Heroes' Reward by Moira J. Moore

This is an update about a series that I've reviewed before. For those of you who have been following the The Source and Shield series by Moira J. Moore, the final book has been self-published by Moore. It is currently available in multiple formats, both free and for a fee. More information is available on her post, here.

The books in order are:

• Resenting the Hero
• The Hero Strikes Back
• Heroes Adrift
• Heroes at Risk
• Heroes Return
• Heroes at Odds
• Heroes' Reward

I do recommend reading this series and I'm so happy that it has been concluded, even though the publisher dropped it. After the early books (which I reviewed some years ago), there is actually quite a bit more magic in the story rather than just special abilities. I would suggest this series to older fantasy fans who enjoy interesting character relationships and other worlds.

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Scarlett and Rosie March have always been close; after a werewolf kills their grandmother and leaves Scarlett with only one eye and extensive scars, they stick together even more. The sisters train to become hunters, spending their time luring and killing wolves to keep other girls safe, along with one of the woodsman's younger sons, Silas. Rosie feels tied to her sister, but she starts to wonder if there is more to life, even though Scarlett is content to devote herself to hunting. When they hear about the possibility that something big is developing in Atlanta, the three of them decide to temporarily move to the city. But each of them may find more there than they realized, including themselves.

This book alternates points of view between Scarlett and Rosie to help give a balanced picture of the events. It is easy to sympathize with both of the girls, even though they are extremely different. Some of the plot elements felt predictable, but the focus is on the character development and I still enjoyed reading it to find out what would happen. This book is a bit dark and bittersweet, but I would definitely recommend it to fantasy fans who enjoy those kinds of stories or retellings in the real world.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Black Pearls, Beauty and the Werewolf, Morganville Vampires, or A Tale Dark and Grimm

Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon

Renée Winters' life changes forever when she discovers her murdered parents on her sixteenth birthday. Although she has had a happy life in California, her grandfather removes her from her friends - and brand new boyfriend - to send her to Gottfried Academy, an extremely exclusive and remote boarding school in Maine. She slowly starts to make new friends as she adjusts to life at Gottfried, studying philosophy, Latin, and "Crude Sciences." Renée also meets Dante Berlin, a mysterious boy to whom she feels connected, although she doesn't know why. More importantly, she starts to suspect that there may be secrets at Gottfried, and that there may be more going on than the school's administration is willing to admit.

This book is followed by Life Eternal, and then Love Reborn (to be published January 2014).

I thought this was an interesting take on the idea of the "undead" which has been popular recently in various forms. That's a small spoiler, but it shouldn't be much of a surprise, given the title. The story feels a bit gloomy and slow, but I was definitely intrigued to find out the ultimate direction. I would recommend this book to older fantasy readers who prefer stories that are more somber about the real world, particularly stories that deal with the undead.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Abhorson, Lost Voices, Wicked Lovely, or Warbreaker

The Fairy Bell Sisters by Margaret McNamara

In the first book, Sylva and the Fairy Ball, Tinker Bell's younger fairy sisters are getting ready for the annual Fairy Ball on Sheepskerry Island. Clara, Rosy, and Goldie have been planning their outfits; baby Squeak is still too young, but Sylva Bell is excited that she will finally be old enough to attend her very first ball. When the invitations come, the ball will be held one day before Sylva's birthday, which means she'll have to wait an entire year to go to the ball! But despite her disappointment, Sylva decides that she can still make a contribution.

The second book, Rosy and the Secret Friend, tells about how Rosy makes friends with one of the Summer Children visiting Sheepskerry Island. Even though the fairies are not supposed to reveal themselves to the Summer People, Rosy feels bad for Louisa and soon they are helping one another. But Rosy feels guilty about keeping the secret from her sisters and she'll have to figure out what to do when they find out about it...

These books are short, quick reads and they're cute stories. They're definitely written for younger readers, so they're a little bit predictable, but still a good choice for fantasy fans who want something light. There are also "fairy secrets" at the end of each book; the first has a recipe for Sylva's Blueberry Birthday Cake and the second has instructions to build a fairy house.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Fairy's Return, Once Upon a Marigold, The Dragon Princess, or Me, My Elf, and I

Gorgeous by Paul Rudnick

Becky Randal does not have a glamorous life; she lives with her overweight mother in a trailer park in small-town Missouri. When her mother dies on her eighteenth birthday, everything changes and Becky finds herself flying to New York to meet Tom Kelly, a top designer. He makes Becky and offer that sounds too good to be true: he'll make her three dresses -- one red, one white, and one black -- and she will become the most beautiful woman in the world. Despite her misgivings, Becky agrees. When she puts on the red dress, she sees herself in the mirror...but everyone else sees something very different. Suddenly, "Rebecca" Randal is hobnobbing with the rich and famous, posing for a Vogue photoshoot, and discovering a whole new world. But Becky is about to discover the hard way that her new life comes with a price.

This book was definitely engaging and unpredictable, and ultimately, a powerful story about a small-town girl who finds out who she really is. The magic aspects of this book were a bit odd and not really the focus, but it does have some elements of a modern fairy tale. I do want to mention that the book uses a lot of strong language, which may bother some readers. I would recommend this to older fantasy fans who enjoy stories about the real world.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Princess for Hire, Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions, or The Magic and the Healing