Capturing The Devil Review

Title:  Capturing The Devil

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper book 4

Chapters: 53 plus epilogue and afterword

Pages:453

Genre: Teen Historical Fiction, teen Steampunk

Rating: 4.5 stars

Publisher:  Jimmy Patterson

     Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco is the final book in the Stalking Jack the Ripper series.  Audrey and Thomas are now in the US and land in the city famous for America’s first serial killer.

     I have to say that this is my favorite book of the series and I have to say that this book was an emotional roller coaster but it was so good.  Kerri has the reader guessing how the book and the series is going to end from the very beginning. It’s worth the read.

Becoming the Dark Prince Review

Title:  Becoming the Dark Prince

Author:  Kerri Maniscalco

Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper book 3.5

Chapters: 9

Pages: 67

Genre: teen historical fiction/steampunk

Rating: 4 stars

I've  wanted to read something from Thomas's point of view since I finished Stalking Jack the Ripper. I've wanted to know what was going on in his head. By the third book Escaping Houdini and what Audrey was putting him through I needed a book from his point view. That being said I am quite happy with this novella from Thomas' s point of view that bridges the gap between the end of book three and the beginning of book 4. Telling what happened while they were in New York.  You do get a bit of Thomas's backstory, but he doesn't tell all there's still a bit of mystery there.  Allowing Thomas to still be this mysterious slightly bad boy with a heart of gold, that he doesn't often let people see.  

All in all I enjoyed it  and look forward to the sequel releasing next month.  It's a short novella only 67 pages you can finish it  in a day. 

Review of Escaping from Houdini

Title: Escaping from Houdini

Author:  Kerri Maniscalco  

Pg: 416

Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper book 3

Genre: Teen historical, Teen steampunk, teen mystery

Rating:  4 stars

Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco is the third book in the Stalking Jack the Ripper series. While it was a good read it wasn’t my favorite of the three.  Audrey set the majority of the book getting on my nerves.  Mainly for the way she kept treating Thomas there were times I wanted to smack her.

     However as always Thomas Cresswell was some of the best parts of the book. I still enjoyed the themes of the book and the series. Got a love a young woman who wants to be involved in the world of forensics and I love the steampunk feel to the series. The cliff hanger ending of this book has me looking forward to the fourth and final book. That I believe will be my favorite is the story is actually what I think it’s based on the true story of America’s first documented serial killer.  And hopefully the fourth book wraps up the series nicely.

Review of Hunting Prince Dracula

Title: Hunting Prince Dracula 

Author: Kerri Maniscalco 

Pages: 434

Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper book 2 

Genre: teen historical fiction steampunk 

Rating: 4 stars 

Hunting Prince Dracula is the second book in the Jack the Ripper series. This book opens with Audrey and Thomas on a train bound for Romania and a medical school there.  Both hope to get one of the few spots available and as a female she's looked down upon and no one thinks she can make it. 

I loved that in this second book in the series I didn't get the dreaded second book slump.  Hunting Prince Dracula had the same fast paced action and story of the first book.   While this isn't a true sequel to Stalking Jack the Ripper but a companion novel it is best if you read the books in order. The events of the first novel shape the beginning events in this novel and allow you to understand why Audrey basically ran to Romania in the first place. 

Hunting Prince Dracula combines the myths and legends behind the story of Dracula with early forensic medicine and forensic investigation to  create another unique novel. And just like with the first book in the series I look forward to the next book in the series.  

Review of Stalking Jack the Ripper

Title: Stalking Jack the Ripper 

Author: Kerri Maniscalco 

Pages: 326

Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper book 1

Genre: Teen historical fiction steampunk 

Rating: 4 stars 

In Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco we meet Audrey Rose Wadsworth a lord's daughter in  Victorian England.  She's not your typical Victorian girl she doesn't care about needle point and learning how to be a wife. She's more interested in the art of forensic medicine. A skill that she is slowly learning at the side of her uncle. She dresses as a boy to attend his lectures at the university.   It's there that she meets one of his students Thomas Cresswell who is close to her equal in book knowledge and skills. 

Then her uncle is asked by the police to help investigate the Jack the ripper killings.  Audrey wants to help  her uncle and first refuses and she goes behind his back almost gets killed and is rescued by Thomas.  Something he won't let her live down.   

