Septimus Heap #5: Syren by Angie Sage

My name is Beetle, and our trip to bring Jenna back to the Castle has gotten complicated. Septimus and I found her on her father's ship, and he has a secret cargo below deck. Jenna chose not to return home on her father's ship and got aboard Sep's dragon Spit Fyre with us. However, we're now stranded on an island, and Spit Fyre is struggling for his life. Something strange is going on here, and Sep thinks he's heard someone calling his name. I'm loving spending time alone with Jenna, but Sep's always worried. We didn't know it at the time, but several of our friends will reunite on this island in a fight to save the Castle's future.

You will need to read the previous books before this one. The plot leads to a thrilling climax, although the actual conflict wasn't clear until you're halfway into it. The events in the first half seemed a bit disjointed. It wasn't clear how Merrin and Lucy fit in, as their characters were introduced and then forgotten for awhile. However, it all made sense in the end. The author has done a nice job of reusing characters from earlier in the series, so it's easy to quickly understand their personalities. Septimus is the one holding all of the books together. His wizarding skills are superior, Marcia made him a senior apprentice years early, but he still has wonderful humility and compassion. His concern for his friends and family is a driving force. Somehow, he always manages to find himself in the middle of terrifying situations, but the safety of others is still at the forefront of his thinking. On a side note, I still haven't figured out why the author chooses to capitalize certain words. It's not a big deal. Overall, I recommend you give this series a chance.