When Henry VIII died on 28 January 1547, he left his nine-year-old son Edward to rule a kingdom broken by religious strife. Catholic England turned reformed Catholic England now turned Protestant England under Edward VI and his maternal uncle, Lord Protector Edward Seymour. But in 1553, Edward at fifteen years of age knew he was dying and he wanted to keep England out of the hands of his Catholic older sister Mary. Yet he did not want to leave his favorite sister, Elizabeth, in charge either so he changed his father’s will. He left the throne to his cousin Lady Jane Grey’s male children, but when he realized he was fading too quickly (and Jane was nowhere close to being pregnant), he updated the will to leave the throne to Lady Jane and her male heirs. A subtle, yet major change.

Her Highness, the Traitor begins in 1555, two years into Mary I’s reign, with reminisces of the past from Jane Dudley and Frances Grey. As the title implied (at least to me), I thought Susan Higginbotham’s latest historical fiction novel was about Jane Grey’s rise to the throne and her husband, Guildford Dudley, the children of the two women previously mentioned.

And it was, but not to the extent I imagined. Written in the first person, past tense and alternating points-of-view between Jane Dudley and Frances Grey, they reminisce about the past (starting in 1512 for Jane Dudley and 1547 for Frances Grey) and how it led to their present situations in 1555. I thought Her Highness, the Traitor would be from Jane Grey’s point-of-view, but instead Lady Jane’s story played out through the eyes of her mother and mother-in-law. While it threw me off at first, I quickly became accustomed to it and enjoyed learning these two womens’ views on their children’s rise and fall along with their own motivations and biases.

Just a bit of basic background on these two characters: Jane Dudley knew and grew up with her husband John because after his father was executed as a traitor by Henry VIII, Jane’s family took him in as a ward and Frances Grey was the daughter of Charles Brandon, the duke of Suffolk, and Mary Tudor, Henry VIII’s younger sister.

As previously stated, the story alternated between Jane Dudley and Frances Grey, as it moved forward in time, revealing the day-to-day and major events of both of their lives, including their children taking the throne and the later consequences.

I found it interesting to read a story I know from two different voices I had not heard before. I kept hoping things would work out for everyone involved, but if it had, history would not have progressed as it had. As historical fiction readers, I think sometimes we forget (at least I do) that these people were real, living, breathing people. Sometimes I am so caught up in a story that that gets away from me and I remind myself often -and then it makes my heart ache. Towards the end, tears came to my eyes over and over and eventually spilled. Have a box of tissues nearby.

Her Highness, the Traitor is definitely a journey of a book and a heartfelt one at that.

Recommended for historical fiction readers eighteen and up. The title is a bit misleading but the story is uniquely told by Jane Grey’s and Guildford Dudley’s mothers.

Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her young but important and useful friends, Emily, Sam, and Griffin (the Duke of Greythorne) are back again in this follow-up to The Girl in the Steel Corset.

After surviving each other’s strong wills and the threat of The Machinist, Finley and crew have no time to rest since some sinister men came to haul Jasper the cowboy back to America. Jasper is charismatic and though his past is unknown, his English friends mostly trust him (except maybe for Sam). Finley, Emily, Sam, and Griffin thought the strong arm of the law had come to take Jasper off, but no matter the reason, they resolve to follow Jasper to America.

And that is where The Girl in the Clockwork Collar begins, with Finley and Griffin taking the air on Griffin’s personal steamship as they cross the Atlantic two weeks after the end of the previous book. Sam and Emily are there too, of course, and they all catch their first sights of New York City. The trip and the new setting are exciting, but they have more pressing matters at hand.

It turns out Jasper was taken hostage by his former employer and friend. At some point in the recent past, Jasper stole an important object from Reno Dalton and Dalton wants it back at the potential expense of Jasper’s former (and maybe soon to be rekindled) love, Mei. Dalton also holds Mei hostage, but in a far more dangerous way: she wears a heavy clockwork collar about her neck that will tighten and choke her if she tries to escape or if she disobeys Dalton…or, now, if Jasper fails to return what he has stolen.

Me oh my! And I thought this would be short because of if you know me, I consider what is not in the synopsis as spoilers and there is not much in the synopsis! And really, my opinion is going to be short because I can only gush so much without inadvertently revealing anything.

So.

Kady Cross wrote The Girl in the Clockwork Collar from both Finley’s and Jasper’s perspectives which I looooooved. Like I said above, Jasper is super charismatic. Not only that, but since he is an American cowboy, I imagine him with one of those draaaawls, you know, and after delving deeper into his mind and motivations in this book, I loved him even more. This just occurred to me: Ryan Gosling would be perfect as Jasper Renn. He can do that southern thing and he pulls off period clothes extremely well. Excuse me while I drool daydream for a moment. Suffice it to say, even though I immensely enjoy Griffin King, I think if it came down to it, I would totally be Jasper’s girl.

I also loved being in Finley’s head again. She grew a lot over the events in the first novel, but she grows even more in this one. I enjoyed her wit and her strength but most of all I enjoyed that she was beginning to allow herself to be vulnerable when it counted.

Sam was Sam. He was a bit more perceptive, but he has not changed too much. It has only been two weeks between novels after all. I felt like I got to see Emily more, though, and she is an awesome spitfire. It was almost as if she traded some of her vulnerability to Finley for some of Finley’s strength because of what happened to her in the first novel.

There was still romance in the novel. Nothing beyond a kiss (and I will not tell you between who, but various characters saw a bit of action). Usually if a romance is slow to start in a first novel, it will all of a sudden speed up in the second novel. Not so in The Girl with the Clockwork Collar, which was just fine by me. Not everything has to happen fast and besides! These characters are young. That is not unusual in young adult literature but the thing with these books is that I often forget that the characters are teenagers or very early twenties because they are all mature in many ways, shaped by their time and their experiences.

HA! Well, it looks like I have managed to draw this out more than I thought I could. I thought this was going to be short because the only notes I took while reading were that the book begins two weeks after the first and that it was basically amazing. I was too busy reading for more notes than that!

I loved all of the characters, especially Finley, Griffin, and Jasper. Although it was told from two points-of-view, The Girl in the Steel Corset was very much Finley’s story while The Girl in the Clockwork Collar is very much Jasper’s story. I wonder what that means for the next book? This book showcased Jasper and it was such a stressful book for him. Poor Jasper. Kady, I am available to comfort him.

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar is even more interesting than its predecessor and I urge steampunk readers to run out and buy it on May 22!

Recommended for fans of steampunk novels who are sixteen or older. If you read the first, you must read this one! JASPER!

The King’s Concubine is about King Edward III, Queen Philippa, and Alice Perrers, the king’s infamous mistress. The book follows Alice’s life from her time at Barking Abbey, her short, unconsummated marriage to Janyn Perrers, and her renewed time at the convent before Queen Philippa sees something in her and saves her from that life by making her one of her damsels. Alice sympathizes with the queen and becomes loyal to her, showing her various kindnesses because of her sense of right and the queen rewards her for it by raising her position.

The queen suffers from pain and swollen limbs and despite Edward’s love for her, she can no longer perform her wifely duties. That is where her plan for young Alice Perrers comes in. Even though it pains her, Philippa asks Alice to be with the king. She would rather have someone who is loyal to her and who she trusts and chooses to be with the king rather than some court lady who would gloat about her position. Philippa explains that she already told Edward to take a lover since she cannot withstand it anymore. All she has to do is get Alice to agree and place her in Edward’s way.

I really liked Alice’s strength and audacity. I admired how she kept her counsel in moments of great self-control and how she knew when the moment was right for her to speak her mind in a way that it would be to her benefit.

I have always heard of Alice Perrers and since she is a bit before my usual time period, I never learned more about her than the bare basics. I knew she was linked to King Edward and that she was one of the many despised mistresses throughout English history. That was about it. No one knows much about her early life and if Alice knew, she never let on to anyone. I must have heard bad things about her in the course of my education and reading, so I went into this thinking she was another upstart who wanted power. Of course, The King’s Concubine is ficiton and I do not know enough about this time period or of Alice Perrers to know what historians say about her or to form my own judgement based solely on facts, but I do believe that she enjoyed the power, but what she always wanted most out of life was security.

I was stunned when, in the book, Queen Philippa told her that she already urged Edward to take a lover and that she planned to put Alice in that position. It was a precarious position for Alice. The king desired her and she was the queen’s closest confidante, but everyone else thought she was a greedy nobody who was undermining the sweetest and most pious queen of the time, who was well-loved. Since there is a negative stigma attached to Alice Perrers, I am sure that if this fiction was true, the two parties who planned it kept their secrets so closely guarded that today we have no way of knowing. I think, by doing this, Anne O’Brien created an aura of mystery around Alice and the whole situation which just makes me want to read more about her and learn the facts and the inferences.

The King’s Concubine is very interesting, but it was a bit slow for me to read because of the extremely small print and the never-ending chapters. If I cannot read a book straight through (which is most of them), I prefer to take a break when I reach the next chapter and with this book, that next chapter never seemed to come. That was the only part that discouraged me a bit and made me keep putting down the book. But I did feel like I learned a lot about the Alice Perrers that O’Brien created and the one history remembers through the reactions of court, even though it was fiction.

Recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction and want to read a positive spin on Alice Perrers.

The Syrena need to ensure their survival and to do that they have sent their prince, Galen, to land to seek the rumored girl who can communicate with sea life. When Emma, that unaware and rumored girl, literally runs into Galen while on vacation at the beach in Florida, they immediately feel connected, but Galen’s twin sister, Rayna, ruins the mood. Rayna is not convinced Emma is the girl they are looking for but after a dangerous encounter with a shark and after that, wave after wave of incidents, Galen is convinced she is the one the Syrena need. He only has to make her believe.

Anna Banks wrote Of Poseidon from both Galen’s and Emma’s points-of-view. While I enjoyed being in both of their heads, the tenses threw me off. I cannot think of another book that I have read that did something like this. Emma’s point-of-view was in the first person present tense, which is common. But Galen’s point-of-view was in the third person present tense, which I found odd because usually the third person is paired with the past tense. I am not sure what Banks’ motives were for writing the characters this way, but I just found it hard to follow Galen’s parts…at first. More on that in a bit.

I cannot write much about the plot because the synopsis does not reveal much and I do not want to spoil it for anyone. I can say that one minor thing that bugged me was that over and over Galen and Rayna thought and/or talked about how much they hate humans, yet they interact closely with two humans and felt compassion for others, so I was not really convinced and found myself wondering why that was insisted upon when it did not seem to be true.

Alright, by now, a lot of you are probably thinking that I disliked this book. Not true! The hating humans thing was minor and yes, the tense thing was bigger because it slowed me down, but I really enjoyed the story! I regret that I have so many notes on Of Poseidon that I cannot share without spoiling things for you, because I think those would show you better how much I enjoyed it.

For the first few chapters, Galen’s unconventional point-of-view/tense thing distracted me from getting into the story, but after that I started to get used to it (or I was able to ignore it) and I was able to focus on the story properly.

Of Poseidon is really good and sucked me in to its pages. I almost felt like I was in the same places that the characters were, but as an invisible viewer. Even thinking about it now, my brain can call up the images of the sea and Galen’s house and the  experiences that made me feel like I was there.

I enjoyed the love story and the sleuthing because who does not love a good love story and while it was happening Galen and Emma were trying to find answers that would have satisfied everyone’s wants.

The ending completely threw me and shocked me because I followed the same false trails that the characters did. It gave me chills and goosebumps and I wanted to keep reading even though that was impossible because even this book is not officially out yet, so it will be even longer to wait for the second. Yes, there is a cliffhanger. A huge one! 

While the medium of Galen’s voice distracted me at first, the Of Poseidon’s story quickly overpowered all of that and drew me in deep. I am excited for book number two because I have to know what happens next!

Recommended for those fourteen and up who enjoy young adult fantasy having to do with mermaids Syrena and books with twists that crash over you like an unexpected wave. If cliffhangers are not your thing, you may want to wait until book two comes out, but that could be a looooong time since Of Poseidon releases in twelve days.

Tristan Hart enjoys his typical teenage life on Coney Island: he has his best friend Layla (who he is starting to look twice at), he is one of the best swimmers on his swim team, he is a lifeguard at the beach, and girls think he is hot - at least until he screws up big time.

But when a freak move wave sweeps him out to the ocean and relinquishes its hold on him three days later, Tristan’s life becomes weird. He keeps dreaming of a beautiful silver mermaid with shark teeth and he can suddenly smell the emotions of others. Not to mention, he grows a tail and some shiny scales.

Layla knows something is up and she is determined to figure it out. Tristan is not going to make it easy for her. He cannot just tell her that he is suddenly a merdude and the heir to the sea kingdom.

The Vicious Deep is pretty awesome. I expected it to be extremely sinister, but it was only something sinister, which was fine with me. The Vicious Deep still had its serious, dangerous moments, but what surprised and delighted me was Tristan’s humor. He was so funny without even trying.

Doesn’t that give you a sense of Tristan’s sarcastic humor? He, through Zoraida Córdova, made me laugh out loud numerous times. I also know that Córdova loves Disney’s The Little Mermaid and alluded to it many times throughout the book in the form of puns.

