"Forbidden Portals: The Quicksilver Project" by J.A. Lightender

Renny is your average teenager. He’s tall, lanky, and an easy target for the neighborhood bully.

But things quickly change when his parents buy him a not-so-average dog. Entering “Ernie’s Pet Shack” was an experience Renny would not soon forget, nor could he guess the adventure that awaited him once he took his dog Lou home.

The two were about to embark on a quest that would change the world as Renny knew it.

This is the ninth book for J Adams, though it's the first in this genre and with this pen name. The Quicksilver Project is an e-book for kids. Check out her website or blog for more information about her books.

"Fablehaven IV: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary" by Brandon Mull

Brandon Mull's Fablehaven series has been inspiring kids for years now, and is about to come to an end next month with book five is released. However, between now and then, you can turn your attention to the first four books, including the Whitney finalist Fablehaven IV: Secret of the Dragon Sanctuary.

Here's the blurb:

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?

Brandon's website is fun and filled with great information, games and video clips. It also contains extra materials for parents and teachers to help you teach your kids while they enjoy reading his books.

Also up for the title of Best Youth Fiction in this year's Whitney's is Jessica Day George's Princess of the Midnight Ball, My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison, Bright Blue Miracle by Becca Wilhite, and The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams. I'll get to the last three next week.

"Bone Warriors" by Bron Bahlmann

Not only is Bron a teenager, but he's a great writer too. He's been writing since he was eleven, and his book was released last summer.

Here's the blurb for his book, Bone Warriors:

CRAVING POWER AND LUSTING FOR HUMAN SOULS, the wicked necromancer sweeps the land, leaving behind nothing but death and devastation. RETURNING HOME, fifteen-year-old Derrik and his friend Tweaks find their homes burning and families missing. They immediately embark on a rescue quest for redemption and retaliation. Such evil cannot be allowed to roam exempt. SINISTER GIANTS, colossal green jungle cats, and undead monsters confront them as Derrik and Tweaks encounter inconceivable threats in the forbidden woods, as well as gain unlikely allies. THE BOYS SOON REALIZE that their only hope to save their families comes from the very creature they cannot trust. But they re running out of time. How can they put an end to the necromancer s terrifying reign?


You can learn more about this teen wonder at his website, his blog, or check out this fun video about him.

"The Elf and the Princess" by Anna del C. Dye

Monday is YA fantasy day, so here's a book I heard about this week. First, the blurb from the author's website:

Menarm was a well-known and prosperous kingdom. Then a bitter struggle of succession left the kingdom devastated, the people divided.

Now Adren, the last princess of the vanquished realm of Menarm, finds herself alone in a world where women live in the shadow of men. Not only must she battle her enemies, but also a truth that could obliterate her last hope for happiness. On her quest, she finds unlikely allies in a powerful prince and a defiant mercenary, only to be devastated by an ancient elf. Will Adren survive this final assault?

Anna’s in-depth character development makes The Elf and the Princess a brilliant tale of true love, high adventure, and medieval-style warfare. Drawing inspiration from such writers as J.R.R. Tolkien, Anna spins a completely original tale that will leave the reader wanting more.

This is the first in a trilogy which includes Trouble in Elf City and Elfs in a Conquered Realm, all of which are now available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. You can learn more about these books and the author at her website.

"Princess of the Midnight Ball" by Jessica Day George

Jessica Day George has only been publishing for a few years, but already has several fantastic, successful titles out, the last of which is Princess of the Midnight Ball. I haven't read this book yet, but have heard wonderful things about it from friends who have. Don't you just love the cover? First, the blurb on this fractured fairytale:

A tale of twelve princesses doomed to dance until dawn…

Galen is a young soldier returning from war; Rose is one of twelve princesses condemned to dance each night for the King Under Stone. Together Galen and Rose will search for a way to break the curse that forces the princesses to dance at the midnight balls. All they need is one invisibility cloak, a black wool chain knit with enchanted silver needles, and that most critical ingredient of all—true love—to conquer their foes in the dark halls below. But malevolent forces are working against them above ground as well, and as cruel as the King Under Stone has seemed, his wrath is mere irritation compared to the evil that awaits Galen and Rose in the brighter world above. Captivating from start to finish, Jessica Day George’s take on the Grimms’ tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses demonstrates yet again her mastery at spinning something entirely fresh out of a story you thought you knew.

JESSICA DAY GEORGE studied at Brigham Young University, and worked as a librarian and bookseller before writing full time. She now lives with her family in Salt Lake City, Utah. You can learn more about Jessica at her website.

"FarWorld book 2: Land Keep" by J Scott Savage

If you aren't familiar with J Scott Savage's first FarWorld book, WaterKeep you'll want to check it out first. The basic story is that we have two teens, both from alternate 'worlds' that essentially use the same space. Farworld is a magical place where everyone has magical abilities. That is, everyone except Kyja, who has none. Marcus, here in our reality, however, has found he does have certain abilities, despite the fact that he is consigned to a wheelchair and lives in an orphanage. When FarWorld is threatened, Marcus is pulled back there to help get the Elementals to help fix things. There are four sets of Elementals. In this book, they try to find the Land Elementals. The blurb follows.

