Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey

In this retelling of Sleeping Beauty, Aurore grows up with reminders of her christening-day curse all around her. Forbidden to touch sharp objects or go outside, she feels smothered. Finally, her parents agree to loosen the strictures and make the bittersweet discovery that she is the heir they always hoped she would be. But the curse remains. Aurore grows up and embarks on an adventure to delay the curse, and, perhaps, change her future.

I don't think this is one of my favorite retellings of Sleeping Beauty. The story is certainly an interesting take, although I'm not a huge fan of the writing style: told in first person, the beginning of the story is full of asides which I thought were a bit tedious. After the first couple of chapters, however, the commentaries disappear. The ending is also a bit unorthodox, but ties up all of the loose ends well. Overall, I would say that I liked this story, but I would probably only recommend it to fantasy fans who are really into retellings or readers who prefer the first person narrative-style stories.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Spindle's End, Princess Nevermore, or The Frog Princess

The Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix

The first book in this series, Mister Monday, introduces Arthur Penhaligon, a fairly average seventh- grader in the (presumably) near future. Arthur is supposed to die, but a twist of fate brings him a 'key' which saves his life and also causes him to see odd things - like the house that takes up half the street in his neighborhood. Suddenly strange creatures come after him, causing those around him to grow sick with the 'Sleepy Plague.' Arthur realizes that to save himself and his family, he must venture into the strange house. Suddenly, Arthur is swept up in an adventure without any idea of what the key means. But soon, he'll discover that he has gotten more than he bargained for: the Will has declared that he is the rightful heir and it's his job to undo damage and set things to rights, even though Monday won't give up his position without a fight.


The next four books tell the story of Arthur's struggle to release the rest of the Will and gain control of the keys:

In Grim Tuesday, Tuesday has decided to call in Monday's debt and will take it from Arthur in any way necessary, forcing Arthur to sneak back into the House and gather new friends and allies as he works through new challenges.

Wednesday follows in Drowned Wednesday; Arthur receives an invitation from Wednesday and discovers that she has been cursed by others of the Morrow Days, causing her to eat until she has turned into a Leviathan. She offers her key freely if Arthur will help release her from the spell, forcing Arthur to make difficult decisions about whom he should trust. Meanwhile, his friend, Leaf, has accidentally gotten caught up in Arthur's adventures and must find a way to keep herself safe while Arthur forges ahead to gain the third key.

After dealing with Wednesday, Arthur discovers in Sir Thursday that a copy of him has taken up residence on Earth and is trying to gain control of everyone around him. Leaf gets sent back to help, but Arthur must stay because he has been called up to serve in Thursday's army, as all denizens must do at some point. Army life would be dangerous enough, but an army of Nithlings ,unlike any the denizens have ever seen, has appeared and started a war. Arthur's only hope may be to gain the fourth key and negotiate peace.

Finally, in Lady Friday, Leaf discovers that Friday is abducting mortals from Earth and experimenting on them. In the House, Friday has lead Arthur and others on a wild goose chase for her key, claiming to have abdicated. Only Arthur can save his friend and the other innocent people that Friday is tormenting, if only he can wade through all the traps first.


Note: According to Amazon, the sixth book, Superior Saturday, will be released in August 2008. The seventh, and final, book does not yet have a release date.

This series is great. It seems to be geared somewhat toward younger teens, but they're interesting enough for all ages. The story is new, imaginative, and fairly unpredictable. There are not many 'solid' characters in these books (most of them are generic 'denizens of the House' that Arthur meets on his quests), but Arthur is definitely well defined and easy to sympathize with. The plot keeps moving at a good pace and these books are all fairly quick reads, but without being too 'fluffy.' I'm looking forward to the final two books and I would definitely recommend them to fantasy fans of all ages.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Last Apprentice, Fablehaven, or Flora Segunda

