Sarah Desson

Sarah Desson has a collection of stories, including This Lullaby, Someone like You, Dreamland, Lock and Key, and Just Listen. Her stories take real life incidents and weave them with romance, adventure, and heartbreak. The books she has written can relate to any girl or boy, keeping the reader hooked. She makes her readers see the world for its not so pleasant happenings, but how in every pool of darkness, there is a burning candle.

Stars: * * * * * 5/5

East

East, written by Edith Pattou, is a gripping novel about a young girl named Rose. Rose is told she was born to the East, yet she discovers that she was in truth born to the North. Feeling betrayed by her family for keeping this secret from her, she decides to leave with a large white bear who shows up on the doorstep one night. The bear promises health and wealth for Rose's family, if she goes away with him. Rose is taken to a large castle in the mountains, and every night finds a visitor who comes into her room and sleeps. Curious in nature, she decides to find out who the stranger is, not knowing that her mere curiosity could lead to utter unhappiness for the white bear. She tries to go and find him, trapped in the land that lays "east of the sun and west of the moon" with a troll queen. This is a mystical fantasy that explores the depths of imagination.

Stars: * * * * * 5/5

Kiki Strike

This is a fairly new series, written by Kirsten Miller. The two books published now are Inside the Shadow City and The Emperor's Tomb. These books are about a group of girls, all different in their own unique way. In the first book, they find an underground city with their leader, Kiki Strike. However, there is something very different about Kiki. While trying to keep their discovery a secret, one tries to uncover the truth about Kiki, but does she succeed? In the second book, one of the girls learns her father is the "bad guy" and yet still wants to live with him. Can the other girls save their friend before something bad happens? This book is full of action and adventure, a great read.

Stars: * * * * 4/5

Study Series

This new series, written by Maria V. Snyder, includes three books: Poison Study, Magic Study, and Fire Study. The series is through the eyes of the twenty year old Yelena, who was kidnapped as a child and taken to the land of Sitia. There she becomes a laboratory rat, tortured until finally she takes action. In the second book, she becomes the Commanders food taster to escape the noose, and falls in love with her instructor, Valek. In the last book, she must learn to control fire, or be hunted by the Fire Warper and killed. These books provide great imagery and intense story lines. Publisher's Weekly said Poison Study "is one of those rare books that will keep readers dreaming long after they've read it."

Star rating: * * * * * 5/5