Synopses & Reviews
Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eightand#8212;sheand#8217;s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the kingand#8217;s thug. and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Poand#8217;s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Graceand#8212;or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone. and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more. and#160;
Review
"Fiction and history coalesce in a rich, ripping tale of assassinations, political intrigue and religion in 15th-century Brittany....LaFevers' ambitious tapestry includes poison and treason and murder, valor and honor and slow love, suspense and sexuality and mercy. A page-turner — with grace." Kirkus, starred review
Review
"The book is well written and filled with fascinating, complex characters who function realistically in this invented medieval world." School Library Journal, starred review
Review
"LaFevers is an artful storyteller who has created a strong lead character....The tale is one of scheming nobles, political subterfuge, murder, and romance — all of the best aspects of a good read. And like any good mystery, the plot is unpredictable." VOYA
Review
"Start with the medieval action and mystery of a Tamora Piere novel, throw in some 007 License to Kill action (only the assassins are nuns!) and add two duty-driven and proud main characters involved in an achingly-denied romance (seriously, would you just kiss him already!?!). This triple threat of entertainment is unputdownable." Justine magazine
Synopsis
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes a brutal arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of assassins — for a price. Packed with love, magic, and deadly games of courtly intrigue and treason, book one of a fast-paced YA trilogy set in 15th-century France combines romance with captivating action.
Synopsis
Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf? Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts — and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.
Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany — where she finds herself woefully under prepared — not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death's vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?
Synopsis
Theodosia Throckmorton is in a fix. Allowed to attend a reception given by one of the directors of her parentsand#8217; museum, she stumbles across Mr. Tetley of the British Museumand#151;in most unusual circumstances! Since Theo has last seen him in a showdown in an ancient Egyptian tomb, his reappearance could mean only one thing: the Serpents of Chaos are back.
Once again Theodosia will have to take on secret societies, evil curses, and dark magic too sinister to imagine, especially if it falls into the wrong hands. Blocked at every turn, Theodosia will have to rely on her own skill and cunningand#151;along with a little help from the most unexpected places.
Synopsis
Ten-year-old Nathaniel Fludd is the reluctant hero of
Flight of the Phoenix (2009), the madcap debut of the American author R. L. LaFeverss Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist series and a Junior Library Guild selection. The year is 1928, the setting England, and Nates wayward parents have just been reported lost at sea. Nate is sent that very day to his Aunt Phils house in Batting-at-the-Flies, but not for long . . . The morning after he arrives at the renowned beastologists doorstep, she whisks him away to the Arabian desert to witness a phoenix lay an egg! A delightful adventure sure to please fans of mythology, maps, camels, and gremlins. Includes a glossary of terms from “cartographer” to “Tidy Sum.”
Dont miss the next books in the Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist series: The Basilisks Lair (Book 2), The Wyverns Treasure (Book 3), and The Unicorns Tale (Book 4)!
Synopsis
Being able to detect black magic isnandrsquo;t all tea and crumpetsandmdash;and for Theodosia Throckmorton, it can be a decidedly tricky business! When Sticky Will drags Theo to a magic show featuring the Great Awi Bubu, she quickly senses there is more to the magician than he lets on, setting in motion a chain of events she never could have bargained for.
Meanwhile, back at the Museum of Legends and Antiquities, Henry is home for the spring holidays and makes an accidental discovery of an artifact that alchemists have been hunting for centuries. Soon, every black-cloaked occultist in London is trying to get their hands on it . . .
Synopsis
Nate Fludd, Beastologist, is back in the camel saddle in hot pursuit of a missing, deadly Basiliskthe King of Serpents. As if saving an entire Dhughani village from the Basilisks poisonous gaze isnt difficult enough, Nate and Aunt Phil must begin to piece together the mystery of his parents disappearance and protect the lone copy of the Fludd Book of Beasts from a sinister man who always seem to be one step ahead of them. Pack your goggles, rue, and an extra pair of gloves and join Nate on another unbelievable adventuretheres no rest for the worlds youngest beastologist-in-training!
Synopsis
In this fourth book in the series, Theodosia sets off to Egypt to return the Emerald Tabletandmdash;embedded with the knowledge of some of the ancient worldandrsquo;s most guarded secrets. Accompanied by her cat, Isis (smuggled along in a basket), Theo plans to return the artifact, then explore the mysteries surrounding her own birth and oh, yesandmdash; help her mother dig up treasures on her archeological expedition.
But nothing ever works out as planned, especially when a precious treasure appears suddenly, and then just as suddenly disappears . . . When the Serpents of Chaos get involved, Theo finds sheandrsquo;s digging up a lot more than she expected!
Synopsis
Is there no rest for the travel worn and weary? Not if youre Nathaniel Fludd, the worlds youngest beastologist-in-training! All Nate really wants is to track down his missing parents, but when a unicorn falls mysteriously ill, Nates Aunt Phil makes it clear where a beastologists duty lies: to the beasts. And if taking care of the worlds beasts isnt difficult enough, Nate and Aunt Phil must also keep them safe from the villainous Obediah Fludd, who intends to do them harm. With all this taking up every last bit of his energy and time, will Nate ever find the parents he is so absolutely convinced are alive?
Synopsis
[set star] "Fiction and history coalesce in a rich, ripping tale of assassinations, political intrigue and religion. . . . LaFevers ambitious tapestry includes poison and treason and murder, valor and honor and slow love, suspense and sexuality and mercy. A page-turner—with grace." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage to the respite of the convent of St. Mortain. Here she learns that the god of Death has blessed her with dangerous gifts and a violent destiny. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. But how can she deliver Deaths vengeance upon a target who has stolen her heart?
Synopsis
After tangling with the deadly basilisk, Nathaniel Fludd is glad to return to England with his Aunt Phil. But someone has ransacked their home, and their best suspect is the sinister man who's been trying to steal the Book of Beasts.
Before Nate and Aunt Phil can find the culprit, they are called to Welsh countryside. The wyverns (giant dragons) are in an uproar. Could the same man who ransacked the Fludd house be behind the rift with the wyverns? And just what does he want with The Book of Beasts? But before Nate can solve that mystery, he must calm the dragons before it's too late. It's just another day at work for the world's youngest beastologist!
Synopsis
When her father is killed by the notorious Rose Riders for a mysterious journal that reveals the secret location of a gold mine, eighteen year-old Kate Thompson disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers--and justice. In the spirit of True Grit, acclaimed young adult novelist Erin Bowman brings to life the unpredictable and cutthroat days of the Wild West.
Synopsis
The next riveting adventure in the Theodosia Throckmorton series!
Synopsis
When Kate Thompson’s father is killed by the notorious Rose Riders for a mysterious journal that reveals the secret location of a gold mine, the eighteen-year-old disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers and justice. What she finds are devious strangers, dust storms, and a pair of brothers who refuse to quit riding in her shadow. But as Kate gets closer to the secrets about her family, she gets closer to the truth about herself and must decide if there's room for love in a heart so full of hate. In the spirit of
True Grit, the cutthroat days of the Wild West come to life for a new generation.
Synopsis
Romantic medieval fantasy from a debut author
About the Author
KRISTINandnbsp;CASHOREandnbsp;is a freelance educational writer who writes content for textbooks and teacher editions. She has written book reviews for The Horn Book Guide, and she has had articles published in The Looking Glass: An Online Children's Literature Journal and Children's Literature in Education. Kristin received her master's degree in children's literature in 2003 from Simmons College, where she worked with Liza Ketchum and was named a Virginia Haviland Scholar. She lives in Jacksonville, Florida.