Shadow & Flame

Shadow & Flame by Mindee Arentt - 2019 Balzer & Bray

     Kate lost her brother and love during a failed rescue attempt in Rime's neighboring country, Seva. She fears her hesitation in using her Sway was what caused her losses, but she had to return to Rime and the fight to survive the inquisition of Wilders. 

     A year after her return to Rime, Kate and her wilder supporters have carved out a place on the edges of their homeland. Edwin has declared himself king in Corwin's absence and the shaky armistice protects them in the wilder city. Kate is swamped in self-doubt but holds up for her followers. 

     In the prison mines of Seva a young man called Clash has a secret even he doesn't remember. High Prince Corwin has retreated into his own mind to survive the brutal reality of the mine. A personal rebellion on behalf of his only friend leads to a traitor from Rime who shares Kate's power of Sway discovering his identity. 

     Lord Gavril introduces Corwin to Seva's Godking and his children. Using the man's power the Godking forces Corwin's marriage to his only daughter. The ploy is a bid for Rime and the riches--the magic--it harbors. Corwin refuses to allow a relationship to grow with his farcical wife, Eravis. And she schemes with the captive prince to hide from her father and his lackey. 

     The announcement of Corwin's marriage stuns Kate--not only is he alive but married to their greatest enemy's only daughter. This doesn't sound like the Corwin Kate has known for most of her life. 

     Lord Gavril has kept Corwin under his thumb through a mixture of his power and a drug made from magical deposits found in Seva's mines. The prince is unable to prevent himself from becoming complicit in the Godking's plans to destroy Rime. 

     Captured wilders and Sevan forces attack a war-torn Rime. Still reeling from a civil war between wilder and mages the invading army has little difficulty subduing the country. Their attempts to escape leads Corwin and the captured wilders to Kate and the wilder leaders captured by Edwin. 

     The invasion reveals more to the story than Kate or Corwin imagined when their old enemy Rendborne appears on the scene. Kate questions everything she believed of the Rimish conflict and magic in Rime. Corwin questions his own ability to lead and his right to the throne amid problems his people face. 

     Kate and Corwin repeatedly face tragic losses as the war for Rime rages between various forces. They hope to find each other in the end, but it appears the Goddess Noralah has her own requirements of the two aim to lead her chosen country. 

     Shadow & Flame is intended for older teen and young adult readers with graphic violence and complex manipulation. The classic struggle of good versus evil is mirrored in the question of control against free will. Kate is a flawed character who readers can identify with while Corwin is a respectable character fighting for something larger than himself. 

The Sword of Summer

The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan, 2015 Disney-Hyperion Books

     On the streets of Boston, Magnus Chase and his two companions, Hearthstone and Blitzen, survive on their wits. After Magnus's mother mysteriously dies chased by otherworldly wolves, he fled from a questionable uncle, Randolph, and has survived two itinerant years. 

     On his sixteenth birthday, Magnus discovers his Uncle Randolph has set his cousin Annabeth and her father, Uncle Frederick, after him. Randolph catches his nephew and cryptically sends Magnus on a mission to find the Sword of Summer--a mythical and magical sword belonging to the Norse god Frey. A fire giant, Surt, arrives and demands the newly obtained sword from the young man. 

     Magnus awakens after his fight with Surt in Valhalla: the realm of heroes. Memories of wolves and fire seem to herald the end of days--the Norse Ragnarök. Magnus learns he is the son of the god Frey and the Sword of Summer is his birthright. The Valkyrie who brought Magnus to Valhalla, Sam, introduces him to his hall-mates: X, Thomas Jefferson Jr, and Halfborn. His friends Blitzen and Hearthstone reveal themselves to be a dwarf and elf, respectively. 

     While Magnus is happy to see his old friends his frustration rises as the various authorities threaten and cajole him, trying to get the Sword. Magnus, Blitz, and Hearth go searching for the sword--missing after the fight with Surt--and are joined by Sam whose participation hinges on obtaining the sword to regain her Valkyrie status, lost when she chose to bring Magnus into Valhalla. 

     The quartet travels through the realms as they gather item after item to trade in their quest for the Sword and to re-secure the Fenris Wolf. Loki and those who would encourage Ragnarök try to bargain with Magnus, but the young warrior has an over-developed sense of justice and will not back down from his plan to save the world. 

     Despite the ever-growing to-do list Magnus, Blitz, Hearth, and Sam continue to fight to prevent the end of the world. Readers who enjoyed Riordan's Percy Jackson series or the Blackwell Pages will enjoy this new look at the Norse myths. The story is written for middle-grade readers, with an eye toward modern social conventions and considerations.  The Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard trilogy ties back to Percy's adventures through his cousin, Annabeth Chase.  

