Glimmerglass (2009)

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It’s all she’s ever wanted to be, but it couldn’t be further from her grasp… Dana Hathaway doesn’t know it yet, but she’s in big trouble. When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, again , Dana decides she’s had enough and runs away to find her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the captivating, magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl—she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and the only person who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie. Soon, Dana finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone seems to want something from her, from her newfound friends and family to Ethan, the hot Fae guy Dana figures she’ll never have a chance with… until she does. Caught between two worlds, Dana isn’t sure where she’ll ever fit in and who can be trusted, not to mention if her world will ever be normal again… From Booklist This new series begins smartly with 16-year-old Dana, tired of coping with her alcoholic single mother, running away to find her father in Avalon, which, in this arch and insightful version, is situated between twenty-first-century London and the world of faerie. Black handles the mash-up of genres and cultures deftly, giving Dana a credibility that keeps readers cheering her on through such dismal adventures as being dogged by a bodyguard while trying to spend her newfound father’s euros and getting attacked by would-be assassins, as well as those of a more delicious variety, like discovering that bad-boy hunk Ethan may not be all that bad after all. The world building here is brisk but accessible, the issues range from teen angst to faerie politics, and the skills needed to negotiate both include some magic-spell work and some sharp-tongue work. This is a promising start to a series that should have broad appeal among teens tiring of vampires but not dangerous romance. Grades 8-11. --Francisca Goldsmith Review “Jenna Black's bewitching journey into the land of Avalon blends mysterious guys, good friends, mortal danger, and confusing relatives into a magical book that just doesn’t let you close it until you are all done. Be prepared to stay up late finishing this one. It's that good.” –Carrie Jones, New York Times bestselling author of Need and Captivate "Glimmerglass is a delightful tale of faerie intrigue and adventure." –Rachel Vincent, New York Times bestselling author of the Shifters series “ Glimmerglass is a terrific read. The story of Dana Hathaway, a girl torn between real-world problems and other-worldly peril is a darkly compelling page-turner shot through with flashes of wit, romance, and adventure. Jenna Black has crafted a fascinating world with her vision of Avalon—a glittering, treacherous place suspended like a bubble between realities, full of enthralling characters and thrilling situations. A wonderful series opener—I can’t wait to see where Dana’s story leads next.” –Lesley Livingston, author of Wondrous Strange and Darklight Nominated for the 2011 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers list