The Deep

HarperCollins Children's recently sent me The Deep by Helen Dunmore to review. This book happens to be the third in a series about the magical and mysterious underwater world of Ingo. Not having read the first two books prior to beginning The Deep, I must admit that I started out a little confused as to what was going on and with whom. However, the story soon captivated me and I was swept away.

The book takes you on a journey with Sapphire, a girl that is mixed with both Mer and human blood. She does not truly fit into either world and yet she must adapt to this new life of not belonging and the internal struggle that it causes. But when the Mer people's lives depend on her, she does everything she can to save them.

Sapphire and her friends show us that it is okay to be different. That sometimes our differences are what make us so special that we can do things that others can not. I applaud Dunmore for not only writing such a captivating story, but also for addressing issues that are everywhere today and showing how they can be dealt with and accepted.

The Magic Thief: Lost

Connwaer is back in the second installment of Sarah Prineas' trilogy, The Magic Thief: Lost. In the first book Conn sacrifices his locus magicalicus to save the city of Wellmet and the magic that lives there. Now, without his locus stone the magisters feel there is no reason for him to continue on as Nevery's apprentice. But the magic has other plans for Conn when it begins to be drained yet again and people begin to be attacked by Shadowmen and turned into stone. Now it is a race against time to save not just the people of the city, but to once again try to save the magic itself. Just one problem, how do you save an entire city with no locus stone and the only way to communicate with the magic is to use pyrotechnics, which happen to be illegal?

Faery Rebels Spell Hunter by R. J. Anderson

Amazing! Anderson leads you on a spectacularly imaginative tale of magical proportions. I found myself on the edge of my seat unable to read fast enough in an attempt to find out what would happen next. Will Knife find out in time what is killing the other faeries and be able to restore their magic, or will it be to late? This YA book is perfect for any age to read. I can only hope that this is not the last we hear of Knife, Paul and the faery Oakenfolk!