The disappearing Duchess by Imogen Rossi

Bianca is a young apprentice to the great artist Annunzio di Lombardi, learning the secrets of his craft so that one day she too will be able to create works of art that seem like they are alive.  She has already shown such a knack for the work that he has been teaching her techniques that the older apprentices don't know and taking her to support the art lessons of importnat people like the Duchess Catriona.  

When her master takes ill Bianca and the other apprentices are taken in by a former apprentice, Filpepi, who now has a studio and apprentices of his own.  Something is not right though, and when Bianca manages to return to her master it is to find a greater tragedy.  There is something sinister going on, and the Duchess doesn't seem at all concerned about what is happening to Bianca and di Lombardi.  When Bianca makes a shocking discovery her own life is in danger because there are people putting plans into motion, plans that they will stop at nothing to see through.

I picked up The disappearing Duchess after seeing the books on Instagram and thought they looked really interesting, and when I read the blurb I ordered the first book through the library to see if the series was as good as it promised to be - it wasn't, it was better!  Bianca and her world are magical and mysterious, a subtle blend of historical fiction that makes it feel very authentic, and a well developed magical world and mythology that makes it a believable and intriguing series.  

Bianca lives as a character off the page, it is very easy to believe that she exists in this world.  She is strong, stubborn, head strong, passionate, and loyal - all the characteristics that make the perfect hero because she is both a paragon of virtue and completely flawed like the rest of us.  I have to admit I saw where the book was headed but the ride was so good I got tangled up in the story and the characters rather than the moment when I could go "ah ha I guessed that was coming!"  I am waiting on the next books in the series to see what happens to Bianca and her friends in the rest of the series.

If you like this book then try:

• The star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson
• Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo
• Museum of thieves by Lian Tanner
• Stone heart by Charlie Fletcher
• Bartlett and the ice voyage by Odo Hirsch
• Dragon shield by Charlie Fletcher
• Under the mountain by Maurice Gee
• Stone heart by Charlie Fletcher
• The eighth day by Dianne K. Salerni
• Maddy West and the tongue taker by Brian Falkner
• The Menagerie by Tui T. Sutherland and Kari Sutherland
• Pangur ban the white cat by Fay Sampson
• Northwood by Brian Falkner
• Finding the fox by Ali Sparkes
• Hollow Earth by John Barrownman and Carole Barrowman
• The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
• Ella enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
• Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
• Museum of thieves by Lian Tanner

Reviewed by Brilla

The hob's bargain by Patricia Briggs

Aren of Fallbrook thought she would never marry, her chances tainted by the touch of magic that saw her brother kill himself rather than be taken by the Bloodmage who demanded his life when he refused to train to become a Bloodmage himself.  It is a taint made worse by the secret that Aren herself is magic touched, she has the sight which allows her to see glimpses of what might happen, snatched feelings of dread or warning that are usually too vague and garbled to make sense until their time has passed.  

The unthinkable has happened though, Aren has found a husband who loves her and who is willing to work the land with her father to ensure their future, and even though their marriage is only one day old it seems like it will be a good one - until the vision of her family murdered in the field by bandits steals her breath away, a vision that comes too late for her to do anything.  Widowed and orphaned in the blink of an eye Aren has lost everything, and when she admits to the elders of the village that she has the sight it makes her the target for hostile glances, frosty distance, and outright hostility.

The people of Fallbrook are in danger from the bandits that are trying to claim their valley, but also from the creatures of magic that are returning to the land now that the binding power of the Bloodmages has been stripped away.  It is a new and dangerous world, and Aren shines like a beacon to magic creatures - a tasty morsel for some and a target for others.  The only hope for Aren and the village that loathes her is to make a bargain with the hob that lives on the mountain of the same name - and it is Aren who must pay the price the hob asks.  In dangerous times people will do desperate things, but in dangerous times people can also discover the goodness that lives inside - and they can see what lies behind the rumours, the myths, and the legends.  

I have been enjoying the urban fantasy series by Briggs and thought it was time to try reading some of her other fantasy works and I was delighted with what I found in The hob's bargain.  Aren and her world were a wonderful discovery full of well defined mythology, drama, adventure, and a delightful sense of humour.  There are hints that it is a dangerous time and place and that the hob's bargain is a dark and dangerous one to make, but as you read through the story it becomes clear that there is a lot of humour and compassion in the hob that make him seem more than human rather than less.  

I am not sure if Briggs intended it to be the case, but after reading quite a few fractured fairytales over the past year or so it feels like The hob's bargain has it's roots in a certain classic fairytale about a beast and a woman forced to interact with him for the sake of her loved ones.  I could be reading too much into it, it could just be a great fantasy read that feels familiar because it is a quest to save a village that leads to discovery of self and others.

