Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve

Pages: 296

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Dystopian / Science Fiction / Action-Adventure

Notes for Parents: Contains violence and some mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Emerging from its hiding place in the hills, the great Traction City of London chases one terrified little town across the wastelands. If it cannot overpower smaller, slower prey, the city will come to a standstill and risk being taken over by another. In the attack, Tom Natsworthy, Apprentice Historian to the London Museum, is flung from its speeding superstructure into the barren wasteland of Out-Country. His only companion is Hester Shaw, a murderous, scar-faced girl who does not particularly want Tom’s company. But if they are to make it back to London before Stalkers or hungry cities get them first, they will need to help each other, and fast. If Hester is to be believed, London is planning something atrocious, and the future of the world could be at stake. Can they get back to London before it’s too late?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first in a four-book series and has been made into a major motion picture scheduled for release in December 2018.

What’s good?

The story is set in a post-apocalyptic world where cities on wheels travel around “eating” other cities for salvage. The plot is simple, with some twists and turns, and the pace is good with lots of tension and bursts of action. The world building is excellent in this steampunk version of London in the future where old tech (computers, cellphones, etc.) are highly valued. Themes include sustainable living, social activism, political corruption, relationships, and vengeance. The short chapters make this a quick and easy read.

Best Part: Tom finds a “seedy.”

What isn’t good?

I never felt invested in the characters. There was no shortage of suspense and action, but the characters themselves were static and never really cared how they would fare through it all. Hester and Katherine displayed the “strong female character” traits in parts, but it wasn’t sustained long enough. It might be this lack of character development that makes the tone and writing feel juvenile. The relationships they have are complex but are never explored so what happened to them doesn’t really mattered.

Worst part: The occasional change of tense was awkward and had no purpose.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☻☻ (3/5)

I decided to read Mortal Engines because it’s been made into a movie that has received a lot of hype. The story wasn’t terrible, but I was surprised by the weakness of the storytelling. I liked the premise and plot, and I loved the steampunk world, but the characters and writing style felt juvenile. I didn’t mind that there wasn’t a lot of politics or history explained, but there was a sense of urgency missing. It’s like the characters knew what was happening, but had no emotional reaction to it.

Reeve, Philip. Mortal Engines. New York: Scholastic, 2018 ©2001

Impostors by Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld, Scott. Impostors. New York: Scholastic, 2018.

Pages: 405

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Dystopian / Science Fiction

Notes for Parents: Contains violence and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Frey and Rafi are inseparable…two edges of the same knife. But Frey’s very existence is a secret.

Frey is Rafi’s twin sister—and her body double. Their powerful father has many enemies, and the world has grown dangerous as the old order falls apart. So while Rafi was raised to be the perfect daughter, Frey has been taught to kill. Her only purpose is to protect her sister, to sacrifice herself for Rafi if she must.

When her father sends Frey in Rafi’s place as collateral in a precarious deal, she becomes the perfect impostor—as poised and charming as her sister. But Col, the son of a rival leader, is getting close enough to spot the killer inside her. As the deal starts to crumble, Frey must decide if she can trust him with the truth…and if she can risk becoming her own person.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a four-book series and is set in the same post-apocalyptic world as the author’s Uglies series.

What’s good?

This is rapid-fire, action-adventure that takes place in a dystopian future. Frey must find her own voice after years of living in the shadow of her sister. The plot is intricate, but accessible, as politics and deception pit nations against each other. Frey must decide if she’s willing to risk everything to do what she thinks is the right thing. There’s a budding romance (the dreaded insta-love!), but it doesn’t interfere with the more important mission. The chapters are short with tension throughout. The pacing is swift with bursts of action and ever-present danger. It ends with a cliffhanger that promises more intrigue to come.

Best Part: Zura.

What isn’t good?

If you haven’t read the original Uglies series, you miss out on a lot of the world building. I’m not sure how much this changes the feel of the story since I’ve read them, but it seems like I had to do a lot of remembering. Since this is clearly a plot-driven story, the characters aren’t very fleshed out (perhaps with the exception of Frey), but with subsequent books in the series, hopefully character development will deepen.

Worst part: The cover.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺☻ (4/5)

I’m excited to see where this new story in the Uglies universe will go. There was a lot of foreshadowing about Tally Youngblood that can only mean that she will return at some point. Although you don’t have to read the original series to understand Impostors, I highly recommend that you do as it gives context to what’s happening and why.

The Agony House by Cheri Priest

Pages: 256

Intended Audience: Tweens

Genre: Mystery / Ghost story

Notes for Parents: Contains violence and some mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Denise Farber has just moved back to New Orleans with her mom and stepdad. They left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and have finally returned, wagering the last of their family’s money on fixing up an old, rundown house and converting it to a bed and breakfast.

