Me on Mirage

Title: Mirage
Author: Somaiya Daud
Release Date: August 28, 2018
Publisher: Flatiron Books (Macmillan imprint)

In a star system dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, eighteen-year-old Amani is a dreamer. She dreams of what life was like before the occupation; she dreams of writing poetry like the old-world poems she adores; she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya that one day, she, too, will have adventure, and travel beyond her isolated moon. But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped by the regime and taken in secret to the royal palace, where she discovers that she is nearly identical to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. The princess is so hated by her conquered people that she requires a body double, someone to appear in public as Maram, ready to die in her place. As Amani is forced into her new role, she can't help but enjoy the palace's beauty—and her time with the princess' fiancé, Idris. But the glitter of the royal court belies a world of violence and fear. If Amani ever wishes to see her family again, she must play the princess to perfection... because one wrong move could lead to her death.

Mirage is a lush and richly imagined tale full of deception and cruelty, full of family, history, faith, and complicated relationships.

Amani is kind and thoughtful, a dreamer. She dreams of writing poetry, dreams of one day receiving a sign from a god or goddess. She dreams of one day seeing a sign as to what she will do, how she will help those she cares about or those around her. But then she's abducted by a regime she despises, forced to work for a young woman who hated their shared heritage. A young woman who looks almost identical to Amani. And so Amani is forced to pretend to be someone she hates, someone cruel and unfeeling about the problems and history of being Kushaila in an empire ruled by the Vath. What else can she do when the lives of her parents and siblings are at stake? What else can she do but follow orders and listen to what happens around her.

There's something so interesting about this book, something that's maybe a little similar to series like The Winner's Curse. Under all the opulence, under Maram's cold rule and Amani's fitting in to be like her, under Amani being drawn towards Idris and her wanting her family to be safe, there's so much talk about empire and colonialism, about culture and family and motivation. Amani is caught between staying alive and potentially making sure her culture isn't completely overwhelmed, while Maram is caught between her father, a Vath of great power and importance, and the history and people of her mother, people who hate her because she's turned her back on them while she looks so much like them. It's a deep and complex tale, one that's only started this this book, and I can't wait to see what happens next with Amani.

(I received an advance copy of this title from Raincoast Books.)

Me on Royals

Title: Royals
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Release Date: May 1, 2018
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers (Penguin imprint)

Meet Daisy Winters. She's an offbeat sixteen-year-old Floridian with mermaid-red hair, a part time job at a bootleg Walmart, and a perfect older sister who's nearly engaged to the Crown Prince of Scotland. Daisy has no desire to live in the spotlight, but relentless tabloid attention forces her to join Ellie at the relative seclusion of the castle across the pond. While the dashing young Miles has been appointed to teach Daisy the ropes of being regal, the prince's roguish younger brother kicks up scandal wherever he goes, and tries his best to take Daisy along for the ride. The crown–and the intriguing Miles–might be trying to make Daisy into a lady... but Daisy may just rewrite the royal rulebook to suit herself.

Royals is a summer adventure full of secrets, near scandals, and Scotland. In it we have Daisy, a regular American teenager plucked from her normal life and sent to hobnob with Scottish royalty. But as much as Daisy is clueless as to protocol and procedure, they are in no way prepared for Daisy's quick wit and unwillingness to play a foolish game.

Daisy is so much snark and sass and attitude. She's quirky and smart, a little stubborn, and she isn't afraid to speak her mind. Even when it's a duchess who just insulted her sister. Even when it's possibly the Queen of Scotland. As sarcastic as Daisy is, it's obvious that, as much as she hates that her interests and plans were often pushed to the side when it came to her sister, she still cares about her. She wants Ellie to be happy. And so she agrees to a summer in Scotland being folded into the royal circle. But there are some strange characters in the circle, some boisterous friends and an over-the-top prince, and the paparazzi are just waiting to capture a new scandal.

This was just the book I needed to read right now. I found it funny and ridiculous, bold and silly, a whirlwind adventure over hills and across the society pages. It's all about family and secrets and gossip and tabloid news and people with public roles who still want something the resembles a private life. It's about a teenage girl who continues to be a teenage girl, who continues to give attitude and massive side-eye when she knows something's up. It's full of drama and sarcasm and weird families and I laughed out loud more than a few times. Knowing there's going to be another book about some of these characters, I can't wait to read it.

(I borrowed an e-book copy of this title from the library.)