Throwback Review: Green Heart

Another Throwback Review - this time from back in 2012! Enjoy!

Green Heart is the combination of two YA novels Green Angel and Green Witch by Alice Hoffman.

The day it happened, fifteen-year-old Green was angry and refused to speak to her family as they left. She had wanted to go with them to the city, but they needed her to stay home.

Her father, mother, and sister all died in the terrible disaster – leaving Green all alone, and plagued by the memory of her last moments with them.

She struggles to survive in a world turned topsy-turvy, a place where nothing wants to grow among the ashes. Green becomes one with the thorny, lifeless realm of her garden – but finds she must allow herself to open back up to life, to possibility… to magic.

Even though all she can see is pain.

Green Heart was a majestic read!

I read The Foretelling by Alice Hoffman years ago and was dumbfounded by it – so I had high expectations, and, my, were they reached!

The haunting, mournful, poetic sentences create an almost ethereal, atmospheric tone – a poem that goes on and on with grace and elegance.

As I read the Green Heart, or I should probably say absorbed, I hoped for a happy end, for healing, but I knew that anything Alice Hoffman created would be more complicated than that, more real.

Green Heart is a novel of lovely, wistful, staggering simplicity of words that brings a quiet power to this otherworldly tale. This is especially true when it comes to the allure and hypnotic pull of nature and animals (Animal lover, here!). There’s a sense of magic, of wonder, of hurt and hope intertwined.

Both Green Angel and Green Witch are beautiful, the sequel taking us deeper into a surprisingly revealing and exquisite story that is tonally the same.

If you’re a bit sick of reading about the apocalypse, various dystopias, that really just kind of depress you (I know that I have started to be), Green Heart is a refreshing read.

Here we have a book that is touching, transcends genres, and brings lightness to the dark.

If you haven’t already, you should definitely read Green Heart!

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Throwback Review: Eyes Like Stars

Another throwback review this week! This one was posted originally in July 2009 and is still one of my favorites! Here ya go:

Eyes Like Stars in the first book by Lisa Mantchev in the Theatre Illuminata trilogy.

Bertie lives on a stage. Her friends are fairies from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Her crush is Nate, a pirate from The Little Mermaid. And her childhood friend and now frenemie is Ariel, a hunky spirit from The Tempest.

That’s right. On the stage Bertie lives on, all those characters from all those plays? They’re alive and bursting with drama. And not just the characters from Shakespeare. Every single play that has ever been written is represented in The Book. The Book that makes all of this possible. The Book that creates the magic.

But Bertie isn’t one of these characters; the theatre has taken her in, with a rather murky explanation as to why. It is her home. The only place she knows.

However, Bertie isn’t the most gracious of guests. She can’t seem to help making messes and getting into mischief. And when she is threatened with banishment – she has to find a way to make herself invaluable to the Theatre in order to stay. But while she works hard at doing just that, things start to fall apart. The very existence she is trying to maintain for herself is disappearing in front of her eyes.

Mixing drama with whimsical fantasy, humor with magical depth, Eyes Like Stars manages to be extremely hypnotic in it’s telling. Bertie is somehow very relatable, yet completely immersed in this world that is so unlike our own. She’s interesting and talented without being a goody-two-shoes. All of the incredible characters from all the plays are mesmerizing and stunningly entertaining.

And the plot weaves itself into more than it first seems. There are twists I can assure you, you won’t see coming! At least, I didn’t.

It’s not just a book for Shakespeare lovers, though I’m sure they’d enjoy the characters being lively and full of personality. I, myself, only have a read a couple of the plays and have only a basic idea of the others, and it was in no way an impediment to my delight in Eyes Like Stars.

Somehow, by the last page I found myself spellbound in this exceptionally unique, dreamlike YA novel and breathless for the next installment. The character depth and wit manages to grab a hold of your emotions in a way that you wouldn’t expect for such a quirky novel. But there seems to be more under the surface.

And ALL of it is excellent.

I think you all should find it when it comes out this month and decide for yourselves: Do you wish you had your own Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed (the fairies from A Midsummer Night’s Dream)? My answer is an emphatic: yes.

I’d be shocked if you disagreed.

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Cruel Beauty

Cruel Beauty is a YA retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Rosamund Hodge.

