Taste of Darkness

Snyder concludes her YA crossover Healers series (Touch of Power, Scent of Magic) with this tale of friendship, adventure, and a somewhat bumbling effort to prevent the apocalypse. Avry, possibly the only healer left alive in the world, is the thorn in the side of her military commander, Prince Ryne. Together with companions Flea and Odd, she rides off to rescue a single foot soldier, at risk to her own life. She also briefly captures and then releases an enemy scouting party that possesses devastating intel against Ryne’s forces (because killing the scouts would be “cruel”). While these antics might entertain young adults with a taste for fantasy, the anachronistic vocabulary (“Boy oh boy!”), illogical and immature behavior of the main characters, and clichéd bad guy will turn off readers with more mature tastes. (Jan.)