The Crown of Embers

The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson, 2012 Greenwillow

     The Invierno army has been defeated and Elisa-Lucero has been named queen at her husband's death. Life should be focused on returning to normal, but just as the Invierno godstone fires will not die in the city, treachery comes at Elisa from every corner of the palace.
     What the invading army searched for was power beyond imagine and with her four companions--a spy, a loyal friend, a traitor, and the man she is coming to love--Elisa will travel across the ocean to find the godstones' power source.
     Along the way her path is disrupted by a people who do not trust their foreign queen, the Inviernos who still seek her godstone, and her own army led to treason by bloodthirsty men seeking opportunity to power.
     Elisa and her company struggle to maintain their faith in each other, and in their mission, but her loyalty to a country she was not born to inspires and compels. Teen readers will enjoy Elisa's transformation from warrior girl to Queen.

Victoria Rebels

Victoria Rebels by Carolyn Meyer, 2013 Simon & Schuster

     Queen Victoria was closely watched as a child and into her early adulthood. Meyer's Victoria Rebels looks at the influences she faced as a princess. Sir John Conroy controls every moment of Victoria's life through her mother's influence. When her sister is married away from England and the comfort of friends are slowly taken from young Victoria her dislike of the man becomes a deep-seated hatred.
     Victoria learns to keep her feelings under wraps. Her letters and diary are read, her only confidants are her sister and uncle, living on the Continent. Both advise patience until the future queen is old enough to manage her own life.
     With each passing year, young Victoria watches her mother and uncle, the king, all but declare war against each other. As tensions rise, Sir Conroy attempts to strengthen his hold on the princess and her mother inciting conflict between the two.
     When she finally gains control of her life and future Victoria rebels against any semblance of supervision or control over her decisions. In her rebellion, Victoria develops her style of monarchy - only to be disrupted again when she meets the man she comes to love.

The Summer Invitation

The Summer Invitation by Charlotte Silver, 2014 Roaring Brook Press

     Aunt Theo has always been a force greater than nature in Fran and Val's home--a friend of their mother from way back when. When Aunt Theo invites Frances and Valentine to her home in New York City for the summer, both girls are overjoyed: not only will seventeen-year-old Valentine and fourteen-year-old Franny get a summer in the city that never sleeps, but they will have  a summer with only twenty-eight-year-old Clover as their chaperone.
     The girls enjoy the city and meet fascinating people who have both influenced and been influenced by their mysterious Aunt. Franny discovers there's more to life than after-school activities and modern conveniences. Watching her sister fall in love for the first time, Franny learns that even the things that seem to fall into place aren't what they seem.
     Anticipating Aunt Theo's return and the party to welcome her home, the girls grow and develop through the summer. Val matures into Valentine, Franny accepts she will never have her sister's popular beauty, and each girl has a story to bring back to her friends at home in San Francisco.
     Val and Franny's adventures in the Big Apple are new and exciting for the girls, though some of the subject matter may be mature for younger readers. Teens and young adults will enjoy the carefree life they live on their summer vacation in New York City.

The Time-Traveling Fashionista

The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky, 2011 Poppy

     Louise loves fashion, but vintage speaks to her in a way modern clothes cannot. With the semi-formal event of seventh gade upon her, Louise is ecstatic to find an invitation to the Traceling Fashionisa Sale.
     At the sale Louise and her best friend Brooke find a glamourous evening gown fit for a classic Hollywood Starlet. When she tries on the pink concoction Louise is swept from her waking life of monotone history classes and awkward boys to the sparkle and glitz of 1912 adn the Titanic.
     The dream is all too real as Louise attempts to fit into the role of Alice Baxter, a silent movie star and actress. Miss Baxter's maid, Anna, guides the young woman through her new life and the two find a fast friendship.
     But as time passes aboard the greatest ship of all time, Louise becomes disenchanted with the glitz and glamour and the voyage draws ever-closer to impending disaster. The young woman's premonition could just safe the ship, but can she change history?
     Louise discovers sometimes life and legend aren't always what they seem. She finds a purpose in her own life through the dangers of the past. The Time-Traveling Fashionista is a whimsical story of self-discovery perfect for middle school-aged readers.