The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest

The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest by Melanie Dickerson, 2015 Thomas Nelson Publishing

     Odette is one of the most sought-after young women in Thornbeck. Now twenty years old Odette has been living with her uncle for the last ten years--since her parents died of the plague. She has a soft spot for the poor of their town. Odette's uncle supports her decision to wait to marry and allows her more freedom than she can expect after marriage: he even helps her distribute the food she illegally poaches from the margrave's forest. 

     Jorgen is the margrave's huntsman and tasked with ensuring the wealth of animal life in the forests. He notices a significant dearth of large game and worries about wolves or large boar, both of which pose a danger to Thornbeck's people. When Odette loses an arrow in the woods Jorgen is certain the poacher who killed his father has returned. 

     When the two meet at the midsummer festival Odette and Jorgen are unaware their mutual attraction is overshadowed by their professional animosity. They develop a liking for each other fraught with uncertain tension: Odette knows he is the forester who seeks to catch her and stop the supply of food to Thornbeck's orphans, Jorgen seeks the poacher with vengeance on his mind. 

     Outside political forces force Odette to take risks which causes her to be caught and brutally injured. Jorgen discovers the identity of his poacher but tries to protect the woman he's come to love. Neither can stop the margrave's justice and neither expects the young lord's punishment. 

     In this blending of Robin Hood and the Swan Princess Odette and Jorgen find friendship and faith leading them to each other. Other suitors try to blackmail Odette and her uncle into a match she resists and to remove Jorgen from the social and political landscape. Younger teens will enjoy the clean romance and quick adventure of The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest. 

Real Mermaids Don't Sell Sea Shells

Real Mermaids Don't Sell Sea Shells by Helene Boudreau, 2014 Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

     Jade and her friends have, once again, saved mer-kind and it's time for some fun in the sun. Her parents have, thanks to Mr. Charmichael, gotten the official paperwork to get married - for real. To get away from the gossips in their small town they decided to enjoy their new freedom to get married in the Caribbean.
     Jade and her best friend go along to help out with the last minute details of wedding planning - only to find that nothing is going according to plan! Their reservations are taken y famous celebrities, the catering fell through, the venue was taken, and their officiant has vanished. With Cori and Jade's help, the happy couple rush to recreate their dream wedding before their vacation is over and the rest of their guests arrive.
     As they're making plans and the girls explore the island Jade runs across a strange sight: someone dumping a body from the porthole of a passing cruise ship. With everything that's happened in the last couple of months, Cori thinks Jade's mermaid senses are over-reacting. But when their new acquaintance goes missing it doesn't hurt to check things out.
     Jade's parents enjoy their pre-wedding honeymoon while the girls discover there's more to the local scene than the tourists see. With their relationships with the boys back home on questionable ground, Jade and Cori are stoked to meet new friends and possibly solve a mystery or two, because things can't keep from getting fishy for this mermaid and her friends.
     In this new setting, Jade learns to trust her instincts and that different cultures have different rules. The fourth installment in Jade's story takes readers along as once again Jade steps out of her comfort zone and learns it's always best to be yourself. Real Mermaids Don't Sell Sea Shells is intended for middle grade and young teen readers.

Real Mermaids Don't Need High Heels

Real Mermaids Don't Need High Heels by Helene Boudreau, 2013 Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

     Jade Baxter and her best friend have managed to save the tide pool where mers can transition into human form. Cori is officially dating Luke's brother, Trey, and Jade is officially dating Luke. The friends are enjoying typical high school exploits and looking forward to the Fall Formal.
     Except, Jade is terrified of the dance: she's got two left fins. The formal becomes the smaller of her problems when the Mer Council orders all Webbed Ones back into the ocean. Jade finally got her mom back and she certainly isn't willing to let her boyfriend go back into the ocean.
     The friends are busy with their school work: Cori has an internship, Luke and Trey have work and water polo, and Jade has joined the underwater hockey team. To top it all off, Selena has been enrolled as a foreign exchange student at her school - and Jade is not keen on playing tour guide to the mer-girl.
     Jade tries to prepare for Mer-mageddon all while trying to prevent the building underwater war and trying to find the perfect dress for the dance. When they can't keep the Webbed Ones out of the water Cori, Trey, Jade, and their human adult supervision take to the water. Following the "call" back to the Mer Council leads Jade to new secrets and challenges. If the fourteen-year-old can prevent civil war in the mer-world, finding a good dress and learning to dance should be a cake walk.
     The Real Mermaid series is aimed at middle grade and younger teen readers. The girls experience budding romantic relationships with all the emotional ups and downs in a clean romance. This is the third of four novels featuring Jade and her friends.

Password to Larkspur Lane

Password to Larkspur Lane by Carolyn Keene, 1966 Grosset & Dunlap

     Nancy Drew is outside tending the garden when a carrier pigeon arrives in the yard. Hannah Gruen, the Drews' housekeeper, falls and her doctor suggests to Nancy and her lawyer father of a woman who he treats under mysterious circumstances. The doctor believes the woman is being held prisoner and Nancy begins to investigate.
     A clue from the doctor leads to the prestigious Eldridge family. Nancy follows the clues and, with the added intrigue of the pigeon's registry, finds there truly is something criminal afoot.
     Mrs. Eldridge is missing, according to a young relative, and--when Nancy, Bess, George, and their friend Helen speak with her--Mrs. Eldridge has not chosen to be treated at the estate holding her prisoner. She is not the only elderly patient at the estate, and Mrs. Eldrige explains the people running the place have some shady practices.
     Some quick thinking and subterfuge from the girls bring justice to the plotters. Nancy and her friends face danger, but they come out better able to fight for what they believe right.
     Nancy Drew is an independent young woman who uses her quick mind to investigate and solve problems. She faces danger and uses her resources in a story meant for middle-grade readers, but enjoyable at any age. Password to Larkspur Lane was revised from its original 1933 novel to be more feminist, to consolidate the plot, and to bring the familiar characters back to the main screen.

Forever Doon

Forever Doon by Carey Corp & Lorie Langdon, 2016 Blink

     After fighting their way back to Doon after Addie sent them home Veronica and McKenna are again separated by the Portal. Vee is helping her people survive through Doon's bleak winter - brought on by the weak position Emily-cum-Addie's betrayal has put her in and Jamie's apparent execution.
     Kenna and Duncan have taken nearly a third of Doon's population into the modern world where they've camped in Alloway. The Witch of Doon destroyed the Bridge between worlds and Duncan has made it his mission to restore the Brig o' Doon to return home. The pair is struggling as Duncan fights the feeling of leaving his brother to an unknown fate and Kenna feels like she's his second choice, even after she's given up her whole world.
     In Doon, Veronica leads the remainder of her people as they hide from the witch and search for a way to bring those who have escaped home. The witch eats away at Doon and her people to create an undead army to hold the small kingdom against Vee and the rightful citizens.
     With a third of her people to trapped in the modern world, her best friend and oldest confidant separated from her by the veil protecting Doon, and Jamie, the love of her life, presumably dead Veronica battles her own misgivings. When they discover Jamie is alive Vee and her advisors plan his rescue. Jamie has his own concerns with his release and the abuse he suffered at the hands of Abigail, the witch of Doon.
     The pair work to create a team and guide their people despite the loss of over half of their supporters. When it appears all has been lost Veronica discovers the friendship she shares with McKenna is a calling - just as the relationships the girls have with the McCrae brothers - and she and McKenna can speak across the veil.
     Veronica's faith in her people, in herself, and the Protector grow as she goes through the challenges Addie throws at her and her followers. When it appears Doon may be lost forever Vee calls on her friend and those called to Doon to solve their problems.
     Developing her leadership skills and learning to trust the people around her, Veronica has changed form the insecure young woman into a queen worthy of her kingdom. Readers who enjoyed the first installments of the Doon Series will like this completion of Veronica and McKenna's story. With adventure, conflict and a touch of romance Forever Doon is aimed at teen readers.

Long May She Reign

Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas, 2017 HarperTeen

     Freya has never felt like she fit at court: she says the wrong thing and cannot master the subterfuge the gaudy court requires. Instead, she would rather be in her laboratory completing experiments and discovering answers to her never-ending questions. Freya's father is the king's advisor and treasurer. He insists she attend the king's birthday party, but the stress of the court triggers a panic attack. Freya and her best friend, Naomi, escape back to her lab.
     After a night of experiments, Freya is stunned at the news the entire court has been murdered. Freya, twenty-fourth in line, is now Queen. She is rushed from her childhood home to the Fort where the remainder of the court is taking refuge. In a country which has not been engaged in warfare for centuries, the Fort is the only truly defensible location in the city.
    Freya and her new advisors investigate the murder of the old court from the old castle. She fights to become what the court is used to a queen being, but it is a real challenge for the young woman used to lurking in the background. Naomi continues to support the new queen as she meets the court and tries to develop her own style of leadership, and their friendship sustains through the challenges. The old king's bastard son, William Fitzroy, attaches himself to their small group. When Freya's heir, Madeline Wolfe, returns to court the young woman becomes part of Freya's new entourage.
    The group makes slow progress but when the old king's closest advisor and best friend, Torsten Wolfe, accuses Freya of murdering the old court to gain power the remainder of the court is split. Some follow Torsten in his bid to remove Freya from the throne, others flee from the brewing conflict, and still others remain and support the anxious young queen in her bid to change her country for the better.
    Despite her advisors' misgivings and apparent attempts to stifle her investigation, Freya is intent on solving the problem of mass-murder to clear her name and build a cohesive country which can flourish. At the final conflict, Torsten is up against Freya and her scientific mind - the strategist and the scientist vie for the superstitious nation's support.
    Freya's story tells of a young woman trying to find her place in a world she has never felt a part of. She discovers her own ability is more than she once believed, and that there are many different ways to win the support of her people. Long May She Reign is an underdog story and a story of facing challenges despite the fear of failure.