I loved having this male merman perspective! Tristan wonders what happened to his feet, then his manhood. He wonders if he can still eat fish or if it is now considered semi-cannibalism. He also grumbles about how out of all of the creatures in his mom’s fairy books, she had to go and be the girliest.

I have read mermaid books before and they have had merman in them or a love interest who gets to turn into a merman, but Córdova’s The Vicious Deep is the first mer novel I have read that features a male protagonist who is the sea creature. 

Talking about the plot could get spoiler-y, but I will tell you that there is a very slow-building romance that may never go anywhere (but I hope it does), a dangerous quest, the existence of other creatures, some fights and death, and amazing side characters (especially Thalia and Kurt).

The Vicious Deep is definitely laugh out loud funny but it does not lack in danger and revelation. It was very cool and I am looking forward to Córdova’s second installment in the trilogy, The Savage Blue.

Recommended for lovers of mermaid stories fourteen and up. It is awesome from a guy’s point-of-view. It is not girly at all and there are lots of funny moments. Some language. Some violence.

A research project turns into a nightmare when Nora finds her best friend, Chris, dead and his girlfriend Adriane, alive and unresponsive. Her own boyfriend, Max, has disappeared and he is the prime suspect. Grief-stricken and suddenly alone, Nora follows the trail of blood and the old letters that started it all. Eventually, the clues lead her to Prague and into the midst of secret societies, danger, and the promise of solving a centuries-old puzzle that may be the key to getting out alive.

Nora, the first person narrator, along with Chris and Max, was helping on an independent study focused on the Voynich manuscript (which is an actual manuscript with an uncrackable code thus far). At first, Nora told their story in flashbacks, back and forth between the present and the past so it was hard to keep the characters and relationships straight. Luckily, it became much easier as I got into the book.

As for the manuscript, it seemed to take a backseat to the Elizabeth Weston letters from the sixteenth century. They contained codes all of their own. And they were fascinating, if fictional. The Elizabeth letters were Nora’s project within the project, but they turned out to be so much more important.

Nora was very mature and philosophical, no doubt a product of her brother’s death, her parents’ inability to cope, her knowledge of Latin, and the Elizabeth letters. All of these circumstances molded her, as did her own “after”.

There was so much going on in The Book of Blood and Shadow that I would not do it justice trying to explain it. Readers will be suspicious and hopeful throughout the entire book and there are twists that will strike at what you believe is going on as you read.

Murder, ciphers, Latin, old texts, secret groups, mystery, Prague: aptly described as The Da Vinci Code for young adult readers by Giselle of Xpresso Reads, The Book of Blood and Shadow is an amazing, emotional rollercoaster ride of a book.

Recommended for young adult readers sixteen-years-old and up who enjoy books with murder, mystery, and codes. Some violent situations.

Young Isabel lives in Spain during the time of Torquemada and the Inquisition, but neither make her afraid. After all, her family is well-to-do, her father one of Ferdinand and Isabella’s physicians, and the Catholic faith is all Isabel knows. Until her parents arrange a marriage for her with the cold-hearted Luis and the betrothal preparations allow her to meet a Jewish person for the first time; a boy her age named Yonah. Between that and the whispers of Luis’ servants, Isabel learns about her family’s Jewish roots. When the Inquisition catches up with Isabel’s father, she knows she cannot sit idly by while he endures the unthinkable in prison, so she plans on getting him out and keeping her whole family safe.

The Last Song takes place over the duration of a year of Isabel’s young life, from age fourteen to fifteen. Told from the first person, the book explores Isabel’s coming of age during the frightening Inquisition and her enlightenment about her family’s past and how it changes her and allows her to grow as a person.

Eva Wiseman’s The Last Song was a likable enough novel and it does explore the horrors of the Inquisition and the lives it changed and destroyed. Isabel was a likable character as well and the the plot was good, but it was not overly remarkable for me.

Recommended for those interested in reading about the Spanish Inquisition in young adult form and those who want a quick historical read. Ages fourteen and up. Some non-graphic violence; more the affects after the fact.

After her mother’s death, seventeen-year-old Arabella Sharp moves in with her lady grandmother in her Kensington home. Abbie’s grandmother suggests that she perform some charity work in order to better appreciate her new life of luxury, so Abbie volunteers at Whitechapel Hospital assisting poverty-stricken women and children. Her grandmother’s plan backfires; rather than volunteer for a week and then enjoy leisure activities, Abbie chooses to continue working, genuinely enjoying the work. But work at Whitechapel Hospital becomes dangerous when Jack the Ripper strikes, brutally murdering patients of the hospital.

Amy Carol Reeves wrote Ripper in the first person from Abbie’s point-of-view. The beginning of each part of the book quoted appropriate lines from Jane Eyre, which endeared me to it even more.

I kept trying to guess who the Ripper was throughout the whole novel. I thought it could be William Siddal, one of the young physicians, because he seemed a little dangerous. Then I thought maybe it was Simon St. John, another young physician, because he was the least likely. Then I thought it could be Max Bartlett because he was even more dangerous. I even suspected Dr. Bartlett and Inspector Abberline from Scotland Yard. The point is, everyone was suspect in Ripper and Reeves’ writing was so engrossing that I was looking for Jack the Ripper in every male character.

There were definitely some shocking parts in Ripper that just made me want to scream or shout. Also, I would advise readers to not read parts of this book at night or in the dark like I did. Although Ripper is an excellent book, it is not good for bedtime reading!

As Reeves revealed more and more, I really appreciated how cleverly she wove everything together. There was even a little Tudor reference, which always makes me giddy! What she put together here is so fascinating and the epilogue indicates that more will come.

Ripper is a big historical mystery based on a gruesome time in London history that will keep readers guessing with one big difference: the reader learns the identity of Jack the Ripper.

Recommended for young adult readers sixteen and older who enjoy historical fiction and murder mysteries. Obviously, there is some violence.

Ismae Rienne was shunned since birth and grew up under the thumb of an abusive father only to be promised to an equally abusive husband. With help, Ismae escapes into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, the god of Death. There, Ismae learns of her useful and unique gifts as well as how to fulfill her destiny as a handmaiden to Death.

Her first two assignments are quick and straightforward. But her third assignment is a long-term one at the center of the court where she, as a farmer’s daughter turned assassin and undercover as a mistress, must rub elbows with barons and even the duchess of Brittany. Ismae’s one-track mind of following orders softens as she becomes closer to those at court until she is left with some difficult decisions when she receives new orders.

Set in the fifteenth century, Grave Mercy began when Ismae was fourteen-years-old and explains how she arrived at the convent. Then the story fast forwards three years to Ismae’s first assignment for the convent.

I loved the court life of Brittany, a duchy I know little about but which seems fascinating from the glimpses I had in Grave Mercy. It makes me want to learn more about Anne of Brittany (an actual historical figure) and her court. It then goes without saying that I also enjoyed the historical setting.

Ismae Rienne really made the story as a strong young woman and a complex character with a fantastic arsenal in her keeping. I thought the intricacies of the old saints (or gods) and their subtle similarities to the Greek gods was a nice addition for those paying close attention (albeit a very small part of the story). The slow-building love story along with betrayal and secrets was also an intriguing addition. The idea of teaching certain girls about poisons, weapons, seduction, and various ways of killing because Mortain, an old god, desires it, was such a great objective to build a novel around.

Grave Mercy is just amazing. Ismae’s journey was one of enlightenment and maturity and I was glad to be along for the ride.

Recommended for young adult historical fiction fans, fourteen and older, who enjoy strong female characters. There is some violence.

Emma Connor and Brendan Salinger, reincarnated soulmates, managed to find each other and stop a centuries-old curse from brutally and prematurely taking them away from each other. They finally get their happy ending of a normal high school life (or at least as normal as they can get at a New York City private school)…for a few months. Students at Vincent Academy and people all around the city who read the story of Emma’s and Brendan’s encounter with Anthony Caruso at Central Park are jealous of the high regard and love Brendan shows Emma. Not only do whispers and unwanted attention follow the happy couple, but an unknown evil intent on destroying their love and taking it for its own draws closer.

Remember how I said Spellbound worked well as a stand-alone? Well, I still believe that is true but I am so glad that Cara Lynn Shultz wrote a follow-up. Brendan and Emma, Angelique, Cisco, and Ashley are all such great characters that I was excited to revisit them and learn more about them and their lives.

I have loved Emman, Brendan, Cisco and Angelique since the beginning and they are even better in this new installment. Some of the jokes that Emma came up with made me snort. Just reading about Brendan made me forget my name. I would love to have Cisco around and Angelique would be a great person to count as a friend. Fans of Angelique, you will be happy to know that we get to read her point-of-view in two different spots in the book!

There was also so much mystery as well as a lot of secrecy from the reader! The build-up of suspense was fantastic. I would have been on the edge of my seat if I had not been lying in bed when Emma thought of her super-secret plan that the reader was not in on until it was executed. Spellcaster is riveting, hilarious, dangerous, and quirky!

Recommended for fans of young adult fantasy sixteen and older as well as fans of the first book, Spellbound.