A Book of Spirits and Thieves

Gr 9 Up—Two parallel worlds collide in this first installment of Rhodes' new series when 15-year-old Becca Hatcher is left in a catatonic state after her spirit is snatched back to the ancient world of Mytica from modern-day Toronto. Her older sister, Chrys, is guilt-ridden, having witnessed the entire event, and vows to do whatever is necessary to save her… but from what? Nothing has prepared them for what's in store. Up until this point the girls' life was centered around helping their mother out at their family's used bookstore and coping with the loss of their father, Daniel. Then a package arrives at the bookstore addressed to the girls' mom, Julia. Thinking it was nothing more than another collectible book to sell, Becca opens the package and removes the book inside, triggering the magic and intertwining their fates with the powers that flow from a magical book of spells whose previous owners have all ended up dead. Told in alternating viewpoints, this first installment in the "Spirit and Thieves" series is a direct off-shoot of Rhodes's popular "Falling Kingdom" series. Like many high fantasy novels, the plot includes the usual political battles for world dominance, powerful magic, and relationship complexity. What makes the difference is how Rhodes puts her stamp on building the complexities between the characters' relationships and their worlds.