Readers of the books reviewed below may find themselves feeling a bit of déjà vu.  That’s because all of them are follow-ups to familiar stories: three are sequels to novels previously reviewed by this column, and three are retellings of classic stories. David Morrell’s Murder as a Fine Art—which we reviewed two years ago—posited an alternative history in which Thomas De Quincey, the famous author of the scandalous memoir Confessions of an Opium Eater, becomes a detective (along with his daughter Emily) in order to clear his name of a crime. In Morrell’s Inspector of the Dead, the De Quinceys are back in the crime-solving business. The author delves even more deeply into Victorian history, examining the Crimean War, the multiple attempts to assassinate Queen Victoria, and the early history of CSI (crime science investigation). And according to our reviewer, there’s no need to read the first, if readers want to jump into this new entry. Erika Johansen’s The Invasion of the Tearling, on the other hand, absolutely requires knowledge of the first book, The Queen of the Tearling—which we reviewed last year. The second in a proposed trilogy, this volume dives right into the history of the Tear and the political machinations that abound in this alternate universe. As in the first installment, the hero is the young Queen Kelsea, who should appeal greatly to teen readers. Fans of the previous work will be clamoring for this sequel. Readers looking for a new fantasy trilogy should be handed both books. The last of our sequels is Chris Beckett’s Mother of Eden. Set in the same world as Dark Eden—reviewed here last year——but 150 years in the future. This work continues to follow the travails of the precarious space colony founded by stranded astronauts. Beckett also continues his use of strange invented dialect for his stranded colony, which we found so notable when we reviewed the first novel.  Most interesting to me is the book’s thematic look at “the usefulness of myths as a tool for keeping power in the hands of a few” (to use our reviewer’s phrase). The reason I’m fascinated by Beckett’s examination of the power of myth is that the next two books under review today are poetic retellings of Greek myths, which in fact go out of their way to reclaim myth for the people. Kate Tempest is an award-winning poet, by all accounts a tremendously talented spoken-word performer, and a phenomenal hip hop artist, whose album Everybody Down was one of the triumphs of last year. Of her two books of poetry reviewed below, Hold Your Own specifically examines the mythical character of Tiresias, the blind poet probably best-known for his appearances in Oedipus the King and The Odyssey. In the original myths, Tiresias lived as a woman for seven years, and Tempest uses this ambiguous sexual identity to explore and explode our notions of sexuality and identity. In Brand New Ancients, Tempest casts her net wider, looking at the whole edifice of mythic deities, and ruthlessly brings it down to earth, showing readers how alike gods and men really are. Whether you read poetry, listen to hip hop, or enjoy performance art, you should know who Kate Tempest is, because she is a talent to be reckoned with. The third retelling is Andi Teran’s Ana of California, which sends L.M. Montgomery’s classic Anne of Green Gables across the continent, from Nova Scotia to Los Angeles. Many of the plot points and characterizations should ring bells with fans of Montgomery’s book (or, like me, the fabulous miniseries), but Teran has also thoroughly modernized the tale, and no knowledge of the original is necessary to enjoy this fantastic coming-of-age story. BECKETT, Chris. Mother of Eden. 480p. (Dark Eden: Bk. 2). Crown/Broadway. 2015. pap. $15. ISBN 9780804138703. This sequel to Dark Eden (2014) continues the story of a civilization started by astronauts from Earth, who were stranded on a distant planet. Generations later, the population has grown and split into several distinct communities. Starlight Brooking lives in Knee Tree Grounds, a place without social strata, where responsibility and power are shared equally. On a trip to the shrine honoring their earthly progenitors, she meets Greenstone Johnson, soon to be ruler of the community of New Earth. Starlight seizes the opportunity to live in a new place and agrees to become his Housewoman, ruling with him as Mother of Eden. Starlight is disturbed by New Earth's rigid hierarchical society, held in place by strict adherence to the Earth-based ideals of their ancestors, supposedly contained in documents wholly controlled by the Teachers. Jealous of the power Starlight now holds and convinced of their intellectual superiority, New Earth's Teachers set out to correct her ideas about equality and bring her beliefs in line with theirs. Instead, the heroine convinces Greenstone that the best way to rule is to shift power downward into the hands of the lower classes. The ensuing struggle for control becomes brutal, leaving Starlight fighting for her life as well as her ideals. The detailed world-building and strong characters beautifully illustrate the usefulness of myths as a tool for keeping power in the hands of a few. VERDICT This sequel will resonate with teens who meet resistance when questioning the status quo.–Carla Riemer, Claremont Middle School, CA JOHANSEN, Erika. The Invasion of the Tearling. 528p. (Queen of the Tearling: Bk. 2). HarperCollins/Harper. 2015. Tr $24.99. ISBN 9780062290397. This sequel to The Queen of the Tearling (2014) continues Kelsea’s story and provides the history that created Tear. At the border, Mort soldiers are restlessly awaiting orders to move forward into Tear territory. The ragtag Tear army is outnumbered and definitely under-armed. The Red Queen and her army want nothing more than to reach Tear, demolish the city, kill the new Tear Queen Kelsea, and plunder all. Kelsea desires to bring freedom to Tear. Her first act as queen was to stop the slave shipments into Mort. While this brought her the loyalty and admiration of her people, it increased the danger from the more powerful Mort, and now Tear is facing the consequences of that action with the coming invasion. The protagonist has much to learn, and in order to defeat the Red Queen, she must understand her own power, which comes from a past that began many centuries before. While the sapphires she wears on a chain around her throat link Kelsea with Lily—an important player in the Crossing that created the Tear civilization—they are also the keys linking her to a growing awareness of who she is and where her destiny lies. As the Mort army moves forward, Kelsea prepares to parlay what she has learned to save Tear’s future. But deals she made with shadow men, actions taken by others, and the Red Queen herself may change the outcome of Kelsea’s hopes. VERDICT Teens need to have read the first volume in order to understand and appreciate this sequel; both books should be at hand for fantasy fans.–Connie Williams, Petaluma High School, CA MORRELL, David. Inspector of the Dead. 352p. Little, Brown/Mulholland. 2015. Tr $26. ISBN 9780316323932. This follow-up to Murder As a Fine Art (2014) is set in 1855, while England is in the midst of the Crimean War. It opens with The Opium-Eater, Thomas De Quincey, and his daughter Emily leaving town, but a gruesome murder during a church service, seemingly connected to a rebel group committed to killing Queen Victoria, changes their plans. De Quincey is still addicted to laudanum, yet his skill at seeing connections, patterns, and possibilities that others miss is strong as ever. The murders continue, each one more gruesome and artistically staged than the last. Teaming up again with Inspector Ryan and Detective Sergeant Becker, the De Quinceys work to untangle the motivation behind the murders and find the killer. The story is enriched by the weaving of historical facts into the narrative: the grinding failures of the Crimean War; the rigid, oppressive class divisions in London; and the multiple assassination attempts on Queen Victoria's life are all integral to the plot. The inclusion of some history of crime scene investigation practices enriches the story. Although it is a sequel, the book also stands alone. Teens will enjoy contrasting the class and culture stereotypes as well as expectations of women of the time with current-day ideas. VERDICT The narrative's drama, tension, and plot twists make this a likely hit with readers looking for grisly murder mysteries or compelling historical fiction.–Carla Riemer, Claremont Middle School, CA TERAN, Andi. Ana of California. 368p. Penguin. 2015. pap. $16. ISBN 9780143126492. In this modern adaptation of the beloved Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, the red-haired heroine from Nova Scotia has been updated to a curly haired Mexican American teen from East Los Angeles. Fitted with a similar, tragic backstory, Ana has a penchant for getting into scrapes, and her hard-won resilience echoes her predecessor’s example. However, in this tale, Ana channels her creativity through art and her appreciation of punk music instead of writing, and the cast of the small town that she gets sent to as part of her road to emancipation is more diverse. Gender-flipped roles and contemporary issues make this a fresh take that even the uninitiated will appreciate. The brother/sister pair who take her in to help with their ailing farm have their own drama, and her love interest (Cole) and best friend (Rye) are troubled teens themselves, adding to the realism that permeates this work. Farm life, social issues, and small minds are threads that young adults will relate to, and Ana’s memories of her past life with a loving grandmother and a gang-ridden upbringing will add a level of poignancy. The latter half picks up the pace, and here is where Teran departs from the original story line. Even secondary characters are well-developed, and the food descriptions will make mouths water. Despite some harrowing scenes, Ana’s place at Garber Farms is never in doubt. VERDICT A heartwarming homage to a classic with a diverse twist that will be a hit with fans of realistic fiction.–Shelley Diaz, School Library Journal NONFICTION TEMPEST, Kate. Brand New Ancients. 64p. Bloomsbury USA. 2015. pap. $15. ISBN 9781632862075. Award-winning poet and spoken-word performer Tempest’s latest offering imagines that people today are deities, just as the gods of classical times were based on human beings: “We’re the same beings that began, still living/in all of our fury and foulness and friction./everyday odysseys, dreams and decisions…/The stories are there if you listen.” Mary has an affair with Brian and gives birth to his son while married to Kevin, a happy new father. The boy, Clive, grows up to be a tough street kid whose only friend, Terry, is a lonely boy who is seriously burnt in a fire set by Clive. They become menacing toughs who finally attack a strong young woman as she is closing a pub. “If you see them, hoods up,/prowling the pavement at night/you’ll walk quickly away,/skin prickling with terror/but they know love though,/and they know laughter,/know each other as brother,/friend, father.” The lives of adults and teens living sad, unfulfilled existences are depicted in the spare words that capture a lack of hope. Only one young man, who likes to draw, succeeds in finding a way to make his creativity a career. If this were a novel, readers would want more details and plot development. However, this story is convincing as verse. VERDICT Teens will come away wishing they could witness this story poem performed by the creator or will want to rap it themselves.–Karlan Sick, Library Consultant, New York City TEMPEST, Kate. Hold Your Own. 107p. Bloomsbury USA. 2015. pap. $17. ISBN 9781632862051. LC 2014045094. A winner of the Ted Hughes prize and a praised creator of spoken-word performances, Tempest has written a series of poems inspired by the myth of Tiresias. When Zeus and his wife, Hera, fought about who enjoyed sex the most—men or women—Tiresias, who had been both, was summoned and lost his sight in the tumult. The slim book is divided into four sections: "Childhood," "Womanhood," "Manhood," and "Blind Prophet." The long opening poem tells the story of Tiresias, 15, walking through woods and seeing two copulating snakes. He strikes them with a stick and falls, waking up female. He adjusts to the switch, finds love, but changes back to a man after several years. After he is blinded, he becomes a prophet. “Childhood” has several lively poems that teens should especially enjoy. The descriptions in “School” will ring true for many young people: “We wander into school, happy children;/kind and bright and interested in things./We don’t yet know the horrors of the building./The hatred it will teach. The boredom it will bring.” In the “Womanhood” poems, the woman Tiresias is described: “The boy in her is strong some days/And calls out for a girl to touch.”  “Manhood” also continues the mythic tale; the angry poems in the final section, “Blind Prophet,” may suit the mood of some young adults. VERDICT A strong work that will introduce teens to a myth and to an examination of sexuality.–Karlan Sick, Library Consultant, New York City