The Mirror of Beasts

Gr 9 Up–Adventure, Arthurian mythology, and humor make this a great recommendation for older fans of Rick Riordan’s works. The destruction of Avalon has had a profound impact on the heroes of the first book; Tamsin and her found family of misfit teens must push through the grief of this setback and continue their quest to stop Lord Death, finding allies that readers might recognize from myth and legend. Her brother Cabell’s perspective from Lord Death’s side strikes a dark contrast to Tamsin’s romantic subplot with Emrys and provides a creeping sense of horror about the stakes of the story. Tamsin remains prickly and untrusting, while her intelligence keeps the cast on track as they embark on another legendary treasure hunt. This time they seek the Mirror of Beasts, an artifact that can defeat Lord Death, whose power is growing the closer the winter solstice gets. While they’re hunting for the Mirror, the Wild Hunt is hunting them, casting their adventure into both the magical and mundane world. Excellent pacing ties the character development to plot milestones, creating a satisfying, character-driven story with deeply ingrained stakes that supplement adept worldbuilding. The yearning romantic subplots are well balanced with the plot’s mystery and action sequences. The cast is diverse in race and sexual orientation.