The Secrets of Nicholas Flamel #5: The Warlock by Michael Scott

My name is John Dee. Everyone wants me dead just because I want to release monsters into the world killing millions of people and all the Elders in the Shadowrealms. I've convinced Josh, one of the twins foretold to save or destroy the world, to help me release the beasts I've trapped on Alcatraz and unleash them on the city of San Francisco. Josh believes his sister, Sophie, has been tricked by the Flamels, since it's so easy for me to control his thinking. I know some of my enemies are traveling back in time to ensure the city of Danu Talis falls, otherwise the world of humans will cease to exist. The hatred for me has even united some enemies to stop my plans. There are battles brewing in all the Shadowrealms, but I will rule them all when the war is over.

You must read the other books in the series, or this book won't make much sense to you. The main characters are around fifteen years old, so middle school readers will most enjoy it. Mature thinking is needed to understand the plot twists and character conflicts. The setting has been bouncing across the world in the last couple books, and this book now jumps to other worlds, Shadowrealms, and time-jumps back 10,000 years in history. It introduces even more new characters, so the different storylines are a little bumpy. It's hard to smoothly follow the different plots when they jump between four or five settings. I really dislike how Josh and Sophie become more minor characters in this book. Yes, they're very important to the plot, but they're constantly following orders from others. I liked it better when they were able to let their own emotions guide their decisions.