Frogkisser

Frogkisser by Garth Nix, 2017 Scholastic

     Anya is a second daughter: the younger princess behind her sister Morven. The two girls lost their mother quite young, and their father remarried. Their stepmother had little to do with the girls leaving much of their education to the Royal Dogs. When the king died their stepmother remarried Duke Rickard. Neither their stepmother nor their stepstepfather could hold the throne and have been waiting for Morven's birthday.
     Morven is soon to come of age, but the Duke has plans for the little kingdom which preclude her coronation. Duke Rickard is a sorcerer of wicked intent. He has been biding his time and building his power until he can take over Trallonia. When it looks like Morven may fall in love with a visiting prince Denholm, the duke transforms her suitor into a frog.
     Anya, though young, has been studying sorcery and Morgen turns to her sister when Denholm is turned. Anya makes a sister-promise to turn the frog back into a prince. Thus begins her quest. Anya takes Ardent, an overexcitable new member of the Royal Dogs, and prince Denholm in his frog cage and they go searching for ingredients to create a transmogrification lip balm. Along the way, they encounter a boy-turned salamander thief-in-training, a Good Wizard, a band of brigands who steal from the rich and give to the poor, and an otter-turned-girl.
     As her quest becomes more and more complex Anya's patience and desire to take on more responsibility are tested. When the band of brigands introduces the concept of an All-Encompassing Bill of Rights and Wrongs, Anya challenges the idea that a second sister can make policy changes and considers what it could mean.
     Duke Rickard announces his plans to take over the small kingdom and Anya must hurry her quest to a quick conclusion, find the ingredients for Denholm's transmogrification lip balm, and return to Trallonia to save Morven and the rest of her subjects.
     Frogkisser is meant for middle-aged readers and is a twist on traditional fairy tales. Readers who enjoyed The Wizard of Oz and the Percy Jackson books will enjoy this upbeat tale.

Stolen Songbird

Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen, 2014 Strange Chemistry

     In the nearby town Cecile's mother is a famous singer and has spent years sending tutors to train her daughter in not only music, but to also provide both general and courtly education. The night before she is scheduled to join her mother and begin a promising career Cecile is kidnapped and sold to trolls who live under the local mountain.
     She is bound to the troll prince Tristan and told she will save the people of Trollus from a curse which has kept them imprisoned for over 500 years. But Cecile's new husband is not what he seems and politics among the people who cannot lie are far more complicated than the girl can imagine.
     Escape from Trollus is impossible, but it is Cecile's only hope, until she begins to know her new husband and the people of his cursed kingdom. Cecile discovers there is more to their imprisonment than anyone tells her and there is more to Cecile than anyone expects.
     Amid all their planning Tristan and Cecile discover they're more than simply allies; their bond helps them acknowledge the human myths are no less mythical than the trolls' restrictions on human-troll interaction. When it all comes tumbling down how will the prince and princess under the mountain respond?
     The beginning of a new series Stolen Songbird explores mythology and magic in an elaborate love story richly drawn along classic lines. What are the trolls really and how does their magic save them, even as the magic slowly dies. Jensen's novel is aimed at more mature readers, though teen readers can follow and enjoy its complex storyline.

A Wicked Thing

A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas, 2015 HarperTeen

     Aurora wakes to a stranger leaning over her, kissing her! Stunned by the liberties taken by this young man has taken, it takes a moment for the Princess to register what is happening: Her family is gone, and she has slept through one hundred years of her country's history. Prince Roderick explains what has happened and that the two are now betrothed. Reeling from the shock Aurora allows this strange prince to re-introduce her to Alyssia.
     But no one seems to want to explain what has happened, beyond a fairytale explanation. Nor do they seem to care that the princess is grieving her lost life. The new King John and his queen explain to the young woman that she is in danger and must be kept isolated for her safety until she can show her support for the new dynasty by marrying their son. Aurora struggles with the restrictions and, despite warnings from her new friend and maid Betsey, escapes into the city Petrichor surrounding the castle.
     In the city Aurora meets Tristan, a young bartender who charms her. Contrasting Roderick's awkwardness, Tristan is confident and shares the city with the young princess. He seems not to recognize Aurora, allowing her to forget what awaits in the home which others have taken for their own. But Tristan has his own agenda. When he tries to encourage the princess to join his rebellion Aurora is torn--she cannot destroy the one thing she was raised and groomed to protect, but this new king and his court aren't ruling her country as it should be ruled and the people suffer.
     In the castle is another man to challenge Roderic's suit: Prince Finnegan of Vanhelm came from across the sea to see Prince Roderick's attempt to wake the Sleeping Beauty. While the queen warns her away, Aurora is hesitant to trust the prince who seems to hold her and her kingdom in contempt. But Finnegan professes to want to help Aurora and offers her sanctuary, though he believes she will flee a forced marriage rather than political upheaval.
     The queen plans her wedding as the king plots to control Aurora. When the new dynasty's daughter is killed by a dessert meant for Aurora the family uses it to imprison the rightful heir and twist her to their wishes. Aurora decides she's had enough of their management and asks for Tristan's help in escaping.
     Aurora questions herself and the decisions thrust upon her in light of the new relationships she builds. She questions history as written - she's a relic of it herself and doesn't remember as the books describe it. A Wicked Thing is led by a strong young woman who does not fit the prevailing model. She is reflective and uncertain, but stands in her convictions. When the men in her new life are dishonest or opaque on and in their reasoning she calls them to the carpet. Teen readers will enjoy this retell of Sleeping Beauty in a new light.

Red Queen

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, 2015 HarperTeen

    For generations, the world has been divided into red and silver blooded -- the red-blooded are commoners and the silver-blooded have inexplicable powers. With those powers, the silvers have placed themselves at the top of Norta's society.
     Mare Barrow is a seventeen-year-old red who is trapped in the Silts, and it doesn't appear anything is going to change. The Stilts are the poorest of the poor and Mare is fortunate to find a job at the Silver Palace to help support her family after her older brothers are drafted into the long-waging war. In the course of her duties, Mare discovers she as an unexpected talent.
     When the silvers discover Mare's ability to control electricity they decide to pass off her ability as the discovery of a long-lost bloodline and missing princess. Mare is elevated and begins training her gift with the other teens while taking history and etiquette classes to keep up the illusion.
     The royal family keeps Mare close as they watch and try to figure out how a red could have powers like any other silver. The girl goes along with their deception, her cooperation ensured by the royal family's talents and threats. Mare's family is kept from the truth, but does reap some benefit: two of her three brothers are returned from the war effort, while the ruling family perpetuates the lie of her position.
      Norta faces war with the Marshlands and continues to draft young reds into the army. Less publicly the silvers are challenged by a rebel group called the Scarlet Guard. As the truth of their world becomes more clear to Mare the Scarlet Guard approaches her. The teen takes the opportunity to expand her background knowledge and possibly to create a plan for her future.
     The two princes, Cal and Maven, vie for the new princess's attention: Maven is, for political reasons, engaged to Mare while his older brother Cal is genuinely intrigued by the young woman despite his family's plans. The queen uses her mind-reading and -control to manipulate the court as she creates the life she wants for herself and her sons. Cal's uncle Julian acts as one of Mare's tutors and reveals to her that she is not the first red to exhibit powers.
     When the ambitious and antagonistic silver court turns topsy-turvy Mare faces the silver's prison and a battle royale where her newfound powers will do nothing to save her.
     What started as a fairytale for Mare Barrow turns into a battle for her life and for her country. Her romance with the young man - not her fiance causes tension as Mare tries to sort out the men in her life and her future. Readers who enjoyed The Hunger Games will find similarities in Red Queen, which is written for a similar, young adult audience.

