Foul Heart Huntsman by Chloe Gong (Foul Lady Fortune book 2)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Foul Lady Fortune, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Check out Book Series Recaps for a refresher of the first book.

Check out the Riveted blog for a recap of Foul Lady Fortune.

“Winter is drawing thick in 1932 Shanghai, as is the ever-nearing threat of a Japanese invasion.

Rosalind Lang has suffered the worst possible fate for a national spy: she’s been exposed. With the media storm camped outside her apartment for the infamous Lady Fortune, she’s barely left her bedroom in weeks, plotting her next course of action after Orion was taken and his memories of Rosalind wiped. Though their marriage might have been a sham, his absence hurts her more than any physical wound. She won’t rest until she gets him back.

But with her identity in the open, the task is near impossible. The only way to leave the city and rescue Orion is under the guise of a national tour. It’s easy to convince her superiors that the countryside needs unity more than ever, and who better than an immortal girl to stir pride and strength into the people?

When the tour goes wrong, however, everything Rosalind once knew is thrown up in the air. Taking refuge outside Shanghai, old ghosts come into the open and adversaries turn to allies. To save Orion, they must find a cure to his mother’s traitorous invention and take this dangerous chemical weapon away from impending foreign invasion—but the clock is ticking, and if Rosalind fails, it’s not only Orion she loses, but her nation itself.” - taken from Goodreads.

Unfortunately, I found the beginning slow to start. I wanted the action and our characters to find one another sooner than they did. Once everyone is back together, the story really picks up. While the reader gets glimpses and more of several favorite characters, Rosalind and Orion are the heart of this book. I will say that each character received the ending they deserved. Definitely a worthy conclusion to the story.

Visit Chloe Gong’s website.

Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu (Stars & Smoke book 1)

“Meet Winter Young – International pop sensation, with a voice like velvet and looks that could kill. His star power has smashed records, selling out stadiums from LA to London. His rabid fans would move heaven and earth for even a glimpse of him – just imagine what they’d do to become his latest fling.

Meet Sydney Cossette – Part of an elite covert ops group, Sydney joined their ranks as their youngest spy with plans to become the best agent they’ve ever had. An ice queen with moves as dangerous as her comebacks, Sydney picks up languages just as quickly as she breaks hearts. She's fiery, no-nonsense, and has zero time for romance – especially with a shameless flirt more used to serving sass than taking orders.

When a major crime boss gifts his daughter a private concert with Winter for her birthday, Sydney and Winter's lives suddenly collide. Tasked with infiltrating the crime organization’s inner circle, Sydney is assigned as Winter's bodyguard with Winter tapped to join her on the mission of a lifetime as a new spy recruit. Sydney may be the only person alive impervious to Winter's charms, but as their mission brings them closer, she’s forced to admit that there's more to Winter Young than just a handsome face . . .” - taken from Goodreads.

Not quite in the vein of the author’s Legend series, Stars and Smoke partner a music superstar with a young spy who are on their first covert mission together. The two do not hit it off at first but the deeper they get into their assignment, the closer they get. While the ending doesn’t wrap up in a neat bow, fans of the story will be excited to see that the ending sets up for the next book.

The story is continued with Icon and Inferno due out on June 11, 2024.

Visit Marie Lu’s website.

Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong (Foul Lady Fortune book 1)

 

SPOILER ALERT! Even though this is the start of a new series, it does pick up four years after the conclusion to Our Violent Ends.

Check out the Riveted blog for recaps of both These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends.

“It’s 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue.

Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging—and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption from her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country.

Code name: Fortune.

But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind’s mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind’s new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed.

To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion’s cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined.” - taken from Goodreads.

An exciting, heart-pounding story that finds Rosalind Lang four years after the conclusion of Our Violent Ends. Now a spy and assassin, she must work under cover with a fellow spy to discover a secret that could change the course of China. With secrets of her own, Rosalind will find that the mystery goes much deeper than anyone ever imagined. Appearances by characters from the former duology help drive the story forward.

Book two is expected to be published in September of 2023.

Visit Chloe Gong’s website.

Rebel Spy by Veronica Rossi

 

“Rebellious Frannie Tasker knows little about the war between England and its thirteen colonies in 1776, until a shipwreck off her home in Grand Bahama Island presents an unthinkable opportunity. The body of a young woman floating in the sea gives Frannie the chance to escape her brutal stepfather--and she takes it.