If you like this book then try:

• Moon called by Patricia Briggs
• Arrows of the queen by Mercedes Lackey
• Throne of glass by Sarah J. Maas
• Graceling by Kristin Cashore
• Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst
• The Fire rose by Mercedes Lackey
• Home from the sea by Mercedes Lackey
• Reserved for the cat by Mercedes Lackey
• Steadfast by Mercedes Lackey
• Beauty and the Werewolf by Mercedes Lackey
• From a high tower by Mercedes Lackey
• A court of thorns and roses by Sarah J. Maas
• Deerskin by Robin McKinley
• Beauty by Robin McKinley
• Rose daughter by Robin McKinley
• Spindle's end by Robin McKinley
• Sing the four quarters by Tanya Huff
• Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Reviewed by Brilla

The red pyramid by Rick Riordan

For the past few years Carter and Sadie Kane have lived very different lives.  Sadie has lived in London with her maternal grandparents, while Carter has traveled the world with their father.  They see each other on only two days a year, a tense time for everyone at the best of times, but this year things are really going to blow up on them.  Visiting the British Museum after hours would be a real treat for most people but for Carter and Sadie it is the start of a fly by the seat of your pants adventure where everyone seems to be out to get them, they don't know what the rules are.  Normally when your a teenager if something goes wrong it's not the end of the world, but in Carter and Sadie's case if things go wrong it really WILL be the end of the world!

Sadie and Carter are at a distinct disadvantage in this race against time because not only do they know piratically nothing about the world of Egyptian magic, they also know practically nothing about each other.  You can change a lot in a few years, and when you only get to see each other two days a year it is a challenge to really get to know your sibling.  From Sadie's point of view Carter is the lucky one because he got to travel the world with their dad, and while he might be serious and dress like a miniature professor at least he got quality dad time.  From Carter's point of view Sadie is the lucky one because she has a normal home with their grandparents including friends and a cat, even though she can be really stubborn and in your face.  As they race against time they have a lot to learn about each other - and themselves.

The red pyramid is the first book in a trilogy based on Egyptian mythology - a change from the world of Greek god and demigods that made the Percy Jackson series so unique and fresh.  With the Kane chronicles Riordan has made more than a change of mythology, he has also changed the way the story is told and it takes getting used to - the story is "transcribed" from a recording, which means you get the story but also some little sibling rivalry asides which can be amusing or distracting depending on your point of view.  It took me a little while to get used to, and I am not 100% convinced I like the style, but it does add a unique voice to the series which makes it stand out a little more compared to the Percy Jackson series which is good because other Riordan could be accused of being a one trick pony!

Taking something that is well known and working it into a work of fiction is always risky and challenging, yet Riordan makes it seem easy.  His characters are well developed and are complete - they have strengths and weaknesses, hopes and dreams, flaws and faults, and histories.  In the case of The red pyramid they also have more than 500 pages of adventure, mystery, fantasy, and danger to get through.  The library where I work has this series in the children's fiction area, and while it is easily accessible to 'tweens (ages 10+) this series seems best suited to children 12+ because of the commitment it takes to read through the whole book, and because there are themes that younger readers may struggle with a little (but this was also true of the Percy Jackson series).  

One of the "funnest" parts of the book is (as always) the chapter headings, Riordan has a somewhat twisted sense of humour and that shines through in some of the incidents and the chapter names.  There is a lot to love here and very little to dislike.

If you like this book then try:

• Percy Jackson and the lightning thief by Rick Riordan
• Percy Jackson and the sea of monsters by Rick Riordan
• Percy Jackson and the titan's curse by Rick Riordan
• Percy Jackson and the battle of the labyrinth by Rick Riordan
• Percy Jackson and the last Olympian by Rick Riordan
• Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
• The girl of fire and thorns by Rae Carson
• Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst
• Firelight by Sophie Jordan
• The chaos of stars by Kiersten White
• Drift by M.K. Hutchins
• Legacies by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill
• Sweet venom by Tera Lynn Childs
• The chaos of stars by Kiersten White

Reviewed by Brilla

Lies we tell ourselves by Robin Talley

Sarah Dunbar, her sister Ruth, and a handful of other black students are about to break new ground - they will be the first black students to attend Jefferson High School in Virginia.  The law and the courts may be on their side, but to the students and parents of Jefferson High School desegregation is wrong and must be stopped by whatever means necessary.  The first day of school is full of screaming and yelling, and small and not so small acts of violence follow.  The belief in segregation runs so deep that some of the parents are determined to create their own all white academy to protect their precious children from the influence of the black students.  

It appears that the school is following the letter of the law by admitting the black students, but not the spirit.  Sarah was at the top of her old school, but at Jefferson she is placed in remedial classes.  It is a bitter pill to swallow, and it has the potential to affect her acceptance to University.  Everyday is a struggle, and when the first of her fellow black students gives up and decides to return to their old school it has the potential to fan the flames.  When Sarah has to work with one of the white students for a class project it is a real eye opening experience - for both of them.  

Her whole life Linda has lived under the thumb of her controlling and violent father who ignores her one moment and lashes out at her the next - and she firmly believes that the blacks are inferior to the whites and that segregation must stay in place.  As she spends more time with Sarah she comes to see more similarities than differences, although at times she finds Sarah to be almost too confrontational to believe.  All Linda dreams about is marrying her secret fiance and escaping her family home, but her senior year has been thrown completely into chaos - and that may be the best thing that ever happened to her.

Lies we tell ourselves tackles two taboo topics with style, grace, and sensitivity.  Most people would love to forget the way black Americans were treated before desegregation, echoes of which are still felt today.  Words like segregation, apartheid, and dawn raids bring intense shame for different people around the world, but for similar reasons.  Not only does Robin Talley touch on the topic of ingrained and institutionalised racism, she also touches on the taboo topic of lesbian relationships and coming of age as a lesbian in a time when such relationships were seen as unnatural and could result in institutionalisation for mental illness.  

Lies we tell ourselves is in turns deeply emotional, horrifying, and satisfying, made more powerful by the switching viewpoints between Sarah and Linda.  By switching viewpoints we get to under more about each character, filling out the picture of each young woman so they are entire beings rather than cardboard cut outs or caricatures.  There are elements of archetypes here, with the strong female lead (who happens to be black in this story) who is facing challenges at school, and the popular girl (who in this case happens to be white) who seems to be leading the charge - but by switching viewpoints we get to see that Linda is not what she appears and that neither is Sarah.

As someone who is not American there are subtleties of this story that I would have missed, although that being said it is a very accessible book and most of the themes are universal.  In the days when I was a student we studied black civil rights as part of the New Zealand high school curriculum and some of the names and places are still easily recalled - Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks - but Lies we tell ourselves breathes fresh life into those memories, giving the struggle for equality a name and a life that will resonate with young people everywhere.  This is a confronting read because of what the black students went through, and it took me a few days to read because it was a very emotionally draining read, but it is also a book where the characters and their coming of age will stay with me for quite some time.  

There are some truly amazing themes explored here and it is a highly recommended read for people of all ages.  I have not read a book like Lies we tell ourselves before so I don't have any recommended reads that exactly fit, but if you explore some of the tags you may find other reads you will enjoy.

Reviewed by Brilla

Tarnished by Kate Jarvik Birch

Tarnished is the sequel to Perfected so this review contains ***SPOILERS*** if you have not read the first book in the series.  This is a series that really needs to be read in order so stop reading this review and read Perfected instead!

Ella has achieved the impossible - she has escaped from America into the relative safety of Canada, emphasis on the "relative" part.  She may be free of the Congressman, but she is not truly free, trapped in a centre where escaped pets are housed together.  In many ways it is no different to being a pet in America, they are fed and clothed, but they are also treated as though they need protection and guidance.  Escaping from the centre Ella stumbles into another pet who has managed to survive on her own, someone who is willing to help her get back into the United States so she can get back to Penn - even though that means she will have to risk being recaptured by Congressman Gibbs.

The world is a big and scary place, especially for a pet who is considered nothing but property.  The black market is their best chance at getting back into the States and close enough to Penn, but it is also a dangerous place for a naive pet like Ella to be.  The safe world of an owned pet is a far cry from the pets who find their home in the black market - where any pet can be sold to the highest bidder.  As Ella gets closer to her goal she comes to realise that the black market is hiding all kinds of secrets, and that no pet is truly safe from the storm that is approaching on the horizon.  Ella has been pushed around her whole life, treated like property with no right to her own emotions - can she find her voice and fight for her right to freedom?

I have been looking forward to Tarnished since I finished reading Perfected - even before I knew what the book would be called!  Perfected was a strong voice in the dystopian genre, standing out for a number of reasons - it was well written, had strong characters, and was believable.  Tarnished picks up the action immediately, driving the story forward and dragging you along on an emotional roller coaster of hopes and dreams - yours and Ella's.  Ella was soft and cowed in the first book, but here we see her developing a voice and trying to shake off the years of conditioning she received while she was in the kennels.  Without belittling what domestic violence victims go through, a lot of what Ella went though can be compared to the long term psychological abuse of women who are moulded by and abuser telling them what they are worth and what they should be like.  

Without ruining any surprises her travelling companion also develops and grows during their journey, becoming a more rounded personality and taking on a surprising amount of responsibility for both of them.  While I had hoped that this might be the end of the story (because while I don't want it to end the wait for the next book would have been akin to torture) it does appear that there is at least one more book to come in the series because while Tarnished is a complete story in itself it does leave hints that there is more to come.  

This is a mind blowing series that is just screaming out to be adapted to the big screen or as a mini series, and it is one of my must read series of the dystopian genre because Birch has written a well crafted world that is believable but also just that little bit horrifying and disturbing.

If you like this book then try:

• The Jewel by Amy Ewing
• Wither by Lauren DeStefano
• The hunger games by Suzanne Collins
• Renegade by J.A. Souders
• Adaptation by Melinda Lo
• The forest of hands and teeth by Carrie Ryan
• XVI by Julia Karr
• The 100 by Kass Morgan
• Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
• The testing by Joelle Charbonneau
• Proxy by Alex London
• Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
• In the after by Demitria Lunetta
• ACID by Emma Pass
• Reboot by Amy Tintera
• What's left of me by Kat Zhang

Reviewed by Brilla

The white rose by Amy Ewing

The white rose is the second book in the Jewel trilogy so this review contains ***SPOILERS*** if you have not read the first book in the series.  This series really needs to be read in order so if you have not already read The Jewel then I suggest you do before reading this review!

Violet has done the unthinkable for a surrogate - she has become romantically entangled with a companion.  It is an act of treason and now Ash has been sentenced to death, a sentence the Duchess seems all too eager to carry out.  The chains of her servitude are bound even tighter than before, but the worst thing for Violet is knowing that people have died and are going to die for her - a surrogate, a disposable life, a tool in the hands of the Duchess and her doctor.  When she manages to achieve the impossible and escapes from the manor it is only the start of a hair raising and dangerous escape from The Jewel, because the Duchess is determined to get her back, and Violet is not travelling alone.

The world beyond the walls of The Jewel is chaotic and dangerous, each ring of the city full of it's own dangers and challenges.  Violet and her companions are at a distinct disadvantage, depending on Lucien and his plans to get them to safety.  It is a dangerous situation, and not just because the Regimentals are searching high and low for them, although for some strange reason the Duchess has kept news of her escape very quiet.  Even when they reach their destination in the Farm they may not truly be safe, because although Lucien has plans for Violet those plans depend on her learning how to harness the power of the Augeries.  Any rebellion carries risks, especially if you can not always trust the people around you.  Violet has a lot to do, and very little time in which to do it - and to achieve her goals she may have to sacrifice everything.

The Jewel was an outstanding debut novel, a fresh voice in the world of dystopian novels, a glimpse of a world where the few rule the many with an iron fist.  Violet and her world were expertly sketched out and then populated with interesting and humanly complicated characters that have continued to grow and devlop in this gripping sequel.  In The white rose we learn more about what the Augeries are and where they come from, as well as learning more about the history of the island where Violet and her fellow surrogates live - but don't worry it is not a boring history lesson, it's more dynamic than that!  Through her escape we learn more about Violet's world and it's rulers, and we learn that there is a rebellion afoot that has plans for Violet.

Violet's world is controlled and she is a slave to her place in life, but this series is not as dark and despairing as some of the other dystopian series - in many ways it is presented as a glittering world of glamour and luxury, with a rotten core of power plays and manipulation.  As Violet learns more about her world so do we, and it becomes clear that everyone wants something from Violet, some people are just more obvious about it than others.  This is a series that would be suitable for younger teens who are interested in reading dystopian series without too much of the outright gruesome and grim that you get with series like The hunger games or even The testing.  One of my colleagues read The Jewel and felt it was quite cliched, but I found a lot to like and enough subtleties to enjoy it as a unique voice.  The white rose continues on well from The Jewel, and it will be interesting to see how Ewing brings the trilogy to a close.

If you like this book then try:

• The Jewel by Amy Ewing
• Perfected by Kate Jarvik Birch
• Wither by Lauren DeStefano
• The hunger games by Suzanne Collins
• Renegade by J.A. Souders
• Adaptation by Melinda Lo
• The forest of hands and teeth by Carrie Ryan
• XVI by Julia Karr
• The 100 by Kass Morgan
• Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
• The testing by Joelle Charbonneau
• Proxy by Alex London
• Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
• In the after by Demitria Lunetta
• ACID by Emma Pass
• Reboot by Amy Tintera
• What's left of me by Kat Zhang

Reviewed by Brilla

Percy Jackson and the last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson and the last Olympian is the fifth and final book in the  Percy Jackson and the Olympians series so this review contains ***SPOILERS*** if you have not read the first books in the series.  This is one of those series where it really pays to read them in order so if you have not already read the other books then I suggest you do so before reading anymore of this review!

For the past four years Percy Jackson's life has been all about the prophecy, the one that says a child of one of the three great gods will decide the fate of the world.  As a son of Poseidon Percy is likely to be that child, and the last few years may have thrown up a few false leads but the great Titan Kronos has his sights set on destroying Percy and the gods of Olympus.  There have been skirmishes in the past, and Percy has lost friends and foes, but the great battle is approaching and it appears that the gods and their demigod children are divided and ill prepared for the battle that is approaching.  The titans have stirred and while they may have their own agendas they are powerful allies for Kronos, and to make matters worse some of the minor gods have joined team Kronos to take down the gods of Olympus and their children.

Battle lines have been drawn and sides have been chosen, and for Percy the time has finally come to discover what he is really capable of - and for him to hear the full prophecy.  Allies old and new are needed for this last mighty quest, and if they are to succeed they need to find courage and cunning, because Kronos is not playing fair.  As his sixteenth birthday approaches Percy is willing to try just about anything to stop Kronos and save his father (and the other gods of course).  That willingness to put himself at risk, to try anything to save the world is Percy's greatest strength and his greatest weakness - there is a fine line between bravery and courage, and being a seaweed brain and brash.  If Percy is going to save the world he needs to understand history, ancient history and more recent history, otherwise he may make the same mistakes they made in the past and doom the world.  

The Percy Jackson series has been a real delight to read, not only because of the readability of the series and the engaging characters, but also because it brings the wealth of Greek mythology to life for modern readers.  This has also been a surprisingly meaty read, with Percy and his friends experiencing hardship and the loss of friends and family, as well as having to make very mature decisions for young people their age (or people of any age really).  Over the course of the novels Percy has developed as a character and as a person, he has become a living breathing person that could step off the page and into the real world.  His closest friends and enemies are the same, characters that have been fleshed out over the series to become more than just names on a page.  The cast of hundreds for Camp Half-Blood also developed, but to a realistic background noise rather than overwhelming the reader with details and side stories that go nowhere.  

I came to the series late, and in one way that was a good thing because it meant I could read the books quite quickly - with only a matter of days between the last two books.  It must have been torture for die hard fans to have to wait for the last books in the series to come out!  It is unusual to find a series that has strong male and female main characters that are instantly relateable and you get that with the main characters of Percy, Annabeth, and in his own way Grover.  The characters grow and change, in much the same way as the readers themselves would grow over the years of the series.  I have seen comments calling Rick Riordan the "US Rowling" and in many ways that is a disservice as while Rowling wrote an amazing series it was not the easy to access world that Riordan has created - Rowling was more bookish and clever, while Riordan has created a world of action and discovering the hero within (my personal opinion, but after all the series I have read over the years I think its valid!).

It has been a pleasure to meet Percy Jackson and his world, and I am all set to jump into The red pyramid to see if Riordan has breathed such believable life into ancient Egyptian mythology.  If you have not discovered the Percy Jackson series then try it, and that includes the adults reading this review thinking about buying/borrowing this series for the young people in their lives - this is a series that adults need to discover too!

If you like this book then try:

• Percy Jackson and the lightning thief by Rick Riordan
• Percy Jackson and the sea of monsters by Rick Riordan
• Percy Jackson and the titan's curse by Rick Riordan
• Percy Jackson and the battle of the labyrinth by Rick Riordan
• The chaos of stars by Kiersten White
• Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst
• Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
• Born at midnight by C.C Hunter
• Mortal danger by Ann Aguirre
• Firelight by Sophie Jordan
• The girl of fire and thorns by Rae Carson
• Drift by M.K. Hutchins
• Legacies by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill
• Daughter of smoke and bone by Laini Taylor
• Sweet venom by Tera Lynn Childs

Reviewed by Brilla

Percy Jackson and the battle of the labyrinth by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson and the battle of the labyrinth is the fourth book in the  Percy Jackson and the Olympians series so this review contains ***SPOILERS*** if you have not read the first books in the series.  This is one of those series where it really pays to read them in order so if you have not already read the other books then I suggest you do so before reading anymore of this review!

It seems as though no summer is complete for Percy Jackson without him being held responsible for the destruction of school property, closely followed by expulsion or criminal charges - and this year looks as though it will be no different.  Fleeing the scene has also become part of the usual process, but this time when he arrives at Camp Half-Blood he finds that his friend Grover is in trouble and that even Camp Half-Blood is not safe from danger.  Each year there are less and less campers, not just because they are dying but also because they are defecting to the other side.  Percy and his friends know it is only a matter of time before war arrives, but it seems as though Kronos is not content to wait for war, that he would rather take the demigods out of the equation before events can escalate to full scale war.

Their only hope of protecting themselves and slowing down the enemy is to enter the labyrinth of legend and find it's creator - because only he has the power to navigate the labyrinth freely and without distraction.  This will not be an easy quest, because Luke is also searching for a way to navigate the maze and he doesn't have to navigate the bad guys dotting the labyrinth the way Percy and his companions do.  As they pursue their quest they uncover more surprises and secrets - some will help them, while others will hinder them.  It doesn't help matters that Annabeth is acting strange, especially when Percy's new friend Rachael is mentioned.  Fate is marching ever closer for Percy and his friends, and the Fates can play nasty tricks when they want to.  Can Percy and Annabeth find a way through the Labyrinth before it is too late?

Percy Jackson and the battle of the labyrinth is the fifth book in a series that has completely exceeded my expectations - not only in terms of readability (the words seem to flow all by themselves) but also in terms of remaining true to the mythology of ancient Greece without being bound by it.  This is a series that should be recommended reading for any reluctant reader, not just because of the careful balance between adventure and characters that scream "I'm real!", but also because it takes a subject that has a rich history and injects it into the modern world and the modern world into it.  My first experience of Percy Jackson and his world was the two movies made based on the books and I am so glad that I decided to pick up the books because the books are so much better.

The writing style for Percy Jackson is engaging and world building, without bogging you down with too much detail or too many complicated and confusing words.  It is easy to see the origins of the story here (a son with dyslexia and ADHD) because not only are the demigods usually identifiable by their dyslexia, there is also a certain amount of messages around being different is okay (and sometimes even better than okay).  It has been a pleasure getting to know Percy Jackson and his world, and I have already started reading book five in the series and I am desperately hoping that it does the rest of the series justice.  It is unusual to have a children's series that features such prominent themes of death, but it is well handled and as long as children can ask questions of a responsible adult/older sibling then everything should be fine.  Hopefully if they make any more movies in the series they will do the books justice!

If you like this book then try:

• Percy Jackson and the lightning thief by Rick Riordan
• Percy Jackson and the sea of monsters by Rick Riordan
• Percy Jackson and the titan's curse by Rick Riordan
• The chaos of stars by Kiersten White
• Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst
• Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
• Born at midnight by C.C Hunter
• Mortal danger by Ann Aguirre
• Firelight by Sophie Jordan
• The girl of fire and thorns by Rae Carson
• Drift by M.K. Hutchins
• Legacies by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill
• Daughter of smoke and bone by Laini Taylor
• Sweet venom by Tera Lynn Childs

Reviewed by Brilla

Silent Creed by Alex Kava

Silent Creed is the second book in the Ryder Creed series, and while it can be read as a stand alone novel I would recommend reading the series in order starting with Breaking Creed.

A massive mudslide in North Carolina has buried a top secret research facility under the umbrella of DARPA and with such a sensitive location there is only one man that can be trusted to search for survivors - Ryder Creed.  When an old army colleague calls in a favour, Ryder heads to North Carolina to start the search with Bolo, but it seems as though there are secrets buried in the mud.  The facility is completely buried which will make finding survivors difficult, and when a body is recovered it has an execution style bullet wound that has the powers that be on the side all flustered and secretive.  The landslides are far from over and the ground is likely to move under their feet as they search, and it seems as though the mud clogged slopes aren't the only things that are slippery.

When FBI Agent Maggie O'Dell arrives on the scene she finds an injured Creed and more questions than answers.  Bodies recovered from the filed of debris have been badly injured, and there are remains that need to be examined but no one seems to be in a hurry to examine them.  As O'Dell and Creed settle into the site it becomes apparent that the mudslide is a tragedy for the civillian population in the area, and that there is something not quite right happening on the ground where they are putting their lives at risk to search for answers.  While Creed and his dogs search for answers O'Dell needs to watch their backs because some secrets are meant to remain buried - no matter what the cost.

This was my second outing with Creed and O'Dell and I thoroughly enjoyed it, finding it a well paced and evenly balanced read from the point of view of both characters without one voice taking too much of the story.  Once again the dogs feature strongly in the story, with their own strong presence and point of view - Grace is still absolutely charming and reminds me very much of several little terriers I know who also deploy their little dog charms to devastating effect.  The other characters are also rounding out more, not just Creed and O'Dell, but the other people that inhabit their world.  This is a book that can be read independently of Breaking Creed, but I think I enjoyed it more because I had the background from the first book.

Ryder Creed and his dogs occur a unique piece of the crime genre - they are based on real working dogs and their handlers, and their multiple skills mean that there are many opporuntinies for future storylines.  Working dogs are often underestimated or misunderstood, but they are finely tuned and carefully trained to be very good at what they do - and any working dog develops an intense bond with their human partner that should not be underestimated either.  There are some interesting developments with personal lives and relationships here and it will be worthwhile following the storylines to see what happens to Ryder, his dogs, and all the people in their lives.  

Hopefully we don't have to wait too long for the next book in this series because this was another thoroughly enjoyable escape from the world into a richly imagined disaster that make you feel like shaking off the mud and rain yourself.

If you like this book then try:

• Eeny meeny by M.J. Arlidge
• Vodka doesn't freeze by Leah Giarratano
• The surgeon by Tess Gerritsen
• One step too far by Tina Seskis
• The postcard killers by James Patterson and Liza Marklund
• The basement by Stephen Leather
• The silence of the lambs by Thomas Harris
• Level 26: Dark origins by Anthony E. Zuiker and Duane Swierczynski
• Now you see her by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
• The postcard killers by James Patterson and Liza Marklund
• Private Oz by James Patterson and Michael White
• The survivors club by Lisa Gardner
• Darkly dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
• Kill switch by Neal Baer & Jonathan Greene
• The edge of normal by Carla Norton

Reviewed by Brilla

Shifting shadows by Patricia Briggs

The world inhabited by Mercedes "Mercy" Thompson Hauptman is rich with history and mythology that make it an urban fantasy world worth visiting (and revisiting).  The world contains not only the Mercy Thompson series, but also the intertwined stories from Alpha and Omega - the worlds are distinct and focused on different characters, but there is a lot of overlap between the two series.  Some of the characters appear suddenly in the world, while others seem to appear and then disappear without a trace.  

Shifting shadows: Stories from the world of Mercy Thompson plugs some of the holes from the novels, as well as creating a richer mythology for the novels.  If you are a fan of Mercy and her world then this is a must read - preferably after you have read up until at least the end of Night broken to avoid any spoilers!

Some of the treats you can look forward to in Shifting shadows are:

Alpha and Omega

The first time that Charles meets Anna and Brother wolf chooses her wolf as his mate.  This is  the action that takes place just before the start of Alpha and Omega and it neatly fills the gap about what happened to Anna's old pack and how she came to join Charles and the Marrok in Montana.

Roses in winter

We were introduced to her father, but we never got to meet Kara who was turned into a werewolf at a very young age.  Taken in by the Marrok and his pack she has been learning what it really means to be a werewolf, but time is running out for her to learn how to shift from one form to the other.  She has an unexpected ally in the form of Asil, who takes her under his wing.

Redemption

He started as the werewolf we loved to hate, the brash and violent Brit that Mercy doesn't trust around anyone innocent - especially Adam's daughter Jesse.  There is more to Ben than we know though, and he is about to discover for himself that there is also more to him than he knows.  You don't mess with Pack, and Pack is not always other werewolves.

Silver

Ariana is a powerful fae that has kept a secret for centuries and when she enters the world of Mercy Thompson it is not clear if she is friend or foe - and her terror of the werewolves is part of the doubt.  Here is the story abolut how she and Samuel met, and more of the story about how Samuel and Bran came to be as they are - and more about the woman they called mother and grandmother.

The recommended reading order for this world is:

• Moon called
• Cry wolf (Alpha and Omega)
• Hunting ground (Alpha and Omega)
• Blood bound
• Iron kissed
• Bone crossed
• Silver borne
• River marked
• Fair game (Alpha and Omega)
• Frost burned
• Dead heat (Alpha and Omega)
• Night broken

Reviewed by Brilla

NEED by Joelle Charbonneau

A new networking site has appeared in Nottawa, Wisconsin and it is like nothing the teens at Nottawa High School have seen before.  Instead of the usual friend requests and invitation to games, NEED asks you what you need and then allocates the number of people you need to invite to NEED for your need to be met.  It seems simple enough, but what happens when everyone from NHS is already a member and there are no other people to invite - how will people meet the requirements of NEED then?  It seems as though Kaylee and the rest of her fellow students are about to discover that for themselves as they sign up with the website.  The website has features that make everyone anonymous, and there are account settings that can hide your account from the rest of the members, but social media is not as secret as people think.

Some of the needs seem frivolous to Kaylee - other students are asking for cellphones, computers, and better marks at school - but all Kaylee really needs is a new kidney for her brother.  After faking illness to gain access to the medical information about other students, and demanding people get their blood tested to see if they are a match, Kaylee is the social pariah of her school and even her mother thinks she is unstable.  When Kaylee begins to see the darker side to NEED she reaches out to her best friend and the local police, but things don't exactly go to plan.  NEED seems to have a life force of it's own, and if Kaylee can't figure out the secrets behind the website then her graduating class may be significantly smaller than expected.  As the girl who cried wolf Kaylee is fighting an uphill battle to gain credibility, and maybe that's for the best - because what if she really is having a break with reality and what she thinks is happening really isn't happening?

Following up from a successful series is always a challenge for an author, especially when your first books are something of a secret success story.  Joelle Charbonneau's Testing trilogy was a fresh voice in the popular dystopia genre, and it was a pleasant surprise to find her work set in a contemporary world was just as enthralling and addictive.  The voices of Kaylee and her fellow students are clear and distinct, and through rapidly changing viewpoints we get to experience the story from multiple points of view as the story progresses - rather than having a single character narrate the story.  The switching viewpoints seemed like a poor choice at first because it took a while to get under the skin of the characters because you perched on their shoulders like nervous birds before flitting off to the next character - but it really comes into it's own when the pace of the story picks up and the different characters play their parts in the unfolding story.

Every character in NEED is flawed and completely human, Kaylee is desperate to save her brother and that drives her to be subversive and devious.  Her mother is trying to protect her brother and herself and acts as any defensive parent might.  The different students act in ways that are predictable as well - as teenagers they are expected to start making adult choices, but they are also treated like children.  There are some truly sneaky and despicable characters here to grumble about, as well as some surprising moments of change and growth.  This is one of those stories that doesn't pull punches for a teen audience - there is death, dark secrets, and the characters are manipulated into acts that you wouldn't think teenagers would willingly do for such "small" rewards.  There are a lot of elements here of different genre - the most prominent being the psychological thriller and drama, but it is also a very deftly written tale that has it's own unique voice within those genre.

Charbonneau has created an excellent stand alone read with NEED and has proven beyond a doubt that she is not a one horse wonder.  There is a lot to like with NEED, and it will appeal to anyone who enjoys an intelligently written novel of suspense and drama - including the adults who have been increasing their habit of sneaking into teen reads over the past few years. 

If you like this book then try:

• The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
• I hunt killers by Barry Lyga
• The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
• Acceleration by Graham McNamee
• Remember by Eileen Cook
• Nearly gone by Elle Cosimano
• Blackbird by Anna Carey
• Slated by Teri Terry
• Burning blue by Paul Griffin
• Furious Jones and the assassin's secret by Tim Kehoe
• The naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
• Don't turn around by Michelle Gagnon
• The Christopher killer by Alane Ferguson
• Numbers by Rachel Ward

Reviewed by Brilla

George by Alex Gino

To the outside world George is an awkward boy who never quite fits in with the other boys in his class - but that is because on the inside George is a girl trapped in the wrong body.  Life has become a series of secrets and wishes for something that she can't seem to be, hiding the truth from people around her because she is afraid.  Her only escape is her friendship with Kelly, and the secret stash of teen girl magazines that she hides from her family in her room - magazines that help her cope by escaping into their pages of pure girl world.

When her class prepares to put on Charlotte's web George knows that more than anything she wants to play Charlotte, a role that seems to call to her.  When she auditions as Charlotte she thinks she has done a good job, but her teacher wont let her be Charlotte because she thinks George is a boy - and that he is auditioning for Charlotte as a joke.  It seems as though her dream of playing Charlotte is destroyed beyond repair, but George didn't count on just how good a friend Kelly really is.  Finding her voice as Charlotte is just part of her journey, George also has to find the courage to tell her mother that she is trapped in the wrong body, and her mother is not ready to hear it - will she ever be?

I wanted to read George because fiction can be a window to another world for children - especially if it is well written.  That window may be a glimpse into another world, it can be a glimpse into the past, or it can be a glimpse into a world where another child is experiencing the same things you are.  Children are not born with prejudice, they learn to hate and judge from the people around them, particularly their parents.  That hate and prejudice may come from the way they were raised, it may come from their religion, or from accepted "social norms".  

George is a sweet little book that challenges one of the greatest "social norms" - that a child is born in the right body, and that what you see on the outside should be what is on the inside.  Luckily there are more diverse books out there now that are challenging these social norms and giving a voice to children who might otherwise think they are alone.  This is the perfect chapter book for parents who want to introduce their children to the idea of being transgender, especially a child who is transgender and has no doubt they were born in the wrong body.  George has no doubt what she is, and the fears and doubts she feels ring true as she faces up to what the outside world sees and expects.  

This is not a deep and meaningful novel of identity, but it is an honest look at identity for children - when they are teenagers they can sink their teeth into some of the other more challenging and complicated reads out there.  There are some so-so reviews out there, but I would suggest you read the book for yourself and make up your own mind.  If you want to help your child develop a broad world view then I would recommend adding George to your reading list - and theirs.

If you like this book then try:

• My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis; illustrated by Suzanne DeSimone
• Chamelia by Ethan Long
• 10,000 dresses by Marcus Ewert; illustrated by Rex Ray
• And Tango makes three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
• Be who you are by Jennifer Carr; pictures by Ben Rumback
• Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky
• It's okay to be different by Todd Parr
• You're different and that's super by Carson Kressley; illustrated by Jared Lee

Reviewed by Brilla

Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

Nicolette Lampton is only a child when the mother who adores her, and who she adores in return, dies slowly from a disease that her father seems unwilling to treat.  In a kingdom where the magic is no longer trusted and the Fey have been banished to Faerie, it is a difficult time to make a living with trinkets and mechanical creatures that seem more magical than they should.  When her father brings home a stepmother and two stepsisters Nicolette quietly hopes for a life full of sisters and family - but when her father also dies she discovers that her place in her new family is as a servant in her own home.  Luckily she has some small magics she can call on to help with the enormous tasks of running a large manor house, but her greatest asset is her determination to survive each day and one day reclaim her inheritance.

On her sixteenth birthday Nicolette, renamed Nick by her not so nice stepsisters, finds a letter from her mother which directs her to a hidden key.  That key will unlock not only a hidden doorway - it will also unlock the potential for a bright future.  Nick was told her mothers workshop was destroyed in a fire, it was in fact quietly rescued and hidden away.  In the workshop there are tools and materials to make all sorts of wondrous creations along with books and journals that help Nick remember the lessons she learned at her mothers knee - as well as the lessons she never had a chance to learn.  As she practices her skills Nick sets her sights on the Exhibition, because if she can gain a wealthy patron then she can leave her stepmother and stepsisters behind for good.  Along the way Nick will face challenges, disaster, and unexpected friendships as she discovers who she really is and what it means to be Mechanica (a mocking nickname that seems to fit like a glove).

Mechanica is at it's heart a retelling of the Cinderella story - but it is also much more than that.  Fractured fairy tales, as retellings are often called, can go really well or really badly depending on the author.  Luckily for Mechanica and her world, Cornwell managed to nail the story with style and flair, while also respecting the source material.  I was a little dubious when I picked up the book, and it took me a chapter or two to really enjoy it and settle in to the story, but once I did I didn't want to put it down.  Rather than a retelling set in a different time on Earth, Mechanica's world is clearly either an alternative world form ours or a completely different world altogether.  There are elements of fantasy, but there are also elements that feel a little steampunk which is a rather intriguing blend.  Cornwell eases you into the back story, providing enough details and background for you to connect with Mechanica and her world without drowning you in boring details.  As with most stories it is the characters that truly bring the story to life and somehow Cornwell even managed to breathe life into the most cliche or cliches.

This was a darling little find and it fills a gap that has desperately needed filling.  There are some amazing fractured fairy tales for older readers like the Throne of glass series by Sarah J. Maas, and there are some great playful reads for younger teens like the books from Jessica Day George but there are few books in between.  Cornwell fills that gap, providing a book that is relatively easy to read, but that also is not too babyish.  The characters are engaging, and while you can probably guess what happens along the way it is a fractured fairy tale for a reason and the ending is not exactly what you might expect.  Mechanica is no helpless damsel in distress, and it was a real pleasure to make her acquaintance - and I hope there are more tales to come from Cornwell, even if they don't include Mechanica and her world.

If you like this book then try:

• Ella enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
• Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
• Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix
• The treachery of beautiful things by Ruth Frances Long
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• Throne of glass by Sarah J. Maas
• Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
• Crown duel by Sherwood Smith
• Dealing with dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
• Princess of the midnight ball by Jessica Day George
• Water song by Suzanne Weyn
• Beauty by Robin Mckinley
• The storyteller's daughter by Cameron Dokey

Reviewed by Brilla