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About the Book:

The highly anticipated sequel in the acclaimed Runestone Saga from New York Times bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima—with more adventure, mystery, and plot twists than ever before!

Reunited in New Jotunheim, Reginn, Eiric and Liv discover that they are game pieces being played on a hidden board. Eiric’s slaughter of the old council has opened Tyra’s path to power—she now has the perfect excuse to launch a war against the Archipelago. Tyra is also using her dottir, Liv, as a vehicle to raise a dangerous goddess. And Reginn is tasked with crossing the boundary between the living and the dead to gain access to powerful magical secrets.

With Reginn’s help, Eiric escapes prison and returns home to find his brodir and warn the Archipelago of the impending attack. Meanwhile, she remains at the Grove to try to prevent the outbreak of war. Soon, though, Reginn learns her true role in this game: use her power to raise the dead to ensure victory for New Jotunheim. The demon Asger Eldr tells her that she alone can prevent another Ragnarok. But how?

Back in the Archipelago, Eiric agrees to join the king’s forces, though that means taking up arms against his systir, Liv, and Reginn, the spinner who has ensnared his heart. For perhaps the first time in his life, he dreads the coming fight. 

As the two sides prepare for an apocalyptic battle, Eiric, Reginn, and Liv find allies and enemies in unexpected places and draw on new strengths as they seek to prevent the destruction of the last of the Nine Worlds.

*Review Contributed by Connie Reid, Site Manager*

Bane of Asgard returns, where readers are left off with characters from The Children of Ragnarok on the brink of war. Eiric is in prison with his mind being destroyed by Modir Tyra resulting in everyone thinking he is a crazy barbarian. Reginn with her unlikely plans succeeds in pulling off a ruse making everyone believe he is dead giving him time to escape. Liv, now Heidin, is sent through the fire again and is fully inhabited by the Volva witch of legend slowly taking over her mind and killing her body.

There are many surprises in this book. There is a 10-year time jump between Eimyrja and Muckleholm. This allows the plot to move along differently than expected. Eiric’s half-brother, Ivar, is no longer an infant, but an uncanny boy of ten who is unusually tall, strong, and learned. He also has no attachment to Eiric but is now the heir apparent to the kingdom where Rickhard is king. The inhabitants of Muckleholm are also now seasoned warriors no longer easy prey when Tyra’s spinners arrive.

Our knowledge of Grima evolves from the executioner of Eimyra to an undercover assassin with plans to take over Muckleholm for herself with all the gifted she has trapped and collared over the two years she has been “helping” in Rikhard’s court. Reginn’s character also evolves as she is forced to put her talents to use as the Aldrnari and raise the restless dead of the Joten killed at Ragnarok to serve Queen Heidin.

All these revelations and plot twists combine to make for a robust team of characters with solid backstories and motivations as the characters edge ever closer to a world-ending war. The characters come in and out of contact with each other. Alliances change as the circumstances keep evolving. At the center is Reginn, her wish to avoid a senseless war, and her unusual skills that can provide the power to see the outcome she wants.

Modir Tyra and Asger Eldr were the most surprising to me. Tyra was perched on the threshold of being a major player from the first book. However, she raises forces greater than herself with her dottir and Reginn and never gains the momentum she aims for. Asger is villainized in the first book and then suddenly is a loyal servant to Reginn with a surprising secret that is hinted at but not fully understood until the very end.

Overall, this epic high fantasy was complex and satisfying in its conclusion. The book never had the emotional connections between the characters that I expected. It was about the mystery and intrigue as the sides all came to power and were on a course to clash. I can see fans of Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, and Wheel of Time enjoying this YA duology as much as the teen readers.

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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About the Book:

Theater star Teddy McGuire is ready for all his dreams to come true. He and his best friend, Annie, have been counting down the days to the end-of-the-year drama club trip to New York City. To make it even more magical, if they can win the annual scavenger hunt, they’ll get a chance to meet their popstar idol, Benji Keaton.

But the universe has other plans: when Annie can’t go on the trip, Teddy is forced to room with tech crew loner Sebastian, who has no interest in the scavenger hunt—or Teddy—and seems to have a secret agenda of his own.

On a larger-than-life adventure across the city, the boys will discover a lot more than what’s on their checklist, including masquerade mishaps, obstacles of Jurassic proportions, Hollywood starlets, and, most surprisingly of all, sparks beginning to fly between them.

In a joyful romp from author Robby Weber about chasing your destiny, Teddy and Sebastian are about to learn the secret to making their own luck.

*Review Contributed by Adrien Guerra, Staff Reviewer*

What Is This Feeling? Teddy McGuire has had this end-of-year drama club trip to New York City all planned out with his best friend, Annie. What makes this trip even better is that if they win the annual scavenger hunt they might get the chance to meet Benji Keaton, their pop star idol. Unfortunately, Annie can’t go on their trip and Teddy has to room with Sebastian who isn’t interested in the scavenger hunt.  Sebastian seems to have no interest in Teddy as well and has a secret plan for this trip. Now the boys are on an adventure throughout the city as they complete items from the scavenger hunt and get mixed up in several other stunts. Will Teddy and Sebastian learn to be friends or maybe more? 

What I Liked: While this book is entertaining, some serious topics are discussed. This book discusses friendship, family, transitions, making difficult decisions, and more. I appreciated that we read through the various feelings that Teddy and Sebastian experience throughout this book as they deal with their situations. I appreciate the care that is taken when it comes to Teddy and Sebastian talking about the harder topics and how you can feel the shifts in tone and mood. 

I will admit that I was a bit weary when I first started reading this book because Teddy didn’t read like a senior in high school but a middle school student. I was also frustrated with Teddy’s antics and how he dramatizes everything. My opinion of this changed as he spoke more with Sebastian about having faith in things and believing in magic. 

I enjoyed learning more about Teddy and Sebastian through each of the challenges that the scavenger hunt has them on. The scavenger hunt added fun ways to walk you through New York City along with Teddy and Sebastian. I loved how the challenges they faced due to the scavenger hunt tasks led them on other adventures that felt like they were in a movie. 

Final Verdict: What Is This Feeling? is a fun book taking you throughout the city of New York on various adventures. Young adults will enjoy this book and relate to the fears that Teddy has about leaving high school but staying in his hometown and going to community college. If you enjoyed reading This Day Changes Everything then I highly suggest you pick this book up. 

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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About This Book:

A lively, joy-filled celebration of all the things that children love about Hanukkah! A fun counting element makes this book perfect for reading aloud.

This delightful book is a lively celebration of Hanukkah! Children will learn all about the exciting events that take place during this holiday, including lighting the menorah, going to the synagogue, playing dreidel, sharing a meal of latkes and jelly doughnuts, and receiving a small gift for each night of Hanukkah.

But the best part of the holiday is sharing time with family, friends, and loved ones. A fun counting element adds energy and makes this an ideal book to share aloud during story time.

Includes a glossary of words specific to Hanukkah along with a pronunciation guide.

*Review Contributed by Connie Reid, Site Manager*

10 Things I Love About Hanukkah enumerates fun reasons the family loves Hanukkah. Told from a young child’s perspective, vibrant illustrations invite the reader to keep turning the pages to see what else there is to love about the holiday. I appreciate the definitions in the back to ensure everyone understands the Hanukkah terms in the book. This is a fun way to learn more about the holiday or get excited if you follow these traditions. Overall, this is a fun book exploring the joyous traditions found in Hanukkah.

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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About This Book:

Lift the flaps of this stylish book and discover an array of the most awe-inspiring creatures to walk the earth: the dinosaurs.

With this offbeat pop-up book, internationally known illustrator Ingela Arrhenius introduces the youngest readers to sharp-toothed predators such as T. rex, frilly-necked beasts such as triceratops, spiky specimens such as stegosaurus, and many more dinosaurs, from long-necked plant-eaters to feathered, winged creatures that long predated birds. With minimal text and maximal graphic appeal, this interactive book features three flaps and one exciting pop-up on each spread.

*Review Contributed by Cherokee Crum, Blog Manager and Staff Reviewer*

Dinosaurs: A Pop-Up Book is a fun and interactive dino book, perfect for younger children!

Each page features a theme, category, or dinosaur type, with a pop-up dinosaur in the center, with other dinosaurs in various locations on the spread that fit said theme. Some of these dinosaurs are hidden under flaps, or it could be a dinosaur related fact, making for an adventure!

