City of Bastards by Andrew Shvarts - OPTIONAL

Shvarts, Andrew City of Bastards (Royal Bastards #2), 384 pages.  Hyperion (Disney), 2018.  $19.  

Language: R (100 + swears, 2 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (some fighting).

Tillandra, Lyriana, Zel , and Ellarion have finally survived their breakneck flight to Lightspire and are under the protection of Lyriana’s father, the king.  As Tilla settles into a life as a normal girl and not the unwanted bastard daughter of Elric Kent the traitor, she doesn’t realize that her new friends are pulling away.  But Lord Kent is still out there and treachery and betrayal in large quantities await Tilla and her friends.

Unlike the first book in the series, this one spends a lot of time dithering before anything of note actually happens.  Once the action starts (you are going to have to wait and wait), then you will be able to jump in and enjoy.  Unfortunately the waiting doesn’t add any depth or interest or even backstory to the action - it really is just a placeholder until life begins.  Students who read the first will want this one, though, despite its shortcomings.

HS - OPTIONAL (ratings).  Cindy, Library Teacher