Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Strong Language


When you can't beat the odds, change the game. 

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.

Crooked Kingdom starts off not long after Six of Crows ends. It was a bit different from Six of Crows because the team is not working on a heist, but I liked it just as much. There was so much danger and I never knew who was going to come out of it alive. It kept me on the edge of my seat most of the time. I did feel like it got off to a slow start, but once it got going it was filled with plot twists, some that I saw coming, but a lot I didn't.

Like Six of Crows this book devotes chapters to different character's points of view. I liked it here just as much as I did there. Once again each point of view brought something essential to the plot. I really can't say that any of them were less enjoyable than others either, which is rare. Of course I still had my favorite characters, Inej, Matthias, and Nina. I never warmed up to Kaz as much as I wanted to, and Jesper and Wylan were ok as characters, but nothing special even though I still liked them.

I've said before that the best fantasies always end up breaking my heart a little bit and this one was no exception. I waited a while to read this book and I'm sort of glad I did, because after reading a lot of reviews I felt prepared for the ending that everyone has talked so much about. I didn't read the spoilers but I was prepared even though I still did not know what was going to happen; only that something bad was going to happen. It helped to soften the blow but it still hurt. This thing that happens, I could have lived with happening to almost any other character in the book. What made it even worse was that it really didn't even have to happen. It did nothing to move the plot along. It was just there to break our hearts for no good reason other than to break our hearts.

Despite that this was an incredibly enjoyable book. I found it to be a really engaging read and a great conclusion to the duology. There is also room to write more in the world if the author decides to which I kind of like. I could see several threads that she could pick up that wouldn't be direct sequels and others that could be.



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Secrets of Southern Girls by Haley Harrigan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Strong Language, Sex, Drug Use


Ten years ago, Julie Portland accidentally killed her best friend, Reba. What's worse is she got away with it.

First I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher Sourcebooks Landmark for giving me a copy of this book.

My eyes were completely glued to Secrets of Southern Girls and I sped through it in one day. This book was tragic and the people in it were so messed up, almost every one of them. From the first page when we meet Julie we can see that she has issues with love and men that are deeply rooted in the past. Then there is her best friend Reba who died, and Julie blames herself, but she finds out that there are two other people who also feel responsible for Reba's death. I won't spoil who they are or why they feel responsible. The less you know ahead of time the better. I was expecting this to be a thriller with a murderer on the loose, but that isn't what this is at all. This is a mystery, but the mystery is more about revealing who the characters really are and what made them do the things they did than a who-dun-it.

Not too far into the book we also meet August who was Reba's first love. He has tracked Julie down after over a decade, because he needs to find closure so he can move on. He thinks that closure will come through a journal Reba kept and intended to give him the night she died. He also believes that Julie has the journal. She doesn't, but she agrees to help him find it, so they travel back to the tiny Mississippi town that they both left behind years ago and never intended to return to.

I didn't find any of the characters extremely likable except for August, and that usually affects how much I enjoy a book, but this time around all the characters were so well drawn and I loved the way the story unfolded as every sordid detail is uncovered through journal entries and memories. And I do mean sordid, which is not usually my cup of tea, but this book just drew in so much. My only real complaint is that the journal entries didn't really read as journal entries of a teen girl. They were written more like flashbacks.

Like I said, just about all the characters were hard to like, but we come to understand why they are the way they are, why they are so messed up, and so they grew on me despite the things they did and the choices they made. I was even able to empathize with Toby who was the most despicable character in the book to me. He was just so well drawn and his emotions felt so raw and real.

After finishing this I was left thinking about how we never can tell if we really know someone, and how profoundly the choices we make and the lies we tell can affect ourselves and others around us for years to come.

Content: Some language, sex, underage drinking, and drug use.

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Gaslight Mysteries 13-19: Murder on Sister's Row, Murder on Fifth Avenue, Murder in Chelsea, Murder in Murray Hill, Murder on Amsterdam Avenue, Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue, Muder in Morningside Heights

Murder on Sisters' Row by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean

 
Gaslight Mysteries book 13:

With the help of a charitable lady of means, midwife Sarah Brandt rescues a young woman and her newborn from the brothel where the mother was forced to prostitute herself. But their success comes at a high price when their benefactor is found murdered.

