Book review: Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes (Published by Razorbill, December 11, 2012)

Falling Kingdoms is set in a land that was once united, but has now been divided into three countries - the northern kingdom of Limeros, the southern kingdom of Auranos, and Paelsia, an impoverished country in the middle. There was once magic in this land, but it has been lost, and much of the land is dying, particularly in Paelsia, where the citizens live in poverty and never have enough to eat. Unlike most books which have one or two main characters, Falling Kingdoms has a large cast of characters, with four main point of view characters - Cleo, a princess from Auranos; Jonas, a young rebel from Paelsia; and siblings Magnus and Lucia, who are the children of the king of Limeros.

At the start of the story, Cleo is visiting Paelsia when a shocking event takes place. A fight breaks out, and a young man living there is killed by a member of her traveling party, stirring up tensions simmering just beneath the surface. Despite this threat of war, when Cleo returns home and sees how sick her older sister Emilia is, she is determined to return to Paelsia to pursue a rumor of a magical remedy that could save her sister, even though her father has forbidden her to leave the palace and magic of any kind has long since been lost. Meanwhile, Jonas, whose older brother was killed in the incident, decides his country has been oppressed long enough and it is time to rise up against Auranos, whose citizens live in luxury while their neighbors in Paelsia starve. In Limeros, the cruel King Gaius sees these tensions as an excuse to do what he has always wanted - go to war in hopes of conquering Auranos and taking it for himself. His teenage children, Magnus and Lucia, are caught up in these events, as Magnus struggles with his desire to please his cruel father, while Lucia discovers a shocking secret about her past.

When I first learned about Falling Kingdoms, I was dying to read it because it has been described as "Game of Thrones for teens" and because I love young adult high fantasy but very little is published. While this book is not as epic in scope as the Game of Thrones TV series, which I absolutely love (I have not yet read the books as I am intimidated by the length), the general description is accurate enough. It's set in a fantasy world where magic has been lost but is returning, there are multiple rulers fighting over kingdoms, and there is a large cast of characters, the majority of whom are neither entirely good nor entirely evil. There's even a character named Theon, who is fortunately nothing like the one from Game of Thrones, but I kept thinking of him since it's such an unusual name. I really loved the story, characters, and setting of Falling Kingdoms. The main characters really aren't really good guys or bad guys. They are human, they make mistakes, which unfortunately cause great suffering, some of them even do really bad things at times, yet aren't purely evil, just deeply flawed. This book was VERY close to a perfect read for me, but a couple of things made it fall just short of perfection. Some of the phrasing of dialogue and the thoughts of the characters seemed too modern for a book set in a world with a society similar to that of the Middle Ages. I also thought the romantic subplot was underdeveloped, which made it hard for me to believe in the strength of the characters' feelings for each other. And the ending! The ending is too cruel. How will I wait a year to find out what happens next? It will be quite difficult, but hopefully it will be worth the wait! Overall, Falling Kingdoms is a great read for readers who love high fantasy. There is quite a bit of graphic violence as well as many references to sexual situations (although these occur off-screen), so I'd mostly recommend it to mature teens, as well as adults.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Venom by Fiona Paul

Venom by Fiona Paul (Published by Philomel, October 30, 2012)

Cassandra Caravello has lived with her elderly aunt in a crumbling old house on an island near Venice since her parents died. As a member of Venetian society, she gets to wear beautiful dresses and attend fancy balls and parties. But instead of feeling fortunate, she feels trapped. She is never free to make her own choices, and must marry the man who has been selected for her. Her fiancé, Luca, is away from Venice studying law, but they knew each other as children and she never really liked him. She longs to find adventure and make her own choices. Unfortunately, adventure finds her when she visits the tomb of her friend who had recently died, and finds instead of the body of a murdered courtesan.

Cass is determined to find out what happened to the murdered girl, as well as where her friend's body has gone. She meets Luca, who is almost literally a starving artist. he is young and handsome, and Cass finds herself drawn to him as they investigate the mystery. Cass knows that by associating with Falco, she risks everything, but she cannot stay away from him.

