Frostfire

November 17, 2014
Returning to the troll world of her Trylle trilogy, Hocking explores another tribe of trolls in this first book in the Kanin Chronicles. Bryn Aven is a tracker who recovers changelings (Kanin children reared by humans) once they reach adulthood. An outsider in appearance and powers, Bryn straddles the line between Kanin and the Skojare, her mother’s defected tribe. When changelings are threatened by Konstantin Black, a sworn enemy of the Kanin, Bryn weighs her devotion to her father, who was attacked by Black, against her growing conviction that Black is merely a pawn. In addition to tribe rivalries and changeling abductions, Hocking brews sexual tension between Bryn and her boss, Ridley, while introducing secondary plots: a pregnant friend, a mother who doesn’t approve of Bryn’s job, and Bryn’s growing distrust of the royals she is sworn to protect. Those unfamiliar with Hocking’s Trylle novels may find the boundary between the human and troll worlds difficult to discern, but the novel’s lingering questions and the author’s knack for cliffhangers are reason enough to anticipate the next installment. Ages 12–up. Agent: Steven Axelrod, Axelrod Agency.

November 15, 2014
A Trylle Trilogy spinoff features new beautiful trolls from a different tribe-the Kanin.Ambitious Bryn's plan is to earn an appointment to the elite guard, the Hogdragen, by serving as a tracker. She idolizes one of the Hogdragen, the handsome and wildly talented Konstantin Black-until he attempts to murder the chancellor, her father. She and her father survive, and she throws herself into her training with the new vow of hunting down the renegade Konstantin to bring him to justice. Four years later, she's an accomplished tracker, finding Kanin changeling children in the human world and bringing them home (but not before draining the trust funds that their wealthy adoptive parents give them-a keystone of the Kanin economy). During a routine assignment, she suddenly comes face to face with Konstantin, who also pursues her target. She gets the changeling to safety but is baffled by a strange sympathy she feels for Konstantin. Soon another tracker encounters him, establishing a mystery: Why is he after the changelings? The plot's generally accessible to readers new to Hocking's universe, though they may be frustrated by gaps in explanations of the world's mechanics. Besides the Konstantin plot, Bryn also struggles against feelings for her handsome superior officer as well as with race and class issues, as she's only half-Kanin and therefore looked down upon. The ending is painfully abrupt. Good for fans of romance and the genre. (Fantasy. 14 & up)

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July 1, 2015
Half-Kanin tracker Bryn Aven refuses to let anything--including political intrigue and a crush on her boss--stop her from hunting Konstantin Black. Black, who attempted to murder Bryn's father, has been kidnapping troll changelings. While the writing can be clunky, Hocking crafts a compelling tale populated with relatable characters. Her fans will devour this paranormal series-opener.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)