Son of A Witch

Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire, 2004 Regan Books

     A man is beaten and found by a group traveling the Vinkus mountains. The man is identified at the cloister he's brought to for medical treatment: he is Liir. Liir is the son of Elphaba the wicked, green, Witch of the West. While he doesn't share his mother's coloring, everyone knows who Liir is. The story jumps around in time telling Liir's story after the events of Wicked.
     After Elphaba's death, Liir returns to the Emerald City with Dorothy and her companions. Along the way he helps a princess of the Vinkus tribe, he locates Fiyero's daughter Nor, and gets permission from Glinda to visit the maximum-security prison Southstairs. He joins the Home Guard where he is employed for several years until he's deployed into Quadling Country where events lead to his desertion.
     After the Cloister, Liir and a Quadling girl, Candle, leave together. Liir heals from his wounds and acts the diplomat as Animals across Oz battle the Wizard's anti-Animal laws. The Birds are a threat to the intentional instability of Oz and have the ability to unite the nations so they ask Liir to represent them to the government. A grudging Liir accepts the new task.
     Candle takes the opportunity to reveal she's expecting his child when Liir returns to prepare for the journey to the Emerald City--he refuses to believe her even when she admits he was unconscious during the process. In the Emerald City, Liir finds another relationship with the Emperor's chief dragon master. The two young men destroy the dragons and steal back Elphaba's broom, fleeing again to the Cloister of Saint Glinda where Glinda herself is visiting.
     Liir's life is a series of beginnings and endings of relationships: he is adopted by Elphaba and abandoned when she dies; he is inducted into the Home Guard and deserts when their atrocities offend his sensibilities; he finds romantic love several times and loses it. The titular character is mired in self-doubt and his only real goal is to find his half-sister, Nor. Liir's storyline is in a nation fighting itself to maintain the separation between its people and as the son of the villain, he is uniquely placed to interact with all the factions of Oz. Son of a Witch is not appropriate for young readers with gratuitous violence both physical and sexual; readers who enjoyed Wicked will enjoy this sequel.

The Diabolic

The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid, 2016 Simon & Schuster

     In the distant future humanity has fled Earth and our solar system has destroyed itself while we travel the stars. The Grandiloquy have worked to keep themselves at the top of the social structure. Society has fallen into decadence while the common people, the Excess, struggle to support their lifestyles.
     The rich and powerful have developed humanoid beings to serve many functions: brainless servitor, innocent sacrifices,k dangerous diabolics. The general population has been shoved aside as fodder. The Senator Von Impyrean purchases as diabolic for his shy daughter. Nemesis is a companion for Sidonia Impyrean designed to protect the heir. the two are bonded and grow together to become the best of friends.
     After several years Sidonia has been taught how to fit into court life, Nemesis has learned the threats against her charge. Sometimes even parents could be a threat to a diabolic's charge and as families are torn apart by diabolics the emperor outlaws them. Sidonia refuses to kill Nemesis - her only true friend. The Senator and his wife decide to replace the diabolics corpse with a land-dweller dying from a plague.
     The emperor becomes a threat to Sidonia and Nemesis latches into his recent actions as leading toward either his demise or that of Sidonia. When the emperor summons Sidonia to the capital in her parents' place the Senator and his wife see a danger in the summons. They send Nemesis in her place - against her own wishes and Sidonia's.
     At the capital, Nemesis struggles to blend into the cruel and frivolous children of the nobility. Taking her cue from Sidonia and her compassionate nature. She befriends the daughter of another disgraced senator unintentionally when she is drawn into engineering a beast to compete. Rather than allow her creature to be murdered Nemesis saves him and keeps him as a pet. Her unconventional compassion catches the eye of the emperor's nephew and heir. The Crown Prince feigns madness in the hope of saving his own life: rumor indicates the Dowager Empress has engineered the deaths of all potential challengers to her son's rule.
     Bringing Nemesis into his orbit brings her closer to the Dowager and her machinations. When Nemesis believes Sidonia has been killed by the emperor her training pushes her to avenge the loss or die trying. Something is not right in the diabolics which protect the emperor, but the prince steps in to draw Nemesis to his side and toward an ultimate confrontation with either his uncle or his grandmother.
     The Empire is on the edge of annihilation and rebellion. Science has been outlawed in favor of religion, but the technology is dying without the ability to repair it. This results in rips in the fabric of space and further unrest. Nemesis enters the political game at the top with little understanding of how to play, but a desire to change the very rules.
     Written for older teens and adults with rampant disregard for human life The Diabolic raises questions of what it means to be human. Nemesis questions her very purpose: if she isn't designed to protect why does she exist? This is a great read for those who enjoy elaborate world-building and sci-fi with a touch of romance.