I really loved the premise of this book - a romantic mystery set in Venice during the Renaissance. Unfortunately, I did not love this book as much as I hoped I would. I really liked the descriptions of the setting, and I was somewhat surprised by the resolution of the mystery. But I didn't love the characters of Cass and Falco. I truly do not understand what Cass saw in Falco, besides his supposed good looks. To me, he came across as a jerk and a bully who was constantly pressuring Cass to do what he wanted. I did really like Luca, Cass's fiancé. Despite Cass constantly ignoring him, he was kind, caring, and protective towards her - and it doesn't hurt that he was educated and liked books! I may keep reading this series to find out what happens, but I will be quite disappointed if Cass and Falco end up together at the end of the final book, unless he changes a lot. Unfortunately, the "boring" love interest rarely seems to get chosen in young adult books.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: All Fall Down by Sally Nicholls

All Fall Down by Sally Nicholls (Published by Scholastic UK, March 1, 2012)

Fourteen-year-old Isabel lives in a small village in England that has recently suffered from bad weather and food shortages. When the villagers hear news of a strange new disease, they are concerned by how fast it is spreading through the country. This plague strikes everyone equally, whether they are young or old, weak or strong. Nearly half the population of England dies. Many people believe the end of the world has come. Those that survive are left struggling to rebuild their homes and lives. If you read a lot of dystopian novels set in a bleak possible future, this plot probably sounds somewhat familiar. But All Fall Down is set in 1349, when a devastating pandemic of bubonic plague killed between one-third and one-half of Europe's population, changing that society forever.

When the story opens, Isabel is content with her life. She loves her father, stepmother, and five siblings. It is already planned that when she is older, she will marry Robin, a boy she grew up with in the village, who is one of her best friends. Like most Medieval peasants, she's never travelled away from her village. Her family is not truly free, as they must work for the local lord, Sir Edmund. But Isabel knows no other life, and doesn't want anything to change. This made her character seem very realistic, since that's likely how a real girl back then would have thought. She doesn't want to rise above her station in life. She's just an ordinary person with an ordinary life that is completely turned upside down by tragedy.

As the story progresses, Isabel can do nothing but watch as many of her family and friends are killed by the plague. She and some of those she cares about survive, entirely by chance, but are left to figure out how to go on living in a very changed world. The ending was realistic, but honestly (and this is just a personal preference) I wish it had been slightly happier. It was hopeful and not entirely grim, but it didn't end the way I really hoped it would, and I can't say more than that without it being a huge spoiler. But that doesn't reflect on the quality of the writing at all, and I think that this is a story that will appeal to readers who don't normally read historical fiction, since it reads a lot like a dystopian novel. But instead of speculating about possible future disasters and how humanity might react and find a way to survive, the author tells the story of a real disaster which decimated the population of countless countries and caused enormous and permanent social changes.

Book review: Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb

Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb (Published by Random House UK, July 5, 2012)

Meg Lytton is a witch - a real one - which is a very dangerous secret to have for a young woman in Tudor England in 1554. She has been trained in her craft by her Aunt Jane, and she knows she never wants to give it up. Unfortunately, the cruel witch finder Marcus Dent has taken a liking to Meg and wants to marry her, and he must not discover her secret. For a time, Meg has avoided him, as she has been sent to serve Elizabeth, Henry VIII's daughter, who has been sent by her older sister, Queen Mary, to live at the ruined palace at Woodstock.

Not long after Meg arrives at Woodstock, two Spanish priests arrive, sent by Elizabeth's older sister, who is against the Protestant religion. One of these priests, Alejandro, is young and handsome, and Meg is attracted to him, even though a witch and a priest could never be together. And there is still the problem of Meg's unwanted suitor, Marcus Dent, who she fears will learn her secret - and the punishment for witchcraft is death.

I particularly enjoy books set in Tudor England, so I loved the historical setting for Witchstruck. Meg is a likeable heroine in a very difficult situation. I think this is the first book I have read with a historical setting about a "real" witch facing persecution (rather than a girl wrongly accused of being a witch). I also really liked the inclusion of the young Elizabeth as a side character. I was hoping for a bit more development of the romance between Meg and Alejandro based on the back cover summary, but as this is the first book in a series, I am sure there will be more development of their relationship later on. If you like historical fantasy, or are looking for a paranormal romance that's different than the usual, I think you will really enjoy Witchstruck.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl

Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl (Published by Viking Books, June 14, 2012)

Seventeen-year-old Althea Crawley, the heroine of Keeping the Castle, is in quite a bind. The family estate of Crawley Castle is quite literally falling apart. There is no money to repair it - Althea's father died, leaving the family nothing, and when her mother later married a rich man, he died just a few weeks later, before he could help repair the castle, and leaving two more mouths to feed - Prudence and Charity, Althea's wicked stepsisters. If there is to be anything left of the castle for Althea's little brother, Alexander, to inherit, Althea must marry a rich man who will help her family. Unfortunately, there aren't very many rich, eligible young men in the small Yorkshire town of Lesser Hoo - until their new neighbor, Lord Boring, moves in.

The new Lord Boring is young and handsome and has inherited his uncle's title and home. As soon as she meets him, Althea becomes certain she must persuade him to marry her. After all, he's rich and handsome - the perfect husband! And Althea is young and beautiful, so surely she would make the perfect wife for him. But Althea's stepsister Charity has also taken an interest in Lord Boring, while the very rude Mr. Fredericks, Lord Boring's estate manager and cousin, always seems to be around to cause trouble.

