Starred Review Faeries and humans live apart, separated by a wall and generations-old hostility, and resourceful Feyre struggles to keep her poor family alive. She kills a wolf one winter day, and a monstrous creature arrives at her home, demanding her life as punishment. What follows is a Beauty and the Beast style retelling as Feyre is spirited away to the grand lands of this creature, who turns out to be Tamlin, High Fae, under a mysterious curse. Feyre's feelings for him and his world morph slowly from an angry combativeness into a strange affection, but a mysterious disease is ravaging his home, and at risk of losing everything she has begun to hold dear, Feyre begins a journey that takes her Under the Mountain, the dangerous home of the faerie queen. The ensemble is exquisitely developed, as is the sultry romance between Feyre and Tamlin. The end result is a story that, despite its hefty page count and ambitious scope, simply dazzles. Refreshingly, there are no cliff-hangers here, but enough open-endings ensure that the clamor for a sequel will be deafening. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Maas' Throne of Glass series has been a smash hit, and with a six-figure marketing campaign, this new series is primed to follow.

Gr 9 Up-When 19-year-old Feyre kills a wolf in the barren woods near her home in Prythian, she thinks it might be enough to help her family survive another long winter. Instead, a monstrous creature soon comes to the cottage, accusing Feyre of murder and demanding she return with him to the Fae realm as payment for the life she took. Feyre finds herself held on a lavish estate belonging to an elite Fae creature known as Tamlin. Over the course of her captivity, Feyre soon learns that life in the Fae realm can be as much of an opportunity as a punishment. When her feelings for Tamlin shift from loathing to lust, Feyre also realizes little will be able to keep them apartnot even the threat of evil lurking on the borders of the estate. Something that has cursed Tamlin for centuries may destroy him and his realm if Feyre can't find a way to stop it. Maas follows up her "Throne of Glass" novels (Bloomsbury) with this series opener. Readers will find the author's trademark blend of action, romance, and witty banter as well as a sexier, edgier tone. This retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" and "Tam Lin" (with elements from ancient Greek mythology thrown in) has a strong focus on Feyre's physical attraction to Tamlin, but characters lacking in dimension detract from Feyre's strengths as a capable but rash heroine. Uneven pacing includes a slow start followed by a game-changing information dump, and then a more action- and less romance-filled second half. VERDICT A weak fantasy with strong romance elements. Good for fans of Maas's previous books looking for a more mature read. Emma Carbone, Brooklyn Public Library