"Warrior of Legend" by Kendare Blake

Warrior of Legend (Oct. 29, 2024) by Kendare Blake.

<This is the sequel novel in a duology.>

<Alert: Potential spoilers ahead.>

The Aristene of Glorious Death bears the name Machianthe, and her Areion is as headstrong and bitey as ever. But Machianthe is still Reed with a new title. She’s meant to guide only those heroes whose glory costs them their lives. She’s already given three lives within a year to the goddess Kleia Gloria, which is an unfathomable pace. Her fellow new Aristene and friend, Lyonene, is in Cerille, defying the goddess by falling in love with her hero. Aristene are meant to guide their heroes and move on, but she’s still with Prince Alsander trying to sneakily lead a coup against his own father. When Lyonene looks into the sacred well, she’s summoned to guide Princess Yngarue to a glorious marriage. She and Reed secretly arrange for Reed to go in her place, but instead of an easy mission as a matchmaker, one of Yngarue’s suitors is Hestion, whom Reed still loves. There’s also an enemy rising who’s a severe threat to the Aristene. Aethiel, the once-queen of Fennbirn Island, watches as her seafaring hero turns into a sea monster and is only able to kill him with her old magic, the magic she’d been born with long ago, when her Aristene magic is subdued. To defeat the enemy, the Aristene are going to need all the allies they can muster, including hotheaded Veridian, their apostate sister. Many Aristene and Areion will fall, but will the enemy, too?

            In a sisterhood of female warriors, there is no shortage of bloodshed and violence. There is a monstrous threat and monstrous gore comes with it. There is tension amongst the Aristene hidden in Atropa from a patriarchal world. Readers are rewarded with a strong, complex YA fantasy that is devastating and satisfying to read in equal measure. It’s grimly entertaining and isn’t without scattered sarcasm to alleviate some of the sequel story’s darkness. As someone who’s known a family horse for over three decades, I appreciate the Areion. Even bitey Silco! Blake’s once-queen of Fennbirn character makes me hopeful that there will someday be a story that connects the current queens of Fennbirn Island and the mighty Aristene.

            Book One: Champion of Fate

"Against the Darkness" by Kendare Blake

Against the Darkness (Apr. 9, 2024) by Kendare Blake.

<This is the final novel in a trilogy.>

<Alert: Spoilers possible.>

The Darkness is coming. That makes it sound like it’s a sentient, roiling mass of dangerous, dark matter or a foreboding, probably skeletal creature with horns and poisonous claws. Instead, the Darkness consists of rogue Slayers led by Aspen, a pretty Slayer who’s killed other Slayers and trapped more in a hell dimension. Her power of persuasion is so strong that she even has Hailey’s true empathy, as Hailey otherwise plays the role of rogue Slayer/ex-Scooby. Frankie Rosenberg, the world’s first Slayer-witch, is readying to confront the Darkness and bring Buffy and the others back from the alternate dimension amidst her usual demon patrols. Her Watcher, vampire-with-a-soul Spike, and her mom, Willow, care fiercely about bringing Buffy back. Willow’s obsession is such that she is at risk of turning dark again (The Black Grimoire/Book of Wants has got to go, but will it let Willow let it go?). Jake’s having a werewolf identity crisis, made more complicated when it turns out he’s been, um, biting his lacrosse teammates, and Sigmund’s heart is torn between Hailey, the person he loves, and doing what’s expected of his goody-two-shoes self by carrying on a relationship with another Sage demon like himself. The Scoobies are a gang holding on by a thread. Strained relationships and personal issues are piling up. Can Frankie be the Scooby gang leader her friends need her to be to defeat the Darkness once and for all? And what’s going on with the super-hot underwear model (a.k.a. Grimloch, the demon Hunter of Thrace)?

With this YA paranormal novel, the Buffy: The Next Generation series is complete. The darkness that the Darkness is plotting, the possibility of Willow going dark again and the upheaval in the lives of various main and supporting characters is offset by the sarcasm and wit splashed throughout. The contemporary setting with creatures of popular legend and monsters from the original storyline set up a tempting tale for anyone who enjoys adventure, fantasy and the paranormal and isn’t only for readers who are long-standing Buffy fans. This trilogy-ender is a word burrito of flavorful protagonists and antagonists set against a New Sunnydale backdrop and slathered in familiar Buffyverse lore (for those who are well-versed, which I’m admittedly not).

Book One: In Every Generation

               Book Two: One Girl in All the World

"Champion of Fate" by Kendare Blake

Champion of Fate (Sept. 19, 2023) by Kendare Blake.

<This is the first novel in a duology.>

Orphaned after the Ithernan slaughtered everyone else and taken as a sacrifice, it’s no wonder that Reed is all sharp edges and angry sides. She also bites, as does Silco (Silver and Combat), the colt that was also meant to be a sacrifice. Her small fury is noticed by Aster and Veridian, a current and former Aristene, respectively, an order of mythical female warriors. They follow Kleia Gloria, the goddess of glory. They’re immortal, but can be killed. They are the Heromakers. Growing up as the foundling and the favorite, she, Lyonene and Gretchen are training for their Hero’s Trial. They go to Atropa, the home and city of the Aristene, where Reed has been once before, as a small, furious child. Aster has been Reed’s mentor all these years, though Veridian is an apostate.
        Presiding over the Granting Ceremony are Ferreh (the mind) and Tiern (the teeth), the eldest of the Aristene, though they don’t look physically ancient. When she looks into the sacred well, she sees the same face she saw years before, but now she knows her hero is Prince Hestion of Glaucia, younger brother to Crown Prince Belden, and both the sons of King Arik. Glaucia’s king’s men are the fighting elite known as the Docritae. Hestion is handsome and infuriating in equal measure. Together with Crown Prince Alsander of Cerille (Lyonene’s hero), they will join forces to conquer Rhonassus, specifically, Roshanak, its capital. King Oreas cut off the Prophet of Scylloi’s (a.k.a. the Prophet of All) head. The battle looms close, and they discover how disturbed and twisted in mind Oreas has become. Reed learns her cost of pledging to become an Aristene. She has an impossible choice. Her hero or the Order who took her in when she had no one but a bitey colt?
        From the opening chapter, there is no calm in this epic fantasy, duology opener. There is violence, but it gives readers a clear history of Reed’s character. Blake has depicted the characters well, and the world-building gives enough imagery that readers’ imaginations can fill in extra details. The presence of these female warriors shows a strong bond and one as powerful as Wakanda’s Dora Milaje. This is a story at once about friendship and duty, tragedy and myth. There is feminine strength, but also adversity. While there are insinuations, there are no intimate scenes. The story is immersive and diverse, and I will so be there for its sequel.
        LOL lines: “When I die, the jar of my eyes belongs to you,” Sar pledged. “Along with my heart!” This, after Reed unintentionally saves him twice. Furthermore, Sar carries a funerary jar with him, for his eyes if he’s killed, as the Ithernan believe that the eyes hold the soul. To Hestion, they are warlike, but Reed only knows them as murderers.