Keeping the Castle is a delightful parody of the traditional Regency romance. It's cute, hilarious, and just so much fun to read. Most young adult books are very dark and can be depressing at times, and although I enjoy many of the "dark" books, it's also nice to read something that's light and fluffy from time to time. And Keeping the Castle fits that description perfectly. If you are looking for a light, charming, historical read, then I highly recommend Keeping the Castle.

Book review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Published by Henry Holt, June 5, 2012)

Alina Starkov has always seen herself as a poor orphan that's completely ordinary and good at nothing. After her parents died, she grew up in an orphanage. Her only friend was Mal, a boy her age, but now that they have grown up, they aren't as close as they once were. Their nation, Ravka, is at war, threatened both by external forces and the monsters from the Shadow Fold, a swath of land, created by some supernatural darkness, that cuts the country in two, and so after leaving the orphanage, they were required to join the military. Alina isn't even very good at her job there, no matter how hard she tries. But then, during an expedition into the Shadow Fold, she saves the lives of her companions with a power she never knew she had, and her life changes forever. Alina is separated from everyone she knows and taken to the capital where she is trained to use her new power along with the other Grisha, the elite magic users of her world who are led by the mysterious Darkling. She doesn't know who to trust, struggles to control her power and misses Mal, who hasn't returned her letters.

From the start, I loved how unique the setting of Shadow and Bone is. Most high fantasy seems to be set in worlds inspired by western Europe in the Middle Ages, but the world of Ravka is based on late nineteenth-century Russia. I'm not sure how true to Russian culture the setting is, but it definitely has a unique flavor that sets it apart from other books. I think the setting was my favorite thing about this book. I also loved how unique the story and supernatural elements were. I don't think I've seen another book with a plot similar to this one!

I really enjoyed this book but it does have a few small flaws, although these didn't detract very much from my enjoyment of the story. I thought Alina seemed to obsess a bit too much over her appearance, and how plain and ordinary she was. I also guessed really early on who the villain would end up being, although I'm not sure if it was intended to be predictable or not. But overall I loved how different this book was from the typical young adult fantasy and I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy to find out what happens next. Despite these small flaws, if you are looking to read something different from the young adult fantasy genre, I highly recommend Shadow and Bone.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth (Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, May 8, 2012)

In Struck by Jennifer Bosworth, Mia Price, the main character, lives in a near-future Los Angeles devastated by a catastrophic earthquake. Mia has a rather unique, special power - she can survive lightning strikes, and has become addicted to the power of being struck by lightning. She has scars all over her body from being hit by lightning so many times. In the aftermath of the earthquake, she has to deal with a lot. Her mother is unable to cope, so it's up to Mia to keep her family alive. There are also two cults that have rose to power after the disaster, and both have taken an interest in Mia and her power.

Overall, Struck was a good debut novel, but I didn't love it. I liked that that the premise was different from most young adult dystopian novels. I've been put off lately by a lot of young adult novels due to how similar some are to others, so it was nice to read a story with a very unique premise. There are a lot of religious themes, which I didn't mind, but I know religion in books is a touchy subject for some people. While I did like the story and premise, I didn't think the romance, between Mia and her love interest Jeremy, was very believable. It just seemed to happen way too fast rather than developing over the course of the book. Instant-love is a plot device I've become really tired of lately in young adult books.

Despite these flaws, I would still try future books by Jennifer Bosworth. For a first-time author, I think she came up with a really good story/premise and I'd love to see what she does with a bit more writing experience under her belt. If you are looking to read a young adult dystopian novel with a unique premise I'd give this one a try, unless you really hate religious themes.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame

Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame (Published by Simon & Schuster, May 1, 2012)

Wentworth Hall is set in 1912 England at the estate of the Darlington family. The estate has been in the family for almost three hundred years. The Darlingtons were once very wealthy, but most of the money is gone now, and the world is changing. Eighteen-year-old Maggie Darlington has recently returned from a year away in France, and to everyone who knew her, she seems quite changed. Maggie's younger sister, sixteen-year-old Lila, misses her old relationship with her sister and wishes her parents would see that she is growing up. Also living at Wentworth Hall are the two teenage servants, Michael and Nora, that the Darlington sisters grew up with, and used to play with as children, and Therese, the new nanny who returned with Maggie and her mother from France to care for the new baby, James. Shortly after the start of the novel, two wealthy teenage orphans, Teddy and Jessica Fitzhugh, come to stay with the Darlingtons until they turn eighteen and can claim their inheritance.

