(Image from Barnes & Noble)

(Note: While this review will not contain spoilers for Rip Tide, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from Dark Life. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)

Ty Townsen's dealt with all manner of crazy things in the 15 years he's spent living under the sea. He's encountered everything from sharks to pirates to killer whales. But it's the discovery of a vessel chained to a sunken airplane that chills him to the bone. Especially when he realizes everyone in the mobile township is dead. An entire civilization has been murdered by a cold-blooded killer - one that may be more dangerous than anything Ty's ever come across in his wild ocean home.

Outraged by the attack on so many innocent people, Ty immediately starts asking questions. Even though he's getting no answers, his curiosity arouses attention. The wrong kind. It's not long before his parents and younger sister are kidnapped. Desperate to free his family, Ty vows to track down the murderer, no matter what the cost. Even if it means trusting a notorious thug. Even if it means swimming with bloodthirsty eels. Even if it means taking on the most powerful people in his world. With a pretty Topsider by his side to complicate things even further, Ty's newest adventure may be his most complicated. His most deadly.

Rip Tide, the second book in Kat Falls' watery YA dystopian series, picks up four months after its predecessor (Dark Life) ends. Like the first book, it plunges straight into the action, and never really lets up. While the constant adventure keeps things interesting, it completely upstages the other story elements, leaving characters underdeveloped, setting details unexplained, and dialogue clumsy. I have to give Falls props for originality, I just wish she would flesh out Ty's unique world a little more. After reading Rip Tide, I came to the exact same conclusion I did with Dark Life: "Younger readers probably won't care about all the details, they'll just love the non-stop action ... It may lack in some departments, but [Rip Tide] is nothing if not entertaining."

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

The women's courtly fun takes a dangerous turn when Henry VIII's wandering eye lands on Anne. Flattered by his attention, she encourages his affection, setting her sights on nothing less than Queen Katherine's throne. Appalled by her friend's scheming, Meg tries reasoning with Anne, but to no avail. Soon the king's wrangling with religious leaders to dissolve his marriage to Katherine, Anne's designing her wedding gown, and Meg's doing her best to protect her friend. As the fickle crowd turns against Anne, life at court becomes as treacherous as a battlefield and it's up to Meg to discern friend from enemy.

Things don't get any easier, even with the crown resting upon Anne's pretty head. Especially then. As Anne helps to usher in the English Reformation, struggles to produce an heir, and finally, finds herself imprisoned in the Tower of London, Meg is there to comfort, support, and defend. Even while grappling with her own problems; even when her loyalty to Anne Boleyn makes her a target; even when it could cost her her own life, Meg Wyatt is there for her friend.

To Die For, a new historical novel by Sandra Byrd, tells the story of a remarkable friendship between two very different women. While the relationship between Anne and Meg is based in fact, it's mostly fiction. Still, it makes for a compelling tale. It's a testament to Byrd's skill that Meg's story is just as intriguing - if not more so - than Anne Boleyn's. In fact, Meg's level-headed narration allows us to feel any number of things about Anne (disgust, pity, incredulity, admiration, etc.) while remaining completely sympathetic to Meg's plight. The complexity of that friendship, mixed with colorful period detail, plenty of juicy plot twists, and a cast of fascinating characters makes To Die For a captivating historical novel not to be missed.

(Readalikes: Reminded me of Nefertiti by Michelle Moran)

Grade: B

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for mild sexual content/innuendo and violence

To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of To Die For from the generous folks at Simon and Schuster and Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, for whom this review was written.

(Image from Indiebound)

Ordinary is working a summer job - without spending every second wondering if your mother will be okay in your absence. Ordinary is going to school - without agonizing over whether or not she'll show up in your classroom wearing only her pajamas. Ordinary is mother/daughter bonding time at home - without the interference of your dead grandaddy. Life for 14-year-old Lacey Mills is so out of whack, it's miles and miles and miles from ordinary.

Lacey has only one hope for this summer: to find a friend. Just one single, solitary friend. Thanks to her mother's illness, everyone at school already thinks Lacey's a freak. And no one will come near the Mills' house after what happened the night Laurel slept over. But, maybe, maybe, Lacey's new job at the Peace City Library will produce the kind of bosom buddy she longs to have in her life. And maybe her mother's first day as a cashier at Winn-Dixie will turn into weeks and months and years of a normal adult going to a normal job acting like a normal parent. Maybe.

As Lacey watches her mother get off the bus at Winn-Dixie, she's filled with trepidation and a cautious hope. The day holds such possibility for both of them. With gorgeous Aaron Ririe flirting with her on the bus, it seems like all Lacey's dreams are about to come true. Then it takes a terrifying turn for the worse and, once again, Lacey's wishes take a backseat to her mother's paranoia. This time, though, the stakes are much, much higher. This time, there's no one for Lacey to turn to. This time, she may not be able to save her mother. Or herself.

If you've read either of Carol Lynch Williams' previous books, you're familiar with the raw, provocative tone that marks her YA fiction. True to form, the author's newest - Miles From Ordinary - gives readers an honest, albeit disturbing, look at the realities of dealing with a parent's mental illness. It's impossible not to feel for vulnerable, abandoned Lacey, who's so trapped by responsibility and guilt that doing one simple thing for herself seems horrifyingly selfish. Her story's so gut-wrenching, so real, so haunting, that it stays with you long after you've closed this taut, thought-provoking novel. Williams doesn't write light, airy stories, so be prepared. Miles From Ordinary is a heavy-hitter. One you won't soon forget.

(Readalikes: Reminded me of A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler and Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu and a little of Glimpse by Carol Lynch Williams)

Grade: B+

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for intense scenes/subject matter

To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find

Although I have a couple of book reviews scheduled to post in my absence, mostly it's going to be pretty quiet around here. I'll still be reading (just in HAWAII) and I'll get back to regular posting when I return. Have a fabulous week, everybody. Happy reading!

Oh, and if you've been to Oahu (Waikiki and the North Shore, specifically), what are the not-to-be-missed attractions, restaurants, activities? We'd love more suggestons.