Assuming the identity of the drowned Emmeline Coates, Frannie is rescued by a British merchant ship and sails with the crew to New York. For the next three years, Frannie lives a lie as Miss Coates, swept up in a courtship by a dashing British lieutenant. But after witnessing the darker side of the war, she realizes that her position gives her power. Soon she finds herself eavesdropping on British officers, risking everything to pass information on to George Washington's Culper spy ring as agent 355. Frannie believes in the fight for American liberty--but what will it cost her? Inspired by the true "355" and rich in historical detail and intrigue, this is the story of an unlikely New York society girl turned an even unlikelier spy.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I have been looking forward to reading this book for several months before it even came out. The mystery surrounding spy 355 hooked me and I did some extensive research before starting the story. Frannie Tasker and all her friends and family are fictional but many historical events, people, and places are woven into the story. The beginning was a bit slow to build and her decision to become a spy seemed quick, but I was pleasantly surprised by all of the possibilities that the ending provided.

Visit Veronica Rossi’s website.

Wildcard by Marie Lu (Warcross book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Warcross, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Check out Book Series Recaps for a refresher of the first book.

“Emika Chen barely made it out of the Warcross Championships alive. Now that she knows the truth behind Hideo's new NeuroLink algorithm, she can no longer trust the one person she's always looked up to, who she once thought was on her side.

Determined to put a stop to Hideo's grim plans, Emika and the Phoenix Riders band together, only to find a new threat lurking on the neon-lit streets of Tokyo. Someone's put a bounty on Emika's head, and her sole chance for survival lies with Zero and the Blackcoats, his ruthless crew. But Emika soon learns that Zero isn't all that he seems--and his protection comes at a price.

Caught in a web of betrayal, with the future of free will at risk, just how far will Emika go to take down the man she loves?” - taken from Goodreads.com

I don't think I have a read a Marie Lu book that I didn't love or the ending didn't to my soul apart. Wildcard was no exception. Once again shocked by how the storyline flowed, the very last page was extremely satisfying. My only question is trying to figure out who exactly Asher is. Don't name drop and leave me hanging. 

Visit Marie Lu’s website.

Warcross by Marie Lu (Warcross book 1)

Player Hunter Hacker Pawn

“For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I loved Lu’s Legend trilogy and Warcross is just as impressive. The worldbuilding that she creates is literally out of this world. Emika Chen is just as strong as June Iparis with a devastating background like Daniel “Day” Wing. Hideo Tanaka is the “boy” genius who created the worldwide obsession that is Warcross and made him rich and famous beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. He does harbor a dark secret but sparks fly between him and Emika early on.

This book is fast paced and unputdownable. A duology, eager fans will be clamoring for the second book after that heartbreaking, jaw-dropping ending. Book two is expected to be out in 2018.

Visit Marie Lu’s website.

Zero Day by Jan Gangsei

“Trust No One.”

Addie Webster disappeared without a trace from the Governor’s Mansion while her father was  Governor of Virginia. Eight years old at the time, she and her best friend, Darrow Fergusson, were playing a game of Connect Four that turned out badly when Darrow was about to win but Addie ruined the game so that she wouldn’t lose. Arguing, Addie stomps off. A few minutes later, Darrow realizes that he can never stay mad at Addie and goes to look for her. After an hour of searching, it becomes evident that she is missing. Addie is gone without a trace. Darrow, whose mother is Governor Webster’s Chief of Staff, blames himself. He keeps a red checker from the game in his pocket as a reminder that maybe some day he will get a do over as far as addie is concerned.

Eight years have passed and Governor Mark Webster is now President Mark Webster. He is in the middle of his turbulent first term. When a girl appears at a truck stop in the middle of Pennsylvania claiming to be the missing Adele Webster, the Secret Service begins a relentless train of questioning. A DNA test is performed and the results come back that the girl claiming to be Adele Webster is in fact Addie. Reintroduction with her family now living in the White House goes as well as expected, especially since her young sister Ellie isn’t there. Addie also meets her replacement, youngest sister Mackenzie, who doesn’t understand what is going on. Soon, someone realizes that Addie has more than a few secrets about her abduction and return.

