Relic of thieves

After using an ancient Greek relic without permission, a Living girl finds herself stuck in the realm of the Dead trying to save her best friend, in this second book in the Underwild series. Anya didn't mean to land both herself and bestie Lizzie inside a Greek myth. After eavesdropping on a conversation between Hecate, the goddess of ghosts, and Senka, a girl from school who's Charon's ward (and the protagonist of 2025'sRiver of Spirits), Anya learns that the Keys to the Realm can open doors everywhere. Desperate to see her dearest friend, Korean American Lizzie, who recently moved to a different state, Anya steals the keys, not realizing she's breaking a Law of the gods, putting both her life and Lizzie's in jeopardy. When the Furies take Lizzie, Anya teams up with Senka for a rescue mission. They must accomplish their goal before Lizzie and Anya lose their memories, which is a side effect for Living mortals of being in the realm of the Dead. Along the way, Anya and Senka, who present white, meet a cast of famous and obscure Greek gods, goddesses, and creatures as they brave the perils of the Underworld to save Lizzie. Brilliantly flipping the narrative of the myth of Hades and Persephone, Targosz's narrative masterfully weaves Anya's pain and healing from familial wounds into the story. The book gracefully and age-appropriately handles challenging topics. A captivating exploration of found family and healing through Greek mythology. (The Laws of the Relics)(Fantasy. 9-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.