Eight Rivers of Shadow

July 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Luke Manchett assumed that his paranormal problems ended when he banished his father's Host of spirits a few months ago. And aside from some strange dreams and a nagging worry over a deal he made with the devil, Luke is right. That is, until an American girl named Ash shows up in his math class, claiming to be an exchange student, and Luke subsequently passes out at the front of the room. Ash quickly pulls Luke and his girlfriend Elza back into the world of the dead, but Luke won't have Elza's help for long. Without her, he must summon one of the more fearsome members of his previously liberated Host and return to a place he hoped to avoid for years to come: Deadside. As dark and witty as the first work in the series, this sequel is a perfect follow-up to 13 Days of Midnight. Once again, grim and clever Elza is a foil for humorous and rash Luke; newcomer Ash is ambiguous in word and action, and she swiftly creates a rift between the couple. The characterization of the teens, combined with a quick pace and a betrayal- and revenge-driven plot, speeds the work along to a satisfying if somewhat sad conclusion. But a few unresolved loose ends will leave readers sincerely hoping for another installment. VERDICT Those already familiar with Luke, Elza, and the spirits of the banished Host will not be disappointed in this new adventure.-Maggie Mason Smith, Clemson University, SC

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2016
This sequel to Thirteen Days of Midnight (2015) follows Luke Manchett, who inherited a Host of powerful ghosts from his father and can't seem to get out of the necromancy business.Luke thinks he has rid himself of his father's unwanted baggage, but when a new exchange student, Californian Ashley, shows up in his school in northeast England, he learns that she is also a necromancer. She wants to use his magical and highly dangerous Book of Eight to save her twin sister from certain death in the world of spirits. Luke enlists the reluctant aid of his girlfriend, Elza, but learns soon enough that Ashley hasn't told him the entire truth. He winds up traveling into the spirit world to right the wrongs that Ashley has committed, but he faces challenges. To fight the Widow, conjured by Ashley, he must summon the leader of his Host, the devious Shepherd, and bind him yet again. With his loyal dog, Ham, he and the Shepherd embark on an epic journey to the Shrouded Lake. Along the way Luke is tested over and over, and he fears that he may have another meeting with the Devil himself. Hunt writes nicely effective horror, balancing the normal teen lives of his characters (most presumably white) against their supernatural adventures. As in the previous book, Luke's time spent inhabiting Ham's mind is a highlight.Whopping good suspense in the netherworld. (Horror. 12-18)

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January 1, 2017
Just as Luke (13 Days of Midnight) begins to believe things are back to normal, "exchange student" Ash reveals herself to be the daughter of a rival necromancer who was murdered by a demon on Luke's father's command. The previous volume riffed on the Faustian bargain; here Hunt seamlessly incorporates elements of Greek mythology to deepen his world-building.

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

September 1, 2016
In 13 Days of Midnight (rev. 9/15) sixteen-year-old Luke Manchett battled a Host of eight mutinous spirits inherited from his necromancer father. Just as Luke begins to believe things are back to normal, exchange student Ash reveals herself to be the daughter of a rival necromancer who was murdered by a demon on Dr. Manchett's command. Ash's twin Ilana has been comatose since the attack, so Luke and his seer girlfriend Elza reluctantly agree to assist in a ritual to return Ilana's spirit to her body. But Ash hasn't been honest about the ritual's true cost, and in its aftermath Luke must travel to the land of the dead with a dangerous spirit guide and his faithful wolfhound/familiar. The previous volume riffed on the Faustian bargain; here Hunt seamlessly incorporates elements of Greek mythology to deepen his world-building. (An author's note clarifies a few artistic liberties taken.) Despite Luke's previous ordeal, he begins this book with naivete and even optimism, but his experiences -- coupled with the insights of the dead and the desperate living -- show him some harsh truths about life and himself. Even when Luke is making decisions that are questionable (which he usually admits: It's the stupidest plan I've ever made, but I don't see another option ) or downright disastrous, his good-heartedness and self-deprecating humor will keep readers rooting for him. katie bircher

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)