Stalking Jack the Ripper puts a new spin on the Jack the Ripper story that I didn't think was possibly but yet we have Stalking Jack the Ripper.  As the Jack the Ripper murders remain one of the criminal justice systems biggest mysteries, because till this day they really don't know who did it.  I loved that Audrey Rose was a woman a head of her time.  That I would like to think that if they had had women police officers, detectives doctors, medical examiners and  forensics that weren't in its infancy they may have caught Jack the Ripper in the Victorian times. I look forward to the next book in the series.  

Review of Code Name Verity

Title: Code Name Verity

Author: Elizabeth Wein

Series: Code Name Verity book 1

 

Pages: 441

Genre: teen historical fiction

Rating: 4 stars

    

     Code Name Verity is a WWII novel about female spies and female pilots behind enemy lines. There's not much WWII fiction written for teens, and what's out there is mostly about them on the home front. However most of the fighters both in the form of soldiers, pilots and the resistance fighters were 17, 18, and 19 year olds who's stories need to be told. Even if it is in the form of historical fiction.

     That's what I loved about Code Name Verity it didn't shy away from the hard stuff. There are two parts of the book told from two different points of view. Which helps to bring the story to life. It is worth the read.  

Review of A Madness So Discreet

Title: Madness so Discreet

Author: Mindy McGinnis

 

Chapters: 37 plus epilogue

Pages: 376

Genre: Historical fiction

Rating: 3.5 stars

     A Madness so Discreet is a teen historical fiction novel about Grace Mae a young woman who gets sent to an asylum. However she isn't insane instead she's there because she hides a secret. A secret once gone will find her back home. Back to her place in society. See feels safer in the asylum.  A young doctor Thornfollow see's that she has a sharp mind and offers her a safe haven in turn for help.  

     This was different than most teen historical fiction that I've read before.  Despite it being different it was a fairly informative read. I can't say that it was an enjoyable read. This is only because of the nature of the storyline.   It's not  a quick read it's a deep read. That will cause you to think. But that's not always a bad thing. Sometimes it's good that books make you think. 

Review of Prisoner of Night and Fog

Title: Prisoner of Night and Fog

Author: Anne Blankman

Series: there will be a sequel

Chapters: 44

Pages: 401

Genre: Teen Historical fiction

Rating: 4.5 stars

     Prisoner of Night and fog is teen historical fiction novel set before the second world in Germany. Gretchen Muller is basically the adoptive niece of Hitler. Gretchen basically only has two friends Hitler’s actual niece and Eva Braun.  Till she meets Daniel Cohen a Jewish reporter who tells her that there is more to her father’s death than what she was lead to believe.

     I have always loved teen historical fiction or historical fiction in general.  But I especially love WWII fiction, especially those with love stories.  I guess it is because I got to hear a real life WWII love story growing up, and every sense then I’ve been hooked. Prisoner of night and Fog was more than just a love story. It used fiction to bring to life a very tragic time in the world’s history.  In way that was right for teen readers as well as being truthful.

     There are some scenes in the novel that are not for readers younger than the teen years, but adults can read this book and enjoy it.  I know I did. 

Review of VIII

Title: VIII

Author: H.M. Castor

Chapters: 82

Pages: 472

Genre: Teen historical Fiction

Rating: 4 stars

     When I started this book I honestly didn’t know what to expect. Other teen books about Henry VIII are told from either the point view of his wives or his children. Most fiction books about him are from other  point of views.  However VIII is from Henry’s point of view starting from his childhood up till just about the time he dies.

     It was a fairly good book. I enjoyed reading about Henry from his point of view. To get into his head so to speak.  There was a few language issues. But other than that it was good and enjoyable read. 

Review of Starstruck

Title: Starstruck

Author: Rachel Shukert

 

Chapters: 30

Pages: 338

Genre: Teen Historical fiction

Rating: 4 stars

     Starstruck is a cross between The Luxe series and Cinders and Sapphires.   Starstruck is set in 1930’s Hollywood. Margaret wants to be an actress even though it goes against everything her parents want for her. The studio ends up picking her as their new actress because of the fact that she looks like the studio’s sweetheart Diana Chesterfield.  Margaret them becomes Margo and has to deal with Gabby Preston America’s sweetheart and Amanda Farraday the Studio’s mean girl.  She starts to fall for the studio’s leading man. 

Review of Cinders and Sapphires

Title: Cinders and Sapphires

Author: Lelia Rasheed

Series: At Somerton #1

 

Genre: Teen Historical Fiction

Rating: 4 stars

     Cinders and Sapphires is a pretty enjoyable teen historical fiction novel.  There were a few things that I had a problem with, but other than that it was a good read. I would have to say that it would be a read for older teens. I thought it was Downton Abbey for teens. 