"One Girl in All the World" by Kendare Blake

One Girl in All the World (Jan. 31, 2023) by Kendare Blake.

*This is the middle novel in a trilogy.*

New Sunnydale, the demon capital of the world, has been dormant since the Big Bad called the Countess. An unnamed Slayer has placed a “demon beacon” in the Hellmouth, meaning New Sunnydale’s going to again become a place of demons, dead people and darkness. Is the Darkness the next Big Bad? Soon enough, Frankie Rosenberg, the world’s first slayer-witch, the new Scoobies (werewolf Jake Osbourne, Sage demon Sigmund DeWitt, human/sister-of-a-Slayer Hailey Larsson) and the adults (werewolf Oz, vampire/Frankie’s Watcher Spike, witch/Frankie’s mom Willow), sometimes with Sarafina DeWitt the Great (Sigmund’s Sage demon mom) and Grimloch (the Hunter of Thrace or the “Hunter of Hotpants” per Spike), are inundated with demon battles. The demon beacon is calling to all demons, especially those familiar to that particular Hellmouth, including demons thought to be vanquished like the Turoc-Han. But who placed the beacon and why? Hailey’s sister, Vi, makes a reappearance, but she’s tight-lipped about her reasons for being there. Vi survived the explosion at the big slayer retreat. What does she know? The infamous Scythe returns; Frankie hasn’t seen it before and may have the urge to “run away with it into the mountains, where I would name it Scythey McScytheface and we would live together forever.” Not that she’d act upon that urge, but what might others do if they had possession of the Scythe?

            While I continue to have zero plans to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I have been thoroughly enjoying Blake’s Buffy: The Next Generation Series. The middle installment is a middle book, not because its writing is suffering, but due to further plot development versus plot resolution and character growth. It’s a propulsive story that contains gruesome action well-balanced with snark and humor, the highs and lows of romantic relationships and a whodunit? vibe. The story includes racial diversity and queerness. This center story in a trilogy expects readers to have knowledge of the previous one, but extensive knowledge of the Buffyverse is not required (which is good, because I doubt I know 1% of what there is to know about that world). The story is entertaining and the sort of teen dramatic that I would expect from a YA novel. Now, go off and train, Potentials. And if anyone notices the smell of herbs, ozone and scorched sugar in the air, know that you’ve encountered a distinctly magical smell. Also, beware of “stupid hot demons.” Happy slaying and keep your slaydar sharp.

            Two of many lines that made me laugh: “Whatever it is,” he growled, “I will kill it quickly. And I will kill it extra, for the interruption!” --Grimloch to Frankie re: a demon (p. 282)

            Book One: In Every Generation

Rutabaga's Reads 2022: Part 19

Despite the amount of YA novels I read each year, this is only my second YA compilation post in 2022. This is because I have published multiple solo posts to balance the number of inspirational fiction solo posts on The Reading Rutabaga.

In Every Generation (Jan. 4, 2022) by Kendare Blake.

*This is the first novel in a series.*

The previously-destroyed-by-Buffy Hellmouth may be leaking … residue. And there’s a new Big Bad in New Sunnydale called the Countess, and she has a penchant for virgins’ blood. Buffy can take her out, right? Maybe, if Frankie Rosenberg (daughter of Willow) knew if Buffy was alive. After a bombing at Slayerfest, the fate of all Slayers is in question, except for the dead Slayers that were actually found. Frankie finds her Slayer abilities awakening, but she isn’t any regular Slayer, as she also possesses some magical ability thanks to her mom. The new Scoobies include fellow teens Jake Osbourne (werewolf), Hailey Larsson (whose Slayer half-sister, Vi, hasn’t been seen since the bombing) and Sigmund DeWitt (a Sage demon, but only half, as his father is human). (Also, Sigmund DeWitt isn’t his real name, but it’s “the closest thing most people can manage.”) Her Watcher is the vampire, Spike, and Jake’s uncle-cousin, Oz, is there to help fight, too. (Oz is his cousin, but Jake calls him uncle because he’s “too old to be my cousin.”) Don’t count out Willow just because she hasn’t used magic since before Frankie was born and Grimloch, the Hunter of Thrace, may show himself to be an ally despite his fondness for eating hearts. Hailey hasn’t given up hope that Vi is alive as Frankie wonders how she can be a Slayer the likes of Buffy. That’s what she must learn, though, that she isn’t like Buffy. She’s the first of her kind, the first Slayer-witch.

            As someone who never got into the Buffy the Vampire series, I was skeptical about this book. I purchased it because I’m a steady fan of Blake’s stories, and I’m glad I did. While I’ve heard of some of the key characters, I’m not familiar with the Buffyverse, so I greatly appreciated the background and additional context which those already familiar might find redundant. The amount of quipping and humor gave the YA novel comic relief to balance the grimness of death and the intensity of suddenly having the world (or at least New Sunnydale) on one’s shoulders. The story sets a fast pace right away with lots of action, a wicked villain with an equally vicious right-hand henchman in Anton (who’s obsessed with hot pokers) and that cheeky banter. The story ended on a satisfying note while also setting readers up for future installments. I expect that Buffy aficionados and supernatural fans alike will enjoy the start of this new series. I may not know the original Buffy series, but it sure reads like a worthy successor to me!

Once Upon a Broken Heart (Sept. 28, 2021) by Stephanie Garber.

*This is the first novel in a trilogy (originally marketed as a duology).*

Does the broken heart belong to Evangeline Fox when the love of her life, Luc Navarro, betrays her by abruptly proposing to her stepsister, Marisol Tourmaline, or to the Prince of Hearts (a.k.a. Jacks), a Fate whose wicked heart toys with the hearts of others, even as he’s rumored to have a true love who isn’t reciprocating? For forever, Evangeline has believed in “love at first” and happy endings. So when Luc suddenly proposes to another, Evangeline is desperate to stop the impending nuptials. She’s so desperate that she makes a bargain with a Fate. Fates won’t break bargains, but they often hurt those they’re supposedly helping. The Prince of Hearts is immortally alluring and gracefully charismatic, but he’s also the wicked bad boy one’s parents should never want their daughters to fall for (or sons). In exchange for his help, he asks for three kisses, to be granted at the time and place that he chooses. He will also choose the three she kisses, because while the kisses may be somehow for Jacks, they aren’t with him (to kiss him is lethal to anyone but his true love). When Evangeline and Marisol venture from their home in the Meridian Empire to the Magnificent North, where her late mother grew up, and she sees Jacks, she soon realizes that Jacks has plans. Will Evangeline get her happy ending? Or will she be led along a deliciously exquisite tragedy orchestrated by the Prince of Hearts?

