Blackwatch

Gr 7 Up–Following the events of Shadowcry (HarperCollins, 2011), Kate is on trial for murder–and found guilty by the very people she trusted. Her friend Edgar helps her break out of prison, but while escaping the Skilled (those with the power to see into the veil separating the living from the dead), they are picked up by the Blackwatch, a powerful militarylike enforcement agency. The Blackwatch is also hunting the evil Silas Dane, whose link to Kate may save or doom them both. Orchestrating both hunts is mysterious and powerful Dalliah, who wants to see more of Kate’s rare ability to enter the “shadowed realm between the living and the dead” and use that power to speed the veil’s destruction. Underdeveloped characters and labored prose bog down what could be a fast-paced adventure. Events of the first book are referenced but not explained, leaving confusing gaps for readers new to the series. Some teens may connect with the story, but if it’s Kate’s magical talents that interest them, suggest Garth Nix’s Sabriel (HarperTeen, 1996) instead.–Brandy Danner, Wilmington Memorial Library, MA