This is a book I have been looking forward to reading for some months now. I'm glad I read it and I really enjoyed Matthew Landis's debut book. I think the plot was very interesting and the storytelling is somehow fantastical and believable at the same time. However, as a sort-of mystery story, I would have liked to play along with Jasper and uncover the plot too, but there are characters that only seem to appear to satisfy the plot. Another character, Chilly, doesn't even seem to be needed since she never gets a say and even if she tries, she is overruled. However, I think it would be cool to explore some of the other members of the League to learn more about these disgraced members of American history. Just a suggestion Matthew! ( )

3.5 Stars

“Deception is our only ally now.”

This was a really fun take on American History. There was a lot of humor and action, with a big cast of characters. We follow Jasper Mansfield, the last living descendant of Benedict Arnold, as he’s brought into a world where the families of American heroes and traitors still battle it out. Jasper learns more about his history as he tries to change his future in this quick and engaging read.

Things I Liked
There was some really great action in the story! We get a really intense action in the beginning of the story, starting it off with a bang, and then more in the later half as well. It’s well balanced and keeps the stakes high.

I really love the entire premise; it’s so much fun. It’s original, unique, and it just works. I loved that there were these secret societies based around American heroes and traitors. And they have all this bad blood between them. I like how the traitors grouped themselves by time periods and hung out with other descendents from those eras. I also liked that some tough topics like slavery and the Native American genocide were addressed.

There are some really funny moments throughout the story. Sheldon, Jasper’s roommate is the biggest source of comedic relief, but other characters bring some humorous bite as well.

I really like the trial that happens. It was one of my favorite parts. We really see some growth in Jasper’s characters, and I felt like this was one of the only moments - outside of his grief over his parent’s death in the beginning - that showcased him and his personality, allowing me to connect with him.

Things I Didn’t Like
I wanted more about the culture of the True Sons of Liberty and the League of American traitors. We obviously got a little more backstory about the League, but I felt like the True Sons (or Libertines) were really glossed over. Even the school where Jasper goes, a school for the League, felt really isolated.

I also wanted more from the characters. As a largely character driven reader, this was a more personal issue that others might not have problems with. Like I said above, I felt that Jasper really only had two moments were I felt really connected to him: grief from his parent’s death and courage at the trial. Otherwise he mostly felt like he was just there. The other characters also felt like they were a little flat - I just didn’t really connect with any of them. And I actually found that Lacy got more annoying to me as the story progressed. I found her to be a little too indignant for my tastes.

I also never really became invested in the romance in the story. This could partially be because I didn’t really connect with any characters, but I also found that there wasn’t as much buildup as I would have liked.

This was such a quick, easy, and fun read. I almost knocked it out in one sitting. It’s filled with humorous takes on history that have huge implications for our characters present day. It’s historical without being to stuffy, and really just completely takes you away when reading it. It’s so easy to just get into the story and it’s a lot of fun.

I received a copy of the book from Sky Pony Press via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. ( )

This debut YA thriller is set in the modern day, with one foot firmly planted in American history. The promising (but ultimately rather far-fetched) idea underlying the story is that the descendants of American heroes (from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, and World Wars I and II) belong to a shadowy group called the True Sons of Liberty, while the descendants of history’s notorious traitors belong to the equally shadowy and eponymous League of American Traitors.
When a traitor descendant turns 18, he or she will be challenged to a duel and must accept the challenge or go into a lifetime of hiding. Descendants who choose the duel and survive are free to live in peace thereafter. Author Landis keeps the teens’ interactions at a slangy and superficial level; further, some of the adult portrayals are overly stereotyped and the dialog is a touch Hollywood. For the most part, there’s little exploration of the backgrounds of the characters’ ancestors, which seems like a lost opportunity. Perhaps it will interest teens in delving further.
The book nevertheless raises thought-provoking and unexpectedly timely issues. When discussing the impact on the duelist of actually killing another person, one of the hero’s friends admonishes him, “Don’t rationalize it. That’s what the Libertines do—use honor to make murder okay.” ( )

I received a free advanced reader copy of League of American Traitors as part of the FFBC Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review.

Enter the GIVEAWAY on my blog, Absolute Bookishness. (Ends 8/11/2017.)

Seventeen-year-old Jasper and his father, James, weren’t on the best of terms. Still, despite years of neglect, strange behavior, and drunken bouts, his father’s sudden death comes as a surprise. As does a strange presence at his father’s funeral, a man claiming to know James. But Jasper quickly dismisses him and any connection to his delinquent father; he has more pressing concerns. Now an orphan, Jasper faces losing all that remains of his past, his home, and his freedom.

Reluctant to accept an uncertain future in foster care, Jasper sells most of his valuables, saves what he can, and attempts to run away–to take control and survive on his own. But when he least suspects it, he’s ambushed for reasons he has yet to grasp–reasons related to his father. After their last-minute rescue spares his life, Jasper takes refuge in the League of American Traitors–a secret society comprising the heirs of American history’s most treacherous citizens.

Once among them, Jasper learns he is the last remaining descendant of Benedict Arnold, the notorious American traitor. His father was on the trail of a hidden truth, one a rival organization has and is willing to kill to keep from coming to light. One that could save Jasper and all those around him. And Jasper may hold the keys to it all.

Jasper and his new friends–Sheldon, Lacy, Tucker, and Nora–must work together to finish what his father started to bring to an end a centuries-long battle between the sons and daughters of America’s heroes and traitors, before they pay for their failure with their lives. Escape is not an option, but a lifelong game of cat and mouse. The clock is ticking. But, who can you trust when your only hope is a group with a treasonous heritage, and when loyalty is so easily bought?

With a combination of top secret organizations, American history, historical clues, and deception, League of American Traitors reads more like a dystopian novel than a typical historical mystery or thriller–with teens facing an inevitable fate of dueling to the death. Filled with pop culture references, drama, sarcasm, and humor, it simultaneously broaches challenging topics in history and the modern era.* Landis’s quick-paced narrative of thrills and treachery would only benefit from a thicker plot and a longer, less tidy conclusion.

Jasper and his friends are realistic (flaws and all) and offer a playful dynamic to what would be an otherwise grim tale. Their blunders in casual and dire circumstances will make readers groan and grimace with and for these characters. Though they endure some cliched characterizations and want further development, Jasper and crew work well together, and invite interest to the story and empathy to their plight. With her independent spirit, keen observations, no-nonsense attitude, and exceptional skills, Nora is bound to be a favorite. Their nemeses, on the other hand, are bad enough that you want them to lose. Landis has crafted an entertaining historical treasure hunt brimming with enough peril and intrigue to divert young readers during the dog days of summer.

*Though, I can’t say I agree with how everything was handled–such as how suicide and mental health issues and sufferers were presented and discussed, or how slaves were regarded in terms loyalty through a historical lens. Or how recompense is implied for past actions against natives through activity that has nothing to do with them or that they don’t benefit from. I see the intent in the last case but it still falls short. I can only hope the finished copies of this book improves in these areas before publication.

The original review was posted on Absolute Bookishness. ( )