Aguirre, Ann. Public Enemies.

Aguirre, Ann.  Public Enemies.  Macmillan/Farrar Strauss  2015  378p  $17.99  ISBN 978-1-250-02466-4  hs    Fantasy     VG     

In the sequel to Mortal Danger, Edie Kramer learns what it means to be a player in the Immortal Game, facing powerful enemies and making alliances with monsters to save the people she loves before it’s too late.  She has only six months to save her boyfriend Kian, but he is not the only person at risk, as it becomes plain when her dangerous immortal enemies begin to attack her friends and allies with terrible, often deadly consequences.

This book feels like a significant departure from its predecessor, abandoning the high-school aspect almost completely in order to focus on a new and varied cast of characters who are mostly villainous in one way or another.  Edie’s personality also seems to have changed radically, which is a shame, because at this point she’s taken a turn toward the generic YA heroine, and become somewhat bland.  Kian, too, has lost much of what made him intriguing in Mortal Danger.  But the new characters are very interesting indeed, which makes up for the difference, after a fashion.

Generally speaking, this is still a well-written, interesting book, but it seems to suffer from a case of “Second Book Slump.”  Nevertheless, readers will feel compelled to keep up with the series, just to see how things proceed after the shocking ending Aguirre has written to this book.
     

Summary: In this sequel to Mortal Danger, Edie Kramer learns what it means to be a player in the Immortal Game, facing powerful enemies and making alliances with monsters to save the people she loves before it’s too late.     

Mythology-Fiction, Romance-Fiction, Survival-Fiction  --Bethany Geleskie

Of Neptune. (The Syrena Legacy trilogy)

Banks, Anna.  Of Neptune. (The Syrena Legacy trilogy)  Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends  2014  330p  $17.99 ISBN 978-1-250-03960-6  jr/sr  Fantasy  VG-BN  

This well written, exciting novel, the third and last in The Syrena Legacy trilogy, keeps readers on the edge of their seats beginning on page 1.  A well-developed, complex and adventure-filled plot engages and entertains throughout.  While the plot and characters are complicated, Anna Banks has provided such detailed descriptions that the reader will not become confused.
    

Emma, a half breed who is in possession of the Gift of Poseidon, and her intended, Galen, a Triton prince, are seeking an inland vacation to decompress from a previous tragedy and in celebration of their recent high-school graduations. As the pair plans their trip, Emma’s grandfather Antonis makes an ominous and vague suggestion that they should change their destination. Not sure what they will encounter, Emma and Galen change the ultimate location of their vacation to Tennessee.  The adventure the couple encounters on this journey is action-packed and suspenseful, and it leads to the pair questioning the likelihood of their successful mating, as well as threatening to change their kingdoms forever.

Anna Banks has created a twenty-first century novel that combines real life with links to mythology.  She successfully uses the legends of Poseidon, Triton, and Neptune and leads the reader to think “why not?” and half believe that these tales may be true.  Having not read the previous two books in the trilogy, this reviewer knows that this book can definitely stand alone without confusing readers; however, now I cannot wait to read the first two books.

Of Neptune is the final book in The Syrena Legacy trilogy. The first two books are Of Poseidon and Of Triton; however, Anna Banks has written this book in a manner in which it can stand alone without prior knowledge of the other books.  

Summary: Emma, a half-breed but bearer of the Gift of Poseidon, and her intended, Galen, a Triton prince, are seeking an inland vacation, but when the pair is ominously directed to Tennessee by Emma’s grandfather Antonis, they experience an adventure that will change their kingdoms forever.        

Mythology-Fiction                                     --Virginia McGarvey