During that time, her brothers will live as swans. A showdown with the witch puts Ryn's prince brothers into danger, so the princess strikes a bargain with her stepmother: to spare her brothers' lives, Ryn must remain silent for six years. When her father remarries a beautiful witch who enchants him and the rest of the kingdom, they are all in jeopardy. Gr 5вЂ“8-For fans of reworked fairy tales, McGuire takes on Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Wild Swans.' Princess Andaryn, aka Ryn, is the youngest in her family, which includes her widower father and her six older brothers. Jessica Ko, Los Angeles Public LibraryД¤48p. A good addition to a fantasy collection with potential for future entries. Fans of Matthew Kirby's Icefall (Scholastic, 2011) who bemoaned the lack of magic in that book will enjoy this new series. The themes of staying true to oneself, teamwork, and individuality will resonate with readers. Aside from the sometimes difficult-to-decipher Norse names, the language is quite easy to understand and that, coupled with the shorter-than-your-average-fantasy length, makes this an excellent choice for readers new to the genre. They soon realize the danger that they're in and that they need each other's unique skills to survive. When a tragedy reminiscent of Shakespeare's Hamlet occurs, the two pair up in order to survive. He meets Thianna, a half-giant, half-human girl who longs to fit in with the club-wielding frost giants, the only community she's ever known. Gr 5вЂ“8-Karn would rather be playing his beloved board game, 'thrones and bones,' than learning to become hauld of his father's farm, which has been passed down many generations. Johnson Memorial Library, Endicott, NYДЄNDERS, Lou. Recommended for all middle grade collections. VERDICT Short chapters filled with action, appealing characters, and cliff-hanger endings make this fantasy the kind of book readers will find hard to put down. Despite the gloomy setting, this book vibrates with hope. The bat flip-book feature is a fun surprise. Occasional black-and-white illustrations appear throughout. The bookвЂ™s hand-drawn map is a helpful resource. Working together but never losing sight of their individual objectives, Thorn and Lily uncover surprising truths about their families. ThornвЂ™s skill with animals, evidenced by his relationship with an elderly, gigantic, voraciously hungry bat named Hades, proves invaluable. A sudden death quickly throws Thorn, Lily, and their friend, KвЂ™Leef, into a maelstrom of mistaken identities, murder, magic, necromancy, and narrow escapes. Betrothed sight unseen to the son of a rival ruler in the name of peace, Lily is also a reluctant bride-to-be. The rest of LilyвЂ™s family, save for one drunken uncle, have been brutally murdered, and she is a reluctant ruler. Arriving at Castle Gloom in Gehenna, Thorn meets 13-year-old Lady Lily Shadow, the last surviving member of the ruling family of House Shadow, one of six ancient families of sorcerers. Captured while out looking for his missing father, Thorn is taken by new owner Tyburn to the kingdom where he serves as executioner. For Thorn, however, itвЂ™s the beginning of a thrilling adventure. Gr 4-6 вЂ“Normally, getting purchased by an executioner wouldnвЂ™t be a good thing. Martin's books? Whether they're looking for a dark fantasy to dive into or they aren't quite ready for the tales of Westeros (like 15-year-old GoT star Bella Ramsey, whose parents won't let her watch), here are some Middle Grade and YA readalikes perfect for fans and newcomers, replete with medieval worlds, political intrique, and even a dragon or two.ДЇor more recommendations, check out our roundups of dragon books and woke sci-fi and fantasy. We're asking different questions: What should teen viewers read when it's over? And what about kids familiar with the phenomenon but too young for the content in the HBO show and George R. Will Danaerys ultimately assumeВ the Iron Throne? Will Jon Snow's true parentage become public? And whatever happens, will it be any good?

This week, Game of Thrones fans the world over are wondering what will happen on the show's Sunday finale.

Is game of thrones low fantasy