            Set in the world of the Caraval trilogy, Garber returns readers to a magical land of enchantment, heady romance and messy choices with a heroine with rose-gold hair and a heart for happy endings. Reading Garber’s stories is like wandering through a richly-imagined fairy tale of charm and danger, lush world-building and a roiling plot, twists and tangles, deceit and wishes. Although the writing is decadent and shimmers with magic and the author’s sparkly imagination, it’s at times verbose, like a dessert that contains too much sugar. It can also read as sometimes frothy, but with themes of family influence and holding onto one’s beliefs, it also contains depth. Overall, it’s a well-paced story of romance, adventure and bewitching mystery, though I wish there was some diversity amongst the major characters.

            Caraval Book One: Caraval

            Caraval Book Two: Legendary

            Caraval Book Three: Finale

Six Crimson Cranes (July 6, 2021) by Elizabeth Lim.

*This is the first novel in a duology.*

The youngest of seven and the only daughter of Kiata’s emperor (Emperor Hanriyu), Princess Shiori’anma is a 16-year-old who has the gift of magic in a world where magic is forbidden. On the day of her betrothal ceremony to Bushi’an Takkan, Shiori tries to prevent the ceremony from happening in an unexpected way: she follows her enchanted paper bird, Kiki, into the Sacred Lake, coming face-to-face with a small dragon as she almost drowns. In human form, the shape-shifter is 17-year-old dragon prince Seryu. He’s arrogant, but offers Shiori magic lessons, having been drawn to her magic. Unfortunately, Shiori’s magic also captures the attention of Raikama, her stepmother. Raikama is secretly a sorceress, and she’s a powerful woman, banishing Shiori and turning her six brothers into cranes (Andahai, Benkai, Reiji, twins Wandei & Yotan and Hasho). She forewarns Shiori that she must never speak, for if she does, she’ll lose a brother with every word she utters. Without voice, without money and with naught but a bowl that is so enchanted to her head it might as well be fused to it to hide her face, Shiori leaves Kiata alone, intending to find her brothers. With her brothers as cranes and Shiori banished, Kiata appears to have zero heirs, and a conspiracy to seize the throne is uncovered. She’ll have to find a way to keep the kingdom she can’t currently be in with the help of a little paper bird, a mercurial dragon and the boy whose letters she ignored and has fought hard not to marry.

            “Six Crimson Cranes” blends story elements from East Asian lore (like the legend of Chang E) and European fairy tales (like Cinderella​) in a wonderfully crafted YA mash-up that feels original in a sea of twisted fairy-and-mythology-based tales (and I happen to be a fan of both). The first novel in a duology of the same name, Lim crafts a richly embroidered story of interwoven tales and mythology, an intricate plot that challenges the evil stepmother cliché, magic, adventure and a protagonist who has grit and determination despite the odds that are stacked against her. This duology takes place in the same world as the Blood of Stars​ duology. It explores complicated family dynamics and the story sweeps readers along with every turn of the page.

            Regarding starstroke: “Dragons had not always been omens of good fortune.” When they answered to no one, not even the gods, the gods came together to temper their strength and “forged starstroke from a trio of magics: strands of fate from the goddess Emuri’en’s hair; the blood of stars from Lapzur, the source of an enchanter’s power; and demonfire scoured from the Tambu Isles, birthplace of demons” (pp. 149-150).

            The Blood of Stars Book One: Spin the Dawn

            The Blood of Stars Book Two: Unravel the Dusk

"All These Bodies" by Kendare Blake

All These Bodies (Sept. 21, 2021) by Kendare Blake.

*This is a standalone novel.*

It’s 1958. There are 16 bloodless bodies over four Midwest states, the final occurring in [fictitious] Black Deer Falls, Minnesota. The Carlson family, minus the toddler, have been found murdered. Throats slit, drained of blood, no sign of a struggle. In the middle of it all stands a 15-year-old girl covered in the victims’ blood. Her name is Marie Catherine Hale. 17-year-old Michael Jensen is the son of the local sheriff and an aspiring journalist. Marie agrees to recount her tale, but she’ll only tell Michael, because “he’s the only one who’ll  believe me.” But will he? Marie weaves a tale that is the stuff of legend. And yet, it makes sense. Doesn’t it?

            Right away, when I read of “bloodless bodies,” I immediately thought to myself that this is a vampire story. And that people dub them the “Bloodless Murders” or the “Dracula Murders” only seems to strengthen that theory. But the thing is, fictional as this tale is, it reads like a true crime story. I didn’t love the story, as I thought it lacked some of the gothic horror I’ve come to expect from Blake, but this remains a well-crafted, YA novel. She includes in her Author’s Note that inspiration was taken, in part, by an actual string of murders that also occurred in 1958 throughout the states of Nebraska and Wyoming. That killing spree left 11 dead. The murdered Carlson family was inspired by the murders of the Clutter family in 1959 (not related to the 1958 killing spree). For parents or teachers of advanced readers, they may like knowing that there is no romantic twist to the story, but may still hesitate to recommend it due to the macabre plot. If you’ve never read a story by Blake, I wouldn’t read this one first. Ask me to recommend something else instead!

"Five Dark Fates" by Kendare Blake

Five Dark Fates (Sept. 3, 2019) by Kendare Blake.

(Spoilers included, but nothing beyond what the jacket cover says.)

The line of queens is ending. Katharine’s reign as Queen Crowned continues, but it isn’t without threat, including the threat within herself. The dead queens roil within and can make their diseased presence known in very grotesque fashion. They want control, and they want Mirabella and her exceptional elemental gift (she’d be a powerful vessel), who’s arrived because Katharine asked her to. Katharine wants to be simultaneously suspicious of her and have the sisterly bond that Mirabella and Arsinoe share. Mirabella does not seem to have nefarious plans where Katharine is concerned; she isn’t trying to usurp the throne, so why is she there? Is it really because she’s just being a good older sister? (Mirabella is the oldest of the triplets. Katharine is the youngest.)

