FINISHED:
Khan, Joshua. (2016). Shadow Magic. New York: Disney/Hyperion.

[Thorn, after having been captured while trying to find his father who took the blame for a crime Thorn committed, is bought and taken to Castle Gloom by Tyburn the executioner to be a squire.  Lilith Shadow, ruler in Castle Gloom after the rest of her family is killed, is being force to marry Gabriel Solar in an effort to bring peace between their kingdoms/houses.  When a failed poisoning of Lilith occurs, the tale suddenly becomes an entertaining murder mystery, filled with red herrings, magic, ghosts, a giant bat that Thorn learns to ride, and even some zombies, though the revelation of the true villain and what happened to Thorn’s father may not come as total shockers.  Plodding and overlong at times, this is still a nuanced fantasy with a vivid setting.  The characters of Thorn and Lilith are given equal time, thus broadening its appeal, though it should be noted that there are a handful of instances of visceral violence.  Full page illustrations in a dynamic, mood-setting style are scattered throughout.  Review based on ARC.]

STARTED:
Cossanteli, Veronica. (2016). The Extincts. New York: Henry Holt/MacMillan.

[.]

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