The Saint of the Dragons by Jason Hightman

Dragons were feared and hunted in the time of St. George, but are believed to be extinct. Instead, they have merely adapted to the new, modern environment and continue to spread their evil amongst humans. Simon St. George is a thirteen-year-old boy who has no memory of his parents and has lived at an elite private boys school since he was very young. Suddenly, a ragged-looking man appears out of nowhere, claiming to be his father and spirits him away, plunging him head-first into the family dragon hunting business. Due to unusual circumstances, Simon and his father are the last dragon hunters of their lineage; unfortunately, things are about to get even more unusual and no one else can stop the dragons' plot. Along with Alaythia Moore, an artist who gets swept up in their adventures, they travel across the seas looking for clues and a way to save the world.

I have to admit that I'm personally not a huge fan of the 'evil dragon' plot, but the author builds an intriguingly plausible scenario in this book. The characterization is fairly good although the relationships between the characters are a bit forced. Additionally, the author relies on the relationships to drive much of the plot which makes it a bit repetitive; the constant fighting between father and son, in particular, tends to get old. Overall, this book has an interesting premise, but the story is somewhat lacking. It is definitely geared toward younger teens and those readers may enjoy it more. It isn't a bad book if you're looking for something with a real-life 'modern' storyline, but readers who want a more sophisticated writing style (or who are easily annoyed by characters who keep making the same mistakes) should probably pass this one over.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Dragonhaven, Fablehaven, or Now You See It

Spirit Fox by Mickey Zucker Reichert and Jennifer Wingert

Reminiscent of medieval fiefs, the matriarchal fort communities of the Marchlands have long fought in a battle dictated by their gods. But when the gods make peace amongst themselves, the people embrace the 'Joyous Reunion' and make it illegal to learn fighting or warcraft of any kind. Unfortunately, years of peace have made them an easy target for an invading foreign army intent on wiping out the magic that many people wield as healers and soothsayers as well as those who have been spirit-linked to animals – a magical connection which the foreigners call an Abomination but which the Marchlanders view as a gift from their gods. One young girl, Kiarda, suffers a particularly difficult fate because her spirit link has become corrupted, causing her to turn into a fox. She must learn how to deal with her personal healing and find ways to save her people before their way of life is destroyed.

I really enjoy this book - the plot is relatively unusual, but definitely interesting. The characters are well developed (although occasionally a little too predictable) and the characterization of the invaders in particular added a unique facet to the story. The ending is a little too neat to be entirely 'realistic,' but it does tie up all the loose ends satisfyingly. I'd definitely recommend this book to fantasy fans.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Reserved for the Cat, Half-Human, Resenting the Hero, or Dragonsdawn

The Wish List by Eoin Colfer

Meg Finn has few options since her mother died and her step-father has kicked her out. For that matter, she hasn't really been a good kid. But now, her 'partner-in-crime,' Belch, has convinced her that they should break into an old person's house and rob him and Meg has to go along with it even though she isn't very happy. But the crime goes wrong and both Belch and Meg end up dead. Now, Belch goes straight to Hell, but Meg has ended up with an absolute even score and cannot enter either Heaven or Hell. To try and skew the balance, Meg has a second chance - she has to go back and help Lowrie McCall (the man that they tried to rob) finish up his Wish List of things that he wants to accomplish before he dies. It sounds rather simple. Unfortunately, Satan has decided that he'd like to have Meg down below and his second-in-command sends Belch out to 'make her bad.' Meg doesn't have very long to change her fate, and she has no idea how complicated it's going to be.

