Lily of the Nile

Back of the Book:

With her parents dead, the daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony is left at the mercy of her Roman captors. Heir to one empire and prisoner of another, Princess Selene must save her brothers and reclaim what is rightfully hers...

In the aftermath of Alexandria's tragic fall, Princess Selene is taken from Egypt, the only home she's ever known. Along with her two surviving brothers, she's put on display as a war trophy in Rome. Selene's captors mock her royalty and drag her through the streets in chains, but on the brink of death, the children are spared as a favor to the emperor's sister, who takes them to live as hostages in the so-called lamentable embassy of royal orphans...

Trapped in a Roman court of intrigue that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, Selene can't hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her flesh. Nor can she stop the emperor from using her for his own political ends. Faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined to honor her mother's lost legacy. The magic of Egypt and Isis remain within her. Can she succeed where her mother failed? And what will it cost her in a political game where the only rule is win or die?

Selene is the new Queen of Egypt while living as a prisoner in Rome. After her parents died, the Romans invaded Egypt and captured Selene, her twin Helios, and their younger brother Philadelphus are taken to Rome. Dragged through the streets in chains, Roman emperor Octavian shows them off as spoils of his latest war. Selene desperately wants to go home, but she’ll have to polish her manipulation skills to work her way back to Egypt. Unfortunately, the strange hieroglyphics appearing on her arms aren’t helping.

With the help of her brothers, Selene struggles to figure out the magic at work. But growing up in a Roman house isn’t helping. The more Selene tries to bury Egypt and her mother, the more her true self shines through. Selene has magic. And she knows it. But will she embrace it, so far away from home and surrounded by Romans who believe she should change?

Stephanie Dray paints Selene beautifully. Egypt and Rome spring off the pages and come to life. Dray has obviously researched this novel down to the last article of clothing, and that is apparent through Lily of the Nile. But unlike some historical fiction, this book isn’t weighed down by details. Instead it springs into action, enticing the reader from the beginning. Selene is a smart, headstrong character. But she is human in so many ways. She fears and worries and frets along with the rest of us. She pours over her future and struggles with whether to embrace it.

Lily of the Nile is a fantastic book, one of my favorites. It is astonishing that this is Dray’s first novel. I expect great things from this author! I am already anticipating Lily of the Nile’s sequel, Song of the Nile.

Leviathan

Back Cover: 

     Alek was a prince without a throne. On the run from his own people, he has only a fighting machine and a small band of men.

     Deryn is a girl disguised as a guy in the British Air Service. She must fight for her cause—and her secret—at all costs.

     Alek and Deryn are thrown together aboard the mighty airship Leviathan. Though fighting side by side, their worlds are far apart. British fabricated beasts versus German steam-powered war machines. They are enemies with everything to lose, yet somehow destined to be together.

Leviathan tells the story of two unlikely friends thrown together in an alternative World War I.  Alek is a young prince who, upon hearing of his parents’ death, must abandon all duties to hide, knowing his is the only hope for his country. He has only a machine and his trusted men for survival.

     Deryn—disguised as a boy to sneak aboard a ship—uses her brains and skills to keep the ship running. When a doctor of fabricated beasts boards the Leviathan, Deryn is desperate to know the doctor’s secret. But can Deryn keep her own?

     One simple act of kindness on Alek’s part throws the two young enemies together. They form a rocky friendship, but too many secrets stand between them. Alek and Deryn both struggle to conceal their identities—Alek as a prince, Deryn as a girl. But the constant threat of the looming war hangs heavily over their heads. Can the two manage to survive while risking their lives?

The Leviathan is one of those books that captivate you from the start. The two stories are narrated perfectly and blend beautifully. Scott Westerfeld is a veteran author who knows who to tell a story. Alek and Deryn are perfect heroes, with thoughts and feelings and fears as real as my own. Unlike most girl-disguised-as-a-guy novels, that isn’t really the main issue. Deryn is a smart, strong character who doesn’t think “woe is me, someone might discover my secret!” all the time. The action is in-depth and real. And the whole time, I rooted for Alek and Deryn to fall in love, despite their differences and the fact that Alek thought Deryn was a boy. Leviathan has you constantly engaged, whether over the constant action, suspense, or promise of romance.