Nyx’s birth was the result of a bargain between her father and the evil ruler of their kingdom, the Gentle Lord Ignifex. In order to provide Nyx’s mother with children, the Gentle Lord secured the promise that one of the daughter’s would become his bride.

Her father never thought to confirm that his wife would be able to survive the birthing. No one ever does think through their bargain entirely…

Since her childhood, Nyx has been being prepared to marry the Gentle Lord – this demon king who caused the death of her own mother. Her family preps her to kill him, to enact the ultimate revenge and save their people from his ongoing bargains and tyranny of curses.

So it is that on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx weds the immortal Gentle Lord via a stone proxy in the town church and proceeds to the mysterious castle that no one but the desperate – looking for a deal – ever comes near.

Yet Ignifex is not what she expects. His red, catlike eyes are frightening, yes, but he is strangely charming. Her own resentment and bitterness that has bubbled beneath the surface her entire life seem to find a kindred spirit – and the castle’s ever-changing labyrinth of supernatural rooms is intoxicating.

Nyx finds the mission she was groomed for since birth – to kill the Gentle Lord – to be a far more difficult prospect than she expected…

Cruel Beauty was a creepy, dark, angst-ridden retelling in the very best way.

This is a truly captivating novel with a heroine that struggles with her inner motivations, hostility and choices. She is no Belle from Disney – and that is okay.

Here we have a young woman who has never felt love from her father – as he has refused to provide love to someone he has to give up. Here we have a young woman that has known for years that she must marry her mother’s murderer – and in fulfilling her mission to kill him, ultimately will have to sacrifice herself for her people, as well.

So when she is suddenly in a position where this demon king actually seems to understand her and accept her for who she is – how is she supposed to kill him? And Ignifex is definitely appealing, while also being enigmatic and maddening with a little bit of scariness.

Cruel Beauty is really about two deeply flawed individuals in a world of curses, dark magic and evil that has haunted their world for ages. It’s about love!

I wouldn’t say I am AS enthusiastically over the moon onCruel Beauty as I have seen some other readers be, but I am definitely a big fan and found it to be a page-turner on both an emotional and plot-wise level.

Definitely one to read and add to the ever growing list of fairy-tale retellings!

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The Last Ever After

The School for Good and Evil: The Last Ever After is the final book in the middle grade fantasy trilogy by Soman Chainani.

As a huge fan of The School for Good and Evil and The School for Good and Evil: A World Without Princes, I pre-ordered this last book.

If you have not read the prior two books, I would strongly suggest avoiding this review for any potential spoilers – the books are too good to spoil!!

I am trusting that you are not continuing to read unless you are already a fan…

Back in Gavaldon, Agatha is happy that her prince, Tedros, is not really a prince in her hometown – and neither is she a future queen. Yet, very quickly, she begins to doubt their Ever After.

Part of the problem is that Tedros and Agatha’s story has not truly finished yet – it is still being written. Their tale is still connected with Agatha’s old best friend, Sophie.

Now enemies with Agatha, Sophie has embraced the now young School Master, whom has convinced her of their love and that love on the side of Evil changes everything. Evil has taken over both schools and villains of the past are reawaken to change their fates.

Only Tedros and Agatha stand a chance against their prior best friend – only they can try to stem the tide of Evil taking over the entire realm…

Chainani is excellent at writing a story that is unpredictable. Primarily soaked in platonic friendship, rather than romance, The Last Ever After yet again has us questioning things. How far gone must someone be to no longer fight for them? When can you decide that someone you once loved dearly is beyond your help?

It also provides some other great questions about the reasons someone may turn to the Evil side – or even why they turned to Good. There’s a great chunk of the novels that are, subtly, quite philosophical.

On top of that, this finale is just as creative as the others – essentially rewriting and representing classic fairy tales while keeping its new one fresh. I personally love Agatha – she is very good hearted but struggles with self-doubt, meanwhile always keeping her snarky, smart humor. It’s a combo not seen often in female characters. Sophie is also complex and Tedros is given more dimension that you might initially expect.

All in all, this was a clever, rich, luxe conclusion to a wild ride of a fantasy trilogy. The ending was satisfying, even if I felt like I could use more. Personally, I could have used a little glimpse in the future or just… MORE. But leaving me wanting more, in this case, wasn’t such a terrible thing.

Really a great end to a great series. I look forward to more from Chainani in the future!

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A World without Princes

A World without Princes is the second book in the middle grade fantasy trilogy The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani.

