Steadfast

Gr 8 Up—This second installment in the "Spellcaster" series (HarperCollins) picks up where the first installment left off. Friends Nadia, Mateo, and Verlaine believe they have defeated the evil Sorceress Elizabeth but quickly discover she is still alive and harbors much more destructive plans for Captive's Sound. As Nadia continues working on developing her own magical powers in hopes of stopping the witch, she constantly feels the sting of her mother's abandonment of her family and her duty to teach Nadia the Craft. As the villain unleashes a devastating illness on the town, Nadia is forced to choose between succumbing to the One Beneath's power or risking the lives of the inhabitants of Captive's Sound. The plot moves along at an engaging, quick clip, and readers will enjoy delving deeper into the complex rules governing the witches and witchcraft. While the love story between Nadia and Mateo sometimes strays into the overly dramatic and saccharine, a new romance between Verlaine and demon Asa adds a promising twist. Readers are ultimately left with a finale that provides ample room for the story to continue, and fans will eagerly await the next installment. A good purchase for libraries that own the first title.—Kelsey Johnson-Kaiser, Columbus Public Library, WI