I'm not sure this qualifies as a 'fantasy' book per se, but it's definitely supernatural, so I thought it might interest some fantasy readers. This was a fairly quick read - it's aimed at the younger teens, but older readers will enjoy it too. The story is rather out of the ordinary and the characters are fairly well done. I'd definitely recommend it to readers looking for something quick and somewhat 'fluffy' or for anyone looking for something a little less 'fantastical,' but still outside the general fiction category.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Summoning, The Keys to the Kingdom, Reseerved for the Cat, or Fablehaven

Princess Nevermore by Dian Curtis Regan

Quinella is the only princess of Mandria, a kingdom where magic still lives beneath 'outer earth.' One of her favorite pastimes is watching the people who live above from the bottom of a wishing well that forms a portal between the worlds. Although she wishes to visit, Melikar, the only wizard who could send her, refuses. When she gets transported above by accident, however, she finds herself in the modern world with no understanding of cars, microwaves, or any other outer earth 'magic.' For that matter, she only knows how to be a princess and has no idea how to deal without the social strictures that she is accustomed to. Worst of all, she left without instructions on how to get back - and she's the only one who can get herself home. Quinn slowly gains more understanding of outer earth and discovers the inherent dangers - now she must make the most difficult choice of all.

This is a fairly quick read. The idea is interesting and the characterization drives the story, showing how a magical princess might view the world. The plot, however, seemed rather contrived and formulaic. Every point was too neat and planned, rendering it unrealistic (by fantasy standards). At the same time, it is clear that even though the book is usually categorized as a 'young adult' novel based on the age of the main characters (15-17), it certainly seems to be aimed at younger teens and might appeal to fantasy readers who want a light, fluffy read.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Once Upon a Marigold, Now You See It, orThe Two Princesses of Bamarre

Poison Study and Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

In Poison Study, Yelena is on her way to hang for murder; instead, she is offered an alternate fate. If she would prefer, she can have a permanent position in the palace with all of her needs taken care of. The catch is that she'll be working as the food taster for the Commander until one of his meals becomes her last. Yelena seizes the opportunity but finds the position less tenable when Valek, the chief of security, poisons her with Butterfly's Dust - only a daily dose of the antidote will keep her alive. With no chance of escape, Yelena discovers that her life is in danger from even more sources: her past still haunts her and a plot involving magic (in a country where magic is illegal) seems to center around her. Yelena must work fast to keep one step ahead before she ends up dead, one way or another...

In Magic Study, Although Yelena's fate has changed dramatically after the events in Ixia, she still has plenty of people out to kill her: an execution order is in effect in Ixia because of her magic, but the magicians training her will kill her if she cannot learn to control her abilities sufficiently. Meanwhile, her parents welcome her with open arms, but not all southerners are willing to accept her so quickly, including her brother. Rumors that she is a northern spy and assassin follow her all the way to the Citadel where students train as magicians. Plots crop up at every turn and suddenly, Yelena discovers that there are just as many complications awaiting her in Sitia as she had left behind. Luckily, she's up for a challenge.

I'm definitely enjoying this series - it's original and intriguing. The characters are well thought-out and the plot is complex but not confusing. I did feel as though some of the character relationships in the first book were a bit forced and unnatural and also that some of the plot in the second book seemed a little repetitive. Overall, however, I like these books and would recommend them to other fantasy readers - particularly those looking for something with a little political intrigue and 'spy work' or for something a bit out of the ordinary.

The third book in the series, Fire Study, is set to release in March 2008. For more information and excerpts from all of these books, you can visit Maria V. Snyder's homepage.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Spirit Fox, Song of the Lioness Quartet, or The Last Apprentice

Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge

Mosca Mye lives in a precarious world full of political and religious complications. There are dozens of candidates to be the next monarch (although the appointed committee is taking so long to decide that some of the candidates have died and been replaced by children or grandchildren) and there are even more deities presiding over every facet of life. Meanwhile Guilds maintain order amidst the chaos including the Stationer's Guild which must approve any written publications. Although her scholarly father died when she was very young, he taught Mosca to read (a rare skill) and infected her with a love of language. When Mosca ends up tagging along with an odd fellow who has many secrets and uses interesting words, she and her goose, Saracen, discover that they've ended up in the middle of an adventure.

