Ruse

January 15, 2019
In a polluted future, Zhou and Lingyi must overcome guilt over their friend's death and stop a corrupt CEO from taking more lives.In this sequel to Want (2017), Taiwanese Jason Zhou and Lingyi and their international group of street-wise, technology-savvy friends have destroyed Jin Corp's headquarters in Taipei; Jin, the company's multibillionaire leader, has returned to China. Their victory came at a high price: One of their group was killed while following Lingyi's orders and Zhou was captured and unable to save him. Zhou finds solace in his secret relationship with Daiyu, Jin's daughter, while Lingyi copes with recurring nightmares that even her girlfriend cannot defend against. Nevertheless, when Jany, Lingyi's old friend in Shanghai, asks for her help, Lingyi responds at once. But when Jin has Jany murdered in order to steal her designs and prototype for a highly advanced air filter, Lingyi and her girlfriend turn to Zhou for help. Reunited, they return to their (occasionally unbelievable) skills in hacking and brawling to attempt to reclaim the air filter and strike another blow against Jin. But the group finds they cannot succeed without the help of Daiyu, someone even Zhou, possibly blinded by love and lust, has to agree is hiding things. While the central villain remains constant, Pon delves into relationships both romantic and platonic to balance the otherwise fast pace.An action-packed thriller, grounded in a futuristic Taiwan, with a strong dose of romance. (Science fiction. 13-17)

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February 1, 2019
Grades 9-12 This sequel to Want (2017) picks up several months after the bombing of the Jin Foundation in a near-future Taiwan. One of the bombers, Jason Zhou, is now the boyfriend of Jin's daughter, Daiyu, a complicated relationship that has separated Jason from his friends and is hidden from Jin. But when two of the bombers need Jason's help, he is there, while Daiyu's role as the daughter of a ruthless billionaire brings in questions of where her loyalties lie. As in the previous book, Pon's smog-filled descriptions of Taiwan and China, where only the rich have the means to breath comfortably, are vivid and dynamic. The sharpness of the writing extends to the way she writes about food, clothing, and even body adornments, making a world in which readers will become immersed. Equally enhancing the story are the characters' relationships, which bridge determination and bravado with love for one another. Fans will welcome this fast-paced read, and even those who haven't read Want can pick up quickly on the action.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)