The story is mostly about how all of these characters have secrets that could cause a great deal of trouble if revealed. Some of these secrets I guessed in advance, but others surprised me. There's also a plotline involving someone in the household writing unkind satires about the family, which are published in the local newspaper. The satires, about the "Worthless Family," are included to read and are quite amusing, since all the details are so exaggerated - the grand house, which they can't afford to repair, is literally collapsing on the poor Worthless family!

Although Wentworth Hall is set in 1912 and there's very obvious class differences between the characters, other than that this book was rather light on the history, similar to the Luxe series by Anna Godbersen. This book was a quick and fun read and had a satisfying ending. I'm tired of everything being a series so I liked that this book appears to be a standalone novel. I think a lot of different readers would enjoy this book - fans of Downton Abbey (since it's set in the same time period), readers who love historical fiction, and even those readers who don't usually read historical fiction but love stories with lots of gossip and secrets and scandals.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: The Voyage of the Sea Wolf by Eve Bunting

The Voyage of the Sea Wolf by Eve Bunting (Published by Sleeping Bear Press, May 1, 2012)

The Voyage of the Sea Wolf is the sequel to The Pirate Captain's Daughter (which I previously reviewed), and begins right where the previous book ended. Fifteen-year-old Catherine, who had been traveling on her father's pirate ship disgused as a boy, was marooned and left to die on a barren island along with William, the boy she loved, because her secret was discovered and her father was killed. On the island, waiting to die, Catherine and William realized how much they loved one another. But now they have been rescued, and brought aboard the Sea Wolf, another pirate ship that was passing by and saw them.

At first, Catherine is relieved that the captain of the Sea Wolf is a woman, because she won't have to worry about being punished or left to die again just for being a girl. She wonders why the captain has ordered her and William to stay apart, but hopes they can later leave the ship and be together. But then Catherine learns that the captain wants William for herself, regardless of his wishes, because he reminds her of her first love, who had deserted her. Catherine can't bear the thought of being parted from William, but their only hope is to watch and wait for a chance to escape.

After the cliffhanger ending of The Pirate Captain's Daughter, I couldn't wait to read the sequel to find out if Catherine and William escaped the island, since their survival was uncertain at the end of the first book. Overall, I enjoyed this book slightly more than the first book, mainly because it had a more conclusive ending. The ending leaves open the possibility for another book about Catherine and William, but it's a satisfying ending to the story if there isn't another book. If you enjoyed the first book, I think you will enjoy this book as well, but if the story interests you and you haven't read The Pirate Captain's Daughter yet, I recommend reading it first before reading this book, because it will make a lot more sense if you do. Both books are enjoyable, quick reads, that show a more realistic, unpleasant, and unromanticized view of life as a pirate in the eighteenth century.

Disclsoure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Gilt by Katherine Longshore

Gilt by Katherine Longshore (Published by Viking Books, May 15, 2012)

Gilt, the debut novel by author Katherine Longshore, tells the story of the rise and fall of Catherine "Cat" Howard, the fifth wife of King Henry VIII, from the point of view of her friend, Kitty Tylney. Kitty was a real person who grew up with Cat and accompanied her to court when she became queen, but not much is known about her, so the author imagines what her life might have been like. The two girls were raised together from the age of six in the household of the Duchess of Norfolk. Cat was always the beautiful, popular one, who ruled over all the girls in the household. Kitty was pretty much dependent on Cat and very passive, which was frustrating to read at times. I hated seeing Cat use her and wanted to yell at her to grow a backbone.

Cat, who had always loved attention and beautiful gowns and jewels, and wanted to marry a rich man who could give her everything she wanted, is thrilled to catch the attention of King Henry VIII, who soon marries her. But being Queen is not all that Cat hoped it would be. She's stuck with an old, overweight, smelly husband. Kitty can only watch as Cat destroys her life, and risks the lives of everyone in her household, by having an affair. Meanwhile, Kitty herself is in love with a man she isn't sure will ever love her back, while Cat tries to push her towards an affair with a man who is attractive but whom Kitty doesn't love. Cat was quite cruel to Kitty about this, and it was again hard to read. The rather one-sided friendship between Kitty and Cat is quite similar to the popular girls in high school today, who often use the less popular girls who are desperate to be friends with them. Cat's cruel personality and thoughtless actions made it extremely difficult to feel any sympathy for her, even thought she had been pushed into an unfair situation by her family and never should have been expected to marry a man so much older than her, who had her cousin Anne Boleyn, one of his previous wives, executed. Cat willfully made one bad choice after another without considering the consequences her actions could have, not just for herself but for others. Ultimately, I liked Kitty, I just wish she had taken charge of her own life much sooner and not allowed Cat to use her so much.

