Review: Lady Rogue

Lady Rogue
by Jenn Bennett

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: September 9th 2019

Jenn Bennett spins a beautiful and romantic tale filled with adventure and mystery. The tale is about an eighteen year old girl, Theodora, who is stranded in the middle of Europe with no money. Until her former "more-than-a-friend," Huck shows up from an expedition with her missing dad. Together they search for the mystery behind her dad's disappearance and Theodora learns the truth about the history of her family. Bennett writes a thrilling page-turner that will not let you put the book down.

                                                          

Review: The Inquisitor's Tale

The Inquisitor's Tale
by Adam Gidwitz
Illustrated by Hatem Aly

Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 27, 2016

A peasant girl who sees the future, a Jewish boy with supernatural healing abilities, and a half-African monk with unnatural strength go on a journey together in 13th century France. Sounds like the beginning of a joke, right? Actually, it’s the plot for Adam Gidwitz’s book THE INQUISITOR'S TALE: OR, THE THREE MAGICAL CHILDREN AND THEIR HOLY DOG. Yes, their holy dog. Did I forget to mention Gwenforte, the loyal greyhound recently back from the dead? The story of Jeanne, Jacob, and William (the peasant girl, Jewish boy, and biracial monk, respectively), is told from multiple points of view as the inquisitor seeks out them and their tale. It is a story of friendship and faith, about doing what you know is right even in the face of danger. Throughout the book, we are reminded that these characters are children in a world that isn’t always kind. Gidwitz manages to include deep messages and heavy material while keeping plenty of humor and lightheartedness. I loved this book and I highly recommend it. Gidwitz’s writing style and the wonderfully human characters, along with the interesting setting of medieval France, make this a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Review: Blood Rose Rebellion

Blood Rose Rebellion
by Rosalyn Eves

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 28, 2017

Anna Arden should have it all. Born into Britain's high society, she has looks, brains, and wealth.  But the only thing that matters in Rosalyn Eves' BLOOD ROSE REBELLION is the one thing Anna doesn't have: magic. Born into the Luminate, a social class of magic wielders, Anna's "barrenness" makes her a pariah, and her family sends her to Hungary in exile. There, she learns that magic is not all that it seems, and must choose between the magic she desires among the Luminate...or revolution.

This book was a thrilling mix of LES MISERABLES, REIGN, and DIVERGENT, and is definitely one of this year's strongest fantasy books. The characters and the plot are both very well-written, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. While certain characters are unrealistic in their lack of geopolitical knowledge, it doesn't detract from the novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Review: Passenger

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken 

Publication Date: January 5, 2016

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion 

PASSENGER is a captivating and refreshing look at exploration and adventure. Violin prodigy Etta Spencer is about to make her solo concert debut when she suddenly finds herself on board a privateer ship in the 1700’s. Etta discovers that she is part of a family of time travelers led by a ruthless and cutthroat patriarch, who will do anything to control the past, present, and future. In order to do that, he needs Etta to locate a priceless object that can potentially change history forever. With her mother’s life in the hands of the family, Etta has no choice but to journey through time and follow the clues scattered throughout history. Accompanied by a ship captain named Nicholas, who has his own complicated history, she is determined to save her mother and make everything right. But all is not what it seems, and everyone has a hidden agenda, including Etta herself.

While this may sound like a run-of-the-mill YA adventure novel, the writing style and characters really make this book stand out. It The author does a good job of incorporating time travel without making it too confusing, overbearing, or hard to follow, making it an excellent recommendation for realistic and historical fiction readers who are looking for a little variety. It reads much more poetically and fluidly than your average thriller novel, though there are still exciting action scenes. Every character is believable and complex, and issues with time traveling that would have never occurred to me, such as racism, are addressed in a thought-provoking manner. There’s even a little romance involved! 

Review: Mark of the Thief

Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Publication date: February 24, 2015
Publisher: Scholastic

The book, MARK OF THE THIEF, by Jennifer A. Nielsen, is a great adventure story about a boy named Nic who discovers Julius Caesar's bulla, which gives him great power. However, this great power comes with a great cost. When he hears of his enemies' plans to defeat Rome, he and his friends know they must stop it. This is a great, jaw-dropping book that has intense action, comedy, and a little romance. I would recommend this book to ages nine and up due to all the action. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would like to see some of the authors other books, and can not wait for the sequel!