introduce each chapter, while black-and-white spot illustrations reinforce the narrative.

Reviewer: Janet Daniels

(3) YA Warrior Lada Dracul (And I Darken) sets out to take the Wallachian throne; her brother Radu stays behind and serves young sultan Mehmed as a spy in Constantinople. Both examine their shifting loyalties and secret motivations as they commit terrible acts in the name of a greater good. Love in many forms brings the siblings pain as well as grace in this evocative historical epic. Glos.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) YA Lada and brother Radu, Wallachian hostages in the Ottoman court, befriend the sultan's son, Mehmed. As the three become embroiled in political intrigue, their characters and dynamics are complicated and deepened by a love triangle and the solace Radu finds in Islam. Brutally determined, fiercely protective warrior-girl Lada--White's imagining of a young, female Vlad the Impaler--is perhaps historically implausible, but utterly compelling. Glos.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) YA Illustrated by Jim Di Bartolo. Prose alternates with long stretches of illustrated pages in this historical fantasy set in Maine centering on five teens at a resort boardinghouse. Witches, demons, and the undead vie for attention with family curses and budding romances. The vibrant but uneven illustrations at first seem extraneous to the story, but persistent readers will discover they're all part of the puzzle.

Reviewer: April Mazza

(3) YA Jessamin, an "island rat" of mixed heritage from sunny Melei, is a second-class citizen in dreary Albion, where she works and attends school. But after she meets the enchanting Lord Finn, she becomes embroiled in a world of magical birds, kidnappings, rival sorcerers, and national politics. White's novel is a zippy, entertaining concoction anchored by two likable romantic leads.

Reviewer: Amy Bennett-Zendzian

(4) YA Though separated, Annie and Fia (Mind Games) simultaneously plot to destroy the Keane Foundation, which has been recruiting, exploiting, and even killing psychically talented girls like themselves. The structure--two sisters alternating narration on different timelines--can be confusing at times. Annie, blind and lacking much agency in the first installment, (refreshingly) plays a much more significant role.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) YA Supernaturally gifted sisters Fia and Annie are held against their will, coerced into violence and espionage. Then Fia meets Adam and defies her assignment to kill him, setting off a chain of events that may free the sisters--if they survive. The nonlinear structure with alternating perspectives gradually reveals dark secrets. Fia's unusual ability (and her desperation) makes her a compelling heroine.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) YA Ominous dreams prompt Egyptian goddess Isis to send Isadora (her modern-day human daughter) to safety in California. Isadora meets gorgeous Orion while designing an ancient Egyptian exhibit; attempted thefts of the artifacts suggest she may not be out of harm's way. Isadora's interactions with her immortal family border on childish, but satisfying romance and light suspense wholly make up for flaws in characterization.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) YA Paranormals ask Evie (Paranormalcy; Supernaturally) to help them return to their realm. When the dark faerie court holds Evie's boyfriend hostage to prevent her from opening the portal, Evie must take on the Dark Queen herself to rescue (and then de-curse) him. Evie's struggles with issues of identity, morality, and love provide satisfying counterbalance to supernatural action and clever banter in this trilogy-ender.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) YA Evie (Paranormalcy) reluctantly reestablishes ties with the International Paranormal Containment Agency, resuming "bag and tag" missions despite danger and her (paranormal) boyfriend's misgivings. Faerie Reth and Jack, a human raised by faeries, reveal the brewing tensions between the two Faerie Courts and the implications of Evie's own supernatural abilities. Spunky, straightforward Evie nicely balances the inscrutable realm of Faerie and its inhabitants.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) YA Evie's ability to see through "glamours" makes her a valuable asset to the International Paranormal Containment Agency. When Lend, a shape-shifter, breaks into the IPCA looking for information about murdered paranormals, the two uncover the truth behind the murders and Evie's own supernatural origins. An inspired villain strengthens a cast of engaging characters and emphasizes the ambiguity of good and evil.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher