The Twelve

Graceffa (Rebels of Eden) and Marr blend action-adventure and magical spectacle in this fast-paced fantasy novel. When they’re attacked by a rogue shape-shifting Dark Witch on their 16th birthday, orphaned twins Ophelia and Serena defend themselves using magical powers they didn’t know they had. The sisters are then rescued by a team of teenage witches, who whisk them away to the Manor, a sprawling mansion on a secluded island. There, the siblings are invited to join a coven of powerful zodiac witches who stand against the corrupting influence of the ominous Darkness. Ophelia receives the code name Pisces, drawn from her ability to control water; electricity-wielder Serena becomes Aries. Now inducted into the secret war between the forces of light and dark, the sisters must quickly become proficient in their abilities if they intend to prevent the Dark Witches from amassing their own all-powerful coven. The lore is slimly developed, and the overlapping plotlines of the sizeable cast, who each boast varied powers, personalities, and priorities, are sometimes difficult to follow. Lofty prose depicts Serena and Ophelia’s battling the temptation of power, wrestling with revelations concerning their lineage, and working to find their place in the world. Characters are described as having varying skin tones. Ages 13–up. (Feb.)