Sister assassin by Kiersten White

Would you do something you hated, something that made you feel like dying inside if it would save the life of your sister? Would you give up your own life, your own freedom, so she can spend the rest of her life in a gilded cage to keep her safe from you?  This is the choice Fia has made, as long as she does what Keane and his son James want, Annie will live a long life safe in the school, where they will provide everything she needs.  It seems like a simple trade, Annie is blind and will never live a truly normal life, and until recently she has been relatively happy at the school, but with each day it seems as though Fia is slipping further and further away from her.

When Fia is sent on a mission to assassinate Adam, things become incredibly complicated very quickly - because she can't kill him, even though she knows that failure means her death and Annie's.  Keeping the thoughts hidden inside her mind, Fia has to figure out how she is going to save them both when the Seers and Readers know how she is feeling and what she is going to do before she even knows it herself.  Her complicated relationship with James makes it even worse, she should hate him for what he has done, for the part he plays in her enforced servitude - but it is not that simple.

Time is running out for Fia and Annie, and as the net closes around them Fia may have to make the ultimate choice - her life, or Annie's.

If you like this book then you may also like Every other day by Jennifer Lynne Barnes, Revived by Cat Patrick, and Adaptation by Melinda Lo.

~ Reviewed by Elspeth Sweetman

Cast in peril by Michelle Sagara

8th in the Chronicles of Elantra

Kaylin, private in the Hawks, the Elanatran law force, is torn in so many directions. Her new roommate, Bellusdeo, the last living female dragon is the target of an assassin attempt, which results in the destruction of Kaylin’s apartment.

Then there’s what hatched from the magical egg Kaylin was protecting.

To gain much-needed information in an ongoing investigation, Kaylin is being sent to the Recitation, a Barrani ritual, with little knowledge of what to expect.

Kaylin’s previous decisions have led to a rift between herself and the Barrani Consort. With most of the Barrani High Court against her – if not trying to kill her – it is not a comfortable journey.

Some finagling has allowed Kaylin’s friend and partner, Severn, to travel with her, along with Teela, Barrani Lord and Hawk.

Richly detailed – in characters, landscape, and intrigue – this is a welcome addition to the series that ends with the reader wanting more.

~ Reviewed by Aud Selene.

Private Oz by James Patterson and Michael White

Private Oz is one of the latest installments in the dynamic and multinational Private series from James Patterson and co-authors.  Set in Australia (hence the Oz part of the title), this is the first book that has been set relatively close to home for New Zealand readers, a little icing on the cake for an already interesting and addictive series.

The main storyline is high impact, and keeps up the tension throughout the novel, and while some of the subplots are a little distracting at times, it does make for a well rounded read and a firm introduction to the team working at Private - from the forensic expert through to the receptionist.  The cast are interesting and well developed, bringing their own skills and history to the cases they are working on - which makes for a better read than some of the other books in the series.  At times the stories seem a little jumbled, like they tried to fit too much into the book, but it evens out across the novel and comes to a rather satisfying conclusion.

There is one little bug bear however - this book was set in Australia, and the edition I read was published in Australia so it would have been nice if the measurements had been in "Australian".  At this end of the world we ....

Use kilograms as a measurement of weight (not pounds)
Use degrees Celsius as a temperament measurement (not degrees Fahrenheit)

Use kilometres an hour as a speed measurement (not miles per hour)

And we enter a building on the ground floor (not the first floor)

Apart from these little bug bears this was a thoroughly good read devoured in an afternoon.  James Patterson is a very (very) active author who produces copious amounts of books each year, usually with co-authors, but what a lot of people don't know is that he is also involved with literacy programmes and writes books for teenagers and children to encourage them to develop a love of reading from a young age.  A great author who will hopefully be writing for many years to come.

If you enjoyed Private Oz you may also enjoy the rest of the series and pretty much anything else by James Patterson including: Private by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro, Zoo by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge, Kill me if you can by James Patterson and Marshall Karp, and Step on a crack by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge.

~ Reviewed by Elspeth Sweetman