The Prisoner in the Castle (Maggie Hope #8)

The Prisoner in the Castle by Susan Elia MacNeal is the eighth book in her Maggie Hope series - an espionage / mystery series set in WWII.

Maggie Hope has done a lot for the war effort - from helping to break codes to being dropped into France during Nazi occupation. But someone thinks she knows too much.

After being drugged, Maggie finds herself on an island off of Scotland. She is there with other British soldiers and spies in what amounts to a fancy prison. No one knows when they will be released - an almost no one knows where they are.

When there is a murder, all of the are suspects. And the bodies drop in the Agatha Christie style mystery, other people are starting to wonder where Maggie Hope is hiding. In fact, she is need to testify in a major criminal case in London - without her a serial killer may go free.

MacNeal has created a wonderful character, set in one of history's most interesting times. This is a must-read series.

MacNeal, Susan Elia. (2018). The Prisoner in the Castle. New York:Bsntam.

Changers: Forever (Changers #4)

Changers: Forever by T. Cooper and Allison Glock-Cooper is the final book in the Changers series. A Changer, as opposed to a plain human, spends each year of high school as a different person. They wake up on the first day of each year in a different body. These changes give the Changer a look at life from different perspectives, creating a more compassionate and understanding adult.

At the beginning of the book, Kim (change #3) has told her best friend / girlfriend about the Changers. Audrey has fallen in love with each of the forms Kim has been so far.

When Kim was Drew freshman year, and kissed Audrey, she got a flash of Audrey's future. She was fighting with a blond, muscly boy and drove off into a car accident.

When Kim wakes up at the beginning of her senior year, she is no longer Kim. She is Kyle - the boy Audrey fought with. So instead of telling Audrey who he is, Kyle tries to prevent the accident from happening.

This final instalment of the Changer series, bring together all that the main character has learned. In the forever ceremony, Kyle/Kim/Oryon/Drew will have to choose a final/forever form.

Cooper, T and Allison Glock-Cooper. (2018). Changers: Forever. New York: Black Sheep.

The Radical Elelment: 12 Stories of Daredevils, Debutantes and Other Dauntless Girls

The Radical Element: 12 Stories of Daredevils, Debutantes, and Other Dauntless Girls edited by Jessica Spotswood is a sequel to the collection A Tyranny of Petticoats. Both volumes feature some great female YA authors writing about various times in history.

This edition looks at girls who are changing things in their communities, as opposed to those on the outside featured in Tyranny.

In Daughter of the Book by Dahlia Adler, a young woman in a southern Jewish community longs to learn. She will break any rules to be allowed to learn more about her culture and religion.

Take Me With You by Sara Farizan sees a new immigrant joining her neighbor in a punk band - after escaping from the war in Iran.

These are great stories for fans of history. They offer a different angle on what is usually written about by historians!

Spotswood, Jessica. (2018). The Radical Element. New York: Candlewick Press.

Fresh Ink: An Anthology

Fresh Ink: An Anthology edited by Lamar Giles is a collection of diverse stories from some of the best young adult writers. Giles is one of the founders of We Need Diverse Books - a collective of writers who are trying to expand the typical YA character into a better reflection of who is really out there. Their goal is for teens to see themselves in fiction.

Meet Cute by Malinda Lo is the story of a budding relationship at the Denver ComicCon.

Why I Learned to Cook by Sara Farizan is the story of a Persian American young woman learning to cook with her grandmother - to impress the girl she likes.

Super Human by Nicole Yoon features a superhero who, without a mask, would be targeted for harassment by the police.

Other authors include Jason Reynolds, Sharon G Flake, Melissa de la Cruz and Gene Luen Yang.

Giles, Lamar. (2018). Fresh Ink. New York: Crown.

An Unkindness of Ghosts

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon is a look at racism in a science fiction setting.

Aster is part of the forth generation of people on the spaceship Matilda. Stories say it left a dying planet many years ago and will someday reach a (possibly) livable new world.

The ship is massive and carries the remainder of humanity. The floors are set up in a hierarchy that evokes the antebellum South.

Aster has been trained to be assistant to General, the ships main doctor. She has a pass to leave her own deck to see patients. And she has an forgotten part of the ship to do experiments with plants and healing.

With the help of her friend, Aster is trying to decode her mother's journals. Rumor says her mother killed herself, but no one ever found her. Aster is sure she was working on something that got her killed.

Solomon has created an unforgettable story of race and misogyny in outer space. People trapped in their roles, assigned by their skin color and gender. Reader will think of this story long after they have finished the book.

Solomon, Rivers. (2017). An Unkindness of Ghosts. New York: Akashic Books.

Competence (Custard Protocol #3)

Competence by Gail Carriger is the third book in her Custard Protocol series featuring Prudence Akledama and her friends who are traveling the world in her dirigible (which looks like a giant lady bug).

Pru and her friends are on their way to South America. They are going to hunt or rescue a different type of vampire - the letter was vague.

Filled with wonderful supernatural creatures from vampires and werewolves to werecats and those who can take any shape, all of Gail Carriger's books are a great ride.

While it is impossible to choose a favorite book out of all I have read, Gail Carriger is definitely one of my favorite writers.

Carriger, Gail. (2018). Competence. New York: Orbit.