The Immortals

Couldn't leave this one out. Yes, it's another Tamora Pierce YA treasure set in the Kingdom of Tortall,; you can even cross paths with the Lioness herself. Yet Immortals takes us on a totally different thread. The fact that there are reading guides out there for this book should tip you off that it's more than a simple children's book. It's chock full of cultures, immortal creatures, and a pantheon who like to meddle. Daine is an abandoned child who possesses the wild magic, enabling her to talk with, even take the shape of the beasts of the forest. It's a light fun read featuring a compassionate, strong heroine who grows into her power throughout the quartet. I love that Pierce's characters tend to go against social convention and eventually carve out a life worth living.