Review: Graceling

Title: Graceling
Author: Kristin Cashore
Pages: 471
Release Date: October 1, 2008
Publisher: Graphia, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt



 




 

Goodreads Description:

In a world where people born with an extreme skill—called a Grace—are feared and
exploited, Katsa carries the burden of the skill even she despises: the Grace of killing.
She lives under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected
to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing anyone who displeases him.

When she first meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of
how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret
that lies hidden far away...a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words
alone.



I couldn’t say why it took me so long to open this book up and read it, but I really regret
procrastinating! I bought the book a LONG time ago and it’s been sitting patiently on my
shelf while I kept passing it over to read other books. That was a GINORMOUS mistake
on my part!

Kristin Cashore creates a world that the reader effortlessly falls into. It is very well
written (from a third person point of view)-creating a good balance of language
appropriate for the time/setting of the book while not turning off the target age range.
GRACELING takes place in a time of castles and kings, where knives and swords are
the weapons of choice and horses and ships transport you through the land of the seven

kingdoms. I absolutely love stories set in this time period but what I loved more was the
kick-butt female lead character, Katsa! She is fierce, deadly, and powerful and is a really
nice change from some of the other “weaker” female characters that have been popping
up in YA books lately. Throughout the story, she develops as a person tremendously but
in a seamless manner making it feel more realistic.

Katsa shows her skills, or rather her grace, in the first pages and the action keeps pace
from then on. The plot has many twists and secrets (who kidnapped the grandfather and
why) that kept me feverishly turning the pages and at the same time, not wanting to keep
reading because the book was bound to end. The best bittersweet situation for all book
lovers! There is a love interest in the book that doesn’t not consume or deter from the
original storyline.

This book is aimed toward 14 years and older, but parents should know that there are
a few scenes that hint toward some characters engaging in sex. The book does not go
into detail or come right out and say it, but it definitely implies it. I would liken these
situations to the “sex scenes” from Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series-nothing over
the top. The book also takes a firm stand against marriage as Katsa finds it to be too
suffocating and somewhat demeaning to women.

All in all, this book was a fantastic escape to a fantasy world with magic, love, and
friendship. Cashore has two companion novels, Fire and Bitterblue, that I expect to be
just as amazing!

Library Lion Review

Title: Library Lion
Author: Michelle Knudson (author), Kevin Hawkes (illustrator)
Genre: Children's Fiction
Publisher: Candlewick (June 25, 2009)
Pages: 48
ISBN 13: 978-0763637842

From Amazon.com:

Miss Merriweather, the head librarian, is very particular about rules in the library. No running allowed. And you must be quiet. But when a lion comes to the library one day, no one is sure what to do. There aren't any rules about lions in the library. And, as it turns out, this lion seems very well suited to library visiting. His big feet are quiet on the library floor. He makes a comfy backrest for the children at story hour. And he never roars in the library, at least not anymore. But when something terrible happens, the lion quickly comes to the rescue in the only way he knows how. Michelle Knudsen's disarming story, illustrated by the matchless Kevin Hawkes in an expressive timeless style, will win over even the most ardent of rule keepers.

The library is a birth place for imagination. It is a glorious retreat for action, adventure, silliness, any emotional excitement that exists. Knudson displays the comforting, homey feeling of a library through her Children's book, Library Lion. The librarian, Miss Merriweather, is apprehensive at first to the lion's presence, unsure if he can follow the rules of the library but soon she finds him to be delightful. Mr McBee, the library assistant is not so keen on the lion and does his best to act on his jealousy by ignoring the lion. The lion does his best to be helpful and kind to all while following all the rules. However, when an incident arises, the lion will have to decide whether or not to break a library rule.

This story is heartwarming while teaching children about rules, jealousy, and what to do when a true emergency occurs. Knudson really knows how to write simply so all ages can enjoy and comprehend the story all the while creating and maintaining character development. One of the best things about this book, besides the story itself, is the classical feel that the illustrations lend to the story. I love how they make you feel like the book itself has been passed down from generation to generation. It adds that warm, comforting feeling to the audience. Knudson's Library Lion will always have a home on my bookshelf.


4 lattes: Genuine love and teachable moments are woven throughout the story, while old-fashioned illustrations compliment the harmonious flow that is the Library Lion.

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Sensible Evie Johnson arrives alone to face her new life at the Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies. Raised by her beloved grandmother, Evie never wanted to attend boarding school, especially one for spoiled rich girls. But Frankie has fallen gravely ill and Evie's father is away in military service, so off to Wyldcliffe she goes. It is as horrible as Evie suspected it would be. The girls mistreat her, the headmistress is a nightmare, and she keeps seeing a girl who looks just like her. Evie's only joy comes from her budding romance with elusive Sebastian, who tells her that he lives near the school. Why will he only meet her at night? What does he know about the mysteries surrounding the school? And who is that shadowy girl? Billed as the first in a paranormal romance series, this lightweight story is filled with romance, mystery, and suspense. The moors provide plenty of atmosphere and Wyldcliffe Abbey and its teachers are downright spooky.–Sharon Grover, Hedberg Public Library, Janesville, WI

Fallen-Review

Title: Fallen
Author: Lauren Kate
Genre: YA/Paranormal
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2009
Pages: 464
ISBN: 0385738935

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.


