The Thirteenth Princess

The Thirteenth Princess
by Diane Zahler



Genre: Fantasy, Fractured Fairytales

Rating: Clean

Summary:

Zita is not an ordinary servant girl—she's the thirteenth daughter of a king who wanted only sons. When she was born, Zita's father banished her to the servants' quarters to work in the kitchens, where she can only communicate with her royal sisters in secret.

A classic fairy tale with a bold twist, The Thirteenth Princess tells the unforgettable story of a magical castle, true love, spellbound princesses—and the young girl determined to save them all.

Personal Review:

I saw this book on sale in one of my favorite book stores and decided to give it a try. I was very pleasantly surprised. I had just had a super busy week and I wanted a quick and fun read. This book fully satisfied me. It was simple and sweet which is one reason why I love children's and young adult novels. Though this novel is targeted at young readers, it was well written which is a must for me! Good writing and a cute or interesting story makes a book appropriate for all ages to me (but sometimes I am a kid at heart.) I would recommend this book.

-Curry

If you liked this you may also like:

The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine
Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
The Wide Awake Princess by E.D. Baker

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25

Review by Curry

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25
by Richard Paul Evans



Genre: Sci-fi Fantasy, Young Adult

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

To everyone at Meridian High School, Michael Vey is an ordinary fourteen-year-old. In fact, the only thing that seems to set him apart is the fact that he has Tourette’s syndrome. But Michael is anything but ordinary. Michael has special powers. Electric powers.

Personal Review:

I first heard about this book in a literature class that I was in almost two years ago. I've been looking forward to reading it since then, and it did not let me down! The main character is likable and realistic, the storyline is intriguing keeping you interested, and yet not so overstuffed with action and drama. I really liked this book and I can't wait to read the next one (which I will probably do today.) There are currently four Michael Vey books out.

-Curry

If you liked this then you might enjoy:

Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan
The False Prince by Jenifer Nielson
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Rapunzel Untangled

Review by Felicity

Rapunzel Untangled

by: Cindy C Bennett

Genre: Fractured Fairytales/Contemporary fiction

Rating: Y

Content: clean

Summary:  (from goodreads)

Rapunzel is not your average teenager. For one thing, she has a serious illness that keeps her inside the mysterious Gothel Mansion. And for another, her hair is 15 feet long. Not to mention that she’s also the key to ultimately saving the world from certain destruction. But then she meets a boy named Fane, who changes all she has ever known, and she decides to risk everything familiar to find out who she really is. Filled with romance, adventure, and mystery, Rapunzel Untangled is one story you won’t want to put down. Discover the true meaning of love and friendship in this modern twist to the classic fairytale.

Personal Review:

I have not read many if any versions of Rapunzel since I was a child. I remember vaguely tales from my childhood and the Disney version is most prominent in my mind. I read the authors note before the book and was reminded of the more original telling of this fairy tale, she pointed out that Rapunzel is an inherently dark tale. This book successfully modernized Rapunzel and gave me new insight into this fairy tale. This book is not Tangled, however I really enjoyed it and would read it again.

-Felicity

If you liked this you may also enjoy:

Golden by Cameron Dokey

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

I Am Number Four

Review by Felicity

I Am Number Four  

(Lorien Legacies # 1)

by: Pittacus Lore

Genre: SciFi/Fantasy  

Rating: Y-12

Content: violence

Summary:  (from goodreads)

Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorian. Nine aliens who scattered on Earth. Nine aliens who look like ordinary teenagers living ordinary lives, but who have extraordinary, paranormal skills. Nine aliens who might be sitting next to you now. The Nine had to separate and go into hiding.

The Mogadorian caught Number One in Malaysia, Number Two in England, and Number Three in Kenya. All of them were killed. John Smith, of Paradise, Ohio, is Number Four. He knows that he is next.

I AM NUMBER FOUR is the thrilling launch of a series about an exceptional group of teens as they struggle to outrun their past, discover their future—and live a normal life on Earth

Personal Review:

I love the concept of this book. My siblings have been raving about this series for a while now so finally my husband and I decided to read it together. I didn’t appreciate how depressing if felt and he didn’t like the lovesick teenage boy. With that said we both felt it worth reading and we are very excited to read the rest of the series. My sister has told me that this book is her least favorite of the series so far, and that gives me hope that I’ll love the other books since I do like the alien concept going on.

