What We’re Reading

The Hour of the Cobra | Maiya Williams

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The second installment of the Golden Hour series, this is a much heftier story than its predecessor. Beginning with a short summarization for those might have missed the first trip to Owatannauk, Maine, there’s little slowing down once the adventure begins.

Xanthe, home without her twin for once, is busily beating herself up for having done so poorly in the contest that won Xavier the trip he’s currently off on. When her mother suggests studying to take her mind off it, Xanthe heads to the porch to do some math. Not long after she discovers something struggling in their pond. A something who happens to be he dearest friend, Rowan Popplewell.

Coming to visit with exciting news, Rowan miscalculated a bit and landed his alleviator (time machine) in the middle of the pond. The news: Aunts Agatha and Gertrude want their assistance with a special project. Collecting the goods sold in their curio shop. More specifically, obtaining rare manuscripts from Ancient Egypt.

No sooner has Rowan shared the news and headed back in the alleviator, Xanthe’s Nana calls wanting her to come visit.

Arriving to find a very different Nina than she met the previous summer, Xanthe is excited. Not only to go to Egypt, but to go without her brother. In fact, she’s a little too wrapped up in having something he won’t.

When Xavier later shows up in Alexandria to join the rest of them, Xanthe feels personally slighted. Her anger, and the unlikely chance of stepping out of an alleviator right in front of Cleopatra, lead her down a treacherous road, with dire consequences. Uncertain if they pull it off, the four children band together to return to the past, repair history, and restore the natural order of the universe.

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The Black Ground, Book 2: The Black Room | Gillian Cross

Rating:

This is definitely a series where you need to read the first book.

We pick up just after Robert has returned to himself–an event which has changed his relationship with his sister, and his best friend.
Live in the cave is a strong memory to him, and he and Emma make regular trips to bring food and supplies to its occupants. While happy to be home, Robert can’t forget about those he left behind. Especially Lorn.

His obsession and change in personality lead Tom, who can’t understand this Robert, to confront him. Which in turn leads Robert to tell him the truth–and then drag him home to Emma for confirmation. Tom can’t get his mind around it regardless.

But when they suddenly think they may have stumbled upon the actual Lorn, reality takes and even stranger turn than what Tom considers Robert’s fantasy.

After a lot of planning and arguing, it’s Tom who comes out with more courage of his convictions and sees to it that Robert doesn’t back down on trying to return Lorn to herself.

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Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony | Eoin Colfer

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Having saved the world, and more than once, Artemis has found his return to the “simple” life to be rather dull. So when he gets wind of demon materializations, and realizes, quite by accident, that the calculations are wrong and that the world may be about to end yet again…of course he can’t stay away.

After an accidental and short journey through time with a demon, Artemis becomes determined to try to solve the issue of the island of Hybras, suspended in time by a decaying spell. His plans become complicated when he realizes another child genius also knows about the demons–and that their goals are not at all the same.

The two become embroiled in a strategic war, Minerva wanting a Nobel Prize, ARtemis wanting to come up with a plan to save the demon species, with minimal impact to Earth. Neither gets precisely what they wanted, as all plans go awry–and with rather dire consequences–not the least of which is Artemis and Holly’s unexpected trip to Hybras just in time to see it begin to disintegrate.

Will they be able save the island and make it back home?

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Grand & Humble | Brent Hartinger

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Harlan is the boy with the perfect life, and lately it’s become unbearable. Manny is the Geek with few friends and bad dreams, and lately he’s been getting very little sleep.

Harlan’s cover is starting to fail. His girlfriend is getting to him. He doesn’t talk to his best friend. And after an incident with a Ouija board at a party, the whole school clues in to his unease.

Manny’s cover is also starting to fail. He can’t see straight. He zones out on his best friend, which is worse than usual as she’s Deaf, and can’t talk to him if he’s not paying attention.

Harlan wants to be able to make up his own mind, to follow his own will, to stand up to his mother and not fear the consequences. Manny wants to know why he keeps dreaming of large things smashing into him, and why his dad freaked out when he finally told him about one of the dreams.

At the center of their stories lies the intersection of Grand & Humble, where more than just streets coincide.

Great book. Be prepared for your brain to tie itself in a knot.

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Magic Lessons | Justine Larbalestier

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Reason Cansino has been magic her whole life, but she’s only know magic was real for 8 days. In that time she’s moved into Sydney to live with her evil grandmother, her mother’s been committed to a “Loony Bin,” and she’s stepped through a door only to wind up on the other side of the world, in New York City.

And if that’s not bad enough, she gets taken in by stories, only to end up in the clutches of her evil Grandfather, who’s worse than her Grandmother, who has to come through the door after her to save her.

Once back on the other side, in Sydney, there’s a lot to think about. Like how magic means insanity or dying young. Whether to accept lessons from a woman she doesn’t trust. The desire to find a way to change things, so that magic doesn’t have to be a curse. But it seems there’s no time for any of that, as the door begins to take on a life of its own, warping, making horrible noises, spitting out weird little creatures who attack the inhabitants of the house, and eventually, sucking Reason straight through.

Back in New York, Reason is the only one who can actually see what’s happening to the door. Which is an impossibly old, and very magic, man, is trying to get through. But she doesn’t know why, or whose side he’s on. With the help of Jay-Tee’s non-magical brother Danny, she investigates on her side, while Jay-Tee, Tom and her Grandmother, Esmerelda, investigate and keep watch on the door from theirs.

Who is this strange half-phantom, half-man? How can he be so old and yet so strong? How can he be related to Reason, Esmerelda, and her Grandfather too? What is the magic he’s given each of them? Will it help Reason to find a way to save them all?

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