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R is Riese: Kingdom Falling, by Greg Cox (book review) – princess undercover, in danger

Apr21

book cover of Riese Kingdom Falling by Greg Cox published by Simon Schuster Books for Young ReadersWarring kingdoms,
A menacing cult,
Calm future shattered for this princess.

Riese doesn’t relish the tedium of running her kingdom some day, but she didn’t wish to become a fugitive with a price on her nearly 16-year-old head either. All because of a kiss?

Whether you’re already a fan of the Syfy.com series (all 10 webisodes free here) or new to the world of Eleysia, this steampunk-slash-fantasy is a journey into adventure you don’t want to miss.

And who wouldn’t want to have a telepathic wolf fighting on their side? Read chapter 1 here free.

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Book info:  Riese: Kingdom Falling / Greg Cox; concept by Ryan Copple and Kaleena Kiff. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2012. [author site]  [publisher site]  Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk:  On the run, Riese and her wolf try to save her royal family and kingdom from a strange mechanical cult bent on world conquest.

Meeting a young artist while away from the palace in servant guise is thrilling for Riese, who dreads becoming Crown Princess soon and losing her freedom to ride and explore.  His intentions toward her are honorable; toward her kingdom…no.

Intricate clockwork gifts presented to the royal family by the Sect cannot hide the grumbling of kingdoms destabilized by the harsh goddess’s followers, and soon Eleysia’s borders are threatened.

Will the mind-bond between Riese and wolf cub Fenrir endure?
Can Riese convince the Queen that alliance with the Sect is folly?
Will the King allow his warrior-daughter to fight alongside him?

Ancestral tradition battles malign technology in Riese: Kingdom Falling, an action-packed adventure as well as a prequel to the Syfy web video series.

Spies and Prejudice, by Talia Vance (book review) – girl undercover or under the radar?

Mar7

book cover of Spies and Prejudice by Talia Vance published by EgmontGuys aren’t only lying when their mouths are moving –
Berry’s surveillance photos for divorce cases prove it.
So she’ll never fall in love with anyone – too risky.

Listening devices and hidden videocameras are the tools of her trade, but Berry certainly never expected to overhear the cute new guy label her “nothing special” while she was on a stakeout!

Over 200 years after its publication, Pride and Prejudice  still inspires retellings of its story of misdirected love and misguided snobbery. Surely Jane Austen would admire Berry’s forthrightness, as well as exploding jeweled bracelets and micro-camera eyeglasses as vital articles of fashionable apparel!

Have you read any other inspired-by-the-classics or mash-up contemporary YA books lately?
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Book info: Spies and Prejudice / Talia Vance. Egmont, 2013.  [author site]  [publisher site]  [book trailer] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: Secrets and betrayal are nothing new to Berry, but the teen isn’t used to cute guys interfering with her undercover work.

Maybe it began when Tanner and his brother Ryan came to McHenry High, or when senior Drew started talking to Berry in the library, or when the woman who witnessed the accident which killed Berry’s mother eight years ago now says it wasn’t an accident…

Her high-tech genius best friend is falling for Ryan, Tanner tells Berry that she can’t trust Drew, and Drew says that Tanner and Ryan aren’t who they claim to be. Add in her first Homecoming dance and a mysterious letter from her mom addressed to someone who denies it – no wonder Berry is distracted during routine stakeouts for her dad’s private investigation firm.

Hidden identities and mixed messages are funny until they become deadly serious in this tale of espionage, romance, and the family business (with a nod to the Jane Austen classic).  (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)

Winner’s Curse, by Marie Rutkoski (book review) – a body is bought, the heart plots revolution

Mar4

book cover of Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski published by Farrar Straus GirouxShe loves music more than war – not the Valorian way.
He seeks bloodshed and revenge – not tastefully Herrani.
Master and slave, locked in a struggle that may destroy everything.

Somehow it’s no accident that a noted singer is being sold just as Kestrel and her best friend Jess arrive at the slave market in the newly-conquered Herrani city – or that being a slave in the Valorian General’s home is worth more to Arin than his own freedom. But love has a way of changing the best-plotted plans…

When the price is too low, the cost of keeping your purchase may be too high – that’s “the winner’s curse” and Kestrel will never have a chance to forget it.

This “Bridge of Snow” short story prequel at Tor.com will whet your appetite for Kestrel and Arin’s brutal, brilliant world, then chill your heart when you realize what’s about to unfold.

It’s publication day for The Winner’s Curse, so ask for it at your local library or independent bookstore now.