            Arsinoe can’t believe that Mirabella would leave the rebellion to side with Katharine, although everyone else tends to believe the worst of Mirabella. But Arsinoe’s got her work cut out for her. Jules’s legion curse is unbound, and Arsinoe must find a cure. The rebellion doesn’t know what’s all going on with Jules, but they are losing focus and people are leaving without the presence of their Legion Queen. Will Arsinoe find a cure? Can the Legion Queen be bound? Or will the rebellion unravel and the Undead Queen Crowned reign without contest, remaining unable to defeat the Mist that swallows who it wants and litters the ground with body parts?

            “Five Dark Fates” is a YA fantasy novel that’s a little bit horror and a lot of bit darkness and civil war in this series-ending novel of the Three Dark Crowns series. While not a massively thick tome, it is a massively epic story. The line of queens is going to end somehow, and it is going to be graphically violent, bloody and dark. Torture, madness, power-hungry dead and killing mist are never far behind. This story and the entire series isn’t about power and violence without depth; it is a complex quartet featuring complicated characters, at least a couple of which I’ve both hated and sympathized with at varying points. Despite their often violent actions, these are characters that do love, twisted and broken as they usually are in Fennbirn’s matriarchal society. There is great depth, and a blockbuster-worthy battle is inevitable. What there isn’t is a happy ending, though the series ended where it needed to.

            Book One: Three Dark Crowns (no post)

            Book Two: One Dark Throne

            Book Three: Two Dark Reigns

            Companion Novel: Queens of Fennbirn

Rutabaga's Reads 2019: Part 6

See?  I read a lot of YA (young-adult) novels. I wasn’t kidding about that. These few extra books represent only a small number of my YA collection, but it’s something.

Heartless (Nov. 8, 2016) by Marissa Meyer.

*This is a standalone novel.*

Before she was all “Off with their heads!,” the Queen of Hearts was Lady Catherine Pinkerton, daughter of the Marquess and Marchioness of Rock Turtle Cove. What Cath wants the most is something her parents would never approve of for a lady of her station and that is to bake. She’d gladly spend her own marriage dowry to open a bakery selling banana-butterscotch cobblers and lemon tarts and whatever else she and Mary Ann, her servant, desired. Their delectable pastries would be the best in the land. But her mother, Lady Idonia Pinkerton, has her sights set on Cath becoming queen. Unfortunately for Cath, her talent at creating delectable pastries has brought her favoritism from the unmarried king. The stress of an impending marriage proposal is enough to send her into fits. The new Joker – named Jest – is there for her in such a moment. He is handsome and mysterious and magical. Impossible is his specialty. They begin a secret courtship that is often interrupted by the king and the presence of a Jabberwock, the latter of which hasn’t been seen in countless generations, and it cannot be slain without the mythical Vorpal Sword. Cath will make her own path – choose her own fate. But that’s the thing about fate; it’s fickle, and in a land of madness, magic and monsters, what you want is certainly not what you’ll get.

            For anyone looking to read a fractured fairy tale, “Heartless” is the book for you if you haven’t read it already. Although not the best story I’ve ever read, it was a spirited read nonetheless. Meyer has some impressive world-building in this story with characters we are familiar with (e.g. Mad Hatter, Cheshire) and provides parallels to Lewis Carroll’s stories, while creating a showpiece entirely her own. I’ll admit that I do enjoy stories like this when they’re written well: you know, taking an antagonist (who’s “misunderstood”) and giving us a story showcasing how or why that character ended up the way he/she did. There isn’t a high level of danger in this story, but it’s an adventure all the same.

Mortal Engines (Oct. 21, 2003 – 1^st Amer. Ed.) by Philip Reeve.

*This is the first book in a tetralogy.*

The great Traction City of London under Lord Mayor Magnus Crome is up to something. Tier Three Apprentice Historian Thomas Natsworthy knows nothing of it, but Hester Shaw does. Tom meets Hester when she tries to kill Head Historian Thaddeus Valentine. But Valentine has shown him nothing but respect, and he can think of no reason for anyone to think ill of him. Plus, it’s his daughter, Katherine, whose pretty face fills his dreams of heroism. She’s out of reach as a Tier One. Life as a Tier Three Apprentice isn’t anything to brag about, but it’s a sight better than landing in Out-Country, which is where he finds himself with Hester. It’s a messy, muddy, tiring trek. They encounter Anna Fang, an aviatrix, Shrike, a Stalker/Resurrected Man that wants to kill them, and Chrysler Peavey, a pirate-mayor, to name a few. They want to make it back to London for very different reasons: Tom, because it’s home, and Hester, because she still plans to kill Valentine. Unfortunately, if Tom believes Hester, Magnus Crome and London are planning something atrocious. Can Tom and Hester save London? Can they even save themselves?

            It’s a town eat town world out there (literally) in landscapes where static cities are not the norm, and traction cities are. I really liked the premise of the first of four books in the Mortal Engines series. An entire city on wheels? What a concept! Like the Traction City of London going full-steam ahead, this YA dystopian steampunk novel never ceases its forward motion. The story is an adventure from start to finish, but no part of the adventure is fun or relaxing. The tone of the story feels very bleak. The air’s as thick with tension as the Deep Gut is with roiling heat. If the author’s intent was to express the seriousness of towns lacking resources (like lumber and metal) and the animalistic way in which traction cities pursue towns they want to devour, Reeve succeeded. If he wanted to express the bleakness through the harshness of the Out-Country and the life-hardened characters they encounter or the hard truth that Katherine turns up or the savagery, avarice and unethical treatment of people (including corpses), Reeve succeeded. I realize it’s a tough environment all around, except for, perhaps, the Top Tier, but I would’ve liked a supporting character with even the smallest of roles to provide occasional bursts of comic relief to break up all the despair. As interesting a tale as this is, I don’t currently plan to read the rest of the series.

Two Dark Reigns (Sept. 4, 2018) by Kendare Blake.

*This is the third book in a tetralogy.*

The island is calling. But this island is no sunshiny getaway in a beachfront hotel with one’s own personal lanai and umbrella drinks. This is Fennbirn Island. Arsinoe has been having vivid dreams. She is living scenes from the past, all the way back to the Blue Queen (a.k.a. Queen Illiann), but the dreams are from the perspective of Daphne, a mainlander of Centra. Arsinoe and her sister, Mirabella, have made it to the mainland with William “Billy” Chatworth Jr. and are staying with his family. Arsinoe and Mirabella do not belong, and so far from Fennbirn, their gifts are weak at best.

            The Queen Crowned is also whispered to be the Undead Queen. The people do not like Katharine. She’s just another poisoner queen in a long line of arrogant, selfish poisoner queens, who don’t care for the people, brought up by the Arron family. Her king-consort is no longer with her, but Arron relative Pietyr Renard still is. There is rumor of one who would attempt to steal her throne, one with the Legion Curse, born with two gifts. It is said that she has gifts as strong as the triplet queens, but is even stronger as she’s twice-gifted. On top of that, the mist is taking people from the island. Katharine cannot discern why the mist leaves some and lets them pass through while taking others and ripping them apart (yes, messy).

            Jules Milone is a naturalist; her familiar is Camden, a mountain cat. She’s also war-gifted, though it has been bound. She is Legion Cursed, and it is called as such because those touched by two gifts have historically gone mad. It was said she should be drowned at birth, but her mother, Madrigal, would not allow that, so she bound her war gift, which suppressed it for a long time. Madrigal bound it with low magic, which is not acknowledged as an acceptable practice by the temple. But it works, for Jules hasn’t gone mad (yet).

            “Two Dark Reigns” is Book 3 (of 4) in Blake’s Three Dark Crowns series. Blake has created characters so distinct that, even with the multiple perspectives, you never mistake one character’s POV for another. Her brilliant writing is a fast-paced delirium that is as exquisite as it is disturbing. From wind in one’s hair (guided by an elemental, of course) to blood soaking into the snow (blame the mist), this story has a little bit of everything. Just don’t expect any happy, gooey feelings. The ties that bind to kill remain, even if Katharine wants to convince herself that Arsinoe and Mirabella met their demise when they left the island. But it isn’t always Katharine as herself that wants to kill … With a Queen Crowned, a potential usurper and a malevolent mist, no ties are binding. Death has already come and destruction might be happening. Good luck reigning over that!

            Book One: Three Dark Crowns

            Book Two: One Dark Throne

            Companion Novel: Queens of Fennbirn

Rutabaga's Reads 2019: Part 1

While I was slightly better in 2018 in keeping up with my blog, it remains apparent that I haven’t focused enough on YA novels, which is the age category that I read the most. I aim to do better this year.

            While I did do a post late last month showcasing a YA duology, this is my first YA compilation of 2019 featuring titles that are parts of sequential series in which I’m already a fan. No new-to-me authors in this batch.

Assassin of Truths (Feb. 6, 2018) by Brenda Drake.

*This is the final book in a trilogy.*

Somewhere along the way, Gia Kearns became Gianna Bianchi McCabe, Sentinel. Her childhood friend has been abducted, and she’s seen loved ones die. She needs to protect the one who can defeat the Tetrad, but before that can happen, she needs to retrieve seven Chiavi (Chiave, singular) hidden in the great libraries of the world. To a reader, gateway access to all of the world’s libraries sounds like a dream, but the gateways harbor astonishing dangers. And danger always seems to find Gia. Furthermore, there is a disease spreading. Nana Kearns is developing a cure. The corrupted Wizard Council doesn’t want the cure given to those in the Mystik world, but many wizards and Sentinels in the havens have banded together to save the Mystiks. This includes Gia and her wizard-betrothed Bastien Renard, but does not include former love interest Arik Baine. They traverse many places through tunnels and realms, gateways and libraries, including Tír na nÓg (the faery realm), before facing off against an evil Master Wizard.

            I have really enjoyed this entire trilogy. This urban fantasy has been chock full of magic, wizards and Sentinels with mystical abilities (I want a battle globe). It contains good and bad, light times and sadness, fights for life and fights to the death. Drake strengthened the plot with heroic characters, probably all of them good-looking (even the non-human ones), but with characteristics we related to or rooted for. Also, libraries! And traveling to libraries through gateway books!

            Now, where is my Sentinel gear?

                        Book One: Thief of Lies

                        Book Two: Guardian of Secrets

Just Dreaming (May 2, 2017) by Kerstin Gier.

*This is the final book in a trilogy.*

Nobody is safe, not even in dreams, but who would go into someone’s dream to manipulate that person? And how would someone obtain such a disturbing ability, much less put it in motion three times? Is it Anabel Scott, in whom there’s no secret that she has psychological issues? Or is it Arthur Hamilton, ex-friend of Henry Harper and Grayson Spencer, who probably also has psychological issues? It looks like it’ll be up to Liv Silver to uncover clues, solve the mysteries and battle bad guys. Henry and Grayson will help, though Grayson takes some convincing, and Jasper Grant has apparently done away with all of the dream nonsense. Romance is stressing Liv out, a gossipmonger-of-a-blogger continues to spread tittle-tattle while remaining unidentified, her mother’s planning a wedding and at least one wicked classmate is set on revenge. It’s too bad that Liv can’t escape in slumber, because malicious intent may lurk there as well …

            Overall, I enjoyed this story. The ending was conclusive and satisfying; before the very end, Secrecy is identified. I wish I could go off and explore dream corridors as several of these characters have done through The Silver Trilogy, but without the threat of imagined demons or deluges of strange feathers or crossing paths with a nemesis or people I simply don’t care for. The one grievance I have with the story regards Liv Silver’s possible “first time.” It doesn’t add anything to the overall plot, nor does it help carry the story. I actually thought those scenes in which she’s worrying about her first time slowed the story down. The story is otherwise fast-moving and imaginative. I like the rapport between sisters, and I want someone like Lottie to be my neighbor, for I’d go over to her house every day to eat whatever delicious baked goods she’d whipped up that day!

One Dark Throne (Sept. 19, 2017) by Kendare Blake.

*This is the second book in a series.*

The Quickening showed the queens and the populace that the future Queen Crowned is not as certain as it once seemed. As powerful as Mirabella has always been, even she quakes at Arsinoe’s supposed familiar. She also thinks that Arsinoe has betrayed her and is preparing to fight her. Arsinoe has discovered a secret, but no one outside of her best friends Juillenne “Jules” Milone and Joseph Sandrin know. She must decide if she can use this to her advantage. Katharine, once viewed as the weakest of the triplet queens, is curiously stronger than ever before, now ingesting poison at every meal. The suitors have arrived to be hosted by the queens. They know that only the Queen Crowned will choose a king-consort. William “Billy” Chatworth Jr. has been summoned to Rolanth as Mirabella’s royal taster “on pain of disinheritance,” but it’s no secret that he favors Arsinoe. The queens must watch from all sides. To let one’s guard down for an instant could mean poison in one’s tea, a poisoned bolt in the back, a perfect lightning strike or a mauling by a bear. Whether the pictured threats are real or imagined doesn’t matter, for anything is possible in an Ascension year.

            Part of the Three Dark Crowns series, “One Dark Throne” is a rich, inventive fantasy that is intensive and brutal, yet I’m rather addicted to the series and Blake’s YA novels in general. Despite the darkness expected of them, the triplet sister-queens are each noteworthy. The humanity which lies within – obvious in one or two, less so in the third – is easily overshadowed by the violence. But the violence within the story is wrought by a plot that is complex and twisted. The world-building is exceptional and the details are as radiant as they are deadly. The cliffhanger ending has me practically foaming at the mouth in anticipation of the next installment, and Blake has a wondrous twist in the story – a Beltane Begot – and it’ll be so intriguing to see where that story leads. Don’t let the lurking darkness of the novel steer you toward only dark thoughts. Because even with Blake’s dark writing, her story is luminous. This isn’t a sisterhood I’d want to be born into, but it’s a sisterhood all the same. Except this one has ties that bind … to kill.

                        Book One: Three Dark Crowns

                        Companion Novel (physical form): Queens of Fennbirn

Rutabaga's Reads 2018: Part 4

Always feel free to agree otherwise, but I feel like companion novels have become quite popular. I never got into them when they were featured as e-books you could purchase; I didn’t even own a tablet until one of my tech-savvy brothers gave me one a couple Christmases back. But when they are released as physical companion novels, I read them when they’re from series that I have followed/am following. A few are featured below.

            Please note that publication dates refer to the physical book and not the e-book, if an e-book was its first manifestation.

From Percy Jackson: Camp Half-Blood Confidential (May 2, 2017) by Rick Riordan.

Like navigating a new school for the first time, arriving at demigod training camp can be overwhelming. Sure, it probably beats surviving outside the magically protective border of Camp Half-Blood by yourself trying to outrun and outwit monsters that are attempting to kill you. Oh, wait. You’ll have to do that in camp, except it’s okay, because you have fellow campers trying to do the same thing, and it’s under the guise of training. Not helping? Ah, well. This guide is a demigod’s real source of what to expect at Camp Half-Blood under the guidance of Percy Jackson and with help from others, including his girlfriend (Annabeth), assorted friends and Pete the Palikos. You will learn the answers to important questions such as “‘Face death?’ Am I going to die?” and “What is an omphalus*?” Also, yes, fine, the god Apollo plays an important role in this companion novel.**

            It may be that Riordan employed the use of “extra-dimensional construction to create impossibly deep storage,” for there is far more wit and humor than one might think possible for such a slim volume. As it is a “guide,” it reads as such with delineated sections and subtitles within those sections. If you’re like me and like stopping in between chapters, this volume, if time doesn’t allow you to read it in one sitting, makes it easy to pause. This companion novel complements the Trials of Apollo series and is a lively extra to read while waiting for the next installment from Riordan.

* If you are the first to respond in the Comments section with the definition of omphalus, you win a card. But only if I happen to have your mailing address. If you are the second Commenter – or beyond – on this post, I may still send you a card (A) if I have your mailing address and (B) if I have extra cards.

** Credit given to Apollo so that this post’s author does not spontaneously combust when he is in godly form again.

Night of Cake & Puppets (Sept. 12, 2017) by Laini Taylor.

   Jim Di Bartolo, illustrator.

Small but mighty. That is Karou’s best friend, Zuzana, affectionately nicknamed the “rabid fairy.” On a tall day, Zuzana stands just under five feet, but don’t let her size sway you into a false sense of safety. Zuzana is as fierce as they come with a personality to fit (cigarette-butt-flavored coffee anyone?). But her personality isn’t the focus here. What she wants is to sweep Violin Boy (his name is Mik, and he really does play the violin; they both work at the Marionette Theater of Prague) off his feet, not in a milquetoast, I-will-bat-my-eyelashes-and-wait-for-you-to-come-calling sort of way, but in a ready-or-not-here-I-come sort of way. And she has a handful of scuppies on hand. In other words, she has a handful of magic wishes at her disposal, and she’s got a plan. Rabid fairy with a plan? Watch out, Violin Boy!

            While I did have qualms about wanting to read this book, it’s a companion novel to an impressively fantastical trilogy, and also, I needn’t have worried. Taylor has a way of writing that is as beautiful as it is creative. Instead of worrying about sappiness so sweet that it detracts the biggest sweet tooth, I read about the treasure hunt that Mik went on to find Zuzana, his treasure, the ‘X marks the spot,’ and the magic she used to help him wonder and believe (think “peacock footprints”). This companion novel to the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy is imaginative, snarky, magical and, yes, romantic.

            Fun fact (if you don’t know): The illustrator is the author’s husband.

Queens of Fennbirn (Apr. 3, 2018) by Kendare Blake.

In The Young Queens, there is something of a glimpse into the childhood journey of Mirabella, Arsinoe and Katharine. From birth to 13 years old, the young queens age closer to the teenagers first introduced in “Three Dark Crowns.” Triplet queens are born every generation when the Goddess decides it is so. From birth, Mirabella’s gift is strong, whereas the gifts of Arsinoe and Katharine feel weak. It is clear to outgoing Queen Camille (who leaves the island now that the triplets are born, never to see them again) that Mirabella will one day be the Queen Crowned. After spending their first six years together in the Black Cottage with Willa, the midwife, they are separated out to be raised within cities populated by those with related gifts. Those cities are Roland, Indrid Down and Wolf Spring. They are the elemental, poisoner and naturalist cities, respectively.

            The Oracle Queen showcases Queen Elsabet. Reigning 500 years before the newest queens, she was dubbed the “mad oracle.” It is said that she demanded the execution of three houses, along with a maid, for no reason. Strangely, all three houses and her maid were those she considered allies and a few were her best friends. Interesting, yes? To get the full picture of how Queen Elsabet allegedly went mad, this is a go-to account. There’s another Arron woman to be leery of (I don’t trust any Arrons), a war-gifted on the Black Council who’s jealous of a fellow war-gifted who’s commander of Elsabet’s Queensguard, and a despicable king-consort.

            A novella comprised of two short stories, there is new back-story if you already follow the trilogy. As in the first books of Blake’s latest trilogy, there is darkness of plot, and it is executed marvelously. The darkness festers and all manner of things come to light: anger, madness, rancor, jealousy and even loneliness. In seeing the young queens as children, we picture them when once they were of innocence and cared for each other. We see two of them struggle with their weak gifts. With Elsabet, we see chaos reign, though it isn’t all of her own doing. This is a sharp companion and a good addition to one’s Three Dark Crowns novels.

"Antigoddess" by Kendare Blake

Antigoddess (Sept. 10, 2013) by Kendare Blake.

