Greta and the Goblin King

June 1, 2013

Gr 7-10-Four years ago, Greta saved her brother from a witch's fire and ended up transported to Mylena, a frigid land where humans are hunted and eclipses turn fairy-tale creatures into murderous beasts. To survive, the teen hides her human identity and becomes a successful bounty hunter while she searches for the portal back home. But when her guardian is brutally murdered, the bounty hunter becomes the hunted. With the demon Agramon tracking her every move, the Goblin King invading her dreams, and a looming eclipse threatening to turn all of Mylena's creatures into bloodthirsty monsters, Greta seeks vengeance on the one she holds responsible for her guardian's death-Agramon himself. This fast-paced fantasy features a resilient heroine whose daily struggle to survive has left her physically tough but emotionally isolated. Greta's constant self-sacrificing gets a little old, but her impetuousness illustrates her undying loyalty to those she cares about. Though their rushed romance smacks of stalking, Greta finds an interesting counterpart in Isaac the Goblin King, who constantly challenges her to examine who she is and where she really belongs. Packed with action and fairy-tale gore, Goblin King will keep readers riveted right up to the end, where several loose ends and the late introduction of a love triangle leave room for a likely sequel. Readers looking for a fun romp through a dangerous fairy-tale world will find that this novel fits the bill nicely. Give it to fans of Brandon Mull's Fablehaven (S & S, 2007) or Julie Kagawa's Iron King (HarlequinTeen, 2010).-Leigh Collazo, Ed Willkie Middle School, Fort Worth, TX

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