League of Liars

December 15, 2021
In a world in which edem--time-altering, extradimensional magic--is feared and policed, a motley group of teens with ties to the impossibly secure Vardean prison attempt to expose the corruption at its root. After their mother died due to a stranger's edem use, siblings Cayder and Leta found distinct ways to cope. Cayder immersed himself in the study of law, determined to someday prosecute edem abusers, while Leta sought to understand the force that took their mother's life. Liquid and apparently sentient, edem originates from a place called the veil, where the boundaries of time and space are more permeable, and the authorities are focused on controlling access due to its unpredictable, often dangerous effects. When Leta is charged with starting a deadly fire, she's brought to Vardean--where Cayder is a public defense apprentice and their childhood friend, Kema, is now a guard. Cayder processes the plight of his sister and his client, Jey, the son--and accused murderer--of the Regency General, and his allegiances are further tested when Elle, another high-profile prisoner, claims knowledge of a sinister Regency plot. Expansive and original worldbuilding grounds each character's distinct perspective as the action picks up and the stakes mount. Cayder, Leta, and Elle read as White; Jey is cued as biracial, with a White father and South Asian fantasy-equivalent mother, and queer Kema has brown skin. A smart, suspenseful adventure with an ending that begs for a sequel to tie up loose ends. (government hierarchy chart) (Fantasy. 12-18)

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January 1, 2022
Grades 9-12 Ever since their mother died, Cayder and Leta have drifted apart--him trying to help rid the world of illegal use of magic, her investigating it in order to get answers into their mother's death. Cayder's dream of becoming a lawyer and fulfilling justice is interrupted when Leta is accused of killing people with magic. He works with a defense attorney on Leta's trial, but it seems that the kingdom's ruling body, the Regency, has bigger plans as it tries to thwart Leta's acquittal. While helping his sister, Cayder encounters two others, Jey and Princess Eleanora, who were also arrested for using illegal magic. As the four young adults try to remedy their situations, they join forces to stop the Regency from taking over their kingdom. Scholte's latest tells a story filled with adventure, magic, and mystery, transporting readers to a whole new world filled with a magic system that incorporates the concept of shadows being dangerous and magical. The twists and turns will keep readers engaged and the ending happily promises a sequel.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 7, 2022
The use of edem—a shadowy magic that seeps from an extradimensional tear, allowing one to “manipulate time and change your reality”—is forbidden in Telene, its practitioners hunted down by the secretive government agency Regency and imprisoned in the prison Vardean. Against this backdrop, 17-year-old Cayder Broduck knows precisely where he wants to end up in life: as a public prosecutor for the Crown Court, putting away magic users like the one who killed his mother. Meanwhile, his 16-year-old sister Leta spirals into an obsession with edem. Cayder believes his apprenticeship with a leading public defender will help accelerate his nascent legal career, until he encounters his first client: charming, allegedly patricidal 18-year-old Jey. Reserved 17-year-old Elenora soon joins his caseload, and, to his horror, so does Leta, having been accused of a terrible offense. As he delves into the events leading up to their crimes, Cayder realizes that there is much more to edem, and even to the Regency, than he has always thought. Scholte (The Vanishing Deep) blends legal thriller and action novel in an exploration of morality’s gray areas. Though the plot occasionally lacks tension, a mix of first- and third-person perspectives lend depth to the cast, which includes biracial, brown-skinned, white, and queer characters. Ages 12–up. Agent: Hillary Jacobson, ICM Partners.

February 1, 2022

Gr 7 Up-Since his mother's death in an edem-summoning accident when he was 10, 17-year-old Cayder Broduck has dedicated his life to making sure edem criminals get the justice they deserve. Edem-time-and-space warping magic that exists only in shadows-has posed a threat to the nation of Telene for over 100 years, ever since the veil opened on the edge of the sea and poured edem into the world. Using edem is strictly prohibited by Telene's iron-fisted government, and Cayder has taken on an apprenticeship with the nation's top public defender to learn the other side of the law. But when three high-profile edem-related murders happen in quick succession and all three cases drop in his lap, Cayder soon realizes that justice is not always so black-and-white, especially when he finds out one of the criminals is his own sister. Scholte's third novel is a mash-up fantasy/legal drama/heist story whose parts don't become a cohesive whole. Several aspects of the worldbuilding are interesting, but aren't explored deeply enough to create a sense of immersion. The cast of characters is diverse, with several characters described as having dark skin, but shallow; it's difficult for readers to sympathize or be involved with the characters due to their lack of fleshing out. However, the plot contains just enough hooks to keep readers wondering what will happen next and find out who-or what-is behind these murders. VERDICT An interesting but not-fully-realized fantasy legal drama. Recommended for shelves that are light on those genres, but feel free to skip.-Tyler Hixson

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