13 Treasures

Written by Michelle Harrison. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2010.

Thirteen-year old Tanya has always been able to see fairies - she is "blessed" with the second sight. These aren't the fairies you're thinking of from princess tales; rather, these fairies like to torment Tanya. And she can't tell anyone she sees them, because they would think she is crazy. Fed up with the distruction and havoc that she thinks Tanya has caused, her mother sends Tanya away to live with her grandmother. Tanya's grandmother has never been especially warm and fuzzy towards her grand-daughter; she is mostly cold and reserved. While at her grandmother's house, Tanya discovers a mystery of the past involving a missing girl and the dark, creepy woods near the house. While trying to solve this mystery, Tanya discovers things about herself, her grandmother, and the fairy realm.

I don't normally gravitate towards fantasy stories, but this was a great story! It hooked me in from the beginning, and I was eager to find out what the mystery was. The fairy element plays a strong role in this story, and if you are hesitant to pick up this book because of that, don't be! There is a nice balance between the fantasy and mystery elements of this story, and the storytelling is quite engaging. It's not too scary, but just right to get you into the Halloween spirit. Now, for pity's sake, don't go into the woods!

Foiled

By Jane Yolen and illustrated by Mike Cavallaro. New York & London: First Second, 2010.

Aliera Carstairs is an awesome fencer. She rules the sport, but in high school, she is a nobody. She doesn't belong to any of the cliques, and doesn't have any friends. She spends the majority of her time at fencing practice, and spends her Saturdays at her Aunt Hannah's house doing role-playing games with her cousin Caroline. That all changes one day when new student Avery Castle begins to pay attention to Aliera. They become lab partners in Biology, and all of a sudden, Aliera is noticed...by a boy, no less! When Avery asks her out, Aliera is excited and also completely freaked out. She's never been on a date before! On top of that, her mother had just gotten her a new fencing foil with a mysterious jewel attached to its hilt and she had to bring it along on their date, because she will be coming straight from fencing practice. All of a sudden, mysterious and strange creatures try to steal the foil. What is going on? Will Aliera be able to keep her foil safe and will her date be completely ruined?

I flew through this book! I was completely engrossed by Aliera, and I loved the aspect of fencing as a plot focus. I will admit, there are some parts that are a little choppy, but the overall story prevails, so be patient. The ending is very abrupt, but I checked Jane Yolen's website, and there is a sequel planned, so hopefully everything will be answered! The graphics are awesome - the black and grey drawings are so expressive, and when the colored panels emerge, they are so vibrant and just pop off the page. Anyone who wants an interesting, fast read, should check this out!