Winter

Winter by Marissa Meyer, 2015 Feiwel & Friends

   The plan to kidnap Emperor Kai succeeded; sort of. After rescuing Cress and going back to the Eastern Commonwealth to stop the wedding between Levana and Kai, Cinder and her remaining friends are hiding in space - thanks to Cress's magic with technology.
     Without Scarlet, Wolf pines and the friends struggle to remain positive. Cinder and Kai are on rocky terms since he was forcibly removed from his empire but their relationship gains traction. Cress and Thorne are dancing around one another as the captain slowly regains his sight. And Iko is still in love with her (somewhat worse for the wear) human body. Levana has immediately declared war on the Earthen Union and used her mutated wolf-soldiers to engage the planet in global war.
     Earth is unprepared for the assault after 126 years of world peace. As the Union scrambles to mount a defense Levana plans world domination. The focus has shifted from Earth to Luna as Cinder makes plans to take back the throne as Princess Selene. Her cousin, Princess Winter, has been tortured by her own Lunar Gift for its lack of use. When the people love and show their deep affection for Winter, Levana sees the girl as a threat. The Queen orders Jacin, a guard who has loved Winter since childhood, to kill the girl. Jacin cannot complete his mission and, with Cress, helps Winter and Scarlet escape to the outer domes of Luna's protected population.
     Scarlet and Winter locate Wolf's childhood home and the rest of their ragtag rebellion. With Cress working from Artemisia, Luna's capital, and Cinder gaining support around the moon's isolated outer domes the friends struggle to maintain contact and lead their rebellion. When Cinder is captured and paraded around Kai and Levana's wedding feast it appears they may be finished, but the ever-resourceful Princess Selene manages to become both the leader and the martyr her revolution needs.
     Cinder's transformation from the cyborg mechanic who helped repair Crown-Prince Kai's android into Princess Selene has been long and arduous, but with new friends and the support of her people the shy young woman has become a leader hoping to make the universe a better place. Cinder doesn't want to be a princess: she wants to end her aunt's tyranny and the social conventions which oppress different classes of person. Meyer's tale incorporates classic fairytales, political wargames, and science fiction to push Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White into the future and prepare their stories for young adult readers.

Awakened

Awakened by Kristin and P.C. Cast, 2011 St. Martin's Press

    Zoey has returned from the Otherworld to her family and friends on Sgiach, the Island of Skye. She reaffirms her connection with her warrior Stark and Zoey discovers she can call on the ancient fey to support her elemental magic. Aphrodite, Damien, and the twins return home to Stevie Rae who is back in Tulsa with the red fledglings 

     Neferet kills Jack--Damien's boyfriend and a member of the nerd-herd--as a tribute to the Darkness. The loss of their friend draws Zoey and Stark back to their responsibilities. Kalona finds that he has a connection to Stark after breathing some of his immortality into the dying warrior. 

     Neferet uses Jack's funeral as a public display to try regaining the House of Night's trust. Zoey sees through the fake apology but in the same spectacle to order the Sons of Erebus to murder Rephaim and Stevie Rae for their association with Darkness. 

     Stevie Rae asks the nerd herd to protect Rephaim - who has only defended himself rather than actively fighting for his freedom. She asks Kalona to release Rephaim and he grants his son's freedom in a direct contradiction of his oath to Neferet. Not all of the members of the House of Night accept that Rephaim has chosen the path of Light. 

     Their goddess, Nyx, appears and forgives the Raven Mocker. She details her wish for the vampyres to move forward in life - singling out Damien and Dragon after the deaths of Jack and Anastasia. Dragon holds on to his anger and, with Neferet, drives Rephaim from the Tulsa House of Night. 

     To be with their friends Zoey creates her own House of Night in the tunnels beneath the city. Zoey is their leader and Vampyre Queen; Stevie Rae is their High Priestess; Kramisha their poet Laureate; and Aphrodite the Prophetess. The red fledglings and nerd herd are their students trying to maintain Nyx's teachings. 

     Neferet continues her quest for power by striking at those close to Zoey Redbird in her human life. Kalona experiments with the piece of his soul in Stark. Zoey and her friends struggle in the changing world and with the blows to their cause. The Vampyre High Council has cleared Neferet of wrongdoing and Zoey has lost significant supports in her system. Neferet's plan for revenge appears to be on a strong course. 

     Zoey has a more adult take on the events in her life--including a mature relationship with her warrior-protector. Older teen readers who enjoyed the first seven episodes in the House of Night series will enjoy the eighth installment of Zoey Redbird's story. 

The White Rose

The White Rose by Amy Ewing, 2015 HarperTeen

     After the Duchess of the Lake found her Surrogate Violet and her niece's Companion Ash together the two managed to escape, with a little help from the scion of the house and the Electress's Lady-in-Waiting. The Royalty have shut down the Jewel to find Ash and Violet as they try to escape the Duchess of the Lake.
     Violet managed to survive several months as the Duchess of the Lake's surrogate, even fell in love with the young man serving the House as Companion. When the Electress's Lady-in-Waiting Lucien gives her a chance to escape Violet uses the opportunity to get her best friend and lover out too.
     Though Lucien is  furious at two additional escapees Violet refuses to join Lucien's rebellion without Ash and Raven. Their escape through the rings of the city exposes Violet to Ash's past, both as a Companion and his family's home. With a little help from their friends in the Black Key Society including Garnet of the House of the Lake, the trio reaches the Farm and their protected destination.
     In the Farm Violet, Ash, and Raven find a new home at a farmhouse named the White Rose. The woman caring for the house is Sil, a former surrogate who managed to survive the birth of twins and escape to the Farm. In surviving Sil discovered the Auguaries which the surrogates were trained so extensively to use were perversions of an ability to connect with and use the four elements. She plans to teach Violet to control the elements and bring about the end of the Royalty.
     More practice and Raven's near-death bring a connection to all four elements which leads Violet to propose a plan - unite the surrogates against the Royalty and fight them at home in the Jewel. Lucien accepts the plan as head of the Black Key and work begins. Ash begins to chafe at his restrictions and jumps at the opportunity to become more and more involved. When the society is betrayed Violet discovers time is running out - the Auction is moved forward six months with much of the preparation left. And Violet is stunned to discover who the Duchess of the Lake has taken as her replacement.
   

Running Out of Time

Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix, 1996 Simon & Schuster

     Jessie Keyser lives in small-town Clifton, Indiana. Her family has settled in a village in the 1840s and they live the pioneering life. When a diphtheria outbreak begins to divide the citizens and there doesn't seem to be anything to help. Jessie's mother reveals they aren't really in 1840 Indiana.
     Mrs. Keyser reveals that Clifton is a settlement that recreates life in mid-nineteenth century America, they live in a tourist attraction. Now the children are ill and the owners refuse to provide adequate modern medical care - to preserve authenticity they claim.
     Jessie's mother, along with several other parents, fear for their families. Mrs. Keyser asks Jessie to leave Clifton and enter the modern world to find a cure. Jessie braves 1996 Indiana in search of Isaac Neeley. Along the way she almost loses the food and money her mother supplied, she is nearly captured by Clifton's armed guards, but Jessie escapes and finds Dr. Neeley.
     Neeley brings the overwhelmed teen to his apartment where he drugs her to kill her. Jessie manages to escape Neeley through a window and holds a press conference to get help from the general public. In the middle of the conference Jessie faints and it is discovered she too has diphtheria.
     Jessie is confused by the fantastic technology she encounters in the modern world, but she doesn't allow her amazement to distract her from her ultimate goal. With more and more of the true purposes behind Clifton Village coming to light the danger Jessie and the other families face becomes more apparent. Will she find help or will the children of Clifton run out of time?
     Older elementary readers and fans of both historical fiction and time travel will enjoy Margaret Peterson Haddix's Running Out of Time.

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.

A Whole New World

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell, 2015 Disney Press

     In distant Agrabah Aladdin is a streetrat running from Razoul the guard. When a beautiful young woman appears in the marketplace and very obviously doesn't belong Aladdin finds himself saving her from her own folly. The royal guard comes from the Royal Vizier Jafar to capture Aladdin and the girl is discovered to be the Princess Jasmine - who no one knew was missing.
     Aladdin is besotted with the girl only a little shocked at her identity. Thrown deep in the dungeons below the palace Abu the monkey comes to save Aladdin. They are startled by a strange old man who speaks of untold treasure. The trio leaves the palace through underground tunnels. Once outside they travel deep into the desert to the Cave of Wonders. The creepy old man keeps speaking with someone who isn't there, someone he calls Iago.
     At the cave Aladdin discovers a magical carpet which helps him find the dirty old lamp the old man sent him for. When Abu triggers the cave to self-destruct the carpet helps them to escape. But freedom is blocked by the old man. Once he has the lamp the old man becomes Grand Vizier Jafar and flings Aladdin from the entrance.
     The cave swallows Aladdin, Abu, and the carpet - they are trapped, but the streetrat fights to escape. Digging through the sand takes several days and the carpet flies Aladdin and Abu from the Cave of Wonders back to Agrabah where Jafar has used his first two wishes to become a powerful sorcerer and sultan. Jafar takes the opportunity to kill the sultan and makes plans to force Jasmine into marriage. She repeatedly rejects him and makes plans to escape.
     When Aladdin discovers the threat to the princes he is quickly swept into her orbit. Aladdin helps Jasmine meet her people and become a rebel leader in the fight against Jafar. As Agrabah becomes more and more restricted and families turn against each other Jasmine and her rebels find a foothold from which to launch their attack.
     Just as the Disney movie shows how the lamp changes Aladdin's life in helping him win the princess, this Twisted Tale shows how the story might have played out if Jafar kept the lamp. Aladdin and Jasmine find themselves at a turning point in Agrabah's future.