How would you feel if you learned that for your whole life, your parents have been keeping a major secret from you? What if you got kidnapped in the middle of the night and were accused of being a witch or a wizard, and were told that everything you loved–your books, your music, your pictures–was banned forever?  Meet brother and sister Whit and Wisty Allgood.  The Witch and Wizard series was written by James Patterson and has received many positive reviews. Here’s why:

Fifteen-year-old Wisty and seventeen-year-old Whit are wholesome American teenagers, though there is a hint of depression and alcoholism surrounding Whit, whose girlfriend Celia disappeared under mysterious circumstances months before the story begins. The action begins almost instantly when the kids are thrown into a harsh prison run by evil guards. They gradually become aware of their powers and are able to connect with other teens who are dead (Celia) but exist as “half-lights” in an alternate level of reality.

Treatment in the prison is cruel, and there are references to children being killed, beaten, or vaporized. Overall, however, the story and the action are over-the-top in this fantasy society, so the violence may not seem as realistic or frightening to readers. Teens may have some trouble understanding the political implications of this dystopian world, but may also enjoy the strong, smart-alecky heroes.

The chapters in this series are short, so you can say you read ten chapters when you only read about 40 pages. This series will keep you in suspense for the whole reading. It is told from dual first-person perspectives of Whit and Wisty.

I would recommend this book for someone who loves to read action-packed books.