THE ELEMENTAL WITCH LEAGUE – THE TWIN by Malcolm Chester

The Elemental Witch League – The Twin is an intriguing story that merges elements of magic, supernatural events, and political intrigue. The book follows a group of government agents from various agencies (CIA, FBI, NSA, etc.) who are tasked with investigating and potentially controlling magical phenomena. The narrative quickly immerses the reader into a world …

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THE ELEMENTAL WITCH LEAGUE

the elemental witch league cover

From the gripping prologue, Malcolm Chester deftly establishes a strong emotional foundation by delving into Carla’s personal struggles and growth mindset. The intense opening magical showdown immediately immerses readers into the high-stakes conflicts that Carla must navigate within this clandestine world of sorcery. Her journey is a powerful coming-of-age arc marked by the awakening of …

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THE GODS RETURN

The story revolves around a group of children, descendants of Greek gods, who face the daunting task of awakening their divine ancestors to protect Earth from an impending extraterrestrial threat. What stands out in this novel is the seamless blending of ancient mythological themes with contemporary settings. The characters, particularly Andreas, Athena, Dimitri, and Aphrodite, …

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GEORGE CUKOR’S PEOPLE

Veteran film writer McBride clearly esteems Cukor’s “rich, multifaceted, deeply personal” worldview as expressed in his oeuvre. He ascribes Cukor’s masterful conveyance of nuance in human behavior, of subtext, to the director’s own “double life”—Cukor’s outsider status as a “partially closeted” gay man, a son of Hungarian Jewish immigrants. McBride appraises Cukor’s craft throughout his …

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HOW COULD YOU

This graphic novel opens on a snowy evening at Hillock College, where the semester is off to a bumpy start for Molly Song and her friend Lou Kingston. Molly is reeling from a recent breakup with her girlfriend, Olene Reed, who dumped Molly via email from the plane to Europe, where she’s spending the semester …

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MENDEL THE MESS-UP

Twelve-year-old Mendel’s incapable of doing anything right. When he hugs his mother, he knocks her into the washtub. While setting the table, he lights the table on fire. And when he chops wood, he almost decapitates his sister. Mendel’s mother tells him it isn’t his fault: Years ago, Starface Matja cursed Mendel when his pregnant …

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BIGFOOT’S BIG HEART

Timid Bigfoot usually holes up inside his cave, afraid to venture out. Everyone makes loud, terrifying noises whenever they see him. But at least he has other misunderstood monster pals who appreciate his plight, among them Nessie, who lives in Scotland; Mothman, who’s from the Appalachian Mountains; and the Chupacabra, who resides in Puerto Rico. …

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MILLIE MAGNUS WON’T BE BULLIED

Dubbed “quirky” by her mother (an assessment readers will likely agree with), Millie narrates her own well-paced story in a flow of verbiage she often has trouble stemming. She is “the boss” but defers to her mom, who happens to be the mayor of Washington, D.C. Mayor Maude’s a single parent (Millie’s father is dead), …

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THE LIES OF THE ARTISTS

Rowland is a respected historian at the University of Notre Dame who has written a series of books about the art of the Renaissance. This collection of essays focuses on artists who “lied”: that is, who were able to depict reality in a way that went beyond the realistic to reach a sublime level. This …

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A CRUEL THIRST

After Lalo Villalobos, 19, tracks down the vampiro who killed his parents, he ends up being turned into one himself rather than enacting the revenge he wanted. Using his newfound supernatural strength, Lalo escapes and returns home to Los Campos and his younger sister, Fernanda. Together they flee the busy city for the remote pueblo …

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SUPER MAGIC BOY

Hugo and his dino sidekick made their debut in a flurry of messy, creative backyard adventures. In their second outing, their antics take them out of this world, on a fantastic, apparently imaginary voyage to the planet of Space Tigers. Their purpose? To find a present for Hugo’s mother, whose birthday is approaching. When Dino …

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DICK TRACY

Set in 1947, Tracy is a recent war veteran and the youngest cop ever to make detective in “The City.” He’s still struggling to come to grips with the horrors he experienced while in battle. After a crime reporter and an alderman are among those gunned down during an apparent robbery at a diner, Tracy …

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WAR ON GAZA

Sacco uses words and illustrations to document stories: He’s a self-described comics journalist. He has combined both forms to great effect in numerous works of graphic nonfiction, including Palestine and Safe Area Goražde, that tell of overseas conflicts. One monumental wordless work, The Great War, depicts the first day of the 1916 Battle of the …

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