Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Sage Stone: The Magic Between the Worlds is a coming of age adventure novel for young adults and preteens written by Darcy Deming. When Grandfather Jack instructed Sage to run to the top of the mesa and give thanks to the Thunder Beings for bringing the rain, Sage excitedly raced up the slope and relished the feeling of the rain as he pushed himself to get to the top. He felt a part of the earth hungrily accepting the gift of rain and the wind as it made the ocotillo cactus arms rattle against each other. He shouted his thanks to the Thunder Beings and, as he did so, he remembered how much his dad loved the rain. Sage missed his dad so much. His reveries were broken by a sudden flash of light and a fiery warmth that seemed as though it would burn him from the inside out. Then Sage saw his dad walking towards him, and he ran to him, exhilarated by the storm and his dad’s unexpected appearance. His dad told him that he and Hanah had to find the manuscripts he had hidden, that they were needed to keep the ancient secrets alive; they were now the guardians. When his dad suddenly disappeared again, Sage was disoriented and still standing precariously perched high up on the edge of the mesa, and then he fell to the stony ground below. Grandfather Jack knew he’d have to take extraordinary measures to keep his grandson alive.

Darcy Deming’s coming of age adventure novel for young adults and preteens, Sage Stone: The Magic Between the Worlds, immerses the reader in the adventures of brother and sister twins whose lives, in the shadow of the Cheopi Mountains of Southern Arizona, would be forever changed after Sage survives a lightning strike followed by a deadly fall. I had not been familiar with the Tachi Yokut Tribes before reading this book, and loved learning about their mythology and culture. Deming’s characters are credible, and her plot moves swiftly. I felt as though I were there with Sage as he meets his spirit helpers on his mountain climb, and loved feeling immersed in this compelling story set in the Sonoran Desert. I’m quite pleased to note that this is the first book in a series and am looking forward to reading more about Sage and his sister, Hanah. Sage Stone: The Magic Between the Worlds is most highly recommended.