Despite my frustration with Cat's character (which may have been intended by the author) and the fact that some of the word choices in the dialogue were extremely modern, overall I thought Gilt was a solid debut novel and I would definitely read more by Katherine Longshore. I believe she is planning to continue this series with novels about other characters at the Tudor court and I definitely plan to try them. I think other readers who like me are fascinated by anything set in the Tudor era would enjoy this book, and because there's a lot of parallels to contemporary society in the story, readers who don't normally read a lot of historical fiction might enjoy the book as well.

Book review: The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats

The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats (Published by Harcourt, April 17, 2012)

The Wicked and the Just is set in late thirteenth century Wales and is told from the alternating perspectives of two teenage girls, Cecily and Gwenhwyfar. Cecily is English, and grew up back in England on the family estate, Edgeley, until her uncle returned from the Crusades. Because her father was the younger son, they had to leave after that, and her father decided to move to Wales, which was recently conquered by the English, because it is easy to become a landowner there. To say Cecily was angry at this would be an understatement - she thought her father had completely ruined her life and her chances for a decent marriage. Cecily is a character I both liked and hated at the same time. Her narration and observations were hilarious at times, and I did feel sympathy for her being completely uprooted, but she also acted like a completely spoiled, entitled brat a lot of the time.

The other main character is Gwenhwyfar, who I will refer to by Gwinny, Cecily's nickname for her, because her full name is quite difficult to type and read. Gwinny is Welsh and her life is awful because of the English occupation. Her father was killed, and her family lost their home and now must live in a tiny, dirty cottage. Her mother is slowly dying, and Gwinny and her brother must care for her and keep themselves from starving. As a result of the English occupation, the Welsh must now pay unfair taxes and many laws restrict what they can do. So naturally, Gwinny hates all English people, including Cecily, but she must work as a maid at Cecily's home so her family doesn't starve. As with Cecily, my thoughts about Gwinny are complicated. I felt more sympathy for her, because what her life had become was just awful, but she was so angry and bitter. These feelings were completely justified, but hard to read about sometimes.

The Wicked and the Just is a very character-driven story - you may notice that unlike most of my reviews, I haven't written very much about the plot. That is because the characters (and their struggles) basically are the plot. There's a backdrop of growing unease in their city, Caernarvon, which culminates in a violent rebellion near the end of the book. This definitely isn't the book for everyone - if you don't love historical fiction with complicated characters that are neither good nor evil, you probably won't get very much out of this book. But if you love history and books with complex characters and situations that really make you think, I definitely recommend trying The Wicked and the Just.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: Sisters of Glass by Stephanie Hemphill

Sisters of Glass by Stephanie Hemphill (Published by Knopf Books, March 27, 2012)

Fifteen-year-old Maria is the younger daughter from a family of glassblowers in fifteenth-century Italy. Because of the cost of dowries, often a family can only afford for one of their daughters to be married, and the tradition is that that will be the oldest daughter. But in Maria's father's will, he left instructions that Maria should be the one to marry a nobleman, rather than her older sister, Giovanna. Although they are sisters and are very close, Maria and Giovanna could not be more different. Giovanna is a proper young lady, while Maria prefers to spend her time sketching and watching the glassblowing process.

Now that Maria is old enough, her mother, uncle, and brothers have decided it is time to select a husband for her, but none of the men they are introduced to seem suitable. At the same time, Luca, a young man without a family who is known for being an excellent glassblower, comes to work for Maria's family. Maria feels drawn to Luca, but knows she can never be with him. And when her family finally finds a proper husband for her, that man seems more interested in Giovanna than Maria.

This book a verse novel told from the perspective of Maria. Because of the format and the short length (only 150 pages), some of the characters and relationships seemed underdeveloped. I wish the book had been a longer, and I think it would have been interesting if Giovanna's perspective had also been included - alternating viewpoints would have been perfect for this story. Overall, Sisters of Glass wasn't one of my favorite books ever, but the unique historical setting makes it worth a try if you enjoy verse novels and historical fiction.

Book review: A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink

A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink (Published by Dial Books, March 20, 2012)

In just one night, sixteen-year-old Helen Cartwright's life in Victorian London changed forever. Her parents were murdered and her house was burned to the ground, and the people responsible were after Helen. Now, all alone in the world, Helen must follow her parents' final instructions, which tell her to find and join with two brothers, Griffin and Darius Channing, who are not much older than Helen and who lost their parents in the same way.

