Bright Young Things

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen, 2010 Harper

    Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey are best friends from the same Ohio town. Letty is the oldest daughter of a strictly religious family who dreams of stardom - and she has the talent to succeed. Cordelia is the orphan of the town's promiscuous black sheep being raised by a strict aunt.
     After Cordelia is caught skinny dipping with a boyfriend she is dragged to a shotgun wedding and the two girls see an opportunity to escape to New York City where they hope to find a better life. But neither girl is prepared for the shocks of big city life.
     Letty and her voice are one of dozens searching for a break into the biz. She takes a job as a cigarette girl in scandalously short skirts and high heels. When a Broadway promoter offers he chance at a big break Letty isn't sure about the sleazy man, and questions how far is too far to achieve her dreams.
     Cordelia is in search of her long-absent father, the bootlegger Darius Grey. Grey made his living and a fortune selling illegal alcohol and throwing lavis parties to capture the attention and trade of New York's bright, rich, and beautiful. But with the fame and money comes surveillance - someone might try to kidnap the boss's daughter to make a quick buck. Even worse is the discovery of her new beau's identity: Thom Hale is the son of a rival bootlegger.
     The friends part ways early in the story and come across the variety of 1920s New York City: Letty meets showgirls, a starving writer Grady Lodge, and normal people of all kinds, Cordelia is surrounded by the elite socialites, flappers, and thugs hired to protect them. Astrid Donal takes Cordelia under her wing, and as lover to Cordelia's brother Charlie, Astrid has a unique take on her lifestyle.
     No one cares where the girls are from, only where they're going and if they'll have a grand time on the way. The strict social structure of nineteenth century is crumbling as new money and illegal alcohol bring together the rich and beautiful of New York City. Readers who enjoyed Godbersen's Luxe series will enjoy her illustration of the high life at the end of the Jazz Age. With some promiscuity, Bright Young Things is aimed at teen and young adult readers.

For a Few Demons More

For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison, 2007 HarperVoyager

     After stealing back the Focus from her ex-boyfriend Nick and getting Jenks's son Jax to come home, Rachel Morgan must hide the artifact and hope it won't start an interspecies war. Enter David Hue, Rachel's werewolf Alpha (for insurance purposes only). The Focus is a curse which cannot stand being in the possession of anyone other than a were and Rachel asks for David's help in containing it and maintaining the balance.
    When a series of murders snakes through Cincinnati Rachel and Ivy are called in to investigate. All signs point to David attempting to tilt the balance. But Rachel, again, has bigger problems. Female demon Newt is back and causing chaos. When she somehow de-sanctifies the church Vampiric Charms calls home they no longer have that extra layer of security--a needed layer now that Piscary is back on the loose.
    Rachel can, somehow, twist demon curses and both Newt and Trent Kalamack want her help. Newt isn't sure what she's discovered in Rachel, but it triggers something through the insanity and Newt's remembers--what, she doesn't remember. But Newt is intent on finding her missing memory and manages to de-sanctify the church where Rachel lives with Ivy and Jenks.
     When the vampires join the fray and Piscary takes his revenge the Vampiric Charms staff is rocked. Not everyone makes it out, and the aftermath continues to follow Rachel.
     Rachel and Ivy fight to maintain their friendship and still help the other find their safe space. The drama surrounds the Focus and maintaining the balance between Interlanders. Newt and Al make appearances, but Rachel is generally kept from demonic society and politics.

The Jewel

The Jewel by Amy Ewing, 2014 HarperTeen

     In the Lone City life is broken into circles surrounding the royalty. Lords and Ladies and their households are in the center of the small city-state. Next comes a circle of the bankers and merchants. Around the non-royal rich are the factories, then a circle containing the farm. The final and poorest circle is the Marsh where the royalty pluck their surrogates from the ranks of young women.
     Young women like Violet are tested as they reach puberty. If they test positive for an enzyme which creates the Auguaries (Mystic magical abilities to manipulate matter) the girl is taken to a holding facility where she learns how to control the Auguaries and is prepared for a life among the royalty.
     Violet has passed through her training and is now going to the Auction with her best friend Raven. Beyond the preparation of the auction all life for the surrogates is unknown - they will be bought by either royalty or select wealthy merchants, then bear a child for that family.
     As one of the more sought-after surrogates of her year Violet is one of the last to be auctioned. She is purchased by the Duchess of the Lake for her perfect score on the Auguary Growth. The Duchess wants the child Violet will bear to be the perfect foil for the son of the Exetor (Leader of the City).
     Naively Violet expects to be cared for and to enjoy her time with the royalty, but when the ladies of court are not above murdering each other's surrogates it appears all is fair in their power games. An unexpected friendship and a forbidden romance have Violet questioning what it is to choose and whether or not the status quo is worth the cost.
     The Jewel shows how the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Dealing with mature content including reproductive medicine and family planning, Amy Ewing's debut is written for young adults, focusing on teen readers.

