The Burden of the Prodigy

If a group of rebels is to ever overthrow a corrupt government, they must have a better option waiting to fill the void. In Marie Lu's Legend, Day and June became the poster children for the revolution against the Republic. In Prodigy, they become the heart of the people who demand something better from their government. 

The Republic has always been run by the Elector with an iron fist. June was his prodigy, and now that she has joined a common street thug, Day, whose Robin Hood-esque antics have always made him the Republic's nuisance, she is on the wrong side of the Elector. Then the Elector dies. When his son, Anden is tapped as the new Elector, he becomes a target for the Patriots, the rebel group fighting to overthrow the Republic. June and Day barely escape the rest of the Republic that is hunting them, but they finally find themselves in the hands of the Patriots. They are wary of the Patriots intentions, but Day needs medical attention and June will do anything to save him. The Patriots fix Day, but under one condition. June and Day are to assassinate the new Elector. 

As a former insider in the Republic, June is planted as an inside woman. With an elaborate plan to bring her back into the Elector's fold in order to distract him with a fake assassination plan while the true plan runs its course, June becomes the heart of the Patriot's plan. But something isn't right. From the moment she speaks to Anden, she becomes aware he is nothing like his father. She cant explain why exactly she trusts him as much as she does, but something tells her there is something very wrong with the plan to assassinate this man. She has realized it, but will Day? Especially when part of her cover is to play on Anden's obvious affections for her? 

Wow! This series could not possibly have more twists, turns, and surprises if it tried! I loved Legend, but it is amazing how Prodigy took the series in a whole new direction while still staying true to the amazing story Lu created in the first place. It truly was a fantastic follow-up to a great first book, and you won't be disappointed because there is absolutely no sophomore slump happening here! One of the best parts of this book is how connected Day and June are. Even when he has no reason to believe her about the fishiness of the assassination plan, his trust in her shines through. He won't let anyone tell him to trust or not to trust June. She is the one person whom he doesn't doubt. And June feels the same way. A lesser couple would have doubted one another, but these two really have an amazing connection that I can't get enough of!

The world building is also a huge strength of this series. We see more of the former United States in this novel, and I was glad to get more about the history of the Republic and the Colonies than I did in the first book. There is so much alternate history wrapped up in this story of rebels and patriots that even if you didn't have the fabulous connection between June and Day, you would still love this story. I find myself wanting Lu to write a whole history book separate of the June and Day story so I can learn more and more about this world. And that, my friends, is a true testament to an amazing world an author has created! I really enjoyed this book and this series as a whole and I am looking forward to the final leg of the journey. But if they ending of this story has anything to do with it, I can tell it is going to be a doozy! Can't wait!

Assassin Meets Beast

Historical fantasy can be a beautiful thing when done well, and Robin LaFevers does it masterfully with her His Fair Assassin series. In Dark Triumph, she tells the dark tale of another of Saint Mortain's handmaidens, Sybella. 

Sybella's worst nightmare is returning to the home of her father, Lord D'Albret. D'Albret is not only a traitorous beast insistant upon forcing the duchess to marry him so he can control her land, but also to call her his next conquest. Since all six of his previous wives have died mysteriously, this does not bode well for the duchess. But Sybella's sister through Mortain saved the duchess. Now Sybella's post in her own home is to be the mole in the lion's den. The only way the abbess got her to return was with the promise she could kill D"Albret with her own hands. But after much time has passed and the Mark of Mortain has not graced D'Albret, giving Sybella the sign to finish him, she realizes she doesn't think she can wait a single minute longer before killing him even without the Saint's blessing. 

It is just then that she receives a message from the abbess to save a prisoner from D'Albret's dungeon. When she arrives, it becomes clear she is going to need help getting the heavily damaged beast of a man out of his cage in his beaten, semi-conscious state. Baron of Waroch, affectionately referred to as Beast, is half-dead already, but with the help of a jailer turned ally, Sybella is able to free him. In the confusion of their escape, however, she is knocked unconscious and take with them. Knowing it means D'Albret will peg her a traitor, she has no choice but to escort Beast to the duchess. What started out an assignment for the abbess and Mortain turned into a journey Sybella had not thought possible, both physically and emotionally.

