Secret of the Shadow Beasts by Diane Magras
Published by Dial Books on June 14, 2022
ISBN: 0735229325
Pages: 336
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads

Beware the gloaming, that time just as sun sets and night has yet to fall; this is when the shadow beasts roam Brannland in Diane Magras’s latest fast-paced novel for middle grade readers. Magras has created a world that combines touches of gaming, Dungeons & Dragons, coming of age, and adventure quests all in one. Nora is 12 and lives on a farm. After an encounter with an Umbrae, a shadow beast that hunts after dark and wields a lethal poison in its bite, claws, and even hairs, Nora remembers that she is immune to the poison and that she could have been a Knight, an order of children who train and fight Umbrae. Nora’s father was completely against her becoming a Knight, but he was killed by a shadow beast so it’s up to Nora to decide to call the National Council and volunteer herself. When she is instantly accepted into the Knight’s Order, she must leave home and train with the other Knights.

Once at the training facility, Nora learns how gifted she is at fighting Umbrae. Some of her ability comes from growing up on a farm, some from playing a particular video game with her best friend, and some from her incredible immunity to the shadow beast poison. Magras introduces Nora, and the reader, to a diverse cast of characters imbued with plenty of flaws and missteps, but also with empathy and a capacity to learn from their mistakes. She allows her characters to discuss their feelings and to problem solve when things don’t go according to plan. She also allows them to use their strengths to kick monster butt!

This book will appeal to gamers, fantasy and sci-fi lovers, and those who appreciate a rip-roaring adventure in which the kids save the land. Highly recommend.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Baxter Memorial Library,  Gorham