From Matthews, a group of young teens must work together to escape fairy captors and control their own burgeoning powers.

Thirteen-year-old Abigail has spent the last two years shut up in a cave. She has a magical force growing inside of her, a gallu draig that affords her the ability to both heal and put others into comalike sleep. But if the gallu draig isn’t drained periodically, it will turn Abigail into a monster. Or so Abigail has been told by the tiny fae man who guards her. That is why she endures her lonely life, working to protect six other “sleepers.” Abigail believes the fae are searching for a cure. But when two of her charges are taken away, their gallu draig having supposedly claimed them while Abigail herself was sleeping, her doubts turn to certainty. She and the others are being held captive! Abigail revives the remaining sleepers: Dwayne, Jeff, Meili, and Luca. At first they are hostile, holding Abigail to blame for her complicity in their imprisonment. But Abigail’s knowledge and healing powers help them to escape...as does the destructive force unleashed when Meili turns into a dragon! Can Abigail and her companions stay free from their fae pursuers and ward off their own transformations? Matthews writes in the third person from Abigail’s perspective, delivering realistic dialogue and a well-constructed storyline. The fantastical elements are fresh, and the relationships among the teens feel authentic. Abigail and the other sleepers are accepting yet temperamental, good-hearted but self-absorbed, brash though insecure. The cast is diverse—Dwayne is Black, Meili is Chinese, Luca is Latine, and Abigail and Jeff, who is deaf, are White. The plot, while never slow, gains traction as it unfolds and carries some genuine surprises. Abigail’s story is the second in a series but is more or less entirely self-contained, requiring no knowledge of the first book. Middle-grade readers (and above) will immerse themselves in the adventure.

A serious, exciting coming-of-age fantasy.

A boy must discover his unusual heritage to save himself and his family in this middle-grade novel.

When he was 9 years old, Bradley Nash was threatened by a strange man whom his father called a “hunter.” Bradley escaped, but now—three years later—he has no memory of these events. Nearly 12, he lives in a Florida trailer park with his family. It’s been a quiet life—until just before his birthday, when Bradley gets an unexpected present from his parents: a handwritten book titled Mastering the Gallu Draig. The illustrations depict dragons, and the text includes mysterious aphorisms like “The most important part of your journey is choosing your direction” and “What you need is always more powerful than what you want.” Meanwhile, the hunter is again targeting Bradley and others, this time with some dangerous allies. With the book comes an astonishing family secret that both explains why the hunter is after him and gives the boy a crucial task: Bradley must figure out who he truly is and what he cares about most. A dramatic showdown will test his ability to come of age. In Matthews’ third dragon-themed middle-grade adventure, this one in a real-world setting, he more than fulfills the promise of his earlier fantasy novels. His writing is uniformly excellent, whether untangling complex lore with smart exposition or presenting the inner world of a young hero whose vulnerabilities (such as a debilitating fear of strangers) and caring nature make him very appealing. Despite its magical elements, Bradley’s quest matches well with every adolescent’s need for self-understanding, coming to terms with their family, and finding a life path. His leap into maturity is especially well handled: The odyssey is both suspenseful and deeply moving.

An intriguingly exciting hero’s journey that’s also beautifully thoughtful and humane.

In this middle-grade fantasy sequel, a boy who defeated dragons must confront a powerful magic wielder.

In Book 1 of this series, 12-year-old Alluencien “Al” Pilgrommor earned a zero rank on Testing Day, putting himself and his family in danger. He was sent away, but being zero also allowed Al to survive being bombarded with Potentia, “the source of all magic,” giving him special powers—some remaining untapped. In a great battle, Al poisoned and overthrew the dragons ruling his society, which freed the five races. Now, the grounds outside Castle Surflienne are littered with dragon corpses, and the imperious Magister Trejir arrives, appointing himself ruler. Feeling devastated by his father’s continued rejection and sensing danger from Trejir, Al goes to Dockside, where he learns two disturbing facts: the Feathers—a secret organization that helped Al kill the dragons—are being hunted, and Trejir has taken the boy’s mother hostage. Not only that, Trejir has gotten hold of a dragon egg and means to reestablish tyranny. As Al works to defeat Trejir, he gathers allies and becomes known as the boy with the sword, which is conspicuously a little too big for him. If Al can learn more about his abilities and how to use them in time, his coalition might have a chance. Matthews (Dragon Run, 2013) takes his exciting sword-and-sorcery tale to some unexpected places here, with well-drawn vignettes of Dockside society and a compelling backstory. For example, because the dragons rewrote history and claimed to have created humans, Al is a monster, not a hero, to many—including his own mother. Al’s enjoyably ragtag associates include the spirits of Castle Surflienne’s last human rulers, which inhabit the very stones. Al’s considerable powers are balanced by his feelings of rejection, and he grows through his experiences, learning to plan and think ahead. But diction is sometimes too modern; words like “mom,” “dad,” “guy,” “okay,” and the intensifier “super” take readers out of this medieval-ish world.

Effective worldbuilding, strong character development, and fast-paced action make for an entertaining adventure.

In a world ruled by dragons whose minions rank and brand people like cattle, one boy has the ability to change everything.

Al, Wisp and Trillia join the crowd of 12-year-olds waiting outside the castle on Testing Day. With relatively high-ranking parents—four—Al worries more about his friend, Wisp, whose parents sport the marks of rank two. Wisp, cavalier as always, gives Al a beaten-up hat to wear with an enigmatic message that it will give him the “luck of the Evans.” However, luck seems far from Al when a zero is carved on the back of his neck, indicating his worth and calling for not only his death, but the death of his whole family. Al’s only option is to run. He soon discovers that rank zeros are not worthless but dangerous, capable of overthrowing the dragons and freeing the five races from their slavery. Sword fights, a mysterious society and an impossible quest keep this inventive fantasy moving at a fast clip. Harry Potter fans hungry for a new hero will be drawn to Al, but stock characters and a predictable resolution combine to steal the magic.

A distinctive fantasy with obvious flaws, this still goes down pretty easy