Serafina and the Twisted Staff-The Serafina Series Book 2 -- Robert Beatty

<p><b>A <i>NEW YORK TIMES </i>BEST-SELLING SERIES</b></p><p><b><i>"Beatty continues to build a fascinating magical world, the Blue Ridge Mountains and Biltmore Estate developing beyond mere settings into characters themselves. Each place reveals history and clues to Serafina's life and those of other gifted, mysterious beings. Even better than its predecessor, a sequel that delivers nonstop thrills from beginning to end."</i></b>--Kirkus, starred review<b>.</b></p><p>Serafina's defeat of the Man in the Black Cloak has brought her out of the shadows and into the daylight realm of her home, Biltmore Estate. Every night she visits her mother in the forest, eager to learn the ways of the catamount. But Serafina finds herself caught between her two worlds: she's too wild for Biltmore's beautifully dressed ladies and formal customs, and too human to fully join her kin. </p><p>When a mysterious series of attacks test Serafina's role as Biltmore's protector, she finds herself torn from the side of her best friend and only ally, Braeden Vanderbilt. Heartbroken, she flees.</p><p>Deep in the forest, Serafina comes face-to-face with the evil infecting Biltmore--and discovers its reach is far greater than she'd ever imagined. All the humans and creatures of the Blue Ridge Mountains are in terrible danger. For Serafina to defeat this new evil before it engulfs her beloved home, she must search deep inside herself and embrace the destiny that has always awaited her.</p><b>Read the whole se