Sunday, September 15, 2013

Emerald Isle, by Barbra Annino | Review

Emerald Isle, by Barbra Annino
From the author's website:
Stacy Justice may be a witch, but she still wants a nice, normal twenty-ninth birthday. Unfortunately, Stacy rarely gets normal. As her grandmother, Birdie, plans a birthday ritual for Stacy, disastrous news derails the celebration: the magic cauldron that supplies the world’s food has disappeared. And the last time it vanished, Ireland fell under the Great Famine.

A secret society known as The Council decrees that if Stacy finds the cauldron, she’ll receive the coveted role of Seeker of Justice, and her mother will finally be freed from prison in Ireland. But the grandson of nasty council member Tallulah challenges Stacy for the role. If he finds the cauldron first, Stacy will never see her mother again. And if they both fail, the world will suffer an unimaginable fate.

The fourth book in the enchanted Stacy Justice series, Emerald Isle follows Stacy’s journey to Ireland—and to a mysterious, magical world. But can the reluctant witch complete her international, intergenerational quest in time to save her mother—and the whole planet?


The books in Barbra Annino's Stacy Justice series just keep getting better and better!   The books should be read in order, however.  If you're new to the series, begin with Book 1, Opal Fire, then read Book 2 (Bloodstone) and Book 3 (Tiger's Eye) first.  Each of them has earned my Four Kitty seal of approval.  

Emerald Isle is wonderful!  I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.  The storyline
is told from the alternating points of view of Stacy (in 1st person) and her grandmother Birdie (in 3rd person), which is a new and interesting technique for the series.  I learned more about Birdie (including her childhood) and the rest of Stacy's family.  Emerald Isle is fast-paced — I couldn't put it down, and finished it in one day!  Most of the beloved characters from the three previous books are present, plus new ones, the Irish residents, are introduced.       

I can't write much more about Emerald Isle without revealing spoilers.  Here's a teaser, though.  Stacy's nemesis from Tiger's Eye, the "feisty razor-toothed Chihuahua,"  makes an unexpected but very welcomed appearance. 

 
Book 5, Obsidian Curse, will be out in July, 2014 — can't wait!