In the midst of Addie’s reappearance, Cerberus ups it’s cyber attacks. President Webster is against electronic surveillance and the government has widely scaled back on “spying” on its citizens. Cerberus, an unknown terrorist group who believes President Webster is wrong in his surveillance stance, is trying to prove how easily cyber attacks can happen. Up until six months ago when Cerberus stopped the U.S nuclear power grid from melting down, the group had only been known to disrupt terrorist run Web sites and altering authorities. Not happy with President Webster’s stance on surveillance, Cerberus is attacking sites around the capital to show how wrong he is. One person, General James McQueen who was named by the president to look into Cerberus, is investigating what is going on and he believes Addie Webster is involved some how. He “recruits” Darrow to spy on her, who doesn’t like having his hand forced. Soon, thrust into the political storm surrounding Addie Webster, Darrow is looking to not fail his friend a second time.

The question now becomes, why after all of these years has Addie reappeared? Will Darrow spy on his friend? What really happened to Addie during the eight years she spent captive? Who was her captor and what reason was she taken? What secrets is Addie hiding from everyone? Can Darrow save Addie Webster?

Readers will be racing for the end of this book full of mystery, political intrigue and psychological thriller.

Visit Jan Gangsei‘s website.

The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade

"A true wretch of a creature crouched in the cage ... On the bottom of the cage a plaque read L'ENFANT DU MONSTRE."

For the last thirteen years of his life, fourteen-year-old Modo has been raised in seclusion at Ravenscroft by Mr. Socrates. Hunchback Modo was found by Mr. Socrates by a traveling freakshow in an orphange near Notre Dame and is purchased by Mr. Socrates when he notices that the grotesque toddler is able to transform his face for limited amounts of time. While at Ravenscroft, he has been tutored by motherly Mrs. Finchley and trained in the martial arts by Tharpa. One day Mr. Socrates determines that Modo is ready to see the world beyond the walls of his windowless rooms and takes him to London. There he abandons Modo in a dangerous part of town with nothing to survive on his own. His first assignment is to either sink or swim.

Octavia Milkweed poses as Audrette Featherstone one night under the pretense of hiring a private detective by the name of Mr. Wellington. Mr. W has never been seen by any of the staff at the Red Boar where he has a room at the top of the stairs. Octavia/Audrette hires Wellington to find out where her brother Oscar goes at night. It soon turns out that Wellington is really Modo. For the past six months, Modo has been working as a private detective with an ad in the London Times. Modo travels through London by walking across the rooftops. On the night he is following Oscar, he stumbles across a meeting of the Young Londoners Exploatory Society. Quite literally, a hornet's nest is stirred up. After escaping death, Modo tracks down Octavia who gets him back to Mr. Socrates.

Turns out Modo passed his test and his first assignment brought to him by Octavia. Modo and Octavia are both agents who work for Mr. Socrates and his secret society. Their job is to find out what the Young Londoners Exploratory Society is and what new steam driven technology they may have created and why experiments are being conducted with humans. Join Modo and Tavia as the race across London to stop the Clockwork Guild's secret weapon.

Modo and Octavia's adventures continue in The Dark Deeps - The Hunchback Assignments 2 is due out on September 14, 2010.

Visit Arthur Slade's website.

The Shadow Project by Herbie Brennan

Danny Lipman is a thief who has the misfortune of robbing the wrong house one night. What looked like an old run-down country house was actually a disguise for a top-secret government organization known as the Shadow Project. A joint venture between the CIA and MI6, the project uses teenage spies for its covert missions. The teens use astral projection or an out-of-body experience to travel around the world. When Danny accidentially witnesses a mission experience between Opal and Michael, project coordinators realize that Danny has a special talent that would be extremely useful to the project. When Sir Roland Harrington's daughter Opal disappears while on a mission, Danny is given a choice; join the Shadow Project or go to jail. A deal is made that is almost too good to be true.

Danny joins the project and is quickly thrown into investigating the Sword of Wrath, a terrorist organization. He soon finds out that both the Project and the Sword of Wrath are not what they seem. Opal is found but is still in great danger as is the Project itself. As Danny finds out more about what is going on, he also discovers some truths about himself and those around him.

The book is told in revolving points of view between Danny, Opal, Sir Roland, Michael and Danny's grandmother; who has a few surprises of her own. The next book in the series, The Doomsday Box continues Danny's story in January 2011. The reader is not left with a major cliffhanger dealing with the battle, but there are several unanswered questions and the quiet beginnings of a love triangle. This a the book for those readers who enjoyed Catherine Fisher's Incarceron and The Maze Rinner by James Dashner.

Visit Herbie Brennan's website.