Pyromantic

Gr 8 Up—Following the defeat of Venus in Firebug, pyromancer Ava, who can start fires in her mind, begins working for a new boss of the Coterie. Yet her long, supernatural to-do lists are just a small part of her problems. A disease that afflicts the paranormally inclined seems to be sweeping through her community. Assisted by a range of other magical beings, Ava struggles to discover what's gone wrong while simultaneously dealing with her difficult personal life and her hard-to-read new boss. The Northeastern U.S. settings are vivid, from small-town Maine to bustling Boston. While the protagonist occasionally suffers from overwhelmingly brooding sarcasm, teens will find her reactions entertaining. Infused with light romance that never gets in the way of the fast-paced narrative action, this is an entertaining sequel, and there is much for fans of paranormal narratives with a human touch to savor in this continuation of the series.