McMann, Lisa. The Unwanted Quests: Dragon Captives.

McMann, Lisa.  The Unwanted Quests: Dragon Captives.  Simon & Schuster/Aladdin      2017  432p  $17.99  ISBN 978-1-4814-5681-4     ms  Fantasy  VG-BN

Protected from magic and banned from learning it, the next generation of Unwanteds sets off on a quest. The young dragons have outgrown their magic wings and need new ones. One representative is sent to Alex for help. Alex practically refuses to help due to his own issues of responsibility and feelings of failure.  His two young sisters take it upon themselves to complete this quest. They are woefully underprepared. They trust the wrong people, misfire magic, and land in prison. Alex sends a rescue mission. This volume ends with one twin returning home, and one being taken prisoner by an old rival. The ending sets the reader up for the next installment.
 

These novels exhibit exciting action by headstrong girls who are tragically undereducated in how to use the magic they possess. Fantastical lands and beasts abound. More might be understood if the reader were not entering this series in the middle. There are hints to happenings from the prior novels but more background would be helpful. This purchase would be best for schools already possessing the prior series. The astute reader will overlook the lack of background and enjoy the adventure as presented.  Middle school.  

Summary: Following the Unwanteds series, this is the first book in a new series of quests. The next generation of Unwanteds tries to save the dragons from slavery, and there is much bumbling in the action. Future titles are assured. Middle school.

Magic-Fiction, Dragons-Fiction                                    —Joan Theal

McMann, Lisa. Island of Fire.

McMann, Lisa.  Island of Fire. (The Unwanteds)  Simon & Schuster/Aladdin      2013  464p  ISBN 978-1-4424-5845-1  ms/hs  E-BN    Fantasy    

I want to start by saying that this was a wonderful book! However, even though it can be read as a stand-alone title, and for me this was the case, it would have been easier to flow into the book had I read the first two titles in the series: The Unwanteds and Island of Silence.  The story of how Alex restores Artime and its unwanteds, the relationship (of sorts) between him and his twin, and the fascinating, unique characters created by the author make this a great read for any fantasy buff.  To rave more about the book would have to involve spoilers, and I don’t want to ruin this read for anyone. Loved it!

Summary: The third book in The Unwanteds series find Artime struggling without its magic. Young Alex is now The Mage, and he has to first restore Artime to its magical state, and then rescue his friends from the island of Quill.    

Magic-Fiction                                              --Lynn Fisher

McMann, Lisa. Crash.

McMann, Lisa.  Crash.   Simon & Schuster/ Simon Pulse  2013  233p  $16.99     978-1-4424-6168-0 hs    Misc. VG-BN

Jules keeps  having visions about a truck that is out of control and crashing into a building which then explodes.  Everywhere she looks the vision appears -- billboards, TV, dreams.  As she investigates the occurrences in the vision, she learns the where and when of the event, as well as the who that is involved.  The question then becomes: “what can she do to prevent it”?  This is the first book in what will evidently be a series.  The characters of Jules, her family, and the family’s nemeses, The Angiotti’s, are well-written and well-developed. The distrust and hatred between the two families is apparent from the start, and the way that that plays into the vision makes for a compelling read.  Jules’s former love for the Angitiotti’s teenage son Sawyer provides the second pivotal point of the book.  The way that relationship concludes is satisfying and realistic, and obviously leads into the second book in the series.  In some ways this story has undertones of Romeo and Juliet, without the finality of death for the two primary characters.  All-in-all, it is a very good read.

Romance – Fiction, Conflict - Fiction                       Fisher(1), Lynn

McMann, Lisa. The Unwanteds.

McMann, Lisa.  The Unwanteds. Simon & Schuster/Little Brown, 2011.  400p.

$16.99  ISBN 978-1-4424-0770-1      ms    VG-BN Fantasy    

     Twins are split apart: Aaron, to move forward to become a leader of Quill, and Alex, to go to his death as an Unwanted because he is deemed to have creative tendencies.  Instead, Alex goes to a magical land where he not only survives but is also trained to use his creativity to battle the enemy.  The concept of purging a land of its children resonates with contemporary young readers who enjoy watching children face seemingly insurmountable odds.  Although McMann, too, begins her book with this disturbing event, she has given it her own voice.  In the land of Quill, children who are deemed to be useless to the cause are named “Unwanteds,” and they are sentenced to death in boiling oil.   Justine, the high priestess of Quill, has only disdain for them, saving her appreciation for the Necessaries and the Wanteds.  When a witness sees twin Alex Stowe drawing in the dirt, Alex is added to the list of Unwanteds because creativity is not valued in Quill.  Commitment to the cause and unwavering adherence to Quill’s rules are valued by Alex’s brother Aaron, and he moves forward as a Wanted due to his brilliance at improving living conditions in his land.  Imagine Alex’s shock when, instead of meeting death, he is whisked into Artime, a fantasy world that coexists with Quill but is not known to Quill’s citizenry.  While in Artime, Alex is trained in the arts and in magic, which, when combined, can be used to defend Artime against Quill in a battle that is imminent as the two worlds come together.  Unique magical characters and spells, Alex’s friends and enemies alike and the enigmatic Mr. Today, leader of Artime, combine to make this book a noteworthy one.  When Alex figures out how to communicate with his brother Aaron, he is shocked that Aaron does not want anything to do with him!  In a climax of all climaxes, there is a battle, there is identity-changing, and there is no resolution to the tension between the twins, leaving an opening for a sequel to The Unwanteds.  Children who want a certain “je ne sais quoi” in the fantasy genre will enjoy this book! 
Martha Squaresky

 

McMann, Lisa. Cryer's Cross.

McMann, Lisa Cryer's Cross
Simon Pulse see Simon & Schuster 2011 240p 16.99
978-1-4169-9481-7 secondary VG-BN


Two young students from the small, fictional town of Cryer╒s Cross, Montana go missing. Kendall, an OCD senior who attends the one room high school begins to question the mysterious writing she finds as she compulsively arranges the classroom every day, and the ╘voices╒ in her head. The new boy in town, Jacian, an avid soccer player just like Kendall, eventually helps Kendall to solve the question of the two missing students in this supernatural mystery.
This fast-paced novel draws the reader in early on when we discover that the protagonist, Kendall, suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Thus, while the plot revolves around the disappearance of the two students, the author also gives us some insight into the daily nuances inherent in being an OCD teenager. It was also nice to read about relationships between teenagers that were for the most part positive and supportive. While the subject and manner of this book could not be called delightful, this was a delightful read because it is well written, fast-paced and descriptive. Supernatural Fisher, Lynn