Well of Witches

February 1, 2016

Gr 5-8-Tara and Kaff are on the tail end of their journey away from De'Noran to the world beyond. After reaching the mainland, they discover news that the Spider Queen has amassed an army of spell casting witches to do her bidding and their father is in terrible danger. The only person who can help save them and their father is an enemy from their past. Putting their previous history behind them, they have to band together to help fight the evil that threatens them all. The adventure starts from the very beginning. The plot is packed with many exciting action sequences that will delight readers. New readers will find this volume a difficult starting point as there is little to no explanation of previous events. Fans of the series will delight in Tara and Kaff's encounters with numerous characters from A Path Begins and The Whispering Trees. The ending is open-ended, leaving room for more adventures that readers will eagerly anticipate.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2015
This third in the Thickety fantasy series provides particulars of the geography and culture of the mainland the siblings travel through to rescue their father from the witch Grace's final curse. Kara and Taff's trials begin on the boat that takes them away from De'Noran, only the first such event in this action-packed narrative. Traveling through the fascinating mainland, the siblings meet characters from A Path Begins (2014) and The Whispering Trees (2015), some of whom are helpful. The outlook is not encouraging: Kara's sense of uncertainty balloons, while Rygoth's uber-powerful magic seems unbeatable. The instructions that guide them (provided by the Forest Demon Sordyr are--for a quest tale--suitably obscure. The brother and sister rebound through many crises, which ratchets the suspense up considerably. The climax of this story is both intense and satisfying and promises further adventures for the 13-year-old Kara and her brilliant younger brother. One caveat: readers may find it slow going unless they are familiar with the previous two books. This stirring adventure set in an intriguing world will keep readers riveted; series fans, beware: do not start this book close to bedtime. (Fantasy. 11-15)

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