Gilt by Katherine Longshore

Gilt by Katherine Longshore

2012, Viking Juvenile

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Synopsis: In the court of King Henry VIII, nothing is free-- and love comes at the highest price of all.

When Kitty Tylney's best friend, Catherine Howard, worms her way into King Henry VIII's heart and brings Kitty to court, she's thrust into a world filled with fabulous gowns, sparkling jewels, and elegant parties. No longer stuck in Cat's shadow, Kitty's now caught between two men--the object of her affection and the object of her desire. But court is also full of secrets, lies, and sordid affairs, and as Kitty witnesses Cat's meteoric rise and fall as queen, she must figure out how to keep being a good friend when the price of telling the truth could literally be her head.

Why read: Received for review

What impressed me: I loved the idea of reading about King Henry VIII's romantic relationships from a young adult viewpoint, especially since many of his women were teenagers. The voice was authentic for the age group.

What disappointed me: Being written for the YA crowd, the constant scandal and debauchery that surrounds King Henry VIII was severely less than in adult books. Gilt was definitely the tamest King Henry book I've ever read. And while I liked the idea of a YA focus, back in King Henry's day, women married much younger than they do today, so one assumes the girls would have matured earlier ad wouldn't have felt like a gaggle of high schoolers.

Recommended: Gilt can be an interesting introduction to the King Henry histories, but I would recommend readers choosing a more adult book for the full effect.

Shattered Dreams by Ellie James

Shattered Dreams by Ellie James

2011, St. Martin's Griffin

Series: Book 1 of Midnight Dragonfly

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Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Trinity Monsour wants nothing more than to live a normal life. But that isn’t as easy as it seems. Trinity is different. She is special. She sees visions, and for those she’s seen, it’s already too late. 

Trinity arrives on her aunt’s doorstep in New Orleans with virtually no knowledge of her mysterious heritage. She begins settling into life at a new school and even starts making friends. But all too quickly her dreams accelerate; twisted, terrifying visions of a girl locked in a dark room. And when the head cheerleader, Jessica, goes missing, Trinity knows she has no choice but to step forward with what she’s seen.

But people believe that Trinity has information about Jessica’s disappearance not because of a dream, but because she is involved. She is kind-of dating Jessica’s ex-boyfriend, Chase, and Jessica did pull a nasty prank on Trinity. Revenge seems like the likeliest scenario. 

Nothing prepares Trinity for the dark odyssey that ensues while searching for Jessica, including the surprising romance she finds with Chase, or the shocking truths she learns, not just about the girl who has gone missing, but the past that has been hidden from her.

Why read: Received for review from LibraryThing Early Reviewers

What impressed me: I enjoyed the first half of Shattered Dreams. I loved seeing Trinity trying to make friends with the other kids from her school and all that entailed. I even liked her visions and the way they were both a help and hindrance to her life.

What disappointed me: I disliked the mystery in Shattered Dreams - well not the mystery itself, but the way it was presented. "Clues" were presented, often in the form of Trinity's visions, that were obviously misleading. It was a succession of one suspect after another, but you never really believe any of them are likely candidates because of the heavy-handed way they're presented as such.

Recommended: Not especially. This was  a psychic mystery for young adults that fell flat more often than not.

Continue series: Probably not.

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

2012, Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Series: Book 1 of Struck

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Synopsis: Mia Price is a lightning addict. She's survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.

Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.

Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn't who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything.

Why read: Requested for review from Netgalley

What impressed me: I was really impressed with Struck. While I love the concept of cults in books, they often don't work for me. Struck was different. It took a post-disaster world, people with different abilities, and rival cults and made them mesh perfectly. The romance angle lightened the book up considerably, which was great given the darkness of the overall story.

What disappointed me: Mia wasn't the easiest character to like. She's very doom and gloom, understandably so given her history, but it doesn't make for an entertaining character.

Recommended: If you've ever wanted to check out a YA book featuring cults, Struck is the one to go with.

Continue series: Yes.