You know, there is something about historical fantasy that just sucks me right in. I don't know what it is, but if done right, it gets me every time. And the His Fair Assassin series is addictive for me. I avoided this book for a little while until I had some time to really sit down and get sucked into it, and boy am I glad I did because it was SO good I couldn't put it down. In the first book, you see a little bit of Sybella, but not much. And what you do see isn't all that great- she is pretty mean and angry and bitter, but in this book, you find out exactly what made her that way. And boy, is it ugly. What this girl had to endure at the hands of her maniacal father and brother is a fate worse than death. LaFevers can write a villain like no other villain I have ever read about. I mean, if you can read about D'Albret and not want to kill him yourself, then I have to question your own sanity! I don't think I ever could have imagined such a vile, disgusting human being in my life! 

The beauty in LaFevers' writing is how she can make a character like Sybella redeemable. In fact, the redemption is the best part. I absolutely loved Beast and watching him and Sybella together was amazing. Both had their own demons to deal with before they could look at each other with any hope, but the beauty was in their ability to love and heal each other, and darn if it wasn't fabulous to watch! This was an amazing story, and I know so many adults and young adults who would enjoy it. I think if you know anyone interested in historical fiction with a touch of fantasy, this is your series. If you liked Graceling, Demon King, Throne of Glass, etc., you will love this series. And now I must wait for the third, anxiously biting my nails to see what happens to all of the daughter of Mortain!

Are You a BZRKer?

There are two worlds: the macro and the micro. Wars are fought on the macro between men. Wars are fought on the micro between nanobots and biots... inside men. Both are destructive, both have the ability to wield great power, but only the bots can rewire a person. In Michael Grant's BZRK, the risks are always worth the trouble.

Plath watched her father's plane taken down with both her father and brother aboard. Coincidentally (although there never are coincidences), the plane crashed into the very stadium where she was enjoying a game. But Plath wasn't killed, despite a very obvious intent. Instead, as the last surviving McLure, she was recruited into BZRK, the secret group of "agents" (kids and gamers who now control biots) who try to prevent the Armstrong twins and their company, Armstrong Fancy Gifts Corporation, from world domination. The conjoined twins and their company might seem innocuous enough, but anyone who has spent time on the micro level know the damage their nanobots can wreak. 

Now there is a plan to quite literally take over the world. AFGC wants to sink nanobots into every world leader on the planet and control them from the inside out. BZRK will take every step to stop them, but the stakes are much higher for the BZRKs. Their biots are created using their own DNA and are therefore connected to their controller on a level that would leave the BZRK crazy if even one was to die. The AFGC twitchers control the nanobots, which are simply machines. When you face an enemy who can't feel pain and will stop at nothing, you find yourself up against an insurmountable foe. But the BZRKs fight for something that is worth the risk: their freedom.

This book started with a bang as the McLure plane crashed into the stadium, but then it quickly hit an air pocket: a place where the lingo and technical specifics are so confusing and obscure you lose sight of the purpose of the book altogether. In fact, there is no proper explanation of the difference between biots and nanobots (and the difference is significant to the story) until about 70 pages in. Luckily, there is a key for all important characters (which is good because they all have real names and handles, and I found myself mixing them up right to the end) and the companies and technology. This helped me to better understand the book, but it left me wondering why that information, if so important, wasn't shared earlier in the story.

As the story progressed, though, I did find it fascinating even though really techie science fiction isn't usually my schtick. Some of the lingo was hokey, and quite frankly, the "bad guys" (or guy- they are conjoined twins) is more laughable than terrifying. Sure, they seem diabolical, but all that talk about their conjoined body, etc. left me without much fear even though I knew they were essentially taking over the world. I think a real villain, not one that is gross and laughable, would have really made this book better, more serious, and less hokey in the long run, but still it was a pretty good book. I would not give this to any kid unless I knew they could get through the technical jargon and had the patience to figure everything out, because there is a lot to the back story that requires understanding for the current story to continue. But if I knew a gamer or science fiction fan, I would surely pass this story on.

