(3) YA Translated by Anthea Bell. Rosa (Arcadia Awakens; Arcadia Burns) and Alessandro are the heads of their Sicilian Mafia families. But when they are framed for a judge's murder and almost kidnapped, they must uncover an ancient plot and the secret of their shapeshifting powers to stay alive. Multiple twists and turns bring the supernatural-thriller trilogy's many elements together in a satisfyingly tense climax.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(3) YA Translated by Anthea Bell. Now the head of a Sicilian shape-shifting Mafia family, eighteen-year-old Rosa (Arcadia Awakens) has to contend with rivals who want to kill or manipulate her. And dating the head of her family's rival clan doesn't make things easier. A shrewd narrator and a focus on entertaining action and romance help balance out the more emotional undercurrents of secrecy and violence.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(3) YA Translated by Anthea Bell. Seventeen-year-old New Yorker Rosa moves to Sicily to start over. When she falls for the heir of a rival Mob family, she learns that the Mafia is hiding stranger and deadlier secrets than just organized crime. In this supernatural romance, Rosa's dark and damaged voice aptly navigates the troubled waters of love and family where everyone has a secret agenda.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(4) YA Dark Reflections Trilogy series. Translated by Elizabeth D. Crawford. Merle and her allies (including romantic interest Serafin) take the final, fearful steps necessary to save their beloved Venice from the marauding Egyptian Empire. Dual story lines sap tension, and attempts to connect the many plot strands of the previous books can be convoluted, but Merle and Serafin's reunion reinvigorates the narrative, propelling the inventive trilogy to a bittersweet end.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(4) YA Wave Walkers series. Translated by Elizabeth D. Crawford. This third and final title in the series follows magical "polliwog" Jolly and her pirate friends as they fight against the ancient Maelstrom that has been threatening humankind. Populated with unique magical creatures, the story overflows with imagination. The fantastical elements are dulled, though, by some overly long, plot-interrupting battle sequences.

Reviewer: Lauren Maggio

(4) YA Wave Walkers series. Translated by Elizabeth D. Crawford. This second installment reconnects with Jolly, the water-walking "polliwog" whose ancient powers now extend below the water's surface. With her new ability comes the responsibility of saving humanity from the terrifying Maelstrom--a challenge Jolly isn't necessarily ready to accept. Though the prose could be tighter, the story's fantastical elements and original characters make the book imaginative and entertaining.

Reviewer: Lauren Maggio

(4) YA Dark Reflections Trilogy series. Translated by Elizabeth D. Crawford. With Venice overtaken by the Egyptian empire, orphan Merle escapes with a stone lion and a disembodied goddess to seek help from the ruler of Hell. Meanwhile, Merle's best friend Serafin joins a sphinx's plot to overthrow the Pharaoh. The alternation of narratives leaches tension from the near-constant action, but Meyer's strong characters effectively ground his deeply complex plot.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross