Siege of Shadows

September 15, 2017
Maia, Chae Rin, Lake, and Belle continue their face-off against Saul in Book 2 of the Effigies series, following Fate of Flames (2016).After a failed attempt to capture Saul, the public is losing confidence in the Effigies, and the sect is scrambling to restore the illusion of order. Meanwhile, Maia, Chae Rin, Lake, and Belle have more urgent matters on their minds as Saul remains ever elusive, and they can add engineered Effigies to their growing list of enemies. As if that weren't enough, it turns out the sect definitely can't be trusted. It's just another day in the life as Maia also plays tug of war with Natalya, the previous fire Effigy, for control of her body. Oh, and Rhys, her crush, may have murdered Natalya--a revelation that brings far-reaching consequences. As the questions about their origins pile up and what that means in this new fight against Saul, more than ever, the girls need to work as a team. This has all the makings of a great sequel, but it stumbles in its execution. Meandering plotlines, Maia's prolonged internal battles, and clumsy character development make for a slow-paced, plodding read. Maia's mother was Caribbean, Lake is British-Nigerian, Chae Rin is Korean, and Belle is a white European, but these diverse cultural characterizations don't manifest themselves in any meaningful way. This sequel lacks the excitement of its predecessor, but a shocking cliffhanger ending may salvage it for readers. (Fantasy. 14-adult)

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October 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-Two months after Saul has disappeared, the Effigies can't seem to get along, never mind focus on finding the boy who is an accursed immortal with the power to vanish. Much like Fate of Flames, this story begins with a phantom attack and chaos that throws the four girls into emotional turmoil as they struggle to work together in spite of their disparate personalities, fears, and priorities. Maia wavers between her desire to find out the truth behind Natalya's death and her conflicting feelings for Rhys, who has not only charmed Maia but is apparently revealed as Natalya's killer through the memories Natalya shares with her. Though she has difficulty understanding and controlling the ability herself, Maia's unique skill of crossing into another Effigy's consciousness makes her particularly interesting to the Sect-but she doesn't know how much she can trust them. Ultimately, Maia's fears consolidate into one larger than any of the others: that Natalya will possess her for good. This is a complicated and dramatic adventure that bounces between violent fantasy battles and squabbles between teen girls forced into their superhero bond, from Maia's concern for the death of innocent bystanders to her insecurities over a teen magazine photo shoot. VERDICT A good fit for fans of Bethany Frenette's "Dark Star" trilogy and older readers of Shannon Hale's "Dangerous." Purchase where the previous volume is popular.-Kerry Sutherland, Akron-Summit County Public Library, OH

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2017
Grades 9-12 The Sect and its Effigies, four young women with superpowers, stand between megalomaniac Saul, his deadly phantoms, and the human race, but the Sect seems to be fracturing from the inside out while Saul grows ever stronger. In the heart of this conflict are Fire Effigy Maia and Sect member Rhys, to whom she is attracted but whose issues mirror the larger problems at hand. If the Effigies can't trust the Sect, who can they trust? Book two in the Effigies series launches from the first, Fate of Flames (2016), so reading them in order is essential to understanding the chaos and drama that commence right from the start. Raughley adeptly positions several reveals, particularly the cliff-hanger ending, which is not a complete surprise and yet still packs a punch. There are hints that the Effigies are a mix of ethnicities, but that part of their characters remains unaddressed. Navel-gazing is kept to a minimum in this action-oriented sequel, and, happily, the Effigies seem to have outgrown their whiny stage.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2018
The sophomore series entry about young women with elemental powers picks up with Fire Effigy Maia beset--by the press, by the threat of Saul's monstrous Phantoms, and by tensions among the Effigies. Maia must uncover Saul's plan while the world hangs in the balance. The story's group of strong-willed female heroines is appealingly diverse; a cliffhanger ending promises more adventure to come.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)