Colette Leung

The Riddlemaster by K. Crossley-Holland

Crossley-Holland, Kevin. The Riddlemaster . Tradewind Books, 2015. The Riddlemaster is a picture book aimed at children between the ages of four and seven, although the story may interest readers of multiple ages. It tells the story of three children: Anouk, Ben, and Cara. Together, these friends seek to cross a harbour to a special island full of treasure. The children are offered passage on a boat with the mysterious old man known as the Riddlemaster, and many terrifying island creatures. Anouk, Ben, and Cara must answer seven riddles the Riddlemaster and island creatures ask them during the voyage, or be eaten alive. If they succeed, however, they will meet the rest of the islanders, who are well-beloved literary characters from around the world. The riddles within the story are generally drawn from classic mythology, and may be difficult to guess for young children. The story is told in approachable and masterful language, however, and is well-paced. The watercolour illustrations in the book match the text well, and add a layer of diversity, especially among the children, who come across as distinct in personality and culture. The setting is haunting, and reminiscent of coastal medieval European towns. The Riddlemaster presents a different story for children, with a lot of charm. It strongly celebrates literature and mythology, although some references may not be understood by younger children. The Riddlemaster is a rich read for families that naturally leads to new thoughts, questions, and conversations. It also serves as a good jumping board for further myths, legends, and literature. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Colette Leung Colette Leung is a graduate student at the University of Alberta, working in the fields of Library and Information science and Humanities Computing who loves reading, cats, and tea. Her research interests focus around how digital tools can be used to explore fields such as literature, language, and history in new and innovative ways.

Empire of Night by K. Armstrong

Armstrong, Kelley. Empire of Night . Doubleday Canada, 2015. This young ddult fantasy novel is the sequel to the book Sea of Shadows , and is the second of a trilogy. Empire of Night strongly benefits from reading the first book. It continues the story of identical twin sisters Moria and Ashyn, the Keeper and Seeker of Edgewood. In this mythical world, Keeper and Seeker are magical roles occupied by certain twin girls. They have the responsibility of quieting the souls of the damned. They are helped by a giant wildcat and a giant hound in their duties. Although close sisters, Moria and Ashyn have two very different personalities: Moria is a fiery warrior with strong talent for telling scary stories, while Ashyn is a shy romantic, more prone to thoughtful reservation. Empire of Night picks up close to where the first book ends. Moria and Ashyn are guests at the Emperor’s court, and their village of Edgewood is destroyed. Most of their family and friends are gone, and the twins are eager to take action against Alvar Kitsune, the man who holds the remaining children of Edgewood hostage. The Emperor, however, is slow to make a decision much to the frustration of the girls who find themselves having to navigate the politics of court. Moria, in particular, finds herself befriending Prince Tyrus, the kind, illegitimate son of the Emperor, who has unmistakable feelings for her. When the Emperor finally sends the girls on a rescue mission for the children, along with a small party of men and Prince Tyrus, the twins quickly find themselves on a perilous journey. It becomes unclear who can be trusted, even within their own group, and their mission becomes even more dangerous when Alvar accuses Moria and Tyrus of treason, putting a large bounty on their heads. Empire of Night is not as strong as the first book in the trilogy and does feature stereotypes of the young adult genre, but it is still a worthwhile book for collections. In particular, the book is notable because outside of the two heroines, all major characters in the book are people of colour, described with East Asian features. Moria and Ashyn are in fact the racial minority in a world largely rooted in Japanese feudalism, which includes Asian-inspired food, strong themes of filial piety, and the importance of honour. In fact, the two girls frequently encounter being stereotyped due to their Northern heritage, an interesting reversal and means of social commentary. The book suffers from a love triangle, but the other sister’s journey in navigating romance is worthwhile, as she learns how to turn down a potential suitor, and in spite of his negative reaction, remains mature and calm while also setting boundaries. These important themes for young adults are thoughtfully presented. The two main characters are also notable for being examples of two different kinds of strong females. Some readers may be deterred from the switch between point of view in storytelling, between the two sisters. The book also ends on a large cliffhanger, unlike its predecessor. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Colette Leung Colette Leung is a graduate student at the University of Alberta, working in the fields of Library and Information science and Humanities Computing who loves reading, cats, and tea. Her research interests focus around how digital tools can be used to explore fields such as literature, language, and history in new and innovative ways.

The Lovely and the Lost by P. Morgan

Morgan, Page. The Lovely and the Lost . Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2014. Print. This young adult fantasy novel is the second in a trilogy, the first of which is The Beautiful and the Cursed . This story follows three siblings: Grayson, Gabby, and Ingrid Waverly, and their roles in a supernatural world of angels, demons, and gargoyles hidden within the streets of Paris in 1900. In the events of the first novel, sisters Ingrid and Gabby rescued their brother Grayson from kidnap and torture at the hands of the fallen angel Axia. At the same time, they became involved with the Alliance, a secret order that seeks to destroy demons. They also learned about Luc and other Dispossessed, better known as gargoyles, who are duty bound by angels to guard old buildings and the people who live in them. Luc was the gargoyle watching over the Waverly family when they moved to an old abbey in Paris. Although Grayson has been rescued, the Waverly’s are not safe yet. Ingrid is special. She has both demonic and angelic blood, giving her unique powers. Her blood can be used to command gargoyles and Axia still seeks this ability. Others may also wish to use Ingrid for their own ends, including the Alliance, and the Daicrypta, a group of humans who capture demons and attempt to control them. These events are complicated by the emergence of Dusters, or human children with demon blood. The Waverly’s have the protection of both the Alliance and the Dispossessed, but they must prepare themselves for dealing with Axia. Ingrid is trying to master her lightning demon powers. She also has growing feelings for the gargoyle Luc - a love forbidden by the angels. Gabby wishes to join the Alliance and learn how to fight, but she is also dealing with a disfigurement she suffered in the first book. Suitors from the Alliance also court both the girls. Grayson tries to process how his torture changed him, and fights with the part of himself that is a hellhound. All of this is made more difficult when the Waverly’s narrow-minded and controlling father comes to town, and by the presence of a new gargoyle in the abbey named Marco, assigned to help Luc protect the siblings. The Lovely and the Lost is a sequel that stands well on its own, and that will appeal to female demographics. It further explores the story’s mythology involving angels, the Dispossessed, and the Alliance. As in the first book, this mythology is influenced by both the Mortal Instruments book series and the 1990s Gargoyles television show, although it is still original. The story is told in multiple viewpoints, which may deter some readers. It also ends with many open-ended and urgent questions. As in the first book, mythology is well explained in approachable language. Themes explored include repercussions of trauma, beauty, madness, forbidden love, love triangles, and a fantastical twist on angels and demons. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Colette Leung Colette Leung is a graduate student at the University of Alberta, working in the fields of Library and Information science and Humanities Computing who loves reading, cats, and tea. Her research interests focus around how digital tools can be used to explore fields such as literature, language, and history in new and innovative ways.

The Beautiful and the Cursed by P. Morgan

Morgan, Page. The Beautiful and the Cursed . Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2013. Print. This young adult fantasy novel tells the story of a young woman named Ingrid Waverly. Ingrid is a seventeen-year-old living in London, England at the end of the 19th century. She is the daughter of a wealthy man. However, after becoming the heart of a scandal involving a mysterious fire, Ingrid moves with her mother and little sister to Paris, France. Ingrid’s twin brother Grayson has already purchased an old abbey there for the family to settle into. Ingrid’s mother intends to restore the abbey, and turn it into a gallery to showcase her art. Once in Paris, however, Ingrid quickly becomes steeped in a supernatural world. Upon arrival, Ingrid learns that young women have been going missing in Paris, as has her twin brother Grayson. Some of the missing women have been found dead and mutilated. Although her mother and the police seem unconcerned and believe Grayson is just gallivanting about the city, Ingrid has a deep connection with her brother and knows something is wrong. With the help of her impetuous younger sister Gabby, Ingrid begins investigating her brother’s disappearance. Gabby is also trying to discover her own identity as a young woman, and forge a deeper relationship with Ingrid, who has always been closer to Grayson. Through their investigation, the sisters quickly uncover a secret world of fallen angels, demons, and hellhounds, not least because the Waverly family is protected by a gargoyle. One of the statues of the old abbey is actually a gargoyle named Luc, who is duty bound by angels to protect the family living in the abbey. He disguises himself as a servant, but his true form is that of a stone monster. Although tasked to protect the entire family, Luc finds himself increasingly drawn to Ingrid, and develops feelings for her. Grayson’s disappearance is tied to Luc’s secret world. Grayson was kidnapped by a fallen Angel, and is being tortured with hellhound blood injections. Reluctantly, Luc becomes involved with the sisters’ quest. They are helped by the Alliance, a secret demon fighting organization. It becomes apparent that Grayson was kidnapped because he has special abilities, as does Ingrid, explaining her role in the scandal that forced her to leave London. The sisters must unravel this new world, their roles in it, and save their brother in time. The Beautiful and the Cursed is told in multiple viewpoints, which may deter some readers, especially when viewpoints change within the same chapter, or describe a repeated scene. It is the first book of a trilogy. The book’s mythology is well explained in approachable language. Morgan draws influence from both the Mortal Instruments series and the 1990s Gargoyles television show, but the book holds its own as original, and will appeal to female demographics. Themes explored include death, torture, forbidden romance, and a fantastical twist on angels and demons. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Colette Leung Colette Leung is a graduate student at the University of Alberta, working in the fields of Library and Information science and Humanities Computing who loves reading, cats, and tea. Her research interests focus around how digital tools can be used to explore fields such as literature, language, and history in new and innovative ways.

Apparition by G. Gallant

Gallant, Gail. Apparition . Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2013. Print. This Young Adult mystery-ghost story tells the story of seventeen year-old clairvoyant, Amelia MacKenzie. Amelia has seen ghosts since she was a little girl, and after her mother passed away from cancer, Amelia saw her mother’s ghost too. Until recently, Amelia thought she was imagining these visions, but that all changes when her best friend and crush Matthew dies. Amelia lives near the small city of Owen Sound, Ontario, with her grandmother Joyce, and her two brothers Ethan and Jack. Amelia struggled with depression after her mother’s death, but her friendship with Matthew helped her through the hardest time of her life, and leads to burgeoning romantic feelings. After Amelia gathers the strength to express her feelings to him, Matthew is flustered. The next time she meets him, however, Matthew is acting strangely, and while giving Amelia a ride home, begins to talk about a mysterious girl. Amelia finds out the next day that Matthew apparently killed himself in a nearby barn. Although devastated, Amelia feels something is off about Matthew’s death. At Matthew’s funeral, Amelia meets a local journalist named Morris Dyson. Morris investigates paranormal occurrences, as he believes ghosts travel along specific geographic routes, and sometimes become stuck or cause trouble. Morris also believes Amelia can see ghosts, just like he knew her mother could. Morris suspects Matthew’s death is linked to similar deaths that happened in the same barn - all young men who committed suicide after heart-break surrounding a mysterious woman named Dot. Morris theorizes a ghost is in the barn and causing all these problems. With the help of Morris’ handsome and charming son, Kip, Amelia and Morris begin to unravel the mystery of the barn, the ghosts who still haunt it (including Matthew), and the impact for those who come into contact with the barn. At the same time, Amelia learns to come to terms with her gift, her grief, and to explore her own identity. Gail Gallant conveys the stark beauty of the Canadian landscape throughout her novel, and captures the unique and realistic culture of small town Ontario. The setting will strike home with many Canadian youth. Even with its supernatural elements, Gallant’s characters are interesting and realistic, especially for a young adult novel. Amelia makes a notable heroine not because of her clairvoyance, but from how she learns to understand her own feelings as an ordinary teenager. Amelia cares deeply for her brothers, and her stern, no-nonsense grandmother, but can at times find them aggravating. She also navigates realistic issues, such as family, friendship, and integrity in relationships. Gallant presents these themes with sophistication and empathy. Apparition tackles mature issues including depression, grief, death, romance, the afterlife, and murder. Young readers may find some content scary, although the novel is more suspenseful than frightening. The book stands complete on its own, but has a sequel, Absolution . Recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Colette Leung Colette Leung is a graduate student at the University of Alberta, working in the fields of Library and Information science and Humanities Computing who loves reading, cats, and tea. Her research interests focus around how digital tools can be used to explore fields such as literature, language, and history in new and innovative ways.

Heap House by E. Carey

Carey, Edward. Heap House . Toronto: Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, 2013. Print. This Young Adult gothic mystery novel tells the story of the Iremonger House, also known as Heap House, and its inhabitants Clod Iremonger and Lucy Pennant. The book contains Victorian themes and imagery, and also deals with supernatural elements. Clod Iremonger belongs to one of the most powerful families in England. The Iremongers made their fortune by gathering the trash of other people in London. All of this trash has combined to create the giant, toxic sea known as the Heaps. At the centre of the Heaps is the gigantic Iremonger house, made up of a combination of other houses and castles. The Iremongers live in Heap House. Although the Iremongers are very rich, they are also very reclusive, strict, and cruel. Clod’s grandfather rules over the clan, determining their futures, from career to marriage. A large host of servants run the household, known simply as Iremongers. These servants are distant relatives of the Iremonger clan, and lose all identity when they enter service. The Iremongers, servant and family alike, all share one other strange peculiarity - each member is presented with an object upon birth, which must be kept on their persons at all times. These objects could be anything - from a mantlepiece to a bath plug. Clod is about to turn sixteen, and become a man. However, Clod is also special. A sickly child, he has always been able to hear objects talking - each repeating a unique name, over and over. When his Aunt’s birth object goes missing, and a new servant girl named Lucy Pennant enters the household, Clod’s entire world begins to change. With the help of kindred spirit Lucy, Clod begins to uncover the mysteries of his family, and why he can hear objects speak. He also begins to find his own independence. Heap House is definitely a novel for older readers. The book alternates between the viewpoint of Clod and Lucy. The world set-up is slow to unfold, and complicated, which could leave readers initially confused. Some interactions and descriptions are quite drawn out, and the mystery may not be compelling enough to encourage further reading. The novel also deals with complex issues of social class, sickness, death, corruption, bullying, abuse, incest, environmental destruction, and loss of identity. Edward Carey, the author, has also provided illustrations for readers, in between each chapter. Although this can be helpful in visualizing Heap House itself, it could also be distracting for older readers who do not need visual aids to interpret the story. The novel does not end neatly either, which could frustrate readers at the lack of resolution to introduced stories and characters. The intricacies of the novel, however, do make it a very unique read, full of Victorian imagery and evocative of industrial London. The novel is part of a trilogy, including the sequel Foulsham , and a yet un-named title. The author’s website also features an interactive exploration of the setting of released novels. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Colette Leung Colette Leung is a graduate student at the University of Alberta, working in the fields of Library and Information science and Humanities Computing who loves reading, cats, and tea. Her research interests focus around how digital tools can be used to explore fields such as literature, language, and history in new and innovative ways.

