Untethered

June 1, 2021
The royal families of H�lendi and Turia come together once more to fight against the threat of ancient mages who seek to control the entire Plateau in this sequel to Shielded (2020). A royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Riiga proves to be a trap designed to lure the kings of both H�lendi and Turia, but the newly crowned King Ren of H�lendi manages to evade it. Meanwhile, Princess Chiara of Turia, herself possessing no magic, formulates a plan to find her kidnapped father and prove herself useful to her family. Ren volunteers to go after her and agrees to help her with her quest. In the process, they discover that what the mages are really after are the keys to the mythical Black Library, which contains long-hidden powerful artifacts and records of ancient mages' knowledge--and that they will use any means at their disposal to find these keys and the location of the library itself. This sequel introduces welcome new characters as well as bringing Jenna, Enzo, and Mari back into the fold, and the villains become more developed characters. While slow to start, the adventure shifts back into gear in the second half with plenty of action sequences amid the chaste, blooming romance that develops between Ren and Chiara. Characters' skin tones range from pale to olive. A sequel that delivers on the worldbuilding set up by its predecessor. (Fantasy. 12-18)

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June 11, 2021

Gr 7 Up-This sequel to Shielded, focuses on Jennesara's brother, now the king of H�lendi. Ren must watch his back in everything he does. There are council members who want to see him dethroned and, ultimately, killed. When he has the chance to seek help from the neighboring country of Turia, he leaves in the middle of the night without a second thought. When he reaches Turia, he finds that the king is missing. The Turian princess Chiara feels like no one sees her or her usefulness. She decides to leave the kingdom in search of her missing father and show everyone her worth. Two days after Chiara leaves in search of her father, her family realizes she is missing, and they send Ren after her. Readers get more adventure and more history about the Plateau, who the mages are, and what they are after. Although the author does not specify the exact races of the characters, there are mentions of different skin and hair colors. While there is some romance, this novel places an emphasis on the adventurous journey instead. VERDICT Teens who enjoy action and adventure will enjoy this thrilling sequel. Purchase where the previous volume is popular.-Rena Gibson, Ralph Ellison Lib., Oklahoma City

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