This was an interesting story. The plot is somewhat complex and full of political intrigue. The characters are fairly realistic, although the world is just odd enough that it takes some getting used to. I had a few issues with this story: for one thing, it's supposed to be horribly strange that Mosca can read (and people have strange reactions to any written word not approved by the Guild) but it's surprisingly easy for her to buy written tracts and no one seems to question it; it seems to attempt a commentary on censorship, but it's all rather heavy-handed or vague enough to be confusing and a little annoying. Also, the story tends to plod; although it's clear that the author loves language and likes to play with it (which is refreshing), the writing is not pretty, mostly just tedious. Overall, I'm not a huge fan - this wasn't a bad book, but I didn't enjoy it very much. To be fair, however, I don't usually enjoy 'political intrigue' stories, but fantasy readers who do might want to give this book a chance.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Spirit Fox, Lady in Gil, or Howl's Moving Castle

The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Stories by Gail Carson Levine & Half-Human edited by Bruce Coville


The Fairy's Return and other Princess Stories is actually a collection of novellas which are all published separately as The Princess Tales: The Fairy's Mistake, The Princess Test, Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep, Cinderellis and the Glass Hill, For Biddle's Sake, and The Fairy's Return. All of these stories are retellings or reminiscent of fairy tales set in a fictional kingdom. I enjoyed this book; the stories are short enough to read quickly and then put down, but longer than most 'short stories.' The plots are definitely creative and interesting takes on fairytale elements although the stories do seem to be geared toward younger readers and are not very sophisticated or complex. I would recommend this book to fantasy readers who enjoy fairy tales or who are looking for short, quick reads.


Half-Human is a collection of short stories about 'half-humans' including gorgons, mermaids, selkies, and even a tree that becomes a man by authors including Bruce Coville, Tamora Pierce, Gregory Maguire and Jane Yolen. I really love this book; the stories are all short enough to read in a few minutes, but they are interesting and well-written. I would absolutely recommend this book to fantasy fans - particularly if you're short on time and need something that you can read in snippets of time. Almost all of them are about half-human children living in the 'real world' so readers who enjoy books about fantasy in the midst of today's world should definitely pick this one up.

• If these books sound interesting, consider these: Black Pearls, The Immortals series, Once Upon a Marigold, or The Frog Princess

Spindle's End by Robin McKinley

When the queen finally has a child after years of waiting, the rulers want share their joy with everyone and allow one person from every city, town, or village, to the naming ceremony. Katriona represents the little village of Foggy Bottom. The ceremony is interrupted, however, before the twenty-first godparent can give the little princess a gift: the bad fairy Pernicia places a curse on her which will cause her to prick her finger on a spinning wheel and fall into a magical coma. Somehow Kat finds herself carrying the princess home with her. For the next 21 years, Kat and her fairy aunt raise 'Rosie' as their own, hiding her as well as 'ordinariness' can, and hoping that the curse will never come to pass.

This re-telling of Sleeping Beauty is certainly unique. The characters are all well-developed and realistic, as is the magical country where the story takes place. At the same time, this story is incredibly bogged down by McKinley's tendency to describe everything. Particularly at the start of the book, the narrative voice inserts parenthetical comments in nearly every sentence; the end of the book drags on - I almost thought that it would never quite finish. Given this, I would say that this may not be the book for you unless (1) you enjoy re-tellings and want to read them all regardless (and this is an interesting one, I'll admit), or (2) you like very descriptive, somewhat dense books.

The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey

When her father dies, Rosalind Hawkins is left with debt and few options. A professor of hers mentions a letter he has received from a man in San Francisco looking for a tutor/governess for his children, but requires particular language skills. As a scholar and doctoral student, Rose has the necessary qualifications and she decides to leave what is left of her life in Chicago to start a new one on the West Coast. She discovers when she arrives that there are no children, but that her position may actually be better than she had hoped.

I absolutely love these re-tellings of fairy tales that Mercedes Lackey does; the books are historical and put Magick in the 'real world' to create 'realistic' ways for fairy tale stories to come about. This one tells the story of Beauty and the Beast with realistic characters and an interesting plot. Although this bears no resemblance to the 'original' it is definitely the same story.