Sea of Shadows: Age of Legends by K. Armstrong

Armstrong, Kelley. Sea of Shadows: Age of Legends . Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2014. Print. This Young Adult fantasy novel tells the story of identical twin sisters Moria and Ashyn. In this mythical world, twin girls are special, because they can sometimes communicate with spirits. This means that when they are babies, twins are submitted to a ritual to see if they are destined to become Keeper and Seeker – magical roles that require the girls to quiet the souls of the damned, and protect the rest of the empire. Bond beasts accompany the twins – a giant wildcat for the Keeper, and a giant hound for the Seeker. Moria and Ashyn live in the village of Edgewood by the Forest of the Dead. Moria is a fiery warrior with a penchant for telling scary stories, and Ashyn is a shy romantic who often doubts herself, although both sisters are very close. The Wastes separate the Forest of the Dead, where criminals are often exiled from the rest of the empire. Every year, during the ritual of the Seeking, the Seeker and her hound must find all the restless spirits of the dead in the Forest, and quiet their souls. Often the dead are exiled criminals or are angry because they were not granted justice in life. The imperial court’s Keeper and Seeker have trained Moria and Ashyn for this ritual, and this is the first year they will perform the Seeking alone. During the Seeking, things quickly go wrong due to forces beyond the girls’ control. As a result, the girls’ village is destroyed, and their friends and family are killed by evil spirits. In the aftermath, Ashyn is separated from her sister. With the few remaining village survivors, Ashyn decides to set out with Ronan, a young thief she met in the Forest of the Dead. She hopes to take her people to safety. Moria follows her sister’s trail with the help of the last of the village guards, the stubborn Gavril, who is himself descended from sorcerers. Along the way, both sisters face mythical beasts, and discover their own strengths and weaknesses. They also deal with loss, and the harshness of a world beyond their village through encounters with bandits, kidnappers, and outcasts. Once the girls reunite, they learn that the failed ritual and the destruction of their village were not accidents. They are forced to warn the emperor and travel to court, where they must learn to navigate the politics of the realm. They also discover one of their companions may not be what he seems. This book is the first in a trilogy, although the journey of the two sisters is a complete story. The novel is told through the viewpoints of both sisters. Many deaths occur, and there are several violent scenes. The story also features creatures from horror stories that might frighten younger readers. Overall, it is a story well suited to young adult audiences, featuring interesting characters and mythology. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Colette Leung Colette Leung is a graduate student at the University of Alberta, working in the fields of Library and Information science and Humanities Computing who loves reading, cats, and tea. Her research interests focus around how digital tools can be used to explore fields such as literature, language, and history in new and innovative ways.

Mystery at Lake Placid by R. MacGregor

MacGregor, Roy. Mystery at Lake Placid . 1995. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2013. Print. This Young Adult mystery novel is the story of Travis Lindsay, a twelve year old boy, and his Canadian peewee hockey team, the Screech Owls, while they play at an international tournament. Travis dreams of being an NHL hockey player someday, even though he’s small for his age and still afraid of the dark. He is not the star of his team, the title of which belongs to team captain Sarah Cuthbertsome, but Travis is a great skater, stick handler, and is very passionate about the sport and his team. The Screech Owls is a diverse team, with people of all backgrounds including the excitable and loyal Nish, the science fiction fanatic “Data”, the clever strategist Fahd, the ambitious Dmitri, the loveable and humourous coach Muck, team trainer Mr. Dillinger, and his son, Derek. In this novel, the Screech Owls team is on their way to Lake Placid, New York, where they will play at an international peewee tournament, and potentially be seen by scouting agents for other important hockey teams. This tournament is even more exciting for the team, because they get to play on an Olympic rink in a huge arena. Almost as soon as the team arrives, however, things seem to go wrong for them. At the hotel, people keep knocking on star player Sarah’s door, stopping her from sleeping and making her too tired to play. Next, Travis is knocked down in the street by a player from another team at the tournament. Finally, Sarah’s equipment is tampered with and damaged on multiple occasions during the night. The Screech Owls believe that these acts are not random, but that someone is sabotaging the team. They must use their combined skills to figure out who the culprit is. In the process, Travis challenges his own limits and witnesses the importance of teamwork and forgiveness. Roy MacGregor, the author of the novel, is also a sports columnist for the Globe and Mail. This background gives MacGregor excellent insight into the hockey world in both a national and international level, and he brings the sport to life through his detailed accounts of a hockey game. The novel takes great care in describing the workings of a team, and the various roles that coaches, parents, and other team members play. Important themes about competition, forgiveness, teamwork, and gender roles are conveyed through this detail, and MacGregor shows both the good and bad side of being caught up in the love of a sport. Mystery at Lake Placid is part of a larger series of twenty-two novels focused on the Screech Owls as they travel around the world for tournaments, and solve mysteries. It is also a re-publication, the original novel was published in 1995, but the story remains contemporary and engaging, partly due to its humour, light action, and well-developed characters. This book will appeal to a wide audience of children and young adults interested in sports or mystery stories. Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Colette Leung Colette Leung is a graduate student at the University of Alberta, working in the fields of Library and Information science and Humanities Computing who loves reading, cats, and tea. Her research interests focus around how digital tools can be used to explore fields such as literature, language, and history in new and innovative ways.

