Seasons of suspense

Of twists and turns and lovers spurned, this week’s reads will leave young readers yearning for more.

THE Danek is a wild, treacherous river, and the Fobisher family has tended it for generations. Wulliam’s father, the current Riverkeep, is proud of this work. Wull dreads it. And in a week, when he comes of age, he will have to take over. Then, the unthinkable happens. While recovering a drowned man, Wull’s father is pulled under. And when he emerges, he is no longer himself. A dark spirit possesses him. In an instant, Wull is Riverkeep. And he must care for his father, too. When he hears that a cure for his father lurks in the belly of a great sea- dwelling beast known as the mormorach, he embarks on an epic journey down the river that his family has so long protected but never explored. Along the way, he faces death in any number of ways, meets people and creatures touched by magic and madness and alchemy, and finds courage he never knew he possessed. SOFIA is still coming to terms with the horrific truth of what happened when she and three friends performed an exorcism that spiralled horribly out of control. Ever since that fateful night, Sofia has been haunted by bloody and demonic visions. Her therapist says they’re all in her head, but to Sofia, they feel chillingly real. She just wants to get out of town, start fresh someplace else ... until someone dies suddenly, and Sofia gets her wish. She is then sent to St Mary’s, a creepy Catholic boarding school. There, seemingly everyone is doing penance for something, most of all the mysterious Jude, for whom Sofia can’t help feeling an unshakeable attraction. But when Sofia and Jude confide in each other about their pasts, something flips in him. He becomes convinced that Sofia is possessed by the devil ... THE Voyagers have made it to the last planet. If they complete this mission, they can finally go home. But, they’ve been in space a long time, and it’s starting to take its toll. When one of the crew falls deathly ill, the race back to Earth becomes even more urgent. They just have to combat fire- breathing dragons and an evil alien clone out to sabotage their every move. No big deal. At least the Voyagers have almost every element they need. Only one more to go – six elements to make the Source and save the world. So, why is there a space in the Element Fuser for a seventh?