Conjured by Sarah Beth Durst - OPTIONAL

Durst, Sarah Beth Conjured, 358 p. Walker (Bloomsbury), 2014.  $18.  

Language: PG ( 8 swears, 0 ‘f’); Violence: G (deaths are mentioned, but never described); Mature Content: G.  

Eve has amnesia.  Worst of all, she still loses hours, day, even weeks.  She does remember Malcolm, who seems to be watching over her, and “Aunt” Nikki, who seems to hate her.  She also begins to remember Zach, the cute boy who works at the library with her.  Yes, Eve is in Witness Protection, but the circumstances surrounding the crimes she was witness to are more bizarre than she can imagine, and seem to involve magic.  

While on the surface this seems like it may be a light fantasy book, it is instead for only your very best readers.  It is a well-crafted tale that slowly unveils each detail – you start out as bewildered as Eve, but as she learns, you learn.  There is no omniscient narrator here.  For your students who will pay attention, this will be a treasure.  

MS, HS – OPTIONAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher