The Whispering Wars

About this book

From the award-winning Jaclyn Moriarty comes a spellbinding tale of unlikely friendship, unexpected magic and competitive athletics.

The town of Spindrift is frequented by all kinds of Shadow Mages and charlatans. It's also home to the Orphanage School, where Finlay lives with Glim, Taya, and Eli. Just outside town is the painfully posh Brathelthwaite Boarding School, home to Honey Bee, Hamish, and Victor, Duke of Ainsley. When the two schools compete at the Spindrift Tournament, the stakes are high, tensions are higher, and some people are out to win at any cost. Before long, the orphans and the boarding school kids are at each other's throats.And then the Whispering Wars break out, and Spindrift is thrust onto the front lines. Children are being stolen; witches, sirens, and a deadly magical flu invade the town; and all attempts to fight back are met with defeat. Finlay, Honey Bee, and their friends must join forces to outwit the encroaching forces of darkness, rescue the stolen children, and turn the tide of the war. But how can one bickering troupe outwit the insidious power of the Whisperers?

Reviews

Praise for The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone:

* "Highly entertaining and brilliantly plotted... with its storytelling aplomb, humor, imagination, and many twists and turns, this novel places Moriarty firmly in Diana Wynne Jones territory. Readers will want to begin rereading this spell-binder just as soon as they finish it." -- The Horn Book, starred review

"Her eventful story, seemingly as delicate as gossamer, yet strong as silk, is well structured and entertaining. An episodic, high-spirited tale of adventure and magic." -- Booklist

"Imaginative." -- Kirkus Reviews

"This quirky and endearing adventure set in a captivating, off-beat world is an excellent purchase wherever fantasy circulates well." -- School Library Journal

"[A] delightful book... The author does a wonderful job crafting this fantasy story to make it believable with word play, figurative language, and imagery. Readers will be drawn in with likeable, unforgettable characters and nonstop action ... This title would make a great addition to any school or classroom library and would be a great read aloud." -- School Library Connection


Praise for The Cracks in the Kingdom:

* "Madcap, whimsical, smart and even heartbreaking... Even better than the first." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Full of clever invention and intrigue, excellent surprises... and all the sophisticated wit Moriarty's fans expect." -- Horn Book, starred review

* "Readers will be clamoring for the next title after the thrilling yet satisfying conclusion." -- School Library Journal, starred review


Praise for A Corner of White:

A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book

A Kirkus Best Book of the Year

A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

A Horn Book Fanfare Book

"Jaclyn Moriarty makes me laugh, hysterically -- and cry, unexpectedly... Startlingly original fantasy." -- E. Lockhart, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars

"A marvelous novel -- in every sense of the word... A Corner of White slips through a previously unnoticed crack in the reader's heart and changes everything." -- Deborah Harkness, New York Times bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches

* "Quirky, charming, funny, sad: another winner from this always-surprising author." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Irresistible characters help readers navigate a tantalizingly complex plot that will leave them eagerly awaiting the next book." -- Horn Book, starred review

* "In this lovely fantasy... mysteries abound." -- School Library Journal, starred review

* "[A] genre-blending feat of stylistic energy... The plotting is as innovative and riveting as the world-making." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review