cover image THE DARK HILLS DIVIDE: The Land of Elyon Book I

THE DARK HILLS DIVIDE: The Land of Elyon Book I

Patrick Carman, , read by Aasne Vigesaa. . Brilliance, $26.95 (0pp) ISBN 978-1-59737-393-7

There's a new heroine in the adventure-fantasy realm, and she's got plenty of smarts and girl-power drive, skillfully conveyed by Vigesaa's confident and well-paced reading. Twelve-year-old Alexa Daley spearheads this first book in a trilogy filled with such exciting, if perhaps familiar, elements as a dangerous quest, sinister enemies, talking animals, magical powers and far-away kingdoms. Though Alexa has lived inside a walled town her entire life, she longs to know what's outside. Her brave and ill-advised journey beyond the wall sets in motion a suspenseful tale about what lurks in the wild forests of the Dark Hills. Vigesaa nimbly distinguishes different character voices without too much vocal fanfare and without missing a beat. Listeners will want to stick with her on this thrilling ride. Ages 9-up. (Jan.)