The Keepers of Aris

March 1, 2023
Magic now hides in forgotten places overlooked by humans, but a powerful threat from the past may jeopardize the delicate balance between the two worlds. When Jaynie "Jay" Raremore was 5, her parents mysteriously abandoned her, forcing her to live with Dylan McCoy's family--until his parents were mysteriously killed 6 years later. During the 5 years since, the inseparable Jay and Dylan have been at the Institute, a school of magic and magical creatures, struggling to piece together the mysteries surrounding their young lives while working to develop their unique abilities. Dylan has a Hybrid gene that supports a mastery of weapons; Jay's "Pure breed" origins are not fully understood. Many believe she's an Immortal or even an Ancient, possibly explaining her immense, uncontrollable power. However, it becomes clear that Jay's origins are tied to the fates of the human and magical worlds, or Aris Magica, and that Jay is responsible for stopping the all-powerful Witch who has returned. Somehow, the CIA becomes involved as well. The rushed plotting and contrived worldbuilding feature stilted dialogue and confusing mythology. Jay and Dylan's first kiss feels more painfully inevitable than romantic due to limited, paint-by-numbers characterization. Overall, Jay is a familiar YA protagonist, described as having great potential and unusual physical attributes--brown skin, white hair, blue eyes--as if to reinforce how special she is, despite the largely unremarkable storytelling. Dylan reads White. A quick but ultimately unsatisfying read. (Fantasy. 12-17)

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May 31, 2023
Grades 10-12 Jay and Dylan are Aris Magicians in the world of Aris Magica, created long ago by the first magician. Both are students at the Institute, a boarding school where they learn the history of Aris and the differences between Old Magic and New Magic. Dylan is specialized in weaponry, while Jay's magic is more unpredictable--and more powerful. Aris is also filled with demons, witches, and fairies, some of which were responsible for Dylan's parents' deaths some years ago. Jay still blames herself for this disaster, which makes her relationship with him--the two are partially friends, partially more--extra complicated. When an ultrapowerful witch awakens from a centuries-long slumber, it seems Jay is the only Magician powerful enough to face her. The Institute offers help in the form of an outsider named Cryis, who knows more than he's saying. Can she save the worlds she lives in, or will she let them both die? Green's debut, though well imagined, often over-relies on exposition. Recommended for larger libraries where fantasy is popular.

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