House of Elephants

October 15, 2024
In her efforts to cure her hexed friend, Valley Pepperhorn, who has been turned to stone, witchling Seven Salazar uncovers both a frightening conspiracy and a despicable secret. Seven may still be struggling with miscast spells, but her illicit abilities to conjure and to talk with raccoons and other beastly monstruos come in handy not only in rescuing Valley and others who were stonified, but also in fending off the savage attacks of the full-fledged witches who have long forced her and her fellow Spares into the most menial and laborious jobs. Even as conflicts mount, Spares begin disappearing amid ominous, coded talk of maintaining a mysterious "order and balance." But the true iniquity of what's going on becomes clear only when Seven finds clues pointing to a terrible secret that affects all levels of society. She also finds out (the hard way) that some supposed allies are actually terrifying foes who must be stopped (Ortega leaves this last storyline unresolved, ready to seed future crises). Seven's journey includes plenty of magical and personal challenges, from attempting to master the art of making pink-frosted bizcochos to hunting for the forbidden cuentista spell. This third series entry leaves her marked by deep swells of joy, grief, anxiety, and, at last, a sense of belonging. A new set of witchy exploits, replete with magic, game-changing revelations, and monstruos both cute and scary.(Fantasy. 8-12)

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