Arcadia Falls

January 15, 2014
The Arcadia trilogy concludes with magic, shootouts, family betrayals and a cruise ship full of monsters: everything that's necessary for a romance about Cosa Nostra shape shifters. After the death of her aunt and sister, Rosa has become head of the Alcantara dynasty of Sicilian mobsters. She's made nothing but enemies among her own family--because of her romance with Alessandro, head of the rival Carnevare family, because she's cleaning up the least savory of her family's criminal enterprises or simply because she's an outsider--and soon, she and Alessandro are on the run, framed for a murder they didn't commit. Since the discovery that she can turn into a 9-foot-long snake (while Alessandro can become an enormous panther), Rosa has learned not to be surprised by anything. Still, new discoveries (both magical and mundane) strain her credulity to the breaking point. A friend whose corpse she's seen appears to be alive. Rosa's dead father, seemingly involved in the rape and abortion that originally sent Rosa to Sicily, is connected to dark mob business and mad science. As they seek answers, revenge or at least a quiet moment, Alessandro and Rosa face certain doom with believably affectionate bickering. Refreshingly for a paranormal romance, the two protect and fight for each other with equal strength and zeal. Rosa and her enemies leave a trail of corpses, some explicitly gruesome, all the way to the cinematic conclusion at a long-drowned village. Snappy dialogue and well-paced excitement bring this adventure to its ambiguous but nevertheless satisfying conclusion. (Paranormal romance. 15 & up)

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February 1, 2014

Gr 8 Up-In the final installation of his "Arcadia" trilogy, Meyer exhibits unusual skill as he deftly combines the fantasy, mythology, and Mafioso genres, while balancing a dizzying array of characters in a complex plot. The novel opens with Rosa and Alessandro attending Fundling's funeral. The star-crossed lovers (feuding Mafia families and opposing shape-shifting animals) decide to uncover the truth of their friend's death. Soon thereafter, Rosa and Alessandro find themselves kidnapping a police officer in order to track down a mad scientist. They are on the run from their respective families, the law, and a recently released capo dei capi. On this crazy journey, the pair encounter shape-shifters, hybrids (half-human, half-animal), and Mafia hitmen. Although armed with guns, our heros are hesitant to use them; they rely on shape-shifting to defend themselves. In the tradition of vampire stories, blood is slightly eroticized but the sexual tension is not acted upon. There are flirtations with mature subjects and a sprinkling of a few choice words. Unfortunately, well-drawn characters are sometimes a casualty of novels thick with action, and this is no exception. Arcadia Falls is rife with soap opera drama: evil twins, a mad scientist, cloning experiments, and a sacrificial sealing. For those new to the trilogy, this novel stands on its own. For fans of the series, this should prove a satisfying conclusion.-Laura Falli, McNeil High School, Austin, TX

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