The illustrations are cartoonish and adorable. The color pallet is neutral, but bright, making plenty of eye catching scenes.

Dinosaurs: A Pop-Up Book makes a perfect addition to any pre-school library!

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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We are excited to share a giveaway for HOW TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS (David Kwong)!

Meet the Author: David Kwong

David Kwong is a magician and New York Times crossword puzzle constructor. He holds a degree in history from Harvard, where he studied the history of magicians. Kwong was the head magic consultant on the worldwide hit Now You See Me and is the secret code advisor on NBC’s Blindspot. Other films he has consulted on include Mission: Impossible—Rogue Nation, The Imitation Game, and The Magnificent Seven. A TED Talk favorite, Kwong regularly lectures and performs for companies worldwide. He lives in Los Angeles.

Website * Facebook * X * Instagram

About the Book: HOW TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS

Every kid can be a magician with these easy-to-learn, top-secret tricks from celebrity magician David Kwong! How to Fool Your Parents is the essential guide to the mysteries of magic, with more than two dozen illusions perfectly designed for young, aspiring tricksters, using everyday, household objects!

How to Fool Your Parents is the twenty-first-century guide to the magic of magic. Jam-packed with dozens of tricks, this guide features fully illustrated, easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions to make fooling anyone more fun than ever. Expect to become a master at:

• Sleight of hand
• Card tricks
• Cell phone and technology magic
• Using secret codes and signals
• AND MORE!

This is the first magic book for the digital generation, giving kids all the tools they need to create, explore, and experiment—whether they’re making magic with a deck of cards or on their smartphone. And it all comes from the master of the sleight-of-hand himself, David Kwong, whose one-man shows have been selling out theaters and delighting audiences for years.

Get ready to become a true trickster—and to leave your family and friends utterly astonished!

Order Link * Goodreads

Book’s Title: HOW TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS

Author: David Kwong

Illustrator: Michael Korfhage

Release Date: 10/8/24

Publisher: HarperCollins

ISBN-10: 0063140586

ISBN-13: 9780063140585

Genre: Nonfiction, Magic

Age Range: Middle Grade (8-12)

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS* 

One (1) winner will receive a copy of HOW TO FOOL YOUR PARENTS (David Kwong)~ US ONLY

*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*

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About This Book:

*Review Contributed by Sara Perrera, Staff Reviewer*

Every young adult needs to figure out their place in life, but for Lucie Hansen, it’s doubly hard as she tries to understand where she comes from. Lucie has grown up in a loving family, but in some ways, she has felt like she didn’t belong. Lucie’s mom had her through a sperm donor (or so she thought) and later went on to marry Lucie’s adopted dad. Lucie stands out from the rest of her family with dark skin and features that aren’t blonde and blue-eyed. Lucie’s desire to understand her identity leads her to take a DNA test that will change her life.

What I Liked: Lucie was a character I instantly liked. It was Amanda Addison’s skillful writing that made you understand Lucie’s struggle as a biracial person in a small white town, and as a reader, you are rooting for her to find her identity. Nav and Lucie’s friendship is what made this book so good. Nav just seems like a genuinely nice guy and he was supportive of Lucie and her quest to find out where she came from. There were a few twists and turns throughout the story and while I thought I knew what would happen with the DNA test results, I liked that it wasn’t what I predicted.

What Left Me Wanting More: The pacing of the story felt a bit rushed at the end. There was this slow buildup of when would Lucie get the DNA results and how these results would change her life. It seems as if everything happens so quickly towards the end of the book, from the DNA results to finding her family to learning her dad’s story. Having Lucie process all these changes in greater detail would have made the story feel complete.

The story is told from multiple perspectives, which can be interesting, but this felt overwhelming. While I enjoyed seeing Lucie and Nav’s reactions to the DNA results, was Lucie’s best friend’s perspective really necessary when she barely appeared in the book?

Looking for Lucie is a young adult book that readers will easily connect with as Lucie goes on a journey of self-discovery.

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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About This Book:

A girl raised by squirrels in Central Park tries to make human friends in this laugh-out-loud, highly illustrated first book in a new chapter book series perfect for fans of Sophie Mouse and Critter Club!

Cordelia is a girl who lives in a tree in Central Park. Found as a baby and raised by an adoring squirrel named Shakespeare, Cordelia acts just like any other young squirrel, leaping across treetops, chasing her squirrel friends, and sleeping in her treehouse. Still, she wonders what it would be like to have a human friend, and when she stumbles into a gymnastics class, it seems like she might have her chance.

Living in a tree might have made Cordelia an exceptional gymnast, but people skills are a whole other matter. Even if Cordelia can’t fully fit in with the other kids, can she at least make one friend? Cordelia starts her journey to be—not exactly a girl, but more than a squirrel—squirlish!

*Review Contributed by Sara Perrera, Staff Reviewer*

Squrilish The Girl in the Tree is the first book in author Ellen Potter’s “Squirlish” series. It focuses on a young girl named Cordelia who lives in Central Park with her squirrel friends. A squirrel named Shakespeare is the one who found Cordelia when she was a baby and acts as her adoptive father. When Cordelia enters the human world, she takes a gymnastics class where she shows off her agile skills learned from leaping from tree to tree. Though Cordelia excels at gymnastics she struggles to connect with the other children and leaves the gymnastics class feeling like she doesn’t fit in. Eventually, Cordelia forms a friendship with one of the boys she met in gymnastics class which shows her she can have the best of both worlds.

What I Liked: Cordelia is a delightful character. It’s entertaining to read Cordelia’s attempt at navigating a human world and how she views things. Readers will find Cordelia and her mishaps in the human world hilarious. I especially liked it when she tried to teach a friend how to speak to the squirrels. The illustrations add to the charm, capturing the whimsy of Cordelia’s world. New York City and Central Park are the settings for the story. Since I’ve lived in New York and visited Central Park, all the details in this book are meaningful to me.

Young readers just starting to explore chapter books on their own will find The Girl in the Tree engaging.

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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About This Book:

*Review Contributed by Karen Yingling, Staff Reviewer*

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Kalyn Josephson (Witchwood: A Ravenfall Novel)!

Meet the Author: Kalyn Josephson

Kalyn Josephson is a NYT Bestselling author who currently works as a Technical Writer in the tech industry, which leaves room for too many bad puns about technically being a writer. She currently lives in California with two black cats (who are more like a tiny dragon and an ever tinier owl). She is the author of the Ravenfall series, The Storm Crow duology, and the This Dark Descent duology.

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About the Book: Witchwood: A Ravenfall Novel

The third book in the “spellbinding” (Kirkus Reviews) Ravenfall series follows Anna and Colin, two kids with supernatural powers, into the magical town of Witchwood, where local witches have gone missing—and Anna might be next.

Everything is changing at Ravenfall, the magical inn that best friends Anna Ballinkay and Colin Pierce call home. The leaves are turning golden, the air is as crisp as a harvest apple, and Anna’s older twin sisters are leaving for college… but at least Anna and Colin have finally reunited after a summer apart, just in time for a new magical mission.

When their mission is interrupted by a mysterious attack that forces them to seek shelter, Anna and Colin head to Witchwood, a spooky lakeside town where magic doesn’t have to be hidden. Anna is excited to reunite with her aunt and cousin, who she hopes might teach her more about Jewish magic—except her cousin seems to hate her. Especially once Anna realizes that she’s a witch, just like them.

But rude cousins are the least of their problems, because they soon discover that witches are going missing in Witchwood. And if Anna and Colin can’t stop whatever sinister force is making them disappear, Anna could be the next target…

Amazon * B&N * Indiebound

~Author Chat~

YABC:  What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

My books always come together in pieces. The Ravenfall series is about a family of psychics who run a sentient inn at the crossroads of the human world and the Otherworld, and the people who come to them for help solving magical mysteries, all wrapped up in mythology and spooky holidays.

I grew up obsessed with Scooby-Doo and so always wanted to write my own magical mystery, and I wanted to write something about a big sprawling family. Tack on my love of the fall season and you get Ravenfall. Witchwood is the third book in the series, and expands on that big magical family, along with a new magical mystery to solve.

YABC: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

It’s just something I’ve always done, ever since I was a kid. It wasn’t until the end of college though that I decided I wanted to pursue publication. I had just read Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, and had that feeling of ‘I want to do that,’ which led me to start working on books!

YABC: What type of scene do you love to write the most?

Anything with an animal companion. I love giving animals—and in the case of Ravenfall, inanimate objects—as much personality and purpose in the story as I can. In these books, the scenes between Max the cat and the sentient house are my favorite, especially since Max isn’t all he seems to be!

YABC:  What word do you have trouble overusing?

Oh gosh, a lot. My characters do a lot of glancing, looking, and smiling in early drafts, and I have to go back and craft more intentional descriptors.

YABC: If your character could meet a character from another book, who would it be?

Max the cat would get along great with Res the crow from my YA series, THE STORM CROW. They would get into far too much trouble together.

YABC: What hobbies do you enjoy?

I’m a big baker!

YABC:  What fandom would you write for if you had time?

Probably something for Scooby Doo or Supernatural. Keep the spooky magical mysteries coming! I’d also love to do a Wings of Fire-style book for Spyro.

YABC: What is your favorite holiday or tradition and why?

I love Halloween, largely because I love the fall season, but also because I think the mythology behind it is really fascinating. Samhain, the holiday in Ravenfall, is the origin for Halloween as we know it today.

YABC:   What’s up next for you?

The fourth and final Ravenfall book, Ravenguard, is out fall 2025. After that, I have a new middle grade series coming out that I’ve been pitching as “if Wednesday Addams and Eeyore had to team up to with the Inheritance Games, but with magic” and my adult fantasy debut, The Library of Amorlin, about a con artist who has to infiltrate a magical library.

Book’s Title: Witchwood: A Ravenfall Novel

Author: Kalyn Josephson

Release Date: October 1, 2024

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy/Supernatural

Age Range: 10-13

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About the Book:

In the hidden desert city of Qalia, there is secret spice magic that awakens the affinities of those who drink the misra tea. Sixteen-year-old Imani has the affinity for iron and is able to wield a dagger like no other warrior. She has garnered the reputation as being the next great Shield for battling djinn, ghouls, and other monsters spreading across the sands. 

Her reputation has been overshadowed, however, by her brother, who tarnished the family name after it was revealed that he was stealing his nation’s coveted spice—a telltale sign of magical obsession. Soon after that, he disappeared, believed to have died beyond the Forbidden Wastes. Despite her brother’s betrayal, there isn’t a day that goes by when Imani doesn’t grieve him. 

But when Imani discovers signs that her brother may be alive and spreading the nation’s magic to outsiders, she makes a deal with the Council that she will find him and bring him back to Qalia, where he will face punishment. Accompanied by other Shields, including Taha, a powerful beastseer who can control the minds of falcons, she sets out on her mission. 

Imani will soon find that many secrets lie beyond the Forbidden Wastes—and in her own heart—but will she find her brother?

*Review Contributed by Connie Reid, Site Manager*

Spice Road is the first in a new trilogy. It features a well-developed lush magical world perfect for fans of Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir and Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton.

Imani comes from the esteemed Beya clan. She is a talented shield with many monster kills under her belt in service to Qalia. When she meets a Djinni named Qayne and learns from him that her brother, Atheer, is alive and a rebel in the forbidden world outside of the Sahir her world starts changing. She strong-arms the council to allow her to accompany Taha, Reza, and Fey through the dangerous passes to find him. What happens next is beyond her expectations and changes everything.

Taha is a complex but ultimately disappointing character. The book description hints at a romance between Imani and Taha, but he is unworthy of her. He is kind and romantic when alone but cruel and aloof when around others, yet she still wants a relationship with him. He betrays her multiple times and she is still pulled to him which feels like the plot is being forced there because I am not rooting for that relationship at all.

Imani believes Qayne is evil because he is a djinni but his character forces her to take a hard look at her actions and beliefs. She has the most character growth around him. There seems to be the possibility of a romantic relationship between them. His interactions with Atheer are the only time I doubted which sibling Qayne may have romantic possibilities. However, Atheer has a relationship with the Rebel leader, Ferida, so maybe Qayne and Imani will come closer in the next book after all.

Beyond the enticing character relationships, this story also brings about themes of colonization. This is a fictional world but has many parallels to historical events in our world. With real-world current wars and tensions this fictional world makes the reader question at what point would you stand back and watch atrocities and when would you intervene.

I used an audiobook for part of the book and the narrator was excellent. Her rich and musical accent perfectly complemented the persona of Imani. The next book Serpent Sea just came out and I am excited to dive back into the story and see what happens next.

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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