As you may recall from my review of The School for Good and Evil, I absolutely LOVED book one. I strongly, strongly suggest reading these books in order. If you have not done so already – run, don’t walk, to a copy of The School for Good and Evil. In the meantime, avoid this review of book two for potential spoilers of book one.

If, however, you have devoured The School for Good and Evil already – feel free to proceed in learning about A World without Princes.

Best friends Sophie and Agatha have returned to their hometown of Gavaldon to live out their Happily Ever After. But things don’t seem as perfect as they expected…

When Agatha secretly wishes she chose a different happy ending – with Tedros – she inadvertently reopens the gateway from Gavaldon to the School for Good and Evil.

And it’s not at all the way they left it.

Inextricably changed, Sophie and Agatha find that their choice of an unorthodox Happy Ending has effected the School for Good and Evil in terrible new ways.

Witches and princesses are no longer enemies and have decided that, due to the extraordinary choice Agatha and Sophie made, princes are not necessary. New enemies have been established and a new dean has taken over. One with potentially suspicious motives…

Sophie, this time, is determined to get back home once more – Agatha, however, is torn. She knows she should want to return to Gavaldon with her best friend, but she cannot deny that it was her secret wish that brought them back in the first place…

This trilogy is so fantastic!!!

Yet again, author Soman Chainani flips our preconceptions around in a marvelous way. We have determined in our reader minds who was “Evil” and who was “Good”. Now we have to reconsider yet again.

Cleverly putting forth the grayness of humankind, rebutting the black/white concept, we are again faced with not only some great humor, phenomenal world building on the unique fantasy/fairy-tale end but also the question of friendship, love and romance.

There were times when it was quite heartbreaking as suspicions, lies and trust are tested. A World without Princes goes to some dark places, yet it’s also a fun, quick read.

All I can really say is that I’ve ordered my copy of the final book The Last Ever After.

And I. Cannot. Wait!!!

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The School for Good and Evil

The School for Good and Evil is a middle grade fantasy novel by Soman Chainani.

And oh my gosh it is sooooooooooooo good!!!!!!

In the village of Gavaldon, it has become an accepted truth that once every four years two children are kidnapped – only to appear in mysteriously delivered fairytale books later on. Their faces are clearly seen in the illustrations – some the heroes, some the villains.

Of course, many an adult has tried to resist such a ridiculous idea. Yet it is difficult to deny that it seems these children are being taken to be featured in new fairytales.

Sophie, the most beautiful girl in Gavaldon, is ready when the next four-year mark comes. She is prepared to be a princess, marry a prince and continue to wear as much as pink as she can.

Her best friend, Agatha, isn’t too thrilled at the idea though. Not only does she think the idea of being whisked away to a fairytale is ridiculous – she doesn’t want to lose Sophie. With her off putting, antisocial personality, home in the cemetery and pet cat who hates everyone – she certainly knows she wouldn’t be taken along with Sophie – nor could she probably find another friend if Sophie is taken.

But when the time comes, both Sophie and Agatha find themselves at the fabled School for Good and Evil. And when Agatha is dropped in the School for Good and Sophie in the School for Evil, everything they think they know seems reversed.

Sophie is desperate to get to the School for Good, whereas Agatha is just desperate to get them both home. What they will learn, however, is the only way to get anywhere is to live through their own fairytale…

THIS BOOK IS SO AWESOME, I LOVED IT!!!

It’s not as clear from the premise I typed up as I’d like it to be, but The School for Good and Evil extraordinarily original.

With strong world building, Soman Chainani has weaved a story that creates a school to, essentially, teach children to become princes, princesses, witches and villains. Based on your looks and demeanor, it seems, you are plopped into a school and from there you reach your destiny.

Or do you? Can your looks and demeanor truly judge what you should be? Have you no chance to change? To be gray, instead of black or white?

For a “middle grade” novel, The School for Good and Evil presents some very mature questions!

I absolutely adored the twist to the fairytales. From beginning to end, this book is extremely inventive, fun and creative. We get fascinating classes – such as Beautification, Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication for the princesses and Uglification, Henchmen Training and Curses & Death Traps for the villains – to follow and a glorious myriad of unexpected twists!

On top of all of this, we also get characters that are funny and ridiculous, but also heartfelt. The School for Good and Evil, many times, made my heart hurt. It also made me smile with quick turns of wit and flat-out excellent writing.