I need to give a brief explanation about where this book falls in the series so that it makes sense. This book is not listed among those of the Elemental Masters series [The Serpent's Shadow (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves), The Gates of Sleep (Sleeping Beauty), Phoenix and Ashes (Cinderella), The Wizard of London (The Snow Queen), and Reserved for the Cat (Puss in Boots)] presumably because all of the books in the series take place in England around the same time and the later books reference characters from the early ones. However, I think that this one still belongs at the head of the series in part because it gives a more thorough introduction to the 'Magickal' world than the others do. I don't think readers would be confused by not reading this one first, but I do think it helps.

I definitely recommend this book to fantasy fans, particularly those who like re-tellings or stories about magic in the 'real world'/historical fantasy.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Beauty & Rose Daughter, The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Stories, or Wicked Lovely

Erec Rex: The Dragon Eye by Kaza Kingsley

Erec Rex is a twelve-year-old boy living in an unconventional family with his 'mother,' June, who has adopted him and five other children. Erec himself is a bit unusual - he has a glass eye and occasionally experiences compulsions which force him to do things that help people. His life changes forever when one of these 'cloudy thoughts' compels him to go searching for his mother. He meets Bethany, a neglected child subject to her uncle's whims, and she helps him to enter a secret, magical world where his mother has been taken. They get swept up into 'Alypium' where children are competing to be the next three rulers of the magical realm (the current triplets, two kings and a queen, have decided to retire after 500 years and the royal triplets born to King Piter died as children). Between trying to rescue his mother and competing against several hundred youths who know more about their world than he does, Erec finds his hands full and has to scramble to keep on top of it all.

Honestly, I'm not really a fan of this book. The plot is vaguely interesting and new but the writing doesn't do it justice. It starts out with so much happening that I couldn't get my bearings for the first couple of chapters (and I never did catch on to the way that they were naming places). The characters are fairly realistic, but a lot of the development feels forced. In particular, the the dialog feels contrived and unnatural and repetitive in some cases (Erec's conversations with his mother are all the same). Besides that, most fantasy fans will guess the gist of the outcome from his name/the title (I don't think I'm giving anything away by saying that). Generally speaking, I'd have to say that there is a lot of fantasy out there worth reading and if you skip this series, you aren't missing much; consider these instead:

• The Lightning Thief, Dragonhaven,
  Once Upon a Marigold, or The Keys to the Kingdom

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

Troll Fell by Katherine Langrish

Peer Ulfsson has just been orphaned and discovers that he has two uncles (his father's half-brothers) who expect him to go live with them. His uncles, Grim and Baldur, are mean-spirited and treat Peer badly, expecting him to keep house and do all of the chores at the mill. Despite them Peer manages to strike up a friendship with Hilde, a neighboring girl. When he finds out that his uncles have an agreement with the trolls to supply them with child slaves, Peer desperately tries to find a way to save himself and his friends.

This was a cute story, I suppose. The characters and most of the storyline were rather stereotypical, nothing out of the ordinary. In particular, I felt like the ending was rather obvious and saw it coming several pages before hand. To be fair, it is geared toward younger teens and it is not a poorly written book. Also, it is the first in the Troll Trilogy: Troll Fell, Troll Mill, Troll Blood - as a whole, the series may come out better than the first book alone. I would recommend it to someone looking for a quick, 'fluffy' fantasy book.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Fablehaven, The Last Apprentice, The Lightning Thief, or Firebird

East & Once Upon a Winter's Night

Both of these books retell and expand the Norwegian fairy tale East of the Sun and West of the Moon. If you want to read a traditional version, there is one here, although the annotations are a little odd.

In East, by Edith Pattou, Rose is the youngest child of a superstitious mother and a map-maker turned farmer. Although Rose's mother wants her to settle down, Rose has a wandering spirit and longs for adventure. Told from the point of view of five different characters: Father, Neddy, Rose, White Bear, Troll Queen, it explores what happens when a young girl follows her own destiny and discovers a world of magic.

