**Review based on a free digital ARC received from Net Galley**

When Alexa and her twin brother lose their parents and livelihood at the tender age of 14, they don't have many options. Instead of choosing the only path open to her as a girl, namely the "pleasure house" where she would endure rape and constant pregnancy, Alexa instead poses as a boy and joins the royal guard with her brother. The deception works for 3 years, and Alexa becomes the best fighter in the royal guard and personal protector to the Prince. However, after some shocking twists, Alexa soon finds herself in a fight to protect her prince, her identity, and her realm.

Do I recommend? Not really. The entire focus of this tale is the love triangle between Alexa, her prince and her closest friend in the royal guard. For reasons unclear to the reader, both boys are very entranced by this girl and instead of focusing on the dangers at hand, there is much flushing, blushing, and shirt whipping off. Read Graceling instead. I had high hopes, so I hope the author takes some time to flesh out her characters. I felt like I barely knew them.

Cassie's mother, a stage psychic was brutally murdered 5 years ago. After being shuffled around her family and never really feeling like she fit in thanks to all of the people reading skills her mother taught her, she is pegged to join a special school for "naturals," basically teenagers who are natural at profiling, lie detecting, etc. She joins this elite group in Washinton DC, where she is to be further trained and then work on cracking FBI cold cases. Little does she know she will soon be drawn into an active serial killer's game, and it may be her mother's killer.

A fun, modern YA title that depends on natural (not super-natural) abilities of teenagers. Of course it has a love triangle, but at least the two boys involved are pretty interesting. I only wish Cassie's character was a bit more fleshed out. I will keep my eye on this series. Definitely recommended for fans of crime shows (Criminal Minds, Law and Order). ALso nice for those sick and tired of dystopians, werewolves, and angels (not that I am :))

Lush, dense, and immaculately detailed portrayal of the early years of the future Saint Hilda. Little is actually know about Hild's early life before she joined the hierarchy of the burgeoning Christian church, but Nicola Griffith does an amazing job filling in the gaps. The amount of research that went into this endeavour is so apparent, but in the best possible way.

The best part of Griffith's story was how Hild's mother maneuvered her into becoming an integral part of King Edwin's court, as his seer, and how Hild continued to pull this off as she grew older. Everything about this was based in reality however, and not magic. Griffith simply showed that Hild was taught from a young age to be observant, to listen, and to grow a network of spies and people that she could rely on to maker her 'predictions' and soothe the egos of powerful men.

Since this tale ended way before the actual time of historical record for Hild (before she became a Saint), I'm sure there will be more to come!