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308 pp.
| Sky Pony
| April, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-5107-1022-1$17.99
|
EbookISBN 978-1-5107-1027-6
(3)
YA
Myriad storytelling formats (narrative prose, documents, emails, etc.) are woven into an epic story about true love and reincarnation. Sixteen years after the events in The Next Together, Clove Sutcliffe searches for her missing relatives, Kate and Matt, who seem to appear and disappear throughout different eras. Blending historical fiction and sci-fi, Clove's quest through time is entertaining and absorbing.
233 pp.
| Scholastic
| October, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-0-545-52236-6$17.99
(3)
4-6
Magisterium series.
Illustrated by
Scott Fischer.
Callum Hunt is now known as the Enemy of Death, his body harboring the soul of Constantine Madden, an evil magician from a past generation. With everyone at the Magisterium living in fear of Call, his hero's journey now depends on controlling the powers within. This dark fourth volume leaves some questions unanswered but will keep series fans enthralled.
196 pp.
| Candlewick
| November, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7636-7938-5$15.99
(4)
4-6
An intriguing premise--a dead girl suddenly returns to life as a puppy--doesn't quite pan out. Daisy remembers her human existence even as she lives as dog "Ray," and she never adjusts to speechlessness, annoying people with incessant barking. The dogginess isn't very convincing (her senses of smell and hearing don't seem acute enough), but grief and other human emotions are well rendered.
(4)
YA
New girl Lily and classmate Cole share an eerie connection with two local teens who died in a supposed murder-suicide in 1987. Lily and Cole investigate and uncover dark family and town secrets. Despite some clichés, contrivances, and melodramatic romance, this thriller should attract readers with its complex social issues (including eating disorders and abuse), paranormal elements, surprising plot twist, and alternating narrators and time periods.
(4)
YA
For her entire life, Alina has been imprisoned for crimes her soul committed in a past life. When a group breaks her out for its own reasons, she must decide if investigating crimes of the past is worth risking her future. Slow pacing and plot holes aside, the question of whether a soul determines our actions will hook readers' interest.
(4)
4-6
In this fable-esque narrative, a spoiled American bully is reincarnated as a cat in the West Bank where she witnesses a conflict that unfolds when two Israeli soldiers occupy a presumed-empty Palestinian house in which a little boy hides. Flashbacks to the cat's human life distract from the compelling, provocative central plot. The thoughtful exploration of an untenable situation provides ample discussion fodder.
314 pp.
| Algonquin
| March, 2014
|
TradeISBN 978-1-61620-256-9$17.95
(3)
YA
Francesca, who blames herself for her younger brother Simon's drowning death four years ago, becomes a mother's helper for four-year-old boy Frankie, who she believes may be Simon's reincarnation. This possibility is ultimately not resolved--Polisner poignantly focuses instead on Francesca's emotional development and her need for connection with others, including her still-grieving parents and the best friend whose boyfriend she covets.
330 pp.
| Scholastic/Levine
| November, 2013
|
TradeISBN 978-0-545-38518-3$16.99
(4)
4-6
Ash's (The Savage Fortress) efforts at normalcy are quickly dropped as he returns to India, this time to fight an evil lord. But he cannot deny the excitement and increasing savagery that are in his own body (no longer human, after his rebirth as a living weapon of Kali). Thrilling fight scenes and intriguing cultural references compete with flat dialogue and an overly complex plot.
326 pp.
| Simon
| November, 2013
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4424-5037-0$16.99
(4)
YA
Ashline Wilde (Wildefire; Embers & Echoes), teen reincarnation of a Polynesian volcano goddess, teams up with her fellow demigods to stop her ex, Colt, from merging Ash and her two sisters into a single consciousness. A mash-up of the supernatural and mythological, the trilogy's final volume covers no new ground but provides a satisfying (if predictable) conclusion.
140 pp.
| Viking
| October, 2013
|
TradeISBN 978-0-670-01406-4$16.99
(2)
4-6
Illustrated by
Sophie Blackall.
Thanks to a stem-cell transplant from a cat, Alexander has nine lives; he can jump off the Empire State Building, try his hand at bullfighting, etc. As in all cautionary tales, the magic gift has its problems. The plot is slow to get rolling, but sophisticated readers will enjoy the puns, anagrams, and good-natured satire. Blackall's illustrations are droll and cheerily gruesome.
