Mace and Hammer — Darby Karchut

Readers won't find a dull moment in this modern-day, heroic adventure. -M.G. Velasco, CardslingerFor four hundred years, generations of the Family Del Toro and their battle-savvy warhorses have secretly guarded their corner of rural Colorado from all things monster. Now, thanks to a really bad move on twelve-year-old Matt Del Toro's part, the family can add vengeful witch to their list of Creatures That Want to Kill Us.When an opportunity arises for Matt to retrace his father's long-ago journey through the mountains along the legendary route known as The Hunter's Way, he is the first to saddle up. After all, there's nothing like an adventure in the wilderness to take his mind off his wicked witchy problems.That's when the wild in wilderness comes out swinging. With every mile, Matt and his family battle unexpected rock slides, impossible ascents, death-by-lightning storms, and worst of all: a clan of human-hating mountain gnomes known as tommyknockers. With the knockers determined to make the Del Toros food for worms-literally-the journey becomes a race from danger into more danger. Aided by the war stallion Rigo, Matt must use all his training, resources, and a twist o' Irish luck to save himself and his family.Mace and Hammer is book 3 in the Colorado Book Award-winning Del Toro Moon series.