The Shadow Hour

April 15, 2016
Forces of light and darkness clash in this urban-fantasy sequel to The Girl at Midnight (2015).Already filled with previous vessels' memories, Echo struggles with her new roles as host to the firebird and fugitive or figurehead in a long-lasting supernatural war between the birdlike Avicen and dragonlike Drakharin. The white girl has survived on the fringes of New York City's magical society as a thief and runaway, but now she must lead a ragtag crew on a peripatetic quest to understand both the firebird's and the feud's origins and to battle the opposing dark force she inadvertently released, the kucedra. As the shadows attack, infect, and trigger disasters, Echo also finds an enemy in Drakharin usurper Tanith, sweetheart Caius' power-mad twin. Quick to quip, pop-culture savvy, and prone to lexicographical musings--a hazard of living in a library--Echo is a grudging heroine, fearful of endangering her friends and reluctant to assume political power, but typical Chosen One agonizing and an obligatory love triangle diminish her distinctive humor. With minimal plot progress and a scattered, misty mythology, personal journeys and romances--heterosexual, homosexual, and interspecies--take precedence over worldbuilding. Echo and her fellow narrators accomplish little but anguish a lot, enduring action sequences with brief respite in tender (if melodramatic) moments.Ripe with sarcasm and complicated relationships, an action- and angst-packed installment reminiscent of Buffy and Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. (Urban fantasy. 14 & up)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-In The Girl at Midnight, readers met Echo, a pickpocket who ended up in an ancient underground society beneath New York City full of people called the Avicen. Members of this race must remain hidden because of their feathers and their magic. When rumors of an upcoming war reach Echo's ears, she decides to do anything she can to save the people she considers family. Supposedly, if a mythical entity called the Firebird can be found, the conflict will end forever. As a thief, Echo knows there is one thing she is good at-finding items and taking them. The second entry opens as the heroine discovers that she is the Firebird. Now, she must learn to harness her new powers in order to face off against the darkness that comes with the Dragon Prince's arrival. The end battle will find someone close to Echo stolen away, which will set the stage for the final fight, when she will have to resort to her original skills and set out to "steal" this person back. Overall, this is an intriguing paranormal fantasy that focuses on a secret society hidden among everyday, ordinary people. Recommended for teens interested in fantasy worlds and epic battles.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.