Publisher’s Summary:
“Eff is an unlucky thirteenth child – her twin brother, Lan, is a powerful seventh son of a seventh son. And yet, Eff is the one who saved the day for the settlements west of the Great Barrier. Her unique ways of doing magic and seeing the world, and her fascination with the magical creatures and land in the Great Plains push Eff to work toward joining an expedition heading west. But things are changing on the frontier.There are new professors of magic for Eff and Lan to learn to work with. There’s tension between William and his father. And there are new threats on the frontier and at home. To help, Eff must travel beyond the Barrier, and come to terms with her magical abilities–and those of her brother, to stop the newest threat encroaching on the settlers.”
Across the Great Barrier is the sequel to Wrede’s Thirteenth Child, a quiet, leisurely fantasy, and one that I enjoyed for Eff’s earnest narration. I look forward to catching up with Eff as the next chapter in her life begins. Release date: August 1, 2011.
Publisher’s Summary:
“What if magic took over everything in its path? This is the fate of the old Hardbattle Bookshop. Magic has settled in every corner and brought chaos to Mr. Hardbattle’s life, driving away all of his customers. Then one day, just when Mr. Hardbattle’s had enough, a young boy named Arthur stumbles in. And soon Mr. Hardbattle, Arthur, and the lovable Miss Quint are banding together to reclaim the shop. A new home for magic must be found . . .”
How sweet does Magical Mischief sound? And look? That cover is so alluring; I want to step through the door, soak up all that wonderful light, and settle in with an obscure leather-bound book. Release date: July 19, 2011.
Though I tried to track one down, a summary does not appear to be in the cards quite yet for The Wizard of Dark Street by Shawn Thomas Odyssey. From what I gathered, it’s going to have a mystery element paired with the fantasy, and features “Oona Crate, the twelve-year-old magical detective at the center of it all.” (Source: author’s blog.) Regardless, I very much like the feel of this cover and would be predisposed to pick it up based on that alone. Release date: July 26, 2011.
