Tasty Magical Treats

A frog princess instead of a frog prince—now that's refreshing. An ancient dragon that lives in an American river, called up by the lonely notes of a young man’s flute; a quilt that holds the entire night sky, a world of its own; mortals ruined by a mere glimpse of faerie—all pure magic. Magic in the Mirrorstone is a collection of fantasy short stories that includes well-known YA authors such as Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, Tiffany Trent, and Cecil Castellucci as well as some names I didn't recognize.

A few of the new names (new to me, anyway) are going onto my to-read list now, after discovering their work in this rather eclectic but overall quite good compilation of stories. Though there were a few in here that didn’t really grab me, I’d recommend this one to fantasy fans who are looking for something a little different. It’s like one of those dessert trays they bring around in restaurants—maybe you just aren’t that fond of carrot cake or pecan pie, but why not take a little taste of them anyway, as long as it’s sitting in front of you? Humanity cannot subsist on chocolate mousse alone. Give this book of fantastical treats a try. You just might discover something new and tasty.