Ancient Witches

Witchlanders

By Lena Coakley

Genre: Fantasy

After the death of his father, Ryder is struggling to harvest enough food for his family – two younger sisters and a mother that's obsessed with predicting the future by casting bones. They are Witchlanders, white-haired and pale-eyed, governed by a coven of witches that Ryder mistrusts. A generation ago, the Witchlanders were at war with the dark-haired Baen across the mountains. Ryder's world changes when the village is attacked and his mother predicts an assassin Baen living in the mountains, itching to start the war again.

A shot in the dark, I picked up without knowing too much before reading. I am so glad I found this book, it has easily become a new a favourite on my shelf. The world was rich; characters relateable and believable; and there was always something at stake. The reveal of the depth to this world is mind-boggling and expertly crafted.

The first third of the book burned slowly, giving us a “slice of life” for the main character Ryder. The second third gave us more questions than answers. And the last third flew by with gripping action.

Overall, the atmosphere was ancient and mysterious. It reminds us there are no sides, and that sometimes, traditions lose their original meaning.

Highly recommended for the fantasy lover.

5/5 STARS

Classroom: The topic of religion is constant and may not be suitable for classroom use, unless you are wanting religion-based discussions. Other discussion-worthy issues are war, familial duties/expectations, tradition for the sake of tradition, substance abuse, obsession, and racial judgements/stereotyping.

Time Travelling Troupe

A Wrinkle In Time

By Madeleine L'Engle

Genre: Sci-Fi

Meg Murry is ordinary. It seems only her youngest brother, Charles Wallace, and her mother really understand her. Meg's father has gone missing and she's witnessing her mother slowly fall apart. Feeling isolated and utterly lonely, she feels her life is going nowhere. On a dark and stormy night, Meg's life of adventure begins when a mysterious stranger appears... and then a couple more.

L'Engle is a rockstar fantasy/sci-fi writer that everyone must read. This book is a classic. Published first in 1962, it just celebrated it's 50^th anniversary. There's a reason this story has stood the test of time.

The time travelling, a complex endeavour, is explained expertly. L'Engle got the idea after reading a paper by Einstein! For a children's book, the complexity of plot challenges the mind and intrigues the scientific reader. Anyone who is a fan of time travel (Doctor Who), aliens, and space travel (Star Trek), this is highly recommended.

4/5 STARS

Classroom: Yes! Please do use. Sci-fi is becoming more popular in the mainstream, and children will respond well to this. It deals with family dynamics, a missing father, a girl who feels less than everyone else, topical science subject matter, and brilliant writing. Juvenile reading level; can be used in middle or highschool (grades 6-9, ages 11-14).

“No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond.” C.S. Lewis

Interest, Intrigue, and Excite Me

Shatter Me

By Tahereh Mafi

Juliette has a power. She cannot touch anyone without killing them. For several years, she has been languishing in a prison until the futuristic government, The Reestablishment, wants her on their side.

The cover is bland and forgettable. I have an irrational hatred for “girls in ballgowns” covers. Thank goodness the publisher changed the scheme for books 2 and 3. In fact, the only reason I wanted to read this series in the first place is the second book's cover. Now I'm not so sure I want to read it.

I struggled through the first 200 pages of this book (338 total). Nothing was really grabbing me – the characters, the setting, the plot, or the pace. Then last night, something happened! I finished the rest of the book speedily. At the end, I'm still confused. I liked where it went, but I wish it had arrived there sooner.

Warning: this book is HEAVY on romance. I've no objection to romance. It just got in the way of the trajectory of the plot. It felt like “something's happening! something's happening! Oh, they're making out again...”. The feminist in me would have liked Juliette to have more development than just the romance.

I felt that little was explained and when it was the explanation offered more questions than answers. The world is a mystery to me. Though that might be part of our perspective through someone who's been incarcerated for three years.

What's most redeeming in this novel is the beautiful writing. Little snippets of pure poetry sprinkled throughout.

Here's hoping book 2 explains more.

3/5 STARS

Classroom: Skip this one.