Battle Magic

For fans of her other series' this is a great choice! Pierce writes in an engaging style which brings her characters to life. However, families should be aware that this book is more distressing than others in the series. The characters are in the middle of a war so there are scenes such as floating bodies in the river. The most upsetting part is when a girl gets tortured (they whip her feet). If your children are anything like my students they will be very upset by what happens to her pet cats and the rest of the people in the building. It is not for sensitive or young readers. That said, I would say there are some great conversations to be had here: overcoming trauma, comparing the fantasy world to the real culture it is based on (Tibet), the necessity of war, duty, family, etc.