I generally don’t make New Year’s Resolutions – I have a list of things I should be doing running through my head on a continuous loop all year long – but counting the number of books on my nightstand,  I feel it’s time to make one.  So here goes:

In 2016, I will write the book review the day I finish the book.  Or the next day.  Just within the same week, at least.  Seriously!

In a very apologetic effort to get caught up to the newest title I’m reading, I’m going to attempt a quick synopsis of the four books I have read in the last four months, all four of which I’d recommend!

Erika Johansen’s The Queen of Tearling and its sequel The Invasion of the Tearling.

What’s they’re about:  A young princess takes the throne of Tearling, a small country being oppressed by the Red Queen.  Book one centers on Kelsea’s decision to not bow down to the demands of the neighboring lands and instead declare independence.  Book two tells of the growing conflict between the two nations and Kelsea’s growing magical powers.

What I liked about Book One:

• In a nutshell, Kelsea.  She is a strong, independent young woman who has known from day one she is to be queen.  Hidden away in the forest as a young child, she has been brought up by foster parents whose role was to teach her how to be queen.  This wasn’t something just sprung on her.  She was raised to do this.
• She comes to power with an understanding of the politics and history behind the conflict between Tearling and the surrounding lands.
• She doesn’t always make the right decision, but her decisions are based on knowledge as well as a gut instinct for right versus wrong.  She cares for her people and she wants to protect them.
• Watching the Queen’s Guard come to accept and respect her is enjoyable.  She earns it.

What I liked about Book Two:

• When I fist started reading book two, the first ‘modern day-historical’ flashback had me wondering if my book was put together wrong.  But it wasn’t.  And these flashbacks are a fantastic, compelling story all their own.
• Kelsea’s powers are growing, and with most magic, there is a dark side and she’s not immune. Every wise ruler – and compelling fictional character – needs temptation and Kelsea is faced with it.
• As the flashbacks interweave with the present story, the timeline of then and now becomes clearer and I enjoyed putting the pieces together.

What I would like to know before I handed this to my kid:  Book one is a pretty straight forward fantasy story suitable for grade 6/7 on up.  Book two, however, becomes dark and complicated.  A husband abuses his wife physically and emotionally, including rape.  Kelsea learns to magically cut her self.  Kelsea seeks out birth control but is discouraged about obtaining it because rulers are supposed to have children, married or not.  Kelsea has sex with her guard.  Grade 8/9 on up.

Marissa Meyer’s Winter is the fourth and final book in the Lunar Chronicles and tells the story of Princess Winter (Snow White), Lunar’s evil queen Levana’s step-daughter.  Winter refuses to use her gift that allows her to glamour (mentally disguise) herself to others and take control of other people’s bodies.  As a result, Winter is mentally unstable and experiences hallucinations (which have a touch of prophecy about them).  Her Prince Charming and protector is her guard Jacin.

What I liked about Winter:

• It was awesome.  🙂  Okay, seriously, as a book to wrap up the tale of Cinder, Scarlett and Cress, this book had a big job and it did it very, very well.
• Each of the four books in the series is a re-telling of a fairy tale, and each of these women are strong in their way, independent, determined and definitely not perfect which made them all very likeable.
• Being the retelling of princess fairy tales, each tale had a Prince Charming of sorts.  Kai might be closest thing to a real prince, but despite that, each love story was sweet and genuine and believable.
• Pairing Winter with Scarlett was genius.
• Again, another story where the kingdom’s best programmer is a girl.  Cool.
• Throughout the series, each character stayed true to who she was.  Even as (spoiler) queen of Lunar, Cinder was, at heart, a mechanic, who wasn’t perfect – which made her relatable and lovely.

What I would like to know before I had this to a kid:  The Lunar army is made of genetically mutated soldiers, part wolf, part man.  Grade 6 on up.

 

My neighbor has been nagging me for a good year (ever since I handed her Eleanor & Park and she read it in a day) to read Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.  As part of my 2016 Reading Challenge where I had to read a book given to me by a BFF (she qualifies!), I finally picked it up.  And at the end really kicked myself for not picking it up sooner!

Fangirl tells the story of Cather, a freshman in college, who writes one of the most popular fan fictions on the web based on a Harry Potter type story.  With her identical twin sister opting to room with someone else, Cather starts college determined to remain an uninvolved hermit in her dorm room.

What I liked about this book:

• First, I know a thing or two about fan fiction so I immediately understood Cather’s world, her dedication to her fans and her stories, and how important they were to her and her self-image.
• As a sister, I understood Cather’s disbelief, her confusion, her anger and ultimately her acceptance, support and understanding of her sister’s choices.
• Cather’s mom left when the twins were 9.  Her father struggles with emotional and mental issues but is there for his girls and loves them.
• Reagan, Cather’s roommate, is awesome.  Totally reminded me of a roommate I had once who favored leather and dog collars and dyed black hair but kept the stash of harlequin romance novels her mom sent her every month under her bed.
• Reagan and Levi take Cather under their wings and sort of bully her into college life.  They don’t belittle her for her choices, either, just doggedly keep at her until she begins to come out of her shell and willingly join in.
• Levi.  He’s the boyfriend we all wanted and the first love you hope your daughter finds.

What I didn’t like about the story:

• Cather was hard to like in the beginning (on purpose, I’m sure) which almost had me putting the book down, but I’m glad I didn’t because when she comes into her own, I was totally rooting for her.

What I would consider before handing this to my kid: 

• It’s college.  While everything is handled delicately and not described in detail, sex and alcohol play a role.  Twin sister Wren parties hard to the point of alcohol poisoning.  Sex is discussed between the sisters and implied between Cather and Levi.  8th Grade on up.

 

Bottom line, I loved all these books and have no problem recommending any of them.  Happy Reading!