KALIFUS RISING (Legends of Orkney #2), by Alane Adams

The story: Stranded in the mythical world of Orkney, Sam is alone in his fight against the witch Catriona. Little does he know that his friends Howie, Keely, and Leo have been brought back to Orkney too, and given an assignment that they must complete, even if it means the death of Odin. A prophecy tells Sam that he must give in to the darkness in order to overcome it, but when has THAT ever worked out well?

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG-13; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult PG-13; GLBT content G; adult themes (murder and mayhem) PG; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: This story is the sequel to Adams's "The Red Sun" (Legends of Orkney #1) and draws heavily on Norse mythology for its magical characters. Kids who have read through Rick Riordan's books will like this one, especially if they've been following Thor's adventures with Loki in the Avengers movies.