The Graces

June 27, 2016
In British author Eve’s U.S. debut, a teenage loner becomes fixated on the most powerful family in town, gradually insinuating herself into their inner circle in an attempt to gain popularity and acceptance. Like everyone else, 15-year-old River Page knows that the beautiful, enigmatic Graces are rumored to be witches; craving power, she works carefully to gain the friendship of Summer and her older sister, Thalia, even as she falls for their brother, Fenrin. River can’t figure out why the siblings are so insular and mercurial, even after joining them in several magical rituals. The mystery deepens after one of their close friends drowns, and River’s efforts to become part of the Graces’ world backfire. Eve conjures up an intriguing vision of small-town mystique, with the Grace family depicted as unknowable and otherworldly—the mystery of whether magic is at play hangs over much of the story—and self-involved, obsessive River’s less-than-trustworthy narration adds to the air of uncertainty. But while Eve keeps the story’s speculative elements satisfyingly ambiguous, last-minute revelations and developments feel ill-established, resulting in a dissonant conclusion. Ages 13–up.

June 1, 2016
A teenage girl becomes obsessed with a family of reputed witches in this British author's North American debut. The unreliable narrator, of never-mentioned race so likely white, approximate age 15, has recently moved from a city that might be London to an unnamed town on the sea with her emotionally absent mother after her father disappears. She never reveals her name, instead choosing to go by her "secret name," River, once she manages to insinuate herself with the mysterious, reclusive Graces. (The Graces are also white; many of the minor characters seem by brief description to be either black or Indian.) Like everyone else in her school, River has a crush on glamour-boy Fenrin Grace, 17. Fenrin's twin, Thalia, frightens her, but it's their younger sister, River's classmate Summer, with whom she forms the strongest bond. Over and over River molds herself into a person who could be best friends with Summer Grace. River's desperate to be part of the Graces' world, for reasons that gradually, horrifyingly, become crystal clear despite River's repeated deceptions, both within the story and in the narration. The ending will make readers want to read the entire novel again, immediately, to admire the clues they missed before. Though the facts may be slippery, the prose never is; it's precise, vivid, and immediate. Powerful. (Fantasy. 14 & up)

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June 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Local legend says that the Grace family are witches-able to bend the world around them to suit their purposes. River wants desperately to believe in their magic, to believe that Summer Grace could really become her best friend, that handsome Fenrin Grace might be attracted to her, and even that she could learn to control such gifts in herself. But as she comes to learn the family's secrets (and admit her own), unexpected death is the result, and now there's no way back. Or is there? Can the Graces be relied on to help her, or will they simply retreat, leaving her alone and desperate again? Although lacking the lush prose and historical backing of Maggie Stiefvater's work, this story will appeal to the same group of urban fantasy lovers. River's coming-of-age story as she learns she can't rely on others but must accept responsibility for her own actions will resonate with teens. Explicit language, multiple underage drinking scenes, and a short love scene make this title more appropriate for more mature readers. VERDICT Purchase where urban fantasies, particularly novels by Maggie Stiefvater, are popular.-Elizabeth Friend, Wester Middle School, TX

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