Once Upon a Winter's Night by Dennis L. McKiernan sets the same story in France where Camille and her large family are huddled in their cottage to wait out the winter when a large white bear brings them a message from the Prince of Summerland in Faery. He has heard her singing in a field and asks for her hand in marriage (offering a substantial sum of money to her parents). Although Camille is unsure, she hopes that her ill younger brother will benefit from her sacrifice. Soon however, she falls in love with the prince and then must find a way to save him.

These books tell the same general story although they take it in different directions and imbue it with different flavors. Pattou's story is intriguing because the multiple points of view give it more facets and depth, even though McKiernan's version tells the story in much more detail, drawing out each segment of the tale. The second version is more romantic in some respects and also more adult (recommended for older teens) but I really enjoyed both books: the way that East stuck to the 'real world' (except for the magic, of course) and the way that Once Upon a Winter Night explored Faery. Fantasy fans, in particular those who enjoy fairy tales, should definitely check these out.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Wicked Lovely, Spirit Fox, Firebird, or Black Pearls

The Soprano Sorceress by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

Anna is a music instructor from Iowa - she aspired to be a singer, but didn't quite make the cut before she had children and quit trying. Unfortunately, nothing in her life is going quite right - her oldest daughter has died, her marriage has ended, and her career is at a standstill. The same moment she wishes she were anywhere else, a sorceress in Erde is casting a spell to summon a sorceress from another world. Anna suddenly finds herself in a foreign world where music causes magic to happen - her training means that she is a formidable sorceress. But trouble is brewing - a neighboring country is destroying the land and planning to invade. The defenders hope Anna will help them and she reluctantly realizes that people will be out to kill her whether she fights or not and steps up to build a life in the midst of the chaos.

I have to admit that the premise of the book was interesting. I kept reading because I was curious about how things were going to wrap up. But other than that...it was kind of boring. There was a sort of pattern because every time Anna meets someone new, they don't believe that she's a sorceress, so she does a spell; they comment on how young and pretty she looks, she explains that she's much older than she looks and has grown children; the youngsters and servants are suspicious, she wins them over; she doesn't like things so she forces them to change... Perhaps part of it was just my mood, but as 'realistic' as it was (assuming it could happen in the first place), it was kind of repetitive and, for some reason, I couldn't even bring myself to be sympathetic with Anna. Honestly, I think that if it sounds interesting, you're going to have to decide for yourself - if you like it, great, but if you think it's too slow to start, just know that it doesn't get any better.

A note: this is the first in The Songspell Cycle, followed by The Spellsong War, Darksong Rising, The Shadow Sorceress, and Shadow Singer.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Princess Nevermore, The Harper Hall Trilogy, or The Keys to the Kingdom

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Miri lives with her father and sister on Mount Eskel. Their small village has been mining the mountain quarries for generations, cutting blocks of precious, marbled linden. Miri, who is small for her age, has never been allowed to work and she feels useless in her community. One year, a delegate from the king announces that the priests have divined that their small town is the place where the prince heir's bride lives. All girls of the proper age are required to attend the princess academy where they will learn enough to make them 'fit' to marry the prince. At the end of a year, he will come to a ball at the academy and choose one of them. Miri's life is turned upside down, but she realizes, as she starts to do well in her lessons, that she might finally be good at something - and she starts to learn more about her heritage as well. But her lessons will all be more important than she thinks: when danger threatens, all of her skills will be put to the test.

I really enjoyed this book. The community where Miri lives has an oral tradition expressed in music - the language and story help to reproduce the lyricism for readers which adds to the feel throughout the book. The story itself is also rather unique and interesting, and the characters are realistic. Based on the characters, it might be more appealing to girls, but overall, I would recommend this book to fantasy fans.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Annals of the Western Shore, Princess Nevermore, or East