The Fabulous and Snarky Prince

Wherever there is royalty, there is jealousy. No one is ever content with the king or queen, and everyone wants to live the life of royalty. But in The False Prince, by Jennifer A. Nielsen, we get a taste of just how difficult life as a crowned prince can be form the perspective of three former orphans training to fool the kingdom into believing they are the kingdom's long lost prince.

Sage has never been someone people felt sorry for or took pity on. Instead, more people want him dead than you can imagine, but that is life as an orphan who must lie, cheat, steal for a meal. When an obviously wealthy man comes to the orphanage to buy Sage, it doesn't take long for him to reveal his unwillingness to be sold as someone's servant (aka slave). But something seems fishy about this man, especially when he also collects three other orphans who look rather similar to Sage. What does he have planned for them?

Sage and the other boys soon learn Conner's plan, and it is a dangerous one. As the King, Queen, and crowned Prince have all been murdered and secretly hidden away under the guise of traveling to a nearby country, Connor plans to groom one of the boys into passing as Prince Jaron, the royal family's youngest son whose ship was attacked by pirates four years earlier, but whose body was never found. Unfortunately, Connor is ruthless in his plans to control the throne through fake Jaron, and he isn't afraid to go to great lengths to be sure to control the boy he picks for the assignment. For Sage, the boy whose reputation for defying authority precedes him, that doesn't make him the frontrunner for this competition. But Sage doesn't care!

This was an excellent story that would be great for any middle reader through young adult reader who likes stories like King Arthur. This is a great story of treachery, betrayal, and the determination to fool and punish your enemies. I think it is a marvelous beginning to a series that is going to keep us hooked, and I can imagine many of my students who would love to start this trilogy. 

Sage is a fabulous character. He makes no apologies for his behavior and he is the epitome of defiance. I think a lot of teen readers would look up to Sage for sticking to his guns and not giving in to pressures. Even though they probably won't relate to his life as an orphan, I don't know many teens who wouldn't relate to defiance against authority. And Sage is the kind of character you can't help but love even though he refuses to do anything just because it is "the right thing to do"! So if you know that kid who just can't seem to follow the rules and has a bit of a chip on their shoulder, give them this book. It will do them good to see a character with a need for defiance!

A Pretty Girl with a License to Kill

Who doesn't love a girl with deadly talents? A girl who can take down a grown man in a variety of ways and properly dispose of the body? Well... I guess the men whose bodies she disposes of, of course!! In Robin LaFever's Grave Mercy, Ismae is a young woman you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley, and if you did, you had better hope you didn't bear the mark of St. Mortain, death himself!


After being sold by her father to a filthy old man at the age of 14, Ismae had very little trust in men. She barely made it through her wedding night unscathed, but her determination preserved her while others saved her and sent her to the convent where the nuns raise young women who are the daughters of St. Mortain. These girls are impervious to poison and survive death in many ways, and so they must follow the word of Mortain and do his bidding. Angry and bitter at her lot in life, Ismae is all to happy to serve Mortain as one of his "Handmaidens" or assassins. When she finally gets her first huge assignment, her excitement is clouded by the arrogant man who comes with it named Gavriel Duval.


Duval has the same purpose in life as Ismae, to protect the young duchess and secure the crown of Brittany for her, but they have different ways of accomplishing that goal. When Ismae's first two assassinations ruin Duval's chance of getting information out of her victims, he goes straight to the convent. There, the nuns decide Ismae must accompany him to court to protect the duchess, but neither Duval nor Ismae are thrilled by the idea of spending so much time together. They know their duties lie with the protection of the duchess, but with all the political backstabbing and treachery in the court, it is hard to know who is on their side. Ismae realizes her studies at the convent were a lifetime of knowledge about ending a person's life but were sorely lacking in how to live her own life. 