Sandry's Book

Circle of Magic: Sandry's Book by Tamora Pierce, 1998 Scholastic

     Sandry came from a noble house, her parents killed in a smallpox epidemic. Locked away in a cellar guarded by magic. When Master Nico finds her Sandry is terrified of the dark she's been trapped in, and just as terrified of her rescuers.
     Tris as shuttled from family member to family member with strange situations following her until, faced with another rejection, Master Nico sweeps her along his journey. Tris is furious and prickly until she settles in place.
     An outcast from the entire culture she grew up in, Daja fears for her future until the man who plucked her from a sinking ship gives her a path. Master Nico leads her to a place where she finds home.
Master Nico finds Roach as the boy is being taken to the docks and his punishment for thievery. Nico gives the boy a chance to choose his own name and future, but Briar Moss fears his salvation is temporary and fights fitting in.
     Over the course of several months Nico drops his charges at the Winding Circle Temple where they don't fit into the school's general populace. Sandry, Tris, Briar, and Daja are moved to Discipline, a cottage separate from the dormitories. They are watched over by Lark, Rosethorn--Dedicates to the Winding Circle Temple--and the mage Nico, when he settles in place.
     Each child discovers what draws their attention and their passions: Sandry loves fabrics and weaving; Tris is fascinated by the weather and nature's power; Daja is drawn to metalwork and the smithy, while Briar finds a love for plants and growing things. The shock of magic in their chosen skills urges the four children to think of magic in their everyday world.
     When danger strikes the four band together despite their different backgrounds. With their lives at stake, they challenge what their guardians believed possible about magic and magery. Sandry's Book is the beginning of the story and the characters are still developing into their varied selves, yet they maintain a multi-dimensional depth Pierce sows into each of her characters. Readers of all ages can relate to the four students and will find the journey through their stories tightly woven.

The Selection

The Selection by Kiera Cass, 2012 HarperTeen

     Sometime after the fourth World War North America has become one kingdom--Illéa. As a fairly new nation the country has its problems, but most are hidden from America Singer and the rest of the nation.
     America is an artist from the fourth caste in a family who, though they love each other, struggles to make ends meet. She has a secret boyfriend, Aspen, a 6 and two castes below her, just above the homeless and casteless. When the generational Selection comes along to find a Beloved Daughter of Illéa to marry Prince Maxon Schraeve. America's mother and sister are ecstatic and insist she apply. America doesn't want to give up her home and Aspen's love, but when even he asks her to sign up, America is torn. She applies and is Selected.
     With 34 other young women, America travels to the capital and the monarch's palace where she will compete for the prince's hand. But America doesn't want Prince Maxon or the crown he offers--she just wants to get over Aspen's rejection and go home.
     After their first meeting gets off to a rocky start, Maxon and America decide to remain friends and America agrees to keep his confidences until he can find a young woman from the group as his wife.
Followed by cameras and surrounded by women grasping at all Maxon can provide, America hopes to help the man whose friendship means more and more to her. Through rebel attacks and surprising returns the two gradually come to know each other better until the prince narrows the 35 Selected to 6 Elites.
     The Selection is a story that, while fitting into traditional princess story guidelines, bucks convention with a female lead choosing not a man, but herself as she struggles to play the hand she's been dealt. Middle school and high school readers will understand the competition between the Selected and the search for true friendship among masses searching to display their most perfect selves.

Absolutely, Positively

Absolutely, Positively by Jayne Ann Krentz, 1996 Pocket Books

     In Seattle's Pike's Place Market is the Abberwick Tea & Spice shop, owned by Molly Abberwick. Molly is more than simply an entrepreneur--her inventor father left her the foundations of a fortune to set up the Abberwick Foundation. He meant the foundation to support inventors who cannot find funding elsewhere. To help decide which project proposals are worth her father's legacy, Molly hires an expert in the history of science.
     Doctor Harry Stratton Trevelyan is the expert in an esoteric field and takes a liking to his new consulting client. But Harry's proposal for a short-lived affair is thwarted when Molly is in danger and he discovers a strange connection to her. Citing his failed relationships and the strange darkness which threatens to consume him, Harry is leery of a long-term relationship.
     When the danger to Molly is over and the darkness in Harry's past are resolved will they have that extra something that will keep the relationship going?
     Absolutely, Positively is an intriguing mix of Jayne Ann Krentz's paranormal and mystery. With an adult audience in mind, Molly and Harry work to resolve the problems they face and build on the connection they find.