Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace

Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace
MaryJanice Davidson & Anthony Alongi
Berkley Jam Books
ISBN: 0-425-20598-3
Fiction, Young Adult
Reviewed by Sandra Barkevich

She’s fourteen, a high school freshman, filled with teen angst…did I mention she’s about to find out she’s a weredragon? Jennifer Scales and the Ancient furnace is a fantastic story filled with wonderful imagery, vibrant characters, and a fantasy world that will wow you.
MaryJanice Davidson and her husband, Anthony Alongi, have really outdone themselves. Their wealth of imagination is staggering. Throw in their story telling prowess and you have one heck of a book.
From the very first paragraph, I was hooked. There isn’t a single boring part to this story. The creatures were unique, even having their own subculture and myths, and the plot was gripping. I laughed, got a little misty, laughed some more.
I couldn’t put this book down, read it in one day. Ooooo, and the climax was filled with treachery and twists that kept me on the edge of my seat. I even had to call my husband at work a couple of times to read him excerpts.
MaryJanice and Anthony really captured the essence of new teen life. The issues Jennifer must face, not just with becoming a weredragon, but as a young teen entering puberty, hit the nail on the head. Jennifer and her friends react in believable ways that brought back memories from my own teen years.
Although my children are a bit too young now, I plan to give this book a place of honor right next to my Harry Potter collection until they are old enough to appreciate this fantastic tale.
This book has it all, action, adventure, and characters you will relate to and fall in love with. It is a must read, and I will recommend it to anyone who will listen. I can’t wait for the next installment, Jennifer Scales and the Messenger of Light due out this summer.