Nothing seems to work around the place, which doesn’t seem too weird to Denise. The unexplained noises are a little more out of the ordinary, but again, nothing too unusual. But when floors collapse, deadly objects rain down, and she hears creepy voices, it’s clear to Denise that something more sinister lurks hidden here.

Answers may lie in an old comic book Denise finds concealed in the abandoned attic: the lost final project of a famous artist who disappeared in the 1950s. Denise isn’t budging from her new home, so she must unravel the mystery—on the pages and off them—if she and her family are to survive…

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a mixed media novel with both text and graphic elements.

What’s good?

After Denise and her neighbor Terry find an old comic book, a mystery unfolds that may explain the noises and strange happenings that have been plaguing the old house. This is part ghost story, part comic book, and part murder mystery. The characters are interesting, and the plot is organized. The topic of gentrification is a theme, as is the Comics Code Authority, a regulatory body created in the 1950s. The mystery is intriguing, and the ghostly happenings are creepy.

Best Part: Terry.

What isn’t good?

The pace is slow. Things don’t really pick up until the end. The third person narrative creates a disconnect between the characters and the reader. While the characters are well-drawn, there’s no development throughout the story. Some of the dialogue is awkward and the voices don’t always sound genuine.

Worst part: Nothing is terrible.

Recommendation ☺☺☻☻☻ (2.5/5)

Unfortunately, there was an awkwardness in the pace and dialogue that made it difficult to really buy into the premise of this ghost story / murder mystery. It was a quick and easy read, but it lacked storytelling finesse. I didn’t hate it, in fact it was a fun read, but there wasn’t enough substance to warrant a recommendation.

Priest, Cheri. The Agony House. New York: Scholastic, 2018.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Pages: 465

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy / Adventure

Notes for Parents: Contains violence (sometimes graphic), and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone…

A convict with a thirst for revenge

A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager

A runaway with a privileged past

A spy known as the Wraith

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes

Kaz’s crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a duology. The second book is called Crooked Kingdom. The books are set in the same world as the author’s Grisha trilogy.

What’s good?

There is plenty of action in this alternative world adventure about a group of criminals tasked with abducting a scientist who holds a formula that turns people who already have extraordinary gifts into unstoppable weapons. The characters are very well drawn with excellent character development. The world building is strong. The pace varies, but the action is full of risk and tension and there are many heart-stopping moments. The plot is somewhat complex, but it’s easy to follow with many interesting subplots. Friendship, morality, trust, and grief are among the themes.

Best Part: Nina.

What isn’t good?

It was longer than necessary and there are too many characters, making them difficult to keep track of. Kaz was a strong character, but impossible to like. Nina and Matthias were an awkward couple whose relationship was annoyingly inconsistent. Inej, who is meant to be a strong, female character was adept but too reliant on others. Her relationship with Kaz was strange.

Worst part: There’s nothing terrible.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☻☻ (3/5)

This is a typical “heist” story set in an alternate world. It has a good pace (in most parts) and plenty of twists and turns fraught with tension and danger. I found the relationships between the characters were awkward, but the characters themselves were very interesting. It was a fun read.

Bardugo, Leigh. Six of Crows. New York: Henry Holt & Company, 2015.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Pages: 512

Intended Audience: Adults

Genre: Romance / Historical / Supernatural / Mystery

Notes for Parents: Contains somemature scenes.

The Back Cover

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white-striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirques des Rêves, and it is open only at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Amidst the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone from the performers to the patrons hanging in the balance.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The film and TV rights to The Night Circus were optioned by Summit Entertainment, and a film is being produced by David Heyman and Jeff Clifford under Heyday Films. Moira Buffini was hired in February 2012 to write the screenplay. As of April 2018, there is still no confirmation if a film or TV show will ever be made.

What’s good?

The story unfolds around the dark and mysterious, ever-changing venue of the night circus, where circus-goers wander from tent to tent to find fortune tellers and acrobats, but also wondrous things like rooms that snow and living statues. The circus itself, described in stunning detail, is a living, breathing entity that blankets the story with an ethereal atmosphere that gives the story’s characters a mystical quality. The plot is simple, and the pace is steady. It’s a very visual story and has a satisfying end.

Best Part: The setting.

What isn’t good?

The time jumps are confusing. The plot is very simplistic and lackluster, contradicting the promise of fierce competition, high stakes, and dangerous consequences in the cover description. The romance, what there is of it, is instantaneous and melodramatic. The writing is good, but the character and plot development is lacking. The story appears to be driven solely by the setting.

Worst part: The fierce duel never happened.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☻☻ (2.5/5)

The setting was amazing, but the story was uninspired. This is basically a description of an amazing, mystical circus, with a thin plot and interesting but under-developed characters. By the end, I didn’t hate the story, but I felt underwhelmed. It was such a spectacular setting, but nothing really happened. I was disappointed.

Morgenstern, Erin. The Night Circus. Toronto: Anchor Canada, 2011.