Helen then learns that she is descended from angels and will soon come into her powers. Suddenly, many strange things from her childhood, including the unusual education her parents gave her, make perfect sense. She is thrust into a world of angels and demons, into a struggle between the forces of light and darkness. As Helen and the two brothers search for their parents' killers, she is reunited with a childhood friend, but she's not sure she can trust him.

A Temptatation of Angels is a book that stands out from all the other young adult paranormal romances due to the setting of Victorian London. Although the exact year the story takes place is not mentioned, it definitely has a very nice historical feel to it. I loved this setting and I think it was a perfect backdrop for the story. Also, while the ending does leave open the possibility of more stories set in this world, this book definitely functions well as a stand alone, which is very refreshing since I am tired of everything being a series. The one thing I didn't love so much was that there was a bit of a love triangle (I am tired of love triangles!), but at least it was resolved the way I hoped. If you love historical fantasy, or if you love paranormal romance but want to read something that's different and unique, I highly recommend this book.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by author.

Book review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers (Published by Houghton Mifflin, April 3, 2012)

Ismae's life in fifteenth century Brittany (now a part of France) has been difficult and painful from the day she was born. Her true father was said to be the god of death. Her mother later died, and the father who raised her was physically abusive. At age fourteen, he sold her to a cruel man who wanted to marry her, but her new husband rejected her when he saw the scars on her back, left by the poison her mother took to try and induce a miscarriage. Ismae is able to escape and is taken to the convent of St. Mortain, the old god of death. There, she is told she can be trained to be a powerful assassin and serve her true father, Mortain. And the skills she is taught will mean she never needs to fear a man again.

Three years later, Ismae has almost finished her training. She completes two successful missions, and soon will be ready to take her final vows. But then Ismae is chosen for a mission that is far more complicated. Brittany is struggling to mantain its independence from France. The duke recently died, and his heir - his daughter Anne - is only twelve years old. Many powerful men want to marry the young duchess, and most have ulterior motives. Ismae is told her mission is to protect Anne - particularly from those who would threaten their country's independence - and kill anyone at court that has been marked for death by Mortain. But at court, it's hard to know who to trust. And soon Ismae finds herself, against her will, falling in love with a man, something she vowed never to do.

Grave Mercy is one of my favorite recent young adult novels. I loved everything about it! The concept was great and very original, like nothing else I've ever read from the young adult genre. There's lots of history, romance, magic, mystery, and intrigue. I particularly loved the romance between Ismae and Duval, her love interest. Unlike the instant love found in many young adult novels, the romance develops gradually, since Ismae fights her feelings at first. I loved Duval's character too - he was so caring, noble, and protective. All the court intrigue reminded me a bit of Game of Thrones (the TV series, haven't read the books) - there's lots of poltics, evil plots, backstabbings, and traitors, leaving Ismae not knowing who to trust and who is on which side. This book is on the long side for a young adult novel and the plot is quite complicated, so I think this would appeal more to older teens and adults, including adults who don't normally read young adult books - it's a great crossover read. I can't say enough good things about this book, and I can't wait to read book two, which sadly won't be published until spring 2013.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges (Published by Delacorte, January 10, 2012)

Sixteen-year-old Katerina Alexandrovna, who lives in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1888, wants nothing more than to become a doctor - which is completely unsuitable for a young woman in her position. Katerina is a duchess, related to the royal family of Russia, and so she must marry well, and can never have a career. Katerina also has a dark secret - she is a necromancer, and can raise the dead. She hates her secret power, and considers it a curse.

Katerina is forced to attend countless balls and social events by her mother, who wants her to marry well. Katerina's evil classmate at her finishing school, Princess Elena, wants Katerina to marry her older brother, Crown Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro. Elena is a witch, and Katerina suspects that she tried to kill several girls at their school. Against her will, because of her unwanted powers, Katerina is drawn into a war involving dark supernatural forces that threaten Russia.

The Gathering Storm is a book that I have mixed feelings about. There are several things that I absolutely loved about this book, and others that I wasn't that impressed with. First off, I absolutely *loved* the setting of Tsarist Russia in the late nineteenth century. The setting was very original for a young adult novel and was described really well by the author. It's obvious she did her research. I also loved the premise of the story, it's very different from any other young adult paranormal book out there. Now, on to the things I didn't like as much. This book seemed over the top with the many different kinds of supernatural creatures featured in the story. There's necromancers, fairies, vampires, witches and wizards, zombies, and werewolves. I think that's all of them! It's all a bit much for one book. Second, Katerina's character frustrated me at times. I loved that she wanted to be a doctor despite the fact that it wasn't proper for a girl of her position. However, sometimes she acted rather stupid. I wish she had asked for help rather than giving in to the bad guys because they threatened her family and friends, and she assumed that even with help she could not protect them. With all that said, I would still recommend this book to readers who are looking for something different in the young adult paranormal genre, and I still plan to read the rest of the books in the trilogy when they are published, as I want to see where the story goes.