The mystery aspect of Murder on Sisters’ Row was just ok. I feel like it took a step back from the two previous books. Also this series has fallen into a rut at this point. There are still no new developments in the relationship between Sarah and Malloy, no new character development for any of the supporting characters. It has become rather repetitive. How many times can we read the scenario of Malloy visiting Sarah, being greeted by her with a smile and by Catherine with excitement as Malloy picks her up and says a few words to her before he is invited to eat with them and then one of them asking Maeve to take Catherine into the other room so they can talk? It's the same thing over and over, this scenario happened at least three times in this book. But that wasn't the only repetition in this book, there were other instances as well where it repeated things unnecessarily. There also isn't much conversation between the Sarah and Malloy that doesn't involve the investigations, which is disappointing. In past books we got a bit more than that.

Another thing that sort of annoyed me about this book was that it seemed like the reasoning behind prostitution and the poor was too black and white. The book seemed to be saying that all women at least in the beginning, were forced into prostitution out of desperation; and the wrongful thinking being that they did it because they enjoyed it. In regards to the poor, the book seemed to be saying that they were all hard working and down-trodden individuals who were stuck in a system that was broken; and the wrongful thinking being that the poor were poor because they were lazy, and expected handouts. In reality it is a bit of each instance regarding both of these issues, not one or the other. Women become prostitutes for different reasons and people are poor for different reasons too. There is never one same answer for everyone.

I still like this series and I hope that it gets back some of that spark that has made me love it so much. Some people may quit at this point but I'm going to keep going with the series in hopes that it improves soon.



Murder on Fifth Avenue by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean

 
Gaslight Mysteries book 14:

Sarah Brandt’s family is one of the oldest in New York City, and her father, Felix Decker, takes his position in society very seriously. He still refuses to resign himself to his daughter being involved with an Irish Catholic police detective. But when a member of his private club—the very exclusive Knickerbocker—is murdered, Decker forms an uneasy alliance with Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy to solve the crime as discreetly as possible.

Murder on Fifth Avenue was better than the previous book. This one kept me guessing, the characters also didn't feel so stale, and it wasn't as repetitious. Mr. and Mrs. Decker where involved in this one and I can see that the author might be moving the characters towards a relationship resolution in the next few books. She has stated that she now knows how she is going to make a relationship work between Sarah and Malloy and it shows in this book. Everything felt fresh again which is what the series desperately needed.



Murder in Chelsea by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean


Gaslight Mysteries book 15:

Sarah Brandt is shattered when she learns that a woman has inquired at Hope’s Daughters Mission for Catherine, the abandoned child she has taken as her daughter. The woman claims she was Catherine’s nursemaid, now acting on behalf of the girl’s mother to reunite them.

Finally after 15 books a certain thing happens that we've all been waiting for. The mystery was easy to figure out but I didn't care because I'm so happy about the other development. I liked that we discovered a lot about Catherine's background. Any time this series puts the focus on it's recurring characters it's a real treat for me. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.



Murder in Murray Hill by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean

 
Gaslight Mysteries book 16:

When facing injustice, the residents of nineteenth-century New York City’s tenements turn to midwife Sarah Brandt and Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy to protect their rights. Now the two must track down a cruel criminal preying on the hopes and dreams of innocent women…

Murder on Murray hill is definitely the darkest book of the Gaslight series so far, while somehow still being a light pleasant read. I'm not sure how that is, but it's true. It's impossible not to be a bit dark considering the subject matter. This book reminded me more of an Anne Perry novel because of the nature of the crime. Amongst the crime solving and the dark mystery here, I enjoyed seeing Frank trying to adjust to his new life, and also hide his good fortune and his relationship with Sarah for the time being. He truly is like a fish out of water.

This series is on the cusp of some overdue changes and I cannot wait for them to take place. I hope the changes end up satisfying.



Murder on Amsterdam Avenue by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean

 
Gaslight Mysteries book 17:

In the midst of Sarah and Frank’s wedding preparations, Sarah accompanies her mother on a condolence call to the Upper West Side, where Charles Fairfax, the son of family friends, has died unexpectedly after suffering from a mysterious disease. It is a tragic and all too common story—or so it seems.

This would get 4 stars if I were rating it based solely on the fact that Sarah and Malloy finally get married. It would only get 3 stars for the mystery. The mystery was easy to figure out and it was blatantly obvious by a certain point who the killer was, but of course Sarah and Malloy still didn't know, which annoyed me.

This book felt a little different than the other books in the series, probably because there is a lot of transition happening now that Sarah and Malloy are going to be married and their households are merging. Mostly I didn't mind those changes, but Mrs. Ellsworth was glaringly absent for more than half the book. I missed her being the nosy neighbor and I hope she has more of a presence again in future books. This series is still an automatic read for me and I'm looking forward to the next book in November.



Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean

 
Gaslight Mysteries book 18:

Family friend Mrs. O’Neill was delighted when her daughter Una wed the seemingly wealthy and charming Randolph Pollock. She didn’t wonder why such an affluent man would want to marry a poor Irish girl, no matter how pretty she was. But now Mrs. O’Neill has a problem...

Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue was a fun read. It takes place just before Christmas while Sarah and Frank are still honeymooning. While I missed Sarah and Frank I was glad for the change of pace and the opportunity for some of the supporting characters to shine. This book features Maeve and Gino and also Sarah's parents, the Deckers, and Mrs. Malloy a little as well.

When I first met Sarah's parents many books ago I never would have thought I would come to enjoy reading about them so much. They weren't all that likable in the beginning, but they have changed a lot and now I love it when they get involved in cases. The way some of the characters have evolved is one thing that I've really come to like about this series. Even Mrs. Malloy, who in the beginning was a grumpy old woman who was hard to like has begun to soften and even get along with Mrs. Decker. I loved how they bonded over their grandchildren.

Maeve gets a lot of the spotlight in this book, and I love her. I'm also very happy to see the tiniest bit of movement in her relationship with Gino. I was hoping for more, but didn't really expect it because this author likes to move the relationships along very, very slowly. We did get inside Gino's head a bit though and we know for sure how he feels about Maeve, and it's obvious that Maeve feels the same way about him, but just doesn't want to admit it.

The mystery part of this story was pretty good. It was kind of obvious after a little while who was involved, but it was still enjoyable and I didn't figure out all of the nuts and bolts of it until the end. However I did feel like the best part of the book wasn't the mystery at all, but everything I mentioned above about the different supporting characters.



Murder in Morningside Heights by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean

 
Gaslight Mysteries book 19:

Abigail Northrup of Tarrytown, New York, was her parents’ pride and joy. After graduating from a prestigious women’s college in Morningside Heights, she took a job there as an instructor. She also joined the ranks of the New Women, ladies planning for a life without a husband in which they make their own decisions and make a difference in the world. Unfortunately, her murder ended all that.

I always enjoy visiting Sarah and Malloy. Now that they are married the books have taken a slightly different tone. I'm not sure how I feel about some of the changes. I'm not used to reading about Malloy and Sarah being wealthy and living in a mansion and part of me wishes that they weren't. I think they make a cute couple, but I personally would have liked to see more romantic chemistry between them now that they are married, maybe more flirting and talk of romantic things happening off the page.

For the most part I thought Murder in Morningside Heights was a bit on the dull side compared to some of the other books in the series. As usual it wasn't too difficult to figure out the mystery side of the book. And as usual Sarah and Malloy are slow in figuring things out, only this time it was even worse than normal, and I did not think it could ever get worse. I mean come on, there were several answers staring them in the face!

I liked the idea Malloy has for Sarah at the end of the book and am looking forward to seeing how that plays into the series. I think it will make the future books feel more like past ones in the series as Sarah will be doing what she loves to do.



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Gaslight Mysteries 7-12: Murder on Lenox Hill, Murder in Little Italy, Murder in Chinatown, Murder on Bank Street, Murder on Waverly Place, Murder on Lexington Avenue

Murder on Lenox Hill by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean


Gaslight Mysteries book 7:

A midwife working in the tenements of turn-of-the-last-century New York, Sarah Brandt is summoned by the wealthy Lintons to confirm their worst fear: their teenage daughter is with child. It's a mystery, however, since the young woman-mentally still a child herself-is never left alone.

I think Murder on Lenox hill is my favorite in the series so far. It kept me guessing for most of the book and there were two mysteries to figure out in this one. One of them was pretty easy to figure out, but the other one not as easy.

Five people confessing to the murder made this one pretty entertaining. Sarah and Malloy are still somewhat clueless when it comes to solving the murders at times, which still annoys me. However, I've loved watching the slow changes in how Sarah and Malloy interact with each other. It just gets better and better.



Murder in Little Italy by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean


Gaslight Mysteries book 8:

When midwife Sarah Brandt visits Little Italy to check up on a new mother who delivered her baby just the day before, she finds the young woman dead. The family insists that the death was from complications of childbirth. Sarah thinks not.

This has got to be my least favorite book of the series. I did not enjoy this one as much as the others mainly because the family that the mystery surrounded just really grated on my nerves. None of them were very likeable, and I had a hard time caring what happened to any of them. And once again the mystery was easy to solve. I also would have liked more development of the subplots that have been a part of the series, but hardly anything happened there.



Murder in Chinatown by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean


Gaslight Mysteries book 9:

Sarah Brandt has made her uneasy way to Chinatown to deliver a baby. There she meets a group of Irish women who, completely alone at Ellis Island, married Chinese men in the same predicament. But even as a new century dawns, New Yorkers still cling to their own kind, scorning children of mixed races.

This was a big improvement over the last book in the series. I loved Murder in Chinatown but like most of the other books in this series I figured this one out early on. As I've said many times before, I really think that Sarah and Malloy are written to be a bit too slow sometimes. It was pretty obvious who the killer was based on certain evidence that was found in the book, but it was just disregarded. Things like that keep me from giving these books 5 stars. I give most of them 4 stars based on how much I enjoy being immersed in the world and the characters. If I was just basing it on the mystery aspect I would probably give them 2 or 3.

The developing relationship between the characters is what keeps me reading this series more than anything. The relationship between Sarah and Frank is moving at a snail’s pace, and I would usually be frustrated with how slow it’s moving, but for some reason in this series it hasn't bothered me yet.



Murder on Bank Street by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean


Gaslight Mysteries book 10:

In the four years since her husband’s death, midwife Sarah Brandt has become an angel of mercy in the tenements of turn-of-the-century New York. Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy has taken up the task of solving the murder of Dr. Tom Brandt. But the shocking revelation he discovers may destroy Sarah—and Malloy’s hopes for any future with her.

In this installment of the Gaslight Mysteries the mystery of Tom's death is finally solved. Murder on Bank Street ended up being one of my favorite books in the series. The mystery was not so obvious, at least not all aspects of it.

I enjoyed Maeve's part in solving the mystery, but at the same time missed Sarah through a lot of it. I do understand why Sarah might have taken a back seat on solving this one since it was so close to home, and she was afraid of finding out the truth even though she wanted very much to know it.

The lady detective was also an interesting character and I think it would be great if Maeve did more work with her. I was a bit frustrated at where it ended though. Finally Sarah has stated plainly how she feels to Malloy and it ends before we can find out what he does about it. Couldn't we have at least gotten one more paragraph?



Murder on Waverly Place by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean


Gaslight Mysteries book 11:

Midwife and sleuth Sarah Brandt and Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy must protect Sarah's mother from scandal after she tries to contact her dead daughter during a séance that sends one of the attendees into the afterlife.

At the end of the previous book, Murder on Bank Street, Sarah, in a round-about way, pretty much confesses how she feels about Malloy. I was really hoping to get more of that in this book, but unfortunately at the start of Murder on Waverly Place they haven't seen each other for weeks and we are not filled in on anything that did or didn't happen at the end of the last book. Did he kiss her? Did they say more than that to each other? I was dying to know! All we get regarding their relationship are a few thoughts from each of them. Sarah's thoughts acknowledge that she is in love with Malloy, and Malloy's thoughts are more in line with fighting and ignoring his feelings for Sarah because they don't belong to the same class. I will say that is the only disappointing thing about this book. The mystery was very good and kept me guessing. Mystery-wise I would say this is one of the best in the series so far.



Murder on Lexington Avenue by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean


Gaslight Mysteries book 12:

When a wealthy businessman is murdered, Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy is assigned to investigate, even though the crime is out of his jurisdiction. The reason he soon realizes, is that the man has a deaf daughter—and it is well known that Malloy’s own son attends the New York Institution for the Deaf and Dumb.

Murder on Lexington Avenue was quite enjoyable. This author has definitely gotten better at writing the mystery aspect of these books. They are not nearly as predictable as they were in the beginning. The relationship between Sarah and Malloy still has not progressed though, and that has become very frustrating. The things I enjoyed reading about the most in this book were the two different types of schools for the deaf and about the opposition to ASL back then. I had no idea that Alexander Graham Bell felt the way he did about it. That was a bit of an eye opener for me.



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The Gaslight Mysteries 1-6: Murder on Astor Place, Murder on St. Mark's Place, Murder on Gramercy Park, Murder on Washington Square, Murder on Mulberry Bend, Murder on Marble Row

I've been reading the Gaslight Mysteries for a few years now and with the release of book 20 today I decided to start posting my reviews of that series to the blog. I'll start with the first 6 books today and post 6 more tomorrow, then the final 7 after that. I'll post my review for book 20 separately after I'm able to read it. I recommend this series if you enjoy historical mysteries or cozy mysteries. I wouldn't say these are exactly cozy, but they are pretty mild and the main character is an amateur so it might appeal cozy mystery readers.



Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean


Gaslight Mysteries book 1:

After a routine delivery, midwife Sarah Brandt visits her patient in a rooming house and discovers that another boarder, a young girl, has been killed. At the request of Sergeant Frank Malloy, she searches the girl's room, and discovers that the victim is from one of the most prominent families in New York and the sister of an old friend. The powerful family, fearful of scandal, refuses to permit an investigation. But with Malloy's help, Sarah begins a dangerous quest to bring the killer to justice, before death claims another victim.

Murder on Astor Place was a bit predictable, but I still enjoyed it. I found the main character very likable and I liked the dynamic between her and the police detective Malloy. This reminiscent of Anne Perry's books, only set in New York and not nearly as detailed. I think it’s a promising start to the series, and I’m looking forward to reading more.



Murder on St. Mark's Place by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean


Gaslight Mysteries book 2:

As a midwife in the turn-of-the-century tenements of New York City, Sarah Brandt has seen suffering and joy, birth and death-and even murder. And the crime ridden streets of the teeming city offer little relief from either.

Murder on St. Mark’s Place was a satisfying second book in the Gaslight Series. I'm enjoying this series almost as much as Anne Perry's books. There are many similar elements to her Pitt series and her Monk series. I especially liked the progress of the relationship between Malloy and his son. There was one scene there that actually had me tearing up. Also Malloy and Sarah have begun to warm up to each other, which was nice.

The only negatives would be that although I wasn't expecting the slight twist, it was very obvious who the killer was. And Sarah was just too slow at figuring out the obvious about a few things.



Murder on Gramercy Park by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean


Gaslight Mysteries book 3:

As a midwife in the turn-of-the-century tenements of New York City, Sarah Brandt has seen her share of suffering and joy, birth and death. Now, she learns that crime doesn’t discriminate, when the highest echelons of society are rocked by murder…

Murder on Gramercy Park was another mystery that was pretty easy to figure out, but the real draw to this series are Sarah and Malloy themselves. I really enjoy reading about them and their interactions with each other and the other people in their lives, particularly Malloy and his son Brian. Malloy is slowly growing as a character and I'm pleased with the direction he is going. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.



Murder on Washington Square by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean


Gaslight Mysteries book 4:

Turn-of-the-century New York City midwife Sarah Brandt and Detective Sergeant Frank Molloy are thrust into a twisted case of murder—when a seductress falls victim to her own charades.

Murder on Washington Square was another enjoyable installment in the Gaslight series. One thing I have noticed is that the mysteries in these books are pretty easy to figure out. I do wish Sarah and Malloy weren't so slow sometimes. Maybe I feel this way because I'm comparing it to Anne Perry's books. I really think her books are a step above most mysteries in their cleverness.

The most enjoyable aspects of this series are the developing relationship between Sarah and Malloy, and Malloy's ongoing investigation into the death of Sarah's husband. I like that there is that one ongoing thread that keeps me coming back for more while also trying to figure out the single mystery to solve in each book. And Frank's grumpiness with Sarah involving herself in his cases always makes me smile. I enjoy this series a lot so I will keep reading.



Murder on Mulberry Bend by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean


Gaslight Mysteries book 5:

Sarah Brandt, a midwife in turn-of-the-century New York City, has seen more than her share of joy and sorrow, birth and death. Now she will see for the first time how the squalor of the streets can breed madness and murder…

Murder in Mulberry Bend was one of the better books in the Gaslight series so far. I loved the progress in the relationship of Frank and Sarah in this installment, and throwing someone else into the mix made it even better (view spoiler)[ but why do away with him so quickly?  (hide spoiler)] Frank's investigation into Tom's death is also still ongoing and he makes some progress here so that was another added bonus. I'm also enjoyed the addition of Addie to the story and the whole School for Wayward Girls.

I wasn't too crazy about how, yet again I figured out who the killer was and what the murder weapon was pretty early on and Sarah and Malloy were so clueless. Still all the other elements of the story made it very enjoyable so I will continue onto the next book.



Murder on Marble Row by Victoria Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Clean


Gaslight Mysteries book 6:

Police Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt calls Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy into his office for an especially difficult assignment. A wealthy factory owner has been killed by a bomb in his office, and anarchists are high on the list of suspects. Malloy isn't so sure that the easy answer is the right one but Roosevelt wants justice done, whoever the culprits are.

What I liked most about Murder on Marble Row is that it kept me guessing, something that the other books in this series haven't been able to do. I also really like that this series includes some real people from New York history. Teddy Roosevelt has been mentioned in previous books and here as Police Commissioner, he actually assigns Malloy to a case himself. I also liked that Sarah's mother helped with this case.



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A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Mild sex scene


A Torch Against the Night picks up right where An Ember in the Ashes ended. We are immediately drawn into the story as Laia and Elias are desperately trying to find a way out of the city. They are about to start on their quest to free Laia's brother from Kauf prison, which is far up north. There end up being quite a few twists and turns along the way.

I'm happy to say that A Torch Against the Night was every bit as good as An Ember in the Ashes. No second book syndrome here. This book is very well plotted and it kept me glued to it. Not everything went exactly the way I was wanting, but the beauty of a good book is that even when things don't go exactly the way you wanted, in the end you can see why things had to be the way they were and you end up loving it and wanting more.[ Laia sleeping with Keenan was one of those things that I was screaming no about. Being a Laia/Elias shipper I was not happy. Even though she regretted it afterward, I still wish it wouldn't have gone that far. Especially considering who Keenan turned out to be.  (hide spoiler)]

I admire the author for being gutsy enough to include some very brutal things in her YA books and not swooping in and saving certain characters at the last minute. None of it is gratuitous, it's all an important part of the plot and it makes the villains more believable. I also loved the conflicting feelings the characters have throughout the books. They are so very real. There were a couple of times I wanted to hate Helene, but I couldn't because I understood where she was coming from. She makes some tough decisions in the book, some I definitely didn't agree with, but I couldn't help but admire her in the end. Who knows what I would have done in her place.

Elias is still my favorite character in the book. I was on pins and needles until the end over his character and what was happening or might happen. And Laia, I continue to like her. She learned a lot about herself in this book. There are also a couple of new characters introduced in this book that I loved. Harper and Tas. In the beginning you might wonder why I end up loving Harper, but you will find out. Some of the old supporting characters are back as well; Izzy and even Cook, whose appearances are brief, but interesting.

It looks like there will be two more books in this series. This is one of those rare times that a YA fantasy series is so well done that I feel like two more books is a good thing. There is still so much ground left to cover that I can't imagine any of it just being filler. I'm impatiently awaiting the next book.



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An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy


 
Laia is a slave.
Elias is a soldier.
Neither is free.

I was not expecting to enjoy An Ember in the Ashes so much. I had put off reading it for a while in favor of other things, but now I wish I had read it sooner. It contained everything that, for me makes a good fantasy read. Good world building, interesting characters, a bit of heartbreak, more than one point of view, danger, and some romance were all present. Oh and it has maps too!

While this book was not ground breaking in any way, there are several standard fantasy tropes that are used. I found it very compelling and the characters and situations they faced more complex than most YA fantasy. There are lots of tough choices for the characters to make, and the author doesn't shy away from having them make what seem to be the wrong ones at times. Or are they the wrong ones? It made me wonder what I would do in those same situations.

One of the things I really dislike sometimes about YA fantasy is that a villain is built up as being a really horrible dreaded person and then they end up falling short of that, mainly so that the main character can escape their wrath without having to endure too many horrors. I didn't find that the case with this book. The Commandant is very nasty to Laia and does some horrible things to her. There is a constant threat of danger in this book and it kept me reading and on the edge of my seat.

Another thing I liked about this book were the duel points of view from opposing sides. I was anticipating when Laia and Elias would meet, and then later when they would conspire together, and possibly fall in love. I really liked Laia and the fact that she was just a normal girl who had to learn how to become a spy and figure out who she could and couldn't trust. She felt very real to me. I also really liked Elias and his conflicted feelings. Both points of view were equally compelling.

I have said for a long time that I don't care for love triangles in books, but it seems like the love triangles in several books I've read lately haven't bothered me. This one would be the same, except I guess it's a love square in this book. I think if done correctly love triangles (or squares) are ok. This wasn't the standard love triangle where feelings are based on silly things like how hot someone is or love at first sight. This love triangle didn't feel juvenile at all, but very adult. The mixed feelings of all four characters were believable to me. I did feel like the one weak link would have been Keenen. We don't really get to know him as much as the other three characters. It was actually kind of compelling to try and figure out who would end up with whom, and well we still don't know for sure.

So this was a surprisingly good read and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.