In this land so much like ancient Greece, can love conquer all?
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Book info: The Winner’s Curse (Winner’s Trilogy, book 1)  / Marie Rutkoski. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2014.   [author site]  [publisher site]  [book trailer] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: Soldier or wife – the only options open to Valorian young women. But the General’s daughter Kestrel lives for her music, a waste of time in their war-hardened society.

Death or slavery – all that remains for the Herrani people after the General’s successful invasion. Arin vows to give the occupiers a taste of their own barbaric ways.

Buy or sell – Kestrel didn’t plan to purchase a slave who could sing, to keep him when he refused.

Honor – the Valorians admire it above everything else.
Revenge – the Herrani want it totally, completely.

Win or lose – Kestrel can sense the right cards and the wrong play in Bite and Sting, but no gamble is the right one when she realizes how she feels about Arin, how he feels about her.

Masters, slaves, romance, rebellion – perhaps the gods of this ancient land have raised the stakes and are betting against either side winning…. (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)

A2Z Blog Challenge this year? My TBR shelf says yes!

Feb18

logo of A to Z Blog Challenge April 2014 Every spring, I agonize over whether or not to participate in the April AtoZ Blog Challenge.

Twenty-six posts in 26 days…

By no means impossible, but it sure is tough for me to get all the posts’ subjects to align with the A-through-Z daily schedule in April (we have Sundays off, thank God!).

However, my to-be-reviewed shelf of worthwhile reads is so overflowing that I  easily set aside 26 great books, each with a wee-bitty alpha tag, just waiting for April – and I still have scads more to write about in the meantime!

So yes, I’m committing myself to 26 A2Z posts in April again – third time’s a charm? See me at #785 on the AtoZ list?  (This will also help immensely with my pre-2014 books backlog as part of the Bookish blog TBR2014 Challenge)

Are you up for the Challenge too?
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Winter of the Robots, by Kurtis Scaletta (book review) – robots good, bad, on the loose!

Jan20

book cover of Winter of the Robots by Kurtis Scaletta published by Alfred A KnopfResearching urban otters instead of making fake robots,
Working with cute Rocky for the science fair,
Solving a mystery in snow-bound Minneapolis –
all great until something or someone attacks them!

The ‘keep out’ signs at the abandoned site are there for a reason, Jim, but staying out won’t keep the mysterious whatevers inside the fence!

Scaletta wrote about the deadly snake that Linus encountered at Mamba Point – is this new snow-cloaked peril even more dangerous?

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Book info: The Winter of the Robots / Kurtis Scaletta.  Alfred Knopf, 2013.  [author site]  [publisher site]  Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: Metal skritching, big clawprints in the snow – the abandoned tech site hides something scarier than Jim and his friends can imagine…and it’s ready to escape!

Maybe it awoke when Jim decided not to be genius Oliver’s sidekick for the 7th grade science fair. Or when their new partners’ ideas got Dmitri kidnapped and Rochelle stuck in the junkyard fence looking for otters. Or when the security cameras they borrowed from Jim’s dad spotted something moving way too fast in the Minneapolis snow to be an otter.

After the creatures chase them out of the old Half Street research site, Jim and Rocky decide to send in robots with cameras to figure out what’s going on, even if Oliver won’t help.

Robot competitions, school closed for snow days, pocket burgers – here’s Jim’s chance to impress Rocky, to uncover whatever is haunting Half Street, and to show Oliver that he can build robots, too…if the things don’t attack the science fair partners first!  (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)

Relic, by Heather Terrell (book review) – frozen secrets, fiery ambition

Jan15

book cover of Relic by Heather Terrell published by Soho TeenHumanity’s remnants dwell on a single Arctic island,
shunning the technology which led to Earth’s near-destruction by flood,
purposely bound by medieval rules more rigid than the ice Ringwall protecting New North.

Eva isn’t a meek Maiden, content to embroider and to make an advantageous marriage. She can’t leave her family’s honor Quest unfulfilled following her brother’s mysterious death – she must venture into the frozen wasteland outside the Aerie as the first female Testor in generations. To prevent her from succeeding, someone is willing to do anything…

Read a selection from the prequel novella Chronicle here, then rush to get Relic at your local library or favorite independent bookstore now – you won’t want to miss a chilling moment of Eva’s quest for answers.

Is technology still our tool, or has it become our master, as the Triad claims?
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Book info: Relic (Books of Eva,  book 1) / Heather Terrell. Soho Teen, 2013. [author site]  [publisher site]  [author interview video] Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: When her twin brother suddenly dies, Eva feels compelled to fulfill his Quest, despite all odds…and sabotage.