It’s hard to express how much this book excited me! One other indicator: I immediately ordered book two on Amazon.com, as well as pre-ordering the third and final.

Yay!!!

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Princess of the Midnight Ball

Princess of the Midnight Ball is a YA fairytale retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses by Jessica Day George.

After the twelve year war, soldiers are returning from battle to their home country. Galen is one of these. On his journey to find his mother’s sister, the only family he has left, he meets a mysterious elderly woman on the side of the road gives him magical items and declares he will need them soon…

Meanwhile, in the palace, Rose is the eldest princess of twelve and is faced with a problem. Each morning she and her sisters slippers are becoming terribly worn – and no one call tell the king why. The ordinary flood of balls in their father’s kingdom is not the cause…

Instead, Rose and her sisters are being forced to travel deep into the earth to the malicious King Under Stone’s realm where they must dance with his twelve sons. It is a curse. And it is not one with an ending any time soon.

Or ever.

Once Galen becomes a gardener at the palace and learns of the mystery, and its escalating results, he decides that he needs to help. And in order to banish the curse, he’ll probably need to use the items the old lady gave him…

Princess of the Midnight Ball has a very classic tone, which I heartily enjoyed. It is very faithful to versions of this story we have seen before yet helps to fill in gaps, provide more detail and give us a chance to know and care about the characters.

I truly felt terribly for the princesses! To be forced to dance all night long whether sick, tired, etc. is horrible – but especially for the little ones that are too young to know the dangers of complaining about it. There was definitely suspense there!

Galen is an extremely likable, honorable young soldier that trumps most fairytale princes with his principles, kindness and intentions. We see early on that he and Rose are a perfect match – and happily the author gives that relationship time to grow and cement on more than attraction or the ridiculous “insta-love” fairytales often provide.

Mixing all of this together makes for a solid, fast-paced magical read and a book that I read very quickly. I was satisfied with the end and ready to embark on the next two books from Jessica Day George that are also set in this land and retelling other tales, such as Cinderella and Red Riding Hood.

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The Sin Eater's Daughter

The Sin Eater’s Daughter is a YA fantasy novel by Melinda Salisbury.

Seventeen year-old Twylla is the Goddess embodied. This means she is impervious to poison but by simply touching another, she kills them.

When she was brought to the castle as a young girl, at the time an apprentice to her mother, the Sin Eater, she did not realize that being the Goddess embodied meant being the royal executioner.

She knows now.

Under constant guard to protect others from her divine, lethal touch, Twylla is avoided as much as she is tentatively revered. Even the royal family, including the prince she is betrothed to, shuns her company despite being the only ones immune to her poison.

Her loneliness is permeated only by her guard who has been with her since the beginning. It’s a professional relationship, but she feels that he actually cares for her.

But when he falls ill, Twylla is given a new, young guard. He throws her off balance with easy smiles, a lack of understanding of the boundaries meant to be established with them and a desire to be sociable. Somehow, he sees her as a girl – not a goddess. Not a blunt instrument of death.

It’s intoxicating.

Yet, Twylla knows that entertaining such ideas as friendship breach into treasonous activity in the eyes of the queen. The queen is not one to be trifled with – as someone who not only uses Twylla’s poisonous gift for execution but even crueler, nauseating means.

Is Twylla still up to doing what she must for the kingdom? Or is she falling into a doomed, hopeless love?

This cannot end well…

Wow – I *loved* The Sin Eater’s Daughter.

I mean - I really, really did.

Swiftly, the author creates a world that is twisted, disturbing and fascinating – with the worrying madness of royalty rivaling that of Game of Thrones.

Twylla is in the midst of it, whether she wants to be or not. And her situation is one that is terribly sad – yet she is wonderfully stoic about it. She doesn’t sit around and cry. She knows what she is and has accepted it as much as she can.

Yet she doesn’t like killing. She doesn’t like to be the weapon.

With a good deal of character development, Twylla’s first person narration is absorbing and compelling. I loved her and I loved where the plot went.

And the plot goes crazy!

I won’t say much here because I want it to all be a surprise for you. But I will say this: The Sin Eater’s Daughter is one of the most breathless, suspenseful, intriguing, romantic novels I have read this year.

