As a human, Echo is likely to be overlooked by the enemy, and her knowledge of the magical world, along with her skills as a thief, uniquely qualify her to embark on this quest armed with a map, determination, bravado and a pouch of shadow powder. And when the winds mercifully stopped, an unshakable belief in the girl’s protective powers began.

Ala believes that the firebird is the only hope for ending the centuries-old conflict between the Avicen and the Drakharin, another ancient, magical race who are led by the Dragon Prince. The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind by Meg Medina Sixteen-year-old Sonia Ocampo was born on the night of the worst storm Tres Montes had ever seen. After a chance encounter with the mysterious Ala late one night at New York Public Library, then 7-year-old runaway Echo was raised in a mysterious world under New York City with an ancient race of beings called the Avicen, who have avian traits (such as feathers instead of hair) and possess magical powers. The Avicen are the only family Echo has ever known, so when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it’s time to act.

Seventeen-year-old Echo is a resourceful, quick-thinking and feisty thief who travels between our world and a magical world unseen by other humans. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from all but one human: Echo, a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market. 'The Girl at Midnight,' the impressive debut novel of Melissa Grey, is the story of a quest to find the firebird, a creature dismissed as mythical by some but desperately sought by others who seek its power, whether for the promise of power itself or as an avenue to peace.

The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey