Fantasy Round Up

Bennett, Jenn. Grumbones
August 1, 2023 by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers 
Copy provided by Edelweiss Plus

Helena Novak lives in the misty seaside town of Forlorn, where her classmates are cruel and call her "Haunted Helena". Her father is a salvage diver, and her mother drives their tugboat, but her grandmother Babi has some dealings with the supernatural, which made her slightly suspect. She was Helena's favorite person, though, and since her death, Helena has been unhappy. She was sure she would be able to talk to her grandmother the way her grandmother talked to her late husband, who was killed fighting in Vietnam. Using a memento and a phrase, Morana was able to talk to her husband, but Helena hasn't had any luck. She's spent time with her friend Ben in the local cemetery, where Ms. Neja gives tours and runs a gift shop, but she still can't contact her grandmother. When some mementos are taken from Babi's grave site, Helena investigates and tries to get them back, but ends up traveling into Hereafter. Her grandmother is there, but off in the city, and there are various runmors about her dealings with the Rime Queen, who is terrorizing the place. There is danger at every turn, especially from ravenous Nightmares and vultures, but Helena and Ben are lucky enough to find a guide, Grumbones, who is willing to work for a good review. He helps them make their way across the city, gives them tips on fighting the various forces of evil, and sheds some light on Babi's background. Will Helena be able to finally speak to her much beloved Babi and return to Forlorn, or will she and Ben get stuck in the troubled underworld of Hereafter?
Strengths: Helena's desire to connect with her recently deceased Babi was a little bit like Yardley's in Grant's A Green Velvet Secret, but instead of being based in the real world, the story slips into a classic fantasy adventure. Babi's past is fascinating, and there are lots of secrets that Helena didn't know about her family. Grumbones is a great guide, and there's quite a twist about his identity that I don't want to ruin. This mix of elements made for a fresh, new type of story with unusual characters. 
Weaknesses: If there are so many ghosts in Forlorn, it didn't make a lot of sense for Helena's classmates to be as mean to her as they were, even if she did hang out a lot in the cemetery. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like their fantasy books to have a darker feel to them, like Gale's The Wizard's Dog mixed with Snicket's All the Wrong Questions series with a little of Gordon and Williams' Tunnels thrown in. It definitely felt more like a fantasy adventure title than a spooky/horror title. 

Burgis, Stephanie. The Raven Throne (The Raven Heir #2)

August 8, 2023 by Bloomsbury Children's Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Cordelia and her family have moved from the wilderness to the castle after Cordelia magically mended the broken Raven Crown and she became queen in The Raven Heir. While Cordelia hopes to unify the kingdom and restore peace, not everyone in the land of Corvenne thinks this is a good idea. Life in a castle is an adjustment for the wild triplets; Giles still wants to be a bard and sings when no one can hear him, and he tries to dress and act the part of a royal. Rosalind, however, is tired of dealing with Lady Fauvre who is supposed to help her but is constantly sniping at her and making her feel bad. All she wants to do is train, wear clothes that she can move in, and keep Cordelia safe. When Cordelia twice falls under a magic spell that threatens her life, everyone is concerned. When two of the squabbling factions spill blood in the archive, a centuries old pact is dissolved, and Cordelia and her siblings, along with former nemesis Edmund, must travel to the Raven's Nest to make things right. Will they be able to appease the ancient spirit that has been slepping below the archives, identify the traitor who has caused problems, and continue to rule Corvenne?
Strengths: Young readers who want to defy authority and save the world will love Rosalind's spark and Cordelia's fearless determination to keep her kingdom peaceful. Giles was probably my favorite character, although Cordelia's mother made me happy as well. There are plenty of villains who get their comeuppance, and enough medieval adventure that fans of John Flanagan's The Ranger's Apprentice might want to pick this up. 
Weaknesses: Cordelia didn't shape shift as much in this; if she did, I blanked it out. That was one of the best parts of the first book, but maybe I missed a reason that she didn't shift anymore. I was not in the mood for a fantasy book, and struggle with them at the best of times, so I strongly suspect that this is a me problem and not a book problem. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want a medieval action adventure fantasy but don't want a huge long book. I imagine that this will be a three book set, and I am curious to see what future volumes bring. Hand to fans of Sarah Beth Durst's work, Pierce's Alanna, The First Adventure, Oh's The Dragon Egg Princess, or Benko's Unicorn Quest series. 

Parker, Natalie C. The Nameless Witch (Devouring Wolf #2)

August 8, 2023 by Razorbill

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Riley Callahan is back after she and her friends came into their werewolf heritage in The Devouring Wolf. This time, her pack is trying to learn to work together, but Riley befriends Ter, a young witch who is on the run. She's not a bad witch; she even tells them NOT to give her their names, but she is next in line to become the Namelss Witch, which doesn't bode well for the wolves, since witches are fond of killing them and using their bones for magic. Riley feels sorry for Ter, so agrees to help, and does not tell her moms about finding her. Contacting the Free Witches in the area who might not be as determined to imprison Ter in this role doesn't go particularly well, and Riley worries that she and her pack won't be able to save Ter. They try to remove her magic through a group spell that goes wrong; they then have to involve the grownups to help them finish things ups. 

I really liked the first book in the series, and normally like the whole "all witches aren't entirely evil" trope (think John Delaney's delicious Tom and Alice back and forth in The Last Apprentice series), but I didn't care for this one as much-- maybe the children hiding things from parents but then having to go to them? When children hide things, they usually solve them successfully on their own, at least in books! I do think my readers will like this one; middle school students like fantasy novels because they think magic might still be possible, and the idea that they themselves could possibly be werewolves or witches will have some appeal. 

Chadda, Sarwat. The Fury of the Dragon Goddess (Adventures of Sik Aziz #2)
August 1, 2023 by Disney Hyperion
E ARC provided by Netgalley

Sequel to City of the Plague God. I was hoping that the first book would not be in a series. This was fine, and I enjoyed the Gilgamesh connection to Mesopotamian mythology. Lots of action, and Sik was a great character.

Again, I'd love to see some of these culturally connected fantasies that aren't quite this long. I have a lot of readers would would pick up fantasy books if they didn't have to read quite so much to get the whole story.