The Losting Fountain

September 16, 2024
Three teens from different time periods discover a mythical island of lost things in this dark fantasy from Senf (the Blight Harbor series). In 1913, 14-year-old Ember is visited by a magical winged girl named Selah, who spirits her to the Losting Fountain, a vast untamed island that’s home to mythical creatures—some deadly—and lost things longing to be found. In 1989, 15-year-old Sam, encouraged by strange voices, runs away from home to the same island. And in the present day, 17-year-old Miles flees to the island with his two winged guides seeking answers about his birth mother. The three timelines converge via waterway, allowing Ember, Sam, and Miles to meet on the island outside of time. But dangerous creatures seek to escape through a rip between the Losting Fountain and the human world. Each teen has a role to play in repairing the border, but their personal connections to the island could jeopardize their mission. The characters’ alternating perspectives sometimes read as overly similar, and thinly connected story lines hamper an interesting premise. Nevertheless, a devious twist, gloriously horrific monsters, and gentle explorations of grief bring this fable to an emotional close. Major characters cue as white. Ages 14–up. Agent: Ali Herring, Spencerhill Assoc.

November 1, 2024
Three teens from different times enter another world in this dark portal fantasy. Ember, Sam, and Miles all come from differentwhens; Ember is a neglected and abused farm girl in 1913, Sam is a boy haunted by voices in 1989, and Miles is a track star in the present day. Following strange events, they're each called toward a mysterious island where time moves differently. At the center sits the Losting Fountain, a body of water in which lost things can be found. The Fountain and the monsters within it are presided over by the Jury, who decides whether to grant the desires of those seeking what they have lost. But the Jury has gone missing, and in her absence, the boundary between worlds has grown porous, and the monsters within the Fountain have started to escape and wreak havoc in both worlds. Ember, Sam, and Miles have been called into the fray for a reason: Though they may not realize it, they each possess the power to help set things right or to cause further destruction. There's plenty of unsettling imagery and monstrous gore in the second half of this tale for those who like their fantasy worlds dark, but the narrative takes its time building to this point and may lose readers before the action picks up. Racially ambiguous Sam has "quick-to-tan skin," dark hair, and "darker eyes," while Ember and Miles are cued white. A painstakingly slow pace eventually culminates in a high-stakes showdown.(Fantasy. 14-18)

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October 1, 2024
Grades 7-10 The island of the Fountain is a world bordering our own, a place for lost things to gather and seekers to find what they lost. Those who live within those wild lands tend to the Fountain and keep the balance: worthy seekers are rewarded and let go, while unworthy ones are turned into the monsters they already are and imprisoned. Three teens from different time lines, each with a personal connection to the island, are called to the Fountain at a desperate time: the boundaries between worlds are failing and leaving holes for the Fountain's monsters to escape. Ember (from 1913), Sam (from 1989), and Miles (from the present day) intend to save both worlds, but Sam, who possesses a dangerous gift, might destroy the Fountain instead. Introspective, nuanced character studies inform the action as the trio investigates the Fountain's corruption. Utilizing multiple narrators beyond the three teens, Senf details the inner workings of the beautiful, terrible realm of the Fountain in this dark fairytale about the struggle between good and evil in each person's heart.

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December 1, 2024

Gr 7 Up-Ember, 14, an abused farmgirl in 1913; Sam, 15, who hears voices in 1989; and present-day track star Miles, 17, are all summoned to The Losting Fountain, which is located on a strange island where time does not apply, but rules do. The Fountain collects lost things. Each person comes to the island with their own baggage. When the trio gets to the island, they each realize that they have special powers to help or hinder the Fountain and repair the rift between the island and the real world. The Fountain has a life of its own, and dark creatures are escaping. Senf takes time to build a world where time shifts differently and creatures roam. The novel is well written and told in alternating perspectives; each character's tale and attitude feels similar. Readers will need to consider each character carefully. Senf is creative and makes the fountain feel like a character in the novel, with its own jury and rules. Sam, Ember, and Miles are strong-willed and quick thinking. Sam is described as olive skinned with dark eyes and hair. Ember and Miles are white. The second half of the novel picks up the pace with gory, action-packed scenes that are sure to engross readers. VERDICT Fans of dark fantasy with horrifying monsters and action will enjoy the rising action of this novel and its unique world. Recommended.-Karen Alexander

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