The stunning stand-alone sequel to Lament (2008) follows Deirdre and her best friend, James, who attend a boarding school for promising musicians. Even though no one knows more about bagpipes than James, he wants to go there to stay close to Deirdre, whom he has always loved and who sees the fey. Then James meets Nuala, who sets her sights on him. A fey who is immolated every 16 years, rising from the ashes of a Halloween bonfire devoid of memories, Nuala can suck the life out of those she endows with extraordinary musical prowess. James, no fool, refuses her offers. Meanwhile, Deirdre is keeping her distance, and solitary fey around the school are being murdered. A pulse-racing climax forces James into an impossible situation as the queen of the fey plots against the human race. Readers of Holly Black's Tithe (2002) or Charles de Lint's The Blue Girl (2004) will enjoy this rich foray into faerie. The book's backdrop, so firmly rooted in Celtic myth, is scary, mysterious, magical, and horrifying.

Sequel to Lament (Flux/Llewellyn, 2008/VOYA December 2008), this novel transpires at the Thornking-Ash School of Music where James and Dee are new students. DeeÆs preference for the absent faerie Luke has made her relationship with James awkward. James would be entirely heartbroken were it not for Nuala, a solitary faerie whose existence depends on sucking human life in exchange for inspiration. James refuses the deal, but he and Nuala develop a mutual attraction. The appearance of the faerie court spells trouble for Dee, James, and Nuala as they face a supernatural Halloween showdown. StiefvaterÆs writing continues to mature. Her plot is more focused than in Lament, while her evocative language does the elusive subject matter justice. Celtic myth mingles with contemporary characters for an appealing teen romance told in three voices. James and Nuala alternate chapters in the first person while Dee expresses her growing dread in unsent text messages. Stiefvater realistically chronicles JamesÆs shift from obsessing over Dee to a relationship with Nuala. JamesÆs voice is especially clear. He snaps out witty repartee that teen readers will wish they could reproduce. Teen collections that do not have a Maggie Stiefvater shelf should begin one.ùCaitlin Augusta.