Book review: The Last Song by Eva Wiseman

The Last Song by Eva Wiseman (Published by Tundra Books, April 10, 2012)

Fourteen-year-old Isabel de Cardosa lives a privileged life as the only child of wealthy parents in Toledo, Spain in 1491. She lives in a nice house and has beautiful clothes. Her parents have always given her everything she wanted. But then everything changes. Her parents announce that she will be betrothed to Luis, a boy from a wealthy and respected family. Although Luis is her own age, Isabel hates him because he is cruel and selfish. She doesn’t understand why her parents, who always planned to choose a husband Isabel liked, would suddenly decide she must marry someone she hates.

Soon, Isabel learns the real reason for her parents’ decision. Although Isabel has been raised a devout Catholic, her family is Jewish. Her grandparents were forced to convert to save their lives, but her parents have continued to practice Jewish traditions in secret. Her parents hope that Isabel’s marriage to Luis will protect the family from the Inquisition, since Luis’s family is an old Catholic family. Isabel isn’t sure what to think at first. Curious about her heritage, she becomes friends with Yonah, a Jewish boy her age. Their friendship would be forbidden by her parents if they knew, because Yonah is openly Jewish and only the son of a craftsman. Soon her friendship with Yonah seems to be turning into something more, but then her father is arrested by the agents of the Inquisition. Isabel is desperate to find a way to save her father, no matter what the risks to herself.

I mainly wanted to read this book because it is about historical events not often written about in young adult fiction. Most historical fiction I have read with Jewish characters has been about either immigration to the United States (usually to New York City) or the Holocaust. While certainly those are very important topics, they are not the entirety of Jewish history. I love when young adult historical fiction explores events from history that are not frequently written about. Isabel, the main character of this book, is very brave and willing to do anything to save her family. The relationship between her and Yonah was very sweet and I would have liked to see it developed more, but perhaps that might not have been realistic given the historical setting. Although this book is about sad events, it’s not all depressing, it’s a very hopeful story too. I think readers who love young adult historical fiction but want to read something different than the typical book from this genre would enjoy this book.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.

Book review: The Pirate Captain's Daughter by Eve Bunting

The Pirate Captain's Daughter by Eve Bunting (Published by Sleeping Bear Press, March 1, 2011)

Fifteen-year-old Catherine is the daughter of a pirate captain in the eighteenth century. He tried to keep his true occupation secret from his family, but Catherine learned the truth by eavesdropping. Since then, Catherine has longed to become a pirate, having developed a very romanticized view of pirates and life at sea. When Catherine's mother dies, she begs her father to let her join him on his pirate ship. She doesn't want to live in their house alone, especially when someone tried to rob them right before her mother died, and she finally sees a chance to make her dream of being a pirate come true. Catherine's father reluctantly agrees, as long as she disguises herself as a boy.

Catherine realizes right away that pirates and sailing ships are nothing like she imagined. The ship is dirty, the crew is rough, and some of them are cruel and violent as well. It is difficult for Catherine to keep her secret, especially when she begins to develop feelings for William, the young cabin boy who is one of the few kind pirates. Also, she realizes that he man who tried to rob her house is part of the crew. He wants something valuable from Catherine's father, and he is willing to do anything in oder to have it.

The Pirate Captain's Daughter is a quick, enjoyable read but there are a few flaws. It seemed rather improbable that Catherine's father would willingly allow her to join his ship's crew, knowing what some of the men were like. The story might have seemed more believable if it began with Catherine stowing away on the ship rather than being allowed to go. Also, the reading level seems more suited to a middle grade novel, but the content is definitely more appropriate for young adult readers. The ending is extremely abrupt, but I will forgive that since there will be a sequel published in February 2012, called Voyage of the Sea Wolf. I did enjoy the story, romance, and historical setting, so I recommend this book to readers who are interested in the topic and looking for a quick read, and I definitely will read the sequel to find out what happens next to Catherine.

Book review: Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey (Published by Penguin Books, January 5, 2012)

The year is 1192 and seventeen-year-old Tess is a blacksmith's daughter on Wilde Island, which is a fictional island, although I think that based on the story, it's intended to be set near England. Wilde Island is the home to many humans, but also to dragons and fairies, who live in Dragonswood, a forest that is supposed to be their sanctuary. Although it is forbidden, Tess has often gone into Dragonswood - to get away from her horrible father, who physically abuses both Tess and her mother, but also because she feels drawn there. Tess fears being forced to marry, because she assumes most men will be like her abusive father. Tess also has a secret - she sees visions in fires. She must keep her power a secret, because the villagers fear witches and would burn her alive.

