The Glittering World

A simple road trip to the island of Cape Breton, Canada, turns into much more when Blue and his three friends travel there so he can sell his deceased grandmother's house. The area around Starling Cove is magical—the greens are greener, artists churn out more artwork, and the people are happier. Blue doesn't remember much about his childhood at the artists' colony, which burned down, but when he and his friends visit its charred remains, memories return in dreams and flashbacks. And then Blue and his friend Elisa disappear. The locals drop hints about The Other Kind, and Elisa's husband and Blue's friend must investigate to find the two missing friends. Magical realism and a dark fey world collide in this grown-up tale that readers of Holly Black's Tithe (S. & S., 2002) will enjoy. It's told in four sections, each from the point of view of one of the four main characters. Dark fairies live underground in Starling Cove, and their interactions with humans are more like horrific alien encounters than those with beautiful fairies in traditional tales. The main characters are adults who behave like confused adolescents—partying and running away from reality—and many teens will find them relatable. Give to readers who grew up on Julie Kagawa's "The Iron Fey" (Harlequin Teen) series and are looking for something more mature.