Dangerous Gifts by Gaie Sebold

The Blurb On The Back:

Babylon Steel, owner of the Red Lantern brothel – and former avatar of the goddess of sex and war – has been offered a job. Two jobs, really: bodyguard to Enthemmerlee, a girl transformed into a figure of legend … and spy for the barely-acknowledged government of Scalentine. The very young Enthemmerlee embodies the hopes and fears of many on her home world of Incandress, and is a prime target for assassination.

Babylon must somehow turn Enthemmerlee’s useless household guard into a disciplined fighting force, dodge Incandress’s bizarre and oppressive Moral Statutes, and unruffled the feathers of a very annoyed Scalentine diplomat. All of which would be hard enough, were she not already distracted by threats to both her livelihood and those dearest to her ...

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Gaie Sebold’s fantasy sequel to BABYLON STEEL is another entertaining fantasy novel whose popcorn pacing disguises serious themes of racism and bigotry that lie at the heart of the story. It remains refreshing to have a book follow a more mature woman who’s comfortable with sex and who she is and who’s also good at her job. I especially like the way Sebold weaves personal relationships against a broader political climate but also brings in elements from Babylon’s past. I very much hope that there’s a third book in this series because it really deserves one.

The Night Itself by Zoe Marriott

The Blurb On The Back:

When fifteen-year-old Mio steals the katana – her grandfather’s priceless sword – she just wants to liven up a fancy-dress costume. But the katana is more than some dusty heirloom, and her actions unleash an ancient evil onto the streets of modern-day London. Mio is soon stalked by the terrors of mythical Japan and it is only the appearance of a mysterious warrior that saves her life. If Mio cannot learn to control the katana’s legendary powers, she will lose not only her own life … but the love of a lifetime.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Zoe Marriott’s YA fantasy novel (the first in a trilogy) draws on Japanese mythology in an original and interesting way that offsets the more cliché obligatory teenage romance. Mio and her best friend Jack are believable teenagers and I loved the fact that Jack is an out and proud lesbian and that this is not a problem for any of their contemporaries. The plot rolls along at a fast pace and I particularly enjoyed the scenes involving the Kitsune and the ambiguous Harbringer but I was left disappointed by the ending, which leaves open a fairly big question relating to Mio’s parents that I would have preferred to have answered here. That said, it’s a solid opener and I will definitely read on.

THE NIGHT ITSELF was released in the United Kingdom on 4th July 2013. Thanks to Walker Books for the ARC of this book.