Uncharted

June 1, 2018
When 17-year-old Annabeth's father's college friends start dying, she is determined to find out who (or what) is taking their lives.Nearly four years after Annabeth's mother's death, horror strikes again when her parents' friends, her honorary aunt and uncle Malcolm and Sarah Bradford, die in a boating accident. At Bradford Manor, Annabeth learns more about a group called the Magellans, a college club focused on myths and legends, and the reason that Malcolm, Sarah, and her parents became friends. In the process she stumbles upon a deadly secret that makes her wonder whether the Bradfords' deaths were, in fact, accidental--not to mention a romance that threatens to break her heart. Cashman's (The Exceptionals, 2012) narratorial voice deftly balances Annabeth's strength and fragility, and her pacing keeps the reader entertained. However, the supporting characters are less developed, and certain plot points feel contradictory. For example, Annabeth uses the reasoning skills her father taught her to figure out the mysteries connected to Malcolm's and Sarah's deaths, even though her father was unable to do so himself. Camila, who is Cuban and plays an insubstantial role, is the only character of color. Ultimately, the secret at the heart of the book feels anticlimactic, lowering the stakes of an otherwise gripping conflict.All in all, a flawed but quick read with a strong narrator and a weaker supporting cast. (Fantasy. 14-18)

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September 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-Cashman's latest hosts a collection of characters who are connected through secrets and tragedy. When Annabeth's father goes missing at his friend's manor, the teen tries to uncover the history of the secluded house and stumbles upon a deadly mystery. She has many unanswered questions about her mother's death and her father's disappearance. Eventually, her determination to find her father also puts her in danger. Her love of books, art, and fantasy combined with her growing feelings for Griffin, the troubled heir of Bedford Manor, make this genre-bending work a suspenseful page-turner that will keep teens up at night. Threads of Irish legends are interwoven through the narrative and encounters with mythical animals and faraway lands add another layer of complexity. The maps and notes Annabeth finds offer insight into the past and the present. The author's rich descriptions of mystical creatures and beautiful settings will enchant readers. VERDICT A must-have where fantastical thrillers are popular.-Margo Fryling, Eastvalley Elementary School, Marietta, GA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2018
Grades 8-11 Annabeth, still grieving her mother's death three years ago, accompanies her father to a funeral for family friends, a husband and wife who mysteriously drowned in their private lake in the middle of the night. Just days later, Annabeth's dad goes missing, setting off an investigation that soon takes a sinister turn as everyone around Annabeth, especially her childhood friend Griffin, seems to be hiding something. Determined to find her father, Annabeth becomes tangled in a centuries-old web of conspiracy, danger, and murder as she finds answers that are as deadly as they are otherworldly. Featuring a likable heroine and magical elements of North Atlantic myths, this otherwise conventional thriller offers hints of romance and some fight scenes with serious girl power. The plot is crowded at times, and some elements feel rushed, but there is more than enough tension, of both dangerous and romantic persuasions, to keep readers engaged. Not an essential purchase, but it will find an audience with readers seeking fast-paced, genre-blending mysteries.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)