Warrior (Dragons of Starlight) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0310718376

Price: USD 9.99
63 used & new available from USD 2.95

The black egg has hatched and the dragon prince has emerged. Long-told prophecies of doom strike fear in the enslaved humans. Jason and Koren race to the Northlands in search of help, but the Starlighter seems irrevocably connected to the dragon prince and must decide if returning to him and his chains will prove to be the best for her people. Elyssa and Wallace still battle for the slaves’ freedom, uncovering mysterious history along the way; and Tibalt and Randall, back on Major Four, are confronted with problems of their own. Jason is tested, Koren is conflicted, and the struggle for truth grows harder. One thing is clear: the stakes are raising and time is running short.

The second book in Bryan Davis’ Dragons of Starlight series, Warrior, delves deeper into the established story and throws in some pretty surprising plot twists while it’s at it. I had to concentrate to keep track of all the characters and plot lines, but the book is certainly worthwhile and does an excellent job of keeping things interesting while setting up for the third book, Diviner.

Third Starlighter (Tales of Starlight) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0899578853

Price: USD 10.19
32 used & new available from USD 7.99

Starting where Masters and Slayers left off, Third Starlighter continues the story of Adrian and Marcelle as they try to free the slaves from the dragon planet. Marcelle’s back on Major Four, the human planet, trying to raise an army to help Adrian. Meanwhile, Adrian has his hands full on the dragon planet with new discoveries and mysteries. It all adds up to one wild ride, so fasten your seatbelt!

You can’t get away from the fact that this book is great. I had a fantastic time reading it, getting to know the characters better, and having little aha moments everywhere as the story unfolded. Once I finished Third Starlighter, I roamed the house, muttering about plot points yet to be resolved and wondering out loud how Bryan Davis thinks he can wrap it all up in one more book. That is my only reservation here, and it’s probably unfounded. Do not miss this series.

Dragons of the Watch: A Novel (Paperback)
by Donita K. Paul
ISBN: 1400073413

Price: USD 11.07
45 used & new available from USD 7.25

Though a well-educated tumanhofer, Ellicinderpart is just a farm girl with a goat named Tak for her best friend. When opportunity arises to visit the capitol for an upcoming royal wedding, she’s eager to take the special trip — but a sudden turn of events makes her journey a little too special. Trapped in an enchanted, over-sized city, populated only by an obscure old urohm and a horde of brutal, vicious children, Ellie’s first concern is simply that of survival. But it turns out she’s not the only tumanhofer to have fallen into this unique set of circumstances — she meets Bealomondore, a well-known and elite artist, who’s been trapped there for months now. Despite her initial distrust, the two must work together to unravel the mystery and ultimately discover how perseverance and love can bring restoration.

I always anticipate Donita K. Paul’s new releases. This, the final book of the Chiril Chronicles, takes a slightly different direction than its predecessors, but as far as adventure, humor, and truth goes, Dragons of the Watch definitely fulfills the established style of the author. If you’ve enjoyed her other books, you won’t want to miss this heart-warming conclusion.

Red Rain (Paperback)
by Aubrey Hansen
ISBN: 1466285729

Price: USD 6.99
8 used & new available from USD 6.31

Philadelphia lives with her father in a restricted compound for the religious, held there by the United, the world power. When her father is chosen to go to Mars for a secret mission and Philadelphia is forced to accompany him, she stumbles on secrets that she wasn’t ever supposed to find out. Secrets that could destroy everything she’s ever known if she’s not careful.

As the debut novel of author Aubrey Hansen, Red Rain has a lot going for it. It’s a fast-paced, well-written book with all the trappings that go with that label. Interesting characters, intriguing mysteries, plot twists—it’s all here. My only complaint, and it’s minor, is that there was room for some more exploration of the underlying themes to really make parts of the narrative keep you awake at night pondering the impossible choices. But as an exciting afternoon read, Red Rain shines brilliantly. More, please!

Song of the Ovulum (Children of the Bard) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0899578802

Price: USD 10.79
49 used & new available from USD 8.45

This is the story of what happened to the characters from Dragons in Our Midst and Oracles of Fire fifteen years after those series ended. Bonnie and Ashley, both anthrozils (humans with dragon traits) have been imprisoned for fear of dragon sympathies. Bonnie and Billy’s twin children have been placed in foster care with no knowledge of their dragon heritage. Walter (Ashley’s husband) is free and trying to break his friends out. But he’s going to need the help of both anthrozil children to pull it off. Add to that a parallel backstory beginning back at Noah’s flood, and you’ve got one wild ride of a sequel. Buckle up.

When I first heard about Bryan Davis’ plans to continue the Dragons in Our Midst books, I was skeptical. The eight-book saga spanned the dimensions, carrying a deep and gripping plot to a satisfying conclusion. Why continue? Well, I shouldn’t have doubted. This may not be the best of the Dragons saga (though it is one of the better ones), but it lays the groundwork for much more to come. I cannot wait to see where this story goes in the future books. Consider my hat held onto.

Dragons of the Valley: A Novel (Paperback)
by Donita K. Paul
ISBN: 1400073405

Price: USD 11.07
68 used & new available from USD 3.46

No sooner have Tipper and her companions put down the threat of uprising—and reunited her father’s three statues—than war begins to threaten the land of Chiril. Men from the country of Baardack have begun to subtly invade, one of the most prominent being a strange, sentient hunter called the Grawl. The three statues, carved from one of the world’s corner stones, must not fall into the enemy’s hands. Bealomondore, a tumanhofer, is one of those responsible for transporting the statues to a safer place. An artist at heart, he must learn to put down his paintbrush and take up his sword to defend Chiril against this new threat.

In some ways this story seemed to feel a little bit different from some of the other books by Mrs. Paul. It isn’t my favorite of hers, but I definitely enjoy it. Truth is woven into the story, and the characters you’ve gotten to know from The Vanishing Sculptor (plus some new ones) have their opportunities to shine. There’s also some great humor involving Fenworth and his kimen companion, the reluctant hero artist, and Lady Peg’s mind as a weapon in itself against the enemy. The final book in the trilogy is scheduled to come out in October!

Harry’s Mad (Paperback)
by Dick King-Smith
ISBN: 0679886885

Price: USD 5.50
53 used & new available from USD 0.10

Harry, an English boy, inherits a pet parrot from his American great-uncle. He quickly discovers that Madison (Mad for short) the parrot has been taught to carry on conversations by his great-uncle, who was a linguistic professor. Mad soon becomes one of the family, but when he gets kidnapped by a burglar, Mad must find a way to get back home.

This is your basic talking-animal-gets-kidnapped-and-has-to-return-home book, but it has two things going for it to set it apart. First, Dick King-Smith is a master of animal books and British humor (or should I say humour?), so Harry’s Mad is just plain fun in that regard. Second, the storyline of an American parrot being adopted by a British family has all sorts of fun with the differences between the two cultures. So while you won’t find anything too profound here, Harry’s Mad should do the trick of delighting young and old alike.

Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball: A Novella (Hardcover)
by Donita K. Paul
ISBN: 0307458997

Price: USD 14.99
81 used & new available from USD 0.10

Cora Crowder bumps into coworker Simon Derrick in a very odd bookstore. That night, she discovers a ticket to the Wizards’ Christmas Ball in a book she bought. Simon finds one too. What follows can only be called a lighthearted romance full of fun, twists, quirky characters, and a little magical matchmaking.

Having previously read Donita K. Paul’s fantasy books, I was very excited to see how this contemporary tale turned out. The result is nothing short of delightful. There are just enough hints of fantasy interwoven with the normality to keep things interesting, while the mystery of it all remains and keeps the book standing tippy-toed on solid ground. What we have here is a satisfying story with twists and important lessons aplenty, without either feeling contrived in the least. You can’t get much better than this.

The Charlatan’s Boy: A Novel (Paperback)
by Jonathan Rogers
ISBN: 0307458229

Price: USD 11.89
45 used & new available from USD 3.09

The story of Grady, a boy with no knowledge of his family, as he travels with a cheating showman named Floyd. The golden age of their show used to be the “Wild Man of the Feechiefen Swamp” act, but now that feechiefolk have become a laughable legend, the traveling duo are forced to find other shows make money from. That is, until they hit upon a scheme that will force all of Corenwald to believe in feechies once more—and bring back an opportunity for their favorite bit of show business. As they travel back and forth across the land, Grady also begins to discover things about himself.

I found this story very entertaining. Though some characters appear only for a short time, many of them actually do tie back in later in the book. My main complaint was that most of the book involves them cheating the townspeople in one way or another, but Grady’s conscience still pesters him, and the story ends well. Readers of the Wilderking Trilogy (The Bark of the Bog Owl, The Secret of the Swamp King, and The Way of the Wilderking) can enjoy picking up on subtle tie-ins, while new readers can still enter and enjoy the world of Corenwald. Overall, definitely worth reading. According to the back of the book, there’s a sequel on its way later this year. I shall look forward to it.

Flip (Paperback)
by Wesley Dennis
ISBN:

Price: $3.72
10 used & new available from USD 3.72

Flip is a happy little colt who enjoys life on a Kentucky farm. He can run, buck, and play, but he can never manage to jump the brook in the pasture. One day, Flip falls asleep and dreams he has wings. Jumping the brook should be easy now!

A very short, easy read with a humorous story and wonderful illustrations. It is simple enough for children just beginning to read and is enjoyable for more advanced readers as well. Since the early 1940′s, Flip has pleased many horse-loving youngsters and it is sure to gather even more fans.