355: The Women of Washington's Spy Ring by Kit Sergeant (women spies book 1) 

This is historical fiction work with many elements, danger, romance, real history, high stakes and bravery.  The famous Culper Ring was hidden in secrecy for years with many trying to find out who these people were.  This is a story of love, family, duty, betrayal that will keep you guessing.  There are three ladies profiled in this book with the mysterious agent 355 who could outwit them all.  Washington, true to his promise, never revealed who these people were, did not want to know (although he knew some of them). A good book to read before this one is George Washington's Secret Six reviewed earlier in this blog which gives more historical background and solid research from which to gain more understanding as you read this book. 

Reviews:GoodReads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37457886-355

What Cathy Read Next:https://whatcathyreadnext.wordpress.com/2018/01/05/355-the-women-of-washingtons-spy-ring-by-kit-sergeant/   This site has a good summary as well as a review.

Amazon Reviews: includes many comments from readers who have read this book: https://www.amazon.com/355-Women-Washingtons-Ring-Spies-ebook/dp/B077VSSW61/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1529531129&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=diary+of+agent+355

Throne of Glass Series continued

This the sixth book in the series which is as full of adventures as the first five books.  I did a review on earlier books when I started the series.  Look in the past postings or Good Reads if you desire. If you liked Lord of the Rings, this book has the same kinds of struggles, challenges, Fae characters, and several new characters of the southern continent.  Chaol Westfall is the main character with a broken body. Handicapped in both mind and body he is desperate and stressed. He travels to the southern continent to seek out the famous healers of Torre Cesme in Attica.  His faithful officer Nesryn accompanies him on this quest.  Nesryn is reunited with her people and finds her destiny.  Both main characters will be forever changed as they look for help for their desperate compatriots back home.  A seventh and final book will be out this fall to complete this series. 

Reviews:
Good Reads

Kirkus Reviews

Steel and Fire Series of 5 Books

This swashbuckling adventure has it all: intrigue, fantastic animals and humans with extraordinary abilities, contests, romance and very unexpected surprises. Dara Ruminor is the main character, a dualist whose sword is not just used for sports competition.  Great wise mentors enable her to find her strength despite daunting circumstances, war, and treachery.  If you liked the Throne of Glass Series you will like this series.  I enjoyed the characters, plot development and the coming of age of the teen characters who turn into
plausible adults with accumulated maturity through trials, friendships and villains.  Wisdom is never cheap, experience is a hard teacher at times but these characters have earned their keep!  Enjoy this tale!
Reviews:
Good Reads

Deseret Books

Cold Steel review by the Book Smugglers

No acknowledgement was given to certain brave men and women who were responsible for alterting George Washington to the plots surrounding him in the struggle for independence.  The acts of bravery by these men and women  include exposing a British counterfeiting scheme, smuggling a British naval codebook to Yorktown, and preventing Benedict Arnold from carrying out one of the greatest acts of treachery...his plan to surrender West Point to the British.  These events are mentioned in history but none of them were attributed to any one group or person because the people involved served under the condition of silence, never to be revealed.  Washington kept his promises to them.  Some have been revealed as letters, diaries, etc. were discovered years later by a dedicated researcher determined to give these brave souls a place of honor.  Foremost are George Washington's secret six who helped the Americans to victory; this book lays out the groundwork and honors their sacrifices.  This is a great read for middle school students and above.

Reviews:

The Washington Times: Book Review
The New York Journal of Books: Review of Secret Six
Good Reads: review
BackFive: review and summary
Video Review: You Tube with author

Book Guide:

Book Rags: study guide with questions, vocabulary and more!

Deep Down Dark

This is a true story of the 33 men who were buried in Chile, South America while working in a mine.  Recall this story made national news.  Experts from around the globe came to help including scientists from NASA once the news got out.  This realistic story begins with the backgrounds of all the major characters, their country, the mining industry in Chile and the incredible geography of the mountain involved.  Everything is realistically and truthfully told from many view points.  Although thoughtfully told by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author Hector Tobar, the maturity level of this book is at the young adult level, 8th grade and up.  I could not put this book down once started.  It is a gripping story of survival and the incredible courage of 33 men who were forged into a team despite differences and problems.  

Reviews and guides:

Good Reads

Going to Pieces Blog

Washington Post

Book Browse

Reading Group Guide: Deep Down Dark: advanced 8th grade or TAG level

Study Guide: high school level

The first of a series, Throne of Glass by Sara Maas is a fantasy about an 18-year old assassin Celaena Sardothien who spent a year of hard slave labor in the salt mines of Endovier under harsh treatment.  She is offered her freedom by the Crown Prince if she will be his champion in a competition to find a new assassin for his King.  If she can win she must serve in the position for three years and then have her freedom at last.  She has no choice, bound in shackles and chains and let back to Adarian by gruff Captain Westfall.  The training is hard and exhilarating.  Both men show an interest in her but it is the Captain who seems to understand her best.  Her competition includes thieves, warriors, champions and other assassins from all over the empire; however some are murdered one by one before each new test.  Can Celaena discover who is murdering the other contestants?  She discovers myths and power from the ancient past and a destiny greater than she ever dreamed. You will want the sequel!

Reviews:
The Guardian
Fantasy Book Critic
Good Reads
Parental Book Reviews
Wikipedia
Barns and Nobel

After the disintegration of the USA to the dystopian RSA, Remaining States of America, the world changes with melted glaciers and rising oceans.  The world is cold, even icy as the new ice age has descended.  Oceans have crept inland covering cities, spreading trash, possessions, man made things all over.  Nat is a 16 year old blackjack dealer in New Vegas and very good at the game.  The house system usually wins but not always. One minute Nat is handing out winnings to a newly wed couple and next is thrown against a wall by an explosion.  Security officers start the drill, retinal scans and security checks.  Those with unusual eye color are executed or put in lock downs to await their fate.  They have mutated unusual powers.  Nat hides her eyes with specially made grey contact lenses that fool the sensors.  She must earn enough money to leave RSA and find the Blue, a distant mysterious isolated island with a normal clear climate, clean water and vegetation; is this place real or the stuff of legend?  Enter Wes, former military, bounty hunter, runner and loyal to his band of misfits, who gambles at Nat's table earning money to feed his guys.   Through an interesting set of deals at the blackjack table Nat later hires Wes and his gang to take her to the coast.  The adventure, danger, and action will leave you guessing and waiting to read Stolen the sequel.
Reviews:
Planet Print
Kate Ormand, YA author
Good Reads
Barns and Noble