The thing we grow up hearing about mythology – whether it’s Greek or Egyptian or Norse (and on and on) – is that gods are immortal. As in, undying and everlasting. Right? But what about a present time when the [Greek] gods are dying? Persephone’s already passed on. Understandable, as she was already half-dead as queen of the underworld. Her mother, the goddess of the harvest (or agriculture), is not yet dead, but she’s stretched thin, as she’s “used as the earth is used.” Athena, ever the goddess of wisdom and strategy (highly useful in battle situations), isn’t about to die lying down. She’s trying to stop this twilight of the gods. It’s mostly selfish, though, because who wants to fight feathers? The messenger god Hermes is with her. Known for thievery and not for courage, he’s a flight risk, though not literally a flight risk right now since he doesn’t have the strength to fly. Winged sandals aren’t going to help him now!

            Cassandra Weaver is an ordinary high school student. Well, sort of ordinary. She wins at coin tosses every time and sometimes has visions of the future. Her boyfriend, Aidan Baxter, loves this about her, and she totally loves him. And what’s not to love? Aidan is fun-loving, reassuring, gorgeous and wholly dedicated to Cassandra. But Cassandra has a past she doesn’t remember. In that past, she was a great prophetess, but back then, her ability was far more a curse than a gift. Cassandra doesn’t realize this, even though she’s been “seeing” bloody and violent things lately. Aidan is there to comfort her, and her best friend, Andie Legendre, and brother, Henry, are nearby, too. What is the meaning of her visions? Why are they happening now? What does it all mean?

            Anyone who keeps one type of image in mind regarding Greek mythology better avoid this book. Just forewarning you. While weak, the gods still have power, but the virgin goddess depicted in a toga is far from the punk Athena in this young adult novel. There are so many questions, as this is the first in a new series, but this kick-off book is very well-imagined. The humor is often wry, which only makes the book more enjoyable to read: “It was rude to stomp your aunt, no matter how dire the situation.” “Antigoddess” is a thrilling adventure of mythology, love, gore and the process of dying. It’s also about discovering one’s true self, though Cassandra’s case is far more unusual than ours would be, as hers is of a supernatural sort. It’s not a depressing book (well, maybe a little); it has suspense and prowess, good and bad. Oh, and Greek tragedy, of course! (For those concerned, there are also scattered expletives.)

            As someone who read this book and is also a fan of Rick Riordan’s mythology-based  books (e.g. Percy Jackson), I want to note how different they are. And rightly so. First off, Riordan’s novels, while enjoyed by a wide age-range, are still considered middle grade. Blake’s “Antigoddess” is young adult with a touch of horror. Riordan’s books are far more kid-friendly than Blake’s. Both authors write great books, but please don’t insult them by trying to compare them. They are different authors with different target age groups. Appreciate their interpretations. After all, even the “historical” mythologies you can research out there have differing interpretations. So why not present-day authors?

            Also by Kendare Blake: Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares

Rutabaga's Reads 2012: Part 6

This is Part 6 of Rutabaga’s Reads 2012. This compilation of book summaries/reviews represent my most recent reads of the year + a couple picture books.

Anna Dressed in Blood (Aug. 30, 2011) by Kendare Blake.

Killing the dead is all in a day’s work for seventeen-year-old ghost hunter Theseus Cassio “Cas” Lowood. People send him tips on murderous ghosts, and he travels around with his witch-mom and his athame (special knife) to dispatch those ghosts. His most recent mission is in Thunder Bay, Ontario, to the home of Anna Korlov. She’s a lethal ghost whose M-O is to rip apart anyone who enters her house. But she doesn’t kill Cas. Her life ended brutally in 1958. What is her story? How is Anna different from other ghosts Cas has encountered? Cas will need help and befriends a couple peers who are a big help: Thomas Sabin, a psychic, and Carmel Jones, the popular girl who’s braver than she appears.

            This YA novel is a paranormal/horror tale. It is not for anyone with a weak stomach or who is prone to nightmares. There is some strong language, perhaps typical of teen-speak these days, but it is worth noting for those who like to know. I quite enjoyed reading this book. I like the droll humor and the allusions to the Ghostbusters. Despite the gore, reading this book was attention-grabbing with its humor, suspense, horror and light romance. The sequel, “Girl of Nightmares” is in this compilation as well.

The Best of Me (Oct. 11, 2011) by Nicholas Sparks.

Dawson Cole and Amanda Collier were high school sweethearts whose lives took different paths after graduation. Now both in their early forties, they find themselves back where they grew up, in the small town of Oriental, North Carolina. Their love for each other is still evident despite all the years apart. They’ll have some time to catch up on their current events and their past relationship. But members of Dawson’s violence-prone, criminal family know he’s back in town, and they want to rewrite the past in the present. Has Dawson’s past come back to haunt him? And can long-ago love override what is present-day life?

            “The Best of Me” is classic Nicholas Sparks with a twist. It is characteristic of his regular body of work: romance that isn’t too lovey-dovey, even if occasional lines teeter on that line, and has a strong message of love overcoming all, even when the going is rough. But the twist is the thriller element with a couple of Dawson’s relatives. They’re so broken in their deranged state that their thoughts are cringe-worthy. The story is heartfelt and heart-wrenching and may even have you shedding a few tears before the end.

The Bridesmaid (Sept. 11, 2012) by Beverly Lewis.

In this standalone second novel in Lewis’ Home to Hickory Hollow series, Joanna Kurtz is a single Amish woman in her mid-twenties. In the eyes of others, she is practically considered an old maid amongst the Amish. Residing in the fictional area of Hickory Hollow in the real Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, she longs to find that special someone. She wants him to exist in reality, not only in the fiction stories she jots down as a closet writer. While visiting Virginia Beach for the funeral of a relative who spent his life in Hickory Hollow and Shipshewana, Indiana, Joanna meets Eben Troyer. From Shipshewana, Eben is taken with Joanna right away and vice versa. He is fully prepared to move to Hickory Hollow to be with Joanna, but circumstances may not be in their favor …

            Is Joanna destined to remain a bridesmaid, but never a bride?

            As always, Lewis’ novel shines with love, sadness, happiness, betrayal, and above all, a devoted connection to the Lord. Her books continue to show her readership the strength of characters in their trust, faith and devotion. And after Joanna is betrayed by someone so dear, Lewis shows us Joanna’s willingness to forgive and her perseverance to keep tenacious, hurtful thoughts away. Are we as willing to forgive others as Joanna is?

The Five Chinese Brothers (Oct. 7, 1938) by Claire Huchet Bishop.

   Kurt Wiese, illustrator.

I read this on a recommendation from my Aunt Patty awhile back, and I’m so glad she recommended it to me, for it is a clever read. For those of you who’ve read it, you know it is not a happy-go-lucky story, but it’s witty. This Chinese folktale is about five Chinese brothers who all look identical to one another and each has a special talent. When the First Chinese Brother is condemned to death for something beyond his control, the brothers subsequently stand in for each other and employ their special talents to avoid death. What is the judge’s verdict at the end? The story is illustrated with simple pictures and little color, but that does not detract from the text.

Girl of Nightmares (Aug. 7, 2012) by Kendare Blake.

In this sequel to “Anna Dressed in Blood” (the first entry in Part 6), Cas cannot get Anna Korlov out of his mind. He sometimes sees her when he’s asleep and other times when he’s awake. Each time he sees her, Anna is being tormented in twisted and sadistic ways. His friends tell him to let her go – she’s truly gone this time – but he cannot. After a mysterious picture arrives, he is adamant about going to England, and he takes Thomas with him. He sees his old family friend, Gideon Palmer, and eventually Carmel shows up. They meet new faces, though they’re not entirely trustworthy, including Jestine Rearden, a teenager with the Order of the Biodag Dubh. No matter the animosity or danger, Cas will do anything to save Anna, but there will be a price. There is always a price.

            What I mentioned about “Anna Dressed in Blood” applies here as well, including a positive reaction to the book despite its darkness. It is simultaneously as ominous and horrible as it is moving and tender. Blake pulls you into a world both terrible and exciting. She’ll take you on a rollercoaster ride of fear, love, panic, desperation and light romance. Hang on tight and be careful of the Obeahman’s teeth. He bites.

Insurgent (May 1, 2012) by Veronica Roth.

Taking right off from “Divergent” (see Part 3), Tris Prior is seeking refuge after surviving the massacre on Abnegation (the selfless) that Jeanine (Erudite, the intelligent) initiated using the simulation-serum-induced Dauntless (the brave). The serum didn’t affect Tris due to her Divergent abilities. Tris moves a lot in this novel. She goes momentarily loopy when given too much peace serum in Amity (the peaceful), undergoes an interrogation by truth serum in Candor (the honest) and spends time with the factionless. She even chooses to walk herself over to Erudite and the traitor Dauntless twice, but each time for completely different reasons. She can’t handle even holding a gun right now, and she is at times so consumed with guilt and grief that it might overpower her.

            This is very much Tris’ story. Her mentality weighs more due to the weight of grief and guilt she carries, which doesn’t say much except that her actions are sometimes less Dauntless-brave and more reckless-suicidal. This occasionally makes for an annoying, self-pitying character, but despite that, Tris is still able to think logically, selflessly and bravely when she truly needs to, touching on her Divergent points. There is a reveal that hints at their gated origin. Roth’s two books are must-reads for anyone who’s into dystopian settings.

Little Known Facts about Well-Known Places: WDW (Aug. 25, 2011) by Laurie Flannery.

The title makes it obvious that this book is of very specific interest. This is a fun little book full of tidbits about Walt Disney World (WDW), most of which you probably didn’t know the history of or the story behind. I am a HUGE fan of WDW (please do not confuse it with Disneyland -- it will grieve me). In fact, I feel very passionate toward the vacation spot. So for me, this book is a good choice and may be for you as well if you love WDW as much as I do or enjoy learning random facts about different places. And, if you are heading to WDW anytime soon and need something to read on the airplane, grab a copy of this book. Just think how smart you’ll feel being able to blurt out random facts about WDW!

The Mark of Athena (Oct. 2, 2012) by Rick Riordan.

Riordan scores big again with his third installment in the Heroes of Olympus (HoO) series. The seven demigods have embarked on a quest after a friendly visit to Camp Jupiter becomes unfriendly. Aboard the magnificent Argo II ship – built to float and fly – dangers await all the demigods, both those from [Greek] Camp Half-Blood and [Roman] Camp Jupiter (especially for Annabeth, a daughter of Athena). From headache-riddled gods to angry Roman demigods to kill-hungry monsters, it’s just another day for a demigod, particularly for those on a quest. Good thing they have their mixed-martial-arts-obsessed, battle-happy, satyr-chaperon, Coach Hedge, with them. And their joint arsenal of superpowers doesn’t hurt, either. But all will cross humbling/intense obstacles. Can they all work together to protect each other and save Rome?

            Enthralling plot. Convincing characters. Dangerous expeditions. Marked with comedy. It is what I have come to expect from a Riordan novel. It’s a no-brainer must-read for already-followers of this series (or his previous ones). But, for newcomers to Riordan, you won’t want to simply start at Book One of HoO, you’ll want to start with the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. This book follows four demigod protagonists: two we’ve known since Percy Jackson and two we just met in HoO. Time to brush up on your Greek mythology with Roman counterparts!

The Night Before Father’s Day (May 10, 2012) by Natasha Wing.

   Amy Wummer, illustrator.

Whether you think this Father’s Day is long past or next year’s is too far in the future (or both), don’t ignore this most recent title from Wing’s “Night Before” series. While the dad is away on a [fairly lengthy] bike ride, his family gussies up his garage and makes his car shiny clean. As expected, it is written in rhyme and is a cute little story. Read it to your little ones or little ones you know and perhaps they’ll be inspired to make the next Father’s Day an extra nice one!

Rizzoli & Isles: Last to Die (Aug. 28, 2012) by Tess Gerritsen.

In the tenth installment, Boston PD Detective Jane Rizzoli and Boston Medical Examiner Dr. Maura Isles are back to keep three twice-orphaned teens safe. The parents of Teddy Clock, Claire Ward and Will Yablonski were once all murdered within a week of each other. Orphaned once. One-time survivors. Then two years later each of their foster families are murdered. Twice orphaned. Twice survivors. The three kids are sent to Evensong, a boarding school/sanctuary surrounded by acres of Maine wilderness with a locked gate and a state-of-the-art security system. Anticipating that there’s no place safer, imagine the surprise and fear when violence and death enter Evensong’s premises. Can these kids escape death a third time?

            Before “Last to Die,” I hadn’t read anything by Gerritsen, and I’ve never watched Rizzoli & Isles on TNT, but I expect I’ll read more from her. Her books are the type of thriller fiction that I prefer to read: bothersome moments, but not nightmare-inducing, and harmful scenarios without all the detailed, messy gore. There is some technical jargon, as is likely more expected from adult fiction than for a YA fantasy (though, fairly, those stories usually have their own set of “technical” lingo). I wasn’t sure I’d like this book, but I was immersed from the beginning, and it had a crafty ending. Smartly written. Additionally, the book was stand-alone, thus allowing me to not feel lost in back stories and tons of characters.