It weaves together classic fairytales such as The Magic Flute, The Pied Piper and The White Bride and the Black Bride to create an entirely new tale that is epic in emotional scope.

It sounds like there is to be another book – and I am so very relieved!

Truly memorable.

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Off the Page

Off the Page is a YA contemporary fantasy companion to Between the Lines by mother-daughter writing team Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer.

Oliver is about to start his new life as an ordinary teen boy at a new high school.

But he’s not an ordinary teen boy. He’s a prince taken from the pages of a fairy tale – and his new life is due to hard-earned freedom to be with the reader he loves, Delilah.

In order to do this, he has to fake an American accent and pretend to be Edgar, son to the author of the book he is from.

Totally not complicated.

At first, Oliver and Delilah delight in their ability to be together – but then real life interferes. Things aren’t as easy as fairy tales.

And the real Edgar, who is voluntarily taking Oliver’s place in the fairy tale – which he has now changed to a sort of space adventure meets alien invasion storyline – is finding his new role isn’t as easy as he expected either.

Is Happily Ever After possible?

Off the Page has full color illustrations and different colored fonts for each characters perspective, which really plays into the fairy tale vibe.

Though Off the Page is a companion, and not specifically labeled a sequel, to Between the Lines – I think it would have been beneficial to read the books in order. Primarily because the reader would then have an investment in Oliver and Delilah’s relationship. That was a bit harder to establish for a new reader, i.e. me.

Modern, light and fluffy in a way that can be entertaining and fun, Off the Page is an easy read and spotlights a dream many readers are likely to have – to pull their novel crushes out of the pages and actually get to be with them!

I can’t say it was the most original book – or that the characters were the most believable. Yet it was a generally enjoyable diversion that, to me, was an introduction for readers to dive into something a little more complex with a similar idea – hopping into books – such as Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next series.

Off the Page had some surprising, heartfelt, more serious moments that helped the overall story to have more weight – but all in all Off the Page is a gentle, reader’s fantasy that will likely be primarily loved by younger teens.

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Coraline

Coraline is a middle grade contemporary fantasy by Neil Gaiman.

Perhaps you’ve already read Coraline.

Perhaps you are wondering, “How on earth could a self-proclaimed bibliophile have not yet read this modern classic?”

Perhaps I am wondering the same thing. Yet this is an issue that has been rectified!

In Coraline’s new flat there is a door that when opened reveals nothing but a wall of bricks.

Yet being the young adventurer she is, Coraline tries it again another day and instead finds it is an entrance to another house – a house just like hers but better.

Instead of always working and being very busy, these new versions of her parents want to spend time with her and want her to stay with them on this side of the door.

Coraline, though, wonders why.

There appears to be something sinister and secretive beneath the improved surface of this mirror house – and Coraline will have to use her wits and her nerve to save herself.

I can’t say my summary of the premise of Coraline really does it justice – but that’s what I’ve got for ya!

A long while back I saw the stop-action animated movie version of Coraline and found it very unique. So, I was happy to find that the book was – SHOCKER – even better!

Coraline is creepy, engaging fun!

This is like how when you watch some of the older kids movies you think, “Wow – that’s pretty scary for a little kid, they’ve really watered down the scare factor these days!” Of course, books have never been as regulated as movies – but still. This is some weird stuff.

An absorbing, quick fairy-tale for all ages, Coraline takes elements of excellent writing and classic themes and throws in a dose of original fantasy-horror that is just perfect, in my opinion, for any reader.

With superb, vivid imagery and a little girl character in Coraline that is clever, smart and full of scruples – I enjoyed Coraline even more than Stardust by Neil Gaiman! It has that lovely this-is-a-lesson-but-not-really vibe in the resolution, being more gracefully poignant that hit-over-the-head.

Coraline made me convinced I must read more by Gaiman – and I’m happy to know there is a lot out there!

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Cinder

Cinder is a YA futuristic sci-fi fantasy retelling of Cinderella, and the first book in The Lunar Chronicles, by Marissa Meyer.

Being a cyborg is almost as shameful as being an android – despite the fact that Cinder knows she is human, there are many in New Beijing who would argue that fact.

So, as she spends her days utilizing her gifts as a mechanic to provide income for her derisive adoptive mother and sisters, Cinder doesn’t advertise her cyborg parts. Not good for business.

Yet, she’s never felt the weight of being a cyborg as strongly as when her path crosses with Prince Kai – an admittedly attractive and charming young man. Not to mention royal.

