Fablehaven 3: Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull

This book is the third in the Fablehaven series, and I gave it a rating of five out of five. The Society of the Evening Star is searching for the five artifacts to open the doors to the greatest prison of evil creatures on Earth. One haven for magical creatures has already fallen; will a second one fall too? Is the Sphinx the leader of the evil group, or is he the leader of the protectors of the world's havens? Seth also discovers an evil force within Fablehaven that is changing good creatures to bad in a way that has never been seen before. The conflict gets so bad that friends are turning to foes, and there are only two safe places left on the Fablehaven grounds. Help comes from an unexpected source, but will it be enough to stop the spead of darkness? The final climax comes down to a confrontation between good and evil.

The plot was well-developed and created a conflict that seemed impossible to resolve. The evil seemed overpowering, and characters who might have been helped were changed to the enemy's side. The characterization kept me wondering about who to trust and who might have secret, evil plans. One again, the theme comes down to good versus evil and the power of kindness, goodness, and love.