It’s hard having a father who’s an infamous traitor. It’s even harder having a mother who’s an omen of doom.

After a summer away, Kelcie Murphy is excited to be back at the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts. But she and her friends have barely settled in when they receive a visit from her mother—the war goddess, Nemain—with a warning of coming calamity.

The Heart of Danu, the legendary source of all light and warmth in the Lands of Summer, is going to be stolen. And only Kelcie and her mates can stop it. As they travel with the rest of the students to Summer City to take part in the glorious Ascension Ceremony, Kelcie has no time for the military parade, the lavish ball, or even to visit her father: she’s determined to protect the Heart and her new home.

But the Lands of Summer are still not a welcoming place for Kelcie. When disaster strikes, the Queen, the High Guard, and even some of her schoolmates suspect Kelcie is to blame.

As the world is plunged into darkness, Kelcie will have to decide: does she keep fighting for a place that may always see her as a traitor’s daughter, or for a future greater than the war to come.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu is the sequel to the first book I reviewed last year, Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts. This second story continues capturing readers with action, danger and mystery in a memorable fantasy world.

Kelcie is such a likeable heroine and when you throw in mythical creatures and villains, the story exceeds one’s expectations. It’s like a roller coaster ride full of ups, downs and thrilling turns. Solid readers will not be bothered by the length of over 400 pages, although this is one of those sequels where you’d benefit from reading the first book before diving into this one.

Themes of friendship and not fitting in will resonate with the MG audience. Yes, there will be a third book in the future given the enticing ending to book 2. Kelcie is one of my favorite characters and I’m looking forward to seeing her character ARC expand even further.

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: KELCIE MURPHY AND THE HUNT FOR THE HEART OF DANU by Erika Lewis

1. The lands of Summer and Winter and the characters in each bring many dynamic qualities to the tale.
2. New character, Lexis, arrives undercover from the Land of Winter and has similar abilities to Kelcie, although more controlled. Her actions had me guessing the entire way as to what the end result would bring: whether it be allies or enemies with Kelcie.
3. Celtic mythology once again is a wonderful backdrop to the the plot.
4. Action, action, and more action. It made the small typeface and page length fly by in a hurry.
5. The glossary is a fantastic addition, with all the new terminology and understanding how this world works. You might even start there to learn about the intricacies of what you will read.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Erika Lewis grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, spent summers with her grandparents in Worcester, Massachusetts, and currently lives in Los Angeles, California. With a passion for storytelling set in magical places, she spends as much time as she can traveling. When she’s not writing, she can generally be found scribbling notes in a blank book while wandering through abandoned buildings, all kinds of museums, and graveyards.

A graduate of Vanderbilt University, her list of credits straddles the comics and novel space, including the Kelcie Murphy Series from Starscape/Tor Teen, The Color of Dragons from HarperTeen, Game of Shadows from Tor Books, Firebrand and Acursian from Legendary Comics, #Guardian from Awesome Media & Entertainment, and The 49th Key from Heavy Metal Publishing.

(For more about Erika, give her author website a visit)

++++++++++++++++++++++++

COMMENTS ARE WELCOME BELOW.

BE SURE TO ALSO VISIT THE OTHER BLOGGERS ON TODAY’S MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY!