Tempestuous

July 1, 2011
Kelley Winslow, changeling faerie princess and off-Broadway actress (Wondrous Strange, Darklight), struggles to save Faerie from takeover, keep her theater company from ruin, and help her true love Sonny harness the terrifying power within himself. With battles, betrayals, bittersweet reunions, a love triangle resolved, and final triumph, Livingston neatly wraps up all of the trilogy's story lines.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2011
Grades 7-10 Kelley and Sonny are caught in the middle of a war involving fae and Greenmen, and only their faith and trust in each other can offset the treachery that surrounds them. This book brings the trilogy that started with Wondrous Strange and Darklight (both 2009) to a careening, crashing, chaotic conclusion. Livingstons artistry at creating imaginary worlds that exist side by side with contemporary New York remains strong, and while it isnt a good place to enter the series, fans of the first two entries will gulp this one down with gusto.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)

November 15, 2010

The third and final entry in the series that began with Wondrous Strange (2008), this ends the story just right. Things are a mess in the Faerie realms. Raised-as-a-mortal Kelley's parents, King Auberon and Queen Mabh, are both mysteriously ill, boyfriend Sonny thinks Kelley doesn't love him anymore and Auberon's elite guards are killing Fae who live in New York City. The flaws that plagued the first two novels are still there: The prose never soars, dialogue is often clunky and the flashes of genuine humor ("New Otherworld Order") don't actually suit the rest of the story. But the romance! And the battles! And all the Shakespeare! It's enjoyable, well plotted (elements from the first two volumes play a role in the conclusion) and populated with slightly-too-earnest but consistent characters—anyone who has read the first two won't mind the deficiencies in this one and will enjoy the epic battles (including a dragon in Central Park) and ultimate love-conquers-all resolution. (Urban fantasy. 12 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

March 1, 2011

Gr 7 Up-In this conclusion to the trilogy, aspiring actress and faerie princess Kelley Winslow faces nearly insurmountable difficulties. She's discovered that her boyfriend, Sonny, possesses terrible powers that even he does not know of; her father, Auberon, is dying of a mysterious ailment; rogue members of the Janus guard are attacking Lost Fey; and her beloved theater company is struggling to recover from the devastating loss of the Avalon Grande. Kelley must carefully balance conflicting priorities as she attempts to discover who is masterminding the unrest. As the action builds to a final conflict, Kelley must decide whom to trust, because she cannot save the world without at least a little help. With so much going on in the Faerie realms, Shakespearean theater takes a backseat in this novel, though the author ties in themes from The Tempest as Kelley and Sonny face storms both real and metaphorical. Livingston brings this trilogy to a strong and satisfying conclusion, and readers will enjoy every minute, while wishing it did not have to end.-Misti Tidman, formerly at Boyd County Public Library, Ashland, KY

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.