LABYRINTH LOST, by Zoraida Cordova

The story: Alejandra has spent her whole life avoiding magic--even her own. On her Deathday, the day she should fully embrace her abilities and her life as a witch, she instead performs a counter-spell that sends her entire family into an alternate dimension, captives of the Devourer. The only way to get them back is to come to terms with her own power...and to use it.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG-13; Sexual content PG; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult R; GLBT content PG; adult themes (epic and violent monster-fighting action) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: I found this book, with its "brujeria" brand of religious magic (somewhat related to voodoo or Santeria) creepy and disturbing. I wasn't a fan--but I realize that many will like it, with its strong but flawed heroine and her many battles with and triumphs over evil beings. It's quite clear that a sequel is intended.

MY LADY JANE, by Cynthia Hand et al

The story: King Edward is dying, and he names Lady Jane Grey as his successor, doing an end run around his sisters Mary and Elizabeth. Only problem for Jane--aside from the fact that she doesn't actually WANT to be queen--is that she's going to have to marry Gifford Dudley in order to do it. Gifford is charming, handsome, funny, and writes poetry all night long: HIS only problem is that during the day, he's a horse. Which is definitely a problem if you're also a husband.

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

Liz's comments: I thought this one was charming! Take a kind of dismal part of pre-Elizabethan English history and add a big dollop of fantasy (just about every main character is an "Ethian", which means they manifest as an animal alter ego), stir them together, and emerge with a really fun, slightly naughty romantic adventure that every girl who loves fantasy and romance will cheer for. It's pretty thick and there's quite a bit of actual history (except that in real life, Lady Jane Grey was executed after nine days as queen)--so it's better for the older crowd, probably 8th and up.

REBEL OF THE SANDS, by Alwyn Hamilton

The story: Amani just wants to get out of her dead-end town. Little does she know that making her escape just ahead of the Sultan's troops will throw her into the path of djinns, death, and disturbance --and a young man name Jin, who is certainly not who he claims to be, and is far more than she ever dreamed. But guess what? So is she...FAR more than she ever dreamed.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence PG-13; Sexual content PG; Nudity PG; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult PG-13; GLBT content G; adult themes (magical violence, political intrigue, conspiracy) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: a "magical" read (excuse the pun...or don't). This was a fast-paced mashup of a wild west showdown and a tale from the Arabian nights. Give it to your upper-level fantasy readers, and make sure you also have the sequel, "Traitor to the Throne".

SHORT, by Holly Goldberg Sloan

The story: Julia doesn't want to let being short define her, which is why it's weird when she ends up being cast as a Munchkin in a summer theatre production of "The Wizard of Oz" and finds herself really liking it. Hanging out with theatre folks, learning the slang, and scoring a slot as a flying (ahem, winged) monkey help her realize there's a lot more to art than cutting stuff out of construction paper. And it just might help her get over Ramon's death too. (Then they could brush all that dog hair off the back seat.)

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; VIolence G; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes G; overall rating G.

Liz's comments: Here's a charming story with a laugh-out-loud narrator who's wise beyond her years (maybe a little too much that way--not sure kids will get all the irony). Even so, a great addition to upper ES and MS collections.

SCYTHE, by Neal Shusterman

The story: In a perfect world where no one dies, it's necessary to keep some kind of balance to the population--so there are scythes: ordained reapers who "glean" a certain number of people each year according to their own interpretation of the law. Both Rowan and Citra are chosen to be apprentice scythes and are in danger of falling in love with each other--right up until the time it's decreed that whichever of them wins the ordination will have to kill the other. Didn't see that coming.

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

Liz's comments: I really wanted to thumbs-up this story, because I was a fan of Shusterman's "Unwind" and "Skinjackers" stories, and because I think the book has something to say about death and our society's reactions to it. But this series opener was so violent that I just couldn't like it (although I did approve of the twist at the end, setting the stage for the sequel). But. Still. Pffft. Murder after murder after murder (even though not graphically described) just beats you down after a while. Certainly better for readers 9th grade and up.

THE DARKEST HOUR, by Caroline Tung Richmond

The story: After her brother is killed in World War 2, Lucie Blaise wants revenge on the Nazis for his death. She joins covert ops, which sends her out to do intelligence gathering with nothing more than a switchblade knife and a sweet smile. Can she and her fellow agents foil a plot to infect the Allies with the most dangerous disease ever known to man?

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence R; Sexual content PG; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (death in war; biological warfare, graphic violence: main character is an assassin) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: Based on real-life women operatives in WW2, this is a good suggestion for girls looking for stories about war and how it affects women. It really was quite violent, though, with Lucie essentially equating her worth as an agent with her ability to kill without regret or guilt--probably necessary in war, but pretty grim nonetheless. Give it to older readers with strong stomachs who like historical fiction.

POISON'S KISS, by Breeana Shields

The story: Marinda has spent her life being turned into a deadly weapon--an assassin working for "the Raja"--and though she hates it, she follows orders to keep her little brother safe. It's only when she realizes that her handlers really serve the snake god Nagaraja that she begins to rebel; only when she's sent to kiss and kill the boy she loves that she stops cooperating. But is it too late? Will her rebellion cost the lives of everyone she loves?

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG-13; Sexual content PG; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult PG-13; GLBT content G; adult themes (murder; assassination as a political tool; enslavement of children; some scary moments) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: Marinda's falling in love with Deven is sensitively told, as is her growing horror for the life she's being forced to lead. The author also deals with the guilt that comes from Bad-Deed-Doing, even when one is forced into it. The only thing to complain about here is the unapologetic CLIFFHANGER ending. :P