Lackey tries a reboot of dystopian fiction with the story of Joy, a Hunter who has found herself in a perilous situation. A biblical-level event disrupts Earth, and creatures once thought to be merely legend now plague the planet. The religious believe it's Revelation, but everyone else just wants to avoid being obliterated. Joy's monster-fighting training serves her well when she is called from her village to the capital city, where she stars in her own reality show and puts on a display to dazzle ordinary Cits. But as more and more monsters pour through from the Otherside, Joy allies herself with unlikely fellow Hunters, not all of whom prove trustworthy. If readers can persevere through the initial world building, they are in for a treat. Joy's abilities make the battle scenes really spark, and despite many tests, her integrity remains intact, garnering her both friends and foes. Spirituality, psychic abilities, propaganda, magic, monsters, and mayhem make this a book with a dozen hooks to snag readers and win Lackey even more fans.

Gr 7 Up-Joyeaux Charmand has spent most of her life at the remote Monastery, training and serving as a Hunter. Since a catastrophic event called the Disarray, monsters of all kinds have crossed into the real world from the Otherworld and it's the Hunters' jobs to destroy them. Joy and her supernatural Hounds are summoned to the capital city, Apex, where she learns that Hunters there are regarded as celebrities, with their own television channels and rankings. As Joy adjusts to her flashy new life, gets to know the other Hunters, and starts Hunting, she begins to realize that Apex is not as safe as it seems and that there are secrets the government does not want exposed. This satisfying sci-fi YA novel is set in a fully thought-out future with cultural references woven throughout. Joy's Hounds are Alebrijes, and the monsters she hunts come from a variety of sources: Drakkens, Folk (evil fairies), Vamps, Tommyknockers, Gogs, and Magogs. The protagonist is a principled, smart, strong girl and is easy to root for. The language can be clunky at times, but the incredible world-building more than makes up for it. VERDICT A perfect choice for "Hunger Games" fans and readers looking for stories with strong female heroines. Marian McLeod, Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich, CT