-Felicity

If you like this you may also like:

The Power of Six (Lorien Legacies #2) by Pittacus Lore

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hourglass Door

Review by Curry

The Hourglass Door
by: Lisa Mangum



Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

His past. Her future. Can love bring them together in time?Abby's senior year of high school is textbook perfect: She has a handsome and attentive boyfriend, good friends, good grades, and plans to attend college next year. But when she meets Dante Alexander, a foreign-exchange student from Italy, her life suddenly takes a different turn. He's mysterious, and interesting, and unlike anyone she's ever met before. Abby can't deny the growing attraction she feels for him. Nor can she deny the unusual things that seem to happen when Dante is around. 

Review:

This book was an interesting one for me. In some ways it kind of reminded me of the first Twilight book, only without all of the things that I really hated about Twilight (and no vampires.) The story line was interesting and the writing was done well. Sometimes the romance could be a little too lovey dovey to me but overall it was pretty good. There were also some things that would have been more believable if there had been an explanation behind it, but overall a good clean book. There are three books in this series.

-Curry

If you liked this you may also like:

The Golden Spiral (Hourglass Book 2) by Lisa Mangum
Erasing Time by C.J. Hill
Ruby Red Trilogy by Kerstin Gier

Book of a Thousand Days

Review by Felicity

Book of a Thousand Days

by: Shannon Hale

Genre: Fantasy/ Fractured Fairytales

Rating: Y

Content: 3 different references to nudity (however there is nothing crude or graphic about it just a statement, I still consider the book clean)  

Summary:  (back of book)

When Dashti, a maid, and Lady Saren, her mistress, are shut in a tower for seven years because of Saren’s refusal to marry a man she despises, the two prepare for a very long and dark imprisonment.

As food runs low and the days go from broiling hot to freezing cold, it is all Dashti can do to keep them fed and comfortable. With the arrival outside the tower of Saren’s two suitors—one welcome, the other decidedly less so—the girls are confronted with both hope and great danger, and Dashti must make the desperate choices of a girl whose life is worth more than she knows.

With Shannon Hale’s lyrical language, this little-known classic fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm is reimagined and reset in a land inspired by the Asian steppes; it is a completely unique retelling filled with adventure and romance, drama and disguise.

Personal Review:

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is well written. There is romance yet the book is about much more than any handsome prince. This is the kind of book I would encourage young girls to read because it is fun, fantasy, and thought provoking all at the same time. Plus the main character is strong and has many qualities to be admired.

- Felicity

If you like this you may also like:

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

The Lost Art

Review by Felicity

The Lost Art

by: Jennifer Griffith

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Fiction

Rating: Y

Content: clean

Summary:  (from goodreads)

Dowdy art exhibit coordinator Ava Young is happy with her man-suits and sensible clogs. She likes the way they clip-clop on the museum’s tile floor. But they don’t win her any lovelorn looks from her office crush. In fact, the handsome new guy calls her “sir” when they first meet. Oh, well. She’s always known the only way a guy would take a second look at her was if she was the only person in the room. And on fire.

But after her workplace crush devastates her by, frankly, calling her something super-duper mean, Ava is ready to make some drastic changes inside and out, even if it means giving up chocolate, or taking hilariously out-of-date but strangely wise-sounding advice on femininity from a 1959 book on “How to Snare a Modern Man.”

Either way, she’d better hurry because when a priceless art exhibit gets a theft threat on Ava’s watch, a billionaire bachelor and a handsome FBI agent will be taking a good, long look at the art and at Ava

Personal Review:

Fun, Flirty, and Clean are the three words that sum up this book. It has several good tips on flirting, and a great concept that was executed well.

- Felicity

If you like this you may also like:

Prejudice Meets Pride by Rachael Anderson

Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

Super Daisy! by Jennifer Griffith

The Kiss of Deception

Review by heyes

The Kiss of Deception

by Mary E. Pearson

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

Lia is doesn’t want to marry a Prince she has never met just top form an alliance with a neighboring Kingdom so she runs away. She lives a normal and simple life. Two men show up simultaneously and Lia is attracted to both in different ways. She has no idea that one is the Prince she spurned and the other, an assassin sent to kill her.

Personal Review:

Warning this book just came out July 8th 2014, if you are not good at waiting for sequels maybe you should not start this book till the next one is out.

I rate this book clean but just so you know: One side character has a child out of wedlock and one of the main characters is an assassin. I still rate it clean because I don’t think any of the violence or intenseness is worse than that of The Chronicles of Pyrdain which is a book series suitable for elementary age kids. I really enjoyed this book. I thought what the author did with trying to confuse the reader as to who was the Assassin and who was the Prince was a cool idea. .But I am curious to read it again now that I know who is who. This is the first book in a series. I’m excited to see where the author goes from here. Also, I like that Lia does realize that maybe she should have thought a little more about consequences of her actions. I like her growth and that she learns that the words duty and tradition have been spouted to her her whole life for a reason.

-heyes

If you liked this you may also enjoy

-The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen

-Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne

-Aurelia by Anne Osterlund

Eragon

Review by heyes

Eragon
by Christopher Paolini




Genre: Fantasy

Personal Rating: Y-12

Content Review: Violence: some scenes may be too descriptive.

Summary: 15 year old farm boy, Eragon, has his life turned up side down when he finds a dragon egg. With the help of unexpected friends, he is able to learn more about his dragon and the abilities and responsibilities of being a dragon rider. He must choose if he is going to fight with the rebellion against tyrant King Galbatorix.

Personal Review: I think this book is very well written and I would recommend it. Although the content does become more mature in the following books. (Much like the Harry Potter Series)


If you like this you might also enjoy:
Eldest by Christopher Paolini
Brisingr by Christopher Paolini
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Lord of the Rings by J. R. Tolken 

The Tutor's Daughter

Review by heyes

The Tutor’s Daughter

by Julie Klassen

Genre: Regency, Romance, Young Adult

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

The main character of this book, Emma, is the daughter of a tutor who has had many sons of gentlemen and the nobility attend his school. Now Emma’s father’s school is failing and Emma, in a desperate attempt  to bring it about, writes to Sir Giles, Baronet, the father of two former students and two hopeful future students. Now Sir Giles has offered him a position at their home. This situation causes all kind of problems for Emma, not the least of which are her father’s former students: the worst of her tormentors and her first love. Someone is sneaking into her room, making strange noises in the night, and threatening her. She is determined to discover the secret of Phillip’s and Henry’s home and figure out why someone wants her dead.

Personal Review:

Julie Klassen writes Christian Fiction, which means that her characters are religious and it is referenced in the book. Out of all the authors of the Christian Fiction genre, I think that Julie does it tactfully and not preachy. I think that whatever your religious tendencies are, you can enjoy this book and the characters. Henry is your awesome brooding hero, Phillip the charming, jovial hero and Emma, while having faults is still likable. Her vulnerabilities are realistic and relatable. The story is reminiscent of gothic novels of the 18th and 19th century. If you like Jane Eyre and Jane Austen you will probably like this book. **by the way I think this is probably the most preachy of Julie Klassen’s books and it’s still not bad. **

-heyes

If you liked this you may also enjoy

-Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

-Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

-Glimmer of Hope by Sarah Eden

Vienna Prelude

Review by heyes

Vienna Prelude (Zion Covenant #1)

by Bodie and Brock Thoene

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: Y

Content: War, Some intense scenes; mentions past indiscretions

Summary:

In 1936 Nazi darkness descends upon Europe. Every person is only one step away from being swept into the nightmarish tide of evil. Blond Elisa Lindheim, and violinist with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, adopts an Aryan stage name for protection. But her closest friend, Leah, a talented Jewish cellist, is in perilous position.

There are those who choose to fight Hitler's madness. Elisa's father Theo. A courageous American reporter, John Murphy. Winston Churchill, the British statesman. A farm family in the Tyrolean Alps. The Jewish Underground. But will all their efforts be enough to stop the coming Holocaust?

And now Elisa must decide. If she becomes part of the Underground, she will risk everything... and puts everyone she loves in danger (Goodreads)

Personal Review: 

This book was so fun to read because it is about WW2 which is both fascinating and disturbing to me. I like to understand how it was to be in the middle of what probably seemed like the end of the world even if it was through the eyes of a fictional character. The truth is that there could have been 100 Elizas who struggled with the same things. There is just enough romance in this book to keep romance addicts reading, and while it talks of past transgressions, the characters are moral and the book teaches good principles. Past mistakes are looked at as mistakes. As a hopeless romantic myself and a proud American, I was rooting for Murphy but I love the hopeless unrequited love anyday. Great book, great series. By the way this is not a religious book.

