Imagine a story about high school, along with mythical creatures, mixed together and impacting each others lives. From the very first page of Rise of the Evening Star, the second book of five in the Fablehaven series, I was hooked. Brandon Mull, the author, starts out the book by explaining a situation that many modern high-schoolers face. Throughout the book, this evolves into Kendra and Seth, the protagonists, deciding to make decisions that eventually lead to them almost getting abducted. Luckily though, their grandfather, Stan Sorenson, calls them and tells them of the dangers and about some dangers that they are facing. Stan owns a secret preserve, called Fablehaven, a home to many mythical creatures and troubles are arising for many preserves around the world. Five of the preserves are special, and have a powerful artifact on the property that when all five are together will unlock the keys to the demon prison. Will Kendra, Seth and Stan be able to stand together and protect the refuge? Or will Fablehaven collapse and the demon prison be opened?

I love the way that Brandon Mull introduces each character and the detail that goes into every single page. As I read this book, I could see the book play out in my mind, feel exactly how the characters were feeling and the attitudes of the characters were clear. “The boy had a bald, scabrous scalp and his face like a chapped welt. His eyes were puckered slits, his nose a malformed cavity, his mouth lipless and crusty. He scratched his arm, crooked fingers lumpy with bulging warts.” This is just a small part of the book. The rest of the book is similar in the amount of detail. I often felt like I was almost part of the book at times. I think that this is a great book for anyone aged 10 and up who enjoys the fantasy genre.