Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Book Review- 13 Treaures

By Michelle Harrison
Published by Little Brown
Released on April 12th, 2010
Source- Little Brown
Ages- 11 to 14
3.5 Stars- I enjoyed it.

No one else can see the evil fairies that rouse Tanya from her sleep, torturing her at the slightest mention of their existence, but they are as real to the 13-year-old as anything she's ever known. She cannot rid herself of them, nor can she ignore them. But it is her insistence on responding to them that has her banished to her grandmother's secluded countryside manor.

There is much to explore and even more to fear in the woods surrounding the estate. But, the forest isn't the only source of dark secrets, and Tanya soon finds herself entangled in a mystery that could trap her in the fairy realm forever (quoted from Goodreads).

I adore this cover as it's what drew me to the book before I knew what it was about. 13 Treasures isn't about the Tinkerbell type faeries, these are the traditional faeries who can't be trusted, can be ruthless and continue their relentless torment on young Tanya. It's the first time the faeries have threatened Tanya from telling anyone she can see them. What Tanya soon finds out, is she's not the only one in her family with second sight.

Tanya's adventure begins when she mother sends her to spend a few weeks with her Grandmother. Fearing it's going to be a rather boring experience to stay with a Grandmother she's not close to, in her dreary manor in the middle of the woods, Tanya is in for a big surprise. 13 Treasures has a lot of adventure, faery lore, and mystery that kept me turing the pages. At times I felt some of the story lines ended a little abruptly, especially with Red's story. I'm hoping there will be more to Red's story in the feature. Other times I felt it was a little dragged out, but in the end, the story wrapped up nicely answering some the questions I had, had through the book.

I loved the English setting and enjoyed the characters. Fabian, who lives at her Grandmother's manor, as his father Warwick is the grounds keeper, and Tanya find themselves in quite a few adventures as the faeries, goblins and gnomes cause more than a little trouble for Tanya. There's a something sinister in the woods and no matter how many times they're warned to stay away, something keeps Tanya and Fabian going back to the woods. Tanya's Grandmother, Florence and Fabian's Father Warwick are cold, stern and have many secrets between them, and while I felt the kid's distaste for them through out the story, at the end of 13 Treasures, I came to like these two characters a lot more, as I understood their actions more.

If you enjoy true faery lore, fantasy, and mystery, than I would recommend picking up 13 Treasures! It's not a light and airy read, but one that captures the readers attention and takes them on an adventure they won't soon forget. I think this is a fitting read for both middle grader readers & young adults readers. If there's a sequel, I am really looking forward to reading it.

You can find out more about Michelle's faeries by visiting her site here http://www.michelleharrisonbooks.com
I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~ Anna Quindlen

Good children's literature appeals not only to
the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child.
~ Anonymous ~