THE SIREN SONG

It doesn’t seem fair that the reward for saving the world is getting grounded for life, but that’s just what’s happened to 13-year-old Charlotte. Her parents can’t understand where she went when she stopped Philonecron’s dastardly plan in The Shadow Thieves (2006), so now they don’t trust her. Meanwhile, Philonecron has yet another dastardly plan, this time for revenge. Charlotte seems completely abandoned: Her parents belittle her; her cousin Zee is acting extremely strange; and her world is filled with powerful immortals who are petty, cruel and ridiculously tacky. When Charlotte’s parents invite her on a cruise, it seems like her life might be improving, but she’s mistaken. Not only is the cruise educational, but unbeknownst to Charlotte, it’s been arranged by Poseidon as part of Philonecron’s vengeance. Sulky and easily damaged Charlotte’s not a typical plucky heroine, but that only adds to her appeal; she doesn’t fight evil because she’s a destined world-saver, but because she’s the only person around who can, and she knows somebody needs to. Not deep, but witty, well-paced and fun. (Fantasy. 9-12)