Waiting on...Thursday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selections are:

Keys to the Dragon Prison (Book 5)
By Brandon Mull
Release Date: March 23, 2010

Synopsis: Since ancient times, the great demon prison Zzyzx has protected the world from the most dangerous servants of darkness, including Gorgrog, the Demon King. After centuries of plotting, the Sphinx is on the verge of recovering the five artifacts necessary to open the legendary prison. Facing the potential of a world-ending calamity, all friends of light must unite in a final effort to thwart the Sphinx s designs and find a safe home for the five artifacts. To this end, Kendra, Seth, and the Knights of the Dawn will venture far beyond the walls of Fablehaven to strange and exotic magical preserves across the globe, where the end of every quest becomes the beginning of another. In this explosive series finale, allegiances will be confirmed and secrets revealed as the forces of light and darkness collide in a desperate struggle to control the keys to the demon prison.

Shadow of the Moon (Book 4)
By Rachel Hawthorne
Release Date: March 23, 2010

Synopsis: Hayden was born a werewolf, a Dark Guardian. But her ability to sense the feelings of fellow werewolves has made her life unbearable. She runs away, only to be tracked by charming, mysterious Daniel, a newcomer to the pack and the one Shifter immune to her powers. As she reluctantly follows him home, Hayden finds herself falling dangerously in love. . . . But even as her feelings for Daniel deepen, Hayden begins to wonder if he is who he claims to be. Where did he come from and why has no one ever seen him transform? When they stumble upon the body of a Shifter still in wolf form, her worries grow. Someone is killing her kind. Is her handsome tracker really a hunter? And is Hayden now his prey?

Silver Borne (Book 5)
By Patricia Briggs
Release Date: March 30, 2010

Synopsis: Being a mechanic is hard work. Mercy Thompson, for instance, just spent the last couple of months trying to evade the murderous queen of the local vampire seethe, and now the leader of the werewolf pack - who's maybe-more-than-just-a-friend - has asked for her help. A book of fae secrets has come to light and they're all about to find out how implacable - and dangerous - the fae can be. OK, so maybe her troubles have nothing to do with the job. But she sure could use a holiday.

Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull

Genre: YA Fantasy Fiction

Publication Date: March 2009

Author Website: www.brandonmull.com/blog

One Word Review: Adventurous

First Line: “Kendra Sorenson briskly scraped the head of a wooden match against the rough strip on the side of a rectangular matchbox.”

Synopsis: Brace yourself for a shocking secret. Two hidden artifacts have been found. Three more remain unrecovered. More preserves face destruction as the Society of the Evening Star relentlessly pursues new talismans. Reading in Patton s Journal of Secrets, Kendra learns the location of the key to a vault housing one of the artifacts. In order to retrieve it, the Knights of the Dawn must enter a death trap a dragon sanctuary called Wyrmroost. The mission cannot proceed without stealing a sacred object zealously guarded by the centaurs. Anybody seen Seth? The race is on to acquire all five of the artifact keys to the great demon prison. Will the Knights of the Dawn conquer Wyrmroost? Who can stop the Sphinx? Can Vanessa be trusted to help? What artifact will be found next? --GoodReads

Kathy’s Review: Weighing in at about 527 pages, this book is packed full of adventure, new creatures, new villains, new friends and just about everything else you can imagine. Like always, I’m impressed with all the new creatures he is able to come up with. There are lots of twists and turns and he definitely keeps our heroes Kendra and Seth busy. One of the new “creatures” in this installment was the stingbulb (at least I’d never heard of them before), it was a great idea and fun to read about. Both Kendra and Seth seemed about the same as previous books. Seth continues to get into mischief, which always ends up working out and Kendra is still smart and her goodness seems to help get her out of a lot of scrapes. I think the book is great for its target audience, young kids would really enjoy the story and all the adventures Kendra and Seth get into. Personally, I think the book was a little long, it’s due back at the library so I really had to buckle down and push my way through. I still enjoyed the story though and look forward to reading the series finale in March!

Reading Order:

Book One: Fablehaven

Book Two: Rise of the Evening Star

Book Three: Grip of the Shadow Plague

Book Four: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary

Book Five: Keys to the Demon Prison (March 2010)

Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull

Genre: YA-Fantasy

Author Site: www.brandonmull.com

First Line: “On a muggy August day, Seth hurried along a faint path, eyes scanning the lush foliage to his left.”

One Word Review: Magical

Book Synopsis: “Kendra and Seth along with Grandpa and Grandma Sorenson discover that someone or something has released a plague that is turning the light creatures of Fablehaven into creatures of darkness. And for the first time, Kendra and Warren must visit another magical preserve called Lost Mesa in Arizona and try to recovery another hidden artifact. Can the plague be stopped? Can the artifact be found? And most importantly, is the Sphinx a traitor?” -GoodReads

My Review:
This is the third book in the Fablehaven series and once again Mull has cast a magical spell over his readers. I’m always impressed how he is able to mix old mythical creatures with his own new creations. I don’t think I’ve ever read about Nipsies before, but I love them! He always comes up with new creatures that are very believable and I wonder where they have been hiding all this time.

This story takes place a couple months after the end of book two. Kendra is sent on a mission towards the beginning of the story but eventually is reunited with everyone at Fablehaven. Seth is once again pushing his boundaries and getting into mischief. Luckily, his mischief pays off this time and with his meddling they find that a dark plague has begun to seep into Fablehaven. I really enjoyed this book; it had a good mix of magic, heroes, trials, reunions, and all the characters we have come to love from the previous books. One thing I liked about this installment that was missing in the others is a touch of romance for Kendra. I’m curious to see where things go and hope to see much more of this fella in the future. The book is almost 500 pages long, and at times it did feel long. It’s not really a book I could sit and read from cover to cover, I had to take breaks and so it did take me a little longer than usual to finish. It’s a fun read though and I definitely look forward to picking up the next one.

Reading Order:
Book One: Fablehaven
Book Two: Rise of the Evening Star
Book Three: Grip of the Shadow Plague
Book Four: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary
Book Five: Keys to the Demon Prison

Other Reviews:
Becky’s Book Reviews
Cool Kids Read

Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull

“At the end of the school year, Kendra and her brother, Seth, find themselves racing back to Fablehaven, a refuge for mythical and magical creatures. Grandpa Sorenson, the caretaker, invites three specialists—a potion master, a magical relics collector, and a mystical creature trapper—to help protect the property from the Society of the Evening Star, an ancient organization determined to infiltrate the preserve and steal a hidden artifact of great power Time is running out. The Evening Star is storming the gates. If the artifact falls into the wrong hands, it could mean the downfall of other preserves and possible the world. Will Kendra learn to use her fairy gifts in time? Will Seth stay out of trouble? Can they overcome paralyzing fear?”

I first stumbled upon Fablehaven about seven months ago, and really enjoyed the story. I decided I should probably read the second book and was quickly caught up in the story once again. Rise of the Evening Star was a very enjoyable, if not a bit long, read. A lot happens in this 431 page book. It is full of fun, humor, adventure, betrayal, loss and learning. I am a big fan of Kendra and Seth, both are very unique but equally likable characters. Brandon Mull is a great storyteller and has created a great new world full of imagination. Although it isn’t really anything like the Harry Potter series, I think if you like Harry Potter you will love Fablehaven.

Book One: Fablehaven
Book Two: Rise of the Evening Star
Book Three: Grip of the Shadow Plague
Book Four: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary
Book Five: (I heard there is a 5th book, but don’t know the title yet.)

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

For thousands of years mystical creatures gathered at a magical refuge called Fablehaven, in order to prevent capture or extinction. The sanctuary is one of a few remaining around the world. The story follows 14 year-old Kendra and her 11 year-old brother Seth on an adventure of a lifetime. When their parents decide to go on a two week cruise they are sent to stay with grandparents they hardly know, at Fablehaven. Their grandfather is the caretaker at Fablehaven and is looking for a possible replacement. On first arrival their grandmother is nowhere to be found, they are given strict instructions, as well as a puzzle Kendra must solve. Seth has a hard time following rules and soon learns what happens to rule-breakers. Kendra and Seth face the greatest challenge of their young lives as they try to uncover the secrets of Fablehaven, without upsetting all the magical creatures that live there.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the rest of the five part series. Seth drove me a little crazy. He is one of those kids that doesn’t learn from their mistakes and constantly makes the situation worse. Course, without characters like him we wouldn’t have a story. I liked Kendra’s character, and that being obedient pays off. It was a quick read, and well written. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy-adventure.