When Tess is accused of witchcraft despite carefully hiding her secret, and under torture names her two best friends, the three girls must escape their village and run for their lives. They are offered sanctuary by Garth, a young man who guards Dragonswood, and who Tess previously saw in her visions. Tess feels attracted to Garth, but doesn't believe he returns her feelings. She also thinks he is hiding something. Then Tess discovers a surprising truth about her own heritage, and the part she might play in a fairy prophecy.

I really liked the premise of Dragonswood. I love anything set in the Medieval era and I also love fantasy but I'm sick of all the modern paranormal books out there. So I think ther historical setting Dragonswood really makes it stand from the endless sea of young adult paranormal books. I really liked the character of Tess, who was very brave and strong despite her difficult life. I think the author was true to the way of life in the Medieval era, despite this being a fantasy novel. My only real complaint was that the ending seemed a bit abrupt (there is an epilogue, but the conclusion to the main story seemed like it was over a bit too fast), and I wish the romance had been developed a bit more. But overall I enjoyed the story a lot and I recommend it to readers who enjoy historical fantasy or who are sick of all the typical young adult paranormal novels and want to read something different.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by author.

Book review: The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson (Published by Zondervan, November 29, 2011)

Seventeen-year-old Annabel Chapman grew up as the daughter of a wealthy merchant in 14th century England. Several years ago, her family’s fortune was lost when her father’s ships sank in a storm. Soon after that, her father died from the pestilence. Since then, her family, who believed themselves better than the other villagers because they were once wealthy, has refused to do their share of the required fieldwork. Until now they have managed to get away with it, but with the death of the absent old lord, and the arrival of the new lord, his son, they now must accept the punishment for their actions. They must either pay a fine they cannot afford, or one of them must go to work for three years as a servant to the new lord of the manor. Annabel's family wants to force her to marry Bailiff Tom, a repulsive, cruel man who is old enough to be her father, because he says he is willing to pay their fine if he can marry her. To avoid being forced into an unwanted marriage, Annabel volunteers herself as an indentured servant. Although the new lord is said to be beastly, she knows anything would be better than marrying Tom, even though she would prefer to become a nun so she can study the Bible and learn about God’s word.

Lord Ranulf le Wyse is the new lord now that his father has died. Although he is young, he is very bitter. He was badly scarred by a wolf several years ago. His wife, who married him only for his wealth, was repulsed by him and was unfaithful, and died only two years into their marriage. As a result, he doesn’t trust women and vows never to marry or fall in love again. At first, he sees Annabel as just another beautiful young woman who is not to be trusted. However, soon a friendship grows between Annabel and Ranulf, a friendship that could become something more, if they can overcome their fears of love and marriage.

The Merchant’s Daughter is an enjoyable and very sweet historical romance set in England in 1352. It is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, so there is a bit of a fairy tale feel to the story too. I think I enjoyed this book even more than the author’s first book, The Healer’s Apprentice, which I read last year. I love anything set during the Medieval era and I loved how sweet and touching the romance was. I felt so badly for the characters and so wanted them to have a happy ending - Annabel because her family was so cruel and wanted her to marry such an awful man, and Ranulf because he was so kind and noble yet had been treated so badly by his wife. If you enjoy historical fiction, fairy tale retellings, or more “clean” romance novels, I highly recommend The Merchant’s Daughter.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by author.

Book review: Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore (Published by Bloomsbury, October 25, 2011)

For years, Esmerine has longed for the day when she can join her older sister, Dosia, as a siren, and now that day has come. Becoming a siren is a great honor for a mermaid and her family. But the very next day, Dosia disappears. Esmerine's worst fears come true when she learns that her sister has gone to the surface world and married a human. Esmerine fears her sister was taken against her will and is desperate to find her, even though it is unlikely she can save her.

Unable to make her way on the surface world alone, Esmerine seeks out the help of Alan, a young man from a winged race of people called the Fandarsee. As children, Esmerine and Alan played together on an island, but she hasn't seen him in several years, since he left to study. After reuniting, their feelings of friendship begin to grow into something more, but a love between them seems impossible, for Alan cannot live in the sea, and Esmerine cannot live on land without terrible pain, unless she permanently gives up her ability to return to the sea.

I really enjoyed Jaclyn Dolamore's debut novel, Magic Under Glass, so I have been looking forward to reading Between the Sea and Sky, and I am happy to say I enjoyed it even more than her first book. I loved the two worlds she created, the underwater world, and the surface world, which seems inspired by southern Europe in the early nineteenth century. And the romance was adorable! Highly recommended for readers who enjoy fairy tales and historical fantasy.

Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher.