The Winner's Curse

The Winner's Curse 
by Marie Rutkowski
The Winner's Trilogy, book one

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. (Description from goodreads.com)

I have to admit something pretty funny about my reading experience with this book...so, I was a history major in college, back before going to get my Master's in Library Science.  I read this book convinced that this was some foreign world/dystopia like story, and I really liked it.  It's easily readable and has a compelling storyline.  Imagine my chagrin when I read the author's note at the end and realized...wait for it... this is actually historical fiction!! 

Yup.  I totally missed all the cues that let readers know that this story is set in a fictional version of the ancient world when the Romans and Greeks were vying for power in the Mediterranean.  As soon as I read that it clicked in my brain and I went, "Duh."   LOL.  Now, I have even more admiration for Rutkowski's story because it really made such a foreign time and place come to life in a relatable way. 

While both Kestrel and Arin have to deal with slavery, war, and prejudice, they are still characters that I could find I had things in common with, characters that I desperately wanted to root for as they faced adversity and struggled to stay with each other.  I liked how their relationship grew in fits and starts, rather than in insta-love.  It felt very realistic.  Knowing the tough decision that Kestrel had to make at the book's conclusion, I cannot wait to see how things progress in book two! 

Full disclosure: Borrowed from my local Library 

Frozen

Frozen
by Melissa De La Cruz and Michael Johnston
Heart of Dread, book one

Welcome to New Vegas, a city once covered in bling, now blanketed in ice. Like much of the destroyed planet, the place knows only one temperature—freezing. But some things never change. The diamond in the ice desert is still a 24-hour hedonistic playground and nothing keeps the crowds away from the casino floors, never mind the rumors about sinister sorcery in its shadows.

At the heart of this city is Natasha Kestal, a young blackjack dealer looking for a way out. Like many, she's heard of a mythical land simply called “the Blue.” They say it’s a paradise, where the sun still shines and the waters are turquoise. More importantly, it’s a place where Nat won’t be persecuted, even if her darkest secret comes to light.

But passage to the Blue is treacherous, if not impossible, and her only shot is to bet on a ragtag crew of mercenaries led by a cocky runner named Ryan Wesson there. Danger and deceit await on every corner, even as Nat and Wes find themselves inexorably drawn to each other. But can true love survive the lies? (description from Amazon.com)

The world-building in this book is so interesting! This is a real genre-blender, with strong fantasy elements and a dystopian setting.  I loved imagining the city of New Vegas functioning in such a seedy way amongst such a barren, unlivable landscape.  I thought that De La Cruz and Johnston did a great job revealing tidbits about the world and its past little by little, keeping me on the edge of my toes (so to speak) chapter by chapter.  

As a fantasy reader, I really loved discovering the variety of supernatural creatures in this newly imagined world and seeing how they acclimated to living among, or at least near, the humans.  I'm very intrigued to see if the second book follows Nat again in her home, or if it goes back to New Vegas with Wes... maybe both! Either way, I'm definitely curious to see things further develop. 

For me, this was a real page-turner.  There was danger lurking at every turn and characters that I really enjoyed.  I think most fantasy fans will enjoy this one! 

Full Disclosure: eARC received from Netgalley

City of a Thousand Dolls

City of a Thousand Dolls 
by Miriam Forster
The Bhinian Empire, book one

Nisha was abandoned at the gates of the City of a Thousand Dolls when she was just a little girl. Now sixteen, she lives on the grounds of the isolated estate, where orphan girls apprentice as musicians, healers, courtesans, and, if the rumors are true, assassins. She makes her way as Matron's errand girl, her closest companions the mysterious cats that trail her shadow. Only when she begins a forbidden flirtation with the city's handsome young courier does she let herself imagine a life outside the walls. Until one by one, girls around her start to die.

Before she becomes the next victim, Nisha decides to uncover the secrets that surround the girls' deaths. But by getting involved, Nisha jeopardizes not only her own future in the City of a Thousand Dolls—but also her life. (Description from Amazon.com) 

I really enjoyed this book.  Forster introduces a new world where the eastern influences of our Asian cultures are highly evident but the fact that the world is also completely cut off from anywhere else gives it its own unique presence.  There also used to be magic in this world, though it has now disappeared... 

Nisha is an interesting main character. While there were moments that I grew somewhat frustrated because she could not see what was happening when I had already figured things out, I have to give her credit for her reactions once she did.  This is not a girl to take things lying down.  She refuses to let others decide her life.  She is gutsy, bold, independent, and her stubbornness and loyalty take her a long way.  She also has a strict sense of right and wrong that I highly admire. I cannot wait to see where the second book in the series will take her.  

The audio book is well paced and read in such a way that I could not wait to get back into the car each day to discover new layers of this world and to be pulled deeper into the mystery surrounding Nisha and the City of a Thousand Dolls. 

Full disclosure: Audio book received from SLJ for review

Mini Reviews: The Prequel Novella Edition

Among the Nameless Stars
by Diana Peterfreund
Prequel to For Darkness Shows the Stars

Before Kai joined the Cloud Fleet, he wandered…
AMONG THE NAMELESS STARS

Four years before the events of FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS, the servant Kai left the North Estate, the only home he’d ever known, and Elliot North, the only girl he ever loved, in search of a better life. But the journey was not an easy one.

Featuring narrow escapes, thrilling boat races and at least one deadly volcanic wasteland. (description from Amazon.com) 

I loved getting to see things directly from Kai's perspective as he was taking himself out into the world.  Even though this novella is short, Peterfreund packs a lot of information about the world and Kai's situation into it, giving it a lot of depth.  Things are not easy...that's for sure. 

The Prince 

by Kiera Cass

Prequel to The Selection 

Before thirty-five girls were chosen to compete in the Selection . . .
Before Aspen broke America’s heart . . .
There was another girl in Prince Maxon’s life. . . .

(description from Amazon.com) 

Another prequel from the guy's perspective! I love the idea of getting inside Maxon's head. I loved finding out that he really was intrigued by America from the start...not just because she was refreshing in her refusal to bow and scrape for him, but also because he really found her attractive inside and out... makes me SOOO anxious for The Elite! 

Full disclosure: Both novellas were purchased for my Nook

Path of Beasts

Path of Beasts

by Lian Tanner

The Keepers, book three

 

The city of Jewel is in peril once again, as it is held captive by the frightful Fugleman, his band of Blessed Guardians, and an army of merciless mercenaries. There's no doubt that Goldie and Toadspit want to get their city back, but how can a small group of children fight against such overwhelming forces of evil? And how, as Goldie is determined, can they avoid bloodshed in a war that will set thieves against soldiers, and trickery and deception against a mighty cannon that shoots cannonballs bent on destruction? As Toadspit fights the Fugleman in a duel to the death, Goldie must face her hardest task yet. If she is to save the city, she must walk the mysterious Beast Road, deep inside the Museum of Thieves. No one knows where it goes and no one has ever returned from it. (description from Amazon.com)

 



An amazing end to the trilogy.  While I felt that things were not quite as strong in book two as they were in the first (which I absolutely loved!), I am sooo pleased to say that book three did not disappoint in the least.  Goldie, Toadspit, Bonnie, Mouse, and even Pounce team up to save their city, defeat the evils they could face directly, and even indirectly, and each finds the place they belong forever.

Strong characters, an intriguing and danger-filled plot, and a Museum that once again left me longing for a chance to explore it... this book packed quite the punch.  I cannot wait to read more from this author, even though this particular story may be finished.

Full disclosure: eARC received through NetGalley

Forge

Forge
by Laurie Halse Anderson
Seeds of America, book two

In this compelling sequel to Chains, a National Book Award Finalist and winner of the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson shifts perspective from Isabel to Curzon and brings to the page the tale of what it takes for runaway slaves to forge their own paths in a world of obstacles—and in the midst of the American Revolution.

The Patriot Army was shaped and strengthened by the desperate circumstances of the Valley Forge winter. This is where Curzon the boy becomes Curzon the young man. In addition to the hardships of soldiering, he lives with the fear of discovery, for he is an escaped slave passing for free. And then there is Isabel, who is also at Valley Forge—against her will. She and Curzon have to sort out the tangled threads of their friendship while figuring out what stands between the two of them and true freedom. (description taken from Amazon.com)

I have to be honest. When Chains was put on the Teen Nutmeg Nominees list this year (our CT book award), I was not superenthused to read it. Not that I don't like historical fiction - on the contrary, I'm finding that I enjoy it...a lot! What put me off was the cover...and the fact that Lester's Day of Tears had been on the list recently (a really heavy slavery related book). I dreaded reading it. Then I sat down and plunged in...and loved it.

So, when this one came in the mail to review, I was excited! I still don't really like the covers, but the content, oh...the content. Anderson has a way of making slavery into a very approachable topic. She doesn't hit readers over the head with the "issues," but causes readers to examine them in a very natural way.

In Forge, the narration shifts from Isabel to Curzon and I loved the change! Isabel's story was great in the first novel, but through Curzon's eyes, we get to experience the day to day life of a soldier in the American Revolution (*I was typing too fast before and put in the Civil War...whoops! Thanks, Miriam, for catching that!!). Very cool...make that cold...and hungry...and tired...and, well...you get the idea. It's a whole new perspective on the time period.

I really loved getting to meet some of the soldiers and see the conditions that they lived in. I hadn't really thought about it in detail before. It also really made me think about what runaway slaves did to try and find ways to survive after their initial escape.

For anyone who loves historical fiction, I'd definitely recommend Chains. If you read that and loved it...then what are you waiting for? Go grab Forge now!! Oh, btw - the audiobook version is very good, too!

Full disclosure: Audio book sent for review by SLJ.

The Cruisers

The Cruisers
by Walter Dean Myers

Zander and his friends, Kambui, LaShonda, and Bobbi start their own newspaper, The Cruiser, as a means for speaking out, keeping the peace, and expressing what they believe. When the school launches a mock Civil War, Zander and his friends are forced to consider the true meaning of democracy and what it costs to stand up for a cause. The result is nothing they could have expected, and everything they could have hoped for.

Zander Scott and his friends, Kambui, LaShonda, and Bobbi are in trouble. Even though they're students at DaVinci, one of the best Gifted and Talented schools in Harlem, their grades are slipping, and Mr. Culpepper, the Assistant Principal and Chief Executioner, is ready to be rid of them.

When the school starts a unit on the Civil War, and kids split up into Union and Confederate sympathizers, Zander and his crew are given a charge - to negotiate a peace between both sides before the war actually breaks out.

That's when Zander comes up with the idea to launch an alternative school newspaper called The Cruiser. What he and his friends learn is that their writing has power to keep the peace, but that words can be weapons, too. Soon everyone at DaVinci is forced to consider the true meaning of democracy and what it costs to stand up for a cause. The result is nothing they could have expected, and everything they could have hoped for. (description from Amazon.com)

I was surprised how much I really enjoyed this book. I would never have picked it up on my own, but I'm glad it was sent to me. The Cruisers is short and relatable, but also thoughtprovoking and profound.

It manages to teach civil war history, discuss whether slavery was at all morally right, and how we all still relate to each other now. The action was interspersed with snippets of newspaper articles from the different ones published at their school which gave a really personal perspective to the different viewpoints.
Well done.

Full disclosure: Received audiobook to review for SLJ.

In My Mailbox - October 17, 2010

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

For My Nook:

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

For Review:

Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson