The Girl at Midnight

Starred review from January 15, 2015
Seventeen-year-old Echo is an odd bird, but she soars in this urban fantasy.Echo lives by two rules-don't get caught, and if caught, run-but breaking them brings life-changing adventures. Ten years ago, when the Ala caught Echo picking her pocket, she brought the young thief into the underground world of the Avicen-a race of long-lived, partly feathered people. Echo now flits among the Avicen, trading favors, learning magic, and even snagging a boyfriend, Rowan, but she never feels like part of the flock. Splitting time between her illicit home/book hoard in the New York Public Library and travel around the world via magic powder and portals, Echo is rarely at rest, as if aware of her mortality. When she gets caught again, this time by the dragonlike Drakharin-the opponents of the Avicen in a long-running war-she undertakes a perilous journey to find the legendary firebird and, hopefully, peace. Grey's energetic debut offers a strong protagonist with a delightfully snarky voice. Echo's street-honed burglary skills and survival instincts are well-balanced by her (typical) teenage hormones and boundless enthusiasm. Her companions, Avicen Ivy and Jasper and Drakharin Caius and Dorian, are also entertaining, gaining depth by sharing the narrative spotlight-though the initial ping-pong switches between Echo and Caius are disorienting. The well-built world, vivid characters, and perfect blend of action and amour should have readers eagerly seeking the sequel. (Fantasy. 14 & up)

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March 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-For the past decade, 17-year-old Echo has been raised among the Avicen, a race of magical people with birdlike feathers. Despite her status as the ward of a powerful Avicen council member, Echo is still seen by some as an unwelcome human in their midst. When Echo stumbles upon a clue to the whereabouts of the firebird, a magical, legendary creature, she can't resist the chance to follow the lead. Prophecy says that the firebird will be the key to ending the Avicen's long-standing war with the dragonlike Drakharin people. If she can be the one to find it, she's sure that the Avicen will finally accept her as one of their own. She teams up with an unlikely crew that includes a pair of Drakharin soldiers. Suddenly, everything she has ever known about good and evil is turned on its head. Although the narrative in this series opener is clumsy and some details are confusing, the plot drives the story forward. However, its similarities to works such as Cassandra Clare's "Mortal Instruments" series (S. & S.), Leigh Bardugo's "Grisha" trilogy (Holt), and Laini Taylor's "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" saga (Little, Brown) is its biggest drawback. Notwithstanding, the same elements that make these series popular with teens-a feisty heroine, fun supporting characters, a mission to save the world, and some seriously spicy romance-may catch the notice of fantasy fans. VERDICT Purchase where epic fantasies with strong female protagonists are popular.-Liz Overberg, Darlington School, Rome, GA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 15, 2015
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Seventeen-year-old Echo is something of an anomaly: a thieving orphan and the only human who can see the magical, feathered Avicen she considers family. The Avicen have been at war with the Drakharin for centuries, and the one hope for peace seems to lie with the mystical Firebird, so when Echo unearths a clue to the Firebird's whereabouts, she must follow it, no matter the cost. Unfortunately, the Dragon Prince of the Drakharin also pursues the Firebird, and when he crosses paths with Echo, sparks fly. This first novel will please fans of Cassandra Clare and Game of Thrones watchers with its remarkable world building; richly developed characters; and themes of family, power, loyalty, and romance. Grey handles multiple points of view deftly, sweeping the reader fully into the story. Pacing is spot-on, building to a breathtaking climax that clearly points to a sequel. Fortunately for us, Grey is already at work on book 2 of the trilogy; it cannot come soon enough!(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)