Oh, Mercy, Mercy! There is something about historical fiction that, if done well, is so much fun! And Mercy Me! Robin LaFevers (pen name?) is executed brilliantly. There is the perfect amount of old world language (breaking the fast vs. breakfast), period continuity (being married off without your consent at age 14), and medieval issues and politics to keep you believing the time period, but the way it is told makes an "old" story accessible to today's readers. This is a hard line to walk without falling to one side or the other, but I believe LaFever's did a great job with it. I loved the execution of Ismae, a girl who hates men and only wants vengeance learning that there are good men out there, not only as love interests, but as friends as well. It was a wonderful transformation when coupled with her struggle between duty to her saint and her calling and knowing what is right and wrong. And Duval? You want an upstanding, strong leading man to fall in love with? Well look no further! In the movie version I picture him played by Chris Hemsworth and I swoon a little bit ;-). Duval's loyalty is questioned for much of the book by pretty much every character, but you just know he is loyal to his sister, the duchess. And combine Ismae and Duval and you have the ultimate power couple (with knives and poisons and crossbows, of course). 


Due to the setting of this book, it might be a little advanced for your typical middle readers through budding young adult readers. I would save this book for more advanced students who can handle a historical novel and a rather large novel. Younger students might get lost in the period consistencies and bogged down by the political situations and treachery, so save this for a stronger reader who will enjoy those aspects. Also, there are a few intimate scenes between Ismae and Duval and a few near rape scenes, but all are handled gracefully and aren't terribly graphic (although if the reader has a strong imagination, they can quickly become pretty graphic!). These scenes wouldn't prevent me from recommending this book to any teen, but they are there. My one issue with this book is that I wanted to see more of Beast and de Lornay, the only men Duval trusts and the same men Ismae eventually admits are her friends. They were awesome characters and I just didn't see as much of them as I wanted! I guess that isn't as much an issue with the book but a greediness for more of such great characters! This was a phenomenal book, and I suspect the next book in the series will be more of a companion than a sequel due to the blurb in the back of this book, but I can tell you I plan to read it as soon as it is released!

It's Gonna Be Legendary!

A story as old as time. Two people, from opposite sides of town, who were never meant to know each other, let alone care about each other. And when they can't bare to let the other one go, they have to experience great sacrifice in order to be together. We have heard the story before, but that doesn't mean we don't want to hear it again in Marie Lu's Legend.

June is a prodigy. She is years younger than her classmates because she was moved forward so many times in school. Her perfect score on the Trial's is unheard of, and the Republic wants her to be their model soldier. Day is a criminal, according to the Republic. To the people he helps, he is a modern day Robin Hood. He steals from the evil, corrupt government and gives to the poor people caught in the crossfire of a war that would have been considered a civil war in times when the United States was one whole country. But Day is careful. No one knows what he looks like or who Day really is, including his family who thinks he is dead, and he never hurts anyone. All he wants is to level the playing field. When a desperate attempt to get plague cure from a heavily guarded hospital goes awry, he has to break his one rule- he has to wound a soldier to get away, but he makes sure not to kill him.

That soldier was June's brother Metias. He died that night. June has been enlisted to go under cover in the poor districts and see if she can find the elusive Day. She is all too happy to find the man who killed her brother. What she doesn't expect is to get caught in a paid fight, stabbed, and need to be saved by a mysterious but alluring boy. Day had no intention of saving her, but he couldn't help himself. Eventually June realizes who her saviour is, but not before he shares some very dangerous theories about what the Republic is really doing in the poor sectors, especially about the spread of each year's new plague. When Day is taken into custody, June can't help but think her brother must have known about this all. She begins digging through his journals, but she isn't ready for what she finds. June's whole world is turned upside down, but she can think of only one thing- saving Day.

Lu created a really interesting dystopia where the country we know has split in two. In that fight for land and power, they have made their citizens pawns. The Trials were a way to separate the weak from the strong. All kids have to go through the trials and their scores determine where they go from there- either to the labor camps if they fail, or to be a Republic officer if they do well. In fact, reading about the trials made me think about the SATs. The SATs have the ability to make or break a student's college applications. One test, one very biased, convoluted test can determine their futures. I have seen incredibly smart, intuitive, creative thinkers bomb that horrible test. Hopefully there is a college out there willing to "take a chance" on them despite those SAT scores, but you never know. Why do we use the SATs and GREs to measure people's worth and potential? Every person even remotely involved in education knows there are smart kids who don't test well and anyone who preps kids for the SAT hates the test with unbridled passion, so why is it still being used? Unfortunately I think it has something with our need to fit everyone into neat, predictable categories. But what do we know about neat, predictable categories when it comes to people? They don't exist! But I digress. I will continue to hate the SATs, but I will still administer it as I am supposed to, secretly hoping colleges will ban together to boycott its use. Hopefully it will happen someday!

