How to Lead a Life of Crime

by Kirsten Miller

Grade: 4 stars
Story summary: I'm in a hurry, so read the Goodreads summary for now. It's not terribly accurate, but it'll do for now.

Thoughts: I'm going away to Europe for two months tomorrow, so this is review going to be short and sweet. (As are all future reviews for two months.) But suffice it to say, I loved this book. It is pretty much exactly what I am looking for in a book. There are young, evil geniuses, plots, escapes, hidden goodness, and dastardly villains who seem rather innocent on the outside. It's kind of like a darker, older version of Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks, which is one of my favourite books.

Winterling

by Sarah Prineas

Grade: 3 1/2 stars
Story summary: Fer accidentally opens a portal to another land and finds a land stuck in winter. Sounds a bit like Narnia, but it isn't really, beyond some surface similarities.

Thoughts: Fun story that was more exciting than I expected. My story summary makes it seem like a typical "portal to another world" children's story, which in some ways it is. But there was still originality. I loved the "wilding" disease  the puck boys, the Lady of the land. The imagery could be very well done.

P.S. My favourite cover artist Jason Chan again! I really do love his style enormously. (With The Kneebone Boy taking the cake.)