Soon, Cinder is pulled deeper into the most concerning struggles of Earth – a ravaging, deadly plague that they’ve been trying to find a cure for without success in twenty-five years and a possibility of war hinging on nothing more than the whims of a mad queen from the country Lunar, on the moon.

There are secrets to Cinder’s past that make her far more unusual than she ever realized…

I really, really, really liked Cinder!

Cinder is a breath of fresh air – impressive, effective, exciting and different! I loved the reimagining of Cinderella as an intelligent, down-to-earth cyborg mechanic. She felt so relatable – sympathetic without ever being self-pitying – and lacking any of the superficialities that can be a blight in fairy tales.

Plus, it creates many new avenues – making it an entirely different story with some of the main stalwarts being featured in unique, new ways.

First, the Lunar planet and people? Super creepy. I thought the presentation of the Lunar’s as a threat was very well done – and fascinating. Secondly, the disease that is tearing the people of New Beijing apart felt effectually frightening.

Really every aspect of Cinder was intriguing to me – so much happens yet it wasn’t lacking character development and world building amongst all that plot. Truly awesome.

I have to say I am very eager to read the next books – which I hear will feature twists on other fairy tales, such as Little Red Riding Hood, in this same world, while continuing Cinder’s story also.

Cinder is a GREAT read!!!

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Stardust

Stardust is an adult fairytale by Neil Gaiman.

When the beautiful, unattainable Victoria states that the only thing Tristran Thorne could do to win her hand would be to bring her the star they watched falling from the sky – Tristran is determined to do it.

However, this means venturing beyond the relative normalcy of their village Wall and slipping into the unexplored, magical faerie land outside it.

Past the ancient wall that has guarded their town from the oddities and dangers of the enchanted realm, Tristran must keep his head as adventures and perils meet him that he could never have imagined…

Stardust was my first Neil Gaiman book!

I’ve heard of Neil Gaiman forever – and being a lover of quirky, clever books I thought it was about time I tried him out.

I have to say – Stardust was a bloody, unique, adventurous adult fairytale that was quite interesting and very good. I wouldn’t say it was as FANTASTIC as I expected – but that could be partially because of my high expectations.

For example, I wasn’t terribly invested in Tristran – not to say I didn’t like him, I did.

However, Stardust was very enjoyable with a fresh twist and prose that swept you away to what felt like a fully realized faerie world.

I fully enjoyed Stardust with its romance, danger, creepy villains, inventive creatures and character advancement.

A good first foray into Neil Gaiman’s works, I would say. I also have a copy of his middle grade novel Coraline – which I’ll get to one of these days.

I am most certainly charmed enough in Gaiman’s writing style to read more – and possibly fall in love with time.

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Violet Eyes

Violet Eyes is a YA retelling of The Princess and the Pea, one of the Once Upon a Time books, by Debbie Viguie.

Contented, simple farm girl Violet’s life is made more complicated when she and her family take in a wounded stranger – who turns out to Prince Richard of the realm.

Once he is returned to full health, he’ll have to head to the kingdom after a year abroad locating princesses for his parents, the king and queen, to enter into a competition for his hand in marriage.

Reluctant to do such a thing, Richard instead finds himself intrigued by Violet’s straightforward, strong personality and they quickly fall in love.

Yet in order to have a chance to be together, Violet will need to compete against the many princesses in odd, enigmatic tests that range from the ridiculous to the dangerous…

Violet Eyes moves swiftly, as it sort of has to since it’s just shy of 200 pages.

I’m never a fan of love at first sight – finding it superficial, improbable and irritating – but for the case of a little book like this, I set that quibble aside to enjoy it for what it is. Thankfully the characters aren’t hopelessly mushy about their feelings.

The interesting twist, where the princesses have to compete for the prince’s hand rather than the other way around, made me more willing to play along. It definitely becomes increasingly fun to read as the competition begins!

There were a couple smile-worthy little allusions to Viguie’s other books in the series – Midnight Pearls and Scarlet Moon – when mermaids and werewolves are referred to.

Violet Eyes happily shows that there is more to the strange royal competition than you initially think – making for a good little story with a decent plot and execution.

If you want to divert your attention for a short period – maybe after an emotionally draining novel – this could be an affable choice

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Princess of Thorns

Princess of Thorns is a YA fantasy Sleeping Beauty retelling by Stacey Jay.

