Beauty and Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley

Her mother named her 'Honour' (to go with her siblings, Grace and Hope), but her nickname is Beauty. When her father loses everything he has, they all pack up and move to a small village with Hope's suitor since he intends to be the blacksmith there. After a trip to town, their father returns with a story about a Beast who insists that one of the daughters come to live with him, Beauty knows that she must go. What Beauty finds at the enchanted castle is not what she expects, but slowly, she goes about taming the Beast and learning more about humanity.

Beauty: a Retelling of the story of Beauty and the Beast is a very traditional retelling of Beauty and the Beast - it isn't precisely the 'Disney' version, but anyone who knows the story won't be surprised by anything. I enjoy reading this book because it does add some depth to the story, although it is kind of bland in comparison with other stories that have more variation from the 'original.' Anyone who really enjoys re-tellings should read this at some point, although, if you're looking for something really different, you would probably prefer the next book (Rose Daughter).


Rose Daughter is also a retelling of Beauty and the Beast: Greatheart, Jeweltongue, and Beauty are the three daughters of a wealthy merchant. Beauty, the youngest, takes refuge in the garden as soon as she can walk. After their mother's death when the children are young, their father loses interest in his business, causing them to lose everything a few years later. Luckily, Beauty happens to find a will giving her ownership of Rose Cottage in a far away village; without any other choices, they pack up and move. But although they all adjust to their new lives, the villagers hint of a curse if three girls live at Rose Cottage and other strange whispers about the forest and an old quarrel between sorcerers. When their father returns to Town on business, he takes refuge at an enchanted castle and, of course, the Beast demands one of his daughters when he takes a rose. Beauty discovers that the Beast needs her help and does her best to set things to right for him.

The first time that I read this book, I didn't enjoy it much. Since then, I have come to love it - the imagery is beautiful, the characterizations are complex and thorough. Perhaps most importantly, it retells the story with enough changes to make it very unique and satisfying. Some readers may not like the level of detail in this book (McKinley does tend to get a bit wordy with her descriptions) but I think that it is worth it. I would definitely recommend this to fantasy fans, particularly those who like re-tellings and/or the story of Beauty and the Beast.

• If these books sound interesting, consider these: The Fire Rose, Cecelia and Kate, or Half-Human

Fablehaven and Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull

Kendra and Seth are unhappy about spending time with their grandparents while their mother and father go on a cruise. Once they arrive, however, they discover all sorts of activities to occupy them. It gets even more interesting when they find out that they're actually staying at Fablehaven, a preserve for magical creatures, and that their grandfather is the current caretaker. Although the siblings are enchanted by this discovery, they soon find out that magic isn't all fun and games - some magical creatures are dangerous and they must attempt to help save Fablehaven from dark plots which threaten it.

This book is a lot of fun. It's aimed toward young teens, so it's a quick, light read, but the plot is sophisticated enough to be interesting and engaging. I did notice that some of the dialog didn't seem to fit the characters, but otherwise they were fairly well developed. I would definitely recommend this book to fantasy readers looking for something a bit out of the ordinary.


In the sequel, Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star, strange things start happening at home so that Kendra and Seth must go back to their grandparent's house for safety. The Society of the Evening Star - an ancient organization that believes all magical creatures should be loose in the world regardless of the danger - has started growing more powerful and deliberate in their actions. Grandpa Sorensen has gathered together three experts (a potion master, a magical relics collector, and a mystical creature trapper) to help keep Fablehaven safe. Their job is to find the hidden relic before the Society can get into the preserve and take it themselves. Meanwhile, Kendra is still discovering new abilities as a side effect of the fairy kisses she received the summer before and Seth is still getting himself into trouble. Now, the stakes are high and everyone must pull together to find answers or the fate of the entire world could be in jeopardy.

I enjoyed this book just as much as the first one. The plot is far more sophisticated, so it really builds on the first installment. Seth bothered me because he cannot seem to get a clue and quit causing more problems for everyone else to deal with, but the rest of the characters are good. Also, just a heads-up, this book has a lot less closure at the end than the first one did because this one seems to be a more blatant lead-in to the next book in the series. Overall, I definitely liked this book and would recommend it to fantasy fans.

For more information, check out the official website - Note: the site is all illustrated/animated and takes a while to load.

Also see the posting for the third book in the series, Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Wicked Lovely, Flora Segunda, The Saint of the Dragons, or The Harper Hall Trilogy

Medalon by Jennifer Fallon

R'shiel and Tarja Tenragen are half-siblings who live in Medalon, a nation run by the Sisters of the Blade and built on the eradication of religion. R'shiel is a novice in the Sisterhood, although she can't seem to live up to the rigorous standards of her mother who aspires to run the Order. Tarja is a Captain of the Defenders: Medalon's military force. Meanwhile, a belief in the Harshini (a fabled, god-like race thought to be extinct), rumors, and religious tensions cause a break in the peace amongst Medalon and her neighboring countries. R'shiel and Tarja are forced to rethink their loyalties and face hard realities.

I'm not a huge fan of this book, honestly. The issue with the 'Demon Child' (a half-human, half-Harshini child) seemed ridiculously obvious and the rest of the plot was no more surprising. It also seemed as if the plot was simply a series of recurring events which made for a rather tedious story. I have to admit that the characterization was good, but undermined by the storyline. This is the first book of the Demon Child Trilogy (Medalon, Treason Keep, Harshini), a part of the Hythrun Chronicles, so it is possible that the series improves once a reader gets past the 'introductory' first book. In general, I don't think I would recommend this book to most readers. If it appeals to you, or you enjoy the religion-based fantasy books, you might want to check it out and give it a try, but otherwise, I would suggest that readers look elsewhere; consider these:

• Spirit Fox, Poison Study, or Before Midnight

Now You See It... by Vivian Vande Velde

Wendy is a fairly average high school student until she accidentally discovers a random pair of sunglasses on her front lawn. Since they just happen to match her prescription, she wears them to school when her own glasses get broken. But that's when things start to get strange - some people look completely different when she's wearing the glasses...and she starts seeing things that aren't 'really' there. When the two students who look 'different' realize that Wendy can see what they actually look like, suddenly they are very eager to chat with her. Very quickly, Wendy finds herself in over her head and must turn toward some unexpected people for help.

I enjoyed this book. Wendy seemed a little juvenile at times, but overall, the story was interesting and unpredictable and the characters were realistic. The book moves pretty well for the most part. Fantasy readers who like stories about fantasy in the real world or about the division between the real world and 'faery' should definitely check this out for a quick read.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Fablehaven, Wicked Lovely, The Lightning Thief, or Keys to the Kingdom