Staff Picks (November 12): Curses! Foiled Again GN

Reading like a novel from Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series, Curses! Foiled Again is the sequel to 2010’s Foiled. Writer Jane Yolen combines her knowledge of Olympic fencing, urban fantasy, and throws in a compelling mystery to sweeten the pot. Aliera Carstairs must juggle high school, parents, and manage her new troll bodyguard all while meting out justice to a hoard of mythical beasties by way of her enchanted fencing foil.

As a foil fencer just starting to test the waters of competitive fencing I couldn’t resist picking this book up. Fencing is a very anonymous sport. Our faces are always hidden behind protective masks during bouts and it is exceptionally rare to find televised tournaments outside of the Olympics. Curses! Foiled Again brings attention to the sport and offers up a compelling coming of age story that kept me glued to the book until the end.

~ Matt Demory