Sleeping Beauty’s story did not end with Happily Ever After.

Instead, she sacrificed her life in the arms of her seven year old daughter Aurora in order to give Aurora her fairy magic – and a chance to survive the coup of the murderous ogres.

Now, ten years later, Aurora has learned that magic always has an unexpected, bitter result – and though it has given her excellent fighting skills and a merciful heart, it also has barred her from ever having true romantic love.

When her younger brother, Jor, is captured by the Ogre Queen, she sets off to raise an army to rescue him while dressed as a boy and hunted by the Ogre Queen’s followers.

Meanwhile, Prince Niklaas is searching for Aurora – his life depends on it. A curse laid down by his own father leaves him with only days before his fateful eighteenth birthday – a birthday that will claim his humanity, as it did his ten older brothers.

His only hope, as he was told by a witch, is to find Aurora – so when he locates her brother Jor (or so he thinks) he is blackmailed into assisting “him” in finding an army.

Fighting against an ogre prophecy that foretells the end of human life and each of their own curses – will Aurora and Niklaas find the Happily Ever After that was denied Sleeping Beauty?

I have become a definite fan of Stacey Jay! Both of the Romeo & Juliet retellings were quite memorable – Juliet Immortal and Romeo Redeemed. And then her Beauty & the Beast retelling Of Beast and Beauty was hauntingly lovely.

Princess of Thorns didn’t leave quite as much of a lasting impression but it was still a great book!

Here we have a horrifying, intriguing, captivating start – a given with Stacey Jay, it seems. She breaks apart the lovely naiveté of the Sleeping Beauty story we know and gives it a darker edge.

The ogres are creepy, disturbing villains – yet I felt they were also the novel’s primary weakness. I felt the ogres could have been made clearer – what their intentions are, their motives, etc. We get a little but I felt like I needed more from that portion of Princess of Thorns.

We get an excellently tough, hardened yet spunky and goofy heroine in Aurora and a refreshingly flawed but still likable hero in Niklaas. Their love story was the strength of Princess of Thorns and made the novel very enjoyable to read! The gender roles were turned upside down, shaken up and scattered to the winds to make these characters individuals rather than caricatures.

Basing love on a foundation of friendship and then adding in misunderstanding, mistaken identity and the pressure and problems of magical curses created a very readable dramatic fantasy novel.

For some reason I wasn’t AS drawn in with Princess of Thorns as I have been by Stacey Jay’s other books – but don’t get me wrong, I’m still a big fan of this one.

In fact, I am crossing my fingers that Stacy Jay continues this trend of retelling fairytales – because it’s darn awesome!

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The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making is a middle grade fantasy for all ages by Catherynnne M. Valente.

Twelve-year-old September has gotten rather tired of the sameness of each day – washing the same dishes, sleeping on the same pillow, etc.

That is why she leaps at the chance to go to Fairyland when the Green Wind and his flying leopard extend an invitation.

Adventure at last!

Yet Fairyland is in turmoil – things are not as they once were now that the evil Marquess is ruling after the suspicious disappearance of the beloved Queen Mallow.

With the help of a dragon-like creature who has memorized A-through-L of the encyclopedia and a blue boy who is almost, but not quite, human – September will try to restore Fairyland back to its former glory.

Days after finishing The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making I am still thinking about it!

The prose and plot is astonishingly rich in its cleverness, inventiveness and beauty. I had to extend some effort, initially, to get a grip on this unwaveringly intelligent and charmingly multifaceted tale. Just as in the marvelous Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, you have to absorb not only the amusing wittiness but embrace the oddities, the puzzles and the deeper layer that slowly reveals itself to be incredibly thought-provoking.

Stunning.

With that early effort came an extremely rewarding reading experience. The distance that my reading brain felt at the outset to this elegant story was overcome by an enchantment that forces the reader to slow down and savor.

Valente creates a truly new, magnificent Fairyland that is imaginative, visual and heart wrenching. It’s a perfect book for reading aloud – which I did often – with its complex dialogue and excellent, omniscient narration.

There truly are some new magical presentations – and a genuinely creepy, chilling villain in the hair-color-changing Marquess.

I found The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making to be remarkably moving and effective – and I cannot WAIT to read the next books.

Because – ever so happily – there’s many books to come!

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