The Inventor's Secret by Andrea Cremer

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The Inventor's Secret

by Andrea Cremer

In this steampunk version of history, we did not win the Revolutionary War, we are still dependent upon Great Britain, and they are not happy that we tried to fight back.  Set in the early 1800's, there is a place where the rebels send their children until they can join the resistance at 18, it is called the Catacombs.  Built underground in a secret location, it is where Charlotte calls home.

The older children who live in the Catacombs scavenge for scrap metal and subside on a simple existence.  Everything changes when Charlotte, who has been out scavenging, brings home a young boy instead of machine parts.  Not being able to recall why he was running through the woods, everyone but Charlotte is suspicious of the boy they call Grave; but she has seen the fear in his eyes, whatever he is, he is afraid.

Ashley is Charlotte's older brother and he is the leader in the Catacombs.  He and his handsome friend Jack are hiding a secret, but when Charlotte discovers what they're up to, she wants to be involved.  Killing two birds with one stone, the young freedom fighters decide to travel to the "Floating City" to see if they can meet with others in the resistance and find out more about Grave.

Society proves to be more daunting than outrunning the Empire's Rotpots through the forest.  Revealing dresses, servants and feminine niceties don't come naturally to Charlotte.  Will she unintentionally give them away?  Can she navigate through the social strata of the "Floating City"?  Can she find out the secret of the boy they call Grave?  The Inventor's Secret has been selected as the Best Children's Book of the Year and was on YALSA's Top Books for Teens in 2015.  The next book in the series comes out in early November, and I can hardly wait!  I expect that The Inventor's Secret series will be the next must-read for teens everywhere!

The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow

Image courtesy of Netgalley.com

The Scorpion Rules

by Erin Bow

An Artificial Intellegence, Talis, is in charge of keeping the peace in this post apocalyptic story, and "Talis's first rule of stopping wars:  'Make it personal.'"  Towards that effort, every leader in this new world must send one of their children to live in 'Preceptures' as 'Children of Peace'.  If your territory goes to war, you sacrifice that child.  Makes for some peaceful times.

Until the day Greta's precepture receives a new Child of Peace, a boy, and one who is not willing to follow the rules.  Greta befriends this new Child, Elian, even after it is clear that it might get her in a load of trouble.  When it becomes imminent that Greta's land is going to go to war with Elian's, she isn't sure that she can surrender herself the way that her upbringing has taught her.

Falling for Elian, and realizing that her roommate is more special that she could have imagined, Greta searches for a way to save her life.  Whether it is Elian or Xie, Greta finally has something to live for, but is she strong enough to go through with it?  You'll have to read The Scorpion Rules to find out!

The Scorpion Rules is a fresh look at a "what if"? scenario.  There is some violence and sexual innuendo that I imagine would be geared more toward a high school audience.  SPOILER ALERT:  What I really liked about this story is that there is an LGBTQ awakening, yet that is not at the crux of the story.  I think that many of my LGBTQ students would be able to relate to the questions that Greta and Xie have, and would appreciate the fact that it's complicated.  And....the story would be just as engaging without the love triangle!

The Scorpion Rules is the first in what promises to be a page-turning series.  I for one, can't wait to read the next one!

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

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Passenger 

by Alexandra Bracken

Henrietta, Etta, is a normal teen-aged girl.  She has trouble bonding with her mother, she is still reeling from a breakup with her boyfriend and she is determined that she is going to be the next best violin player in the world.  And then one day, that world is ripped apart and she finds herself a pawn in a timeless battle for power and wealth.  

Traveling through time, Etta has to decide what is most important in her life; her mother who has lied to her, time as she has always known it, or true love.  Exotic locales and historic time periods are the backdrop for romance and faced-paced adventures.  I don't think that I could decide which parts I like best, the descriptions of Damascus in 1599 or the romantic tension that slowly builds between Nicholas and Etta.

Students from middle to high school will be drawn to this novel whether they like fantasy, historical fiction or even romance.  Although told from Etta's point of view, I don't think that it is too girly for boys to enjoy as well.  I have put it on my next book order!