Ysabel.

Tanya Rogoschewsky is a librarian at Red Deer College in Red Deer,
Alberta.

Fifteen-year-old Ned Marriner expects to spend this spring travelling around France following his famous photographer father while his mother works as a physician in war-torn Darfur. Exploring the Saint-Saveur cathedral in Aix-en-Provence, Ned meets Kate, an attractive, self-declared history nerd. Their casual exploration quickly turns ominous after a seemly chance encounter with an enigmatic knife-carrying stranger. Despite a warning not to get involved, Ned and Kate finds themselves dangerously embroiled in an ancient struggle and a love story spanning millennia.

This book takes place primarily in the 21st century, but it’s less of a departure for Kay than you might expect as he seamlessly blends many of his favourite themes of adventure, history, magic, and all-encompassing love into a fast-paced fantasy read. Although some of the constant references to modern technology feel rather forced in the beginning chapters, the book quickly picks up steam and a clever link to the Fionavar Tapestry trilogy is sure to delight long-time fans. Recommended.