Lark Rising

July 28, 2014
The village of Merith is about to be massacred by grisly beasts called the Troths, plunging 16-year-old Lark Carew into a quest to summon the legendary Riders to save her people. In Waugh’s debut, first in the Guardians of Tarnec series, Lark discovers a secret kingdom and her rightful place as the Guardian of Life. The fantastical realm is depicted in vivid detail, simultaneously ethereal and concrete, and populated by both kindly and menacing characters to guide and torment Lark, making this novel a tantalizing glimpse of what is yet to come. Lark’s “Sight” initially appears to be more burden than blessing, causing her physical illness and forcing her to relive the murder that brought a ghastly severed hand to her door. Over time, she learns to control her powers and communicate fully with the natural world, revealing a formidable heroine beneath her reserved and gentle demeanor. As Lark’s story unfolds, her self-confidence becomes the key to unlocking her potential and overcoming her own uncertainty. As the king and others remind her, “Trust that you will know what to do.” Ages 12–up. Agent: Jenny Bent, Bent Agency.

August 15, 2014
A young seer discovers her destiny in this opener for a new fantasy series. Timid Lark, rendered vulnerable by her prophetic Sight, prefers solitary gardening to adventure. Yet after a vision in which bestial Troths devastate her village, she bravely agrees to seek aid from the mysterious Riders. At their stronghold in Tarnec, Lark is stunned to be hailed as one of the destined Guardians of Balance, bound to seek the stolen orb of Life. She's paired with the inexplicably hostile Gharain (quite literally the man of her dreams), who she foresees will break her heart...and kill her. The refreshingly original magical system of this world allows for images of aching beauty, describing Lark's connection to the Earth and all its creatures. Unfortunately, Lark herself is vacillating, weepy and prone to bouts of melodramatic self-pity. Her successful use of her powers seems more lucky coincidence and authorial fiat than any personal strength. Her torrid romance with Gharain (who exhibits no discernible personality whatsoever) feels equally forced, and the remaining characters are bland, spouting unnatural dialogue constructed of stilted aphorisms and cryptic hints. The slow pacing of the first half accelerates into an exciting climax filled with lurid torture, grisly violence and genuine courage. Unfortunately, the denouement simply waves away all obstacles to a fairy-tale conclusion, leaving just enough dangling to set up the obvious sequels. Disappointing. (Fantasy. 10-15)

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October 15, 2014
Grades 7-12 Sixteen-year-old Lark is blessedor cursedwith the Sight. To avoid being overwhelmed with the emotions (love, fear, anger) of others, she lives with her cousin Evie and grandmother, both of whom are Healers, and tends to the garden and the animals. But when the evil Troths threaten to once again attack their village, Lark is chosen by lot to seek help from the Riders in the north. Learning that the Riders actually need her assistance as a Guardian to retrieve a stolen amulet, her own destiny rapidly unfurls. This romantic fantasy will quickly draw even reluctant readers into its beautifully rendered world, rich in setting and backstory, with inhabitants both fearsome and innocent. The character development is deep and the intricately plotted story line flows without a hitch with surprises both pleasant and troublesome along the way. Happily, there should be other novels to follow as the remaining three Guardians fulfill their own destinies.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)