Lord Sunday

Lord Sunday by Garth Nix, 2010 Scholastic Books

     After seemingly falling to his death, Arthur Penhalion manages to escape into the Secondary Realms using the Improbable Stair. Under attack by giant insects Arthur cannot concentrate to use the key to protect himself or escape the bugs.
     Suzy Turquoise Blue, meanwhile, is being held by Superior Saturday's minion but manages to escape into Sunday's Incomparable Gardens where she tries to seek out the seventh part of the Will. Arthur's friend Leaf is back on Earth dealing with the results of nuclear strike (how the government dealt with Friday's Sleepers) when Sunday's Dusk attempts to bring her into the house for ransom. The plan fails when the Front door is under attack and Leaf remains as guardian.
    The house is at risk of collapse from Nothing and it appears Sunday, the last trustee, has little or no plan to save the House and its surrounding realms. Arthur attempts to unite the Architect's children against the Nothing which threatens total destruction: if the House falls all of existence will fall with it.
     Can Arthur unite all seen parts of the Will and save the House with all it entails? Or will the Piper, the Mariner, and the Old One stand in his way? In the conclusion to The Keys to the Kingdom Arthur Penhalion decides whether his journey has been worth the efforts or if he will give up the power and opportunity presented in the House to return to a world which has completely changed since he was swept away. Middle Grade readers will find the end of this epic satisfying, if somewhat predictable.

Cress

Cress by Marissa Meyer, 2014 Feiwel and Friends

     Cinder and Thorne have escaped the Eastern Commonwealth and speed back to the stars rescuing Scarlet and Wolf from Paris's chaos. Wolf makes it his mission to help Cinder control her Lunar gift. But the four, along with Iko piloting Thorne's Rampion, struggle to form a real plan to help save Emperor Kai from Queen Levana's clutches. Cinder suggests they contact the young woman who originally alerted her to the danger Levana poses.
     Cress has been locked in her satellite for nearly seven years. Queen Levana's head Thaumaturge, Sybil, has been her only method of socialization on those seven years and Cress has since given up trying to garner the lunars' positive regard. Cress is the reason Earthens have been unaware of hundreds of Lunar ships above and within Earth's airspace; she is the link between Levana and the information syphoned from Earth's leaders.
     When Cinder and their small crew contact Cress the girl is shocked and surprised. The small crush she'd developed on Thorne while researching became a fascination. The crew agrees to rescue the young woman and she joins their mission. But a wrench is thrown into the works when Sybil returns to the satellite early. Thorne and Cress are sent plummeting to Earth when Sybil returns to the Rampion. A small battle wages on the ship; Wolf is nearly killed, and Scarlet is kidnapped when the Thaumaturge flees. Sybil leaves her pilot and guard Jacin aboard the Rampion.
     Cinder, Wolf, Iko, and Jacin escape to Africa in search of Dr. Erland. The Cinder and Iko seek Thorne and Cress while Dr. Erland tries to rescue Wolf from the brink of death. Through a strange coincidence Thorne and Cress arrive in the small African town as the Eastern Commonwealth sends soldiers to pick up the band. But the locals, with their Lunar ancestry, help the Rampion and its crew again flee, this time back toward New Beijing and to stop the wedding.
     En route to the Commonwealth capital they plan to continue the fight against Levana on her own ground: Erland reminds Cinder that she'll need to convince the Lunars of her claim to the throne, not Earthens. Cinder and Iko, Cress and Wolf, Thorne and the Doctor head into the New Beijing Palace to kidnap Kai to gain his aid and delay the wedding to buy some time. They know any action which antagonizes Levana will result in war.
     Despite self-doubt and concern for their captured friend, the group plans and struggles to remain hopeful in face of the destruction around them and the damage certain to follow any success. Cinder and her newfound friends transition from merely refugees to rebels ready to survive the oncoming war. Readers who enjoyed the first two novels in the Lunar Chronicles will find this installment is more slowly paced and while the violence is more rampant and wide-spread the group is no longer in its midst.