For fans of Lev Grossman and Deborah Harkness, this funny, suspenseful, and totally original fantasy comes to its brilliantly colorful conclusion. Cello is in crisis. Princess Ko's deception of her people has emerged and the Kingdom is outraged; the Jagged Edge Elite have taken control, placing the Princess and two members of the Royal Youth Alliance under arrest and ordering their execution; the King's attempts to negotiate their release have failed; Color storms are rampant; and nobody has heard the Cello wind blowing in months. Meanwhile, Madeleine fears she's about to lose the Kingdom of Cello forever. Plans are in place to bring the remaining Royals home, and after that, all communication between Cello and the World will cease. That means she'll also lose Elliot, now back in Cello and being held captive by a branch of Hostiles. And there's nothing he can do to help his friends unless he can escape the Hostile compound.Worlds apart and with time running out, Madeleine and Elliot find themselves on a collision course to save the Kingdom they love, and maybe even save each other. Gr 6–9—Moriarty ably wraps up the many plot threads woven through this concluding volume. Elliot and his father, reunited at the end of The Cracks in the Kingdom, are brought back to the magical kingdom of Cello, and it seems Madeleine's involvement with the parallel world has come to an end. But worsening nosebleeds and visions of another century plague Madeleine, while back in Cello, Elliot is being held captive by a dangerous group who want to overthrow the monarchy Elliot, Madeleine, and the Royal Youth Alliance have been working so hard to restore. This tale concurrently presents a multitude of stories in three settings (Madeleine's world, Elliot's hometown, and Elliot's Hostile prison), and teens may feel overwhelmed by the large cast, multiple locations, and intertwining plotlines. Yet despite the complexity, the story works, zigging and zagging in pleasantly surprising ways. The magic continues to be refreshingly inventive, and the world-building is so precise readers will easily picture the lands of Cello in their minds. Elliot and Madeleine are characters to cherish. The sweetly satisfying conclusion will leave fans with a smile. VERDICT This final installment will garner even more followers for the inventive, exciting series.—Elisabeth Gattullo Marrocolla, Darien Library, CT Praise for A Tangle of Gold : * "A grand finale to a grand adventure, complete with truly startling revelations... Deeply satisfying, perfectly ended." -- Kirkus Reviews , starred review* "A breathless and exhilarating race to the finish... with a variety of unexpected revelations and marvelous surprises, and with [Moriarty's] usual perfect timing." -- Horn Book , starred review* "The magic continues to be refreshingly inventive, and the world-building is so precise... This final installment will garner even more followers." -- School Library Journal , starred review* "Startling and clever... A breathtaking climax... An eminently satisfying conclusion." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books , starred review Praise for The Cracks in the Kingdom : * "Madcap, whimsical, smart and even heartbreaking... Even better than the first." -- Kirkus Reviews , starred review* "Full of clever invention and intrigue, excellent surprises... and all the sophisticated wit Moriarty's fans expect." -- Horn Book , starred review* "Readers will be clamoring for the next title after the thrilling yet satisfying conclusion." -- School Library Journal , starred review Praise for A Corner of White : A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor BookA Kirkus Best Book of the YearA School Library Journal Best Book of the YearA Horn Book Fanfare Book"Jaclyn Moriarty makes me laugh, hysterically -- and cry, unexpectedly... Startlingly original fantasy." -- E. Lockhart, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars "A marvelous novel -- in every sense of the word... A Corner of White slips through a previously unnoticed crack in the reader's heart and changes everything." -- Deborah Harkness, New York Times bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches * "Quirky, charming, funny, sad: another winner from this always-surprising author." -- Kirkus Reviews , starred review* "Irresistible characters help readers navigate a tantalizingly complex plot that will leave them eagerly awaiting the next book." -- Horn Book , starred review* "In this lovely fantasy... mysteries abound." -- School Library Journal , starred review* "[A] genre-blending feat of stylistic energy... The plotting is as innovative and riveting as the world-making." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books , starred review Jaclyn Moriarty is the award-winning author of A Corner of White , The Cracks in the Kingdom , A Tangle of Gold , The Year of Secret Assignments , The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie , The Ghosts of Ashbury High , and The Spell Book of Listen Taylor . A former m