Eamon and the other Testors had long trained for the Boundary Land’s frozen challenges – discover a Relic, write its cautionary tale, earn respect in the Aerie where the words of Lex rule everything.

So Eva searches the Lex and finds a precedent which allows her to participate,
even though true Maidens know their place – at home,
even though the Triad elders grudgingly allow her to go – hoping that she fails,
even though Eva’s discovery in the ice may shatter her society’s foundation.

Their ring-walled city survived when technology’s evils doomed the world to die by flood, but can it survive the truth which Eva uncovers?  (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)

Palace of Spies, by Sarah Zettel (book review) – impersonation, extortion, treason!

Nov6

book cover of Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel published by Houghton Mifflin HarcourtDanger, passion, politics, treason,
strictest etiquette ruling every word and movement,
secrets upon secrets in the palace!

Laced tight into her gowns and her role, imposter and spy Peggy is treading on dangerous ground at court with every hand of piquet played and every meaningful glance from her sister ladies-in-waiting.

So much upheaval when Queen Anne died and left no clear successor – George of Hanover is now king of Protestant England, James Stuart the Catholic is sure he’s the true king, and spies in both their courts are trying to make sure the “right” king reigns.

Just published on Nov. 5th, Palace of Spies asks “How brave could you be if your country’s future was at stake?”
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Book info: Palace of Spies (Palace of Spies, book 1) / Sarah Zettel. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.  [author site]  [publisher site]  Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: Impersonating a lady-in-waiting is the least of the dangers awaiting Peg in King George’s court, as the orphaned teen must uncover a treasonous plot before the killer strikes again.

Nothing could prepare 16-year-old Peggy for the shock of being thrown bodily into the street when she refuses to marry the abusive man chosen by her guardian. As the poor cousin, she’s always been at the fringes of London society events, so now must accept “Mr. Tinderflint’s” offer of help, curious about how he knew her late mother.

How very odd! Her unladylike skill with languages will help Peg become Lady Francesca, a lady-in-waiting whom Princess Caroline thinks is recovering from a terrible illness. Evidently, no one knows that Fran died while away from the court, so Peg will step into her silk brocade shoes and continue spying in the palace! Dangerous times in 1761 England, as King George has been placed on the throne over James Stuart, who is still trying to become King.

Now Peg/Fran must balance not only her towering wig and court etiquette, but also the demands of Tinderflint’s partners for daily reports, the jealousy of other ladies-in-waiting, a handsome artist, and an unsuitable suitor with Stuart sympathies!

Can she keep fooling everyone in Hampton Court?
Which side of the royal dispute is Tinderflint on?
How can a Lady ever be with a mere artist?

Spies everywhere, coded messages in the woodwork, and no way to let her cousin know she’s still alive – Peggy has her clever hands full in this first book of the Palace of Spies series. (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)

Two Lies and a Spy, by Kat Carlton (book review) – spy family crisis, doubled

Oct25

book cover of Two Lies and a Spy by Kat Carlton published by Simon SchusterRendezvous point compromised,
agent contacts cease,
where are Mom & Dad?

Yep, spying runs in the family for Kari and Charlie, but something has gone terribly wrong with the pre-arranged emergency plan.

Much more serious than Ben’s tongue-in-cheek adventures at Spy School  and Spy Camp  (my reviews here and here) or Maggie’s undercover gig at a ritzy private high school in Also Known As  (review here), Two Lies and a Spy keeps you wondering what the lies are…and who’s telling them.

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Book info: Two Lies and a Spy / Kat Carlton. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2013.  [author site]  [publisher site]   Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: The code black message from her spy parents puts Kari on alert, but when their meet-up plans fail, the teen and her genius little brother are on the run – from their own government!

Kari doesn’t mind leaving school early (even if Luke and Evan the new British guy see her), but she’s concerned when other agents show up at the rendezvous site – her parents would never send someone else to pick up her and Charlie in this situation! After plans A, B, and C for their meet-up all go wrong, Kari is getting frantic with worry.

Her best friend Rita overheard her dad the senator say the Andrews are a now menace to the country. Luke’s dad is CIA director and let slip that her mom is in custody. Kari’s still trying to get in touch with Aunt Rita, the only family they have.

Desperate times, desperate plans – no way her folks are Russian double-agents!

Which are lies and what’s the truth?
Will Kari’s friends help find her parents?
Can she keep Charlie safe until they do?

A spy story with a twist, as Kari tries to ignore Evan’s flirting, stop daydreaming over Luke, and maintain a calm image for 7-year-old Charlie while staying clear of the CIA in the heart of Washington, D.C. (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)

Monster in the Mudball, by S.P. Gates (book review) – ancient hunger, on the loose!

