Last Song by Eva Wiseman

225 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Wizard

It is the late 1400’s in Toledo, Spain during the Spanish Inquisition. Torquemada, the Grand Inquisitor, is intent on ridding the city of all but devout Christians, his main target are those practicing the Jewish faith. Isobel, whose father is a respected physician in the court of King Ferdinand and Queen Isobella, thinks her family immune to the persecution afflicting the city. When she becomes betrothed to an arrogant and abusive man, she fears for her future. She befriends Yonah, the son of a Jewish silversmith, and learns the terrifying truth behind the Torquemada’s agenda. When her parents reveal to her their secret Jewish roots, the family becomes a target and her father is arrested and tortured. Desperate to save her father and family, Isobel seeks help from  Yonah and the underground Jewish community. This story is well told with a strong, believable heroine. The plot is gripping and builds toward the end as Isobel learns whom to trust and about her heritage. The main theme of solidarity against adversity is expressed primarily through Isobel and Yonah’s growing friendship. It is a refreshing take on Jewish persecution setting it during the Spanish Inquisition rather than the more familiar Hitler’s Third Reich landscape. (This book provided for review by Children's lit  - www.childrenslit.com)

 

Transcendence by C. J. Omololu

325 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Wizard

On a visit to London with her dad and sister, Cole, a gifted cellist, gets a very up close and personal view of Britain’s history. Objects and places keep triggering intense visions of places and times from the past she doesn’t know. She thinks she’s going mad. When she passes out after a particularly gruesome vision of her own execution on a visit to the Tower of London, a handsome young stranger named Griffon Hall helps her. She feels a strong connection to this boy and upon returning home to San Francisco discovers he lives nearby. Her disturbing visions become more frequent the more time she spends with Griffon. He tells her that like him she is an “Akhet,” a person who can remember past lives and use this knowledge for good. Of course not all “Akhet” uphold this philosophy. Her visions now seem to focus on a Italian cello player involved in a murder. The book builds slowly centering around Cole’s thoughts about her visions which are depicted in italics. Once she and Griffon discover that a rogue “Akhet” is after her, the pace picks up dramatically as they race to find out what exactly happened all those years ago and how to fix it. The closer she grows to Griffon, the more she withdraws from friends and family. Her love for classical music is a constant underlying theme. Cole is a realistically drawn character with whom teens can easily identify. This romantic mystery hints at a sequel and will be sure to appeal to teens who enjoy paranormal romance. Recommend to fans of Die for me by Amy Plum.

Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl

201 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Dragon

Crawley castle, a fool designed structure perched on a cliff edge, is in desperate need of maintenance. In addition to keeping the home repairs at bay, seventeen-yr.-old Althea must support her widowed mother and two stepsisters who claim to have no money. Her only solution is to marry rich and to do it quickly. She sets her sights on Lord Boring who has newly arrived to stay with relatives. Unfortunately Lord Boring never seems to be without the company of his cousin and business manager, Frederics, who derails Althea’s well-laid plans at every turn. Her stepsister, Charity, also aspires to become Lady Boring and unlike the impoverished Althea, she has a healthy dowry. This is a delightful read perfect for fans of Jane Austen. Althea is strong, clever, courageous and brazenly bold. Her fierce devotion and love for her family and ancestral home captures the heart and doesn’t let go. The author effortlessly transforms the relationship between Althea and Fredericks from annoyed acceptance to respectful alliance and finally to love. The humor is witty and light, especially Althea’s constant inner monologues. Although this book is targeted for a young adult audience, adult readers will find much to like, particularly those familiar with Georgette Heyer’s regency romances.