Shapeshifter and mystical Guardian Serafina awakens buried alive, her memories scrambled, unsure of how she got there. As she tries to unearth the mysteries of how she ended up six feet under, more and more frightening things come after her. There are black shadows in her forest home, a sorcerer creeping through, and the world she's so familiar with has changed immeasurably. When Serafina finally returns to the Biltmore Estate, too much is different: her best friend, Braeden, is terribly injured, and her pa, the caretaker, is sad and alone. With old enemies resurfacing and friends behaving oddly, can Serafina remain the Guardian? Or will she be reclaimed by the forest and become a harmless spirit? There's a pervasive and chilling creepiness to this third novel, and while Beatty is planning more set in Serafina's world, this is the last of the trilogy for now. Any young readers looking for a light supernatural thrill, as well as fans of the first two installments, will be hooked.

Gr 5-7In this third installment of the series, readers find Serafina and her friends meeting their biggest challenge yet: supernatural powers bent on destroying Biltmore forest and the historic Biltmore home and all its inhabitants. Twelve-year-old Serafina is on her own; the resourceful friends she gained in the first two novels are mysteriously absent. Readers of the previous installments may not be surprised that the narrative revisits the black cloak that "just won't stay gone," and they will revel in the cloak's latest reincarnation. Serafina eventually discovers her best friend, Braeden, and his trusty Doberman, Gidean, in residence at her beloved Biltmore Estateyet he cannot see or hear Serafina. She also wonders about the odd passage of time since she had previously seen her friends. Serafina does finally learn what mysterious power has prevented her from communicating with her friends, and they once again are able to form an alliance against the evil sorcerer. Beatty does a fairly good job of summarizing previous goings-on, but kids should read the series in order. Along with empowering themes about friendship, choosing right over wrong, and perseverance, Beatty again crafts a dark fantasy with bone-chilling imagery, suspense, and unique supernatural elements. VERDICT This compelling continuation of the intriguing series revisits puzzling themes, multifaceted characters, and nonstop action, all set against the beautiful Biltmore locale in Asheville, NC. Hand this title to fans of Kevin Sand's The Blackthorn Key, Chris D'Lacey's "The UNICORNE Files," or Tony DiTerlizzi's "The Spiderwick Chronicles."Julie Shatterly, W.A. Bess Elementary School, Gastonia, NC

Escaping from a dark grave, young shape-shifter Serafina (Serafina and the Black Cloak; Serafina and the Twisted Staff) finds herself--and the world she knows--changed. Invisible, Serafina can only watch as a terrible evil wreaks havoc, threatening her beloved Biltmore Estate, the Blue Ridge Mountain region, and its inhabitants with catastrophic storms. Suspense and tension build steadily in this gripping trilogy closer.