Oct9

book cover of Monster in the Mudball by SP Gates published by Tu BooksTrapped for decades,
she awakens hungry,
violently hungry…

Every time ancient Zilombo is reborn, the monster from deep in an African lake has new and frightening powers that help her hunt – this time in England!

Try out three chapters for free here and you’ll be hooked as Jin, Frankie, and Mizz Z go after The Monster in the Mudball  along the Oozeburn River’s littered shores.

Do you hear the shivery jangle of a bottle cap anklet…  or is it just me?
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Book info:  Monster in the Mudball (An Artifact Inspector Book) / S. P. Gates. Tu Books, 2013.  [author biography]  [publisher site]  Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: A baby, a monster older than the world, and a mysterious inspector – Jin and Frankie need the last one to help them rescue the first one from the middle one, before Zilombo eats him!

No one would expect that dusty old ball of mud contained an African monster which would gladly eat anything, especially when the mudball had been high on a shelf in a small British house for 20 years. How the dried dirt became mud again, hatched out its oversize feet and huge-clawed hands, escaped from its exile just before the Inspector of Ancient Artifacts arrived on her annual inspection… Jin knows, and Mizz Z the inspector knows that his baby brother is in great danger if this Zilombo monster isn’t caught – soon!

After such a long imprisonment, ancient Zilombo needs food and a hiding place, so she runs toward the scent of water, finding a secret spot near the river and sniffing for the delicious scent of that Smiler baby – oh, how she will enjoy eating it!

Jin and Mizz Z are on Zilombo’s trail, recruiting big sister Frankie along the way, but they may be too late, as baby Smiler chooses this night to take his first steps at Grandma and Grandad Tang’s riverside house.

Why does Mizz Z know so much about this ancient monster?
What new powers does Zilombo have in her newest form?
Can Jin and Frankie really save their baby brother?

Wild adventure along the muddy banks of the deceptively calm Oozeburn River as Jin, Frankie, and Mizz Z try to recapture the monster with her jangling ankle bracelet of soda bottle caps before she strikes again.  (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)

Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant, by Tony Cliff (book review) – swashbuckling adventuress of 1807!

Aug28

book cover of Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant by Tony Cliff published by First Second Like Indiana Jones in the 1800s!
Except she’s a noblewoman,
and an expert swordfighter,
and has a much more “flexible” sense of honor.

Should this be your first meeting with Delilah Dirk, prepare yourself for miraculous escapes, gymnastic evasive maneuvers, and well-timed explosions.

Alas, the Agha of Constantinople did not believe the intelligence reports about her skills… but circumlocutious Lt. Selim still has his head to prove it’s all true.

Just published yesterday as a full-color graphic novel, this swashbuckling webcomic translates so well to the printed page – I had as much fun re-reading it to write this recommendation as I did the first go-round! Read 12 pages of Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant here and you’ll be hooked, too.

Here’s hoping that Delilah will have many more adventures for Canadian artist/author Tony Cliff to share with us (and that Lt. Selim can stand all the excitement).
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Book info: Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant / story and art by Tony Cliff. First Second Books, 2013. [Delilah site]  [author site]  [publisher site]  Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.

My book talk: The Agha’s court of Constantinople in 1807 is hardly the place for a genteel young lady, but then again, adventuress Delilah Dirk is clever, skillful at fighting, and not at all genteel. Just ask Lt. Selim after she rescues him from execution and launches the tea-master into dangerous adventures with her.

Yes, Delilah is related to half the royal families in Europe. Yes, she has trained in weaponry and personal fighting skills her whole life. No, Selim is not fond of flying in the air (how does her ship do that?) or riding horseback for days on end (sorry, bad pun) or being nearly killed by Zakul’s minions repeatedly after Delilah steals her uncle’s treasure back from the pirate warlord.

Delilah insists that she can accomplish this task without Selim – he’s seen her swordwork and knows she’s right. But since Selim owes her his life, he tries to be helpful on her headstrong mission, while brewing the best teas on the entire Aegean Peninsula or Greece or wherever else they land.

Can they ‘liberate’ the treasure?
Will Selim survive the attempt?
What else does Delilah have up her sleeveless flight gown?

This uproarious, mile-a-minute graphic novel adventure features stellar use of color to invoke moods, fantastic drawing that brings emotions and motion to life, and sound effects (GRABB! DODGE’D!) that put an original spin on classic-comics traditions.   (One of 6,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com)