(4) YA Jack guards the crossroad between the ordinary world and the Otherworld, but his fondness for young witch Ember leads to irresponsibility. When Ember slips into the Otherworld in the company of a debonair vampire, Jack chases after her. Barton effectively mixes fantasy and steampunk to generate a story about friendship, family, love, and reunion, the whole powered more by wit than by narrative tension.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) YA Reawakened series. In this trilogy-ender, Lily wakes up on her grandmother's farm, her Afterlife adventures all but forgotten. With Dr. Hassan's help, Lily remembers she must fulfill her destiny of becoming the goddess Wasret and defeating the wicked Seth. With multiple consciousnesses inhabiting Lily's body (she's now also part-lion, part-fairy), uninitiated readers may become confused; those familiar with the series should appreciate the twists and turns.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) YA Reawakened series. After their tragic separation, Egyptian prince Amon (Reawakened) exiles himself to the netherworld, while modern-day seventeen-year-old Lily seeks haven for her broken heart at her grandmother's farm. Having nightmares of Amon's pain, Lily merges with lioness Tia and embarks on a dangerous quest to find Amon. Houck intriguingly twines modern life and Egyptian mythology, but Lily/Tia's jumbled, unreliable perspective may confuse readers.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) YA Expecting a quiet afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, sheltered seventeen-year-old Lilliana Young finds herself bound to an awakened mummy, the reincarnated form of Egyptian Prince Amon. She must help him find his brothers and save the world from the dark god Seth. Houck's fast-paced tale twines modern adventure and Egyptian mythology into a somewhat predictable forbidden romance.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) YA Kelsey (Tiger's Curse; Tiger's Quest) must confront five dragons to attain a treasure that will protect the one she loves. Readers will be gripped by the international myths woven throughout and the taut love triangle that emerges amidst high-stakes adventure. Though burdened by overwriting, this third installment is compulsively readable.

Reviewer: Natasha Gilmore

(4) YA In their fourth adventure, Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan return to locate the goddess Durga's Rope of Fire. Facing an array of challenges, including being kidnapped by sorcerer Lokesh, Kelsey must break the Tiger's curse before the trio can fulfill their destinies. Even for fantasy, this series finale strains credulity, but Houck's mixture of mythology, adventure, and a juicy love triangle is entertaining.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) YA Working at the circus for the summer, seventeen-year-old Kelsey finds herself drawn to a white tiger, who is actually a cursed ancient Indian prince. Despite clunky dialogue and implausible events, these first two volumes in a projected series (originally self-published) manage to work in an engrossing mix of Indian mythology, adventure, and romance. Review covers these titles: Tiger's Curse and Tiger's Quest.

Reviewer: Natasha Gilmore

(4) YA Working at the circus for the summer, seventeen-year-old Kelsey finds herself drawn to a white tiger, who is actually a cursed ancient Indian prince. Despite clunky dialogue and implausible events, these first two volumes in a projected series (originally self-published) manage to work in an engrossing mix of Indian mythology, adventure, and romance. Review covers these titles: Tiger's Curse and Tiger's Quest.

Reviewer: Natasha Gilmore