Claimed at 16 by dark magic, Ridley Duchannes is a Siren, a witch who can convince any mortal of anything. Her dark tendencies didn't change even as she grew up with her cousin Lena Duchannes, the greatest living Natural witch the world had ever known. And they didn't change when the innocently aspiring rocker Wesley Lincoln fell in love with her. But now Ridley owes two debts to a dangerous Dark Caster, who has come to exact payment. When dark meets dark, who is the most dangerous creature of them all? And is this a game that Ridley really wants to win? This fast-paced, entertaining supernatural read is the latest title in the best-selling Beautiful Creatures series and follows one of Lena Duchannes' most infamous frenemies: Lena's childhood friend, confidante, and cousin, Ridley Duchannes. As Ridley herself says, "She's not bad, she's just drawn that way." This brief interlude is perfect summer reading for those who love the film Maleficent, the musical Wicked, and any older fans of the School for Good and Evil series.

Large color photos of a lioness with gaping jaws, a king cobra poised to attack, and a mosquito sticking it to a human will draw readers to this survey of animal predators. Unfortunately, the text provides only cursory information, and the double-page spreads are confusingly laid out. Summaries at the end of each chapter give the book an unnecessary textbook quality. Websites. Glos., ind.

Gr 7 Up-Bad girl (and Siren) Ridley Duchannes finds life in the big city more than she bargained for when mortal boyfriend Link befriends a crowd of Dark Casters.