-heyes

If you liked this you may also enjoy:

-Prague Counterpoint by Bodie and Brock Thoene

-A Countess Below Stairs by Iva Ibbotson

-The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

Becoming Lady Lockwood

Becoming Lady Lockwood

by Jennifer Moore

Genre: Regency, Young Adult

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

Amelia is a widow that never had a chance to meet her husband before his untimely demise. The new Earl of Lockwood does not want to bequeath the third of his estates to his brother's conniving widow. As Amelia sails from her home in Jamaica to London to the trial that will decide if she is the former Countess of Lockwood, she finds it impossible to avoid her faux brother in law and soon finds she doesn't want to. But the law may decide she is his sister and the last person that he should have feelings for.

Personal Review:

I really enjoyed reading this book and May or may not have stayed up till 2:30am reading it. Which may not be significant since I have stayed up late for many unworthy books. With this book, I simply lost track of time. I really enjoyed the characters. I thought that Amelia was well rounded heroine without being so obviously sainted by the author. I thought both the hero and heroine could have been real people and that they were consistent. Something that I really liked about this book was the lack of problem most romances have: the conflict between couples that is blown out of proportion and could be cleared with a simple conversation. Maybe mainly because the conflict was that they couldn’t have a conversation. But either way it was refreshing. This book also didn’t have the main characters thinking things like I don't know why I want to be around them always, and when another person shows attention to them I am jealous, but of course I can't figure out that I love them, or am even interested in them for like 5 years. Again, it was refreshing. This book is comparable to Sarah Eden or Julianne Donaldson, at least right now, I liked it better. SPOILER ALERT The only thing that I could say negatively about it is that I’m not sure if the legal problem between them as far as not being able to marry your brother’s widow. Maybe that’s true but other than it being somewhat suspect or questionable I think it was legal. I don’t know, if you do please let me know.

- heyes

If you liked this you might also like:

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson

Seeking Persephone by Sarah Eden

The Tutor’s Daughter by Julie Klassen

Yearbook

Review by Curry

Yearbook
by Ally Condie



Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Christian: LDS Fiction, Young Readers

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

It was the first day of school at Lakeview High, and everyone was afraid of something. Michaela Choi was afraid that Ethan Back was never going to ask her out on a date. Andrea Beck was afraid that someone would find her weak spot, the chink in her armor. She was afraid of knowing what it was herself. Principal Downing was afraid she was going to die. Julie Reid was afraid that no one would notice her. She was also afraid that someone would. And there was a deeper, unnamed fear inside her that she couldn't escape - a fear that she was nothing and no one

Personal Review:

I actually found this book really interesting. It follows many different characters and story lines, each one of them unique and touching. My only complaint about this book is that it follows so many different characters (almost every chapter changes perspective) that I think that none of them are developed as well as they could be, as well as I wanted them to be. However, with that aside, I still really enjoyed the book. It wasn't predictable and it was very realistic. I recommend this book to everyone but it is especially great for teens. (There are also two sequels)

- Curry

If you liked this you might also like:

First Day (Yearbook trilogy #2) by Ally Condie
Deep Blue Eyes and Other Lies by Janette Rallison
Counting Stars by Michele Paige Holmes

Cybele's Secret

Review by Curry

Cybele's Secret 
By Juliet Marillier



Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Adventure

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

Scholarly eighteen year old Paula and her merchant father journey from Transylvania to Istanbul to buy an ancient pagan artifact rumored to be charmed, but others, including a handsome Portuguese pirate and an envoy from the magical Wildwood, want to acquire the item as well.

Personal Review:

Cyblele's Secret is a companion book to one of my favorite books, Wildwood Dancing.  I strongly recommend reading Wildwood Dancing before reading Cybele's Secret because there will be some spoilers in this book if you read them out of order. Cybele's Secret tells the story of Paula, Who is the sister of Jenica the main character in Wildwood Dancing. It takes place several years after the first book. Cybele's secret was a good and entertaining book however, because I loved the first book so much, this one fell a little short for me. That being said, it is still a good book and I know others that liked it more than the first. There were some things that were a little predictable but I can often look past that easily. My biggest disappointment with Cybele's Secret was purely a matter of a opinion. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. It's fun and exciting.
(you can see my review for Wildwood Dancing here.)
P.s. isn't the cover of this book gorgeous! I love it. hehe

- Curry

If you liked this you might also like:

To Catch a Pirate by Jade Parker
Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle
The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry