The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu

 Book: The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu

Rating: 4 Stars

Reader: Yasmin, Grade 12

 

The Kingdom of Back is a story unlike any I’ve seen before, with a unique meld of historical and fantasy elements and a unique setting with its own mystery and magic attached to it. This story is a historical fantasy set in Austria during the childhood of the renowned pianist Amadeus Mozart. However, the book takes an unexpected turn and focuses on his older sister and her own adventures and struggles as a musician, with a magical twist. Nannerl is also a musical prodigy, yet when her brother begins to show signs of genius, she is cast aside by both her father and the world. From this springs her desire to be remembered by history forever. However, society forbids Nannerl from composing her own songs,a ‘man’s practice’. Nannerl finds herself entangled with a mysterious prince from a mystical world, and she makes a deal with the prince: in exchange for gifting her an otherworldly melody in her dreams and a chance at fame, the Prince asks for Nannerl’s help in reclaiming his kingdom- yet not everything is necessarily as it seems. Nannerl soon finds herself unsure who she can trust and how far she is willing to go to get what she wants. The overall premise of this story is intriguing, and the author seamlessly combines historical events with vivid descriptions of fantasy elements. One shortcoming was that certain events at times felt illogical or needed further explanation in order to fully make sense in the context of the story. However, this didn’t hold the book back from being impactful, especially with its satisfying ending. I would highly recommend this book

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

Book: Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
Reviewer: Yasmin, Grade 12
Rating: 4 Stars

A little more than a century ago, the wealthy and eccentric Albert Ellingham created a prestigious and selective school like none other, driven by his love for games and unconventional methods of learning. However, just as his dreams for the school were coming to fruition, a horrible tragedy struck: his daughter and wife were kidnapped with only a demand for a ransom and a bone chilling note left behind, signed ‘Truly,  Devious’. Now, almost 70 years later, Stevie Bell’s dreams are coming true as well she begins attending Albert Ellingham’s school. Stevie is a passionate true-crime lover with dreams of joining the FBI, and the mystery of who exactly was behind the Ellingham's kidnapping consumes her attention. When the same disturbing events begin to repeat themselves and ‘Truly, Devious’ makes a comeback, it’s up to Stevie to get to the bottom of it- before anyone else gets hurt. This is a classic mystery novel with plenty of suspense and twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I especially enjoyed how the perspective alternated between the events of the present and the past, so the reader could piece together the whole story gradually, focusing on two mysteries that are deeply interconnected. I also enjoyed the writing style, which occasionally had some humorous sarcasm and thoroughly built the setting and the atmosphere; in fact, the writing style made me feel that this book was written almost as a movie, and could be effortlessly adapted into one. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys more classic mysteries and true crime, but with a modern twist.

The Fire Keeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Book: The Fire Keeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley 

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Yasmin, Grade 12

The Firekeeper’s Daughter follows the story of Daunis Fontaine as one tragedy after another takes her life in an unexpected direction. Set in the Ojibwe community of Sugar Island, The Fire Keeper’s Daughter takes pieces of Native American culture and incorporates it into a high stakes investigation. After Daunis’s uncle’s death is pinned on drug use, like countless others before him, the pattern of deaths in the community grows even more personal when Daunis’s best friend is shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend, a victim of addiction himself. However, Daunis doesn’t quite believe the claims made about her uncle’s death, and when she meets Jaime, a newcomer to the community, the pieces begin to come together. From then on ensues an undercover investigation into native plants, their medicinal uses, and the role they might have played in the development of the new, deadly and harshly addictive substance that is slowly eating away at Daunis’s community each day. I especially enjoyed the unique setting of this story, since I had never read a story with such a visible foundation in Native American practices let alone one that combined them with a murder-mystery type of story. The main character is  likable thanks to the insight the reader gets into her thoughts and emotions, especially as she grapples with one loss after another. My only qualm with this book is that the exposition felt lengthy before the story really started to get going, but I eventually came to appreciate that as it took its time in fully setting up for future events and allowing the reader to familiarize themselves with the culture and characters existing in its unique setting. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good teenage mystery with a twist!

Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards

Book: Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Yasmin, Grade 12

Five Total Strangers is a sinister young adult adventure that will keep you guessing. After Mira’s aunt’s death destroyed her mother, Mira was the one who helped her mother through her grief, despite struggling with her own. Mira still feels responsible for her mother, and when a blizzard and a canceled flight prevent her from getting home to her mother for her aunt’s death-anniversary, Mira’s becomes desperate to find her way home by any means necessary. Her only hope is Harper, a college student she met on the plane, and the ragtag group of five other college students that are heading the same way in a rented car. Despite seeming like a reckless and extreme option, when she discovers that her mom recently divorced her step dad and is truly alone back home, Mira takes Harper up on her offer. But, the seemingly harmless six hour ride home quickly takes a turn for the worse, as road conditions grow more and more deadly, not to mention that Mira’s car-mates are all a little strange. When belongings start to go missing and accusations begin to fly, her discomfort only grows, and she can’t help but feel that she is being watched and someone in the car is lying. This book was an extremely enjoyable read, as it kept me on my toes with the plot and had me trying to crack the mystery along with the main character. The book does a good job of incorporating small unsettling moments to add tension and emphasize the creepy mood of the book. I would highly recommend this book to fans of One of Us is Lying as it has a similar mysterious and ominous atmosphere that will keep you on the edge of your seat.