True Love: 24 Surprising Stories of Animal Affection by R. Buchholz

Buchholz, Rachel. True Love: 24 Surprising Stories of Animal Affection . Washington: National Geographic, 2013. Print. True Love is a short gift book, meant as a Valentine’s Day gift book, filled with twenty-four stories about love between animals and accompanied by beautiful National Geographic photographs. These stories are generally less than a page long, and cover family ties between animals, including siblings, and parents, to friendship, and love. Animals featured in these stories include domestic animals such as dogs, pigs, ducks, sheep and donkeys, but also wild animals such as whales, flamingos, and elephants. Sometimes the stories are about farm animals, animals in the wild, or zoo animals. Rachel Buchholz, the author of the book, is the executive editor of National Geographic Kids and National Geographic Little Kids magazines. These stories were collected over the course of her fifteen years working in editing. The images are all taken by National Geographic photographers. Some of the images are actually of the animals in the stories, while other images are just the same species as those in the stories. True Love was designed as a gift book, and it truly embraces the format. Even though it is a picture book, the text might be long for some children to read through patiently. Each story is exemplified by only one picture. The language used is easily understood, however, and the beautiful photographs of adorable animals will draw readers. As the material deals with themes of family, love, and friendships, this is a book that many children will enjoy reading with their families. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Colette Leung Colette Leung is a graduate student at the University of Alberta, working in the fields of Library and Information science and Humanities Computing who loves reading, cats, and tea. Her research interests focus around how digital tools can be used to explore fields such as literature, language, and history in new and innovative ways.

The Orphan King by S. Brouwer

Brouwer, Sigmund. The Orphan King . Merlin’s Immortals 1. Colorado: WaterBrook Press, 2012. Print. This young adult fantasy novel is the story of a young man named Thomas. Thomas is raised as an orphan in a monastery run by greedy and corrupt monks who eat food and take money instead of helping others. This monastery is set in Northern England, during AD 1312, and Brouwer’s medieval world is portrayed as one filled with corruption and poverty, where select few are working to improve the lives of others and strive towards a greater good. These few work in secret, and are known as Merlin’s Immortals - a group of druids (including men and women of all trades) who remember the “old days” and seek to fulfill a prophecy of placing a boy on the throne of the castle of Magnus. Magnus is a fictional and supposedly impenetrable castle, ruled by a cruel and oppressive Lord that cannot be challenged. Although Thomas is raised as an orphan, he is taught by a woman named Sarah, who is his mother in secret. Thomas spends much of his childhood learning knowledge from books Sarah keeps hidden from the rest of the world. These books are very valuable, and Thomas believes he was given this training and knowledge so that he may one day conquer Magnus. Thomas is not told, however, that his mother is one of the Immortals, and that he is key in a war between good and evil as the prophesied king. After Sarah dies, Thomas decides to escape the monastery. Then, using science and visual tricks, he saves a knight, a beautiful mute girl, and a pickpocket from hanging in the nearby town, and enlists their help to take over the castle Magnus. To repay Thomas for saving their lives, the group decides to help him. During the journey to Magnus, William the knight mentors Thomas, the pickpocket Tiny John becomes like a brother to Thomas, and the mute girl Isabelle is revealed to be more than she seems. Thomas even falls a bit in love with her, and learns about respecting women. Conspiracy is around every corner, however, and no one is quite sure who is friend and who is foe. This remains true even after Thomas and his friends make it into the castle walls. The Orphan King presents well-rounded characters and draws on the mythology of King Arthur and his wizard Merlin. Brouwer uses elevated language and the complicated plot moves very quickly and sometimes seems rushed. This may deter some younger readers. The book is told from multiple viewpoints, and is the first in a trilogy. Sigmund Brouwer is a Canadian author, and also writes evangelical books. There is also a strong undertone of faith and Christian religion in this story too, although it never overwhelms the plot. Complex themes also include objectification of women, conspiracy, death, and murder. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Colette Leung Colette Leung is a graduate student at the University of Alberta, working in the fields of Library and Information science and Humanities Computing who loves reading, cats, and tea. Her research interests focus around how digital tools can be used to explore fields such as literature, language, and history in new and innovative ways.