Sword and Cross is a dark, depressing place that feels more like prison than a boarding school. Luce finds herself being forced to enroll and attend the bleak establishment after a suspicious fire kills her boyfriend. Friendliness does not come easily between Luce and the majority of the student body. In the midst of the gloom and fog that hang over the school, however, Luce catches the eye of one of the more well-known students, Cam. Cam begins to pursue Luce but Luce has eyes for Daniel. Thus, the love triangle begins. But this love triangle is dangerous with deadly consequences.

After reading numerous mixed reviews, I wasn't sure if I'd like this book. I set out to find a book that would fill the void of my Twilight obsession. Though nothing can accomplish that, I feel that Lauren Kate's book came close but in another realm of young fiction. Instead of vampires and wolves, Fallen incorporates angels, more specifically, fallen angels. Though the beginning starts out a little slow, I began to really enjoy the story. The writing style easily captured my interest because it was not bogged down in flowery language. Lauren Kate's writing was imaginative and descriptive without overpowering the storyline. There are many unanswered questions and loose ends but I felt they were necessary. Lauren Kate took the time to introduce Luce, Cam, and Daniel and develop the story that surrounds all three of them. Lauren Kate does a masterful job of not divulging everything in this first book. The mysterious unknowns left me wanting more and pulled me deeper into the story. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment in the series.

My rating: 4 lattes because it was an intriguing read that left me wanting more. It completely engulfed me and had me eagerly turning the page to find out what happened next.





*Picture, information, summary from Amazon.com and Goodreads.com.

Annexed-Review

Title: Annexed
Author: Sharon Dogar
Genre: YA/Historical Fiction/Romance
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcaourt (10/4/2010)
Pages: 352
ISBN: 0547501951

Everyone knows about Anne Frank and her life hidden in the secret annex - but what about the boy who was also trapped there with her?

In this powerful and gripping novel, Sharon Dogar explores what this might have been like from Peter's point of view. What was it like to be forced into hiding with Anne Frank, first to hate her and then to find yourself falling in love with her? Especially with your parents and her parents all watching almost everything you do together. To know you're being written about in Anne's diary, day after day? What's it like to start questioning your religion, wondering why simply being Jewish inspires such hatred and persecution? Or to just sit and wait and watch while others die, and wish you were fighting.

As Peter and Anne become closer and closer in their confined quarters, how can they make sense of what they see happening around them?

Anne's diary ends on August 4, 1944, but Peter's story takes us on, beyond their betrayal and into the Nazi death camps. He details with accuracy, clarity and compassion the reality of day to day survival in Auschwitz - and ultimately the horrific fates of the Annex's occupants.


Life in hiding was far from easy. Riding on the kindness of friends to bring news, food, and water was an unfortunate way of life. Living in fear, knowing any minute you may be found and forced under the Nazis' control was no life for a adult, much less a child. All these things can be learned through a diary of a young Jewish girl, Anne Frank. However, we only learn about life in the annex from Anne Frank's perspective. Sharon Gogar offers a fictional depiction of how life in the annex, as well as Anne Frank, might be viewed from another perspective. The perspective of Peter van Pels.

The story is about the hardships of living in hiding with numerous other people, specifically Anne Frank. Peter did not view Anne Frank as the world now views her. To him, she was an annoyance that brought him to feel anger and irritation. Though this is a story of fiction and no documentation of Peter's actual views was ever recorded, Dogar's storytelling weaves a tale of frustration, hatred, and eventually love. The events told lead up to the annex betrayal and follow Peter briefly through his time in the camps where he eventually passes on. The plot was well-written and maintained a steady pace. It kept me wanting to learn more about Peter and the others through a boy's point of view. Despite the sometimes awkward choice of punctuation/grammatical tense phrasing, it was a very enjoyable read. I recommend this to any reader who enjoys reading about the trying times during this time period. A note of caution: Because the author wants the events and feelings to be real, there are some portions in the book that deal with sexual desires on Peter's part. Because of this, I suggest this book be read by older teens.

My rating: 4 lattes because, despite the sometimes awkward grammar, it was an amazingly enjoyable read. Though the facts are completely fictional, Dogar does a tremendous job of creating feelings and events that likely could have been true.




Picture, information, summary from Netgalley.com and Houghtonmifflinbooks.com. Book courtesy of Netgalley.com.

In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren and I've decided to take part! This will include books I've bought/won over the past week. What did you get this week?