Reckless

Reckless by Cornelia Funke
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books(September 14, 2010)
ISBN-10: 031605609X 

From School Library Journal

Funke takes readers on a new adventure into a magical place where the dark side of fairy tales holds sway. Jacob Reckless, like his father before him, escapes into the Mirrorworld, and all is well until his younger brother, Will, follows him in and falls under the enchantment of the Dark Fairy. Through an injury, she turns him slowly into a Goyl, a person made of stone. Jacob is determined to rescue his brother and restore him to himself. Accompanied by his companion, a shape-shifter girl/vixen named Fox, and Will's girlfriend, Clara, Jacob journeys with Will to find the antidote to the spell. With a large cast, including a dwarf, powerful fairies born from water, deadly moths, man-eating sirens, unicorns, and the terrifying Tailor with fingers ending in blades and needles, the story includes multiple fairy-tale motifs as the characters grapple with fear and despair while on their seemingly hopeless quest. The action picks up midway through the book and races to an exciting climax. Despite some loose plotting and broadly drawn characters, readers are pulled into the thrill of the story. The themes of guilt, responsibility, abandonment, and love, in the context of the many dangers in the Mirrorworld, contribute to a serious tone. Ultimately the characters keep faith with what matters most to each of them. 

Cornelia Funke has to go down as one of the best story tellers there are.  She is fantastic.
This book is a young persons book but she still has ways of making her story interesting to even old folks like me.

Now, I'm not saying that I love, love, love this book.  I am afraid she spoiled me on the Inkheart series and this doesn't come close to that. But it still was enjoyable.  I wouldn't say it's for everyone, but as a YA book it's very very good. (in my opinion that is)

What I found a nice touch was that every so often a "fairy tale" is mentioned, such as Snow White and Rapunzel, I thought it was quite clever how she did it.

I am sorry I took so long to finish reading this book.. I was being torn between the book and crocheting (still crocheting ) and even television, which i generally share with reading and it's not a problem.

In all honest here I have to say that this read for a younger person quite a bit more then Inkheart did.  So if you liked Inkheart and you think you might like this book.. well.. you might but I don't think it's up to Inkheart standards.  

But I'm still glad I read it.  I'm glad to remember what a really excellent story teller Cornelia Funke is.