Torture and treasure, treason and trust, and the triumph of true love: All come to fruition in the stirring conclusion to this epic fantasy series. Raisa ana'Marianna has claimed the Gray Wolf throne, but her grip is tenuous: Every faction--clans, wizards, army, flatlanders--both within and without the Fells hates all the others, and each pushes Raisa to accept its preferred candidate for consort. Meanwhile, Han Alister has taken his seat on the Wizard Council at the queen's command, but every other member secretly wants to use him or kill him. Furthermore, there are the mysterious murders of wizards, marked with Han's old streetlord sign; all this disarray signals a weakness that encourages invading armies from the South. Together, Han and Raisa seek the long-lost Armory of the Gifted Kings as the only way to avoid re-enacting a 1,000-year-old tragedy; but to wield such a weapon may well trigger an even greater catastrophe. Chima manages to resolve this impossibly tangled skein of politics, intrigue, history, prejudice and passion with style and grace. Grim scenes of shocking violence alternate with moments of tenderness and humor, and the high body count is balanced by the almost fairy-tale–romantic conclusion. While some of the depth and complexities of the supporting characters--along with the nuanced subtleties of their conflicting worldviews--are sacrificed to help demonize (or valorize) their respective positions, nothing can overshadow the cathartic satisfaction for those caught up in this sweeping saga. Simply brilliant. (Fantasy. 12 & up)

Torture and treasure, treason and trust, and the triumph of true love: All come to fruition in the stirring conclusion to this epic fantasy series. Raisa ana'Marianna has claimed the Gray Wolf throne, but her grip is tenuous: Every faction--clans, wizards, army, flatlanders--both within and without the Fells hates all the others, and each pushes Raisa to accept its preferred candidate for consort. Meanwhile, Han Alister has taken his seat on the Wizard Council at the queen's command, but every other member secretly wants to use him or kill him. Furthermore, there are the mysterious murders of wizards, marked with Han's old streetlord sign; all this disarray signals a weakness that encourages invading armies from the South. Together, Han and Raisa seek the long-lost Armory of the Gifted Kings as the only way to avoid re-enacting a 1,000-year-old tragedy; but to wield such a weapon may well trigger an even greater catastrophe. Chima manages to resolve this impossibly tangled skein of politics, intrigue, history, prejudice and passion with style and grace. Grim scenes of shocking violence alternate with moments of tenderness and humor, and the high body count is balanced by the almost fairy-tale–romantic conclusion. While some of the depth and complexities of the supporting characters--along with the nuanced subtleties of their conflicting worldviews--are sacrificed to help demonize (or valorize) their respective positions, nothing can overshadow the cathartic satisfaction for those caught up in this sweeping saga. Simply brilliant. (Fantasy. 12 & up)

CONRAD, Lauren . Starstruck . 294p. (A Fame Game Novel). HarperCollins / Harper. 2012 . Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-06-207980-0 . Gr 5 Up CREMER, Andrea . Rise . 388p. Philomel . Jan. 2013. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-0-399-15960-2 . LC 2012012263. Gr 10 Up The continuation of the series that began with Nightshade and Wolfsbane . DESTEFANO, Lauren . Sever . Bk. 3. 384p. (The Chemical Garden Trilogy). S &; S. Feb. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-0909-5 ; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-0913-2 . LC 2012015702. Gr 9 Up EDWARDS, Eve . The Rogue's Princess . Bk. 3. 272p. (The Lacey Chornicles) Delacorte . Jan. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74093-7 ; PLB $20.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98976-6 ; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98339-9 . Gr 9 Up ESTEP, Jennifer . Crimson Frost . 384p. (A Mythos Academy Novel). Kensington / KTeen . Jan. 2013. pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-0-7582-8146-3 . Gr 9 Up FITZPATRICK, Becca . Finale . 464p. (The Hush, Hush Saga). S &; S. 2012. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2667-2 ; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2669-6 . Gr 9 Up GODBERSEN, Anna . The Lucky Ones . 374p. (A Bright Young Things Novel). HarperCollins / Harper. 2012 . Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-196270-7 . Gr 9 Up KINCY, Karen . Foxfire . Bk. 3. 297p. (An Other Novel). Flux . 2012. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-0-7387-3057-8 . LC 2012019102. Gr 9 Up LACKEY, Mercedes &; Rosemary Edghill . Sacrifices . Bk. 3. 304p. (Shadow Grail Series). Tor. Apr. 2013. Tr $21.99. ISBN 978-0-7653-2852-0 ; pap. $21.99. ISBN 978-0-7653-1763-6 ; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4299-9719-5 . Gr 710 LORE, Pittacus . I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: The Legacies . 416p. 2012. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-221110-1 . LORE, Pittacus . The Rise of Nine . 416. Feb. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-197458-8 . ea vol: (I Am Number Four Series). HarperCollins / Harper . Gr 7 Up MOORE, Stephanie Perry &; Derrick Moore . Settle Down/Be Real . Bk. 4. 310p. ISBN 978-1-61651-887-5 . MOORE, Stephanie Perry &; Derrick Moore . Shake It/Got Pride . Bk. 5. 309p. ISBN 978-1-61651-888-2 . MOORE, Stephanie Perry &; Derrick Moore . Yell Out/Do You . Bk. 3. 336p. ISBN 978-1-61651-886-8 . ea vol: (Lockwood Lions Series). Saddleback . 2012. pap. $14.95. Gr 7 Up SCHREIBER, Ellen . Full Moon Kisses . 224p. (A Full Moon Novel). HarperCollins / Katherine Tegen Bks. Jan. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-198653-6 . LC 2012949623. Gr 7 Up SHEPARD, Sara . Ali's Pretty Little Lies . 292p. Jan. 2013. ISBN 978-0-06-223336-3 . LC 2012950661. SHEPARD, Sara . Burned . 324p. 2012. ISBN 978-0-06-208192-6 . LC 2012949622. ea vol: (Pretty Little Liars Series). HarperCollins / HarperTeen . Tr $17.99. Gr 9 Up SHIELDS, Gillian . Destiny . 374p. HarperCollins / Katherine Tegen Bks. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-200041-5 . Gr 710 The conclusion to the series that began with Immortal, Betrayal , and Eternal . SMITH, Alexander Gordon . Execution . Bk. 5. 352p. (Escape from Furnace Series). Farrar . 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-374-36224-9 ; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-374-32239-7 . LC 2012004870. Gr 710 SMITH, L. J. Destiny Rising . Vol. 3. 394p. (The Vampire Diaries: The Hunters Series). HarperCollins / HarperTeen . 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-201773-4 . Gr 9 Up TANIGAWA, Nagaru . The Indignation of Haruhi Suzumiya . tr. from Japanese by Paul Starr. 224p. Little, Brown . 2012. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-316-03900-0 ; pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-316-03899-7 . LC 2012013848. Gr 7 Up