Ironspark

July 1, 2020

Gr 8 Up-This debut novel is set in a Pennsylvania town full of Fae magic. Bryn, a senior in high school, has been protecting her family from the Faeries who took her mother when she was just a child living in Wales. Her father moved Bryn and her twin brothers for protection, but their connection to Fae magic drew the faeries and other magical creatures to the town. Bryn has been fighting Faeries and magic with the help of a Catholic priest, but the magic seems to be getting stronger and the threat closer. Bryn enlists the help of her two friends and together they must defeat the queen faerie who has been seeking Bryn's family and her bloodline for hundreds of years. The story is slow to develop, and does not have a true conclusion, which sets up the novel to be the first in a series. However, much of the conflict isn't resolved enough for the story to feel complete. One thing the story does well is the inclusion of queer main characters. Bryn and her best friend are both discovering their identities, and it makes for an interesting romantic twist between human and faeries. There is also the inclusion of an asexual character. VERDICT A different type of faerie tale that will be enjoyable for readers who are interested in medieval magic, but not a must-have for every collection.-Erica Coonelly, Monroe Township M.S., NJ

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2020
Grades 8-12 Bryn has always known of fairies, or Fae, but they aren't all how they seem in the stories. Some of them want to steal children, enslave you, and hurt you. Bryn is much more familiar with these fairies since they took her mother and cursed her father. Now she fights them. Between taking care of her younger twin brothers, helping Father Gooding with the Fae problems throughout the town, and completing her last year of high school, Bryn doesn't have time for human friends (her water-fairy ex-girlfriend doesn't count). However, when powerful court Fae attack, she finds herself with new teammates Dom and Jasika, who insist on joining her crusade. As the trio learns more about Bryn's mysterious mother and delve into the powerful book of Fae magic she left behind, the danger increases along with the stakes. McGuire's debut novel beautifully combines fantasy and real-world conflict into one gripping story. With complex themes of sexuality, family, and responsibility, this tale will enrapture readers in its characters' journeys.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)