Reviewer: Sarah Ellis
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2013
408 pp.
| HarperCollins/Tegen
| February, 2013
|
TradeISBN 978-0-06-206078-5$17.99
(3)
YA
The prejudice "newsoul" Ana (Infatuate) faces in her society of reincarnated souls escalates to violence. She and her love, Sam, investigate the connection between reincarnation and an ominous deity. Though deeply insecure Ana is often angsty, the strength she finds in Sam, her love of music, and her determination to protect other newsouls helps to balance out her narration.
469 pp.
| HarperCollins/Tegen
| February, 2013
|
TradeISBN 978-0-06-200239-6$17.99
(4)
YA
Angelfire series.
Ellie, the human incarnation of the archangel Gabriel, tracks down a celestial weapon capable of defeating the fallen angel of death. However, she must give up her humanity--including her love for Guardian Will--in order to wield it. Ellie's darker, less-flippant side is somewhat refreshing. The romance (bland and frustratingly on-again, off-again through all three volumes) solidifies briefly in this trilogy ender.
328 pp.
| Walker
| June, 2013
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8027-2371-0$17.99
(3)
YA
While struggling to master her growing Akhet abilities (remembering past lives), Cole must navigate a love triangle that spans centuries and also uncover the villain threatening her family, friends, and possibly the entire world. In this intricate sequel to Transcendence, Omololu hits Cole with tough choices but allows her to make decisions that result in a surprisingly relatable teenage character.
(1)
YA
Sedgwick takes us backwards through time in seven short stories set on a remote island. Each begins with love and ends with death--of young lovers, parents and children, or brothers and sisters. It's only in reading through all seven that we begin to understand the ritual that brings bloody death and forbidden love to "Blessed Island." Sedgwick's prose is taut, careful, and chilling.
Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2013
376 pp.
| HarperCollins/Tegen
| February, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-06-206075-4$17.99
(3)
YA
Outcast Ana, eighteen, is the only new soul born into a society where the same million souls have been reincarnated for millennia. On her way to the capital for a fresh start, Ana meets musician Sam, who alone treats her with kindness. Researching Ana's origins brings danger to the pair. The unusual premise provides a strong backdrop to the suspense and sexy romance.
519 pp.
| HarperCollins/Tegen
| February, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-06-200236-5$17.99
(4)
YA
Angelfire series.
High school senior Ellie (Angelfire), the human incarnation of archangel Gabriel, fights demonic creatures. She and her Guardian, Will, race to prevent the demon queen Lilith from returning to Earth; the pair's enemies use their love for each other against them. Though there's more action and higher stakes than in the previous volume, Ellie and Will's vacillation about their relationship grows tiresome.
228 pp.
| Walker
| June, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8027-2370-3$16.99
(3)
YA
On a family trip to London, cello prodigy Cole discovers her status as an Akhet, people who remember their past lives--and use the wisdom they've gathered for good. Griffon enters her life to protect her from a rogue Akhet but finds love gets in his way. In this skillful mix of past-life flashbacks and present-day narrative, Omololu leads readers through many unexpected twists.
341 pp.
| Simon Pulse
| October, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4424-4002-9$16.99
(4)
YA
Seventeen-year-old Elliot has died for the third time and is stuck in Obmil, an in-between afterlife world, trying to ascertain what she needs to learn before she can move on. But a love triangle with two brothers there complicates her path to redemption. Characterizations and relationships are underdeveloped, but Sabatini's vivid descriptions make this land of the dead come alive.
48 pp.
| Enslow
| October, 2011
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-7660-3818-9$23.93 New ed. (1993)
(4)
4-6
Investigating the Unknown series.
With brief nods to science and skepticism, these updated editions (with slightly different titles) investigate paranormal abilities with a largely uncritical eye. Recorded experiences are scattered throughout the chapters to pique readers' interest. Most titles include suggestions for experiments. Archival photographs and reproductions along with stylistically inconsistent cartoons accompany the slim texts, which may appeal to reluctant readers. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Investigating the Unknown titles: Amazing Out-of-Body Experiences, Astonishing Mind Powers, Discovering Past Lives, The Mysterious Secrets of Dreams, The Mystery of Fortune-Telling, and Sensing the Unknown.
(3)
YA
Jay turns Shakespeare's play on its head in this contemporary paranormal romance. Romeo and Juliet are revealed to be mystical spirits--and immortal enemies--doomed to eternal conflict as each is repeatedly reincarnated. As their struggle plays out, the characters discover they can make different decisions about forbidden love and self-sacrifice, all in a swoon-worthy manner.