Review of Victoria Rebels

Title: Victoria Rebels

Author: Carolyn Meyer

Series: Young Royals

 

Chapters: 34

Pages: 265

Genre: Teen historical fiction

Rating: 4 stars

     Victoria Rebels follows Queen Victoria from later childhood to the first few years of marriage to Prince Albert. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would but it was still a good read. 

Review of The Wild Queen

Title: The Wild Queen: The Days and Nights of Mary Queen of Scots

Author: Carolyn Meyer  

Series: Young Royals

 

Chapters: 50 plus Epilogue

Pages: 420

Genre: Teen Historical Fiction

Rating: 4stars

                Even though history tells us how Mary Queen Scot’s tell ends it is nice to read a fictional account that doesn’t completely paint her as the villain. I enjoyed The Wild Queen just like I did other Young Royals by Carolyn Meyer. However I have to give a warning it should be for older teens and maybe adults because of some of the scenes and what it does with.

     The Wild Queen gave voice to what I have always thought about Mary Queen of Scots a woman who made some mistakes do not some much with the choices of her heart, but listening to the wrong people and have advisors who wanted to see her  fail. All in all I enjoyed the book, even though I cannot say I loved it. 

Downton Abbey meets the The Luxe Series

Title: Wentworth Hall

Author: Abby Grahame

Series: N/A

 

Chapters: 22 plus epilogue

Pages: 276

Genre: Teen Historical fiction

Rating: 4 stars (I don’t remember any bad language).

     The best way to sum up Wentworth Hall is simply this Downton Abbey meets The Luxe series. It is basically a Downton Abbey for teens, and it combines elements from The Luxe series. I remember picking up the novel at Barnes and Noble because I liked the cover. Then when I picked it up I discovered that it was set during the time period of Downton Abbey and about ten years after the The Luxe series ended and I was hooked.

     Maggie comes back from France different than the care free girl that she was before she left. Maggie also comes back with a secret that could change the whole family. For a first novel Wentworth Hall was a good read even though I felt that the ending was rushed. What I liked most was that the novel was a clean teen read. 


I just felt like reviewing a book from my own bookshelf

Review of The Lost Crown

Title: The lost Crown

Author: Sarah Miller

Series:   no

Chapters: 49

Pages:420

Genre: Teen Historical fiction

Rating: 5 stars 10/10 even though it’s sad.

The lost Crown is told from the point of view of all four or the Grand Duchesses, each chapter is written from their point of view, what they are going through. So you get to get in each of their “heads” there’s not one certain view. The four Grand Duchesses Olga headstrong, Tatiana-tallest, Maria hopeful for a ring, and Anastasia-smallest, the big pair and the little pair. Everyone knows how the story of the Romanovs ends, but it was still neat to read a book imaging what the girls’ life might have been as teens and young women.

My favorite scene from the book is the scene in which the empress and the grand duchesses are sewing jewels into their clothes. Normally I wouldn’t share an important scene from a book; but sense this is an historical novel and if you had Europe history then you know about this scene and why they did it. The end of the book contains historical information about the last Czar of Russia and his family as well as pictures.

I really enjoyed reading each chapter from the viewpoint of a different daughter. The book said that it recommended for 12+ but I would say that it would be best to be read mostly by teens, because of the content. It’s a sad book, but it was also a great book. I also suggest having tissues ready. It took me a while to read this book, because I had to take a break every time it started to make me sad, which meant the end was the longest part of the book. It is however a great book. Wonderful read.

Book review of Steel

Title: Steel

Author: Carrie Vaughn

Chapters: 15 plus epilogue

Pages: 294

Genre: time travel/ teen historical fiction

Rating:  4 ½ stars

            Jill is a modern girl who loves to fence, but somehow ends up transported back in time three hundred years to a pirate ship; with a female pirate captain. After losing a fencing tournament her family takes a vacation to Jamaica, Jill cannot enjoy her vacation she is still trying to figure out what she did wrong to lose the match.

     Walking on the beach she finds a piece of a sword on the beach. Falling over board during a boat tour transports her back in time to a deck of pirate ship. What’s a girl to do? How does she find a way back home? Will these pirates be friend or foe? Join Jill’s journey as she learns to be a pirate, makes friends and tries to find her way home. Finally a pirate book even if it is also modern that has a strong female pirate.