Four mythical Elementals— Water, Land, Air, and Fire— have the power to save two worlds, Earth and Farworld, from a common enemy: the Dark Circle. In book one, Water Keep, a portal has been opened between the two worlds, allowing Marcus, from Earth, and Kyja, from Farworld, to combine their unique gifts and begin their epic quest to find the Elementals.

In book two, Land Keep, Marcus and Kyja travel with Cascade, a Water Elemental, toward Land Keep, the home of the powerful and wise Land Elementals. However, their journey may end before it even begins. Land Keep is empty, deserted for at least a thousand years, and the rumor is that the creatures who once controlled all land magic are extinct. Marcus and Kyja's only hope seems to lie in finding the Augur Well, a legendary Oracle protected by subtle traps and mind-bending trials. To succeed in their quest, Marcus and Kyja must also avoid the Keepers of the Balance, an order dedicated to redistributing magic to the rich and powerful. And they must travel far underground, where Cascade is unable to follow and where they will be unable to leap to the safety of Earth.

As the Dark Circle closes around them, Marcus and Kyja are faced with the temptation of what they desire most. Sacrifices must be made, and not everyone will survive unscathed.

The FarWorld books are considered middle-grade books, but appeal to much older readers as well (including yours truly). They are now available at DeseretBook.com, and should be seen in some stores already, with many more to come.

There's just something about dragons

Kids from middle grade on up to young adult are flocking to fantasy these days--and who can blame them? With Harry Potter drawing reluctant readers to the book shelves, more publishers have stepped up and provided them with yet more reason to hang out. The Dragon Codex series is a great example. Though the entire series is 'authored' by R.D. Henham, R.D. has received a lot of help from various scribes along the way. One of these 'helpers' is Rebecca Shelley, who wrote the Red Dragon Codex, and Brass Dragon Codex--books designed for middle-grade readers with plenty of adventure but without some of the more mature themes in some fantasy books geared toward teens.

R.D. Henham is a scribe in the great library of Palanthas. In the course of transcribing stories of legendary dragons, the author felt a gap existed in the story of the everydragon: ordinary dragons who end up doing extraordinary things. With the help of fellow scribes, R.D. had filled that gap with the Dragon Codices.

The blurb for Red Dragon Codex:

Mudd lives a peaceful life in his small town, tinkering with the mill and any mechanical devices that he can find. But his peaceful life soon changes when, out of nowhere, a red dragon attacks, burning the town and kidnapping Shemnara, the village seer. Only one clue is left behind--a cryptic note telling Mudd, "Seek the silver dragon."

And for Brass Dragon Codex:

Never start a conversation with a brass dragon--it might never end! In another volume of the companion series to A Practical Guide to Dragons, orphaned baby brass dragon Kyani ventures out into the desert to find something to eat, and finds a gnome named Hector instead. Hector is not so sure he wants a chatty, hungry brass dragon following his every move. But several groups ready to go to blows over the marvelous invention Hector guards with his life, he may need the help that only a fun-loving brass dragon can provide.


An Amazon reviewer had this to say: Red Dragon Codex is a great fantasy story that includes not just dragons, but all kinds of magical creatures. The best part is that it is written specifically for middle grade readers. Girls and boys alike will love that the plot moves along quickly, and the story is full of action, thought and bravery. I grew to love Mudd, Hiera, Kirak, Greenthumb, and Iroden. I highly recommend this book.

Unfortunately, the publisher decided to stop this series before the entire series was published, but the good news is there are seven fun, clean titles you can search out at your local library (for your child or yourself), or buy for your personal library at home.

Laura Bingham's YA fantasy, "Alvor"

I recently had a chance to sit with Laura Bingham at an event for local school librarians (local to me, not to her--she drove a long way to be there). I would say I signed with her but, well, I didn't have copies of my book yet. Her book, Alvor, the first in a series of G-rated YA fantasies sounds like a great book, which is now on my very lengthy to-read list. It is geared for kids about fourth grade through high school. Here's the back cover blurb:

Erin and her twin brother, Bain, never expected to find that the cabin in the woods near their home is actually a secret entrance to a magical world. Surrounded by pegasi, dragons, and fairies, they discover new powers within themselves and a secret they have unknowingly been preparing for: they are training to become elves. Now they are faced with the decision to stay in this dream world or return home to the life they knew.

A spellbinding tale of fantasy and fairy tale, Älvor draws you into an enchanting world of all things magical.

Laura is the mother of five and teaches clogging--how she finds time to write and do so much publicity I'll never know. Her hard work in getting the word out is paying off however, as I understand her bok has already gone back for a third printing--and it's only been out for a few months.

You can read a review of the book here. Check out Laura's website here, (which has a first chapter posted) or for regular updates through her blog, check her out here. She's currently giving away a copy of her book--in celebration of one year since she got her contract. If you check out her blog and leave a comment on Wednesday, September 23rd's post before October 17th, you could be the lucky winner.