So Lu's world, while fictionalized and exaggerated, isn't far from our own. Control and power are slippery slopes to terrifying times, as history has shown us time and time again. This would be a good book for any student who enjoys dystopias and other cautionary tales of what can happen when people are given too much power. It is appropriate for any middle school through high school student and uses average young adult caliber language. But remember something when you read it- if we all strive for conformity, we lose those amazing individuals who have given us all those comforts and toys we love so much!

Beauty Queens with Attitude!

When satire is done well, I mean really well, there is nothing like it. The subtle (or not so subtle) poking of fun at society is so skillful, you almost don't recognize it at first. I love to teach Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five to my senior literature classes because satire is such an interesting literary tool for inward self-realization. But Young Adult literature doesn't often touch satire; I guess because it is a sophisticated method of writing? But Libba Bray wasn't afraid to break down the boundaries for YA lit with Beauty Queens. She wrote a hilarious, scathing, and eerily familiar satire that will have you laughing and reflecting the whole time you plow through this "beauty"!

When 50 girls, one from each state, fly to the Miss Teen Dream contest, they didn't expect a plane crash on a deserted island. They especially didn't expect to have to learn to survive on their own. Only a handful of girls survive the crash, and all the adults are killed. The girls that do survive are a motley crew, full of a transgender former boy band singer, an anti-pageant feminist who plans to take Miss Teen Dream down from the outside, a die-hard Texan beauty queen, a budding young lesbian, and a girl with a severe hearing impairment, among others. The minorities are of course represented, as they should always be, with an Indian girl who touts her immigrant success story, but is really just a valley girl, and a black girl from Colorado who everyone notices doesn't "talk black". That's right, all your cliches and stereotypes are present and accounted for!

The Corporation runs the pageant, as well as most of the world. They create/control most TV, products, and even the secret (or not-so-secret) arms deals. The Corporation has become a huge monster that hides behind silly reality TV and cosmetics. Its connections with Ladybird Hope, former Miss Teen Dream and presidential hopeful, are disturbing at best. But the Corporation doesn't want the beauty queens found- if they are, the islands dirty little secrets will be revealed. In particular, their arms deal with MoMo B. ChaCha, dictator of the Republic of ChaCha (ROC) where they plan to sell him weaponized Lady 'Stache Off against the sanctions on his country. They hope the beauty queens will just die off, but what they aren't prepared for are some seriously butt-kickin' ladies who have developed some serious survival skills amongst their baton twirling and Sparkle Pony dances! These girls aren't going down without a fight! Now add into the mix some fake reality TV pirates (one of which is a cross-dresser and is very excited the girls have recovered some of their high-heels) and you've got yourself quite an island.

Sadly, I just don't think my description does this story justice- it was absolutely hilarious! I loved the snark filled satire, complete with descriptions of a Scottish spy character who prefers his "haggis boiled, not fried". Bray did a marvelous job of slipping into a world of complete buffoons and social commentary cleverly disguised as a simple "survival on a deserted island" story. Truthfully, you won't be able to put this beauty down, even if the bathing suit portion of the show is coming up!

With the presence of satire, I would say this would be a great book for that child or student who really gets subtle humor or is fairly sarcastic themselves. This story is going to seem silly and vapid if the reader isn't able to understand the undertones of the story. I can think of a handful of snarky (I love snark!) students who would absolutely love this story. The cover might turn off a couple of boys (or make them more interested), but this story would work well for either male or female readers- it is snarky fun for any gender! It really reminded me of "Lost" coupled with "Miss Congeniality" and a healthy dose of Lord of the Flies thrown in for good measure. I absolutely loved this story, and it certainly appealed to my own snarky side!