From the back cover: Unfulfilled crushes. Awkward first conversations. A date who wants you... dead. Having a Y-chromosome in Sunnydale is never easy. But Buffy the Vampire Slayer's friend Xander Harris seems to find more than his share of trouble with the opposite sex. At first Xander is happy being the teacher's pet—until his schoolboy crush brings out her true animal … [Read more...] about The Xander Years 1 by Keith R. A. DeCandido: B-
The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner: B+
From the inside flap: The king's scholar, the magus, believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure. To attain it for his king, he needs a skillful thief, and he selects Gen from the king's prison. The magus is interested only in the thief's abilities. What Gen is interested in is anyone's guess. Their journey toward the treasure is both dangerous and difficult, … [Read more...] about The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner: B+
The Pearl of the Soul of the World by Meredith Ann Pierce: A
From the back cover: All the world's wisdom and magic reside within the iridescent depths of a small white pearl. "All my sorcery," the Ancient Ravenna had said to Aeriel. "It is left to you to save the world." But is the pearl powerful enough to enable Aeriel to defeat the White Witch? Aeriel's people have assembled an army and are soon to attack the Witch and her … [Read more...] about The Pearl of the Soul of the World by Meredith Ann Pierce: A
Princess Tutu 2 by Mizuo Shinonome et al.: B+
Book description: Ahiru's transformation into Princess Tutu has fulfilled her life-long fantasy, but her charmed new life is not a ballerina's fairytale. Jealousy rules her new magical kingdom, and an envious Princess Kraehe will continue to thwart Ahiru's efforts to win her broken-hearted prince. Princess Tutu will have to toss her tiara aside and become a soldier to fight for … [Read more...] about Princess Tutu 2 by Mizuo Shinonome et al.: B+
A Gathering of Gargoyles by Meredith Ann Pierce: B+
From the back of the book, with edits for spoilers: Aeriel may've done something interesting in book one, but the Witch is far from defeated! Her evil vampyre sons continue to blight the lands, defeating even the warders created by the Old Ones to protect them. There is but a single hope for the Witch's defeat—solving an ancient, mysterious riddle. So, Aeriel sets off to … [Read more...] about A Gathering of Gargoyles by Meredith Ann Pierce: B+