Shadowspell - ISBNLookup.com

VOYA - Courtney Huse Wika

Dana Hathaway thought her life was complicated before she escaped to Avalon. Though she lived with the constant pain and embarrassment of her mother's drinking problem, at least she was not a pawn in fae politics, nor was she hunted by family members and the Queens of Faerie. In Shadowspell, the second installment of the Faeriewalker series, Dana's life is further complicated by the arrival of the Erlking and his enslaved motorcycle gang, the Wild Hunt. The Erlking is dangerously beautiful and dangerously ruthless, and he immediately takes an interest in Dana and her Faeriewalker powers. Confined to lockdown in a safe house for her protection, Dana is happy to avoid contact with him; that is, until he takes Ethan as one of the Wild Hunt. Refusing to accept Ethan's imprisonment, Dana barters with the Erlking, but the terms of the agreement mean a shocking sacrifice on her part. Unfortunately, Dana learns too late the true extent of what she must trade for Ethan's freedom. Well-paced and thrilling, the second book in the series does not disappoint. Dana is a smart and spirited protagonist who, in addition to learning the ways of the Fae, is clearly navigating the minefield of adolescence. Her anxieties and frustrations about independence, parent/child relationships, love and friendship, and sexuality are earnest and relatable. Though the conditions of the Erlking's agreement and her anxieties of being labeled a "slut" are disconcerting, the storyline offers an excellent conversation starter for readers, adolescent and adult alike. Reviewer: Courtney Huse Wika

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—Dana has just found out that she is a Faeriewalker, someone who can not only travel between the mortal world and Faerie, but can also bring magic or technology with her. A pawn in Avalon's political games and a target of the murderous Queens of Faerie, the teen's life has been threatened several times and now her father has placed her under house arrest, which is totally putting a crimp in her social life. Not wanting to lose her friends completely, she sneaks out several times, putting herself into further danger and attracting the interest of the Wild Hunt's leader, the Erlking. Using trickery, the Erlking forces Dana's friend Ethan to become part of the Wild Hunt and Dana strikes a hard bargain to get him back. Armed with new skills and new allies, even those she doesn't necessarily want, Dana must deal with the fact that her life will never be the same. Her near escapes make for an exciting and magical adventure. Political intrigue mingles with supernatural battles creating an unforgettable world. As the stakes get higher, so do the costs, and there are several fairly explicit sex scenes. Fans of Glimmerglass (St. Martin's/Griffin, 2010) will definitely want this sequel.—Jessica Miller, New Britain Public Library, CT

Kirkus Reviews

Since Dana entered Avalon from the mortal realm in Glimmerglass (2010), she's been a virtual prisoner. Her faerie father, terrified that so many fae want Dana dead because of her faeriewalker powers, keeps her locked in the house. At least she gets a few approved outings: the Avalon Starbucks; the spa for a manicure with her Unseelie best friend; a movie with her friend's handsy, hot brother; workout sessions with her bodyguard's equally hot son. When the dangerous (and, unsurprisingly, hot) Erlking arrives in Avalon, Dana's carefully treasured freedom might end. The ancient, powerful leader of the Wild Hunt wants something from Dana, and he'll hurt—or seduce—anyone who gets in his way. Despite Dana's phenomenal magical abilities, she's a mere pawn for Avalon's powerbrokers (one of whom tries to have her raped); she derives control only by avoiding sex. An explicitly eroticized view of adolescent abstinence, packed with pretty, leather-clad men all madly in want with the heroine. There's plenty of setup for the next volume in this steamy urban-fairyland series. (Paranormal romance. YA)