The second I saw today's read, I knew I had to read it. The mix of the historical setting with monsters with mystery sounds like it could be right down my alley. Plus, the blurb compares it to Buffy, the Vampire Slayer meets Enola Holmes. That would be amazing if true. Honestly, I hate such comparisons because while they perk my interest, it's super, super, super rare that the comparisons, actually, are spot on. Like almost never. Still, I do hope that this read holds everything promised and will have my fingers itching to pick up book two...whenever it comes out. If there will be a book two. Hmmm...I think there will (?)
Anyway, off we go!
THE LEAGUE OF DANGEROUS YOUNG LADIES
by J.A. Morgenstein
Stonefruit Studio
YA Historical Fantasy / Mystery
368 pages
COMING JUNE 2nd!!!
Enola Holmes meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this thrilling YA fantasy adventure from debut author J. A. Morgenstein, perfect for fans of Jennifer Lynn Barnes and Philip Pullman.
It's 1909 and Rose Moriarty—teenage daughter of Sherlock Holmes' greatest enemy—has made a name for herself fighting monsters and solving crimes. But that was before Rose met the one mystery she couldn't the disappearance of her headmistress. Now, her school has shut down, her classmates have scattered, and Rose is on her own.
On the very day Rose receives word that an old friend is dying, the shadowy Count Christoph and his ward Clara show up at her door. Rose has already figured out why they're here (to hire her) and what's in their bag (an ancient orb with incredible powers), but questions Can Rose convince these strangers to help save her friend's life? What are the grotesque, bug-shaped stalkers that plague their every step? And how can Rose pursue this adventure while avoiding a certain boy from her childhood? The only thing certain is that Rose is no longer alone, because danger forges strange alliances . . .
. . . and Professor Moriarty wasn't the only famous villain to have a daughter.
Unexpected friendships, supernatural mystery, high-stakes heists, and budding romance billow together in this thrilling fantasy adventure, which introduces a motley crew of daredevil heroines who hunt monsters . . . in all their forms.
It's 1909 and Rose Moriarty—teenage daughter of Sherlock Holmes' greatest enemy—has made a name for herself fighting monsters and solving crimes. But that was before Rose met the one mystery she couldn't the disappearance of her headmistress. Now, her school has shut down, her classmates have scattered, and Rose is on her own.
On the very day Rose receives word that an old friend is dying, the shadowy Count Christoph and his ward Clara show up at her door. Rose has already figured out why they're here (to hire her) and what's in their bag (an ancient orb with incredible powers), but questions Can Rose convince these strangers to help save her friend's life? What are the grotesque, bug-shaped stalkers that plague their every step? And how can Rose pursue this adventure while avoiding a certain boy from her childhood? The only thing certain is that Rose is no longer alone, because danger forges strange alliances . . .
. . . and Professor Moriarty wasn't the only famous villain to have a daughter.
Unexpected friendships, supernatural mystery, high-stakes heists, and budding romance billow together in this thrilling fantasy adventure, which introduces a motley crew of daredevil heroines who hunt monsters . . . in all their forms.
MY TIDBITS
Echoes of Sherlock Holmes meets monsters, adventure, and fantasy from other tales and myths, mixing with a group of unexpected friends in an entertaining and suspenseful way.
Count Christoph has gotten his hands on the sphere, an object said to grant god-like powers, but it's very unclear how it works. Luckily, his assistant, Clara, knows where to go and leads him to Rose, the daughter of Professor Moriarty. Her cleverness is unparalleled, but she has her own issues as she's in a race to save a former teacher, an amazing genius in the science realm who suffers from an incurable disease. While Rose agrees to help the Count for a favor only he can give, solving the sphere is just the beginning of that task, since dangerous bug-men are determined to have the sphere for themselves and will do anything to get it. But Rose isn't alone, and her friends are nothing to scoff at. But then, the Count and Clara hold more than a few small secrets, too.
This is a fun read with tons of spunk, character quirks, scenes to keep the reader on the edge of their seats, surprises, and even humor. It's historical setting places it around the late 1800's/early 1900's-ish. At least, there is the mention of very rare cars, while carriages still seem to be popular. It flies all over the world as the clues lead the odd group from one unexpected situation to the next. It's impossible to guess what is really going to happen on the mystery end, but then, this entire world is unpredictable. After all, you have the ancestors of Holmes and Moriarty involved, nods toward vampires, Frankenstein, and echoes reminding of The Umbrella Academy. It's fast-paced, brings action, and keeps secrets flowing with every page.
While imagination abounds, the characters bring quite a bit of personality to spice things up even more. Each one shines in their own way, making the group a broad mix in so many respects. This leads to fun interactions and adds unexpected moments as well as ones to smile. But it's not all fun and games as each one also carries a mighty amount of luggage from their past. Some characters have worked through their issues already, while others like Rose have more than a little inner-conflict to still sort out. There are also friendship struggles and trust hurdles between the newly forming friends, which melds between the other moments to add heart and give the reader a second to take a breath before dashing into the next impossible situation.
It's a quick-paced read with plenty of energy and spirit...and it will be a treat to see where another adventure might lead this league of individuals next.
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